Chapter 4: Choices
Fujin walked into her bedroom door and smirked as she saw the envelope on her bed. The Great Seifer Almasy had humbled himself into giving her a Thank You note. In a way, it could be a start to something new. Talk about the the two of them getting together one day had been travelling town ever since they were twelve. Usually, they ignored it, but it wasn't as if some of it wasn't true.
(After all,) she thought, her smile waning, (I've waited for Prince Charming all of my life and I don't see him riding up on a golden chocobo.) (Play off of White Horse... What, I couldn't help it!)
An image of a younger version of herself and a boy around her age at the time entered her mind. It was a full moon and the two of them shyly leaned into each other, the dark water slowly rocking behind them.
She shook her head. It wasn't as if the Prince of the Free United Countries (What a title) would ever give her another glance. (But, if we do ever meet again, would I tell him my name?) The thought of giving her identity left Fujin feeling uneasy. She had always been taught to give identity when it was allowed. It would be really hard to break the tradition. This was one of the reasons that they ignored the chatter about them in the town square instead of caring about what they said or correcting them.
Fujin cleared her mind of any thoughts about him. She was a child at fourteen. (HEY! I'm 14!) Things were different now. If anything, her prime concern was getting Seifer to notice her more than as a shoulder to lean on when Rinoa was being difficult or a person to talk to when he was feeling down. So far, he was the only one who got her out of her impediment when he talked to her.
She thought for a moment, realizing that she was wrong. (He wasn't the only person...) She let her mind drift for a moment, remembering the details of his face, especially the ice blue of his eyes that even after 3 years could still make her shudder.
She rolled her eyes. How could she even think of something like that? With that in mind, she walked to the envelope and sat on the bed next to it.
She frowned. The letter obviously wasn't from Seifer, nor the other bumbling buffoon, Raijin. No, it was from someone far more foreign, even if it was from family.
Family that bore her.
In the corner of the envelope, it read in dark red ink; Aerith Gainsborogh- mother.
A trembling white hand inched towards the letter, but suddenly stopped. Her hand was disobeying her mind again. She made a face, (It's a letter. A stupid piece of paper with writing on it. It's not like it's gonna jump out and bite me,) (one never can tell, lol (Damn Yankees) she snatched the letter off her pillow and broke the seal.
Cold metal fell into her lap. For a moment, she forgot the letter in her hand as she picked up the jewelry off of her thighs. It was a gold locket with the word Love engraved on the cover. She let the letter slip out of her hand as she embraced the locket with both hands, as if she was trying to break it but didn't have the heart to.
She bit her lip and opened the locket.
There was a picture of a woman with brown hair that was in a long braid and eyes that were green emeralds. Her hands were placed around a baby with silver hair and blood red eyes. The baby, obviously Fujin, was reaching up to the woman with a pale, chubby hand. The woman smiled back at the curious child.
Fujin gasped. Her mother was beautiful.
She turned her head to the other side of the locket. It was a picture of a man with long black hair that flowed around his face. (A/N: Let's all take a WILD guess... Oh, I know who it is!!) His eyes were sharp, but didn't glare. In fact, they looked a bit sad. She wondered if this was her father.
She closed the locket, wondering if she should put it on. But she decided not to before she opened the letter. Even though she was weary of the gold piece, the picture of the woman and baby revealed something to Fujin, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
Shaking her head, she opened the letter
"My Dearest Fujin," she read
I wonder what you might look like in the future, how you could have grown into a woman that rides the winds and taunts the night with her silver beauty. If you are reading this, I wasn't able to take you back. I wasn't able to come back to you alive.
Fujin broke her concentration. (She wanted to take me back?) hurridly, she looked back to the parchment.
But I can only dream of the questions you may hold. I'll try to answer as many as I can think of, but you probably have more. Let's see, where shall I start? Oh, I know. What of your father?
I was nothing but a child when I was pregnant, only 19 when it happened. Your father was a man named Zack. In fact, I thought I was in love, but at the time, I didn't know what love was. I thought that love was that you cared about a person dearly. But it's more than that. You can care about a chocobo dearly, but it doesn't mean that you are in love with it. I loved Zack. I wasn't in love with him, though.
Fujin looked at the locket. (So, she wasn't in love with him.)
We lived in the slums of Midgar, me being a flower seller, and I had to make a choice. I could keep you and risk your death, or I could keep you safe by taking you to a friend's house, far away from Midgar and far away from me. I was in trouble and I promised to help a friend. A boy named Cloud Strife. But I had to take care of you first. I thought that I was in love with Cloud as well. But I was wrong. I still didn't know what love was.
And then... I met Vincent Valentine.
To tell you how I feel? When you fall in love, you don't stop falling. You're constantly falling into love everytime you think of that person. They are just another half of you, just a person that you want to protect and hope that they will protect you. Someone who will hold you closer than close if you are feeling down. When they leave your side you feel miserable and empty and you wonder how did you ever live without them because now that they are in your life, they can't leave you or else you will break. They are the missing puzzle in your life. They complete you.
Do you want to know the ironic thing? Though I loved Vincent, I was scared. Scared at this new feeling of love. That might be why I hit on Cloud for so long. It was just a way to concile my feelings. But I wanted you to know what he was like. That's why his picture is in your locket.
Fujin gasped. The picture was of Vincent, her mother's valentine.
What was Mr. Valentine like? Ah, I'm probably going to sound like a school girl, but bare with me, okay? Um, how do you describe the darkly pure Vincent Valentine?
He is a sheik that rides the deserts of white crystals at midnight, waiting for me to stir from my slumber to greet him. His blood red surcoat matches the velvet that lined his coffin. He rises only at night, waiting and wanting to drain away my common sense with fangs dripping with a poison called love. Vampire-boy. Leaving me defenseless and silly while the red wine begins to fall onto the white roses. Stains them pink and crimson. Close. So close to me it's painful. Far away. Far away from me to keep me wanting more. Longing. Desire. Touch. Close. Caress. Intense. Pain and Love are too close as equals. They have become one in the same. Protecting me with the same body that haunts me at night. It hurts. It makes me feel as though I am dancing in the sky. But dancing in the sky never had tears with a voice crying so loud.
Fujin swallowed, (Are you suppose to reveal so much to a daughter? Is this what it feels like to be my mother's child?)
Ah, it left me giggly. I'm trying to supress my laughter right now. Because that's how it feels. I never gave it words before. So, even if it's only for me, promise me that you won't marry for anything else but love. Or, if anything, experience it before choosing anything.
She lowered her eyes as if she had betrayed her mother. Thoughts of Seifer vanished from her mind. She kept reading as it told her the story of her mother and how she grew up. It told her of her powers and what her mother meant by riding the winds as she explained the times when baby Fujin would get hungry and the winds would blow fiercely for no reason. She spoke more about the love between her and Vincent Valentine and something became more and more apparent.
Her mother loved her and if she wanted any question answered, she would have to talk to Vincent Valentine.
* * *
Squall entered his grandmother's bedroom, not bothering to knock. Someone watching the castle might think of this as intrusion, but the queen hated for her grandchildren, meaning (to her) everyone in the castle, to be formal. She liked for them to treat her like a regular person, though she was everything but normal.
He paused at the door. His grandfather was passed out on the bed and his grandmother was stringing small mirrors by the windows. The effect was a rainbow and white light splashed room. (I'm gonna do that to mine, that's why. I got it from the book Echo, by Francessca Lia Block. Everyone should read it. Oh yeah, don't own that) "Grandmother, what are you doing?"
Edea turned around from her work, her black hair flowing behind her. "Oh, nothing. Just a bit of fun." She smiled. "Dazzling, isn't it? You think it's just ordinary mirrors, but they hold the key to everything."
"Um," Squall paused, wondering how to answer that.
"You are wondering why I wanted you to see me, yes?" Edea sat down on the bedside, her grandson following suit.
"Yes,"
She sighed, "I need to ask of you a favor,"
He raised an eyebrow, "What?" he said, slowly. His grandmother usually never asked for favors. She always was self-sufficiant, wanting to do things herself. It felt strange for her to be requesting one.
She hesitated. "It's about Winhill."
"What's wrong with Winhill?" (There is never anything wrong with Winhill. In fact, it's so nice a peaceful, the music for it can be so damn annoying.)
"You see," she stated, "We are having trouble with our regency. The last one passed away without naming a successor, so the government is a bit out of wack." she smiled, "I mean, it's going down hill. Until we are able to at least name a successor, we have nothing to go on."
"So, what do you want me to do?"
"I want you to find a person outside of the castle walls that is can be trained to be a suitable Duke or Duchess of Winhill."
He raised an eyebrow, "Why me? Why not Selphie or Zell?"
She hesitated again. "Well, usually... I would ask Ellone." She watched as Squall's face began to grow into a scowl and his body began to shell in.
"Oh, that's why." he muttered. He shook his head, "I'll do it."
Edea almost reached out to touch his hand, but the look on his face made her withdraw. She nodded and he stood up and bowed. Just as he reached the door, she called him.
"Squall?"
He turned, "Yes, grandmother?"
"Um... your father and sister have requested an audience with you tomorrow in the parlor."
Squall's eyes flamed, "WHAT?!?"
"They wish to speak with you." Edea calmly stated.
"Well I do not wish for them to be here." he returned, then shook his head. "I take that back. I will see Ellone."
"Squall, they BOTH want to talk with you. They have some important issues to address. Besides," she smiled, "Ellone said that she will not see you unless you see your father as well."
"So, she thought this through, eh?" Squall glared, not really to his grandmother, but more at himself. He waved a hand, "...whatever."
Edea smirked, "That's the spirit."
Squall bowed again and left the room, shutting the door behind him. He leaned against the closed door and clenched a fist. (Only when hell freezes over will I ever forgive him.)
* * *
Selphie sat in the tree branch behind the castle in one of the various fields, all lush and green. The grass, the flowers, the fruits and vegetables, even the bunnies that roamed back here were all hers. Well, to be specific, it was Ellone's. She had given Selphie everything when she had left to go off to Esthar with her father and ever since then, Selphie had to uphold the huge garden.Of course, she was nothing compared to the Princess of the Free United Countries. Ellone was special in that way. When ever there were apples, she made a pie. When ever there was honeysuckle, she made hard candies. When ever there were vegetables and herbs, she helped in the kitchen. Even the flowers were used for creating perfumes that waffed around the palace. Unfortunately for Zell, she had to concoced her creations in his lab, but she never labelled them, sometimes causing mass explosions that Zell had to take the brunt of. She was a ray of hope for everyone. So when she left, everyone became gloomy and depressed. People began picking on each other and small fights ensued. But Selphie managed to be a tower of hope, trying to be something of an Ellone. But siting in that tree made it painfully obvious that she was Selphie and Ellone was Ellone.
She shook her head. She hadn't come up there to think of her former "sister" but to think of the man that entered her room only last night. He was soft and caring and more charming than most of the guys that she had met. He was one of a kind, truly.
Selphie's ears pricked up when she heard someone creeping up behind her. "Is it my dreamer?" she said.
"Dreamer?" Zell raised an eyebrow. "What dreamer?"
She rolled her eyes. She should have known. "That's none of your concern."
"Ouch," he smirked and climbed up to the branch next to her so that they were facing each other. "Can't you tell me of the dreamer that you speak of?"
"Stop whining, you know I hate that."
He made a face, "You do it all the time." He clasped his hands together, "Oh, Squally? Laguna? Zelly-cutiepie?"
She playfully hit the side of his head. "I don't do that." she giggled. "But I'll tell you what. We'll play a game. You tell me one secret, I'll tell you one secret.:
He groaned. "We haven't played this since we were ten."
"Do you want to know or not?" she folded her arms.
"Okay, okay," he thought for a minute. "I got one. I... am not in love with Squall anymore."
Selphie almost fell off of the tree. "You're not?"
"Nope."
She glared at him, "So all of this time I've been working my butt of to set you two up and you don't like him?"
He sweatdropped, "No," he said timidly.
"I don't believe this," she slapped a hand on her forehead.
"Hey, don't change the subject." he said, "I wanna know what your secret is. Who is this "dreamer?"
Selphie smiled, "He's a dreamer. He came to my window one night and when I asked him if I was dreaming, he said that he if he was, he didn't want me to be a dream. So, he's a dreamer."
"That's so romantic." Zell said, eyes sparkly, "So, when exactly did you hit your head?"
"ZELL!"
Zell jumped off the branch and hit the ground running. He heard the stomping feet behind him and knew that Selphie was in hot pursuit. She grabbed the back of his shirt and threw her weight onto him, causing them to both fall down laughing.
A couple of minutes later, they were both staring into the sky, watching the clouds.
"That one looks like the castle." Zell pointed.
"And that one looks like a cowboy hat."Selphie smiled, wanly. "One that a true cowboy wears, with the vest and cowboy chaps."
Zell looked over to her, "You're head over heels, aren't you?"
She smirked, "Maybe I am."
"But how do you know that you are in love?"
"You don't have to know, Zelly." she smiled, "You just feel it."
* * *
A/N: So what didja think? Sorry it was so long a wait, but I made it extra long and super spicy! Oh, sorry, that was my stomach talking. R&R PLEASE!!!
Chapter 5 tease: Fujin comes to a decision on what to do, Squall meets his family for the first time in 3 years and reminices. Oh, and we find out what happened to Raine and why Squall hates his father so.
Fujin walked into her bedroom door and smirked as she saw the envelope on her bed. The Great Seifer Almasy had humbled himself into giving her a Thank You note. In a way, it could be a start to something new. Talk about the the two of them getting together one day had been travelling town ever since they were twelve. Usually, they ignored it, but it wasn't as if some of it wasn't true.
(After all,) she thought, her smile waning, (I've waited for Prince Charming all of my life and I don't see him riding up on a golden chocobo.) (Play off of White Horse... What, I couldn't help it!)
An image of a younger version of herself and a boy around her age at the time entered her mind. It was a full moon and the two of them shyly leaned into each other, the dark water slowly rocking behind them.
She shook her head. It wasn't as if the Prince of the Free United Countries (What a title) would ever give her another glance. (But, if we do ever meet again, would I tell him my name?) The thought of giving her identity left Fujin feeling uneasy. She had always been taught to give identity when it was allowed. It would be really hard to break the tradition. This was one of the reasons that they ignored the chatter about them in the town square instead of caring about what they said or correcting them.
Fujin cleared her mind of any thoughts about him. She was a child at fourteen. (HEY! I'm 14!) Things were different now. If anything, her prime concern was getting Seifer to notice her more than as a shoulder to lean on when Rinoa was being difficult or a person to talk to when he was feeling down. So far, he was the only one who got her out of her impediment when he talked to her.
She thought for a moment, realizing that she was wrong. (He wasn't the only person...) She let her mind drift for a moment, remembering the details of his face, especially the ice blue of his eyes that even after 3 years could still make her shudder.
She rolled her eyes. How could she even think of something like that? With that in mind, she walked to the envelope and sat on the bed next to it.
She frowned. The letter obviously wasn't from Seifer, nor the other bumbling buffoon, Raijin. No, it was from someone far more foreign, even if it was from family.
Family that bore her.
In the corner of the envelope, it read in dark red ink; Aerith Gainsborogh- mother.
A trembling white hand inched towards the letter, but suddenly stopped. Her hand was disobeying her mind again. She made a face, (It's a letter. A stupid piece of paper with writing on it. It's not like it's gonna jump out and bite me,) (one never can tell, lol (Damn Yankees) she snatched the letter off her pillow and broke the seal.
Cold metal fell into her lap. For a moment, she forgot the letter in her hand as she picked up the jewelry off of her thighs. It was a gold locket with the word Love engraved on the cover. She let the letter slip out of her hand as she embraced the locket with both hands, as if she was trying to break it but didn't have the heart to.
She bit her lip and opened the locket.
There was a picture of a woman with brown hair that was in a long braid and eyes that were green emeralds. Her hands were placed around a baby with silver hair and blood red eyes. The baby, obviously Fujin, was reaching up to the woman with a pale, chubby hand. The woman smiled back at the curious child.
Fujin gasped. Her mother was beautiful.
She turned her head to the other side of the locket. It was a picture of a man with long black hair that flowed around his face. (A/N: Let's all take a WILD guess... Oh, I know who it is!!) His eyes were sharp, but didn't glare. In fact, they looked a bit sad. She wondered if this was her father.
She closed the locket, wondering if she should put it on. But she decided not to before she opened the letter. Even though she was weary of the gold piece, the picture of the woman and baby revealed something to Fujin, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
Shaking her head, she opened the letter
"My Dearest Fujin," she read
I wonder what you might look like in the future, how you could have grown into a woman that rides the winds and taunts the night with her silver beauty. If you are reading this, I wasn't able to take you back. I wasn't able to come back to you alive.
Fujin broke her concentration. (She wanted to take me back?) hurridly, she looked back to the parchment.
But I can only dream of the questions you may hold. I'll try to answer as many as I can think of, but you probably have more. Let's see, where shall I start? Oh, I know. What of your father?
I was nothing but a child when I was pregnant, only 19 when it happened. Your father was a man named Zack. In fact, I thought I was in love, but at the time, I didn't know what love was. I thought that love was that you cared about a person dearly. But it's more than that. You can care about a chocobo dearly, but it doesn't mean that you are in love with it. I loved Zack. I wasn't in love with him, though.
Fujin looked at the locket. (So, she wasn't in love with him.)
We lived in the slums of Midgar, me being a flower seller, and I had to make a choice. I could keep you and risk your death, or I could keep you safe by taking you to a friend's house, far away from Midgar and far away from me. I was in trouble and I promised to help a friend. A boy named Cloud Strife. But I had to take care of you first. I thought that I was in love with Cloud as well. But I was wrong. I still didn't know what love was.
And then... I met Vincent Valentine.
To tell you how I feel? When you fall in love, you don't stop falling. You're constantly falling into love everytime you think of that person. They are just another half of you, just a person that you want to protect and hope that they will protect you. Someone who will hold you closer than close if you are feeling down. When they leave your side you feel miserable and empty and you wonder how did you ever live without them because now that they are in your life, they can't leave you or else you will break. They are the missing puzzle in your life. They complete you.
Do you want to know the ironic thing? Though I loved Vincent, I was scared. Scared at this new feeling of love. That might be why I hit on Cloud for so long. It was just a way to concile my feelings. But I wanted you to know what he was like. That's why his picture is in your locket.
Fujin gasped. The picture was of Vincent, her mother's valentine.
What was Mr. Valentine like? Ah, I'm probably going to sound like a school girl, but bare with me, okay? Um, how do you describe the darkly pure Vincent Valentine?
He is a sheik that rides the deserts of white crystals at midnight, waiting for me to stir from my slumber to greet him. His blood red surcoat matches the velvet that lined his coffin. He rises only at night, waiting and wanting to drain away my common sense with fangs dripping with a poison called love. Vampire-boy. Leaving me defenseless and silly while the red wine begins to fall onto the white roses. Stains them pink and crimson. Close. So close to me it's painful. Far away. Far away from me to keep me wanting more. Longing. Desire. Touch. Close. Caress. Intense. Pain and Love are too close as equals. They have become one in the same. Protecting me with the same body that haunts me at night. It hurts. It makes me feel as though I am dancing in the sky. But dancing in the sky never had tears with a voice crying so loud.
Fujin swallowed, (Are you suppose to reveal so much to a daughter? Is this what it feels like to be my mother's child?)
Ah, it left me giggly. I'm trying to supress my laughter right now. Because that's how it feels. I never gave it words before. So, even if it's only for me, promise me that you won't marry for anything else but love. Or, if anything, experience it before choosing anything.
She lowered her eyes as if she had betrayed her mother. Thoughts of Seifer vanished from her mind. She kept reading as it told her the story of her mother and how she grew up. It told her of her powers and what her mother meant by riding the winds as she explained the times when baby Fujin would get hungry and the winds would blow fiercely for no reason. She spoke more about the love between her and Vincent Valentine and something became more and more apparent.
Her mother loved her and if she wanted any question answered, she would have to talk to Vincent Valentine.
* * *
Squall entered his grandmother's bedroom, not bothering to knock. Someone watching the castle might think of this as intrusion, but the queen hated for her grandchildren, meaning (to her) everyone in the castle, to be formal. She liked for them to treat her like a regular person, though she was everything but normal.
He paused at the door. His grandfather was passed out on the bed and his grandmother was stringing small mirrors by the windows. The effect was a rainbow and white light splashed room. (I'm gonna do that to mine, that's why. I got it from the book Echo, by Francessca Lia Block. Everyone should read it. Oh yeah, don't own that) "Grandmother, what are you doing?"
Edea turned around from her work, her black hair flowing behind her. "Oh, nothing. Just a bit of fun." She smiled. "Dazzling, isn't it? You think it's just ordinary mirrors, but they hold the key to everything."
"Um," Squall paused, wondering how to answer that.
"You are wondering why I wanted you to see me, yes?" Edea sat down on the bedside, her grandson following suit.
"Yes,"
She sighed, "I need to ask of you a favor,"
He raised an eyebrow, "What?" he said, slowly. His grandmother usually never asked for favors. She always was self-sufficiant, wanting to do things herself. It felt strange for her to be requesting one.
She hesitated. "It's about Winhill."
"What's wrong with Winhill?" (There is never anything wrong with Winhill. In fact, it's so nice a peaceful, the music for it can be so damn annoying.)
"You see," she stated, "We are having trouble with our regency. The last one passed away without naming a successor, so the government is a bit out of wack." she smiled, "I mean, it's going down hill. Until we are able to at least name a successor, we have nothing to go on."
"So, what do you want me to do?"
"I want you to find a person outside of the castle walls that is can be trained to be a suitable Duke or Duchess of Winhill."
He raised an eyebrow, "Why me? Why not Selphie or Zell?"
She hesitated again. "Well, usually... I would ask Ellone." She watched as Squall's face began to grow into a scowl and his body began to shell in.
"Oh, that's why." he muttered. He shook his head, "I'll do it."
Edea almost reached out to touch his hand, but the look on his face made her withdraw. She nodded and he stood up and bowed. Just as he reached the door, she called him.
"Squall?"
He turned, "Yes, grandmother?"
"Um... your father and sister have requested an audience with you tomorrow in the parlor."
Squall's eyes flamed, "WHAT?!?"
"They wish to speak with you." Edea calmly stated.
"Well I do not wish for them to be here." he returned, then shook his head. "I take that back. I will see Ellone."
"Squall, they BOTH want to talk with you. They have some important issues to address. Besides," she smiled, "Ellone said that she will not see you unless you see your father as well."
"So, she thought this through, eh?" Squall glared, not really to his grandmother, but more at himself. He waved a hand, "...whatever."
Edea smirked, "That's the spirit."
Squall bowed again and left the room, shutting the door behind him. He leaned against the closed door and clenched a fist. (Only when hell freezes over will I ever forgive him.)
* * *
Selphie sat in the tree branch behind the castle in one of the various fields, all lush and green. The grass, the flowers, the fruits and vegetables, even the bunnies that roamed back here were all hers. Well, to be specific, it was Ellone's. She had given Selphie everything when she had left to go off to Esthar with her father and ever since then, Selphie had to uphold the huge garden.Of course, she was nothing compared to the Princess of the Free United Countries. Ellone was special in that way. When ever there were apples, she made a pie. When ever there was honeysuckle, she made hard candies. When ever there were vegetables and herbs, she helped in the kitchen. Even the flowers were used for creating perfumes that waffed around the palace. Unfortunately for Zell, she had to concoced her creations in his lab, but she never labelled them, sometimes causing mass explosions that Zell had to take the brunt of. She was a ray of hope for everyone. So when she left, everyone became gloomy and depressed. People began picking on each other and small fights ensued. But Selphie managed to be a tower of hope, trying to be something of an Ellone. But siting in that tree made it painfully obvious that she was Selphie and Ellone was Ellone.
She shook her head. She hadn't come up there to think of her former "sister" but to think of the man that entered her room only last night. He was soft and caring and more charming than most of the guys that she had met. He was one of a kind, truly.
Selphie's ears pricked up when she heard someone creeping up behind her. "Is it my dreamer?" she said.
"Dreamer?" Zell raised an eyebrow. "What dreamer?"
She rolled her eyes. She should have known. "That's none of your concern."
"Ouch," he smirked and climbed up to the branch next to her so that they were facing each other. "Can't you tell me of the dreamer that you speak of?"
"Stop whining, you know I hate that."
He made a face, "You do it all the time." He clasped his hands together, "Oh, Squally? Laguna? Zelly-cutiepie?"
She playfully hit the side of his head. "I don't do that." she giggled. "But I'll tell you what. We'll play a game. You tell me one secret, I'll tell you one secret.:
He groaned. "We haven't played this since we were ten."
"Do you want to know or not?" she folded her arms.
"Okay, okay," he thought for a minute. "I got one. I... am not in love with Squall anymore."
Selphie almost fell off of the tree. "You're not?"
"Nope."
She glared at him, "So all of this time I've been working my butt of to set you two up and you don't like him?"
He sweatdropped, "No," he said timidly.
"I don't believe this," she slapped a hand on her forehead.
"Hey, don't change the subject." he said, "I wanna know what your secret is. Who is this "dreamer?"
Selphie smiled, "He's a dreamer. He came to my window one night and when I asked him if I was dreaming, he said that he if he was, he didn't want me to be a dream. So, he's a dreamer."
"That's so romantic." Zell said, eyes sparkly, "So, when exactly did you hit your head?"
"ZELL!"
Zell jumped off the branch and hit the ground running. He heard the stomping feet behind him and knew that Selphie was in hot pursuit. She grabbed the back of his shirt and threw her weight onto him, causing them to both fall down laughing.
A couple of minutes later, they were both staring into the sky, watching the clouds.
"That one looks like the castle." Zell pointed.
"And that one looks like a cowboy hat."Selphie smiled, wanly. "One that a true cowboy wears, with the vest and cowboy chaps."
Zell looked over to her, "You're head over heels, aren't you?"
She smirked, "Maybe I am."
"But how do you know that you are in love?"
"You don't have to know, Zelly." she smiled, "You just feel it."
* * *
A/N: So what didja think? Sorry it was so long a wait, but I made it extra long and super spicy! Oh, sorry, that was my stomach talking. R&R PLEASE!!!
Chapter 5 tease: Fujin comes to a decision on what to do, Squall meets his family for the first time in 3 years and reminices. Oh, and we find out what happened to Raine and why Squall hates his father so.