Chapter Two: Games

I leered at some Garden staff and they let me be. They wouldn't dare try to tell me I was out and about past curfew unless they wanted to get Silenced or something more creative if I had the time or the imagination to come up with something. When I arrived at the grass clearing, I thoroughly went through my junctioning. I'm not an idiot – even I can't handle every creature in the Training Centre, though I resent admitting it. With Hyperion resting on my shoulder, I strolled out into the cool air. It wasn't long before a stupid Grat found me. With ease it was struck down by my sword strike and it crumpled up like I'd taken a blowtorch to it. I was in better fighting shape than I'd expected.

I wanted to sit and think alone at the end section of the centre. And yes, I do think sometimes – too much on some occasions.

Any fucking student calls me 'traitor' there and they can deal with a Grat attack. I'm still gonna be careful. I don't want to be – I'd of happily kicked the shit out of a bunch of the students if I wasn't risking losing my golden SeeD exam chance. A little monster coercion will have to do instead for the kiddies as my revenge – no-one calls me traitor and gets away with it.

I marched along and was almost there when –

"ROOOOAAR!!!!" an ear rattling bellow hit me. And rare few people can roar louder than me, which leaves... a T-Rexaur. Not the best night companion.

I hit it with a Firaga to try and back it up a bit. The flames curled my hands for a moment as it gathered power before I aimed for it's eyes and it shot out of my hand like a firework and it exploded in a torrent of flames around it eyes. It roared in pain and took a few unsteady steps backwards, giving me time to charge forward and struck it full force with my gunblade. It seemed to gather itself back together because it remained unaffected by my strikes on its tough scales and kept coming at me with snapping jaws. I cast Protect on myself to cushion a few nasty bites it was taking at me and struck it again to no effect.

"Shit..." I muttered and backed off slightly as I tried measuring the creature up to no avail.

I tried to leap over its tail sweep but couldn't do it and got knocked off my feet, the Hyperion thrown from my hand. I must have looked like a complete idiot as I fell on my butt and Hyperion clattered onto the ground.

A laugh sounded from the bushes.

"Need any help?" a cool voice asked.

"What? Aw, fuck off if you're here to gloat!" I spat viciously on my back and clambered to my feet. I was slightly crouching though – I was almost done in. The voice came out of its hiding place and leapt out in front of the T-Rexaur.

It was a girl about my age, I reckon. Her hair was short and sort of steely black and she was wearing black denim trousers and black leather boots to match her dark blade which she wielded proficiently. Her top was grey-blue and sleeveless – the same grey-blue her eyes were. I took all these details in a flash before she charged and rammed her sword into the T-Rexaur. It gave another roar, spun and thwacked her hard with its tail, sending her sprawling next to me. I saw her grin at me on her hands and knees – this is all a game to her.

She gleefully spun around and threw a hand out.

"Blind!" she commanded. It worked like a charm as the black cloud engulfed its head. Without sight a T-Rexaur was pretty much good for nothing. She got up and swung her sword forward as she began to build up to another charge at its vulnerable position. She took it apart with soft, sharp words which ignited spells.

"Firaga!" "Bio!" "Demi!" Slash!!!

She whirled the blade around and the beast fell.

"Curaga," she ended softly and revitalised me in a cascade of healing energy. I can't believe I dumbly watched as this girl fought.

I got up.

"Quite a pro," I commented. The girls face became blank as the passions of battle melted away.

"You're angry," she stated. My expression didn't change. Inside though I was raging to fight her – anything. My thirst to prove I was the best surged violently and I took my hands into fists before I did something stupid.

"I should have helped," I grimaced as I snatched the Hyperion from the ground and leant it on my shoulder.

Her face frowned briefly and she shook her head.

"It was unnecessary. I handled it fine, or didn't you see?"

She knew how to press my buttons.

"Why you!!! I could have taken it down!!!" I exploded. Bad luck, 's all.

"You should thank me," her calmness in the face of fury only made me worse. She thinks she's better than me, or something?!!!

"No! Fight me!" I drew Hyperion, my nostrils flared at this girl's attitude.

The girl sighed and drew her sword almost a little lazily.

"Very well. The Fervent doesn't like to lose," the girl ran her hand along her narrow, very sharp sword. It reminded me a bit of Squall's blade, except it wasn't a gunblade. Fervent, eh? We'll see...

We strafed, eyes watching each others every move. Hah! I can do this! I swung my blade around sideways, but when I reached her, she'd gone. A blade slashed my back and I cried out more in surprise than pain.

"You should know the names of the people you fight," she informed me and hit me with Silence. I mutely growled and lunged at her, but she leaped away with ease.

"This shall be a valuable lesson to you, I think," she mused and snapped me around the head with the flat of her blade. I was down and out.

"There," she said as I began to lose consciousness, "I won. Dispel! Cura!" she cried. I felt my voice return and half my strength, so my limbs felt groggy.

"My name is Gaia, and I don't think you'll forget it soon."

She made sure I'd been too weak to fend her off. I was on the ground. She held me still with a boot to my neck and cut my shirt open. My eyes grew wide in horror as she raised her sword over my chest.

"Got that? Gaia. You won't forget soon," she whispered and with that, she cut a G into my chest and walked off.

Almost out of sight she yelled, "Curaga," and left.

I got up and glared at the curaga healing G.

"Bitch!!!" I screamed. My shirt was ruined! Who the fuck was she – this – this Gaia?!!! Grrr... whoever she was, she was gonna die.

Fucking die!!!