Author's note: Writing from a girl's point of view seems to come easy for me. I do admit to understanding women a little more than the average guy, but everything I put down is either according to that woman's character or else my own thoughts. Just as a side note, Amy is one of my favorite Sailor Scouts. She's so cute! *drools* Lita and Trista too… *shudders happily* As for Final Fantasy 8, Selphie and Rinoa might be cute, but you gotta admit, Quistis is one of the sexiest women to grace Square. *yeowza!* But none of them compare to Viki from Suikoden!!! ……Sorry, none of that is important. It's just an eccentric part of me. (And now it all starts to make sense!) Oh, on a side note, please bear in mind that there will be lots of MUSH in this chapter, and I don't mean the kind you eat! Barf bags are available!

XVI: Pieces to a Wonderful Puzzle

Amy kept her eyes closed for a few seconds more, then opened them to find one of the dearest, sweetest, kindest, most loveable friends she had ever known sleeping next to her. Fujin looked very adorable in the middle of her rest, and her face glowed a natural shine now that her ever-present eye patch was off. The horrible scar that usually hid beneath it didn't make her look scary or ugly in the least; in fact, if anything, it made her look more vulnerable and dependant.

Of course, only a select few people could see past her shield of strength. Usually, Fujin was the exact opposite of what she was portraying now: normally, she was vicious, emotionless, curt, quick, and lethal. But Amy knew her better--and apparently, so did her unlikely boyfriend, who had bunked with Zell for the night. Amy's smile grew as she tossed in her large bed, and got a pretty good look of one of her other good friends, the clueless yet loyal Seifer Almasy.

His was an unlikely case: Amy had heard of how infamous Seifer had been awhile back, and how close to the apocalypse he had actually brought the world. Now, through some unknown miracle (the faculty at Garden finally concluded that it was Ultimecia's hold being released on him, combining with the Time Compression journey, that had erased his mind), Seifer could start all over with a new life, and new memories.

There were only two beds in the small cabin, so space was considerably tight. Amy secretly wanted to bunk with Zell, but she didn't trust Fujin and Nida together in the same bed, nor even Zell and Seifer. An agreement had been made that benefited everyone, and for this first night, it seemed to work.

Amy and Zell were headed to the cold northern regions of Trabia, where there resided somebody who could possibly take Amy home. The blue-haired lady had no idea what Zell had in mind, nor even if this arrangement would work, but she trusted Zell enough to follow him up to the frosty regions. Since they apparently did not trust the two "friends" to make it to Trabia by themselves, a trinity of Amy's closest buddies had also joined the party. They had all grown close to the warrior of ice; whether she was their "real" friend or not was unimportant. Amy was Amy and that was that.

From Balamb Island to the northern regions of Trabia, it took the boat about two days to putter all the way. In that brief period of time, Amy grew even closer to her friends (and Zell), if that were possible. She and Nida were getting along swimmingly--but then again, when two brilliant minds meet, what else can happen? As for Seifer, he proved to be 1/3 of a very unlikely yet very close cadre of buddies that Amy had grown to love dearly. He started growing especially close to her, since both seemed to know nothing about the world.

Several hours before the boat docked at Trabian shores, Amy walked outside and stood on the port side of the ship, gazing out at the dark-blue waters. The color matched her hair seamlessly, and the smell reminded her of the beaches she would go to when she was little. The air was considerably colder, though, so she had to bundle up a little. It wasn't so cold that they would all die of hypothermia; it was more of a wintry chill than the arctic blasts that Sailor Mercury specialized in.

As Amy mindlessly gazed out at the waters, she was joined by Zell, whom she had started to like very much. In a sense, she hated him--that is, she hated how eager he seemed to be to see her leave, or how casual he was taking all this. She was pretty certain that he liked her, so why he was acting happy was a mystery. She tried not to bring it up as they started speaking.

"Frickin' cold out here!" blurted Zell, hugging himself despite the blue coat he was wearing. Amy smiled and silently nodded in agreement. As always, Zell strolled over next to Amy and leaned over the side as if he did this sort of stuff all the time. The breath he let out turned into a steamy mass of frozen air, forming fog and smoke as it drifted upwards.

"…So, you looking forward to going home?" he asked.

"…Hard to say," she replied.

"How's that?"

"……Zell… forgive me for noticing, but I'm getting a lot of mixed messages from you."

"…Huh?" The confused look on his face, while cute, did little to cheer Amy's mood.

"Well, I've sort of figured out that you, uh… like me… and that's okay, because I like you too, but… well, I can't help but think that you're happy that I'm going home."

"…Aren't you?" he asked after a pause. Amy sighed and clicked her tongue.

"Yes, but… I'm getting the feeling that you don't want me around."

"Well, that's not true!!" he retorted. "I… well, uh… erm, uh, you're right, uh, about mmm… well, you know…" Amy made no movement, not even to smile faintly, as she looked back at Zell.

"…I'm sorry. This just might be me. I'm just getting the impression that you're glad to see me go."

"No," he emphasized, "but… well, aren't you looking forward to going back home?" Amy paused, and shook her head slowly.

"I don't know," she murmured slowly. "I don't know what to feel anymore. The other day, I was so light and carefree, but… well, now that I've been given some time to let things sink in… I don't know. I just don't know." She grew a very crestfallen frown, and looked back up at Zell. He matched her gaze, trying to offer whatever he could in this most confusing and needy hour. It was true that he was liking Amy, much more than a friend, and it was true that he wanted her to stay behind, with him. But she didn't belong there! She had another life to go to! He couldn't be so selfish as to keep her here! He had to set her free! Because…

Well, because sometimes, you have to let go of the ones you love…

"…I don't know what to say," he shrugged. Amy kept her silent gaze, the cold long since passed over as a part of the environment. She didn't even feel it anymore; the tension between them had warmed everything up. Even her breath became invisible again as she exhaled every so often.

"Zell, just tell me," she said. "If you could keep me here, would you?"

"Well, you've got other friends to go to, and--"

"Just tell me," she interrupted softly (now was not the time to get mad). "Would you or not?" He paused, pursing his lips in thought as he mulled over her question.

"…I… guess I'd keep you here," he replied. "But, you know, I'm not that selfish. It's outta my lack of selfishness that I let you go, y'know? I don't want to see you go, but… well, I guess I have to. I……… well, jeez, I guess I'm just an idiot as always."

"No!" sang Amy gently. She stepped forward, folding her arms around his body in a supportive hug. "Zell, whether you believe it or not, I really and truly have grown to like you while I was here. It might have been a short time, but… well, I wouldn't trade a second of it for anything else!"

"No?" He gazed down at the beautiful young lady hugging him, and smiled just faintly as her hair rubbed up against his mouth. Despite the crisp air, he could still smell the shampoo she had used that morning, and the soap she had used to wash herself. She had a terrific smell to her, and Zell wanted to make sure that he remembered every aspect of her: sight, smell, touch, sound, everything.

"No," she sighed. A pause, and she slowly began to rock in his arms. "You know… You remind me of a few of my friends. I know we're complete opposites, Zell, but you know what?"

"Hm?"

"We're opposites because we're pieces of a wonderful puzzle," she smiled. "You, Zell Dincht, you are brave and fun and strong and loyal. You're as trustworthy as a dog and as fun as a clown. Sometimes you act a little immature, but I can't hate that side of you. And… your strength… Zell, you're not just strong of body. You've got a strong heart, too.

"And me…" Amy smiled, blushing just slightly as she started talking about herself. "…I'll admit that I'm very smart, and wise, and a great friend, and well-loved. I'm not strong like you, and I'm not nearly as expressive with my feelings as you are, but you know what? That's where the pieces of the puzzle come in." She smiled, using every muscle and fiber of her face to give Zell her most angelic grin, and slowly, she leaned forward to press her lips to his own.

"We balance each other perfectly, Zell," she said gently. "You're strong, I'm smart. You're expressive, I'm thoughtful. You're brash, I'm deliberate. You're immature, I'm weak. We fit each other perfectly." She smiled again, her arms holding onto him tightly, and hoped the boat would never move from its position again; indeed, she wished never to go anywhere, least of all home.

Zell, for all accounts, was beyond reach. He was still surprised over Amy's sudden kiss, and her lengthy declaration had him stunned. But he soon grew a smile, and gave Amy the kiss he had been wanting to give her ever since… well, ever since he could remember.

"MUSHY," muttered Fujin. Nida chuckled softly and kissed her cheek.

"Admit it, you like it. I know you've got a great big romantic woman in there somewhere."

"WANT TO FIND OUT?" she asked huskily. Nida's face turned vermilion, and Fujin let out a sly grin. They both shared a laugh, and a kiss, leaving Seifer the only one to groan over how romantic everything was turning.

----------

Amy's shivering could not be prevented. The chilly atmosphere of Trabia would have made any living creature cold to the bone. Being Sailor Mercury, one would think that she felt home in such a place, but it was just the opposite. According to Fujin, the "real" Amy Mizuno had disappeared somewhere in these frozen wastes, and had not been seen for over two years.

One by one, Amy and her friends filed out of the boat, every one of them dressed accordingly to the frozen weather. Nida was holding Fujin tightly, and Seifer looked like a bear with so many coats and furs on. Zell was bouncing on his feet, rubbing his hands together vigorously, and Amy hugged the warmth close to her body.

"…So, where do you think Squall and Rinoa live?" asked Nida.

"I don't know exactly," shrugged Zell. "If you wanna know my opinion, I don't even know why they moved out here in the first place. Must've wanted to 'get away from it all', I'll bet." Nida nodded his head; Fujin snorted.

"NOT ASSURING," she grumbled. "LOST ALREADY."

"Hey, not even Headmaster Cid knew where they were headed!" pointed Zell. "But, I think they're somewhere around Trabia Garden. It seems logical enough, and even if they aren't there, it'll give us a place to stay for awhile. Let's see, now…" Zell grabbed his head with his hands, and stirred his brain around until he remembered where Trabia Garden was located.

"That way," he pointed. "I'm pretty sure it was there. I don't remember exactly, but…"

"PERFECTION," muttered Fujin. Amy turned around and gave her well-camouflaged friend a stern look, and Fujin immediately apologized. The blue-haired young lady had no more idea where to look than any of them, so she decided to follow Zell's intuition and go in the direction he pointed.

Amy had to run to catch up to Zell. The light exercise warmed her up a little, and being around Zell always made her feel warm. Discreetly, Amy's delicate hand slipped into Zell's, and even though they were both protected with gloves, they still smiled at the touch. Not too far behind them, Fujin stuck her finger in her mouth and pantomimed a gag.

"GETS YOU HERE," she muttered. Nida playfully slapped her shoulders, and Fujin grinned as she pushed him into the snow. The two immediately started squealing and wrestling in the white blankets of frost, and despite Seifer's groaning, Amy and Zell joined in as well.

"This is so ridiculous," he muttered, observing the four-way wrestling match. Amy giggled, completely ignoring him as she and Nida mock-wrestled.

"ACK!! Nida, help! Your girlfriend…… accckkk!!! HELP!!!!" Everyone, even Seifer, laughed out loud as they saw Fujin put Zell's lower limbs in a leglock, but the brash young man was not in such a good mood.

"You're on your own, Zell," chuckled Amy. Zell swore, and squealed out loud as Fujin twisted his thighs. Sighing in defeat, Nida slowly approached the two of them and, in a single word, separated them.

"Behave," he whispered, kissing Fujin's cheek. She snorted and crossed her arms, but even when trying to look tough, she gave off a loveable aura--sort of. Amy let out the loudest laugh of them all, and soon even Zell was smiling. His legs, he discovered, weren't in that much pain.

Suddenly, a horrible roaring sound shattered the friendly air, and a gigantic creature covered with fur and a little blood stomped into the clearing. Everyone shrieked and backed away as they saw it coming, even Seifer. The creature was huge, easily as tall as all of them put together, and was completely covered with snowy-white fur. Its face was half-filled with a toothy mouth, the other half being occupied by a fierce face. Amy recognized it instantly, even though she had never seen one of its kind before in her life.

It was a Yeti.

"Bad news," grumbled Zell, hastily fitting his fighting gloves on. "Looks like hairy here's a party-crasher. Well, this'll give us all some good exercise. Who wants some?!?!?!?!?!?!" Amy nearly slapped her own face as Zell got into a fighting position, and the young man's cockiness came to full circle as he challenged the sasquatch to a duel. The dumb creature did not understand his speech, but it was sentient enough to know that it was hungry, and there were five small but satisfying morsels right before it.

Zell stormed in first, giving the creature two terrible whaps with his fists. This knocked the brute down long enough for Nida to perform a Scan.

"It's weak against fire, obviously," noted Nida. "Zell hit it pretty hard, but it still has a lot of fight left in it. Seifer, Fujin, you two attack it directly! Amy, while they're distracting him, you attack from behind!"

"But all my attacks are of the Ice element! It won't do us much good to expose him to something he feels every day!"

"True, but it'll buy us some time at least. Just trust me!" Amy took in a deep breath, and wordlessly transformed into Sailor Mercury. As she made the metamorphosis, every mouth hung open in awe and every eye bugged out in surprise. Obviously, only Zell had seen her transform (and even he was startled), so their amazement was understandable.

When Sailor Mercury emerged once again, Fujin had to swallow awfully hard before speaking.

"AMAZING!" she hissed. "RESEMBLANCE UNCANNY!"

"We can talk later!" shouted Seifer, unleashing Hyperion from its prison. "We've got a snowman to thaw!!" Fujin wordlessly nodded her head, and the two friends dashed forward with their weapons singing merrily. Seifer's Hyperion cleaved an incredibly deep gash in the creature's belly, and the bullet that shot out of his gun blade nearly blasted the Yeti to nasty pieces. Fujin quickly followed up by carving the Yeti like a fowl creature with her own weapon, leaving speedy Mercury to dash behind the monster.

"Aqua Mirage Rhapsody!!" Before the Yeti could recover from its nasty blows, several jets of piercing-cold water impaled it, sending even the frost-loving Yeti shivering. The creature roared out in anger, and turned around to murder its attacker in a single blow. The warrior of ice froze (no pun intended) as she gazed at the immense creature towering over her, and was not prepared for the vicious backhand that the creature dealt her. The blow sent her flying straight into a pine tree, then towards the floor in a slump.

"AMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The entire field of ice and snow suddenly shattered as Fujin's voice grew to powerful proportions. The pale woman became absolutely enraged, and flew into a fierce, uncontrollable berserk state that not even a demon would want to face. With her hair flying wildly, and her ruby-red eye screaming for her injured friend, Fujin dashed forward and threw her pinwheel with the force of a lightning bolt.

It struck the creature's belly with such a force that it nearly cleaved it in two, but Fujin didn't stop there. Still in an uncontrollable rage over seeing her dear friend hurt so, Fujin screamed out for retribution and slammed her pinwheel into the face of the monster, hacking its head in two. The creature fell to the ground, probably still unaware that it had been attacked, and with a final bloody and barbaric toss, Fujin decapitated the monster.

Needless to say, everyone was shocked.

Slowly, Fujin calmed down and drew in several deep breaths. She waved the hair out of her eye, then casually walked over to where Sailor Mercury was laying. With a gentle smile that betrayed her previously-fierce nature, Fujin bent down to examine her friend.

"AMY, OKAY?" she asked. Sailor Mercury winced, and slowly dug herself out of the snow she had fallen in. With a weak smile, she stared up at Fujin, and allowed the snowy woman to help her up. Suddenly, as if only now the shock was wearing off, Zell snapped.

"Holy crap, Fujin!!!" he blurted. "What was that?!"

"DON'T MESS WITH AMY," pointed Fujin to her friend. Zell's face turned to the color of the white substance below him, and Nida's did as well; Seifer laughed out loud. Mercury, who had seen the whole thing, smiled warmly as she realized the true depth of Fujin's loyalty to her. She gave Fujin a sudden hug, and whispered her thanks.

"…Thank you, Fujin…"

"LOVE YOU," replied the pale girl. "WANT YOU SAFE. WILL KILL ANYTHING THAT HURTS YOU." Amy's smile grew to the size of her guardian planet, and the two girls hugged all the tighter.

"Whew," whistled Zell, "remind me to never get on Fujin's bad side! Yikes! I'm just glad everything's cool between me and Amy! Hey, Nida!"

"Hm?"

"How in the world do you stand that girl?!" Nida smiled knowingly, and chose to remain silent as he joined the two ladies.

"Who, Fujin? She's as gentle as a lamb!" He grinned at her, and rubbed his nose against hers; Zell rolled his eyes and groaned out loud.

"Uh, yeah right…"

Amy… I just want you to know that… if things came down to it, I would fight just as hard if you were hurt. I… want to keep you safe. You're such a special girl; you deserve to be protected. You have so much to give, and that's why… Well, that's why… I love you.

You were right. We are pieces to a puzzle--a puzzle that, when complete, shows a wonderful and beautiful picture.