Between the Shadows

By: Ethereal Fury

Chapter Four: Can't Get You Off My Mind…

Bright light flooded through the open window of Zephyr's room. With a loud groan, he rolled onto his back and slung an arm over his tired eyes. He felt terrible—his head hurt, and he had barely slept all night. You probably had too much champagne and this is hangover, the rational, analytical side of his conscience said. Zephyr agreed—he probably HAD had too much champagne the previous night.

Yeah right Leonstrife. You had one glass, this is no hangover. It's that Aurora chick that kept you up all night, the other side of his conscience sneered. Zephyr closed his eyes in dismissal of the latter statement. He did not want to admit it, but his conscience was right. Ever since he had gotten back to the Akademy to find Reed's empty bed, Aurora's face had appeared every time he closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

Now, it was coming back again, haunting him, distracting him from the real focus of his mission. The soft silkiness of her auburn hair falling freely to her shoulders. The breathtaking contrast of her midnight gown with her creamy skin. The splendor of her uniquely colored eyes as they watched him intently.

See, you're doing it again, his conscience mocked. Zephyr fumed silently… he wasn't supposed to, no, he couldn't think of Aurora. She meant nothing to him, right? But then why were the adorable curvature of her rosy lips when she directed that radiant dimpled smile at him, the charm of her playful pout when he refused to be swayed by her insistence that he meet the other Akademy student, and the sheer perfection of her minute features imprinted in his mind? Zephyr sighed, rolling onto his side and facing the window. The unfamiliar yet comforting feeling of her delicate hand in his own as she tugged him towards Reed crept into his mind.

Reed…at the thought of his name, Zephyr sat up and looked sideways at Reed's perfectly neat bed—it had not been slept in overnight. He's probably off somewhere with Aurora or something, he thought with attempted offhandedness and a shrug, but an unsettling jealousy burned within.

Whatever, it's just cause he got something before you did. You're used to whooping his butt at everything, so it makes you feel bad that he outdid you in this, nothing else, he asserted firmly, swinging his feet over the side of the bed and settling them onto the lush carpeted floor. Besides, what do you need a girl for anyway? You don't need anyone, and girls are just complicated to understand, they get in the way, and you end up going out of your way to save them more often than you can count. The only girl you have time for is Storm. You gotta get this done so you can get her away from that woman that calls herself a mother, he added, changing into his usual attire of jeans, a white T-shirt, and a black v-neck sweater.

His stomach gave a loud growl—he decided he would have breakfast and then train to rid himself of his frustrations. Yeah Leonstrife, great plan. Get over the chick by filling your stomach and hacking around with your gunblade, his inner voice smirked.

Shut up already or the only thing I'm gonna hack is you, he shouted silently back at it. He felt like a nut, yelling inwardly at himself. Oooh… that sounds scary; bring it on, wuss... or is that chick so much on your mind that you can't even handle your blade? it taunted with dripping sarcasm. Furious, he latched Punishment's sheath to his hip and shot a hole through the reception's fake invitation, as it sat on his desk, with his 8-millimeter training gun. That should shut his 'inner voice' up. With a satisfied smirk and no more wisecrack comments form his conscience, he strode out of his room towards the Akademy's cafeteria.

Zephyr walked briskly through the Akademy's crowded hallways, his head down and his hands in his pockets. As usual, he was thinking—he tended to think too much; his Instructors always told him so. He had never socialized with anyone at the Akademy, shared anything with them, so he tended to discuss matters with himself. It made him feel like he was crazy, but it was still better than other people's problems. He thought about his mission, about what it would be like to kill a man (surely it's nothing; I put up with mother for eleven years, nothing beats that, besides… it's for Storm… he mused thoughtfully), about Storm and how unfair it was that she was forced to struggle to find food and keep the house livable at the mere age of six, about his ongoing rivalry with Reed, and even fleetingly about Aurora.

Hey, hey! Would you look at that? Looks like our man Leonstrife finally got some hormones… he's actually thinking about *gasp* a girl! This deserves a party, his inner voice said cynically. In response, Zephyr jammed his hands further into his pockets and gritted his teeth. He hated the smart-mouthed half of his conscience; it reminded him too much of his rival Reed.

He rounded the final corner that led him to the cafeteria and felt something crash forcefully against his chest. He staggered back from the force of the blow, remaining on his feet, but whoever had bumped into him stumbled to the floor. With a sigh of annoyance, Zephyr crossed his arms and stared at the floor, waiting for the other person to rise and apologize. After all, he/she had bumped into him. Whoever had fallen, however, was not getting up. With a scowl, and without taking his eyes off the ground to look at the person, he stretched a hand to help them up.

"… you ok?" he muttered, not really caring if they were or not.

A small, dainty hand slid into his own and tugged, using Zephyr's body weight to pull its owner up. A smiling face appeared in his downcast field of vision, making Zephyr's eyes widen in recognition.

"Are you always this antisocial or do I get special treatment, Mr. Kane? That scowl of yours could scare anyone off," a soft, feminine voice said with a smile. She couldn't help but notice how his furrowed brow enhanced the intensity of his azure gaze.

"Aurora?!" Zephyr said in astonishment, surprise showing in his usually emotionless face. Oh yeah, score baby! Feel your knees getting weak yet? his conscience grinned. Zephyr ignored it, gave himself a mental shake, and crossed his arms over his chest, returning his face to its customary expressionless mask. "Why are you here?"

"Reed brought me here; he's in the cafeteria having breakfast. I actually came out to look for you," she replied, playfully twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

"… why?" he asked, still looking at the floor. It's not like I care or anything, he told himself. Sure you don't… is that why your pulse is quickening? his self shot back sarcastically.

"Cause I think you're cute," she answered spontaneously, and immediately cringed inwardly. She knew she should not have said that out loud… this was utterly embarrassing.

Zephyr remained unfazed. "… whatever," he responded, shifting his weight uncomfortably. Does she mean that? he contemplated.

Aurora smiled up at him. "Actually, I come here pretty often; I like to hang out here, it's so free. My dad hates it and says I should stay away from "the homeless violent rogues that inhabit that run-down building", as he puts it, but I never listen to him. He doesn't know Reed very well—he calls him "that rascal boyfriend of yours, that worthless orphaned Akademy mutt"; if he did he would have a different opinion of the Akademy's students, don't you think Mr. Kane?" she queried, looking at Zephyr.

He remained silent, not bothering to defend himself as an Akademy student from the unfounded accusations of some man that knew nothing about them. Worthless mutts, eh? ZEG by itself solves more problems in a year than the entire Terra Council put together does in five… not so worthless in my opinion. But whatever, let him think what he likes, he thought to himself.

"Hmm… you're not much of a conversationalist, huh?" she questioned with a chuckle.

Zephyr shrugged indifferently. True, he wasn't one for words. As a matter of fact, he wasn't one for anything. He was naturally introverted and taciturn, detached, and even cold towards others. He barely spoke to other students; only exchanged witticisms with Reed when he pushed it too far. He liked working and training alone, only sparring with Reed when he felt he needed field experience. The insensitive, silent, brooding type that surprisingly drove the girls in the Akademy crazy. No one knew about his past, about Storm, about his drunken mother and executed father, or about the perilous mission he had undertaken. No one really knew anything about him, for that matter. Only that he was the best the Akademy had to offer, academically and on the field, and that he was one guy you wouldn't want to mess with, lest you wanted to end up severely wounded.

Aurora watched him as he shifted his weight again and remained with his head bowed and his arms across his chest. He was so different from Reed—Reed was open, friendly, and flirtatious and he was reclusive, pensive, and stoic. Reed would always be joking and smiling; this man barely said a word and consistently frowned. Reed knew how to treat a girl: flowers, compliments, expensive dinners, attention; he ignored her and seemed annoyed in her presence. He was her polar opposite—she was free-spirited, stubborn, affectionate, outgoing, and a lover of freedom; he liked to have his life dictated by the rules and regulations of the Akademy, thrived on discipline, and barely questioned his superiors' orders.

In fact, he was everything she would have deemed undesirable in a man—unromantic, unaffectionate, unresponsive, uncaring, and inarticulate. Yet it was he with his mysterious aloof aura and downright rudeness, rather than Reed with his movie-star looks and seductive appeal, that had for the first time in her seventeen years made her weak in the knees before she had even learned his name. She grinned up at him. "That's okay, I like the strong, silent type," she teased.

Zephyr shrugged once more. "…whatever," he replied again. Really Leonstrife, she's probably thinking that's the only word you know—you've said it twice in less than two minutes. You're really demonstrating the extent of your intellect, his conscience chided.

Whatever, I don't care what she thinks; she can go back to Reed for all I care, he replied evenly. Oooh… is that jealousy I hear from our man Leonstrife? Now that is a first. She really must be getting to you, his inner self jeered. Zephyr decided to ignore it.

Aurora's eyes fell on the black leather sheath attached to Zephyr's hip. "Heey! Is that the famed gunblade?" she inquired excitedly.

Say something intelligent Leonstrife…she's got looks AND brains… now that's unusual, his conscience prompted with a snicker. "…yeah," he responded (VEERY intelligent Leonstrife, it cackled), fully looking at her for the first time since she had bumped into him. Zephyr drew in a quiet breath—she truly was a sight to behold in her white shorts exposing her long slender legs and her navy blue T-shirt; her shoulder-length auburn hair pulled into a loose ponytail with a few wayward locks framing her delicate face that brought out the green in her eyes. It was no wonder Reed boasted about his conquest. His expressionless face softened ever so slightly as he watched her shyly tuck an unruly strand behind her ear and look away from him.

All together now… Awwww! Isn't that just so cute? The Ice Mercenary has a soft spot for the chick… maybe you should tell her your real name? his inner voice chortled.

I do not have a soft spot for her… I've only seen her twice, he snapped back at it. So? it shot back, your mom and your dad married a week after he returned from the war… and they hadn't seen each other for over two years, it reminded.

Leave them out of this, he fumed silently, adding to himself that he wouldn't tell he who he really was since it was probably easier for her to like the introverted, fictitious Auron Kane than the murderer-to-be real Zephyr Leonstrife. It was easier for him too, since if he played the role of Auron Kane, he as Zephyr would not become attached. Uncomfortable with these thoughts and feelings he never knew he had but she managed to stir in him, he scowled deeper and glued his azure eyes to the floor.

"Um, can I see it?" Aurora inquired softly. Reed had told her that the gunblade was a man's best friend, and she did not want to intrude upon this man with her request, but she felt an inexplicable need to crack Zephyr's ice-cold, reclusive exterior and get to know the real man behind the aloof mask. She didn't know what she was doing— she'd just met the guy and already he was weakening her knees and she was wanting to see his most treasured possession… heck, she was seventeen and behaving like he was the first guy she'd ever seen. It was weird, but she felt some sort of connection with him.

Zephyr cocked his head slightly, considering the thought. Yeah, just show her what your real 'gunblade' can do, his inner voice chuckled nastily. Zephyr dismissed the last comment with disgust—it was surreal how his conscience was so reminiscent of Reed, right down to the hormonal instability. Finally, he shook his head lightly, causing his mahogany locks to tumble over his forehead and occlude his face.

It was the closest thing he had to a childhood memento, something to remind him of the days of relative happiness when his mother was not drunk and his father was still alive, and he treasured it. His father had given it to him when he was five; it had been his when he had been a noble defender of Zanark in the Zanark-Aerith War (before Zephyr was born), and when Zephyr had been of age, it had become his birthday gift. As a child, he had always kept it safely in its case, never daring to open it, dreaming about the honor and glory it would bring its handler. But then the arguments had started, his mother had turned to drinking, and his father had taken to perilous undercover espionage operations in the heart of Aerith, country he had betrayed Zanark for and died for, and so Zephyr released it from its case, named it Punishment, and ran from home.

Yeah, honor and glory… how ironic, I'm gonna be a murderer; a traitor in the same way father was; chip off the old block, he thought with disdain.

Aurora pouted coyly at him. "Why not?" she queried innocently.

Damn that pout… does it have to be so… appealing? he cursed inwardly. It reminded him too much of Storm's when he told her he had to return to the Akademy and she did not want him to leave. He could never refuse her anything with that pout and always ended up staying far longer than he should have, but it was worth it to see the happiness radiating in her youthful eyes. He found himself beginning to accede to Aurora's request and brought a hand to the hilt of his gunblade. Before he could unsheathe Punishment's shimmering silver blade, Zephyr spotted the tall silhouette of his rival approaching. He gritted his teeth, set his jaw in determination, narrowed his eyes, and left his hand on Punishment's black hilt.

Reed waltzed up to the two with his customary cocky smirk and draped an arm casually around Aurora's slender shoulders, grinning at Zephyr with an air of superiority. "And what would you be doing talking to the social outcast of the Akademy?" he asked Aurora, laughter dancing in his emerald eyes.

Aurora spun around angrily, causing Reed's arm to fall to his side. "For your information, Mr. Lockheart, I got disgusted seeing you pile pancake after pancake swimming in maple syrup on your plate and decided to wander around the hallways. I bumped into Mr. Kane here and he was kind enough to help me up," she retorted.

"Was that before or after you were done drooling over him? Or was it the other way around?" Reed inquired, smirking knowingly at Zephyr, who just glared at him.

Aurora shook her head and rolled her eyes. "What Reed? Afraid of a little competition?" she taunted with sarcasm. She wasn't usually like this… but somehow Reed always managed to get on her nerves and grate them to their limits, getting her remarkably annoyed. Then he would simply direct her his gorgeous smile, shower her with attention and romanticism, and all would be fine for a while until the cycle repeated itself.

Zephyr bit back a smile. Most girls were too busy swooning over Reed's good looks to even dream of standing up to him, what's more, tease him. Aurora had done both; she sure had spunk. And guts too. You have to either be a gunblade specialist or a bonehead to mess with Reed, he mused inwardly… and he had an inkling she was neither.

Hey hey, would you look at that? Our man, Emotionless-to-the-core Leonstrife is praising the chick for teasing Reed. I don't think he's ever praised anyone before, ladies and gentlemen; you're witnessing a once-in-a-lifetime show! Buy your popcorn, sit back in your seats, relax, and enjoy Zephyr Leonstrife behaving like a human being instead of an iceberg! his inner voice chortled, taking the tone of a sports commentator. For once, he didn't dismiss it and instead opted to see how the events unfolded. A girl talking back to Reed was not to be missed.

"Ha! Competition from that punk? Get real Aurora," Reed scoffed, pointing at Zephyr. He raked a hand through his perfect black hair and flashed her a white-toothed movie-star smile.

"I'm being serious Reed. At least he's not half the conceited, smart-mouthed ass you are. Dad was right calling you an Akademy mutt; you really are no better than the rest of them. And to think I went against him to defend your worthless hide," she snapped, cheeks flushed and eyes flashing angrily. This time he really had pushed it too far. She couldn't comprehend why, but Reed picking on the youth standing before her was inconceivable… it was wrong, even for Reed, and that was saying a lot.

Feisty… I like that, Zephyr thought with amusement as he watched Reed's mouth drop open in shock. For the first time in his life, a girl was not overpowered by his seductive charm and he didn't know how to handle that.

"Aw, come on Aurri, you know you don't mean that," Reed said smoothly, flashing her another smile and draping his arm around her shoulders once again.

"Don't. Call. Me. That," she growled menacingly, pushing Reed's arm off her. "Argh! Somebody please tell me why I ever went out with such a big-headed, arrogant creep! You get on my nerves, you know that Reed?" she exclaimed with frustration. His flirtatious tricks were not going to work this time.

Reed smirked at her and replied huskily, "Yep, and that's why you love me, Aurri."

Aurora rolled her eyes. "Aaah! Do guys have to be so thick?" she inquired in exasperation as she turned on her heel and stomped away in the direction of the Akademy's main entrance, shaking her head.

Zephyr smirked cockily. "Aww… poor Reed, I think someone got dumped. Do you need a hug? Or maybe a tissue for your tears?" he asked in mock compassion, each word exuding sarcasm.

Reed whirled on him. "Shut it Leonstrife, unless you want your ass kicked," he retorted.

Zephyr's smirk widened. "I have my gunblade right here, but I wouldn't want to screw up your perfect little face now, would I? Nah, I think I'd rather practice on that robot in the gym; he's twice as good as you are," he said, pushing past Reed and heading to the cafeteria.

"You'd better watch your back Leonstrife," Reed threatened menacingly.

"Ha, with you, I don't even have to worry about my front," Zephyr called back over his shoulder, strolling leisurely through the cafeteria doors, leaving a fuming Reed behind. He grinned—a victorious verbal spar with Reed always put him in a good mood. And now, for some food and some training, then back to the tavern to meet with that horrendous man, my Boss, he thought, getting into the lengthy cafeteria line for some breakfast.

***

R&R!