Chapter 15- Not This Time

The days recently just seemed to be mixed into one long, never ending day. She wasn't sure how long she had been away from her friends. All she could remember of the last few days of her life were the dullness of the room. Even in day there was hardly any light apart from one stream of light coming through a high window. Then she'd been dragged out of the room and onto a chair. Her eyes were finding it difficult to focus as they were so used to the dark, the world around was a daze because she hadn't moved around for so long. The wound on her head which was once wet with blood, now felt dry and left a scab on the top of her head where he had hit her with some sort of object.

She could vaguely see people in the room and moulded voices were echoing around her head. Sometimes she thought she recognized the voices, but she couldn't make out who all of the voices belonged to. Once or twice she had heard a mans voice, someone who she was very fond of. She was sure it was Seifer she could hear through the mist of her head.

If it weren't for the chair that held her up she would have collapsed on the floor long ago, her knees felt shaky and weak. Her arms just simply dangled facing the ground. So many scared and angry voices were going through her mind but she could only make out few words of what the people were saying. Then suddenly there were shouting voices and screams. Then she heard a gun shot.

A wet substance landed on her face. Still unaware of what was going on she tried to open her eyes but found that they were still blurry. Blinking a few times more she found that the world around her become a little clearer and she saw blood on her red top. The thought suddenly stuck her that she had been shot but nothing ached anymore than it had already done. She couldn't find any visible wound. Then she heard a loud thump and saw a man land on the ground. Her eyes were tired and they refused to stay open any longer so she gave in and the world around her became a daze once more.

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Everyone turned around to see where the gunshot had come from. Shocked eyes all fixed on the man who had been revealed to be an enemy just moment earlier. He looked shocked himself, like he hadn't planned to shoot their threat. Slowly he got himself back together and lowered the gun then he stepped back knowing that this was no longer his business.

Seifer was the first to see where the bullet had landed and was relieved to find that it was inside the back of Rajin. He lifted his eyes up to see Quistis with his blood splashed on her top. She looked like she was losing consciousness and he quickly ran to catch her before she fell off the chair.

The others were still shocked from the event that had just happened but Squall was the first to step forward to study the wounded man on the floor. Rajin was breathing heavy, obviously in pain from his injury but he looked like he wanted to say something. A slight grin formed on his lips and he began to say something. "You're…not going to get.. away..with..this.."

"It doesn't look like there's much more you can do Rajin" Zell said stepping closer to him like Squall had done.

" You invalids" Rajin said in barely a whisper "I'm not the only one.. who knows. She'll be coming for….you".

Everyone exchanged confused looks but their eyes quickly returned to the dying man on the floor. His fast breathing slowed down and weakened until he was breathing no longer.

Once they acknowledged that he was dead they turned back to the man who had shot Rajin. Irvine saw everyone giving him questioning looks but decided not to answer and instead began to walk away but was quickly stopped from walking when the door slammed shut by itself. He turned around to see Seifer glaring angrily at him "your not going anywhere until you prove to me that you had nothing to do with this"

"It's a long story," Irvine said simply. He saw the anger build inside Seifer's eyes and by some sort of invisible force Irvine was flung against a wall. Gasping for breath he looked up at Seifer who was walking towards him.

"That's not a good enough answer" Seifer said, "Did you have something to do with this?"

 "Seifer leave him alone!" came Selphie's pleading voice from behind him. She saw him turn to face her. 

"Stay out of this Selphie, it has nothing to do with you," he said in a softer tone of voice.

"Yes, I know that's what you always say to me." She said with tears building up in her eyes but she refused to let them fall "I'm not going to stay out of this, not this time"

"You don't understand," he said simply.

"Please Selphie, its okay." Irvine said, he lifted his eyes towards Seifer "I think I can help you"

"Give me one reason why I should trust someone like you" Seifer said through gritted teeth.

Irvine looked at him for a short time before replying "Because you don't have anyone else to trust" he said with a slight smirk knowing that he was right " you can't turn to anyone else for help, only yourselves"

Seifer's glare softened and he turned to the others around him; Squall gave a slight nod, which Seifer understood meant he should trust this man. "What do you know?" he said turning to Irvine again.

"I know he had a close friendship with my boss. I've seen him around her a few times and it is he who told her to send me here. I think you should go see her."

"And does this person have a name?" Seifer asked still a little unsure about trusting him.

"Her names Fujin. I must worn you, she isn't easy to get information out of," he said.

Seifer sighed "Fine, but your coming with us because I still don't trust you"

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The gentle sway of the train gave a relaxing feeling, which made Rinoa feel sleepy. She stared at the scenery rushing past her not really interested in anything. So much had happened in one night, so much she had learnt. The words that the man had told her seemed to keep running through her mind. Perhaps what he had said was true, she still didn't understand why. Why hadn't anyone told her about all of this? She was injected with mutant DNA to make her live? It seemed like some type of story you read in newspapers, about how scientists could do these amazing things to help people live. Would her mother really have turned to scientists to help her live? She knew thinking about it wouldn't give her an answer but she kept thinking of more and more questions that needed to be answered, by someone…anyone.

She turned to look at Squall who was sat beside her; he seemed to be deep in thought himself, which brought a slight smile to her lips. How she had gotten herself in this situation was beyond her, but somehow she was here. Not knowing what to come of the future, in some ways not sure of the past. In these past few months she was starting to become like the other four mutants around her. Always surviving, the only thing keeping them going was their hope. She wasn't sure she'd be able to live the rest of her life that way.

Authors note: Yes I know I'm still keeping you all hanging on and I'm sorry I haven't updated for ages! I have one more week of school then I have work experience. Two weeks and then I have six weeks off school and in them six weeks I hope to complete this fic as there are only a few chapters left and start my new fic.

Thank you to

Jenza

Phoenix Blade

Keiry

CTHKSI

Shattered sword

PlatinumKitty