Sorry this one's so short, but it seemed like a good stopping point. The next one will be longer – promise!

Standard stuff – I don't own the characters or the locations. I only own the story itself, and it's not paying my bills despite being much longer than I intended. Thanks for reading, and suggestions are welcome for future stuff.

Anger and Orders

Things were still strained with the Posse when Balamb Garden was finally sighted. They hadn't discussed what happened, and Fujin would rather have forgotten completely. Even finding out that Seifer was convinced she'd been some other guy didn't make it any easier to look at him. She was afraid … no, concerned she corrected herself … that it might happen again. Seifer seemed to think that as well.

He'd kept contact between the two of them minimal, even making a point of addressing her by her first name like he was trying to keep it in his memory. But conversations were stiff, Seifer seemed to be judging every word he spoke when they talked. This conversation in particular, but this time it was a request hidden as orders. Knowing the reason didn't make Fujin accept it without argument. "We belong in that fight! Seifer knows that!"

Seifer had 'asked' them to stay clear of the battle. "In case something happens, I need you two to get the Sorceress out of here." His eyes were pleading, but his voice was calm. "Shit's gonna get nuts, and I trust you two to do this. If SeeD gets her, I'm done."

"Seifer, ain't nothin' gonna go down like that." Raijin wasn't any happier with these 'orders' than Fujin. "You'll be fine, always are, ya know? But you can't expect us to sit out like cowards." Fujin nodded her agreement.

"Fucking hell!" Seifer stood, knocking his chair over and stalked across the room "Just once, I need you guys to follow orders!" He ran his hand through his hair. "You know I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important." His expression was one of rare concern.

Fujin shot Seifer a look of contempt. That he could even ask her not to fight was a slap in the face, whatever his reason. She'd do it, but only because it was an order. Nothing said she had to do it willingly or gracefully. She nodded once, sharply, and turned to Raijin. "ORDERS"

…

The crash that threw Galbadia Garden, the smell and sounds of the battle she was ordered away from – these things merely added to Fujin foul mood. When Leonhart came up the stairs with some cowboy and Rinoa in tow, Fujin almost put her fist into the girl's stomach just to send them all crashing back down. She squashed the urge at a look from Raijin and glared at her boots.

Fujin watched the SeeD's leave after exchanging words with Raijin. Glancing up, she met his brown eyes and allowed the corners of her mouth to twitch upwards. "EXCELLENT"

Smiling wide, Raijin nodded. "Course it was. They think I'm stupid, ya know? Not smart enough to lie to 'em. So we let them find the kids that stole the keys and we steal the keys back, ya know?"

"THEN?"

The big man shrugged. "We lock them in the room and Seifer kicks ass, ya know?" He sounded so certain. Fujin wished she could share his optimism. Her gut feeling, however, was that they would not get off that easily.