Chapter three: Wonder
Three years later...
He had been like this for days, now. Ever since he got a letter from the postman, he hadn't come out of his room for over 84 hours. Fujin and Raijin were beginning to worry.
Seifer was sick... very sick...
Fujin walked out of her room and found herself wandering outside of the house. It was amazing what a person could do when something was taken away from them. It could spark a variable of emotions, each one of them spawning from the fact that they missed the missing object of desire.
Which is why she ended up back where she started... only this time facing Seifer's room.
She wondered if she could just turn the knob and talk to her friend about anything, like she usually did. Staring at the wooden door was nothing like talking to him in person. Sighing, she turned on her heel, hoping to Hyne that Seifer was okay.
Apparently, someone heard her prayer for the door knob turned from the inside and Seifer appeared.
Only... it wasn't Seifer.
Seifer didn't have anything like a beard, but this one had a little more than peach fuzz. Also, Seifer was never that skinny. The lack of eating for four days straight took a toll on his body. His eyes were red from not sleeping, but they were also puffy and wet.
Wet? Her Seifer didn't cry.
But for now, she guessed, he did.
She turned to look at his face into his eyes. They were still green like the Winhill seas. Completely virgin and untempered with. Seifer was still Seifer, just trapped in a body not his own.
He hesitated, not speaking and barely breathing. Silently, he lurked back into his room. He didn't gesture for her to follow, but he left the door open, so she did.
All the curtains were drawn together, crumpled papers were everywhere and the candles were burnt to the wick. The room reminded her of a bear's cave, Seifer being the bear. He didn't get enough sleep in hibernation, she thought, Now he was red eyed and weepy.
She waited until his back was to her by him leaning over his desktop, deeply involved with something, and snatched up a crumpled ball closest to him. She realized that it was a letter.
Dearest Seifer,
I feel as though I love you, but not as much as you love me. Our love has been stretched by the worlds between us, our summer fling extended for two years too long. The fling has been outstretched, like a rubber band, begging for me to let go before it snaps and crumbles. But I don't want us to stop talking and seeing each other. Hyne, Seifer, this would have been easier if I wasn't betrothed, but I am. And I'm happy. But, I want us to at least stay friends.
Please write me,
Your Friend,
Rinoa Heartily
"SEIFER?" Fujin's voice broke the silence like a hammer to glass. He whirled around, surprised that she was still there. He eyed the paper in her hand, as if the bear had become a chocobo caught in the headlights.
He was growing, into love and out again. Fujin wished that they could talk about the funny, silly things they use to do, like running from a T-Rexaur or her near escape as they chased her outside to dress her up.
But now, they needed to talk about love.
He extended a hand. "Give it to me."
"NEGATIVE," she placed it behind her back, "TALK,"
He made one final move for the letter, failed and sat on the bed.
"RINOA, WHO?"
Seifer looked up to her, "Remember the Balamb Festival, about three years ago?"
Memories of a boy with brown hair and liquid blue eyes swirled into her mind's eye. Two children remembering a first kiss that never happened. A fairy tale of a Prince and Pauper falling into friendship appeared in her brain. "AFFIRMATIVE." she almost smiled and sat down next to him.
"She was the girl I was with all night," he said. "I really cared for her."
"LOVE?"
Seifer looked into Fujin's ruby red eye, which stared back at him. "I'm not so sure."
Fujin shrugged. "QUESTIONING. NO PROOF. LOVE, NOT."
"If I question it, without real proof, it was never really love?"
She nodded. "NO QUESTIONS, JUST KNOWLEDGE." she thought for a moment. "Did she ever say I love you?"
He smirked, "I was wondering when you would break out of that impediment."
"Answer the question."
He sighed, "Actually, neither of us said 'I love you'... which is why I question."
She tousled his hair and got up. "Some questions are never asked, but the answers are always given." she left the room, leaving Seifer alone to ponder Fujin's knowledge.
She shut the door behind herself and walked into her own room across the hall. After shutting her own door, she began to think of Seifer's predicament.
It's better to have loved and lost.... Fujin thought, sighing. It wasn't as if she ever loved before, so she couldn't relate to Seifer and Rinoa.
She sat down at her mirror, frowning. But still, she thought, am I missing something that only love can give me?
The question was now embedded into her brain and ate away at her soul. There were only some things that could do this to her. The last time this happened, Fujin had asked the question of friendship. Are friends like family that aren't related by blood?
Then she met Seifer, so she knew now that her questioning was hinting about the yet-to-be.
***
Raijin had a problem and his problem involved Fujin.
Fujin had never forgiven her parents for leaving her with the Athens family. His parents had told her that she was with them because her mother couldn't keep her anymore. This had warped into Fujin somewhat differently and sparked a fire in her already blood red eyes and that was when she began her impediment.
Raijin could remember it so easily.
*Flashback*
Come here, Fujin." Raijin's mother cooed. An eight-year old Fujin toddled towards them, her long, silver hair, plaited into two braids at the sides of her head. She ran into her adopted mother's arms, further wrinkling the green tunic and white blouse.
"How was school today?"
"Fine. Raijin and I made a new friend."
"That's nice." she smiled, ruefully.
Fujin blinked. "Somethin' wrong?"
The mother looked back at her, her eyes reflecting the afternoon sun. Fujin gave her a comforting smile. "What's wrong, mommy?"
She swallowed, "Fujin, you know I love you, right?"
"Yeah,"
"And you know I'm not your mother right."
"Yes," Fujin looked down, "Because my mommy didn't want me,"
"No, it's not that!" her mother scolded, "It's not that at all."
Raijin had, very quietly, sat at the table, not making a sound. He had taken out his homework so that he could keep himself occupied. But Fujin's actions were scaring him. He didn't want her to be mad at Mother.
"You're lying!" Fujin frowned. "Stop lying!"
"Your mother couldn't keep you."
"Vile! Lies!"
"Fujin! Please! Listen to me. She couldn't keep you!"
Fujin jumped off of her mother's lap. "She didn't want me!"
"She loved you!"
"NEGATIVE! LIES!" she ran out of the room.
Her mother stayed lost in her chair, her eyes still reflecting the sun, but it appeared as if her day was setting.
***
Fujin hadn't even gone out to play stickball in the streets after she finished her homework with the rest of the kids. In fact, they hadn't seen her for the rest of the night.
But the next day, Fujin had found their father's dagger and sliced off her braids. In fact, she looked something of a boy. Her speech impediment was in full swing that day as well. a strange occurrence was the quick change in the Mediterranean weather, which now was very windy, almost hurricane-like winds.
No one questioned for the answer was already there.
*End Flashback*
Raijin looked at the envelope in his hands, his fingers trembling. The envelope was addressed to Fujin, obviously something their parents had failed to give her when they were alive. But what got him the most... what he was most worried about was if he should give it to her or not.
Because in the corner, written in small script, was the name:
Aerith Gainsbourough- mother
***
Selphie rubbed her sleepy eyes. She had been working extra hard lately for activities being brought to the castle. Her hands ached from guiding the younger ones in sewing, her back ached from cooking and her feet were sore, because the castle was rather large and everyone's feet hurt by the end of the day. Very tired, she had no recollection of going up the stairs and into her own room. The last thing she remembered was going to Zell about food supplies and his meddling with the stock for his science work, but that had to have been at least an hour ago.
She changed into her nightgown in pure reflex and sat on her bed, staring out of her french windows.
'Wow, it looks like someone is staring out on my windowledge', she thought, her head slowly sinking toward the pillow. 'Wouldn't that be romantic?' She closed her eyes.
And opened them.
...
'Someone's on my windowledge!'
The silouette was of a cowboy, the hat, the chaps, the vest, etc.
Of course, this can just be a figment of a very tired imagination.
"Who are you?" she asked, "And why are you on my windowsill?"
"Well," his voice being a silky tenor, "I could tak to you personally if you open your windows."
She blinked, "I'm wondering if it's safe."
"Can't you trust me?"
"Well, you're the one standing on a ledge."
He laughed. "This is true."
Feeling a bit safer, but still cautious, she stood up and tentatively walked to the window. 'I've gotta be dreaming.' She swung open the windows.
It was too dark to see his face clearly, but it was light enough to see that his eyes were the same startling green that her own eyes were.
He smiled the same smile that coaxed flowers into bloom in the spring. She could feel her own smile tugging at her lips to widen.
"Who are you?"
He looked at her, searching, but a smile still on his lips. "You don't remember me?"
She shook her head.
"It's okay. It's been a long time."
"So, I know you?"
"You do. If you could remember." he bit his lip. "I should go." he turned to leave.
"NO!" she grabbed his arm, causing him to teeter dangerously on the ledge. He held fast onto her arm, but in the end, there was nothing he could do.
He fell...
... Into the room, through the window and on the floor, laying on top of a startled Selphie.
They stayed in that position for a moment, Selphie dreamily looking up at her cowboy prince. Her hands curved around the muscles on his back and drifted to his spine. His hair, which was dark and long, tickled her forehead and chin. A lone cowboy hat had fallen off of his head and across the room, forgotten. But she couldn't forget him and his feel, protecting her with his own body. Everything about him was familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.(can you feel the fluff!)
He placed his hands on the ground by her head to prop himself up, only to come in contact again with her luscious, green eyes.
"I'm sorry, I never meant for that to happen."
"It was my fault." she whispered. "I had no right to try and stop you, I mean-"
He smiled and she shut up. He bent down and kissed her cheek, earning a grin from Selphie, who looked back with a slight drunken look on her face.
Sleep was a cousin to Selphie. It weighed heavy on her eyes like a fairly standing on her eyelids. She could feel the darkness of her sleep tumble over her body, begging for her to close her eyes and dream. She closed her eyes and felt the pressure on her body move away.
"Wait!" she cried out. The man stopped, his hands pushing off of the floor to stand above her.
"Do you want to grab my arm so we can fall on the floor again?"
She blushed. "That wasn't it. I wanted to know your name."
"Can't do that yet."
"Well," she smiled, wanly. "Can you tell me if I'm dreaming?
He got up and walked to his hat. Placing it on his head, he moved to the window, where he put on foot on the ledge. 'A lone cowboy,' she thought, wondering if she really knew who he was, or if he was just being nice. 'The lone cowby, that moves with the rising of the sun.'
"If I'm dreaming, I hope that you aren't a dream."
The windows flew open with a gust of wind and he jumped off the ledge. Selphie ran to the windows to find him no where to be seen, leaving a Selphie by herself, drunk off of sleep and love, puzzled until she fell asleep.
Chapter Owari
A/N: Okay, how was that? I managed to make Selphie a character that isn't as high off of sugar but still likeable. What? Where is the Seill that I promised? Why is Seifer moping around about Rinoa? Zeifer chapters are coming okay, don't get your knicker into a twist. (That means you, SakuraCaller, lol.) What about the love between Squall and Fujin? It's coming along, I promise that Squall and Zell will both be properly introduced next chapter. This stage of the game is called development. It's like that Juicy Juice commercial, with the guy going "What if everything was only 10%?" Then the story would be this. Squall was a handsome prince of Balamb, then they lived happily ever after, the end!!!! So, please bare with me. What about Rinoa? Oh, I'm giving her a VERY special part. Same goes for Quistis.
Chapter 4 Tease: Fujin gets a note on her bed and begins to think about choices. Squall gets called to the queen's room for a chat and Selphie talks to Zellybelly about her love life. Indirect character names are Laguna and Ellone, who is a very cool character. Why doesn't anyone write about her? Oh, I know, because she doesn't end up with anybody at the end of the game! Or you don't really want to pair her up with anyone in FF8. Makes sense, I'll shut up.
Three years later...
He had been like this for days, now. Ever since he got a letter from the postman, he hadn't come out of his room for over 84 hours. Fujin and Raijin were beginning to worry.
Seifer was sick... very sick...
Fujin walked out of her room and found herself wandering outside of the house. It was amazing what a person could do when something was taken away from them. It could spark a variable of emotions, each one of them spawning from the fact that they missed the missing object of desire.
Which is why she ended up back where she started... only this time facing Seifer's room.
She wondered if she could just turn the knob and talk to her friend about anything, like she usually did. Staring at the wooden door was nothing like talking to him in person. Sighing, she turned on her heel, hoping to Hyne that Seifer was okay.
Apparently, someone heard her prayer for the door knob turned from the inside and Seifer appeared.
Only... it wasn't Seifer.
Seifer didn't have anything like a beard, but this one had a little more than peach fuzz. Also, Seifer was never that skinny. The lack of eating for four days straight took a toll on his body. His eyes were red from not sleeping, but they were also puffy and wet.
Wet? Her Seifer didn't cry.
But for now, she guessed, he did.
She turned to look at his face into his eyes. They were still green like the Winhill seas. Completely virgin and untempered with. Seifer was still Seifer, just trapped in a body not his own.
He hesitated, not speaking and barely breathing. Silently, he lurked back into his room. He didn't gesture for her to follow, but he left the door open, so she did.
All the curtains were drawn together, crumpled papers were everywhere and the candles were burnt to the wick. The room reminded her of a bear's cave, Seifer being the bear. He didn't get enough sleep in hibernation, she thought, Now he was red eyed and weepy.
She waited until his back was to her by him leaning over his desktop, deeply involved with something, and snatched up a crumpled ball closest to him. She realized that it was a letter.
Dearest Seifer,
I feel as though I love you, but not as much as you love me. Our love has been stretched by the worlds between us, our summer fling extended for two years too long. The fling has been outstretched, like a rubber band, begging for me to let go before it snaps and crumbles. But I don't want us to stop talking and seeing each other. Hyne, Seifer, this would have been easier if I wasn't betrothed, but I am. And I'm happy. But, I want us to at least stay friends.
Please write me,
Your Friend,
Rinoa Heartily
"SEIFER?" Fujin's voice broke the silence like a hammer to glass. He whirled around, surprised that she was still there. He eyed the paper in her hand, as if the bear had become a chocobo caught in the headlights.
He was growing, into love and out again. Fujin wished that they could talk about the funny, silly things they use to do, like running from a T-Rexaur or her near escape as they chased her outside to dress her up.
But now, they needed to talk about love.
He extended a hand. "Give it to me."
"NEGATIVE," she placed it behind her back, "TALK,"
He made one final move for the letter, failed and sat on the bed.
"RINOA, WHO?"
Seifer looked up to her, "Remember the Balamb Festival, about three years ago?"
Memories of a boy with brown hair and liquid blue eyes swirled into her mind's eye. Two children remembering a first kiss that never happened. A fairy tale of a Prince and Pauper falling into friendship appeared in her brain. "AFFIRMATIVE." she almost smiled and sat down next to him.
"She was the girl I was with all night," he said. "I really cared for her."
"LOVE?"
Seifer looked into Fujin's ruby red eye, which stared back at him. "I'm not so sure."
Fujin shrugged. "QUESTIONING. NO PROOF. LOVE, NOT."
"If I question it, without real proof, it was never really love?"
She nodded. "NO QUESTIONS, JUST KNOWLEDGE." she thought for a moment. "Did she ever say I love you?"
He smirked, "I was wondering when you would break out of that impediment."
"Answer the question."
He sighed, "Actually, neither of us said 'I love you'... which is why I question."
She tousled his hair and got up. "Some questions are never asked, but the answers are always given." she left the room, leaving Seifer alone to ponder Fujin's knowledge.
She shut the door behind herself and walked into her own room across the hall. After shutting her own door, she began to think of Seifer's predicament.
It's better to have loved and lost.... Fujin thought, sighing. It wasn't as if she ever loved before, so she couldn't relate to Seifer and Rinoa.
She sat down at her mirror, frowning. But still, she thought, am I missing something that only love can give me?
The question was now embedded into her brain and ate away at her soul. There were only some things that could do this to her. The last time this happened, Fujin had asked the question of friendship. Are friends like family that aren't related by blood?
Then she met Seifer, so she knew now that her questioning was hinting about the yet-to-be.
***
Raijin had a problem and his problem involved Fujin.
Fujin had never forgiven her parents for leaving her with the Athens family. His parents had told her that she was with them because her mother couldn't keep her anymore. This had warped into Fujin somewhat differently and sparked a fire in her already blood red eyes and that was when she began her impediment.
Raijin could remember it so easily.
*Flashback*
Come here, Fujin." Raijin's mother cooed. An eight-year old Fujin toddled towards them, her long, silver hair, plaited into two braids at the sides of her head. She ran into her adopted mother's arms, further wrinkling the green tunic and white blouse.
"How was school today?"
"Fine. Raijin and I made a new friend."
"That's nice." she smiled, ruefully.
Fujin blinked. "Somethin' wrong?"
The mother looked back at her, her eyes reflecting the afternoon sun. Fujin gave her a comforting smile. "What's wrong, mommy?"
She swallowed, "Fujin, you know I love you, right?"
"Yeah,"
"And you know I'm not your mother right."
"Yes," Fujin looked down, "Because my mommy didn't want me,"
"No, it's not that!" her mother scolded, "It's not that at all."
Raijin had, very quietly, sat at the table, not making a sound. He had taken out his homework so that he could keep himself occupied. But Fujin's actions were scaring him. He didn't want her to be mad at Mother.
"You're lying!" Fujin frowned. "Stop lying!"
"Your mother couldn't keep you."
"Vile! Lies!"
"Fujin! Please! Listen to me. She couldn't keep you!"
Fujin jumped off of her mother's lap. "She didn't want me!"
"She loved you!"
"NEGATIVE! LIES!" she ran out of the room.
Her mother stayed lost in her chair, her eyes still reflecting the sun, but it appeared as if her day was setting.
***
Fujin hadn't even gone out to play stickball in the streets after she finished her homework with the rest of the kids. In fact, they hadn't seen her for the rest of the night.
But the next day, Fujin had found their father's dagger and sliced off her braids. In fact, she looked something of a boy. Her speech impediment was in full swing that day as well. a strange occurrence was the quick change in the Mediterranean weather, which now was very windy, almost hurricane-like winds.
No one questioned for the answer was already there.
*End Flashback*
Raijin looked at the envelope in his hands, his fingers trembling. The envelope was addressed to Fujin, obviously something their parents had failed to give her when they were alive. But what got him the most... what he was most worried about was if he should give it to her or not.
Because in the corner, written in small script, was the name:
Aerith Gainsbourough- mother
***
Selphie rubbed her sleepy eyes. She had been working extra hard lately for activities being brought to the castle. Her hands ached from guiding the younger ones in sewing, her back ached from cooking and her feet were sore, because the castle was rather large and everyone's feet hurt by the end of the day. Very tired, she had no recollection of going up the stairs and into her own room. The last thing she remembered was going to Zell about food supplies and his meddling with the stock for his science work, but that had to have been at least an hour ago.
She changed into her nightgown in pure reflex and sat on her bed, staring out of her french windows.
'Wow, it looks like someone is staring out on my windowledge', she thought, her head slowly sinking toward the pillow. 'Wouldn't that be romantic?' She closed her eyes.
And opened them.
...
'Someone's on my windowledge!'
The silouette was of a cowboy, the hat, the chaps, the vest, etc.
Of course, this can just be a figment of a very tired imagination.
"Who are you?" she asked, "And why are you on my windowsill?"
"Well," his voice being a silky tenor, "I could tak to you personally if you open your windows."
She blinked, "I'm wondering if it's safe."
"Can't you trust me?"
"Well, you're the one standing on a ledge."
He laughed. "This is true."
Feeling a bit safer, but still cautious, she stood up and tentatively walked to the window. 'I've gotta be dreaming.' She swung open the windows.
It was too dark to see his face clearly, but it was light enough to see that his eyes were the same startling green that her own eyes were.
He smiled the same smile that coaxed flowers into bloom in the spring. She could feel her own smile tugging at her lips to widen.
"Who are you?"
He looked at her, searching, but a smile still on his lips. "You don't remember me?"
She shook her head.
"It's okay. It's been a long time."
"So, I know you?"
"You do. If you could remember." he bit his lip. "I should go." he turned to leave.
"NO!" she grabbed his arm, causing him to teeter dangerously on the ledge. He held fast onto her arm, but in the end, there was nothing he could do.
He fell...
... Into the room, through the window and on the floor, laying on top of a startled Selphie.
They stayed in that position for a moment, Selphie dreamily looking up at her cowboy prince. Her hands curved around the muscles on his back and drifted to his spine. His hair, which was dark and long, tickled her forehead and chin. A lone cowboy hat had fallen off of his head and across the room, forgotten. But she couldn't forget him and his feel, protecting her with his own body. Everything about him was familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.(can you feel the fluff!)
He placed his hands on the ground by her head to prop himself up, only to come in contact again with her luscious, green eyes.
"I'm sorry, I never meant for that to happen."
"It was my fault." she whispered. "I had no right to try and stop you, I mean-"
He smiled and she shut up. He bent down and kissed her cheek, earning a grin from Selphie, who looked back with a slight drunken look on her face.
Sleep was a cousin to Selphie. It weighed heavy on her eyes like a fairly standing on her eyelids. She could feel the darkness of her sleep tumble over her body, begging for her to close her eyes and dream. She closed her eyes and felt the pressure on her body move away.
"Wait!" she cried out. The man stopped, his hands pushing off of the floor to stand above her.
"Do you want to grab my arm so we can fall on the floor again?"
She blushed. "That wasn't it. I wanted to know your name."
"Can't do that yet."
"Well," she smiled, wanly. "Can you tell me if I'm dreaming?
He got up and walked to his hat. Placing it on his head, he moved to the window, where he put on foot on the ledge. 'A lone cowboy,' she thought, wondering if she really knew who he was, or if he was just being nice. 'The lone cowby, that moves with the rising of the sun.'
"If I'm dreaming, I hope that you aren't a dream."
The windows flew open with a gust of wind and he jumped off the ledge. Selphie ran to the windows to find him no where to be seen, leaving a Selphie by herself, drunk off of sleep and love, puzzled until she fell asleep.
Chapter Owari
A/N: Okay, how was that? I managed to make Selphie a character that isn't as high off of sugar but still likeable. What? Where is the Seill that I promised? Why is Seifer moping around about Rinoa? Zeifer chapters are coming okay, don't get your knicker into a twist. (That means you, SakuraCaller, lol.) What about the love between Squall and Fujin? It's coming along, I promise that Squall and Zell will both be properly introduced next chapter. This stage of the game is called development. It's like that Juicy Juice commercial, with the guy going "What if everything was only 10%?" Then the story would be this. Squall was a handsome prince of Balamb, then they lived happily ever after, the end!!!! So, please bare with me. What about Rinoa? Oh, I'm giving her a VERY special part. Same goes for Quistis.
Chapter 4 Tease: Fujin gets a note on her bed and begins to think about choices. Squall gets called to the queen's room for a chat and Selphie talks to Zellybelly about her love life. Indirect character names are Laguna and Ellone, who is a very cool character. Why doesn't anyone write about her? Oh, I know, because she doesn't end up with anybody at the end of the game! Or you don't really want to pair her up with anyone in FF8. Makes sense, I'll shut up.