╔The Limits of Choice╗
By: Ayame
╓Chapter Three╖
The trauma team beneath Dr. Kristine Kadowaki's supervision worked feverishly on a number of things when their attention had been drawn to the blonde instructor who had been brought in only moments ago. The first was to revive her from her accordingly shocked state of comatose. The second was to keep those who were trying to get into the infirmary at bay. The third was getting a hold of the headmaster and the commander of Balamb Garden, as well as those Quistis was often seen with, specifically, her close friends. The third task, of course, was far more uncomplicated to handle during the current situation, than the first two.
The explosion and accident that had taken place in the Training Center was by no means a secret. At this hour during the day, the Center was actively used, and the flare-up was anything but quiet and small. Even though the immediate area where Irvine, Selphie, and Quistis had been placating their sudden battle was the place that had been riddled with hoarfrost and snow, the wintry atmosphere of ice had spread quickly and suddenly throughout what seemed to be the whole of the vast Training Center, and had waned just as rapidly. Many had seen Selphie running from the East Block of Garden, tears sliding from her eyes, a look that went beyond meager distress clung to her features. She was a popular young girl, after all, always cheerful, bouncy, and a bit loopy, as some would say. To see her in tears brought a distraught mood around those who witnessed, and to see her fleeing from the Training Center brought inquisitiveness. While many thought it had been the former Galbadian sharp-shooter that must have been injured, since that was who she had gone in with, they were even more alarmed to hear that it had been, in fact, Instructor No. 14. Attention had been increased further, especially by Quistis' adoring, and somewhat enormous, fan club, which was the main cause of the blockage to the Infirmary's entrance and waiting room.
The minutes passed slowly as time seemed to stretch noxiously forward.
While most would have thought Irvine and Selphie to be actively involved with keeping the braying pack of students, and even some Garden staff out of the infirmary, the two sat sullenly in the waiting room, just outside of Dr. Kadowaki's office. The formerly chipper brunette looked an unhealthy shade of white, and didn't even look up as the crowds parted to let through Headmaster Cid Kramer and the Garden's commander, Squall Leonhart. It took more than a few words from the Infirmary staff, and even the Headmaster, before the crowed even began to disperse. What it took was a sinister look from Squall, which was enough to convince many to depart, since the young man was usually expressionless. To have him at this aptitude publicly seemed not only to be a death wish on those who crossed him, but was also to be quite alarming to behold. Irvine rose from his seated position before glancing over his shoulder, to the back rooms where he knew the medical staff was working vehemently on revitalizing Quistis.
Selphie rose silently also and proceeded to the next room, there to tell Kristine that the Headmaster had arrived as she had asked the young girl to do so. With her limited staff trying to help with the injured brought in, already there, and leaving, as well as trying to keep the waiting room as clear as possible of passers-by, she didn't have many to spare and tell her of the arrival of certain people she needed to see. Cid, knowing that he had to see the doctor anyhow, to speak with her, followed Selphie out of the waiting rooms and into her offices. Squall met Irvine's gaze with an inquisitive concern.
"Is she alright? What happened?"
"Where's Rinoa, Zell, and Xu?"
Both young men had spoken at the same time. It became obvious to Squall that Irvine hadn't realized neither he nor the others knew the extent of the situation. All he had been told was that Quistis had been badly injured in the Training Center. He hadn't figured it was too completely appalling, seeing as how Quistis was very proficient with her use of magick as well as her weapon. But he couldn't help feel his stomach begin to knot at the crowd that had grown in the Infirmary hallway, including not only the expected Trepies, but also many of Garden's staff. His dread had pretty much been confirmed by the state that both Selphie and Irvine had greeted them in… or hadn't greeted himself and Cid.
"Cid told us that Quistis had been injured; me and Rinoa. Rinoa went to find Xu and Zell while I came here with Cid… What happened?"
Selphie stepped from the office doorway and motioned for both Irvine and Squall to come into the offices when Irvine had opened his mouth to speak. Figuring that Dr. Kadowaki probably had a better explanation than he could give Squall, he gestured toward the doorway before heading in that direction himself. Kristine Kadowaki was seated at her desk when the two young men came into her office. She began to speak right away, bothering neither to tell them to have a seat, as Cid had done.
"I'm glad some of you could make it. I'll start off by telling you now, not to worry. Quistis is going to be fine. I tell you young ones so many times to take it easy and be careful, but you don't listen." A crease form across Squall's brow only for a moment before he raised his eyebrows. This was just like Kadowaki, to lecture them on the misgivings of not being careful when in battle. He remembered quite well the number of times he'd been lectured for injuries he'd received and had have patched up. He supposed it had been her way of coping with the stress that came with the job. But, aside from that thought, he was relieved to find that Quistis was going to be fine. And he could tell that the other three that he shared the room with were pleased by this bit of information as well. He thought about how he'd have to relay this to Rinoa, Zell, and Xu when he found them later on. But, as if on cue to his thoughts, the three came rushing into the room, pushing past Irvine and himself.
"Squall!" Rinoa whispered as she moved around to stand next to him, she looked back and forth between Kadowaki and her boyfriend, hoping for quick answers. But, before she could say more, both Xu and Zell began to speak.
"Kristine! What happened?! Where's Quistis? Cid! What's going on? What happened?! Is she okay? Where is she? She's going to be alright, right? What happened?!" Xu seemed to repeat that particular phrase over and over as she moved from Kadowaki's desk, to some of the cubicles that students were kept in for resting, to the door that led to a hallways holding yet more rooms, back to Kadowaki's desk, then to Cid's chair. Zell seemed to follow in suit, asking similar questions, but throwing in comments like, "Who the hell knocked out the instructor?" and "I'll kick their ass!" and "She's gonna live, right?" All the while, throwing in a few punches to the air and showing much aggressiveness. It took Dr. Kadowaki rising from her seat, placing her hand firmly on the desktop and a brisk shout for not only silence, but for tranquility also, to calm the two down. It was then that she resumed what she had been saying earlier.
"As I said to the others, she is perfectly fine. Her vitals had begun to drop, but we've managed to stabilize her. She's not suffering from a coma or anything. She's just asleep. She had a nasty jolt to her system." Selphie, who had been somber and quiet for some time, holding tightly onto Irvine's hand, finally spoke, her voice little more than a soft whisper.
"What caused it? And what caused her Guardian Force to act the way it did?" That brought the attention of those who had not been in the Training Center to look at her. They, of course, hadn't first-hand knowledge of what happened. Irvine filled them in quickly, describing details that Dr. Kadowaki nodded to, as she was hearing them now for the second time.
"I believe that I know the condition. It's rare to Guardian Forces, but not uncommon anymore. It's called the Crossing. This condition, known to all Guardians, no matter the type, it's dangerous to them. It's almost like a form of dying. I suppose calling it a GF cold would be far too simple. Yes… far." The dark-haired woman pursed her lips as she thought about how to explain this to her listeners. "A Guardian Force is in a stage similar to dying. Similar to what a Phoenix goes through. But it's not a rebirth. They are not reborn again, nor do they truly die. What happens, is they return to their purest form; The matter or element that they transpired from. The powers that they control and their souls are basically harnessed and stilled in a form that is similar to the attack they would provide upon call. This is like a trigger that causes the energies they spend to go awry, or go into a reversal, acting as a negative attack, and making the Crossing complete. Then the Guardian Force is prone to disappearing in the deathlike state, revival not possible by even G-Returners. However, they do not die."
It was Xu who spoke up this time, after a brief silence. Hands falling against her hips she wrinkled her brow, looking perturbed. "That makes no sense. What does that have to do with Quistis?" Dr. Kadowaki looked at Xu and inhaled softly before continuing her explanation.
"The Guardian Force, in this shocked state of peril, returns to their summoner when it's time for attack expires. This is deadly, of course for the GF, but also for the caster. You see, when it is in its purest form, it isn't meant to be harbored by human conscious. This pure state, upon fusing with the summoner once more, acts as a vicious poison. We can't control things that are steadily wild like that; it's too powerful in an uncontrolled state like that. That's the reason why Quistis was shocked into unconsciousness. And…" her gaze drifted to Irvine and Selphie, who stood by the office doorway. "A direct sign of immense injury cause by this is lacerations of the retinas. That explains the blood coming from her eyes. Luckily, for Quistis, Raksha wasn't in the most complete phase of the Crossing. If he had been, she would have died instantly. But, my medical staff and I think she'll recover with no problems."
The silence was a mixture of unease as well as that of relief for a moment before Zell decided to ask a question of his own.
"I don't get it. I thought you said this Crossing thing only happened in the final phase, or something like that. Why did Raksha blow up before hand." The doctor nodded, understanding the need to have more satisfying answers.
"Well, Guardian Forces have a great intellectual conscious. I'm sure you've noticed from time to time that they speak with you as thought they were human holding normal conversations. They gather a likeness to whomever they may be junctioned to, or perhaps not. Apparently, Raksha took a liking to Quistis, knew that his time for the Crossing had come, and decided to activate it much more quickly, thus to spare Quistis death."
The information that she was bestowing upon them was not only a bit much, but it seemed rather extraordinary. Such a thing had never been heard of before, but then, new discoveries of and about Guardian Forces were being uncovered everyday. Cid rose from his seat and gave a light sigh.
"Kristine, I hadn't realized you were such a connoisseur when it came to GF knowledge."
"I'm not, Cid. As I said earlier, this was a rare thing at one point in time. But, suddenly, Guardan Forces all over the continents are going into the Crossing, making it almost like an epidemic. Dr. Odine has been contacting me and asking about our students, since we actively use Guardian Forces. He's been keeping me updated and giving me information. I'll be reporting this to him."
A light flare of alarm swept across the room at the revelation that this had been happening constantly as of late. But, more importantly than that, was the need to actually see Quistis and confirm with their own eyes that she was alright. Kadowaki told them that they could go in to see her in about half an hour, and until then, they'd have to wait. The medical staff needed to make sure everything was situated properly. Agreeing most reluctantly, the seven waited rather impatiently in the Kadowaki's office, discussing the meaning behind the Crossing of the Guardian Forces.
**A/N** Just to make things clear, I do NOT know Dr. Kadowaki's real first name. Kristine was a name that I gave her because I felt she needed one. In my humble opinion, Cid and Kadowaki would be on a first name basis, therefore, I gave her one to suffice for now. If any of you do know her first name, or that she even has one, I'd be delighted to know it. J