A/N: Hmmm chapter 4 never thought I would get this far. Yeah okay I'll shut up and get on with the story. Stop throwing cans at me already. I don't deserve that!!!!! Someone throws a watermelon Now that was really uncalled for. Runs away as someone chases him with a bat

Shattered Reality

Chapter 4

Falling Into Place

One words raced thru the blonde woman's head as she lay on her bed. Family. She had a family and one of the members were closer than she ever thought possible. She was never alone. She had known that, but to actually have proof that someone of her blood was here with her was unbelievable. She had a brother and his name was Zell. She had always wondered why she had always bonded with him so well now the answers came to her clearly. She was his sibling his older sister. The daughter of a mysterious man: with red skin and black bat like wings. Who was he and why did he seem so familiar.

"Dammit!!" she yelled sitting up quickly and throwing a pillow at the wall she was facing. Now something else she had to figure out. Who was he and why did he seem so familiar. Trying as hard as she was able to she tried to remember that face, that body, those wings that mask. It all seemed so familiar she knew him yet she didn't.

"Fuck" She muttered and leant back onto her bed head on her only remaining pillow. Why did it elude her so much, she saw that same person in an image? She had to remember when the first time she saw that person was. She looked at her hair it was spilled out around her the light purple tinges shining in the moonlight. She could figure this out. She had to figure this out or she would never get to sleep.

Purple. The first time she noticed the purple highlights was on her 18th birthday when she had that dream. She had been combing her hair when she pulled a purple strand from her head. She had been shocked, never in all her life had she dyed her hair, yet there was a purple strand. She also remembered that was around the time she also started doing her hair up in a bun to make herself look more like a teacher. That was also around the time she also started teaching her first class of the new semester Seifer was in the class and she knew that they wanted to see if he would listen to a peer rather then an older person whom she knew he would never pay attention to. He was her experiment and she knew that if he failed it would be the turning point of her career.

Shaking her head she cleared her thoughts. She was not here to think about Seifer she had to think about that person. Who was he? Then she remembered, black wings, red skin and a mask. That had been from her latest dream. She knew that the dreams got clearer each time but she had them so rarely that she would sometimes forget what happened each time. The only reason she remember this one was because this was the day when Squall had been in the infirmary because of Seifer. This person was the man from her dreams but what was he trying to tell her.

Thinking of when she passed out she knew that he was her father. That still didn't explain who that person was, it only told her that she had family and that she had a brother. Then again another piece of the puzzle was missing. Who was her mother and where was she? Had anything happened to her? Her gut seemed to answer this question as she let her mind wonder. No nothing happened to her the whole being of her body seemed calm. If this woman or rather mother were dead she wouldn't be so calm would she?

Her back started to hurt as she laid on it. Shifting to lay on her stomach she noticed that the pain did not dull in the least. It seemed to intensify even more. It started at her lower back and worked its way up. It coursed up her body like fire. Hell it even felt like fire. She bit her lip as not to scream. What was causing this? It felt as if someone had shoved a hot poker onto her back and was drawing on her back like their canvas.

As quickly as it came the pain began to fade and slowly but surly it died. The instructor slow got to her feet and began to walk to the bathroom. The pain she felt keeping her from sprinting or running but still she seemed to get there in record time. Slowly she turned her back to the mirror looking over her left shoulder she lifted her white tank top and straining as hard as she could she tried looked at her back and when she did her eyes widened. Decorating her back were black tribal looking designs. They started from the top of her spinal cord and worked there way down her back. Throughout her back were all kinds of shapes and lines that reminded her of the one Zell bore on his face.

Reaching out a hand she touched the line at the top of her spine and slowly started to trace it, she traced it as far as she could and noticed that she felt no pain at all. It felt as if it had been there all her life. It was not a new tattoo but an old one; she could see the ink like substance was not shiny as it would be if she had gotten it recently.

Letting her shirt fall back over he pale skin she decided that she would figure this out later. She had an evaluation examine in the morning and she wanted to pass it. Somewhere in her mind she didn't want to though. She was only 18 years old and should not have a predefined path set for her.

Zell was kicking the bag to try in vent off some of his frustration. He was sure that he felled the SeeD examine seeing as how the incident happened. What happened to him was still freshly embedded in his mind. A giant Dragon like creature emerging from his chest. What the hell was it doing here anyway? Out of all the people in the world why did it have to happen to him?

'I was sent here to protect you' a thought flashed thru his head.

Blinking and looking around his room he saw no sign of the dragon.

"I think I am going insane, " he said to no one in particular. He went back to his training routine. Yet a single solitary quest raced thru his mine. Protect me from what?

'From danger young one' Neptune was back and talking to him.

"Where are you?" the blonde questioned again looking around and seeing no sign of the blue dragon.

'I'm a party of you, as I have always been' the dragon responded and Zell could feel a smirk in his mind.

"If you are apart of me why did you choose to show yourself now?"

'Your fathers orders, he wanted me to wait till you were mature enough to comprehended my existence.'

'Then who is my father?' this time instead of speaking aloud he said it mentally seeing if the dragon was really another part of his being.

'I cannot tell you that' He had a sudden wave of fear run thru him. He wasn't scared but he knew it could have been the dragon. 'Sorry, I usually control my emotions better than that.' Zell felt no other emotions but his own and knew that the dragon lay dormant in his mind once again.

Shrugging his shoulders he decided to do push up. Getting on his hands and knees he got into push up position. He hit twenty before a new question popped into his head. What id I don't pass the SeeD examine. He wanted to make mother proud but she was proud of him with anything he did. He stopped think and just worked on doing pushups he need to work off this aggravation. Glancing up at the time he saw that it was 10:35 am he had a little more than a hour before that announced the names of the seed who passed the examine. He was sure that he failed but he still wanted to be there if by some slim chance he did pass.

The brown haired man looked around the garden. He found this place boring, sure chancing the ladies was fun but after getting most of them in bed he wanted a new game. He was an expert sniper at the age of 17. Nothing really posed a challenge for him anymore. He could do what he wanted but that didn't keep him from being bored.

Leaning over the railing that looked onto the lower level of Galbadia Garden he saw strange men that seemed to be guarding a women in a black dress who seemed to emit power. Looking at her with an eye only a sniper could he gasped this was Matron the one who cared for him when he was younger. What was she doing her and why did she have all these bodyguards?

Running up to the headmaster's office he wanted to see if he could catch her, yet his running was in vain 2 guards blocked the outside of the office and she was already thru the door. What could be happening that she needed to be here for?

The teenager entered the establishment in awe as she saw the high ceilings and decorations that adorned the garden. A faint wind caused her brown black hair to be tossed a little bit; she put on a smile and combed it back with her fingers. It was a nice day and had she not been on business she would have went to a beach or something and enjoyed the day. She unbuttoned her blue duster and slid it off so that is was now hanging on her arm. She was wearing a back shirt with a pair of black shorts. Rinoa Heartily was ready to do what ever it took to get some Seeds to help her with her mission.

She walked into the main area and gasped this place was huge. This place might as well be a city. Then again this place housed hundreds upon hundreds of people who strived to achieve the rank of SeeD one day.

She walked forward and looked around she guessed she was in the main area from the people the number of people that were seen. She needed to see the head master and she knew the only way she could do that would be to ask someone for directions.

"Excuse me!" she said to a blonde woman a few feet away from her. The woman stopped and turned around to look at her. She was a few inches taller dressed in a dark gray shirt and a black skirt. She seemed professional from the aura she gave off and yet she did not seem to be any older than her.

"Yes?" the blonde woman questioned her tinged blue eyes staring into her own brow one as if tell her to submit to power.

"Errrr... yah I'm trying to find the head master." She stated softly the woman seemed to sigh and said in a teacher's voice "Follow me." the woman took long strides walking past people to the elevator. She pressed the button and waited Rinoa just looked blankly at the doors waited for them to open.

"I'm Rinoa Heartily," she said to the blonde who looked at her.

"Instructor Trepe" was the reply. The woman closed herself off again and Rinoa sighed. The elevator pinged and they stepped in the blonde pressing the 3rd floor button as she entered.

The brunette just hummed along with the elevator music as she waited for them to arrive on the third floor. Within 15 seconds the doors opened to reveal a very spacious reception room. Upon first entry she saw that the floor was tiled with black and white colored marble. Two pillars a light brown color that extended to the ceiling. The ceiling seemed to be about 100 feet high and was made of glass so that one could see the beautiful blue sky. One could almost imagine that they were floating thru the sky. The brunette smiled as she looked up, her spirits were always lifted as she looked at the sky. Looking for her blonde haired companion she saw that she was at the receptionist's desk.

"Hello Xu" the blonde said to the other brow haired woman in the room. The woman's head turned up to look at the instructor and she smile brightly.

"Hey Quistis! How are you?" She questioned the instructor who name turned out to be Quistis

"I'm okay. This is Rinoa she is here to see the headmaster." Quistis stated. Xu looked at Rinoa and smiled.

"Go on in he knew you were coming." Rinoa nodded and proceeded to walk thru the double doors to the head masters office.

"Rinoa I presume" the old man behind the desk simply stated.

"Headmaster Cid?" She questioned in a small voice.

"Yes I am" he chuckled lightly and adjusted his glasses.

"I would like to hire some SeeDs." She said in her best business like voice.

"Oh my dear I am sorry but all our current SeeDs are on missions at the moment." He didn't seem the least bit distressed as he said this.

"Oh" she said

"Yes my dear I am sorry" she stood up about to leave his office. He walked over to her by the door and loped his arm thru hers. "There will be some SeeDs available tomorrow if you are willing to wait" He said his eyes lighting up with mirth.

"I thought you said that they were all on missions?" she questioned

"They are but tonight is a very special night. Today is the Graduation ball where students become full fledge SeeD members.

"Really?" She said her voice showing signs of happiness. He proceeded to nod.

"Yes, why don't you attended the ball?" he smiled at her.

"Sure I would love to go!!" She bounced with enthusiasm. "But I don't have anything to wear." Her voice went low and she looked down.

"Xu!" the headmaster called. A few seconds later the receptionist walked into the room.

"Yes headmaster?" she questioned.

"Can you show Ms. Heartily where she can attain a dress?" Xu's eyes widened and she instantly wanted to go shopping. "Feel free to take the rest of the day off remember the ball is at 8:00 tonight." He laughed.

"Headmaster, Instructor Trepe is also here." She stated while grabbing Rinoa hand and walking out the door. The headmaster turned serious in an instant as a member of the faculty walked in.

"Evaluation of Instructor 109 Quistis Trepe is about to begin please have her proceeded inside the office." The voice said in a semi-robotic manner.

"Yes Xu tell Ms Trepe to proceed inside" Walking outside Xu nodded at Quistis who snapped to attention and walk to the office. Rinoa looked at the first person she meat's eyes and noticed them have a slight fear in them and her walk slowly into the room as if judgment day had come. She felt sorry for the blonde woman and if only she had known that was a big mistake.

Ending A/N: sorry this had been written for 4 months just haven't posted it cause I was trying to get it beta read. Bad thing it still isn't beta read and I need a betaer (does that word exist). Hmmm well if anyone wants to beta this fic for me send me a e-mail title is Beta so I wont delete it with all my junk mail.

Estimated time for chapter 5 2-3 weeks wish me luck

P.S. FFXI is evil and I can't stop playing it