Chapter Fifteen:
A/N: Just because I felt like it, the "blonde woman" returns! Oh, and we learn Big Bad Rascal's name. Really, though, this chapter isn't anything to write home about. J
"Goodbye, Instructor," Tessa yelled as Quistis drove away. The sextet was standing outside the entrance to Balamb. Tessa hadn't been to Balamb since she'd first arrived at Balamb Garden, and as a result hadn't really seen the town.
"Let's go," Xu said. The students picked up their bags and walked into the town. Tessa had only one change of clothes, a book, and a small amount of medical supplies in hers, yet it was surprisingly heavy. Grunting, she followed.
"Here, let me help," Zell said as he reached for Tessa's bag, but she stepped out of his reach and growled at him.
"I guess the collar is appropriate, then," he joked. He didn't notice he was the only one laughing, though.
"Hey, Zell, you see your Mom yet?" someone sitting on a bench yelled.
"Saw her yesterday!" Zell yelled back. "I'm on Garden business today."
A small boy ran up to the group and started talking to Zell. "My mom says I can go to the Garden after my next birthday."
"Well, your mom's a smart woman," Zell said. He slapped the boy on the back and laugh. "See you later, Rascal."
"Hey, my name's Seyton!" the boy yelled angrily. He kicked Zell in the shin and ran off before he could get caught.
"He's pretty popular," Tessa said to Phelan.
"Well, he did grow up in Balamb, so of course he's well known. This is a pretty small town, too. The Garden's population is larger," Phelan explained.
"Xu, do we have time to stop bye and see my mom?" Zell asked. "She'd be so thrilled to find out I'm leading an exam!"
"You're not leading an exam, I am," Xu corrected. "And we don't have time."
"Come on!" Zell yelled. "Quit being so uptight!"
"Zell, grow up," Rinoa said. "We have an hour to get on the train, so let's just go to the train station already."
"Dude!" Zell yelled.
Tessa was incredibly annoyed. She dropped her bag and walked over to Zell. She pushed him back and began yelling. "This is my exam! This determines whether or not I can become a SeeD. It may not mean much to you, but it means a hell of a lot to me. I don't need some stupid man wanting his mommy ruining it, are we clear?"
"Y-yeah," Zell said.
"Good," Tessa spat. She walked back to her bag and picked it up, waiting to be reprimanded by Xu. However, Xu had a large smile on her face.
"Thanks for shutting him up," she said. "I've never met anyone that could do it so quickly, aside from Squall."
"Can we just go?" Tessa asked.
"Sure," Xu said. She led the way, with Zell lagging behind and sulking.
"Hey," Rinoa said as she put an arm around Tessa shoulder. "Could you calm down? You're nervous, I get that, but you need to enjoy this."
"Whatever," Tessa said. "You don't remember me, do you?"
"I'm afraid not," Rinoa said. "Should I?"
"On my first day at Balamb Garden I got into a fight with Selphie Tilmitt and you tore us apart. You walked me to Headmaster Cid," Tessa said. "You remember none of it?"
"Sorry," Rinoa said. "I broke up a lot of fights between Selphie and girls. You could be one of what seems like hundreds."
"Oh well," Tessa said.
The group walked the rest of the way in silence and arrived at the train station with half an hour to spare. Tessa tapped Phelan on the shoulder and whispered in his ear. "Could you tell Xu I had to use the restroom?"
"Sure," he said. She shoved her bag into his arms and sprinted to the bathroom.
The bathroom consisted of two stalls and a sink. Tessa had lied about having to use it, but she needed to get away from other people to do what she needed to do.
She was standing in front of the mirror and had her hand up by her eye when one of the stall doors opened and slammed against the wall. Tessa ignored it and finished what she was doing. She turned on the sink and splashed cold water on her face. When she looked back up her face wasn't the only one in the mirror. "You!" she said. She turned around and met a right hook that knocked her to the floor.
The blonde woman that had attacked her in the forest just weeks before towered over her. She was still wearing a dark blue shirt, but something was different. One hand had a black leather glove on it, and the other was naked. "I see you're doing better, but you won't be able to make your train."
"They know I'm in here!" Tessa said as she spat onto the floor. "They'll find me."
"Wrong," the blonde woman said as she waved a gloved finger in the air. "They'll find parts of you. I'll be long gone."
Tessa curled her hand into a fist and stood up. She swung at the blonde-haired woman, who easily dodged it. The blonde hit Tessa again, and Tessa fell against the stall wall. The woman ran and tried to kick Tessa, but she rolled out of the way at the last second and brought her elbow into the woman's stomach.
"What is this about?" Tessa yelled as she swung again, but the blonde-haired woman grabbed her hand and threw her into the wall.
"It's about you," the blonde said. She punched Tessa in the face again and then grabbed her by the hair. She pulled Tessa back and then smashed her face into the mirror, which cracked. Tessa grabbed at the woman's hand and tried to pry her hair loose but wasn't strong enough.
"Let me go!" Tessa yelled through gritted teeth.
"Sorry, can't do that," the woman said. She took Tessa and slammed her head into the sink. Tessa felt a tooth chip and she bit her cheek. She pushed herself off the sink and into the woman, knocking them both to the ground.
Tessa felt the woman pushed her off and stand up. The blonde kicked her in the ribs and Tessa grabbed them. "You burned my hand, you little bitch!" the blonde-haired woman yelled as she kicked Tessa again and again.
Tessa waited, and when the blonde went to kick her again she grabbed her foot and pulled, bringing the woman back down. "Leave me alone!" Tessa yelled as she climbed on top of the woman and spat a mouthful of blood in her face.
She punched the woman and raised her hands to pound her face in, but the blonde took her gloved hand and drove the fingers into Tessa's chest, hitting the sternum and winding her. Tessa fell and the woman pushed her off. She rolled onto Tessa and pinned her arms down with her knees.
Blow after blow was delivered to Tessa's face, but Tessa managed to bring her foot up and hit the woman in the back the head with her steel-toed boot.
"Tessa?" someone yelled. "Where are you?"
"You lucked out yet again," the blonde woman said as she spat in Tessa's face. She climbed off the teen and dashed out of the bathroom. A minute later Rinoa ran in and saw Tessa hanging on the sink, trying to wash her face.
"What happened?" Rinoa asked.
"I was attacked by a T-Rexaur," Tessa said groggily. She climbed to her feet and smoothed back her hair, and then she opened her mouth and checked her teeth. The one that had been broken was a wisdom tooth, luckily.
"No, really, what happened?" Rinoa asked, her eyes wide.
"It's not important," Tessa said. The memories of her first attack and how it had been handled were still fresh in her mind. "I just need to finish my exam, okay?"
"Okay," Rinoa said uncertainly. "But shouldn't we at least tell Xu?"
"No!" Tessa yelled. "She'll make me go back to the Garden and I'll fail my exam. I'll just treat myself when I get on the train."
"Well, everyone else is waiting for us, come on," Rinoa said. She put an arm around Tessa's shoulder and helped her walk clearly.
"Hey," Tessa asked, "did you see a blonde woman come out of the bathroom?"
"No," Rinoa said. Curiously. "Why?"
"Never mind."