Chapter 4

The hotel room was completely dark except for a small nightlight in a shape of a diamond that lightly illuminated the room with its faint glow. It was small and scantly furnished with the decorum consisting of two double beds and a beat-up dresser that stood in the middle. It wasn't nearly as luxurious as the Galbadia Hotel which was considered to be the finest hotel on the entire continent, yet it was air conditioned and quite affordable, already a good combination for the hot summer nights in Deling City. Fujin lay on the bed which she occasionally shared with Raijin, who most of the time, was not so politely asked to sleep on the floor. Seifer, as being the chosen leader of their posse, had his own bed. However, at this moment, his bed was empty; the sheets still crumpled up from that morning. Usually she didn't mind Raijin's company who amused her with his constant antics, however right now she was more than happy to be left by herself, in the company of only her thoughts; Raijin had gone out to the local bar. Not surprisingly, her thoughts were turned to Seifer as she glanced over at his vacant bed not without a certain sense of longing.

She first met him when she was only eight years old—a day that was etched quite vividly into her memory as the only good day of the childhood that still haunted her thoughts.

Fujin was born in a tiny village outside of Balamb Garden as was called the military academy to which she now belonged—a much desired child to an aging mother who had almost given up all hope of ever having children of her own. For her, Fujin was truly a miracle—a godsend. The baby's skin was whiter than milk, her face, that of an angel with beautiful indigo eyes than shone like two large amethysts. She named her daughter Fujin—wind one, to signify her prayers that were carried up to heaven by the ever-changing currents of the wind. However, the Fates didn't intend for her to be a mother for long. Before Fujin was one year old, her mother fell very ill and because the family was poor and the treatment expensive with each passing day she grew weaker and weaker until she was finally forced to remain in bed both day and night. She writhed in agony every time she heard Fujin cry out in the night, trying to get up to hold her beautiful baby daughter, but her legs wouldn't hold her. Half a year later, she passed away with Fujin's name still on her lips. Her husband was utterly destroyed by her untimely death and retreated into himself leaving baby Fujin to herself. He wouldn't go to her during the night if she was hungry or thirsty or even simply scared. She could have died and he wouldn't have noticed for such was his grief over losing his loving wife. And it is entirely possible that Fujin would never have turned three years old if her bleak situation wasn't discovered by social workers who placed her under the care of foster parents who already had two children of their own. Unfortunately, Fujin's new family was not a loving one. Of course, she was fed and clothed but her new parents never accepted her as one of their own and she did not get the attention which is so vital to children her age. She was hardly ever talked to or held, and whenever she raised her voice, she was immediately shushed so she couldn't disturb the other two babies. Soon Fujin learned to keep to herself and hardly ever cried. As she grew older her parents noticed that Fujin wasn't talking as much as was normal for children her age. While their own toddlers were babbling non stop, Fujin only grunted or repeated the last word that was said to her. After she entered school, she was ridiculed and taunted by all her peers for her inability to talk, her albino skin and pale hair which practically made her look like a ghost.

Fujin turned over on her side. A hot tear streamed down her face and onto the white pillow. Only when she was alone did she allow herself to let her guard down so much.

Slowly she got up from the bed and walked over to the dresser. She examined her reflection in the oval mirror; her already pale skin now seemed almost transparent; her one good eye sparkled with tears that welled up in it. She gently ran her hand over her features, outlining her lips with her finger. Unwittingly her finger glided up from her lips to the black eye patch that covered a portion of her slender face. At that moment it seemed to her that fate has played a cruel trick—taking away her eye and giving her the one person she cared about in return. She winced. It didn't seem fair.

She allowed her eye to relax as she gazed deeply into the gleaming mirror.

She saw a little girl, about six or seven years of age, surrounded by a group of children. They were laughing at her, taunting her with their cruel smiles. Suddenly she saw the little girl being grabbed by two older boys. Oh how she fought them! Yet their strength surpassed hers by far. They carried her out of the little village, beyond the last abandoned house that stood on the edge of a deep forest. There they left her, scared and bewildered. She got up, stumbling over her own feet and looked at her bearings. All she saw were rows of trees that covered the sun with their massive foliage.

Suddenly she heard a low hissing sound and heavy footsteps approaching her from behind. No, these were no footsteps; she could hear the claws scratching the occasional stones. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her, hearing the hissing right on her back. Without warning she tripped over a large unearthed root and came tumbling down face first into the dirt. Knowing that she had no chance now, she turned around to face her attacker. It was a giant Death Claw, one of the few deadly beasts that roamed the forest. It approached her slowly, smelling the air around it. The girl's body went rigid; she was completely paralyzed. The beast released a cloud of gaseous vapor that made it hard to see and then went in for the kill. She cowered, preparing to die, but suddenly heard a loud bang. The beast was infuriated with the sudden sharp pain in its back. It rose on its hind legs and struck the girl right in the face. She fell back, unconscious, dark blood streaming down her face, life slowly seeping out of her fragile body.

She woke up in a small room with a horrible pain in her head. She lifted her hand and felt the bandages around her face. Besides the ringing in her head, she could hear bits of conversation.

"It's a truly a miracle she is still alive. If you hadn't shot the beast when you did, Nikko, she never would have made it," she heard a soft female voice say. "Of course, she'll never be able to see out of that eye again, but at least she is still alive."

Never be able to see? Are they talking about me? Her head hurt too much so she stopped thinking and drifted back into a dreamless sleep.

She was awakened by the voice of the woman that she heard speaking earlier.

"How are you feeling, child? Do you know who you are?"

"FUJIN."

"Hi, Fujin. I am Dr. Kadowaki. Can you tell me how I can get in touch with your mom and dad?"

"NO PARENTS."

"What do you mean you don't have parents?"

"DIED."

"Oh," she looked puzzled. Hmm maybe someone will come looking for her.

However, a week passed and no one came to claim the pale little girl in the infirmary. The matter had to be brought to Headmaster Cid's attention—the head of Balamb Garden. It was soon decided that since Fujin was obviously an orphan she could stay in the Garden and be trained to become a soldier. And so her fate was decided.

It was a chance for her to start over in a new environment, however she soon found out that her peers were as unforgiving at Balamb Garden as they were in her home village. Again she was isolated and ridiculed for her looks which now in addition to the pale skin had an new element of torture—an ugly black patch that covered what seemed like half of her face.

She took all their insults without a single word only making them madder until one day she could hold it in no longer… That was the day she met Seifer.

It was just a regular day. She was simply on her way from the dormitory to the Training Center. However, to Fujin, whose sense of depth perception was still very poor due to her recent accident that irreparable damaged her eye, even this short walk was quite arduous. Avoid the walls. Just avoid the walls. Slowly… Walk Slowly.

Yet today she was not so lucky. As she was nearing the entrance that separated the main corridor from the side hallway of the dormitory, she misjudged the distance and ended up walking straight into the side of the door. She heard laughter behind her.

"Haha, look at her. Where'd ya learn how to walk, Fujin, Balamb Zoo?"

Dushtu…

She recognized the boy from one of her classes. Ignore, just ignore… keep walking..

Too late. He was already standing by her side.

"GO AWAY."

"Make me," he said in a mean sarcastic tone. Fujin tried walking away. Then suddenly, without any warning, she fell, her face hitting the hard floor. She didn't even have enough time to put her arms out in front of her to soften the fall. He had tripped her.

"RAGE!!!"

Her voice was strong and clear as if all the years of pent-up anger were released in a single outcry. Before the boy could react, Fujin jumped up with an inhuman strength and punched him in the face with all her might. He fell back with a grimace of agony on his face. Blood slowly trickling out of his nose, his eyes frozen with terror mixed with utter shock. A whole minute passed before he got up.

"Stupid one-eyed witch! I'll tell instructor on you and she is gonna put you with the T Rex. I'll get you for this! " He would have struck her yet as he was balling his hand into a fist, he felt someone grab him from behind. A powerful grab he couldn't break free from. He twisted his head around in pain to face his new assailant. A boy of his age firmly held his arms behind his back.

"Piss off, Seifer, or are you friends with this one- eyed monster?"

"What if I am?" he answered smirking. "Unless you want me to add another bruise to your already decorated face," he said looking at Fujin, "you better get the hell out of here. And if you even think about ratting on Fujin and me to Instructor, I'll break your nose."

As soon as Seifer let him go the boy started running away. He wasn't about to get in a fight with a 9-year-old who was already a head taller than he.

"And don't piss in your pants," he heard Seifer yelling.

Fujin sat back down on the floor, hot tears streaming down her face. She wanted to run away from there and hide yet she remained. She couldn't comprehend what had just happened. What if I am? Those words rang inside her head. Friend, he said I was his friend. She looked up at him expecting him to laugh at her yet he looked at her with sympathy in his jade eyes. Then unexpectedly he plopped himself down on the floor beside her.

"I doubt he'll bother you again. Not after you practically turned his face into a mashed potato. You are pretty strong... for a girl anyway," he added. He reached over and gently touched her face where a bruise was slowly beginning to take shape. She grimaced with pain.

"Ouch, that looks painful. C'mon, let me walk you to the infirmary. Ya need to put some ice on that cuz otherwise you won't be able to participate in tomorrow's training. And we get to choose our weapons tomorrow. I already know what I am gonna pick! A gunblade! His green eyes sparked with excitement.

Fujin didn't know how to react. He definitely caught her off guard. She studied his face, trying to figure out if it was all a game, yet his eyes seemed sincere. She barely noticed the pain of her bruised face. Her mind was focusing on this sudden and quite unexpected twist of events.

Seifer continued talking in a more casual tone. "So, anyway, me and Raijin are gonna go check out the training center later. I heard there was a secret area in there. I wonder what they have there… Hey, you wanna come with us after you get your face treated?"

"Uh, sure." Her voice sounded shaky and weak as if she was dreaming.

But before Fujin realized what she was doing, she was following the blond-haired boy to the infirmary. Something she saw in his eyes caused her to trust him. For the first time in her life, she felt a sense of belonging. His words dried the tears from her eyes and for the very first time since her mother's death, she felt warm inside. The warmth slowly filled her entire body melting her heart, frozen by years of abuse. He was her friend now. Her one and only friend. One that didn't mind that she was an albino who was missing an eye. When he looked at her, he saw a friend and a true companion… And she would follow him everywhere…forever.

Fujin blinked. She didn't realize for how long she had been day dreaming. She got up and looked outside. It was dark.

I wonder if he is still with her. Of course, he is! Rinoa, beautiful, flawless… She examined her eye again with her fingers. Would things have been different between them if she still had both of her eyes and was as beautiful as the other girls that attracted Seifer as a flower does a bee? Yet Fujin knew that not Rinoa, not anyone else could know Seifer as she knew him. Over the years, she had learned to look past his cockiness and confident demeanor. To her he was simply Seifer-- a best friend…and even a lover…just once… Of course, they were younger, only fifteen, but she remembered the day as if it was yesterday… She sighed. In all her life, she has never allowed anyone to come as close to her heart as he had come, to break down the barriers that she had so carefully constructed over the years. She felt a pang of jealousy. The difficulties involved in keeping Seifer's capricious heart were known all to well to her. She felt herself hating Rinoa. She'd have to prove to him that her love for him was truer and yet admitting it to his face was beyond her wildest dreams…