Chapter Forty-Five:

A/N: Obviously Tessa didn't die, the main character's not supposed to! At least, not until the end. (hint. hint.) No, she survived, as did Adette. Anyway, here's the next chapter.

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The vessel whirred into the docks of Balamb as the sun began to rise. Tessa found it odd that the only one at the marina was hers, though. She stretched out her legs, feeling the muscles tighten. Even without the proper training, Adette had done a good job of casting a Curaga she had drawn from the Octisquid. It made the redhead incredibly jealous and she refused to talk to her companion afterward.

After Tessa had awoken, Adette told her what had happened. The dark-haired girl radiated confidence, and not even Tessa's sarcastic comments could burst her bubble. But when they did finally reach Balamb, the odd silence chilled them both.

Balamb was a busy little port town, rising to international prominence after the Sorceress War ended. Its main export was silk, which was strung together out of the web of the local Catcherpillars. The wealthy coveted it, and the prices were so high that only they could afford it. In fact, it was Balamb silk that Adette was wearing. But in spite of its success, Balamb still remained a small town and kept its laid back, prewar atmosphere.

Where is everyone?

Maybe it's a holiday and everything is closed.

Tessa shook her head, doubting the GFs words. Adette had left the door to the control room open as she guided the vessel up to the loading and unloading dock, and Tessa could see that she was sweating. Neither girl knew how to pilot a vessel, much less line it up perfectly so that they could get off.

The sound of metal scraping metal met Tessa's ears and the vessel jerked, almost throwing her over the edge. In fact, she would have if it hadn't been for the fact that her hands were heavily gripped to the railing.

"Sorry!" Adette called nervously as she killed the engine.

In the wind, Tessa heard whispers of caution. Not literally, but something in the breeze made her skin crawl. Her red eyes scanned the marina, but there was absolutely nothing, not even children playing or old men fishing. She shivered and tried to tell herself that she was just being paranoid. However, earlier events reminded her that being paranoid probably wasn't the worst thing to be.

"We're home!" Adette gushed as she ran out of the control and launched herself at Tessa, who ducked the hug. The last thing Tessa wanted was to embrace Adette.

"Maybe your home," Tessa muttered. Memories of Lotia Garden flooded her mind.

Pretty place. Maybe you can take me there sometime.

Tessa ignored Shiva and licked her lips. Red strands of hair flew into her eyes and Tessa brushed them away. Something was definitely wrong.

"When I get back to Garden, I'm so taking a nap. Hyne, I miss my bed. Do you think we passed our SeeD exam?"

It took everything Tessa had to keep from bursting out in laughter. During the whole Galbadia City incident, and the events that followed, the fact that she had been on her exam had completely left her mind. The SeeD overseeing the exam was dead, a fellow SeeD candidate was dead as well. Then there was Zell and Rinoa, who were also dead. Would anyone even believe their story? Probably not. Most likely, they would become laughing stocks and expelled. There was no way to believe that the dead were coming unless one had seen in for him/herself.

"You stay here with the vessel," Tessa ordered as she flung one leg over the railing. With the way Adette had "parked" it, the disembarking point had lodged itself into the railing, between two of the long metal bars that ran along it horizontally.

"Why should I?" Adette asked indignantly. Clearly she didn't like to be bossed around, especially by someone who have proven to be completely useless during the fight with the Octisquid.

"I just have a hunch is all," Tessa said as she swung her other leg over and stood on the strip of metal that was anchored to the concrete of the marina. "Would you do me that one favour?"

"Fine," Adette sighed. It was obvious to the medic that while she would obey, the sharpshooter thought that the request was absolutely ridiculous. She reached into her pocket and produced a small ring, which she held out to Tessa. "Could you give this to her for me? I at least want her to know I'm alive."

"Who is she?" Tessa asked as she took the ring and stuck it on her own left ring finger for safekeeping. "Why the hell do I have to do this?"

You have no experience with romace, do you?

"You'll know her when you see her," Adette said mysteriously. "She'll know what the ring means."

Romance? Tessa thought over Shiva's words. What the hell do I need to know about romance for? The last thing is I need is some man dragging me down with him. Fuck romance.

However, Shiva had a clever response. Who said anything about a man?

"Why the fuck not?" Tessa grumbled to Adette, ignoring Shiva as she turn around and walked to the marina. She jumped down and the thud of her boots meeting the concrete was extremly loud, echoing in the otherwise absolute silence.

---

Her boots clicked as she walked through the eerily silent streets of Balamb. Every so often she would hear a small sound, a sob or groan, but she didn't call out. The scene was oddly similar to when her group had first walked into Galbadia City. As she rounded a corner, she saw another sight that she hoped she never would again.

Bent over a woman in a yellow sundress was a little boy, the one that had kicked Zell... when had that been? Tessa couldn't remember. Time had become insignificant to her in the struggle for survival. For a brief moment, she wondered if it was even the sun peeking out over the distant ocean. Anyway, the boy was bent over a woman and making chewing noises, a sound that made Tessa want to scream and gag.

Then it happened, a hand reached out and grabbed Tessa's shoulder. Had it been the day before, when she was too weak from hunger and shock to do anything, she probably would've died then. However, it wasn't, and she didn't. Instead, the warrior drove her elbow back, relishing the sound of cracking ribs, and then spun around. She thrust her other hand, palm open, into the person's nose and heard the cartilage get shoved into the brain. The person fell to the ground and Tessa saw that it wasn't a person at all, it was a Rot.

It was, or had been, a woman in her early twenties, maybe five years or so older than Tessa. Her hair was long and blonde, with curls at the ends. She was wearing a torn and stained red dress, obviously something she had treasured. Now she was truly dead, no longer the bastardized version of "life" that she had been.

Tessa heard the scraping of something on concrete and knew, though whether it was ESP or memory, that a Rot was approaching her. Blood boiled in her veins and she whirled around to meet the danger, her right hand held out with fingers stretched outward. She had a few Water spells left from where she had drawn from the Octisquid, but it clearly wasn't enough to deal with the threat before her. Shiva agreed.

I don't think it'll work. Do you want to try running?

"Aww, fuck!" Tessa yelled as she turned and ran, a half a dozen Rots shuffling behind. She turned a corner and nearly vomited. Impaled on a streetlamp outside of a Junk Shop was a Rot, a heavyset woman with a kerchief tied around her head. The undead creature was still thrashing about as its organs spilled out, forming a small pyramid of gore. Tessa was sure she recognized the spleen before she remembered she was being chased and took off. The Rots were in hot pursuit.

It's probably not the best time to ask this, but is Adette a lesbian?

Shiva didn't answer right away, and Tessa was growing tired. Fatigue bit at her legs and arms as the muscles continued to expand and contract to keep her moving. Even though she was breathing heavily, Tessa's lungs burned with lack of oxygen. Her forehad was drenched with sweat, which stung as it fell into her eyes and cuts on her face.

A vehicle with an open passenger door sat in front of the big gateway entrance to Balamb. Tessa cursed her bad luck, but it wasn't all that surprising. After all, there was a rental agency by the entrance, which would explain the vehicle. She suddenly had a case of deja vu, her mind flashing back to that first night in Galbadia City.

No, this is different, I know what's going on.

No you don't. You're still clueless.

"Shut up!" Tessa screamed as she dove into the vehicle and slammed the door shut. Seconds later, the Rots ran into it and nearly tipped it over. Frantically, she searched the vehicle for the keys before spying them in the ignition. Her red eyes scanned the fuel tank, which read that it was half full. Consideration of prayer came to her via Shiva, but Tessa pushed the thought away. She had gotten this far without a diety, she didn't need one now.

"Come on, come on," she begged the vehicle as she turned the key. Never before had Tessa driven, but the need to survive was strong in her and she decided that, inexperience or not, driving was her only means of escape. It squealed, but the engine started putting. Inwardly, Tessa celebrated.

There was no time for outward congratulations, though, as a Rot broke through the passenger window. Tessa screamed and kicked at it, the driver's side door handle digging into the small of her back as she twisted in her seat. She looked around the vehicle, searching for a weapon. In the passenger side floorboard was an ice scraper for the window, why there was one in Balamb, she didn't know. It never snowed in Balamb, or so she had been led to believe.

"Fuck you!" she screamed at the dead man trying to get to her. Their eyes met and it stopped thrashing about, long enough for Tessa to dive to the floor and grab the scraper. When she reemerged, she brought the scraper into the Rot's jaw, snapping the bone and decayed tendond. The lower half of the creature's mouth fell to the floor. Then she stabbed again, thrusting through the rotted hard pallet of the roof of its mouth and into the brain. Tessa twisted the scraper and the Rot stopped moving as grey matter fell onto the passenger eat.

Not even stopping this time, Tessa twisted back in hr seat and grabbed the steering wheel. Her foot pressed down on the accelerator, and the vehicle sped away. The Rot was still hanging in the window until, with her bad driving, Tessa slammed into the brick wall of the gateway. The lower half of the body exploded into pulpy gore, and the upper half fell into the vehicle. Broken teeth hit her lap and she shuddered as she pushed them into the floorboard.

We need to get to Garden, get help for Adette. I can't believe those things are in Balamb, too.

You're telling me. That was too close for comfort.What the hell is going on in this half of the world? We never had anything like this in Junon.

That's not what your friend Alex said.

Tessa's blood boiled as she sped down the road, leaving the Rots behind. Shiva had no right to talk about Alex. Off in the horizon, she could see the layout of Balamb Garden. She was safe, the SeeDs would take care of her and rescue Adette. If only she knew the truth...