Twilight Academy
By Heather Martell
CHAPTE ONE
Author's Note: My first try at doing a Seifer fic. Criticism is welcome, no flames please! Please read and enjoy!
"Rose, wait!"
I didn't wait. I couldn't wait. I had to get to the hospital as fast as I could. I had to be there. I had to make sure that everything went alright. I had to see her. I had to see my friend, Namine.
"Rose!"
I burst through the double doors of the hospital and ran down the long white hallway that stunk of cleaning chemicals and other cleaning supplies. I ran past nurses, doctors, patients, and visitors. I continued to run till I got to another pair of double doors that led to the recovery room. I stopped to lean against the wall, catching my breath.
"Rose Ann Chase!" my cousin, Pence yelled huffing puffing as he came to a stop. It wasn't often that he used my full name. When he did it was because I did something that he didn't approve. I swear sometimes he was more like my mother than a cousin.
"Finally!" Olette said stopping a few inches away from Pence.
"Rose, I know you're worried about Namine," Hayner said shaking his head smiling at me. "But you know you shouldn't run in a hospital."
I sighed in irritation and impatience.
"I know already! You don't have to point it out!"
"We're worried just as much as you are, Rose," Olette stated.
"Can we just go see her now?" I asked, whining. I hated whining but I was too worried and stressed to think clearly. I wanted to see my friend, badly.
You see, five years ago Namine became sick, real sick. The sickness didn't have a name yet for it was entirely new. Namine would puke up blood four times a day and had to stay in bed because she was so weak. Just when things couldn't get worse it did. Namine was slowly dying. Doctors tried everything but nothing worked. Not even blood transfusions. Finally a doctor, Dr. Something, I forget his name, came to the hospital a year ago with a cure of sorts. He suggested that the doctors inject Namine with Nano's, the whole new healing craze. The doctors weren't sure about it but they received an okay from Namine to go ahead with the procedure.
It was yesterday when the doctors injected the Nano's and I've been fretting since.
The others nodded, knowing how I felt. I pushed the doors open and headed down the white hallway. I knew the room number where they kept Namine. I didn't even stop at the nurse's station for directions. Namine's room is at the end of the hallway. My pace quickened as we neared it. I stopped at the door. I took a breath and knocked.
"Come in," came a very weak and tired voice.
I opened the door and poked my head in. My eyes widen in surprise.
Namine sat in bed, her back leaning against the oversized pillows. She was watching TV. When she heard the door opening her head turned and she smiled when we piled into to the room.
"Hey," she said softly. "It's good to see you."
"How are you feeling?" I asked heading towards the bed.
"Tired but fine."
"Rose here nearly ran over a bunch of people just to get here," Pence said smiling.
Namine chuckled weakly. "I can picture her doing that." She smiled at me.
I rubbed the back of my head, giving her a sheepish smile. Everyone laughed.
"So, how is school going? Did I miss anything?"
"Seifer is holding a contest," Hayner said casually not looking at me as he said it.
Everyone knew except Namine, I had a huge crush on the school's leader and prince of the High Class.
There are three classes in Twilight Boarding school.
Low Class-slaves: Sex toys, baby-sitters, butlers, maids, miners and librarians.
Middle Class: Teachers, doctors, cooks, chefs, bakers, bankers, and middle class families
High Class: Princes, princesses, just plain rich families and royalty
Special Class: Fighters (Kids taken from Middle and Low Classes are trained to fight from an early age. Hayner and I are in this category.) Fighters are eligible, if proven worthy, to marry a prince or princess.
The only way I could even get close to Seifer if I became a slave, lover, his wife or queen. I bet you wondering if wife and queen is the same thing if you married him. Nope, sorry it's not. Being a wife is one thing, a queen is another. I could be his wife but never queen. The only way I could become queen is if I was from the High Class which I'm not. I'm from Middle Class like the others.
Namine looked interested. Her blue eyes sparkled with life that I rarely seen since she was sick.
"What kind of contest?"
"He's looking for his…first wife," Olette said after some hesitation. Her green eyes met with my violet ones.
I said nothing as I watched the wheels turning in Namine's head. I was slightly worried. Namine, which I know of, had never shown any interest in these things. But maybe that was because she was dying and didn't have time to be interested. I tried to not let it bother me but there was a part of me that wondered what happened during the procedure.
"First wife, huh?"
"Yes."
"What does the contest consist of?"
None of them answered. Hayner, Pence and Olette kept looking at each other and kept giving me worried glances.
I sighed knowing someone had to answer.
"Everyday household stuff really. Sewing, baking, cleaning, doing the finances, raising a family, the usual household chores."
Namine smiled. She was good at that kind of things. The rest of us were okay but Namine really excelled in that category. She's the ideal perfect mother. Kids loved her, men adored her, and women envied her.
"That sounds interesting. I may sign up for it!"
Great, I thought. My best friend maybe Prince Seifer's wife!
Two hours later, the others and I left the hospital to head back to the school. I was excused from my classes so I could see Namine. As much as I felt happy seeing her but I had to wonder what had changed her.
I shook my head and scolded myself.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" I muttered as I walked onto the school grounds. Kids of several of ages waved at me as I walked. I waved back and smiled but it was all forced. Namine would be out of the hospital by Thursday. Today was Monday morning. I had time to figure out everything.
"Hey Rose!"
I looked up to see Rai, Fuu and Vivi heading towards me. The four of us got along pretty well but we weren't that close. Well except for Vivi. He was like a little brother to me. Vivi ran towards me and hugged my leg.
"Hi'ya, Rose!" Vivi greeted me.
I laughed. "Hi Vivi, what's up?" I took his hat off to rub his bald head. Yup, Vivi is bald. I was surprised as the rest of them.
"Not much. Classes are about to start. Don't you have training with Master Splinter, you know?"
I shrugged. "Yup. I just got back from visiting Namine in the hospital."
"Okay?" Fuu asked.
I knew what she meant and nodded. "Yeah. She'll be coming back to school soon." I left out the fact that Namine might be entering the first wife contest. Yeah, they knew I had a crush on their leader and friend.
The bell bonged loudly, signally the start of classes. I frowned, not wanting to go to class for once. I had too much on my mind at the moment but I knew I would be punished if I didn't turn up. I didn't feel like doing 200 laps around the football field, again.
"Well, I better go. I'll see you guys later." I waved to them as I jogged away. I guess I would have to think about Namine and her different behavior later.
Warrior's class is on the south side of the gym. It's shaped like a Greek coliseum. Seats that are built on platforms that rise high in the sky, cages build under the platforms with metal bars, and the ring where the warriors train their asses off.
Our teacher is Master Yoshi Splinter. He's in his late seventies but you would have never guessed it. He still has long black hair that is tied up in a long braid that ends past his knees. He black mustache is well kept and not a single trace of grey. He always stands up strait with his shoulders back, arms clasped securely behind his back. He had small black eyes that could spear any one. He's very strong and wise.
We all respected him for many reasons. The biggest reason, he can turn anyone into a fighter. Weather person is male, female, strong or weak. But the other reason is he is like a father to many of us who doesn't have families.
I just came out of the girl's locker room. I wore a white tank top, black shorts, and boots. I had my hair in a tight bun. Strapped to my back is my pole that turns into a sickle. I have it almost mastered but I'm still figuring it out.
"Rose!" Hayner greeted me. He wore a white shirt and black shorts.
"Hey." We banged our wrists together, smiling like goofballs. It was our greeting, a way of showing the world that we were buddies, true friends to the end. We had a different name in school. It was the Demonic Due. We were tough to beat and always had each other's back.
Hayner's weapon is a sword that got passed down from father to son for many generations. The blade is dark blue with silver veins. The hilt is made of white silver, a silver that can calm the wielder.
"Ready for another grueling day of Master Splinter's training?"
I laughed. "Kinda," I answered truthfully.
Hayner nodded in understanding. "Don't worry," he said after seeing the look on my face. "I'm sure it's just a faze that she's going through, no worries."
I nodded again. I didn't want to voice my opinion and hope. I wanted to be supportive of Namine and hoped for the best for her but…
I shook my head. I sounded like a jealous lover and I'm not even dating Seifer!
"Hey buck up! You never know. He may pick you, Rose."
I smiled somewhat. "Maybe."
Hayner put me in a headlock. "Hey! We'll have none of that, you hear? This is supposed to be a joyous day!" he reminded me.
"Okay, I got it!" I laughed, squirming in his grasp. "Now let me go!"
"What is going on here kids?" Master Splinter asked as he walked towards us. One brow was raised and there was an amused look on his wrinkled face.
"Nothing master," I said still in the headlock. I wiggled out of Hayner's grasp, stood up strait before bowing in respect. Hayner soon followed.
Master Splinter chuckled. "Alright you two it's training time. Unless of course you want to do a hundred laps around the field."
Hayner and I shared a look and visibly grimaced.
"No thanks!" We said in unison and left to go practice.
We found a spot near one of the many exits in the back of the coliseum. Hayner pulled out his sword and I pulled out my sickle.
"Ready?" Hayner asked, grinning.
"Bring it!"
We lunged at each other, blades meeting more than once. Sparks flew as the metal screeched loudly. We pushed against each other, trying to make the other slip. Neither of us budged. We jumped backwards and went at each other again. Dodging and taking swipes at each other.
I wasn't even breaking a sweat. I was so used to the fast pass of our training. In the beginning we were as slow as turtles but now we were faster, stronger, and more graceful in our movements.
Hayner's sword went flying over our heads. It made a thud sound as it landed on the ground and skidded away from us.
Our eyes locked and we both grinned.
"Toss aside your weapon and fight hand to hand?" he asked.
"As you wish dear friend." The sickle transformed back into a pole and I tossed it aside. We locked hands and pushed against each other. This resumed for a couple of minutes. I caught Hayner by surprise as I pushed against him quickly. I sent one of my fists into chest but Hayner caught it.
He grinned. "Nice try!"
"Heh." I lifted my leg up high and it crashed against Hayner's skull.
He grunted and staggered sideways, releasing my fist. I went after him again. My fist cocked back and ready to set lose when Master Splinter yelled out.
"Everyone to your places now, Prince Seifer is here!"
Hayner and I stopped and turned to see that a group of three entered the arena. My violet eyes go wide in surprise and my hear hammers against my chest.
Princes Seifer stands between two guards. He wore his trade mark hat that hid his soft blond hair. His blue eyes sparkled in the sun light. He wore a blue vest that showed off his well muscled abs. Over that is a white long jacket with no sleeves. He wore baggy dark purplish pants and black boots.
I gulped as he walked into the arena with arrogance, acting as if he owned the world. A sense of authority swirled around him. His gaze is filled with smugness and amusement.
Hayner nudged me with his shoulder. I turned to him to see that he was smiling. I returned the smile and turned my head to see that Seifer is looking right at me.
I blushed. Oh crap! I thought. Is he going to talk to me or something?
Prince Seifer let his eyes roam up and down my body, his smirk growing even more. Finally his eyes met with mine again.
"You're Rose Ann, aren't you?" he asked.
"Yes your highness," I replied.
"Good. I have a question for you."
To Be Continued…