Prologue Part 2: Fear and a Gift

Fujin's POV

As I came nearer the top of the grass, I could just see the top of the enemy's head. Automatically I swung it back, leaving me just to let it soar in the air. But as I actually saw what it was, I almost had to throw myself to the ground to avoid attacking it. I ducked down in the grass once more, praying that it hadn't heard me. I took a chance on a second look and peered over the tip of the long grass.

It wasn't a monster; it was a young boy, who looked about my age. He looked a little taller than I was. He had his back turned towards me, so I was safe for a while. It seemed as though he hadn't heard me. But what made me curious was what he had in his hand. I had never seen anything like it before in my life. It looked like a sword, but the hilt was like a gun. I silently crept a little closer, using the noise of the wind to move towards the boy to get a better look at his weapon. The grey metal shone in the sunlight as the boy swung it back and forth. It was almost as if it were…flashing… It struck my eyes…with beam after beam…as he swung the sword back and forth. The light…was so bright…I had…to look…away…

My head began to hurt as I watched the boy swing his sword. It felt as though my brain was swirling about inside me head, and my dead eye began to throb. I didn't know why this happened or why my eye was hurting, but I couldn't keep my hiding place in the grass.

I gritted my teeth, trying to bear the pain that was seething through my body, but it was too much for a girl of my stature to handle. I cried out in pain and the last thing I saw was the boy turning round looking totally and utterly shocked before everything went black.

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My head began to throb as I opened my eye. Fear then swept over me like water. Stone grey walls surrounded me and I could hear people talking outside. I didn't know where I was or how I got here. I was lying in an empty room completely alone. I sat up frightened, forgetting about my headache, but I realised I shouldn't have sat up so quickly. At that moment everything around me seemed to swirl and merge into one another. I didn't know what was happening to me…or why it was happening. I could feel tears begin to form in my eye as fear took complete control of my body.

"Pa…pa?" I mumbled through my tears. I wanted reassurance. I wanted comfort. I wanted anything but to be here!

My vision began to clear out a little, but my headache still pumped through my whole body. I could see that the room wasn't very big. There was only room for my bed and a small space to walk in. It reminded me of…of…I…I…I can't remember!

What did this remind me of? It was so strangely familiar, but I looked into the depths of my mind and I still couldn't remember why I remember this place.

I could feel more tears run down my red cheeks as the sense of lost time filled my mind. I didn't know what was going on inside me, but whatever it was, it was scary. I was so caught up in my fear that I jumped when I felt a soft hand on my shoulder.

"What's wrong dear?" the lady's voice was so…caring.

Her words immediately calmed my uneasy spirit. I didn't know what to say to her. She was a complete stranger to me. I thought about saying 'I've lost my mind', but I honestly couldn't get my words out. My open mouth wouldn't move and form the words I wanted to say.

"Don't worry sweetie… You had a nasty fall in the field I believe," I nodded. "Well, I'll take care of you, and I'll find something for you eye ok?" I nodded again and the kind lady left the room, leaving me alone again.

I was left utterly shocked and blown away. All that fear had fled, freeing me of the suffering. I couldn't believe what she just said! She didn't shy away and stare! I felt a smile creep to my lips a I felt over the ridged skin over my dead eye. That was the first time I ever felt comfortable with my eye being out in the open. She didn't treat me differently or become a zombie like everyone else. I felt a lost happiness rise up within me.

I lay back down, waiting for the lady's return. I wish she was my mother. Her long dark hair had made her look a little scary the first time I saw her, but her face was so kind and happy. The lady wore a long black dress as well to match her hair. It wasn't long until the lady returned with a few bottles. But she also had a leather thing in her hand. I looked in curiosity at what the black object was and she smiled.

"This is for you." She said handing me the mystery object. I held the black leather in my small hands and looked at it in thanks. "A dear friend of mine wore this, but she passed away, and so I have it now. I want you to have it now dear."

I snapped my head up as she finished her sentence and began to protest. "I can't take something this important from you!" I thrust it back into her hands, but all she did was smile.

"But I give this to you as a gift. It's yours now." She said as she placed it back in my hands and closed my small fingers around it. "What's your name dear?"

"Fujin." I said quietly.

"Well, Fujin… this is now yours. Take good care of it." She then took it out of my hands and slipped it over my forehead and placed it over my dead eye. I smiled at her kindness as she began to tend to my cuts and grazes from the last few days of my travelling.

Once she had finished, she held out her hand towards me. I was unsure about what to do. Nobody had ever done that to me before. But didn't…Papa? Her smile was familiar to me, but again I couldn't fix a person to that smile. But this time I didn't let it bother me.

She sensed my confusion and reached for my hand with her own. Her beautiful smile made me feel like a daughter to her. My small hand was almost lot in hers, but the firm but gentle grip made me feel secure and safe around her.

"Are you hungry Fujin?" a big smile crept to my face. I hadn't eaten in days and found myself now very hungry.

"Yes! Thank you…ma'am…" she smiled again.

"Fujin dear… Please call me Matron." I nodded

"Thank you Matron." And she smiled once more.

She opened the door of my tiny room and I stepped out in the main room of the house. It too had simple grey stones for the walls and, to my surprise, only had open spaces where windows were meant to be. I looked round and took in the atmosphere, realising by the distant smell, that this house was by the ocean. As we crossed the room I saw a huge lighthouse out of the window. I could hear other children shouting and playing from somewhere I couldn't see.

Matron led me out to the back of the house and through the back door. Down below me I could see a huge beach and gentle sand slopes. Right at the bottom by the seashore were six children running in and out of the waves and playing in the sand.

'Wow…'

"Selphie! Quistis!" Matron called down to the children.

"Yeeesss Matron!" two of the children shouted up to us.

"Could you come here please?" her voice sounded so gentle. There was no demanding feeling in her words. The two children that were called came scurrying up the banks toward us. When they reached us, I saw that they too looked about my age. One of them was taller than the other one. The taller girl had blonde hair that was tied back in a bun with a long fringe coming down the side of her face. The shorter of the two had very short brown hair that flicked out at her ears. Both of them were dressed in pale T shirts and summer skirts. I looked at them shyly, feeling slightly intruding, but they too had friendly smiles just like Matron.

"Selphie, Quistis, this is Fujin. She'll be staying with us as a new member of our family. I've given you two the jobs of making her feel welcome here." The two girls smiled at me and introduced themselves. I greeted them back raising my hand slightly to wave. As they were doing so, I noticed one of the other children slowly walk up the bank, always watching me, and always slowing down as I looked back at him.

Matron then led me back inside with Quistis and Selphie to treat me to some food. As I waited with the girls outside the kitchen in the main room, the boy that had been coming up the bank entered through the door. I pretended not to notice he had come in and continued to talk with my new friends. Selphie then saw the boy too. I looked at him through the gap and he caught my eye for a second, and then looked away and continued walking towards one of the rooms.

"Come and say hello Boring!" Selphie shouted over toward the boy. I heard him sigh and saw him come over towards me. As I saw him clearly without any obstruction I almost jumped as I recognised him from in the field. He looked at me without much pity and stared at my eye patch. I could feel myself begin to shrink away again, but he wasn't in shock like most people.

"My name's Seifer. What's yours?" he said flatly.

'It's the same boy that saw my eye in the field! The boy with the blond hair!'