Forever and Always

Chapter 2

Until the end,

"Big Brother, will you always love me?" The small, blonde, 4-year-old girl asked her older brother.

"Of course I will kiddo…Forever and always."

Stell Katura's eyes opened slowly as the early morning sun peeked in her window. Slowly she sat up and rubbed her eyes. She was not ready for the day to start.

Stell attended the newly opened Esthar Garden where she was studying to be a SeeD. Weapon of choice, gunblade. She was also one of the most troublesome, pain in the neck students in Garden. She was 17, about 5' 3", with icy, blue eyes that seemed to see through you. Her hair was long, thick, and blonde. She looked like the old depictions of Rapunzal, though she kept her hair pinned back out of her way.

"STELL! God damn it, you better not have snuck out again!" Selena Branford, her roommate, shouted as she pounded on the bedroom door.

"Alright, I'm up!"

Stell rolled out of bed and slowly made her way into the bathroom, pondering the strange dream. She'd been having it as far back as she can remember. Which wasn't very far, A year at most, maybe two.

She stepped into the shower and let the hot water run over her tired body. She'd snuck out again last night and fought monsters. It's said that humans have three bones in their ears; it's true she could count them.

Stell slowly toweled herself off, stopping as she caught glimpse of the old tattoo on her ankle. She'd had it since she was very young,??She had no idea what it meant or where it was from. Shrugging off the wonders of her origin, Stell quickly dressed. She pulled on her trench coat and turned up the collar so the scar that starts from underneath her left ear and travels down her neck to her left shoulder blade is well hidden.

"All students report to your home room immidetly. Repeat. All students report to your home room immediately."

Stell raced out of her dorm pulling a stuttering and angered Selena behind her.

Home room was a crowded classroom with far too many students and not enough desks. Stell and Selena found a spot on the back wall behind their friend Memor Naburn, a fiery and flirtatious red head who loved battle and shopping a little much. She was extremely tall, about 5' 9" and could be quite the valley girl sometimes. Selena on the other hand, though friendly and cheerful was very vicious in battle, specializing in archery Selena was known for decapitating an opponent with an arrow from 100 yards away. She was tall and sleek, with long dark hair and warm, silvery, gray eyes that were cleverly hidden with contacts to a deep ocean green.

The student's chatter stopped as the instructor entered the room. He was old and in Stell's mind too decrepit to be a decent instructor. The man could barely walk for Hyne's sake.

"I have some undesired news, Students," The old man stopped and took a wheezing breath, "due to the lack of space for the number of students that attend this establishment some of you will be transferred to either Balamb, Trabia, or Galbadia." Another irritating wheeze, "The students who will---



"Excuse me, Instructor, you mean to tell me that now we are all used to this Garden, some of us will have to attend a different one?" Stell said.

"Yes, Stell, that is what I just said."

"That's friggin' bull shit."

"Lucky for me you and your two shadows are first on the list for Balamb. The three of you will ship out at 2:00 p.m. May Hyne help the instructors who have been cursed with you."

At the end of classes Stell packed up her things and angrily slammed them onto the baggage trolley for the transferring students. A mistake had been made and Memor was to go with her brother to Galbadia. Stell couldn't' believe they'd been split up.

"Think of it this way, Stell," Selena said, "At least we are still going to the same place."

Stell smiled, "You're right."

"C'mon, let's be off."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

End Chapter 2

A/N:

I know the 1st an 2nd chaps aren't that great but it gets better! Keep reading and keep reviewing. But keep the criticism constructive.