Chapter 9: Unleashed

Fujin's POV

Every day I had seen endless trails of girls follow particular boys around the campus and I was sick of the seeing such stupidity. The very thought of myself doing such activities made me want to slap myself. I was currently on the way to my room when I saw yet another hoard of people rush past me. As always I received uncountable stares from the passers by, but that didn't bother me much anymore. It was their loss, wasting their time to look at me…

The door to my room opened as I slid my key-card down the admittance slot. I let my new book bag fall to the floor resulting in a thud from the library books inside. Just as I sat down to start my work I heard a knock at my door. I opened it to find Rajin standing there.

"Hi. Mind if I come in ya know?"

"Not at all." I moved backward and showed him in.

"You ok?"

"Not really…" I said returning to my terminal desk. I loaded up my work and began to type as I listened to Rajin. The light tap of the keyboard filled the silent air between us.

"What's wrong ya know?"

"I don't know…" I sighed, "but I just hate how everyone goes round in a big, huge group, all following one another, never being individual…"

"You want to be in a group?"

"No…I just wish I had more friends like you."

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Rajin's POV

To say the least I was taken aback from what she just said. She turned round and looked at me with such grief I found it hard not to run up to her and take her in my arms. Her red eye looked so sad and dull compared to when I first met her. Then her face had been full of life and happiness, never losing that fire within her spirit.

This was the first real time Fujin had ever spoken to me with such feeling. I wasn't quite sure what to say to make her feel better, but I could understand why she felt like that. I could tell that she was trying to not let it get to her, but her appearance to others was what was making her self-conscious.

I finally couldn't resist my temptation, and I held out my arms towards her. To my surprise she came and walked into my embrace. I placed my hands on her small back and let her know that I was here for her to talk to.

"You don't need to worry about what other people think Fujin…They're the people that are worth even thinking about ya know?"

"You won't leave will you? You won't leave me alone…" her voice had become shaky and unsure of her words. I pulled her back to look at her and saw her wet cheeks and trembling body.

"Fujin…Why are you upset? Come here ya know?" She sat down beside me and told me everything. She told me about her confusion and the void inside her. I couldn't quite follow all that she said, but I could guess that my friend Seifer had a part to play in this forgotten drama. I too had seen the expression on his face in the lift, and the way he behaved around Fujin. I had seen him been pushed away by her, and I had seen her tears as she fled. All this I saw from afar, watching her as closely as I could without being suspicious. Until she remembered completely what happened, she would have to live with the fact that this so called familiar face was just a blank memory that never happened.

I knew it must be hard and frustrating recognising someone but having no method of working out who they are. But I knew all I could do was to be there for her when she needed help, and stand by her side. But the one thing I didn't know whether Fujin knew yet, was that I had also seen another person come into Seifer's life. It was a young black haired girl around our age, who I had noted following Seifer wherever he went. I didn't know how Fujin would take it, but I figured I should let her find out on her own.

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Seifer's POV

Oh this had been such a bad day…The start off lunch had been completely demolished by that stupid chicken-wuss…second, that brat Selphie had been bugging me all day during class, asking all these stupid questions, and third…well there wasn't a third yet, but there would be sooner or later… I trudged down the nearly empty hallways to retreat to my room before dinner. Most people would have gone with their friends to Balamb by now. It was the usual thing to do once lessons had finished, not that I shared any interest in going anywhere. I had more important things to do, and I didn't particularly have anyone to go with anyway…

I reached my room and flung myself on my bed as soon as I'd entered. I could feel my anger boiling inside me, warming my entire body. I lay my head on my pillow and shut my eyes, but to my annoyance my solitude was quickly disturbed by a knock at my door. I sighed and got up.

"What do you want?" I shouted as I walked across my room. The barrier slid back to reveal a head of black hair and brown eyes. Rinoa…

"Hi!" she said happily, "Can I come in?" she smiled as I let her past.

"What do you want?" I said, a little quieter, rubbing my forehead trying to clear my rage.

"I want you to help me with something."

"Rinoa, this really isn't a good time…"

"But you have to help me! Nobody else is here!" she pleaded.

I could feel myself breaking down letting her cast her spell on me. Her sweet, gentle siren like voice was reeling me in like a fish in a hook. She looked so sad, as if she really needed help, and I couldn't bring myself to turn her down.

"What's the problem?" I sighed in defeat.

"Come with me!" she said regaining her gladdened spirit. Her fingers clasped around my hand and she proceeded to lead my out of my room.

"Where are we going?" I asked, but she didn't reply. Suddenly to both our surprises, we heard a roar from coming from the training area. I stepped in front of Rinoa, being on my guard in case something turned down the wrong path. But to my unlucky chance, fear itself came stomping round the corner. A huge T Rexator revealed itself as it hollered once more. On instinct I grabbed Rinoa's hand, unsure of what to do, and pulled her back to my room. There was no one else around to help me, and if I let that thing run wild then we all might be killed. If I could get to Hyperion in time, then a few ill-fated lives could be spared. I knew I should warn the headmaster, but if I did that then time would be wasted and lost.

I could hear the heavy footsteps thud behind Rinoa and me. The grunts and snorts emitting from the beast's nostrils grew louder and louder as it's pace quickened. My heart sank as I realised that it had caught our scent and was looking for its dinner. Who knows how it had escaped, and who had let it out…I didn't want to know either…

Something then pulled me from behind, yanking me backwards. I heard Rinoa scream as her hand was pulled out of my grasp. I looked behind to see her being lifted into the air in the T Rexator's hands.

"Rinoa!" I shouted, but her screams drowned out my words. I could still run and get my gunblade, but I feared that by the time I returned, Rinoa wouldn't be with us any longer. I didn't know what to do, so I did the only thing I could do. Completely ignoring everything I'd ever learnt to do in a crisis like this, I lunged forward towards the dinosaur and tried my hardest to free Rinoa from its grasp and distract it from eating both of us alive.

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Fujin's POV

A scream suddenly rang out like a bell through the corridors, which shocked me to the core of my soul. I searched for my pinwheel and proceeded to investigate. Rajin had left earlier after I'd calmed down, but I wished he had stayed with me. I wasn't sure whether I should go and get his help, or whether I should go alone…

I heard another scream of fear and I decided that instant that I needed to go and help the person in distress. I ran out of my door and followed the call of help. It led me to the main hall where I wanted to scream myself. Two unarmed students were at the mercy of a loose T Rexator. I could feel my breath quicken as I looked onto the site of imminent death. I felt almost paralysed as I watched the huge monster swing its prey in its hands. I was like a statue waiting to be smashed and broken in the path of the rampaging beast.

But my heavy heart was lightened as a felt a hand on my shoulder. I snapped my head up to see Rajin by my side, armed with his staff.

"Lets go ya know." I nodded and we both ran towards our awaiting battle. I swung back my pinwheel with renewed confidence, and let the air guide it in its path towards the T Rexator. It struck its tough hide and spun again and again, digging and churning through the vulnerable flesh. The monster roared and let its prisoners free as it loosened its grip. They fell to the floor and scrambled out of the way.

For the first time I actually looked at them, and I couldn't believe my eye. It was Seifer, and he was risking his life for that girl…I knew he wouldn't be stupid enough to run headlong into a battle like that without a good reason. He seemed too experienced in battle to make a mistake like that, so it must have been for her…

At that moment my pinwheel returned to my hand and my thoughts were discarded. I knew that I mustn't let him divert my attention elsewhere. I closed my eye and concentrated my wind magic onto the beast. I could feel the gusts of air rushed through my hands, and I could see them whirling together, weaving in and out like threads, growing bigger and bigger, forming it's ultimate form of a raging whirlwind. The beast stood there dumbfounded as it was suddenly caught in the storming winds, sapping its energy from its slashed body.

Bolts of lightening came from the ceiling in a flash of light, electrocuting the trapped ravenous beast. I awoke out of my concentration and was suddenly brought back to reality. Rajin was deep in thought staring vacantly into space. Then it hit me. Rajin was the source of these bolts of electricity, something I'd never seen him do…

My shoulder was grabbed again by a leather glove. I turned round to see Seifer staring into my eye. I could almost swear that his face was moving closer to mine, but I turned my head away as I heard the monster roar as it dropped to the floor. I sensed him withdraw himself and I turned back towards him.

"Thank you." He said a little flushed.

"No problem…" my voice trailed off as I saw someone stand up in the corner of my eye.

"Seifer!" a new voice entered the relieved atmosphere.

"Rinoa! Are you ok?" The black haired girl, who also had been captured by the dinosaur, came running towards us and enveloped Seifer in her arms.

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Seifer's POV

Before I knew it, Rinoa was in my arms and hugging me tightly. She had buried her head in my chest and was crying into my shirt. Her frightened tears were breaking my heart in two as she mumbled words I couldn't hear. I unconsciously closed my eyes and savoured the precious moment in time, but I quickly opened them again as I heard footsteps on the tiled floor. Fujin was walking away from me again, and the tear in my heart opened wider, bleeding out my sorrow and pain. I took one hand away from Rinoa and reached after the one eyed girl. But she kept walking, never looking back.

I knew she wouldn't remember me, and that I had to move on. My hand came to rest on Rinoa's back again and I pulled her closer, channelling my grief through Rinoa.

"Come on. I'll walk you back to your room. You aren't hurt are you?"

"No I'm ok." I pulled back and led Rinoa back to the dorms. We walked in the silence of the corridors together with no one to disturb us.

"Seifer… I don't want to be alone…Please stay with me…"

"Ok…Come to my room."

"Thank you." She leaned my head against my shoulder as we walked on. Her tears had ceased but she was still upset and scared.

"What if it happens again?"

"I'll be here." I said as we reached my room. We both stepped in and I sat down with Rinoa. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah…" she said dazed, but she winced as she straightened herself up.

"Rinoa!" I looked her up and down, shocked at the ripped material and patch of blood seeping through to her clothes. Her hand had been covering it the whole time. "You're hurt! You need to go to the infirmary now!"

"No…I'm ok…" she said still half-alive. Her breathing was heavy and her eyelids wanted to close off her beautiful brown eyes.

"Then lie down. If you're not moving, then I'll do it myself." I positioned her on my bed as if she were a jointed puppet. Her body was so relaxed and light it scared me a little. She couldn't die now. Not after Fujin's efforts…

"Come on Rinoa…" I whispered. I helped her out of her blue wrap and ran to my bathroom for my first aid supplies. I scrambled around for the bandages and antiseptic, and hurried back to Rinoa. Her tiny body lay still on my bed, still bleeding. I kneeled down beside her and rubbed the stinging antiseptic over her clawed waist. I heard her gasp and cry in pain, but I kept working.

"I'm sorry Rinoa. I know it hurts…" I wrapped the bandage round her wound and around her tiny waist in an effort to stop the bleeding. Once I'd finished, I looked down on her distressed face. She smiled feebly up at me as I found her hand with mine. "Sleep. You'll be ok."

"Stay here." She said as she turned her head towards me. Her small fingers gripped mine tightly as her eyes closed.

"Of course." I said squeezing her hand back.

AN: Wow…Long Chapter! ^___^ Sorry for the wait. I had a little writer's block, and a tone of revision to do over the half term break, so things may be a little slow until after exams, so please be patient my two sole reviewers!