I know these keep coming in short, but well, sometimes that's how the muse hits.

I own nothing except my underwear and the plot here, and sometimes I wonder about my underwear. Heh!

Strange Reunion

"You guys showed up just in time!" For the first time in far too long, Seifer looked genuinely happy to see them. "Where the hell have you been?"

Raijin looked at Fujin and rolled his eyes. "Shoulda expected that, ya know?"

Fujin just sighed and finished dusting off her pants. "SAFETY" she announced as she straightened up. "SORCERESS" "How much of his mind did she take?" Her thoughts dripped sarcasm.

"Oh, that." Seifer waved dismissively. "Not necessary. Sorry, forgot to tell you."

Drowning her anger in a deep breath, Fujin looked at the building with uncertainty. "PURPOSE?"

The blonde smiled. "We move this," pointed at the building, "over there." He pointed in the direction of the city in the distance. His smile turned cold. "Then all hell breaks loose and we win. You in?"

After a moment's thought and a glance at Raijin, she nodded. Fujin owed the SeeDs nothing as far as she could tell. Seifer, on the other hand, everything. The fact that Sorceress Edea and Headmaster Cid had asked her and Raijin to stick with him was an added, if unnecessary, push. "AFFIRMATIVE" Raijin would follow her lead, albeit somewhat unwillingly.

Lunatic Pandora was the size of a city block. And no one seemed to know quite what to do. They were wandering the halls, trailing Seifer from a distance as he checked the progress of things, not sure what else to do.

"Fuj, I'm still not sure on this. I mean, I know he's being used and all. But how much of this is him? Any of it?" His dark eyes gave away the level of his concern.

"UNCERTAIN" Sliding her hands into her pockets, Fujin again encountered the vial she was carrying. It was some mystery solution, a gift from Edea that Fujin hadn't been able to bring herself to turn down even though it had been offered in pity. "That woman should save her pity for the weak. But what the hell is in this? How is it supposed to help me?" She'd been told that she would know when the time was right to drink it. How she was supposed to know was anyone's guess.

At least Raijin had sense enough to back away from her when she narrowed her eye at him. Noticing her hand balled up in her pocket, he could guess the reason. "Fuj, I said I was sorry, ya know. Didn't mean to tell her everything. Just, she was kinda hard to hide stuff from. Like your mom, ya know?"

"AFFIRMATIVE" She ducked her head, closing her eye and hiding behind her hair. The Sorceress had gotten far too much out of both of them, and things were uncomfortable and embarrassing when they'd left for Esthar.

The floor shifted, indicating they were finally in motion. Fujin scowled at the floor, then looked up to meet her cousin's eyes. "BEGINNING" While she'd never admit to fear, a strong feeling of uneasiness was taking hold in her stomach.

They passed a couple of men who seemed to be examining a control panel of some sort. A snide comment from one of them came clearly to her ears. "Why do you think he's so glad she's here? The big guy I understand, but the freak?"

Turning in time to see the man shudder, Fujin walked over and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned and swallowed hard. "Um … hi?"

"RAGE" She kicked him in the knee, making him howl in pain. "IDIOT!" She heard Seifer laugh.

"She's here," he walked up behind Fujin and set a hand on her shoulder. "Because she's my second. You got a problem with that, tough shit."

The men nodded quickly, turning back to what they'd been doing. Seifer walked away, the matter settled. Fujin growled low in her throat at the two men, then turned to follow.