I know, I know… I haven't updated in two weeks. But look at it this way, this chapter was written when I should have been studying for a test. Anyhow, I don't think this is one of the best chapters I've written thus far, but I'll let you be the judge. If anything in this chapter confuses you, just note it to yourself because most likely it will all come together in the future chapters. I hope! Ok, enjoy it! BTW, the next update probably won't be for another couple of weeks due to the ugly occurrence known as college midterms… Enuff said.
Chapter 14
Fujin lazily opened her eyes and stretched like a cat; she felt much better and the ringing in her ears was nearly gone. Commotion in the next room caught her attention. She strained her ears to hear the voice coming through a small crack in the door.
"Jed, listen to me. It's too risky. One mistake and the whole thing might turn sour…" What is he talking about? Jed… Same guy he talked to earlier… She slowly got off the bed and tiptoed toward the door, putting her ear right against the wood. On the other side, she could hear Kona pacing back and worth, frustration clearly evident in his voice.
"… I don't care what you have to do! We need to buy more time. Tell your tactical unit to create a diversion… " Fujin held her breath.
"Dammit, Jed! Are you listening to me? He may be the scum of the earth but he isn't stupid! I know what those half-witted fools are going to do! And I am telling you, it won't work! Eliminate, not neutralize. Just remember Laine and Joshua are counting on us. If they succeed with their plan, Laine and Joshua will be executed immediately, and I will not let that bastard murder any more of us! Three weeks… We take him out once and for all!" The door creaked traitorously as Fujin leaned against it a little too much. She held her breath hoping that the sound went unnoticed, but before she could move away, Kona had opened the door.
"Jed, I'll catch you later." He hung up the phone as his green eyes focused on Fujin. She immediately assumed a blank expression, her indigo eye slightly unfocused to give her a disoriented look.
"Hi… you been standing here long?" His voice was steady but his eyes were darting around nervously. "NO," she quickly lied. "BATHROOM? WHERE?"
"Take the door right of the kitchen. I take it you are feeling better?"
"AFFIRMATIVE."
"Good to hear. Nothing like a nine hour nap, eh?" I've been asleep that long? I wonder if they've been looking for me? Raijin would… Sighing, she walked over to the bathroom. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, shrinking back from the sight. Hyne! I look like shit. Her normally glossy silver hair was a tangled mess and looked dull, still stained with the dried-on blood of her attacker. A big red scratch ran across the side of her face. She cupped her hands under the stream of cold water and splashed it on her face, crying out softly as the deep scratch began to sting. I need a shower… She still reeked of smoke and sweat despite the fact that she was wearing Kona's shirt over her own undershirt. She replayed what she remembered of Kona's conversation. What do you care what he's involved in? He was nice enough to help you, wasn't he? Don't ruin it by prying into his business. Her intuition told her that whatever he was involved in, he wouldn't hurt her and that knowledge gave her a sense of security that she needed the most right now. And if he were stupid enough to get in her way, well, then she'd just have to show him that she could stand up for herself. What happened last night? That wasn't fair. She rationalized. I was drunk and… vulnerable, but no more… Time to stop falling apart, Fujin. Still, taking a quick shower wouldn't hurt. She opened the bathroom door and peeked out.
"KONA? I SHOWER?" she asked tentatively.
"Oh yes, of course. I'm so sorry! I am sure you're dying to get all that grime off of you. Lemme go grab a towel." He started walking away and then turned around.
"Oh and you probably want a change of clothes too then, huh. Sorry I haven't got any women's clothing, but you are welcome to a pair of my sweatpants and a clean shirt."
"THANK YOU."
"Sure." He gave her a warm smile. "Oh after you're done showering you may want me to take a look at that nasty scratch on your shoulder. One of the ice needles missed its mark," he hastily explained seeing the expression on her face. "I saw it when I took your jacket off."
Slowly, Fujin peeled off layers of her clothing, starting with the grimy blue undershirt that that clung closely to her sweaty skin. After letting the water warm up a bit, she stepped into the shower and put her face directly under the spray, enjoying the sudden prickling sensation that drowned out the dull pain of her injured flesh. She vigorously rubbed her hair with her fingers as reddish streams of water cascaded down her shoulders and back. Feeling considerably better, she reached for the body wash and after pulling the lid open with her finger, brought it to her nostrils, inhaling the scent. Oh great… It smelled distinctly of men's cologne, a scent that seemed somehow very familiar. Well, of course, I must have smelled it on him earlier. Oh well, some soap is better than no soap. she thought as she lathered up.
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Kona lay on the living room couch, staring distractedly at the white swirls on the ceiling. He tried to recall the last time things felt as strange as they did in the last couple of days yet his placid face revealed none of the destructive emotions that waged a gruesome battle inside his head.
You think saving that girl will be enough for you to forgive yourself for what you've done? Enough to forget Sirun's face as she took the bullet that was meant for you? You should be dead, Kona. Face it! You're here on borrowed time. Hate is what feeds you day to day. Or was a year gone by already enough for you to forget what you've sworn as Sirun lay dying in your arms, shedding the blood that should've been yours? He made his hands into tight fists. NO! I haven't forgotten her! How could I ever forget her face, the blood, her frozen eyes… Haven't the nightmares been enough? I lost Sirun, and I will never forgive myself for losing her, but I can still save Laine and Joshua even if it costs me my life. Sirun is dead. I can't help that but there are others that need me here! Oh is that so? The voice inside his head called out to him. NO! Hyne knows what would've happened to Fujin had I not been there! You can't deny that! The voice just taunted him in response. She'll never love you, Kona. Take my advice and leave her alone.
"KONA?" He snapped back to reality with a sudden jolt. "SORRY."
"Oh, hey Fuu. You look much better. You hungry or anything? We can go grab a bite to eat."
"NO. I NEED TO GO."
"Right." For the first time since she came into the room he noticed her appearance. Her short silver hair lay smoothly against her head. His black sweatpants hung low on her hips, barely supported by a drawstring; her slender arms drowned in the breadth of his oversized shirt.
"You can borrow the clothes, Fuu. You can give them back to me next time I see you…assuming you'll want to see me again."
"THANK YOU."
"Don't mention it… So you want me to take a look at that scratch? It might get infected if you leave it like that for too long."
"NO TIME."
"Ok, where can I take you, then?"
"DELING CITY INN. "
"Oh, not from around here then, huh." His heart twinged unpleasantly.
"AFFIRMATIVE. WE MUST LEAVE NOW." At first he was taken aback, but then realized that she didn't mean to be rude--she simply got to the point faster.
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Seifer pulled Rinoa closer to him, wrapping his trenchcoat tightly around her shoulders. He checked his watch. Damn, another half hour and we gotta head back. He looked down to observe her sleeping form, noting her even breathing that tickled his bare chest as she exhaled. He closed his eyes and listened to the music of the evening tide as waves came crashing like armies of soldiers onto the rocky shore. He loved the ocean--it gave him a sense of peace and security he couldn't quite explain. He wondered if he lived near the ocean when he was younger. Somehow he felt that was true. Rinoa mumbled something in her sleep and dug herself deeper into his embrace. Momentarily he wondered if he'd ever see her again after the summer was over. He allowed his thoughts to wander. What if he left Garden and moved to Deling City and joined Rinoa's resistance movement? It'd be better than the endless training for the SeeD exam. He could lead his own missions and make his own rules, not follow some ridiculous orders from the morons that sent a bunch of inexperienced cadets into the field to be slaughtered like blind kittens the second their instructor looked away. Yet he had to admit, there was still something very reassuring about walking around the hallways with Fujin and Raijin, the other two esteemed members of the Disciplinary Committee. He smiled a rare, genuine smile as better memories of his two friends rushed through the floodgate that suddenly seemed to open up inside his head. He felt a sudden urge to find them, to be with them, like always. And then there was Rinoa. He gently moved a strand of stray hair out of her eyes. She looked so beautiful, the moonlight giving her skin a soft, placid glow. Rinoa's full of paradoxes, he mused. Fragile and vulnerable as she was, she was also a fighter and a leader determined to never let obstacles prevent her from seeing the goal. And yet despite it all, she also knew when to step down and accept help. Unconsciously, his mind started to compare her to Fujin. Both strong and independent… But unlike Fujin, Rinoa needed other people to make her whole--she needed him. Rinoa stirred and opened her eyes. Seifer cleared his thoughts as if Rinoa would be able to hear them.
"Welcome back to the world of the living, angel. Did I exhaust you that much?"
"Oh, don't flatter yourself, Seifer," she countered, smiling mischievously at him as she broke out of his embrace and got to her feet.
"Hey, we better go. My father's probably back by now. It will only be a matter of time before he starts wondering where I am. In any case, we should get some rest before tomorrow."
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Fujin rang the bell on the front desk. A few seconds later Eryka came out to greet her.
"LOOKING FOR SEIFER ALMASY."
"Oh, another one of you. Seifer isn't here. But if you see him, tell him he owes us 20,000 gil for the window. Goodbye, now." She walked back to the booth, leaving Fujin standing dumbfounded, trying to make sense of what just happened.
"Let's go check other hotels, Fuu. C'mon, let walk around a bit and maybe we'll run into them. I am sure they are probably looking for you." I don't care what Seifer thinks of her! she thought bitterly. He wouldn't just leave me like that. Would he? A seed of doubt entered her thoughts as she increased her pace, tailed closely behind by Kona. And then she saw it--the unmistakble white trenchcoat with the ever-so familiar red firecross. Seifer!!! Her mind was screaming with agony and joy. She stopped dead in her tracks. Ugh… Her heart squeezed into a tiny ball of pain as she looked upon the girl whose arm was wrapped tightly around Seifer's waist. They were talking animatedly and were completely oblivious to the fact that they had an audience.
"Is that your friend?" Kona gave her a questioning look.
"NEGATIVE. LET'S GO." She sharply spun around on her heals and ran blindly, ignoring Kona's arm that reached out to stop her. Not a second later she came to a halt after colliding with something that came from around the corner.
"Watch where you going, ya know! Wait… Fujin?!" He looked at her as though she was wearing her underwear outside her clothes.
"Fujin, are you ok?! Where've you been?! I combed almost this entire damned city looking for you! Damn, so now that I found you… guess what? We need to go find Seifer. I haven't seen him since this morning, ya know."
"NO NEED." Raijin started to say something in response but stopped mid sentence as his eyes fell first on the bruise on Fujin's face and then on the man that stood behind her.
"Hyne! What the hell happened to you? Did he do it? I'll kill him, ya know! He made a sharp movement towards Kona and would have punched him in the face had Fujin not caught his fist with her powerful grip.
"NO! HE SAVED ME."
"Oh…" Raijin looked genuinely confused. "Well, in that case… wait! What exactly did he save you from?"
"TELL LATER. NEED TO SPEAK TO KONA. ALONE." For a moment, Raijin hesitated but then decided it was pointless to argue with her.
"Ok, fine. But don't you disappear again. I'll be across the street. Come find me when you're done."
As he walked away, Fujin turned back to look at Kona whose tanned skin looked abnormally pale even in the dim light of a street lamp.
"THANK YOU FOR HELP."
"Oh, it's nothing. Anyone in my position would've helped."
"NOT ANYONE," she said with masked bitterness in her voice. However he decided not to pursue the topic.
"I am glad you found your friend." He hesitated a little, nervously running his fingers through his spiky copper hair.
"Umm, Fuu? Do you want to maybe… uh… go out to dinner with me sometime, under more pleasant circumstances?" He said the last part so fast that Fujin could barely make out the words.
"NO." Kona shrank back a bit, surprised by the finality in her voice.
"Umm, ok, I understand. Well, take care of yourself, Fujin." Then it hit her. There was her chance to prove to Seifer that she was desirable and at least someone wanted her. She didn't have time to think as words just rolled out of her mouth.
"WAIT, KONA? NO, NOT TONIGHT. ANOTHER NIGHT?" Kona exhaled deeply and turned around clearly surprised at her sudden change of heart.
"Umm, that would be great. Call me… since you don't know where you'll be staying yet." Before she could do anything, he leaned forward and gave her an awkward hug, lightly rubbing his cheek against hers. Shocked, she stumbled back.
"BYE," she whispered.
TO BE CONTINUED
Thanks everyone for the continuous support!