Artist: Dry Cell
Song: Body Crumbles
Finally recover and the mood is right
looking up into a neon sky
child in me takes over, cause it's been too long
since the last time that I tried to fly
Finally I find when I lose control
inside my body crumbles.
it's my therapy for my broken soul
inside my body crumbles
All I need's a moment, chance to get away
from the stressfulness of every day
know if I don't question then I never doubt
and everything is gonna be okay
Finally I find when I lose control
inside my body crumbles
it's like therapy for my broken soul
inside my body crumbles
I don't know if I'll be alright
is it okay to be myself?
(I don't know if I'll be alright)
Why do we always have to fight
now I know it's alright
finally I find when I lose control
inside my body crumbles
it's like therapy for my broken soul
inside my body crumbles
Chapter Two
I stood at the gate of the city, my midnight hair moving only slightly in the gentle wind. I couldn't feel its push on my chest and stomach thanks to the steel 'blouse' I wore. It was died blue, but if the sun hit it just right, one could see green in it as well. I pushed my thin sunglasses farther up my small nose, as I had adopted the habit of wearing them low so people could see my deep blue eyes. The long blue gloves (the kind one would wear to a ball) on my hands weren't pulled all the way up to my arms, so they were ruffled. On one wrist was a silver bracelet I had 'charmed' to help keep the pains of struggling against sorceress-hood away for as long as possible. my boots were made of the same material as my shirt, and came to my knees, covering the majority of my tight black pants.A white headband ('borrowed' from Ellone) was in my hair, keeping all but the thick bangs out of my face, and a white beld adorned my waist. A necklace, charmed like the bracelet, rested around my neck, coming to about the middle of my chest with a rather large diamond inset in intricate silver. It had been a gift from Rinoa, who, in turn, had gotten it from Odine. My thick black eyelashes brushed against my sunglasses irritatingly as I stared out. Suddenly, I made my decision, and ran.
"Alexandra Belli!" Ellone yelled at the top of her lungs, catching my arm as I made a run for the fields. Somewhat stronger than she looked, she swung me around and sent be running into the village instead. Realizing that the tables had been turned, I stopped, and glared hard at her.
"I'm going to go whether you like it or not!" I piped, "You can't stop me!" I threw myself at her, or more, tried to. The moment I stepped off of my balance was the moment that Seifer had a firm hold of the back of my upper armor.
"Well this is a fine 'Good Morning'." He mused, restraining me easily despite the measurement of my struggling. He simply stood there, hand clamped over the died steel until I began to calm down. "Puts other 'not morning people' to shame, really."
"Let me go!" I roared, what calm had taken over me vanishing as quickly as Seifer had come. I began fighting with renewed force, and found, a bit to my satisfaction, that he had to take hold of one of my arms to keep me from successfully wrenching free of him. After a while of squirming, I grew weary, and weakened before I finally slowed to a stop, standing there in defeat.
"Now that you're calm," Ellone smoothed her dress as she often did when distressed, and then looked back at me, "What, exactly, was this escapade all about?"
I spit at her feet in stubborn response, earning a sharp jerk from Seifer, who had learned never to trust me to submit, and didn't let go of my armor. "What the hell is wrong with you!" He snapped, "You should be grateful to Elle for dealing with your sorry ass for this long!"
"Because she owes the headamaster a favor!" I retorted, "I'm not staying here, you hear me! I'm getting out of this hell hole of a village, and I'm going!"
Seifer laughed a little, making a point of letting go of me to do so. "Oh, is that what all this is about?" He responded effortlessly through the laughter, peering at me through the corner of his eyes as I stood with my arms crossed in a huff. I may have been eighteen years old, but I was sure as hell allowed to pout.
"Seifer!" Ellone cried, devastated, "This is serious!"
"Yeah," Seifer laughed, "About as serious as a kid claiming to hate its parents. It's natural, just let the kid rebel." He burst out into a new fit of laughter, as if calling me a kid was hilarious.
I felt the sudden urge to smack him.
"This -is- serious!" I argued, "I'm serious! I want out!" I began tapping my toe to add to the effect as he glanced at me again, and motioned toward the fields.
"Fine, go."
"Seifer!" Ellone shrieked.
Seifer shrugged, "But to what point and purpose, Alex? You've gotten weakduring all those hours you've spent at this damned gate. A damned -funguar- could kill you without a problem. You have no gil and, don't be fooled, no one will feed you for free. You'll be back here before the week's up."
"Seifer!" Ellone shrieked.
I scowled at him, crossing my arms stubbornly over my chest. I glanced at the fields, and then back at him, "So what are you suggesting?" I snarled venomously, "That I whither and die here, in a village where people don't talk to me, and literally -nothing- happens? I can't do that, Seifer. I won't."
"That's not what I'm suggesting at all." Seifer stated smoothly, "I'm suggesting you train a little as I pack." He tossed her his gunblade, sending a wicked grin toward the horrified Ellone, "I'll only be a few minutes."
"S-s-s-seifer!" Ellone shrieked, following at his heels as he strolled back toward the house, "You can't do this! Squall won't like it!"
"I'm very aware of that, Elle."
"And-- And-- and-- and.." She seemed to forget what she was going to say, but then her face brightened with remembrance, "What about the SeeDs from the other gardens! What if they hear about her, and come after her! This is the only place we can keep her safe, Seifer!"
"That would be why I'm going with her, Elle."
Ellone was getting despirate, "But she needs a guide!" She plead, "She can't afford to go off and start having adventures! She's too strong, and not properly trained!"
"Can't keep the bird in the cage forever, Elle."
"But--"
The argument went into the building, leaving me staring after them in a bit of shock. What had I just missed? I looked down at the black gunblade in my hand-- quite a bit heavier than mine was-- and felt a little giddy. Not only was I getting out, but Seifer was coming with me! Unfortunately, my little temper tantrum hadn't destroyed my little crush on him, but that was fine now, because he was coming with me! Yes, I was being immature about the matter, but I didn't particularly care.
My only regret was that he didn't reciprocate the feelings. Oh, what fun we could have had! If only, if only...
Seifer stuck his head out the window, "You don't look like you're practicing, Alex!" I knew he had only said it because Ellone was right next to him, continuing to argue. I looked up, and nodded, holding his sword out, and beginning to slash at the air. I half wished a monster would come in from the plains so I had a target. I found that his sword was harder to manipulate, nearly throwing me over the first time I tried a horizontal slash, but I continued to try, attempting to get myself used to its weight.
After about ten minutes, Seifer came out in a new change of clothes (The ones he wore in his actual youth), but without a suitcase. Ellone, however, had an empty and open suitcase in her hand as she stalked after him. "Seifer!" She continued to protest, "You can't do this! What am I going to tell Squall!"
Seifer shrugged, "Tell him whatever you want." He looked at me, and nodded approvingly. I'd found my balance with the blade. "Ready?"
I glanced at him, "Yeah!"
"Do you have yours?" He motioned toward the gunblade in my hand. I looked around. I had set it down somewhere so that I could sneak back in during the night and steal it out. It was too hard to escape with a gunblade on my back. In the shadows of a planter I saw it, and went over to retrieve it. I tossed Seifers gunblade to him as I waved it in the air for him to see.
"Good. Let's go."
"Seifer!" Ellone cried.
Seifer didn't react as he started walking out of the town, trusting me to follow. I did follow, listening to Ellone's cries fade behind me.
"It's about damned time." Seifer sighed, wiping his brow and glancing around for a trainstation. "I love the girl but for christs SAKE she can get annoying." He glanced at me as I started giggling. The whole escape scene, and fact that I was doing it with Seifer by my side, was getting to me. "What?" He asked flatly.
"Nothing!" I cooed, glancing over at him, and then back forward.
He rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah..." He frowned, not seeing a trainstation anywhere nearby. "Up to a hike?" He asked casually, glancing at me, "'Cause it's gonna be a while til we find the trainstation."
"Fine with me! I'm just glad to be out of that damned town."
He laughed, "I'm sure."
Authors Notes: No, Final fantasy eight doesn't belong to me. Oh, and it's been a while since I played Final Fantasy eight-- they use gil, right? Not Gold? I can't remember...
Now, to respond to my wonderful reviews:
To all, I would just like to say thankyou for reviewing!
Elle Leonhart: Thanks for telling me. You're right, it is supposed to be 'Selphie'. I can't believe I didn't see that when I went over it... Oh well, I'll try not to make that mistake again.
Omega Gilgamesh: Thanks for the compliment. I like trying to put actual emotions into my stories, at least, as well as I can. As for my labeling Ellone as a sorceress, I'll explain that here: Not many normal people can send people into the past, or the future, so I assumed she would be a very low level sorceress to be able to do so. Also, if I'm not mistaken (which I probably am) Odine mentioned something about, "In zis era, we have two sorceresses. Ze sorceress Rinoa, and ze sorceress Ellone." Because Edea had lost her powers.