PeRFecT

PeRFecT

Chapter 10      

Quistis found her way to the training area and proceeded to beat the hell out of everything- animate and inanimate- that she came across.  No stone was left unpunished. No fern could be saved from her rampage.

She had blood on her hands and she couldn't remove it-only hide it, cover it.

She'd left Irvine unconscious, lying in a pool of his own life-force.  Why?  Because she had basically scared the hell out of herself

She could still taste him on her lips.

Everything was coming at her so fast- her transfer to Galbadia, Seifer's suspension, the missile crisis, Irvine's injury, Irvine himself- and that voice.  That multi-dimensional tone that moved in parallel minor-thirds, undulating in tone and speed.  It hadn't left her.  She had gotten over the initial nausea that had accompanied the prying, omniscient voice, but the emptiness remained.  Quistis had a hard time eating- she felt full after receiving relatively little sustenance.  She felt full all of the time. But that voice. . . the things it said frightened her.  She blocked the thought from her head as she snapped at a blood soul, crushing it's antennae.   Blood souls were easy-pickings;  Quistis was on a violence  high that could only be sated with a Rexaur. 

 She found her prey near the central water basin, rinsing the viscous plasma from it's skeletal claws.  No GF. No junction magic. No comrades.

Quistis Trepe took the thirty-foot beast head on.

She snapped her whip twice, marring the beast's bubbly, green hide.  Screeching in pain, it lunged for her, teeth bared and claws outstretched.  Putrefying skin and leaking intestines hung from the yellowed fangs as it clomped down a foot to her right.  The whip snapped up again as she reopened a scabbing wound causing pus and olive-colored excretion to spring from the gash and splashing in the creature's eyes.  It howled in pain and Quistis  scrambled to the right as it swung it's scaly tail in an arch to compensate for it's disability.  'Hyne- it's berserked. Better make myself scarce for a. . . aha.' Quistis took a running leap across the ravine connected to the water hole and dove behind a large boulder.  Her heart was beating madly and her chest heaved, but she grinned and chuckled like a clown on Novocain. 'I'm insane. I'm going to die.' She almost giggled and bolted to a standing position.   A blood-chilling wail escaped the t-rexaur's mouth as it caught her movement.  It charged her- the weight of its massive foot-falls  crunching the ground underneath.  She held her position until the monster bent towards her, attempting to engulf her tiny form, but at the last moment she sprang from her post into the ravine.  A sick shattering sound resounded from the creature's mouth- the infuriated beast had clamped down on the boulder so fiercely that it had ground and broke the tip off its canine.    Jumping up from her haven, she  strategically whipped the creature's eyelids and nostrils, causing liquid to seep in and confuse its senses.  With her weapon, she'd need to injure and bleed it to death- But, at this moment, she had the endurance and perverse desire to do so.   Mad with bloodlust, she rushed behind the beast to settle her score with it's tail.  The thick appendage thrashed desperately as the beast stamped and wailed in frustration.  Leaning against a large willow tree, she thrust and snapped her weapon.  It slapped and curled itself around the width.  Grasping the whip with both hands, Quistis  yanked and threw herself to the ground.  The whip released and sent her flying into a foliage coppice.  She slammed into the ground face first, her whip at her side still choking the severed tail end.  "Holy mother of Hyne- did I do that?" She whispered in awe, untangling her weapon from the leaking limb.  She had only nine seconds until the monster, hearing her mutter, came lumbering towards her in a feral rage.  She flipped to her feet and run through the willow grove, leading her foe deeper into the forest.  Her legs pumped freely as she exploded in an intense burst of speed. 'My god- what is going on with my body?  I feel- amazing. . . .'  She increased her velocity, leaving the monster to grapple with her dust.  The adrenaline was pumping uncontrollably. She was flying through the air. Nothing could catch her.

She felt the ground heave as it slipped from out under her feet.  Panic. Fear. Self-loathing. ImPeRFecTiOn.    Quistis cried out in pain as she fell to her knees. Something had grabbed her ankle and was presently suffocating it.  She glanced back, expecting to see a rabid vine or grat.

But it wasn't.  It was a man.

He had been partially buried underneath the surface and was just now pulling himself out of the earth. He was dressed from head to two in silver- gray and his large brown eyes, -the only naked attribute- focused on Quistis' prone form. He was partially buried underneath the surface.

Quistis gaped.

"What are you doing?" She screamed, suddenly aware of the horror of the situation.  He still held a firm grasp on her ankle.   

He didn't respond, only drew a wicked looking dagger.  The T-rexaur was fast approaching. 

"Look behind you!" She yelled. It was coming.

But he didn't look.  He rose his arm and stabbed the jagged dagger into the ground.  Through her foot.   She stared in shock.  He ran off. . . leaving her to die.

She smelled her own blood in the air. It was the smell of metal and Balamb water.  She was too traumatized to move- she could only sit and ogle the knife that bound her to the surface.  She couldn't move if she tried. 

'I'm going to die this time. . .what a beautiful thought. . .'

'foOl. LaZy GiRL. . .'

'I'm powerless. . .'

'NeVeR pOwERlESs, bLuE-eYeD QuIStY. . .'

'Let me die. . .'

'nOt yET. . .'

The t-rexaur gnashed its teeth and roared as it approached looming above her.  It's humors leaked from numerous intrinsic and woman-made holes. It was dying too.  At least she wouldn't be alone.

'nOt AlONe- nEvEr aLoNE. . .mY beAutiFuL, gLowInG QuIsTis. . .Live child. . .' 

The voice ended quietly in an ethereal, comforting ring.  A little familiar.  The gaping, fang-filled orifice seemed to grin as it fell towards her.  She was comforted by it's excessive darkness. Warmth spread through her limbs, transmitted from the monster's gagging hot breath.  The blood pounded in her ears.  She felt nauseous, but instead bringing up liquid she vomited a blood-curdling scream.

"Ray-bomb." She moaned, stretching out her arm.  She closed her eyes and let the magic engulf her. It crackled and sizzled  and she heard the beast's brutal cries as they ricocheted off the dome wall.

Then there was deafening silence.

Her racing pulse slowed and her ears ceased pounding.  She opened her eyes.

Dead- it was dead. Burned to a crisp.  The surrounding trees had caught fire.  A blazing inferno.  She ripped out the dagger, and grasped her foot in her trembling hands.

"White wind."   Her voice ceased shaking as the cool white-blue mist surrounded her and eased her suffering.  Ripping the edge off her coral duster, she bound her foot.  She would need stitches, but the pain had diminished to a diminutive, dull ache.  Rising to her feet, she hobbled over to a sturdy oak and tore a branch off it's thick trunk. 'This'll make a fine walking stick.' She tested her weight on the gnarled switch.  PeRfect.

'Hyne, I hope no one sees me, and pray I don't run into anything else.  Dammit- what happened there? I almost died.'

'No- yOu didN'T, cHilD.'

'Yes- yes I did!  And there was a man! I, dammit! Where is. . .?'  In a frenzy, Quistis partially ran/partially hopped around the area, searching for the lunatic who had nearly sealed her fate.  'Sadistic bastard.  What was he thinking?  Where is he?' She was fuming and her internal voice was screaming for blood. 

She emerged from the grove into the clearing near the gates.  There he stood- the gray man.  He took up a defensive stance.  Seeing him again- those cold brown eyes, the robotic bearing, she began to shake with rage.  He had nearly murdered her.  He was a murderer.

'He wAs SeNT tO kiLl yOu- He'S aN EsThARiAN aSsAsIn. LoOk At ThE eMBlEM oN HiS sHOuLdER. . .'

Quistis saw it and understood the weapon he carried as foreign-made.  Suddenly he lunged at her.  As if in a daze, she stepped from his route, causing him to fall into a tree.  He groaned and turned on her.  But his efforts were in vain.  She stared him down with her piercing cobalt eyes.  Her pulse pounded and fervent heat coursed through her veins,

"Acid." She sneered.  The fluid bubbled and boiled and burned through the hardy silver material. Festering sores burst up from the  rotting skin and the skin began to shrivel from his muscle.  Through his dying screams, she could only make out one word.

'DiAdEm.'

He melted into a pool of stench.  This was a milestone moment in Quistis' military career:  Her first human kill.  She shuddered and retched into a bush, crying helplessly.

'What is wrong with me?  It's like everything's collapsing around me. . ..'

'BeAuTiFuL, BluE-EyeD QuIsTY- THaT wAs pErfECt.'

'No! It was disgusting and mortifying.  I'm a murderer.'

'No-SeLF dEFenCe. . .'

'Shut up and let me have this.  I've fully lost my innocence, now. Lost my morals.'

'No.  yOu ArE PeRFecT. . .'

"Quistis. Quisty-girl. . .."

'DamNeD WOMan. . ."

Quistis felt calloused hands on her shoulders.  She had bled her stomach dry, so she sat back in Evana's grasp.  She noticed Samah standing above her as well. How much had they seen?

"I almost died."

" I know.  We saw it on the monitor from Martine's office."  Samah whispered. Evana smoothed back Quistis' soft, golden hair and whispered in her ear.

"Thought you were a goner there, girly.  That T-rex wasn't exactly feelin' hospitable."

"We put out an all-call on this level to get you some back-up, but there wasn't anyone else in the Training Center."  Bending down, Samah sat on his haunches beside her.  Quistis shook her head.

"You're wrong. There was someone here.  Didn't you see him?  He. . .came after me."

"Yeah, we did, hon." Evana cooed, rocking her back and forth.  "Did you see where he went?"

"Um. Uh huh.  Right. . .there."  Quistis pointed to the bubbling pool of flesh.  She felt Evana's sharp inhale behind her, and Samah noticeably turned his head and closed his eyes.

"Well. . .um, that's somethin', isn't it?"  Evana gulped, trying to keep things light. "Are you feeling okay, Girly?"

"I'm okay now." Quistis sighed, as both she and Evana rose to their feet. "I could use some stitches, but I'm otherwise alright.  Just a little disgusted and a little scared shitless."  She chuckled.  Evana snorted.  Samah, upon closely inspecting the pool-that-had been human, took a moment to vomit.

"Okay- lets get you to the infirmary. Again. Holy Hyne- this has got to be the worst week of your life. . . .."

'Pretty much. Well. . .what doesn't kill me makes me stronger, right?'

'oF coUrSe…'

'I'll just go get a couple stitches in the infirmar. . . .no, Irvine's there. I. . . .can't go there, I. . . .'

"You know what, I don't think I need a trip to the infirmary.  Maybe you could just use some of your field training and stitch it up here?  It's painless and I don't want to burden the doctor any more than I already have. . ."

"Uh, sure.  We can do that.  You're a big girl, Trepe.  If you don't want to spend another night in that cubicle of smothering hell, I totally understand.  Just give me a second. . ."

While Evana sought out the Training Center med box, Samah helped Quistis into the hallway and to a cushioned bench.

"You're sure you're okay, Quistis?"

"I'm fine, Instructor Samah.  I'm just a little unnerved about the whole 'Estharian Assassin' issue."

"Estharian Assassin?  What are you talking a. . .."

"Okay, Quisty-girl. I'll have you patched up in no time."

Evana proceeded to clean and sew up her protégé's foot, muttering and cursing the entire time.  Samah fidgeted.

"What assassin, Quistis?"

"The man in the Training center.  The one who stabbed my foot. He was trying to kill me."

"Well obviously. . .Samah, you're a damn fool.  Quisty-girl- you're an even bigger fool for takin' on that rexaur all by yourself. Those things are hell incarnate. Arrogant child of a whore. . .. Damnation- this whole Garden is fallin' ta bits.  Never know what's goin' on. Can't see what's happenin' under my own friggin' nose.  It's all goin' ta hell."

"Martine's gonna hear 'bout this. . ."  Samah whispered softly, smiling.  Evana threw her hands in the air.

"Martine's gonna hear about this!  Hyne- that man's a friggin idiot!  How'd that Estharian get in here?  And those fuckin' T-rexes- A high-ranking SeeD almost died today 'cause of one of those.  Think about what they do to our cadets!  Hells bells- I'm going to blame this all on Vinzer Deling. He's the devil in a turtleneck and pressed slacks.  I'm so sick of these kids getting hurt!"  She growled, tying and breaking the string with her teeth. Quistis winced in pain.  Evana shook her head. "Sorry, Trepe.  You okay ta walk?"

Quistis rose up, hesitantly and took a few steps.  She'd be limping for a while, but it wasn't numb and it didn't hurt, so it was acceptable. She smiled at her colleagues.

"Thank you, Evana, Samah. For everything."

"Why're you thankin' us now- I'm sure there'll be plenty more for you to thank us for." Evana grinned and slapped Quistis on the back.

"Hyne- I hope not. I think my body's falling apart."

"Trepe- you're too young to be talkin' like that.  You've been around us old folks too much.  You should pop over to Deling City and get yourself trashed.  When I was in the army during the war, we used to truck our sorry asses through Deling and into this ritzy bar downtown, all caked with mud'n blood and Hyne-knows what. And. . .we'd sit down in the bar, drink ourselves stupid, while listening to this silly girl play the piano and sing her little heart out.  It was the most ridiculous thing ever.  These guys- these guys I used to go with all went gaga over this piano chick- but I always tried to embarrass her.  I'd belch real loud and put my feet on the table.  We'd be the only chicks in the whole place and I'd feel no affinity for this girl.  Only jealousy. . ."  Evana ended on a low note and grunted.  "Anyway- you should get bombed there. You'd fit in better than I ever did.  I think you deserve however many girly drinks you could take.  I'll spot you. . ."

"Thanks, Evana. But, actually. I have to visit Martine, tonight.  He wants to talk to me- probably about you know what. . ."

"Oh yeah."  The red-haired gunbladeswoman scratched her head and looked at her watch.  "Well, Quisty girl- you've only got ten minutes 'til then. Think about it.  I'm gonna go check with my sources- see if they know whether or not those bratty kids are tryin' ta ditch curfew tonight.  Samah- will you escort miss Trepe?"  Evana attempted to disguise her voice to mimic Samah's more elegant speech pattern.  He nodded, unfazed. Her attempt at humor had fallen flat.

"Of course I will. Have a good rampage."

"Oh, I will. Believe you me- I will." Evana growled ominously, and skulked off.  Samah grinned and offered his arm to Quistis.  "I promised to escort you."

Quistis curtseyed, pulling herself out of her dark mood.  Samah's skin was unusually soft for a martial artist.  She couldn't help but giggle and they passed through the halls.

"Mmmm. . . you have such soft hands.  No wonder Xu loves you. . ."