It was like no other sensation he had ever experienced.

It wasn't all physical--although that was a good part of it. It was impossible not to wonder at what his senses were telling him: the faint smell of dirt and sweat being washed away in the rain, the sound of wet cloth sliding ever so slightly against armor, the sound of breathing, of hearts beating--it wasn't only that. It was more than the presence of the moment, more than the physical reality of holding another human in his arms and kneeling in the standing water, more than the warmth of a living being under his hands and against his cheek contrasting itself to the cold rain. It was much more.

There was so much more to being here, watching her, that no amount of feeling in the world could really do it justice.

She moved slowly, gently--with infinite care, she placed her hand on the gouge that had bitten into his side. You treat a wounded cyborg like you treat a wounded animal, Taiga thought wryly. No sudden movements, or it might attack.

"Hurt," she whispered.

As if on that cue, the ICI chimed in. Taiga C1128513. Analysis: Uncertain. Directive: Observe. Status: Damaged. Directive: Repair. Energy: High. Directive: None. Location: Hope-Kay Lowlands. Directive: Proceed to terminal at Lesser Kay.

"Not critical," he whispered back. "...I think you've confounded my ICI."

She made a low noise at that--it took him a moment to realize she was chuckling. "Useless," she said.

He smiled. "It is," he agreed. "...maybe we should stand up."

Without any more prompting, Fujin maneuvered her shoulder underneath Taiga's arm, slipping her own arm around his waist and half-helping, half-dragging him to his feet. Taiga was impressed--she was evidently stronger than she looked.

Still feeling inexplicably unbalanced, he turned to look at his downed adversary. The newcomer was helping him up--and, now that he noticed it, there were two more people approaching quickly from the top of the hill. He staggered backward--instantly finding a blue-sleeved hand on his arm to steady him.

Taiga C1128513, the ICI repeated. Analysis: Threatened. Directive: Negotiate.

"...maybe I should learn all of your names," he said, gesturing awkwardly. The young man whom he had inadvertently attacked was standing, half-glaring and half-wincing at him. "...I would be less likely to identify you as a threat, that way. Anyev I--I know, but--"

"Her name is Fujin," his opponent said. Taiga raised an eyebrow.

"Fujin," he said. "...I... can't complain, I guess. Good, solid name." He was receiving a hearty glare, now--as well as a few wary glances from the newcomer. "I'm Taiga. Along with the -jin names, I guess you could call me Kaijin. Has a certain ring to it, doesn't it?"

Fujin let out a truncated chuckle. Nodding to the two of them, she said "Kajin. ...Ninjin."

Taiga chuckled as well, and both of them turned to give him confused looks. "...I'm Taiga," he identified himself. "Taiga C1128513. Some of my friends--well, one of my friends--used to call me Taiga Agiat. It has a certain ring to it, too."

"...I'm Nida," the newcomer said, not understanding the joke and not bothering to ask about it. "This is Seifer. ...the two people coming up behind you are Squall and Raijin. ...Raijin is the one who's wishing he brought a coat along."

Taiga turned, to the barely audible noise of Fujin snickering. "Ujin and Raijin," she re-identified.

Taiga laughed, extending a hand as they approached. "Taiga C1128513," he said. "...you two look drenched. ...care to come inside?"

-

There was no possible way for Lu's face to accurately convey the amount of shock that accompanied Taiga's re-entrance to the house accompanied by five teenagers. As it was, she just stood there and stared until Taiga gave her a reassuring--if a bit pained--grin.

"I found some friends," he explained briefly, tilting his head toward the girl who was supporting him at his left arm. The girl in question was fixing her with the same look she had first given to Taiga--aggravation, distrust, and a light edge of incredulous surprise. "This is Anyev; those over there are--"

"Taiga!" she said as soon as she had found her voice again. It came out as much more of a startled squawk than she had intended. "My Hyne, you're injured!"

Taiga kept smiling. "We were just wrasslin'," he said. "Nothin' serious."

"I can see your ribs!" Lu returned.

Taiga glanced down, grimacing. Everyone else in the room was momentarily forgotten--watching uncomfortably as the adults argued. "...that's not my rib," he said quietly. "That's a shunt."

Lu was turning distinctly green in the face.

Taiga cleared his throat. "Um... look. In the bathroom, under the sink, there should be an old first-aid kit--military issue. Could you get that, maybe?"

Lu nodded, and hurried out of the room as fast as she could. Taiga sighed, easing his arm from Fujin's grasp and making his way to one of the old chairs.

"Make yourselves at home," he said, motioning to the room. "I know it can't be what you're used to, but I haven't had time to fix it up--I only just got here, see. I--used to live here. I haven't, though. Not for a long time."

Seifer had stalked over to one of the other chairs in the room and collapsed into it, scowling heavily to mask the fact that he was, in fact, in a great deal of pain. Instead of making any response to Taiga's explanation, he contented himself by glaring daggers at him from across the room.

Lu re-entered, carrying the old metal case. Taiga took it from her genially, standing up.

"Here," he said, approaching Seifer. "Let me take care of that--"

"I can take care of myself," Seifer shot back, drawing up in his commandeered chair.

Taiga raised an eyebrow at him. "Wrap up your own busted ribcage? Not likely." Taiga reached for his shoulder--

--only to be met harshly as Seifer slapped his hand away, moving with the speed of instinct. There was a sharp intake of breath from Lu, a mental click....

Taiga C1128513. Analysis: Threatened. Directive: Negotiate.

"...okay," Taiga yielded, backing away. "Um... have it your way. Just... don't attack me, okay? It won't turn out nicely. The ICI--"

Fujin had pulled up behind him, giving him another rather nasty startle when he realized that he hadn't noticed her doing so."RAIJIN," she snapped. "ASSIST."

Raijin jumped. "Er--yeah, ya know," he said. "Glad to."

Seifer stood up, still glaring. "Where's your bathroom?" he asked, every syllable clipped and terse.

"Back that way," Taiga answered, motioning off in its general direction.

Seifer didn't acknowledge the directions. Grabbing Nida's pack, he stalked off. Raijin, with a backwards glance at Fujin, followed close behind.

Lu shook her head, trying to make everything settle into some semblance of logic. "What the devil is going on here," she asked.

There was a moment's pause.

Squall stepped forward, intent on salvaging what he could of the situation. "I'm SeeD Squall Leonhart," he introduced himself. "...this is SeeD Nida. We were dispatched from Balamb Garden to recover Seifer."

Lu glanced toward Taiga. "Seifer is the angry young man," Taiga translated.

"The idiot," Lu translated again.

Squall wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he didn't try. "Seifer come here following Fujin, and we were... forced to accompany him. We shouldn't be staying long."

Lu nodded, turning to Fujin. "...I guess you're Fujin," she said.

"Anyev," Taiga corrected. "Anyev Agiat."

Lu nodded again, more skeptically this time. "And... may I ask why you're out here?"

Fujin's gaze was level and challenging, and she waited a moment before responding as if to say no, you may not. "I was looking for father," she answered simply.

Out here, in this house-- A cold sliver of dread wormed its way into Lu's stomach. "And... your father is...?"

Taiga smiled--a wry, lopsided, damnably unreadable smile. "That would be me," he said, and waited for the outburst that was sure to follow.