Disclaimer : I do not Own Final Fatasy, because if I did, things would have been a li'l different.
The day began as many of them had. The first day had been a rough experience but that was swiftly lost as the lessons progressed, the children began, slowly, and in their own way to understand the Teacher who was really just figuring things out for herself. The troublesome children she had identified had shown she still had a sixth sense for annoying people. However they had swiftly learned to be in before the bell and be ready for attendance on the imaginary line that was no longer physically present. Many of the senior instructors had been greatly impressed by how quickly she had the children stopping acting like children and start acting like soldiers. But that was whee most of the greater organization dropped, other than listening when she spoke and responding when asked she really didn't care what they did, as long as they passed the exam.
The first to notice had been Quistis, normally she was always handling troublesome students but those who were in the Silver haired woman's room came in and sat down, talk about quick training. She had been given a troublesome bunch, figuring she would quit within a month, to everyone's surprise she took the hardheaded independent troublemakers and their cronies and whipped them up into shape. Now, four months into her training the former disciplinary leader was walking along, the students didn't have to call out their names anymore she could tell almost at a glance the attendance. 100, good. Marking it down on her clipboard quickly she looked up and began to outline the lesson of the day; it was to be an exercise in Draw. As any SeeD could tell you this was of Massive importance and took much practice to master. She turned to her class making a few quick notes on the board in shorthand that the students had come to understand given plenty of time. Secretly that shorthand was used as a code occasionally simply because of it's complex nuance that made it so gosh darned hard to read if you were not used to it. The Instructor turned on her heel as the students spread out to give each room. There was no particular order but the weaker students tended to gravitate to the back, Front and Center however was one girl, one to whom Fujin had taken special fondness. She was shy and quiet but very quick and astute able to make logical jumps and perform tricks most of the boys would spend months trying to simply DO let alone master. Her name was Karin, and unlike many of the students at Balamb now she was indeed an Orphan, adopted by the Garden from Balamb. She was one of the lucky few.
This girl was often ridiculed by her peers for this and that, every mistake she made was duly noted in their minds for later, knowing better than to pull anything in front of Fujin. She was young as the rest of them and rather short, but she showed a great amount of promise in magic. Fujin smiled as she indicted to one of the kids in front, a show-boater, his skill was average at best but he made such a ham of himself that others thought he was something special. She motioned him up with a raise of her fine chin, the gestures almost looked strange, I say almost because in another time Fujin could well have made a drill instructor cringe. Never one to back down he struck a ready pose and fujin almost cracked a smile when a few of the girls in the back of the room smiled. A little ladies man already. She instructed him not to draw magic but to tell her what magic she had. The boy brought a hand to his face and closed his eyes extending his palm and then let it drop and smiled.
"You have Aero and Tornado" He stated confidently "A." she stated but covertly, Fujin smiled with one corner of her mouth she was not surprised he hadn't noticed the Shell, she had left only one of it on purpose to make it's signature slight almost slight enough to make it a false reading. But she jotted down a A, it was good and he hadn't targeted another student by accident. It was a start. However a Start is just that. Fujin motioned him back in line, he wore a smug look and nodded to his buddies who gave silent commendations. Fujin decided to see if another student could knock him down a bit.
"Karin. Draws?" she asked the girl who immediately looked scared but nodded and spoke. In a slightly shaky voice.
"Areo… tornado and, um.. Shell.." she said her tone slowly shrinking away but Fujin nodded briskly and turning muttered "A Plus." Karin smiled and stepped back, leaving the boy stunned, and angry, trying to hide shaking his fist at his friends who laughed quietly in the back Fujin ignored it. It was more fun to watch him Squirm. She took back up in front of the class and ran over draw again, she had to be sure that of all the things she had to tech they grasped each to the limit of their ability. It wasn't part of anything all she really had to do was be present and show the idea but an inner sense of perfectionism kept her pushing each and every one of them to the limit of their ability. Call it a gift… much as she hated to admit it Quistis was right, she was a teacher.
The class ended soon thereafter and the children filed out for lunch, it was convinent she wasn't an academic instructor. They had to move rooms to get to the new class every period. It had been a boon in disguise even if she had to del with students who showed so little discipline. Oh well. She moved over to her desk and opened the bottom drawer and pulled out a thermos opening it to good, hot Coffee. She was suddenly very glad she knew how to make her own coffee, she doubted anyone else in the Garden took it as strong as she…
8&8
Squall sat behind his desk reading instructor reports. There really were some promising students in this batch. Little dissent and a musketeer attitude well shared among them. Well in battle that would have to be labeled under the advantage category until it proved itself otherwise. She skimmed another report and set it down takeing a hew notes then picked up one in a distinct scrawl. He always knew wich reports came from Fujin. She had an extremely fine attention to details and her handwriting was excellent. Actually easier to read than many, Zell's name came to mind. He read the messages very carefully knowing that she never wrote anything without express purpose. Minimalist in all forms of language, well the one thing she would never be would be a fiction writer that was for sure, but she damn well might be asked to write next year's magic manuals. She was proving to swiftly become the best magic instructor in all of Garden. He was very impressed when the other instructors began to comment on the students in her classes, though they were by no means angels she did instill in them a certain sense of ingrained obedience. But then again if she ran her classroom like the led her life it would be a strict line indeed. He suddenly got the image of Fujin in a military uniform with the children dressed like Galbanian soldiers as she called out drill commands. He couldn't help but chuckle at the image. Well, setting the report aside he moved on but she still stuck out in his mind, it was amazing how fast she had risen in the ranks. She had earned the grudging respect of many of the instructors. She had engaged the class as though engaging a battle, adjusting her fighting style to fit the situation.
His train of thought gave him pause for a moment. He was thinking rather instensly about a woman who was a criminal not a year ago. What had changed so fast? Was it just he never noticed? or maybe that seeing it from the other side disguised what it really was. maybe in the end it doesn't matter she was proveing to be a greater asset than any of them had priviously guessed, or even tryed to imagine, she may still be rather young but Quistis was only 18 when she got her instructor's lisence... It may be time to sit down and talk. They had a lot of years looking at eachother and seeing only an enemy and an obstacle times change... and so do people.
A/N: Sorry it has taken me so long to Post another chapter but Finals and a Term paper got in my way... well enough excuses, I promise the next chapter will be faster, and I do believe I may finally be able to get around to developeing a relationship somewhere in this slowly smootheing tangle of circumstance. If you havn't noticed this story is bound to get LONG. I do not do Deus ex Machina this will build to the end, nd I promise it will be good, I have something special in store And you will never see it comeing until it has already breached the surface.