A/N: Ch.4 really sucked, I know. But believe me-this will be better. Maybe longer. But hey, if you want, check out by new post up, Never in My Darkest Days. It's a poem about Seifer. Oh, and I want to thank my latest reviewer Blueberry. Everybody must read her stuff, because it's really good. Now, last chapter, Kyonae went into one of her memory trips in front of Seifer, ran off, and blacked out. She wakes up the next morning in the infirmary…
Chapter Five: A Talk with Squall
Kyonae awoke to the morning light, but did not open her eyes, but let the golden rays penetrate her eyelids. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was being in the Training Center, screaming at Seifer, then everything became blurred and confusing, even frightening after that…
She felt fine now, no trouble breathing, no fogging of the senses, no screaming, no flames...nothing. But the lack of these terrors was replaced by worry. Had anyone seen her in that state of mind? Had she made it back to her dorm on her own? So many questions filled her mind she wanted to scream. Wanting nothing more than to be in her own bed, her eyes fluttered open and squinted into the morning sunlight.
"Oh, no…"she moaned softly. Her wishing had been in vain. She was in a hospital-looking place, on a white hospital-looking bed, and a stout brown haired woman was telling someone off at the door…
"For the last time, no! She will be fine! You are not to disturb the poor girl while she's trying to sleep! I will call you when she wakes up!"
"Wha…who are you?" asked Kyonae groggily.
The woman turned around, saw her sitting up, and only seemed to become angrier. "Now look what you've done! You've gone and woken her up!"
"Great!" Zell's voice sounded loudly from the hallway. "Can we go see her then?"
"Oh…" she looked desperately over to Kyonae, who remained silent. "Fine! But if you do anything to get her worked up, Dincht, I'll toss you out!"
"…Then maybe I should just go in, and have Zell stay out here," Squall's voice offered quietly.
"That's a good idea. She'll be happy to see you, I'm sure."
"What?! Aw, come on, man! Why can't I-"
"Hey, Zell, hold that thought. Smell that? I think it's hot dogs cooking, I can't be sure…"
Zell was gone.
"Very clever, Squall. That got him running. Come on in."
The door whirred open and Squall walked in, carrying her Talon carefully in his hands. They both approached her bed, the woman smiling a bit nervously. "How are you feeling this morning, dear?"
"Uh…fine, I guess," she answered. " Just a bit tired. Who are you?"
"Oh, yes, you wouldn't know me, would you? You're new here…my name's Dr. Kadowaki. And you remember Squall…right?" she asked slowly.
"Uh…yeah," Kyonae nodded. Why was she talking to her like she was a six-year-old?
"Good," Dr. Kadowaki replied. "I'll leave you two alone… when you feel right enough, you're free to go as long as Squall accompanies you." She walked into her office to do some paperwork.
Squall pulled up a chair and sat down beside her bed. " You okay?"
"What happened?" she asked. "I don't remember anything…"
"You went into some kind of seizure. When we found you, you were on the ground, twitching. Your eyes were wide open. We brought you here to the infirmary as quick as we could. When you calmed down, Dr. Kadowaki fixed up your arm."
Kyonae looked down at her bandaged arm. She had completely forgotten about it. "Did anyone see me?"
"Only the people you met last night. Don't worry, they won't tell anyone if you don't want them to."
"Did Seifer see me?"
"We asked him about it later, and he said he saw you acting weird and then run off."
Kyonae took a moment to absorb all this, then held her head in her hands wearily. "I'm so embarrassed…"
"Has it happened before?"
"Yes…so many times, I can't even remember how many…but it was never like that…I never passed out before…"
"What do you mean?"
"Sometimes…I have these visions. Flashbacks. Of…"
"Trabia?"
"Yes." She almost bit her tongue. (Why am I telling him all this? It feels as if I can tell him anything. Why…) "I don't know why."
"It was a terrible experience. Not your fault."
"I keep telling myself that, but I can't believe it. Oh Squall, the day Trabia was attacked, I had this sudden feeling that I should leave, head for the woods, anywhere far away…and as I was heading out the door…"
He shrugged. "Woman's intuition. No big deal."
"But I didn't tell anyone about it. I didn't want anyone to think I was crazy. And because I kept it to myself…so many people, all my friends…they're gone now."
Squall thought for a moment. " What does all this have to do with Seifer? Did you know him?"
"I wish I had. Then I could've killed him sooner," Kyonae muttered bitterly. "I heard Irvine that day. I heard you that day too, while you were searching for survivors. It was Seifer's fault my Garden was attacked. He was the Sorceress' knight, wasn't he? And a student of Balamb. He could've stopped it if he'd wanted to, right? But he didn't…that's why I vowed to kill him. To put things right again."
"Maybe," said Squall. "But are you sure killing Seifer's going to make the memories go away? Or the pain? What right is going to be restored by making him die?"
Kyonae could not reply. She didn't know. What right would be restored by killing Seifer? She had never stopped to ask herself this question…she had always been too blinded by rage. She looked into Squall's gray blue eyes and saw pure, knowing wisdom, as if he too had once come across this question. She saw his oblique scar, and remembered Seifer had an identical one. It was then she realized that Squall and Seifer were rivals…and that meant he had battled against Edea…and that could only mean…
"You're the one who saved us all from Ultimecia."
Squall looked surprised. "You didn't know that already?"
"Well…" Kyonae stuttered. Had she offended him? "You see, after I was well enough to leave the hospital, I lived deep in the forest. You don't get much news out there. I heard of the battle, but I didn't know who had defeated her. I thought that while I was here, I could find out. And now I know…but anyway, back to Seifer…" she sighed. "I guess nothing good would come out of killing him. I mean, you've considered it, I'm sure."
"Oh, yes…many times," he agreed, a small smile on his face.
"And it has been a long time. Maybe he's changed…?"
"Well, attitude, no. But I think he'll think twice before trying to conquer the world again, if that's what you mean." Squall paused. "Kyonae…why did you go into hiding after the hospital?"
"Well, actually it was mostly the doctors' ideas," Kyonae answered, rolling her eyes. "They said a whole lot of doctor mumbo jumbo, then told me in straight plain English that I wasn't ready to live around normal people yet, that it'd be too stressing and I'd end up like all the others who went insane. So they had me sent to the woods and I lived there for awhile. I really didn't mind. I liked the solitude. But I never could help having this feeling that they were lying to me. Like they were hiding me from something…"
There was silence. Then, Kyonae sat up straight. "I almost forgot! The SeeD exam is today! What the hell am I doing sitting around?" She pulled on her boots as she stood up, wavering a bit at first.
"Are you sure you're okay?" asked Squall, concerned.
"I'm fine. Don't' worry about it." She picked up her Talon, and put it back in its sheath. "Ready to go?"
"Sure," he said, standing up. As he did, the intercom went on. "Attention please. All SeeD candidates are to assemble at the 1st floor lobby. Thank you."
" Well then…I guess we'd better hurry up." She headed for the door.
"Oh, Kyonae, I forgot to ask: do you have a GF? They're required for the exam."
"Sure I do. I wouldn't go anywhere without her. Let's go."
Walking down the hall, Kyonae asked him, "How was your exam before you became a SeeD?"
"It was interesting." Squall had a smirk on his face.
"I hope I pass. It's always been my dream, to be a SeeD, next to getting revenge. But I guess I don't need that one anymore. Thank you, Squall."
"Huh? For what?"
"For everything. You saved my skin twice, and you stopped me from doing something I probably would've regretted. We're much alike, Squall, you and me."
"Why do you say that?"
"Uh…" Kyonae drifted off. Why had she said that? It had just slipped out. She thought quickly to improvise. "Well…we're both gunbladers, right?"
"Yeah, I guess so…"
"And we're both more-" Kyonae started.
"Complex than people think?" Squall finished.
They both stopped a minute, shrugged, and moved on. "Yeah…and we both think-"
"Zell is a loud annoying hot dog fanatic?" Kyonae finished for him.
They stopped again, looked at each other, and shrugged again. "Whatever,"
They said at the same time, but ignored it. It was too weird…
Down at the 1st floor lobby, Quistis was already there in her SeeD uniform, waiting for the candidates. "Hi Kyonae, Squall. Just waiting for a few more people. How are you feeling, Kyonae?"
"I'm fine," Kyonae said, a little more stubbornly than she meant to. "Which Squad am I in?"
"You are in Squad B, Kyonae," Quistis replied, checking the clipboard she was holding. Then she went pale. "Oh…"
"What?"
"Um, well, Kyonae, it's about your partner-we couldn't divide the teams up into three as usual, so there is only going to be the two of you in Squad B."
"What's so bad about that?"
Just then, Seifer came walking down the hall, smirking as usual. "Sorry I'm late. Ah, Kyonae, glad to see you, really," he said, though he put it in a rather unconvincing tone.
"Oh, what are you doing here?" Kyonae sighed.
"Well, Kyonae, that's the thing. Seifer is your partner."
"WHAT?" they both exclaimed at the same time.
"It can't be changed," Quistis shrugged apologetically.
"Wait a second, hold the frickin phone," Seifer protested, holding up his hands. "You mean to tell me I've gotta go on a mission with her?"
"And you mean to tell me I've gotta go on a mission with him?"
"You're to support Kyonae's decisions, Seifer, as she's the squad leader."
Squall shook his head slightly as he watched Seifer and Kyonae glare murderously at each other. This couldn't be good…
A/N: That's it for Chapter 5! Don't you think that was better than Chapter 4? It brought a few things out into the light and kept some things in the dark. My brother loved the part with Zell and the hot dogs. Maybe I'm bashing the poor guy too much…well, you tell me! Please R/R!
