Next Generation
(Author's Note: I guess I have long notes but there you go. Aliasha and Leyton, just remember that I plan for this story to last chapters and chapters (20? 30?), so they aren't a main main thing at the moment. What is a main main thing is that I plan to confuse everyone in this chapter. Aliasha wonders, Leyton denies, and friendship is found in an unlikely place. All characters belong to respective owners, Aliasha, Leyton, Debra, Lisa, Zack and Phoenix are mine. Okies? By the way, I want to dedicate this chapter to my inspiration for Lisa, Nicole Walters, creator of the OtherWorld fanfic. Worth a read, I guarantee.)
Chapter Four: Back To Garden, With A Difference
Aliasha sat around in her dormitory. She had refused dinner with her father and Leyton, after what had happened in the van she didn't think she could have a civilised conversation with him. She was afraid of him. More than she'd been afraid of the SeeD exam. She couldn't control the situation, and that scared her. She stretched her hands out in front of her, pain shot through her shoulder.
It had always given her grief. She'd damaged it during a training exercise. A T-Rexuar had appeared, she'd been surprised and tried to escape. Unfortunately it had caught her and she'd been in the Infirmary for injuries for weeks. Her shoulder had a large scar across it. Sometimes it just hurt because it was cold or the muscle was sore, but most of the time, in times of danger or stress, it hurt the most. A prediction of what was yet to come.
"Pain," She said aloud. That was the most likely thing that would come in the future. Pain, everything revolved around it. She wouldn't be in pain over Leyton, she wouldn't have been raped, she wouldn't have forfeited SeeD for Leyton, she wouldn't have lost her father. Everything was so wrong! Nothing was going right for her! It just wasn't fair! Why couldn't the world revolve around something else? Perhaps she should set up a new religion, Lets-all-beat-pain religion? Would that really work?
Aliasha found herself staring at a certain point on the wall. A nice little heart shape, that she'd coloured in red when she was still young. She had always wondered how it had got there. She knew that it was a punch mark and that whoever had done it had been really upset. Pain, again. Yet still, who was the person? She'd have to check the library records.
She looked around her dormitory. She had tidied up in her boredom, she'd hung all the towels on the rack, all the clothes had gone to the laundry, the bed had been made, surfaces dusted, possessions put back in their place and finally the gunblade had been polished. Aliasha was just about ready to drop dead on the floor.
She took one look at her timetable up until her next exam and sighed. All were revision lessons, which meant sitting with Instructor Kimberly Dincht pouring over text books. Either that or going with Instructor Nida Letterman and going into the training center to practise against grats and Raldos. She sighed again at the thought of all the pointless revision that she'd have to do. There was a knock at the door.
"Go away!" She shouted half-heartedly. The person knocked again. Aliasha stood up and wondered if she should open the door with angry words or just glare. She decided on the glare and pulled the door open.
"Hi Aliasha!" It was Lisa Dincht. Aliasha raised her eyebrows. What the hell was Lisa doing here without her other half? That was unusual, even more so was the fact that she'd got no make-up on. Aliasha was so taken aback that she just let Lisa in. She didn't question why the younger girl was here, but she might as well be polite.
"Aliasha, we, that's me, Debbie and Zack, were wondering if you want to come shopping with us on Saturday. You can bring Phoenix and Leyton along if you like. It's just," The young woman sighed. "We just don't wanna fight with you anymore, ya know? We wouldn't be SeeDs if it weren't for you, and you have earn our respect. I guess this is an apology for doing things to you that perhaps we shouldn't have. We don't really know anything about you, except who your mom was. And I was-" Aliasha coughed, interupting Lisa. There was only so much a person could listen to at once.
I'd love to go with you. I don't think Leyton or Phoenix will want to come. As for the apology, forget about it, we both did some pretty appalling stuff to each other. Like the time when we crept into your dormitory with Rinoa's best red lipstick and dabbed red dots all over your cheeks," Aliasha giggled. Memories were fun, when sharing them with the right people. Lisa giggled as well and the two girls were soon chatting happily about when they were kids.
"Hey, I'm starved. How about grabbing a hotdog from the cafeteria then going to hit some grats in the training center. Or we could have a monster killing contest? Or we could try and take on a T-Rexuar?" Lisa took a breath and then turned to Aliasha, who was still smiling slightly from the last story they'd talked about.
"Sure, let's go. I'll just fetch Daemon and I'll be with you!" Aliasha said, as Lisa went to her own dormitory to get her gun. Aliasha got her gunblade and got out her special scabbard that she had had made. She put the gunblade in it and walked out. Lisa was there already, which made Aliasha wonder if she'd been there all along.
"A question for you," Lisa said as they walked down the corridor. "What the hell is Daemon?" She asked. Aliasha smiled, most people asked that question. People tended not to make their own gunblades though. It had been a present from her father when her old gunblade, Twin Blade, had taken one blow to many and shattered. It had been made especially for her, as a girl gunblader. There weren't that many girls that used the weapon, as it required balance and co-ordination beyond all other forms of fighting.
"Daemon is my gunblade. My alter-ego. It's as much a part of me as my arm, leg, heart," She indicated with her arms as she talked. "It's like I was always meant to use it. Do you have that feeling with your weapons?"
Lisa thought for a while, then looked down at the gun, it had it's own person modifications on it. It also had strange devices clipped around the trigger. Aliasha recognized some of them, the laser, the special attack transformer, the silencer, the tracker, but some were a mystery. Finally they reached the cafeteria, with Lisa still thinking. They lined up and suddenly Lisa said:
"Yes! Yes, I know exactly what you mean!" Aliasha saw some people in front of her turn around. She smiled and waved. They were too shallow if they judged people by the company that they kept. Sudden outbursts like that though, would be embarassing. When they eventually got up to the counter the sign, NO MORE HOTDOGS BLAME INS. ZD, came into view. Lisa glowed in embarrassment.
"Two slices of pizza then please," Lisa said. Aliasha had just been about to order the same thing, the only things that weren't toxic in the cafeteria were the hotdogs and the pizzas, everyone knew that. They were warned about the food on their first day. How were people ever meant to keep fit in this place when no one ate anything but junk food?
They sat down and began picking at their food. The grease and the odd unidentified black thing were a definite put off. They both talked about weapons until they'd eaten everything but the inch of grease and the black things. Both of them took their plates back and thanked the cafeteria ladies.
"What's wrong with the olives on the pizza?" The dinner lady asked. Lisa had laughed, and said that they hadn't realised what they were. Aliasha steered her out of the cafeteria and then they both collapsed in fits of laughter against the wall.
"O-Olives? I'll eat my hat if they were olives!" Lisa said, clutching her side. Aliasha was laughing so hard her sides hurt too.
"Might taste better!" They both hugged each other, laughing harder than either could remember. Then, after what happens when you get really high, they both stopped laughing. Gloominess would be an understatement. The reason, they'd just been given detentions by the Disaplinary Committee for "making the place look untidy and having fun." Aliasha looked at the DC cadet and folded her arms, without another word the two of them set off.
"I'm getting Commander Leonhart in on that one! That isn't fair!" Lisa complained. Aliasha rubbed the back of her neck. She would tell Squall about it, but she wouldn't expect miracles, he'd never bailed her out of dentention before. The two girls entered the training center.
After a few wordless battles they began to get into the spirit of things and soon they were in competition to deal the finishing blow, or get the best magic out of the monster. Lisa was excellent with the gun, shooting with expert accuracy, even whilest moving. Aliasha had always praised the other girl's fighting ability, but she had no idea that she was this good! This was almost as though the bubbly Lisa had disappeared and a killing machine had been put in her place. Aliasha wondered if most people had two personalities? Like a fighting one and a normal everyday one? If so, then why hadn't she developed one? Or had she, but not realized it?
"Let's start-" Lisa began, but Aliasha put her finger to the other girl's lips. Then she crept forward, she had heard the sound of a T-Rexuar, she wanted to be sure that there were no possible ways of a surprise attack. She crept through the undergrowth, making sure that Lisa stayed behind her. Then she found herself in the clearing just outside the secret area.
"Isn't that Leyton? Whew! H-O-T!" Lisa whispered. Aliasha looked passed the gigantic T-Rexuar and beyond to Leyton. He was fighting topless, always a bonus, his face was filled with a fierce determination and a large amount of pain. He seemed to be taking out all his pent up emotions on the T-Rexuar. The T-Rexuar was lashing out with it's tail and snapping it's jaws. It was probably just the right level for Leyton to be able to defeat it alone.
"We're staying here. No way am I going to hurt his pride by rushing in there to help him. He won't thank us if we do. His pride is probably still hurting from when Squall demoted him. Just wait here, if he gets into trouble we'll help. OK?" Aliasha asked, ignoring Lisa's comment on how hot he was. Lisa nodded and gazed on, starry eyed and, if it were a cartoon, practically drooling.
Aliasha watched as, gracefully as a dancer, Leyton fought the T-Rexuar. Leyton had hundreds of chances to cast Sleep or Blind on the monster, but he didn't. It was frustrating to watch without shouting to him to cast a magic. Did he want to end up dead? Aliasha suddenly realised. What had he left to live for? Surely there were easier ways though? Ending up as T-Rexuar food wasn't really the best, most romantic, way to go. And she'd be upset if he was to die.
You love him
Aliasha looked around for the alien voice. Lisa looked back at her frowning. Aliasha shrugged and went back to watching the battle. The pace was picking up, as the T-Rexuar was getting annoyed with Leyton's petty attacks.
You have to tell him. For me... For you...
Aliasha frowned but didn't turn to Lisa. If this was a practical joke she'd kill whoever set it up. Yet, watching Leyton made her realise something. Not everyone had two personalities. Leyton didn't. He was straight with her, and that had been what was keeping her hidden in the bushes. She gazed at the young man and something clicked. She was supposed to follow that voice's advice. If she did then great things would happen.
"What are you waiting for? C'mon!" Lisa poked her out of her dream world. Leyton wasn't there anymore. Where'd he gone? The T-Rexuar was stampeeding towards them now instead. Aliasha only hoped that Leyton was okay. She leapt into attack, fierce and strong. She hacked, while Lisa cast blind on the damned thing. When Aliasha finally fell back she was too exhausted to fight much more. Lisa fired with her gun, but the blind wore off. Lisa looked at Aliasha with panic written all over her face. They'd bitten off more than they could chew here.
The T-Rexuar charged at them, knocking them off their feet. Aliasha felt wounds from the SeeD exam re-open, the burns, the cuts... She hurt everywhere. Power rose within her. Inner magic, which had been given the name Limit Break. Aliasha raised her arms to the heavens. Gentle rose light surrounded her. She dropped the gunblade into the soil and clasped her hands in front of her. White light gathered at her fingertips, encasing her hands and slowly she disappeared into a ball of light. The light then spread, freezing all in it's path, only briefly, then fire followed. Finally, one last flash and Angel's Triumph was over. And as usual, it had finished the job. The T-Rexuar was dead.
"Aliasha? Hyne! Are you okay?" Aliasha saw Leyton run over. She stood up, but then slipped on the T-Rexuar blood, falling into Leyton's arms. She wanted to pull back, but she couldn't. She wanted to stay that way, but she couldn't do that either. She was confused. Did she love him? If so why was she so scared of him? No, love was supposed to be comfortable. Not this. She still couldn't pull back though. The confusion was so nice...
Leyton made the first move, drawing curative magic and healing the cuts, bruises and burns along her back. Although Doctor Kadowaki was one of the best Doctor's in the world, she was also one of the only doctors who couldn't use magic. So unless the patient could use it themselves, they'd have to heal the long way. Aliasha had forgotten about the curative magic.
Lisa was hovering behind, she looked fine. Although her hair was slightly messed up, but then again the girl had been knocked into the soft undergrowth, rather than a great big tree. Aliasha let Leyton guide her to a rock to sit down. Aliasha did as she was told, sitting on the rock. She watched as he jogged to get his backpack, then jogged back. He pulled out a bottle of red liquid.
"What is it?" Aliasha asked, as it was handed to her. Leyton pulled a face.
"Phoenix Down. It'll make you feel better, I don't have any sugar to sweeten it, sorry," He said, then pulled up a bit of grass beside her. Lisa flopped down next to him and he offered Lisa one too. Aliasha noted Lisa's nice bright blush. He then stood up and srayed himself with deodrant, pulling on his shirt, before sitting again. The awkward silence continued.
"S-So... You wanna come shopping with me, Debs, Zack and Aliasha on Saturday?" Lisa asked hopefully. Maybe she was trying to break the silence. Maybe her mind was on something completely different? Like adding another name to the growing list of boyfriends that she had. Aliasha felt empty at the thought. She wondered if she was supposed to be jealous? She had realised in the van that she loved him. But... Why couldn't she try and protect him from Lisa's evil clutches? Was it just that Aliasha couldn't be with him, so anyone else could have him? She felt the confusion rise again.
"I don't think Aliasha would want me to," Leyton said, quietly. Aliasha felt as though a bucket of ice had been thrown in her face. Not want him to? Was he crazy? Then again, did she want him to? She'd assumed he wouldn't want to go? Perhaps it would be best to act like nothing had happened between them. It might make the confusion go away.
"Why wouldn't I? My dear instructor, I'm shocked that you would think otherwise! Oh! God I'm sorry!" Aliasha realized her mistake as soon as it had left her lips. Dearest instructor? He was a SeeD! She bit her lip, hurting his feelings further wasn't what she'd planned. "Think before opening your big mouth in future, Aliasha!" She said aloud, though addressing herself, she knew that the rest would hear.
"S'ok, I know that you didn't mean to- well whatever... I'll go, as long as both of you make an effort to ditch the frumpy clothes. That goes for all of you. I mean, Lisa, Debra and you Aliasha. I've never seen any of you out of battle clothes!" Leyton grinned prodding Lisa in the arm. Aliasha smiled, this was the Leyton she knew and l- no, didn't love. Liked, certainly, never love. Not love. Couldn't love. Not now. Confusion...
"We'll go dressed in our underwear if you'll go dressed in your underwear. I know, after shopping let's go to that new sports complex outside Balamb, we could probably get in for free with a bit of twisting with our cadet passes," Aliasha suggested. Both of them agreed it was a good idea and decided to meet at 9am on Saturday in the cafeteria for breakfast.
They all headed out of the Training Center and were met by a furious Instructor. Instructor Irvine Kinneas wasn't the best Instructor in Garden, but he had the fiercest temper. It seemed that his anger was directed towards one of the group.
"LISA! Get here NOW!" We all cringed as Lisa shuffled towards her ex-Instructor. She hung her head. The tirade began. "Zack is doing his nut. He thinks that you've ditched him for another guy. He's practically in tears, and you're here flirting with Kent Leyton and hanging around with the person who put your career on the line. I wish Zack had never met you, he's sacrificed a great oppurtunity in the Mercenary Sector of the Timber for you. Hell, you screw with his mind girl," Irvine calmed down slightly. Lisa looked up and everyone saw that she was crying.
"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't ask him to do that for me. I didn't mean for any of this to happen, but in the end, it's his fault. I was left alone, while him and my sister- anyway, if you want to hear that story, you better as him ok? Now, I'm prepared to be friends with him, that's why we're all going shopping on Saturday, and perhaps, if he grovels enough, I'll have him back. That's all I have to say to your accusations sir. If you don't mind, I'm going to my dormitory," She pushed passed Irvine. Aliasha would have laughed at the look on Irvine's face, if Lisa hadn't been crying.
Aliasha ran after Lisa, forgetting her own problems to help her new friend.
Leyton watched Aliasha run towards Lisa. Running, they were both doing it, but Leyton didn't know why. Last night when Leyton had eaten with Squall it had been hell. There had been silence, until Rinoa had brought up the idea of a transfer for Aliasha. Leyton hadn't wanted to sound rude, but he wanted to say that if Aliasha moved then he would. He hadn't but Phoenix had.
After a brief family arguement between them all, in which Leyton had remained silent, Squall decided to let Aliasha decided. The entire time Leyton wondered why Aliasha would want to transfer to another Garden anyway. He hadn't asked and had left, after politely lying about the quality of the food.
No he couldn't love Aliasha properly, otherwise he'd have talked to her about it. Instead he was watching her run after someone who, up until yesterday, had been her enemy. He sighed and followed.
(Author's Note: I guess I have long notes but there you go. Aliasha and Leyton, just remember that I plan for this story to last chapters and chapters (20? 30?), so they aren't a main main thing at the moment. What is a main main thing is that I plan to confuse everyone in this chapter. Aliasha wonders, Leyton denies, and friendship is found in an unlikely place. All characters belong to respective owners, Aliasha, Leyton, Debra, Lisa, Zack and Phoenix are mine. Okies? By the way, I want to dedicate this chapter to my inspiration for Lisa, Nicole Walters, creator of the OtherWorld fanfic. Worth a read, I guarantee.)
Aliasha sat around in her dormitory. She had refused dinner with her father and Leyton, after what had happened in the van she didn't think she could have a civilised conversation with him. She was afraid of him. More than she'd been afraid of the SeeD exam. She couldn't control the situation, and that scared her. She stretched her hands out in front of her, pain shot through her shoulder.
It had always given her grief. She'd damaged it during a training exercise. A T-Rexuar had appeared, she'd been surprised and tried to escape. Unfortunately it had caught her and she'd been in the Infirmary for injuries for weeks. Her shoulder had a large scar across it. Sometimes it just hurt because it was cold or the muscle was sore, but most of the time, in times of danger or stress, it hurt the most. A prediction of what was yet to come.
"Pain," She said aloud. That was the most likely thing that would come in the future. Pain, everything revolved around it. She wouldn't be in pain over Leyton, she wouldn't have been raped, she wouldn't have forfeited SeeD for Leyton, she wouldn't have lost her father. Everything was so wrong! Nothing was going right for her! It just wasn't fair! Why couldn't the world revolve around something else? Perhaps she should set up a new religion, Lets-all-beat-pain religion? Would that really work?
Aliasha found herself staring at a certain point on the wall. A nice little heart shape, that she'd coloured in red when she was still young. She had always wondered how it had got there. She knew that it was a punch mark and that whoever had done it had been really upset. Pain, again. Yet still, who was the person? She'd have to check the library records.
She looked around her dormitory. She had tidied up in her boredom, she'd hung all the towels on the rack, all the clothes had gone to the laundry, the bed had been made, surfaces dusted, possessions put back in their place and finally the gunblade had been polished. Aliasha was just about ready to drop dead on the floor.
She took one look at her timetable up until her next exam and sighed. All were revision lessons, which meant sitting with Instructor Kimberly Dincht pouring over text books. Either that or going with Instructor Nida Letterman and going into the training center to practise against grats and Raldos. She sighed again at the thought of all the pointless revision that she'd have to do. There was a knock at the door.
"Go away!" She shouted half-heartedly. The person knocked again. Aliasha stood up and wondered if she should open the door with angry words or just glare. She decided on the glare and pulled the door open.
"Hi Aliasha!" It was Lisa Dincht. Aliasha raised her eyebrows. What the hell was Lisa doing here without her other half? That was unusual, even more so was the fact that she'd got no make-up on. Aliasha was so taken aback that she just let Lisa in. She didn't question why the younger girl was here, but she might as well be polite.
"Aliasha, we, that's me, Debbie and Zack, were wondering if you want to come shopping with us on Saturday. You can bring Phoenix and Leyton along if you like. It's just," The young woman sighed. "We just don't wanna fight with you anymore, ya know? We wouldn't be SeeDs if it weren't for you, and you have earn our respect. I guess this is an apology for doing things to you that perhaps we shouldn't have. We don't really know anything about you, except who your mom was. And I was-" Aliasha coughed, interupting Lisa. There was only so much a person could listen to at once.
I'd love to go with you. I don't think Leyton or Phoenix will want to come. As for the apology, forget about it, we both did some pretty appalling stuff to each other. Like the time when we crept into your dormitory with Rinoa's best red lipstick and dabbed red dots all over your cheeks," Aliasha giggled. Memories were fun, when sharing them with the right people. Lisa giggled as well and the two girls were soon chatting happily about when they were kids.
"Hey, I'm starved. How about grabbing a hotdog from the cafeteria then going to hit some grats in the training center. Or we could have a monster killing contest? Or we could try and take on a T-Rexuar?" Lisa took a breath and then turned to Aliasha, who was still smiling slightly from the last story they'd talked about.
"Sure, let's go. I'll just fetch Daemon and I'll be with you!" Aliasha said, as Lisa went to her own dormitory to get her gun. Aliasha got her gunblade and got out her special scabbard that she had had made. She put the gunblade in it and walked out. Lisa was there already, which made Aliasha wonder if she'd been there all along.
"A question for you," Lisa said as they walked down the corridor. "What the hell is Daemon?" She asked. Aliasha smiled, most people asked that question. People tended not to make their own gunblades though. It had been a present from her father when her old gunblade, Twin Blade, had taken one blow to many and shattered. It had been made especially for her, as a girl gunblader. There weren't that many girls that used the weapon, as it required balance and co-ordination beyond all other forms of fighting.
"Daemon is my gunblade. My alter-ego. It's as much a part of me as my arm, leg, heart," She indicated with her arms as she talked. "It's like I was always meant to use it. Do you have that feeling with your weapons?"
Lisa thought for a while, then looked down at the gun, it had it's own person modifications on it. It also had strange devices clipped around the trigger. Aliasha recognized some of them, the laser, the special attack transformer, the silencer, the tracker, but some were a mystery. Finally they reached the cafeteria, with Lisa still thinking. They lined up and suddenly Lisa said:
"Yes! Yes, I know exactly what you mean!" Aliasha saw some people in front of her turn around. She smiled and waved. They were too shallow if they judged people by the company that they kept. Sudden outbursts like that though, would be embarassing. When they eventually got up to the counter the sign, NO MORE HOTDOGS BLAME INS. ZD, came into view. Lisa glowed in embarrassment.
"Two slices of pizza then please," Lisa said. Aliasha had just been about to order the same thing, the only things that weren't toxic in the cafeteria were the hotdogs and the pizzas, everyone knew that. They were warned about the food on their first day. How were people ever meant to keep fit in this place when no one ate anything but junk food?
They sat down and began picking at their food. The grease and the odd unidentified black thing were a definite put off. They both talked about weapons until they'd eaten everything but the inch of grease and the black things. Both of them took their plates back and thanked the cafeteria ladies.
"What's wrong with the olives on the pizza?" The dinner lady asked. Lisa had laughed, and said that they hadn't realised what they were. Aliasha steered her out of the cafeteria and then they both collapsed in fits of laughter against the wall.
"O-Olives? I'll eat my hat if they were olives!" Lisa said, clutching her side. Aliasha was laughing so hard her sides hurt too.
"Might taste better!" They both hugged each other, laughing harder than either could remember. Then, after what happens when you get really high, they both stopped laughing. Gloominess would be an understatement. The reason, they'd just been given detentions by the Disaplinary Committee for "making the place look untidy and having fun." Aliasha looked at the DC cadet and folded her arms, without another word the two of them set off.
"I'm getting Commander Leonhart in on that one! That isn't fair!" Lisa complained. Aliasha rubbed the back of her neck. She would tell Squall about it, but she wouldn't expect miracles, he'd never bailed her out of dentention before. The two girls entered the training center.
After a few wordless battles they began to get into the spirit of things and soon they were in competition to deal the finishing blow, or get the best magic out of the monster. Lisa was excellent with the gun, shooting with expert accuracy, even whilest moving. Aliasha had always praised the other girl's fighting ability, but she had no idea that she was this good! This was almost as though the bubbly Lisa had disappeared and a killing machine had been put in her place. Aliasha wondered if most people had two personalities? Like a fighting one and a normal everyday one? If so, then why hadn't she developed one? Or had she, but not realized it?
"Let's start-" Lisa began, but Aliasha put her finger to the other girl's lips. Then she crept forward, she had heard the sound of a T-Rexuar, she wanted to be sure that there were no possible ways of a surprise attack. She crept through the undergrowth, making sure that Lisa stayed behind her. Then she found herself in the clearing just outside the secret area.
"Isn't that Leyton? Whew! H-O-T!" Lisa whispered. Aliasha looked passed the gigantic T-Rexuar and beyond to Leyton. He was fighting topless, always a bonus, his face was filled with a fierce determination and a large amount of pain. He seemed to be taking out all his pent up emotions on the T-Rexuar. The T-Rexuar was lashing out with it's tail and snapping it's jaws. It was probably just the right level for Leyton to be able to defeat it alone.
"We're staying here. No way am I going to hurt his pride by rushing in there to help him. He won't thank us if we do. His pride is probably still hurting from when Squall demoted him. Just wait here, if he gets into trouble we'll help. OK?" Aliasha asked, ignoring Lisa's comment on how hot he was. Lisa nodded and gazed on, starry eyed and, if it were a cartoon, practically drooling.
Aliasha watched as, gracefully as a dancer, Leyton fought the T-Rexuar. Leyton had hundreds of chances to cast Sleep or Blind on the monster, but he didn't. It was frustrating to watch without shouting to him to cast a magic. Did he want to end up dead? Aliasha suddenly realised. What had he left to live for? Surely there were easier ways though? Ending up as T-Rexuar food wasn't really the best, most romantic, way to go. And she'd be upset if he was to die.
You love him
Aliasha looked around for the alien voice. Lisa looked back at her frowning. Aliasha shrugged and went back to watching the battle. The pace was picking up, as the T-Rexuar was getting annoyed with Leyton's petty attacks.
You have to tell him. For me... For you...
Aliasha frowned but didn't turn to Lisa. If this was a practical joke she'd kill whoever set it up. Yet, watching Leyton made her realise something. Not everyone had two personalities. Leyton didn't. He was straight with her, and that had been what was keeping her hidden in the bushes. She gazed at the young man and something clicked. She was supposed to follow that voice's advice. If she did then great things would happen.
"What are you waiting for? C'mon!" Lisa poked her out of her dream world. Leyton wasn't there anymore. Where'd he gone? The T-Rexuar was stampeeding towards them now instead. Aliasha only hoped that Leyton was okay. She leapt into attack, fierce and strong. She hacked, while Lisa cast blind on the damned thing. When Aliasha finally fell back she was too exhausted to fight much more. Lisa fired with her gun, but the blind wore off. Lisa looked at Aliasha with panic written all over her face. They'd bitten off more than they could chew here.
The T-Rexuar charged at them, knocking them off their feet. Aliasha felt wounds from the SeeD exam re-open, the burns, the cuts... She hurt everywhere. Power rose within her. Inner magic, which had been given the name Limit Break. Aliasha raised her arms to the heavens. Gentle rose light surrounded her. She dropped the gunblade into the soil and clasped her hands in front of her. White light gathered at her fingertips, encasing her hands and slowly she disappeared into a ball of light. The light then spread, freezing all in it's path, only briefly, then fire followed. Finally, one last flash and Angel's Triumph was over. And as usual, it had finished the job. The T-Rexuar was dead.
"Aliasha? Hyne! Are you okay?" Aliasha saw Leyton run over. She stood up, but then slipped on the T-Rexuar blood, falling into Leyton's arms. She wanted to pull back, but she couldn't. She wanted to stay that way, but she couldn't do that either. She was confused. Did she love him? If so why was she so scared of him? No, love was supposed to be comfortable. Not this. She still couldn't pull back though. The confusion was so nice...
Leyton made the first move, drawing curative magic and healing the cuts, bruises and burns along her back. Although Doctor Kadowaki was one of the best Doctor's in the world, she was also one of the only doctors who couldn't use magic. So unless the patient could use it themselves, they'd have to heal the long way. Aliasha had forgotten about the curative magic.
Lisa was hovering behind, she looked fine. Although her hair was slightly messed up, but then again the girl had been knocked into the soft undergrowth, rather than a great big tree. Aliasha let Leyton guide her to a rock to sit down. Aliasha did as she was told, sitting on the rock. She watched as he jogged to get his backpack, then jogged back. He pulled out a bottle of red liquid.
"What is it?" Aliasha asked, as it was handed to her. Leyton pulled a face.
"Phoenix Down. It'll make you feel better, I don't have any sugar to sweeten it, sorry," He said, then pulled up a bit of grass beside her. Lisa flopped down next to him and he offered Lisa one too. Aliasha noted Lisa's nice bright blush. He then stood up and srayed himself with deodrant, pulling on his shirt, before sitting again. The awkward silence continued.
"S-So... You wanna come shopping with me, Debs, Zack and Aliasha on Saturday?" Lisa asked hopefully. Maybe she was trying to break the silence. Maybe her mind was on something completely different? Like adding another name to the growing list of boyfriends that she had. Aliasha felt empty at the thought. She wondered if she was supposed to be jealous? She had realised in the van that she loved him. But... Why couldn't she try and protect him from Lisa's evil clutches? Was it just that Aliasha couldn't be with him, so anyone else could have him? She felt the confusion rise again.
"I don't think Aliasha would want me to," Leyton said, quietly. Aliasha felt as though a bucket of ice had been thrown in her face. Not want him to? Was he crazy? Then again, did she want him to? She'd assumed he wouldn't want to go? Perhaps it would be best to act like nothing had happened between them. It might make the confusion go away.
"Why wouldn't I? My dear instructor, I'm shocked that you would think otherwise! Oh! God I'm sorry!" Aliasha realized her mistake as soon as it had left her lips. Dearest instructor? He was a SeeD! She bit her lip, hurting his feelings further wasn't what she'd planned. "Think before opening your big mouth in future, Aliasha!" She said aloud, though addressing herself, she knew that the rest would hear.
"S'ok, I know that you didn't mean to- well whatever... I'll go, as long as both of you make an effort to ditch the frumpy clothes. That goes for all of you. I mean, Lisa, Debra and you Aliasha. I've never seen any of you out of battle clothes!" Leyton grinned prodding Lisa in the arm. Aliasha smiled, this was the Leyton she knew and l- no, didn't love. Liked, certainly, never love. Not love. Couldn't love. Not now. Confusion...
"We'll go dressed in our underwear if you'll go dressed in your underwear. I know, after shopping let's go to that new sports complex outside Balamb, we could probably get in for free with a bit of twisting with our cadet passes," Aliasha suggested. Both of them agreed it was a good idea and decided to meet at 9am on Saturday in the cafeteria for breakfast.
They all headed out of the Training Center and were met by a furious Instructor. Instructor Irvine Kinneas wasn't the best Instructor in Garden, but he had the fiercest temper. It seemed that his anger was directed towards one of the group.
"LISA! Get here NOW!" We all cringed as Lisa shuffled towards her ex-Instructor. She hung her head. The tirade began. "Zack is doing his nut. He thinks that you've ditched him for another guy. He's practically in tears, and you're here flirting with Kent Leyton and hanging around with the person who put your career on the line. I wish Zack had never met you, he's sacrificed a great oppurtunity in the Mercenary Sector of the Timber for you. Hell, you screw with his mind girl," Irvine calmed down slightly. Lisa looked up and everyone saw that she was crying.
"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't ask him to do that for me. I didn't mean for any of this to happen, but in the end, it's his fault. I was left alone, while him and my sister- anyway, if you want to hear that story, you better as him ok? Now, I'm prepared to be friends with him, that's why we're all going shopping on Saturday, and perhaps, if he grovels enough, I'll have him back. That's all I have to say to your accusations sir. If you don't mind, I'm going to my dormitory," She pushed passed Irvine. Aliasha would have laughed at the look on Irvine's face, if Lisa hadn't been crying.
Aliasha ran after Lisa, forgetting her own problems to help her new friend.
Leyton watched Aliasha run towards Lisa. Running, they were both doing it, but Leyton didn't know why. Last night when Leyton had eaten with Squall it had been hell. There had been silence, until Rinoa had brought up the idea of a transfer for Aliasha. Leyton hadn't wanted to sound rude, but he wanted to say that if Aliasha moved then he would. He hadn't but Phoenix had.
After a brief family arguement between them all, in which Leyton had remained silent, Squall decided to let Aliasha decided. The entire time Leyton wondered why Aliasha would want to transfer to another Garden anyway. He hadn't asked and had left, after politely lying about the quality of the food.
No he couldn't love Aliasha properly, otherwise he'd have talked to her about it. Instead he was watching her run after someone who, up until yesterday, had been her enemy. He sighed and followed.