Chapter V

A Knight Indeed

Fujin wandered around Balamb all day just looking into shop windows and watching people go about their business. Somewhere down her trip she began to wonder what she had lost during her life, not in the sense of a material object but rather about her past. She knew about her parents and how she was put in the orphanage but that explained little about the way her life was going no where fast.

Did her future really lie with the Garden? Could she find what she was looking for by remaining with Raijin and Seifer? She was beginning to think not. Never once during the entire time she was friend's with the two did she question the judgment of the team because Seifer was a good leader and always directed them down the correct path. But when Seifer deserted them to be a knight with Edea, Fujin's loyalty began to falter but continued with him none-the-less. Raijin never once questioned Seifer's decision because he was sure the posse would never break up and she was positive he was still with Seifer right now doing whatever.

Fujin walked to the harbor and watched the sun begin to set behind the horizon.

Thinking all this hasn't helped my decision but should I really go back to the Garden or just walk off into the sunset and never look back?

"Hey, miss?"

Fujin turned around and saw a middle-aged man with an apron on and holding a broom, he probably worked for the store he was standing in front of. "Are you all right?"

Fujin turned back to the water and shook her head slowly, "AFFIRMATIVE."

He smiled and picked up his broom. "Just making sure you had somewhere to go home to tonight. It might rain soon, I suggest you not stay out long."

Fujin managed to break a small smile, "APPRECIATIVE."

The man chuckled and set his broom back on the inside of his shop. "Hey, that's a pretty cool way you talk. I bet you get a lot of crap about that too, huh?"

Christ, it was like this guy knew her his entire life. "AFFIRMATIVE."

"Well don't let them get to ya, originality is a quality you should have and that is about as original as it comes! And you know what, I bet only people who understand that are your true friends, anyone else who tells you to talk normal or can't understand you isn't worth your time."

The man stretched his arms out and yawned, "Well, I gotta get back in. See you later, miss."

Fujin nodded and watched him go back into his shop and put a wooden wedge under the door to keep it open. Apparently he was going to work overtime. Fujin instantly felt a connection to this stranger and walked into his shop, which simply had the title "Item Shop" over the door.

The man grinned as she walked in and leaned on the counter, "Man, it seems so long sense we've talked last."

Fujin grinned cautiously. "HUMOR, UNDERSTAND."

"So, you looking for something specific here today?"

"NEGATIVE. SEARCHING."

"That seemed like a figurative tone. Your searching for something that can't be bought, am I correct?"

Fujin nodded and caught sight of a flyer just out of sight behind the counter. She looked past the man and saw the ad for what seemed like a military sign-up sheet.

The man looked in her direction and also caught sight of the leaflet. "I just put that up a few hours ago, it seems like a good job for capable fighters."

Fujin walked behind the counter regardless of what rules went against customers behind the register and pulled the flyer off the wall and read it. The man seemed amused at what a total lack of following regulations this lady had and took a sip from a cup of coffee nearby.

Military Command is looking for strong and intelligent individuals to join up for a unique and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join and rebuild the ancient group of Mako-enhanced warriors known in textbooks as SOLDIER (Special Operation-Level Disciplined Intelligence Engineering Rangers).

Provides intense martial arts training and extensive bodily examinations. Must be ready for possible dangerous missions and extreme physical demands. Apply at Deling's City Hall. Only 60 people will be needed. -Admiral Jonah Maison


Fujin saw the chance of a lifetime. Becoming a SeeD was big and gave huge credibility but she had read about SOLDIER and knew that only the best need apply, and goddamn it she was the best! This is where her future lay and there was nothing going to get in her way of destiny this time.

"FOUND!"

"Did'ja? Well, getting into SOLDIER is a big goal but I wish you the best miss."

"THANKS!"

Fujin hightailed it out of the man's store and made her way back to Balamb Garden. It was already starting to rain and would be pouring before she got back.

The man behind the counter tightened his lip and sighed, thinking about her, her eyes or more precisely, her eye and the weapon strapped to her back. And he could think of nothing more than her safety.

"I hope you'll find what your looking for, honey. Good luck."

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Squall was in the cafeteria/bar drinking a beer, surrounded by the rest of the team and Selphie, who was extremely PO'd about the recent accident with the two fighters gunblades but also because of a slight cut on her arm and because of all this she wasn't talking to Squall at the moment. He had apologized profusely which was completely unlike him but he felt because he nearly disemboweled her that she deserved it.

Rinoa felt she had failed Fujin and herself because she was no doubt still unhappy and wandering around outside somewhere, torn and lonely. Not too mention she had shown quite a bit of concern for Raijin because he left right after nearly breaking both Squall's and Seifer's noses and was probably just as sad and regretful as they were, but then again Squall didn't say a thing about it and only occasionally rubbed the band aid covering his nose because it itched.

"It's going to rain soon," commented Rinoa to no one in particular. "Fujin and Raijin are still outside somewhere. Do you think they'll be all right?" She was looking at Quistis because she had in fact called Dr. Kadowaki for assistance in case someone got hurt during the fight (like it took a psychic too see that someone would) and right now she was the intelligent one in the group.

"I don't know, Rinoa, but I'm sure they will both have enough common sense too seek shelter or return to the Garden before it gets to nasty."

"Well, one of them wouldn't have left if SOMEONE didn't start a swordfight in the middle of the entryway!" shouted Selphie who promptly turned back around after her outburst.

"Selphie, how many times do I have to apologize before you accept it?" asked Squall feeling the texture on his Griever necklace.

"Never ever! Your a meanie Squall Leonhart!"

"Selphie, I think your taking his out of hand," commented Irvine who was polishing the Exeter's barrel.


She scoffed and folded her arms across her breast. "So your on his side now?!"

"I'm not on anyone's side but Squall was just defending himself against Seifer! If he hadn't attacked not only he but quite possibly YOU would have gotten killed!" Irvine was raising his voice now, which was unlike someone as calm and collected as he. "Truthfully, I don't know what either of you were thinking! Squall you shouldn't have encouraged Seifer's attack and you, Selphie, shouldn't have ran into the middle of it trying to be a hero and stop it! Both of you are acting extremely immature for your ages!"

"If I wanted a lecture I would have asked Cid, Irvine. I know what I did was wrong and I sure as hell don't need you or anybody else yelling at me for it," replied Squall, the Lionheart was shifting in its scabbard, like it had a mind of its own and was ready to cleave something or someone.

"Now who's being irrational, eh, Leonhart?"

"I should kick both your butts just because your both being jerks right now!" said Selphie standing up and getting right next to the swordsman and the gunslinger.

"And just what were you thinking when you ran in there like that? Huh, Selphie? Were you trying to get killed because if not you couldn't have had stopped us anyway." Commented Squall again, with his usual emotionless tone and demeanor.

"EVERYBODY SHUT UP!!!" screamed Zell rising from his chair so fast it tipped over backwards and hit the ground with a soft clank. Irvine, Squall and Selphie looked at him and he had a deep scowl on his face, his tattoo almost sank to his chin. "Damnit, what is wrong with you three?! Just two days ago we saved the whole f-ing world and now your ready to kill each other! No one is at fault here, not even Seifer!"

"What are you talking about, Chicken-wuss?" said Seifer walking into the cafeteria/bar with a similar bandage on his nose. Zell was about ready to turn around and ram Seifer's nose even farther into his face but held himself back because he had just got finished slightly defending him.

"Were trying to have an adult conversation here, Seifer, that means you're not aloud within listening distance."


"Real funny Dincht but I got a problem here," said Seifer and for a quick moment he glanced over at Squall who was looking rather uncomfortable with Seifer in the area. "And if you even breathe in my general direction Squall I'll mangle you."

Squall looked up from his fixed position on the floor and curled his lip in a silent growl. "I swear to Hyne, Seifer, if my face didn't hurt so much I would splatter you all over these walls."

"Enough, the both of you! What is it Seifer?" yelled Quistis, silently hoping that another fight wouldn't break out.

He frowned and pointed at the window, which was streaked with rainwater. "Fujin and Raijin are out in that and I'm worried. I want help to go look for them."

"No need, ya know?" replied Raijin walking into the room carrying his staff ready to fight off anybody who was a bit sore about his attack earlier on.

"Raijin! Where's Fujin? Is she with you?" pleaded Seifer with growing concern.

Raijin looked at Seifer and Squall and shook his head. "No, she didn't come in with me."

Seifer closed his eyes and choked down the words he didn't want to hear. "Then apparently there IS need now isn't there?!!" He gritted his teeth and strained himself too not unleash his frustrations out on somebody and at the moment his gunblade was itching to gut Squall and his nose was screaming at his fists to deck Raijin.

"Fuck it! I'll go look for her myself!" Seifer ran out of the room followed by Raijin and the rest of the team except Squall who watched them leave without another word to him.

Squall sighed and looked back out the window. "I'm not doing this for you, Seifer." He followed after them to the lobby but two Garden Staff who were shaking their heads at the repeated pleas to let Seifer and the rest through, met him at the exit.

"We cannot let you pass, Cid thinks this could be a very violent storm and for the sake of the students, no one is allowed to leave until it passes."

"But Fujin is out there! You know, Fujin Kazeno?!! She's in danger you cloaked dickhead! Let me through!"

"I do not appreciate being called names, hooligan!"

Seifer took his hand to the hilt of Hyperion but was stopped from drawing it by Rinoa. Seifer would have normally smacked her the hell out of the way but restrained himself this time. "Listen, this is important." he pleaded with the staff member. For once in an eternity, it sounded as if Seifer was genuinely worried and maybe even a bit scared. "I need to get out there and find my friend! Isn't there anything you can do?"

The staff member shook his hooded head. "I'm sorry but until the storm passes I cannot let anyone leave. If your friend has any sense she will seek shelter, I'm afraid that is the best relief I can provide."

Seifer began to shake wildly and released a scream so horrible and so mixed with emotion that it would be heard throughout the entire Garden for years to come. He turned right around and hauled ass to Cid's office. Raijin shared his concern and ran after him but the others stayed behind trying to bargain with the man to let them through, only Squall didn't seem to care much, it's not like he was Fujin's friend, they were barely even acquaintances in the sense of the word, and deep down inside he couldn't care less if Fujin's body was found floating in a puddle in the morning.

But Rinoa cared, and Quistis cared, and Zell and Irvine cared and even Selphie forgot about hating Squall to care. And at the moment Seifer and Raijin were getting torn up inside because she was out in a thunderstorm, quite possibly hurt and unable to continue because of exhaustion. Squall just stared forward, past the guards and out to the exit and instantly his sharp mind began scheming to find a way outside.

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Fujin was trudging through the rain, stomping through mud puddles that began to hold onto her boots until she pulled really hard and was released with a loud sucking sound. She was completely miserable but hopeful about her future with SOLDIER and this encouraged her enough to continue on.

She wasn't too far from Balamb Garden now but it was still about half-an-hour away and her hair was already plastered down on her face and her clothes were soaked. Her eye patch had begun to slide down her face about twenty minutes ago and now was no longer covering her colorless eye but was just hanging down on her left cheek, but she didn't care, at the moment no one was around to see her blind eye so there was no reason to correct it.

But even in the pouring rain and pitch-black sky Fujin could hear a faint rumble and stopped to look around. She saw nothing but heard the sound getting closer and now it was quaking the ground. Fujin drew her Sai and set herself into defense mode, instinctively searching everywhere with her battle-hardened senses. The rain was getting worse she could feel it hitting her more often and a loud crash of thunder only told her this would go on for awhile.

Fujin now started counting to herself, waiting for the follow-up. After ten seconds of silence except for the constant pounding of rain she heard the lightning and instantly turned south to hear and see the ground explode and faintly make out the towering form of a gigantic snake which past records documented as being called Zolom's.

The snake hissed loudly and shot down at her. Fujin jumped out of the way and landed in a puddle as the snake burrowed underground again.

Fujin got to her feet and drowned out the sound of the rain, listening only for its subterranean movement.

Fujin went into instant meditation. Focusing only on her objective of the enemy. Everything else was inaudible. She heard what she wanted and snapped her head in that direction. "I know where you are. You can't hide from me. Come out and fight, serpent."

Apparently the Zolom heard her too and erupted from the ground again, hissing and spitting a thick spray of brown acid at her. Fujin dove away again and dully saw the acid strike the ground where she was previously standing and burn another hole into the ground.

Fujin kick-jumped back on her feet and skillfully spun the Sai in her hand with the speed of a buzz saw.

"SAI!!"

She ran forward to the creature and performed three rising slashes with her weapon. She could see the damage done and heard the beast's horrible scream as it shot down to bite her but missed and received another slash right under its chin. Fujin landed on the ground with her Sai in one hand, unmoving on one knee and watching the snake with her infallible single eye. The cuts she had made were all bleeding lightly with a brownish fluid that Fujin thought to be blood but wasn't completely sure.

The snake screeched again and charged a bright green orb in its mouth that burst with a small shockwave and spiraled down at Fujin. She jumped backwards to dodge but the sphere hit the ground and grew into a bubble explosion, bombarding her with the lethal energy. She held out her Sai as mild protection against the attack but against such power it could not prevail, and the Sai shattered with a brilliant flash of red flame and sent her flying backwards onto her rear.

Fujin quickly sat up to see the snake hissing in short intervals like it was laughing at her and her circular blade in several smoking pieces on the ground being struck with rain like it was its funeral.

Fujin saw the condition of her weapon and began to cry, but with the rain hitting her face the two were indistinguishable.

"Mother...that was her weapon. That was the only thing I had to remember her by." And in one fell swoop Fujin felt her life finish crumbling and her future with SOLDIER blowing up in her face. It wasn't because she didn't have a weapon anymore; it was because she was beaten.

Even if she escaped alive now she wouldn't be able to fight again, she knew it, it had happened before. When she lost to Squall and his party she thought little of it because they were Seifer's enemies, not hers. This snake had nothing to do with them and she didn't think she had any self-confidence left to defend herself.

The Zolom didn't seem care though and again reared back to strike.

I have to fight or it'll kill me...but then again so what? What do I have to live for? Who would care if I lived or died? Seifer? Raijin? Maybe, but they wouldn't mourn that long. God mom, I'm so scared.

Whether or not her mother heard that is unknown but Fujin instantly didn't think it was her time to go and dove in front of the Zolom as it shot down to finish her in one mouthful. It struck the dirt and hissed in pain as it again hurt itself by diving into rock that neither of them knew was there. Fujin picked up the largest piece of her Sai she could find and ran at the beast, jumping up and hanging on its jaw before it fully recovered.

The Zolom shrieked and tried to shake her off with a lot more vigor than the T-Rexaur had. She held on with one hand and jammed the fragment of her Sai into its carapace and dragged it forward, cutting through its bone and muscle with so much of her depleted strength she thought her arm would break. The Zolom was screaming in agony, charged and fired another fiery Beta into the air and because Fujin was cutting through its jaw the searing green light blasted through the deep slit she had made and severely burned her arm, causing her to loose her grip out of shear agony. Great, beautiful, life-assuring agony.

She dropped at about fifteen feet and hit the ground with a bone-crunching slam. Before losing consciousness, Fujin opened her good eye and saw the Zolom writhe and loose extensive amounts of fluid before hitting the ground and with a final shallow growl, it promptly died.

"Curaga..." The healing blue light from Fujin's magic supply healed her arm and whatever other various injuries she had but she passed out anyway because she could not force her lungs to breathe.

Fujin did not see it but the single shard of her Sai that was left stuck firmly into the Zolom's jaw pulsed with light and power and began to drain the Zolom's energy into itself. The sharp blue "teardrop" blade of the shard grew and warped itself into a red metal flame of equal length.

The rest of the weapon reformed itself and became a shuriken once again. Within the center of the weapon grew a cross that connected to both sides and an intricate pattern of light brown runes lined the inside of the weapon. The Sai had transformed when exposed to the dead snakes life energy and became a new weapon to replace Fujin's destroyed one.

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Squall, Seifer and the rest of the team crowded into the cafeteria/bar and sat in silence. The storm had not gotten any better and Cid had regretfully declined Seifer's request to open Garden's doors to send out a search party for Fujin. Raijin was quite possibly the most worried of all, even though Seifer made it apparent that nothing would make him happier than to risk his life to find her.

"...so now what?" asked Selphie quietly.

"Nothing, there isn't a damn thing we can do until the storm passes," replied Seifer who was staring blankly at the table he was seated at.

Rinoa had been searching for the words that would help cheer up the group for about an hour now but couldn't come up with much that would brighten the team's spirit's. "Guys, c'mon don't be so glum! I'm sure Fujin is fine. Your forgetting what kind of a person she is! She wouldn't be caught out in something like this, she's too smart."

Seifer nodded ruefully. "I keep telling myself that but I just have one of those feelings! I know something is wrong. Damnit, I'm about ready to break a window and jump to the ground."

"Keep in mind that's a thirty-three story drop." Squall commented than thought about a little more carefully. "On second thought, go for it Seifer."

Seifer gave a slow shake of his head. "I'm not in the mood to listen to your bullshit, Leonhart."

"That was about the only time Squall has ever told a joke so if I were you I'd relish it while you can." Zell commented and turned around in his chair to watch the silent rain wash across the window.

"And what if she does come back? How would she get in?" Asked Quistis without really expecting an answer but that poked Seifer in a whole new way.

Shit, she's right! Even if Fuj comes back she wouldn't be able to get back in! Goddamn it why am I the only person who ever thinks of these things?!

"We gotta tell Cid to watch the door! Get a security team to monitor the area in case she wanders back!" Seifer was panicking again and everybody was getting somewhat tired of it. "You wouldn't think that her having only one eye would impair her vision in this weather, do you?"

"Blame the T-Rexaur's for that one Seifer, not yourself," remarked Zell once again. He was trying to jump into this conversation as often as the opportunity presented itself.

Raijin scratched his head and thought long and (very) hard about that and said, "Hold on, ya know? That doesn't make much sense that a T-Rexaur clawed her face and only took out her eye, does it?"

Zell scoffed, but then stopped and put some thought into what he had said. "Holy crap, I think Raijin just had a point. Shit, someone mark this on the calendar," said Zell who got a stern glare from Raijin telling him that wasn't funny...ya know?

"You know he's right, though." Quistis hypothesized. "If a T-Rexaur really slashed at her face there would be huge amounts of scar tissue and permanent facial distortion. She only lost her eye and no monster is that precise on accident."

Everyone looked at Seifer for an answer because no one would know but him, not even Raijin simply because he had the memory span of about ten seconds.

"I...can't tell you."

"Why not?" asked Rinoa.

"Because I just can't! Fujin made me promise I wouldn't."

"Oh c'mon! I don't think she cares anymore! I wanna know!" said Selphie bouncing in her chair.

Seifer couldn't bring himself to tell the story because it was mainly his fault she had that injury and everyone would think he was even more of a monster than they already did.

"I can't! I won't break my promise! Fujin would never forgive me."

Rinoa shrugged, "If you can't you can't. I wouldn't want to hear it if it would really anger her."

"But what if none of us ever told her? How would she know that we know?" Asked Zell.

"C'mon Seifer!" Prodded Selphie. "We want to hear this story!"

"There...isn't much to tell. It happened really fast." Seifer was very nervous thinking if Fujin somehow figured out he told other people that would shatter their already fragile relationship.

"I still want to hear it!" shouted Selphie.

Seifer groaned and gave a single slow nod. "Fine. But I swear to Hyne if any of you tell her or even breathe a word of this to anybody! I mean if you even vaguely hint it I'll cripple you! Understand?"

Everybody smiled (except for Squall who really didn't care) and nodded.

"All right. The first year we were here Fujin and I snuck off after the new years party to the training center and sat down on the bench too talk. We both knew monsters were wandering around in there but we were ready to fight and were really only talking until it happened.

"Fujin was telling me about her family and how they died and I intern told her about mine until two T-Rexaur's came around the corner, that was how the rumor probably got started, but neither of us were worried because we had killed several of them before this and weren't really scared, in fact I remember Fujin telling me how fun it was to slaughter them. So I took one and she took the other but it seemed almost like the monsters had planned a strategy before they came out because they seemed to be working together flawlessly."

Quistis seemed to be the only one who cared about that information because she remembered all the stories and myths about monster intelligence. Guess this was just another one for the archives.

"They wouldn't stay on the person who was attacking them and mine repeatedly went after her and her's kept coming after me. So stupid me, I try to take on both of them while Fujin is trying to keep up with the switches. I was about to take off one of the damn things heads when it took a hard right and moved out of the way of my gunblade and I got it stuck in a tree I hit instead.

"That T-Rexaur swung around and lashed its tail at the tree and the one Fujin was fighting hit the tree with a fireball. I ducked to avoid the attacks and the tree exploded. And what I think happened is my gunblade split the attacks so they shredded the tree rather than just incinerating it. Shrapnel flew everywhere and two got Fujin in the eye, a few in her legs and if I remember correctly, one in her right arm."

So now everybody knew and showed the appropriate level of disgust. It was primarily Seifer's fault whether he was aware of it at the time or not. Raijin, on the other hand, didn't seem angry with him, or even disappointed. He knew if Fujin were here now to listen to his remorse, she would probably show him her unwavering compassion. And Raijin could now see why she had always had such a crush on him. While Seifer may have been unable to prevent the incident, he cared enough to risk his life to pull her out of the fray. He really was the hero he intended to be. A Knight in Shining Armor.

Squall scowled and rested his elbows on the table. What a rookie mistake. Of course, only Squall would persecute Seifer for this, everybody else seemed to grieve with him and the pain of an accident of this magnitude.

Surprisingly, even Zell didn't seem to hate Seifer so much for that brief moment.

"I got one or two in my leg as well but I didn't care because Fujin was screaming in agony and rolling around in a puddle of her own blood. It was the worst thing I've ever seen, I nearly puked at something generally so mild. I had seen much worse many times before, hell I had CAUSED much worse many times before and didn't care. So at the time I did what I could to drive the T-Rexaur's off because I couldn't fight them anymore and ran her to the infirmary. And that's pretty much it, boys and girls. Dr. Kadowaki said she would never see out of her left eye again and that the puncture wounds below her waste would leave permanent scars."

He groaned with self-loathing. "Mine were nothing, just splinters that she pulled out with freakin' tweezers."

Seifer looked like he was going to blow up again and go wipe out the entire monster population of the training center. After a moment of silence Seifer slammed his fist on the table, startling everybody.


"Damnit, it was my fault! I incited that battle and I caused Fujin's pain...Christ, what kind of a worthless friend am I?"

Rinoa waved her hand around thoughtfully in the air, "To care enough about her that you would blame yourself, Seifer, your an excellent friend, and Fujin knows this or she wouldn't have hanged around you as long as she has. You're beating yourself up for something that is long forgotten. Heck, Fujin can probably see better than all of us with just one eye, and I know she'll make it back here all right."

Squall nodded silently at dim appreciation for Rinoa's speeches and slowly stood up. "I know were all worried about Fujin but we should get some sleep, she'll be back here safe and sound in the morning and we have no reason to stay up and deprive ourselves of rest."

Seifer actually seemed to agree with Squall but didn't say anything. "Yeah, I'm going to bed too. See ya'll in the morning."

Squall and Seifer walked toward the sliding exit door and tripped and fell flat on their faces as soon as they crossed the doorframe. Selphie's nunchaku was stretched out on both sides of the wall just below sight level.

Selphie jumped up and started laughing and pointing at their unfortunate accident. "That's what you guys get for trying to dilapidate me! I WIN! I WIN! HA-HA-HA HA-HAAA!!!"

Squall and Seifer both got to their hands and looked at each other with a strange sense of unity for the moment. They both shouted, "Get her!" and made a beeline for Selphie who shrieked and started running around the table the rest of the group was at to avoid them.

Raijin thought it was because she had secretly downed a bit too much booze and laughed so hard he fell backwards in his chair.

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Fujin slowly opened her eye and got up feeling heavier and generally more miserable than she ever had before. She was wet to the bone and no doubt she being unconscious in the rain for Hyne knows how long had made her quite ill. Thrown in with all of this her possible hypothermia looked really bad.

But she was never one to stay lying down waiting for some big strong Romeo too come by and take her back to his shanty. She slowly stood up, feeling like her entire body was made of lead, and stumbled over to the Zolom's corpse, which had almost been entirely washed out and now its internal organs were withering and a river of watered-down blood ran from in and around it.

I don't remember cutting it up this bad, she thought and walked closer, soon seeing the faint glimmer of something inside of the deceased beast.

She reached down but quickly stood back up holding her belly in pain; she felt like someone had slammed her in the gut with a wrecking ball. Then she also became rather light-headed and sneezed; now knowing she was gaining a possible fever, or worse still, pneumonia.

Despite the pain she was curious and quickly reached down into the body, grasped the object and pulled it out. The rain was beating down on it hard but Fujin was only entranced by this strange miracle. It was her Sai, but it had...evolved in a way. The detail and beauty of such a weapon of death told her that maybe her mother had heard her plea when she thought all was done.

"Mom...did you do this?" she silently asked, looking up toward the sky with the buckets of rain hitting her battle-worn but still exquisite face. She sneezed again and ran her hand down the shallow hieroglyphics that lined the inside of the weapon. "Thank you, mom."

"Now what to call it," she mused quietly. "I don't see a name tag on it so...man, this would be allot easier if someone was around here that could tell me. I'm not creative enough to name it, but it is something to kill and my mother named the first Sai because of her taste in weaponry even though it is not an actual pair of sai's...so, I'll name it what matches my personality, just like she had always told me."

Fujin sneezed again and remembered where she was and stumbled back on course with Balamb Garden. She tied the new weapon too the rope that she held tight the Sai before it transformed.

So now she again walked with new purpose, and she even felt that if another Zolom attacked her she could kill it no matter how sick she was becoming. All she could think of was telling this story to one of her future friends and/or partners in SOLDIER, the story of how she got the Vigilante.