Chapter 17: Recollection

Fujin's POV

That night I didn't sleep very well. All my thoughts had been racing around in my head, not letting me even begin to sort them out and try to solve each problem. However despite my confused mind, the only thought I could really think about was what Seifer had told me just moments earlier. I really couldn't decide whether I wanted to be a part of this tyranny…I wanted to stay at Seifer's side, but…

I sighed irritably and put the matter aside for the night. The air was hot and I couldn't stay comfortable for very long. I tossed and turned into all sorts of positions before I fell asleep. But even my sleep wasn't pleasant.

---

I found myself back at the Garden, wandering aimlessly around the training centre. The twigs and leaves snapped and scrunched under my boots and a breeze flowed through the room. I could feel Pandemona inside of me, and I felt comforted by it. It was eerily quiet and I wasn't sure what I was doing here…

Out of nowhere a T-Rexator reared up out of the trees and sprung out of the bushes. It bellowed as it raised it's head back and I went to draw my pinwheel for battle. But my hand found nothing on my back and I now searched with both hands to try and find my weapon. Reality suddenly struck me. I didn't have it.

"Looking for this?" a male voice sneered behind me. I spun round and came face to face with Tema Heren. My mouth dropped open in shock and my clammy hands began to shake. I thought he died, by Seifer's hands. Yet there he was holding my pinwheel in his grubby, bloodstained hands. I glanced by to the T Rexator, but I was too slow. I was knocked off my feet sideways down to the floor. I rolled along the muddy earth and stopped at my enemy's feet. I glanced up at him, pleading with my eye to hand over my pinwheel.

"Well. Doesn't it look nice to have you looking up to me for a change? He didn't kill me you know. Nothing could destroy me!" He shouted down to me. Suddenly I felt a pain in my stomach, slowly registering that he had kicked me, and curled up into a ball in an effort to stop the pain. "You know, I think I'll destroy you instead, to pay back for all the pain that he gave me!"

I flung my hand out to cast an Aero, but it was caught by Tema's hand. "Tut Tut. We can't have you trying to hurt me now can we? And…for the record, he's not here to save you anymore." Nothing he said went into my mind. He kicked me again, and every second that went by I saw the lumbering beast draw closer and closer. Its breath stroked my face with its stench, and I grimaced in disgust. Tema kicked me once more, this time much harder and I rolled along the floor a little once again. From there I could see him clearly, his grinning face, his glaring and piercing ice blue eyes, and my beloved pinwheel in his outstretched hands. But as I turned to my left I saw Edea the sorceress, standing quietly, watching the events happening.

"Help me…" I called out to her. But she didn't seem to hear me.

I tried to stand, but all the strength had been sapped from my body and I lay there paralysed, at the mercy of both Tema and the T-Rexator. I saw the T Rexator lunge down at me and I braced myself. The monster's claws tightened around my body and it hurled me up into the air. At that same moment I saw Tema unleash me pinwheel in my direction, and it came flying through the air.

The only thing I could think about at that imminent moment of death was how much I wanted to see Seifer one last time, and a tear slipped down my cheek.

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I shot open my eye and found myself sitting directly up right in my bed. I was breathing so fast I thought I would hyperventilate. My eye travelled fearfully around my surroundings and I recognised my room in Edea's castle. I was back where I was…and that nightmare was only a dream…

I sighed and let myself fall back down to the comfort of my bed. But as I did so, all the surreal pain I had received in my dream, all came horrifyingly back to me. My sides ached and I felt numb all over my body. My hands flew to my sides and felt a wet liquid seep through my clothes. Blood.

'Why was this happening?' I thought to myself. But then it struck me that this had happened before.

Years and years had gone by since that fateful day when I left the safe haven of the orphanage. I remember Selphie's anxious face peering over me as I woke up, and I remembered her scream and shock when she saw my bleeding shoulder. The pain had been in the exact same place then and now.

I thought back and shivered as I remembered the dream I had had all those years ago. That lady at the orphanage had been strangling me… I couldn't put a name to her face though yet Edea looked so familiar to her. They both had the same…eyes.

---

I couldn't get back to sleep after that horrific experience. The next morning I went immediately to see Seifer. I had to check that he was still here and that my mind wasn't playing tricks on me. The words that Tema had said to me last night all sounded so real…

With a sigh of relief I found him on the same balcony where we had talked last night. I greeted my friend as I walked to his side and leaned over the railing. I couldn't help but look at him, scrutinising him over and over again to really make sure he was there. His golden hair gleamed in the sunlight, yet he too looked as though he hadn't slept well. He had dark lines under his eyes and he looked incredibly tired.

"What are you looking at?" he asked me, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Oh…Nothing. Good night's sleep?" I said changing the subject quickly.

"No…" he sighed. "You?" I paused as my breathing picked up and my stomach began to hurt once more.

"Terrible." I muttered as I winced from the increasing pain.

"Are you ok?" Seifer said while noticing my arms clutching my sides.

"Fine." I growled. 'Why does this have to hurt now?' my mind moaned.

"No you're not. What's wrong." He said turning towards me completely. I glared at him, telling him ii didn't need his help. But instead he pried my hands away and gently touched my waist. I shut my eyes and kept in the cry of pain that I wanted to let out.

"Fujin…Who…What did you do?" I sighed, knowing that I'd have to tell him.

"Do you remember…ages ago at the orphanage, when I left?" he nodded. "Well, do you remember that my neck and shoulder was bleeding?" he nodded once again. "Well…it's the same thing now."

"What's the same thing?"

"My dream…When someone hurts me in my dream, and I wake up with the same wounds…" I said unsure of how to explain it.

"Who was it?" I was shocked. I'd half expected him not to believe me…

"Tema." I mumbled, trying to think back to what he said. But however much I tried to forget, I couldn't replace the image of him holding my pinwheel and using it against me. I felt unshed tears build up and fall down my face.

I heard Seifer mutter something, but I didn't hear exactly what he said. He looked at me for the briefest moment, and gently he put his hand around my head, and held me while I cried. I told Seifer exactly what had happened and I could feel that he believed me.

He was here to stay, and I knew that now. I would never leave his side ever again.

"I've decided." I said breaking the silence. "I've decided to come with you." I said feeling more tears rush forth from my eye. He said nothing, and only continued to stroke my hair.