Teaching Respect.
By C S Sinclair.
Chapter Eleven.
Quarter to seven... fifteen minutes; she'd be here in fifteen minutes... hopefully.
With an impatient sigh, Fujin rose from her seat to pace once again about the entrance hall. It was her own fault – she had arrived far too early. But she was terrified of missing Xu – you never knew if people were going to be late, had come early and left already, had cancelled... cancelled... don't think about that, don't think about that...
Clenching her fists, she looked around, desperate for something to take her mind off such thoughts. Maybe she could... maybe... oh, what if she had cancelled; sent a message whilst she'd been down here? Should she go back up and check, just to be sure? She...
"NO!"
Rebuking herself aloud and forcing herself to stop, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath...'Stop thinking like that – she's coming; you're just early,' she told herself firmly. 'She wants to be with you; she's coming, it's going to be fine. Just relax... breathe...'
At any rate, she'd had to come down - waiting about in her room had been driving her crazy. Trapped for hours on end, just staring at her clothes in the mirror, trying to decide if what she had chosen was fashionable, was it smart, was it dull or boring...
Passing by the glass screen to the reception booths, she inspected herself once again, fidgeting uncomfortably. Black suit and trousers, greyish blue shirt, shoes instead of boots... The suit didn't really feel right on her, but it looked pretty smart... perhaps.
It would look even smarter with a tie... but ties were so stiff and formal and she wanted to show Xu that she wasn't nervous about opening up to her. Whipping a hand down to her waist, she struck what she hoped was a casual pose. That was the way to go - open collar said smart but casual - ready to have a good time, but had put in the effort to look presentable for her.
Or maybe she should have worn the tie...
With a sigh of frustrated confused anger, she tore her gaze away from the reflection. Who was she trying to kid here – she didn't have the first idea about any of this stuff! Looking down, she noted with exasperation that her arms were still... there. All day, they had seemed more 'present' than usual, swinging about clumsily at her side. Hold them behind your back and you looked too formal, put them in front and you look too submissive; put your hands in your pockets and you looked too casual...
Her footsteps echoed loudly around the hall as she wracked her brain for the answer. After the early evening surge, it was just down to dribs and drabs filtering out now, leaving her pretty much on her own in here. Ordinarily she didn't mind such solitude, but now... she felt incomplete. She checked her watch – 10 minutes. Somehow, only five minutes had passed...
She couldn't bear this; she felt so tense and restless. Clapping her hands in front of her nervously, she turned to look out the front doors of the Garden. Beyond, Deling City waited for them. It was the Garden's first visit to the city, what with all the recent troubles. It was a big moment, but clearly one the people approved of. The fireworks from earlier had died down now, but with its bright, welcoming lights and the hearty, carefree laughter of revellers drifting in at intervals, the whole city exuded a feeling of communal energy and excitement – all things which terrified her as a rule...
Maybe she should go over it again... yes, better had. So, first foot there, arm round partner like so... move to the left, hold arm out like this... She felt a wave of fear wash over her, just thinking about it. It seemed so complicated – how did people do this, and for fun at that? Jeanette had probably been right – she should have practised with someone. But she just couldn't dance with someone else; it would have been... disloyal.
She wanted to dance with Xu, not with other people. And what if someone got the wrong impression; thought she was trying to seduce them? You heard about people doing that sort of thing... What if Xu had seen her; thought she was some sort of dilettante? No, it had been better to play it safe - any number of things could have gone wrong. But now she wasn't as well versed as she'd hoped...
She tried a few experimental steps; slowly at first, but gradually twirling with more vigour. Hold out partner, tuck back to the right like so, step around like...
"Miss?"
Stifling a cry, she jumped and swung about, almost collapsing over a large plant near the stairs. Two of her students, Cassie and Jerold, stood in front of her, dressed up for a night out in the city. She quickly composed herself, noting that they were far more naturally dressed and seemed much more at ease with their impending date than she did. How did other people find this so easy? She also noticed they were pretending very badly not to be amused – a stern glare soon corrected that.
"BUSY! WHAT?" she demanded, wondering if she could just throw them in detention for finding her predicament... charming.
After a moment, Cassie plucked up the courage to speak: "I'm sorry to bother you, Miss. I just wanted to... er... I mean, my essay... You see, I tried to get it finished on time, but I've had so much work and..."
Fujin nodded impatiently, not really listening: Xu would be here any minute. Her public declaration of love for Xu, had spread instantly to every corner of the Garden of course, but still... they weren't some show for people to gawp at. Maybe if she was kind to them this once however, they might leave faster...
"UNDERSTANDABLE. BIG OCCASION, OBVIOUSLY EXCITED. TOMORROW BY NOON, ACCEPTABLE – OR ELSE DETENTION!"
Cassie's face lit up with disbelief and joy. She seemed about to hug her, but contented herself with Jerold (as Fujin had stepped back in alarm, a look of gravest warning on her face). She thanked her profusely, during which Fujin did her best to smile and nod. And then finally, they turned to leave. How long... 5 minutes? Only 5 minutes had passed – impossible!
"Oh... Miss Fujin?"
Unbelievable - they were coming back! Fujin hopped from foot to foot, wondering if they would be missed before tomorrow morning. She could hide the bodies behind this plant...
"TOMORROW MORNING BY NOON! NO NEED TO THANK – GOOD EVENING!" she snapped as Jerold opened his mouth to speak.
He stopped, confused: "Er... well thank you but I've already done my essay, Miss. It was actually my physical training with Mr Raijin. I needed to see him about..."
"HAS ALREADY LEFT FOR EVENING" she reported impatiently.
Fujin had spotted Raijin leaving as she came down. Having finally (and rather improbably) secured his date with Quistis Trepe, she'd seen him accompanying her out the doors. They had not however been alone - Jeanette had also been with them, apparently acting as some kind of chaperone assigned by the Trepies. Quistis had seemed rather amused at this, but the other two had been bickering nonstop from what she could tell...
"Oh...I see. Well... uh..." Jerold stammered upon receiving this news, looking over and shrugging helplessly at Cassie, who seemed to urge him on about something. "Well, um, good evening then. I... uh... I hope you and the Headmistress have a good time at... where was it you were going again, Miss?"
Fujin shook her head in exasperation, looking at her watch as the pair fled away in terror down the steps - 2 minutes still. Trying to pry into their private affairs... the almighty cheek of it...
"PESTS!" she muttered angrily. Why couldn't people just leave them alo...
"That's not a very nice way to talk about our students!" said a familiar voice from behind her.
Whirling about so quickly, she almost fainted, Fujin felt the world falling away... she was here! Standing on the stairs leading to the main elevator, dressed in a sultry black evening dress, she looked like... something extremely beautiful (she winced inwardly – she never knew the right words for this kind of thing).
As Xu stepped lightly down the stairs towards her, Fujin began to panic. Her mouth was hanging open, her arms were practically octopoid, swinging about down there, she was so nervous... there were too many problems to fix – she was paralysed! All she could manage was to look down at her watch. 1 minute... she was early. It wasn't fair – she wasn't ready!
"Oh... I'm not late, am I?" she faintly heard Xu ask in an apologetic voice. "I left my room ages ago, but I kept getting held up! I haven't kept you waiting, have I?" she added, bending down slightly to try and attract Fujin's gaze. So humble and understanding...
She had to tell her she was on time, couldn't let her apologise... but she couldn't move a muscle in her presence. She didn't want to break the spell... ruin it like she always did. She just couldn't believe it – Xu was... here! Right in front of her... her hair shimmering so softly and serenely in the light.
She couldn't... she wasn't ready, wasn't deserving of how perfect Xu was right now, how she always was. She was like an angel that was outside of time almost... like time compression all over again! It was too much, it was... she looked so, so wonderful smiling like that, so calm...'
"PASSIONATE... AND STRONG."
"I'm sorry?" Xu giggled, reaching up to move a strand of hair out of Fujin's eyes. She froze again, shot through with electricity at Xu's slightest touch and consumed with abject horror that her last thought had been voiced aloud!
"I... WRONG! NO! NO, MEANT WHAT I SAID, BUT DIDN'T... LOOK SO, SO BEAUTIFUL..." she finished meekly. A babbling, nervous wreck, wretched in every way... But then again, perhaps Xu would mistake her for someone else, if she was lucky.
"Well thank you, Madam! But really - this old thing?" she beamed happily. "But my, you look very elegant! I don't remember ever seeing you in a suit before...?" she enquired with an admiring, approving gaze (she was probably just being polite, Fujin decided).
Looking down, trying to remember where she'd gotten the suit, who she was and what her name was, Fujin heard Xu suddenly clear her throat. She looked up with a strained expression – she'd done something else wrong hadn't she, something terrible probably...
"SORRY! SAYING EVERYTHING WRONG – DOING EVERYTHING WRONG! NERVOUS..." she stammered desperately.
Xu simply stepped right up to her, so close Fujin felt herself forgetting all else. Reaching down, Xu stroked her hands very softly along Fujin's arms, down to her hands, tightening ever so slightly to hold Fujin in place as she shook with nervous excitement.
"Shh - you're doing great!" she breathed. "But there was just one thing I was wondering..."
She knew it – what heinous oversight has she committed? Or rather how many?
Xu appeared to think carefully before replying in a falsely earnest voice: "Well I was wondering if I could have a kiss? It's kind of traditional, I hear..."
"Ah, there you are! Please, have a seat."
The young man smiled (rather nervously he thought) and pulled up a chair across the table. Clasping his hands in front of him on the cloth, his clothes were the kind of casual wear that people who wanted to appear to look casual wore. Mathias shook his head slightly –an ex-soldier he may be, but there was still an air of innocence and optimism about this kid. Genaro had been right to ask him to keep an eye out – their plans were too important for anyone getting squeamish on them.
"You look tense – aren't you happy to be home again?" he asked, not looking up from where he was surveying the plaza below.
The young man seemed to be looking about, wondering if it was safe to talk. Mathias looked over and smiled encouragingly: "Don't worry – everyone here is far too wrapped up in their own little worlds to bother about us right now."
The patrons of the bustling restaurant making no moves to contradict this seemed to embolden the young man somewhat: "Right Sir; it's just... being back here again. I thought... this just isn't how I imagined it would be..."
Mathias closed his eyes – that definitely wasn't a good sign: "Would you like a drink? A refresher?" he asked.
Looking over, the young man seemed still more uncomfortable. Fidgeting briefly, he held up his hands: "Er... no, no thank you sir. I want to keep a clear head. Actually... it was mentioned to me that I should... well, it was thought that..."
Mathias snorted and turned towards him, placing his glass down hard on the table and refilling it right to the top in front of him: "Listen to me; you need to worry about yourself and your role in this little operation. Worry less about how much I drink and more about finding a way to shut out all these happy voices that I know you're worrying about."
"Sir, I didn't..." he started to object, but Mathias was in no mood for this foolishness.
"They're happy now boy, they're laughing now, sure – do you think they'd be laughing if there was another attack? Does it have to get to this stage, before you take this seriously?" (So saying, he whipped the hair away from his head, revealing his mutilated ear. The man flinched instinctively as he saw it, looking away with the usual combination of respect , pity and revulsion – it sickened him).
"Do you think that's what they want?" he hissed." We have a job to do here – if we let these animals slip away from us, they'll just do this to someone else! How happy are all these people going to be then?" he spat, downing the drink in one.
The young man didn't meet his gaze, but a look of determination nevertheless formed on his face. He rose from the table, placing the chair back carefully: "You don't need to worry about me, Sir. I... I should go and meet the Colonel now. If you'll excuse me..." And so he left without looking back.
Watching him go, Mathias felt a pang of remorse – maybe he'd been too hard on him. What did it help to yell at people – they were all in this together, after all. His head was starting to pound from all the noisy patrons, the fireworks and the music from below. He looked down at the empty glass and the nearby bottle. He had a job to do... this wasn't helping. Pushing the bottle away, he made to stand up.
"What's that they're playing out there? It's lovely! Come and listen!"
All around him, the other patrons were suddenly stopping to listen with rapt attention, their faces filling with such delight... Sinking back into his chair, he clawed his hands into the table, restraining the urge to laugh out loud – they were playing his song out there. Not that anyone here would know that – not after his 'friends' had taken all the credit when he was languishing in surgery. No, no-one would believe that this beautiful melody was created by the one-eared freak in the corner... his head was hurting – maybe just one more drink to clear it... his song; it wasn't fair...
"You people have no idea of the things I can do" he thought viciously, as he filled his glass once more. "I'm extraordinary – one day you'll see that..."
Xu turned to face her, her expression one of polite interest. Lost in a dazed, happy stupor, it took Fujin a second to realise the change – long enough for Xu to stop and peer intently at her, a chiding smile on her face. Slowly, it dawned on Fujin that she had no idea what Xu had just been saying!
She realised that for the last few minutes at least, she had simply been staring in adoration at Xu, letting her talk away, so enraptured was she at being on her arm, still so incredulous that this was really happening.
"Perhaps if you were to actually look, you might have an opinion on it?" suggested Xu, with a poor attempt to suppress her amusement.
Fujin frowned apologetically in helpless confusion, but slowly gathered that she'd been asked what she thought of Deling City or something along those lines. Acutely aware that she had flushed bright red, she was actually pretty grateful for the excuse to turn away. So, Deling City then... well, she must be able to think of something to say about it...
It certainly was a very beautiful, majestic city, now she actually looked properly at it. The sheer scale of it compared to most other places she had been was undeniable: great monuments and fountains of exquisitely worked stone rose at every turn, perfectly trimmed hedgerows lining every walkway, adding vibrancy and life. Arching overhead, the streetlamps cast out glows of comforting warmth, illuminating every nook in the public spaces and lending an ethereal quality to the more secluded spots they passed through.
There was a definite energy in the air also – people were rushing about in a frenzy of happy bustle. Students eager to see the sights, people shouting to old comrades they hadn't seen in years, complete strangers shaking hands like old friends... The whole place was alive with new purpose and direction.
All of which was ... good, she guessed. The trouble was that most of that was either stuff she'd heard others say or had read in leaflets. It was probably all true – she just didn't care about it, all that much. Time wasted looking at all this... architecture, was time she could have spent looking at Xu. As for the communal feeling – well, she thought it was nice enough, but wished they could all do it somewhere else, so she and Xu could be alone... Theirs was the only communal feeling she was really interested in.
"CITY... MORE ALIVE THAN BEFORE. NO TIME BEFORE... COULDN'T APPRECIATE..." Fujin tried, at Xu's gentle urging.
"And you do appreciate it now?" Xu asked with a coy smile on her face – she knew Fujin was just humouring her. Caught out, Fujin shrugged and resettled her arm through Xu's – it wasn't her fault Xu was so beautiful!
Xu blushed slightly, nudging her, before going on: "I wasn't trying to tease you – I'm just interested to know how you feel, being back here. Only if you're alright talking about... oh, I'm being nosy, aren't I?" she confessed, though Fujin assured her she took no offence.
But she wasn't sure what to say – what was there to say? It wasn't as if she'd fitted in here, any more than she had at Balamb. Casting her mind back though, she recalled that she hadn't minded it really, at first at least. It had been interesting to see new sights and tackle the challenge of being made a Commander in the Galbadian military. As they'd spent most of their time at the Galbadian Garden, training and readying the troops however, she really hadn't seen much of the capital city back then.
But whilst being back here was therefore hardly a 'tearful homecoming' (so to speak) or anything of that sort, she wasn't oblivious to the joyous impact that the peace accord had made on the citizens, nor was she uncaring of this fact. It was certainly true that she neither understood, nor particularly liked most people all that much, but she didn't wish ill-fortune on them either (unless they really annoyed her, anyway...)
It was more that she'd always been 'on the outside', so it was hard to see how all these celebrations could have any real meaning to her. She had followed Seifer and Raijin here, not joined up because she'd really believed in the country...
But she was determined to make an effort, nonetheless. Xu had been an extremely important figure in making all this possible - she'd pretty much single-handedly got the peace accords signed. She had to try and fit in properly this time, connect. The whole idea had always filled her with dread, but she'd do whatever it took to be with Xu...
And actually, now that they were here, she had to admit that it wasn't as scary or unpleasant as she'd thought it would be. Everyone was so happy and no-one seemed bothered about them walking arm in arm – people were just happy to be alive and free from all the hatred and violence of recent times. Her partner truly had worked miracles here...
"CITY VERY DIFFERENT FROM MEMORY. EVERYONE SMILING, EVERYONE HAPPY NOW. XU'S PEACE TREATY WELCOMED BY ALL. VERY PROUD" she finished, leaning in to kiss her lover.
Unexpectedly however, Xu recoiled away from her, a look of distress on her face suddenly. Shocked, Fujin took a step forward after her, wanting to reach out, but afraid she had done something terribly inappropriate without thinking again.
"SAID SOMETHING? DONE SOMETHING TO UPSET? CLUMSY... STUPID... SO SORRY!" Fujin stammered frantically.
At this Xu shook her head firmly and pressing firmly against her, leaned her forehead against hers: "No, no, – don't say things like that! Oh, I shouldn't have reacted like that, I'm sorry! You were being so sweet... It's just that I didn't do all this for you, I..."
Fujin flinched, unsure what to say to that, but was again cut off as Xu threw her hands to her mouth in shock and pulled her into an embrace, almost crushing her with the intensity, squeezing and stroking with abject apology.
"Oh my... what's the matter with me? I'm so sorry – that came out all wrong! That's not what I meant at all! I'd do anything for you, Jinny, anything. You do know that, don't you? Don't you?"
Leaning back, she hung around Fujin's neck, her voice full of earnestness. Fujin was completely lost and bewildered now, but was nevertheless greatly elevated to feel and hear her partner lavish such genuine affection on her. She nodded dumbly but happily.
"I just meant that all this..." (she indicated the city again) "...it isn't just me wearing long dresses for you again... "(Fujin was still in the dark – Xu's dress seemed fairly long to her..., but she nodded encouragingly anyway).
"... Oh, that doesn't make any sense to you either, does it?" Xu winced, evidently mortified with herself, "What I mean is, this isn't me showing off for you, okay? You don't need to be impressed with how..." (Xu looked away in deep embarrassment, before muttering quietly) "...how powerful a person I am... oh what am I saying? I sound like something awful, boasting!"
It finally began to dawn on Fujin what Xu was so upset about – she was embarrassed because she'd been complimented on her role in cementing the peace accords between Balamb and Galbadia. She was worried Fujin saw their date, coming here; as showing off what she'd achieved... She was brilliant, beautiful and modest too – Fujin was afraid she was going to burst with pride.
However, after several further attempts at praise were similarly repulsed, Fujin found her tolerance for this beginning to wane. She was someone who valued people speaking their mind, telling it how it really was. Modesty was one thing, but it was completely unacceptable to her that Xu should feel the need to play down her accomplishments just for her benefit.
"BEING UNREASONABLE - DESERVE CREDIT. PEACE TREATY, GREAT PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT!" she snapped with a huff of irritation. She had no intention of becoming a millstone, hanging around Xu's neck – she'd take the latter but not the former.
"Jinny, please– it's nothing, really!" Xu pleaded, motioning for her to lower her voice as people were starting to stare. "It wasn't just me anyway – there were dozens of diplomats and envoys; talks that I wasn't even involved in... I really didn't do that much!" she finished indignantly, as Fujin folded her arms in scandalised outrage.
Shaking her head in annoyance, Fujin cast about for an answer to Xu's impossible attitude on this - and there was just what she was looking for...
"YOU!" she snapped, pointing her finger at the girl as she passed close by. The girl (red headed and not much younger than them, from the look of it) stopped in her tracks, stunned by the abruptness of Fujin's command.
"Jinny, what are you doing?" Xu whispered, but Fujin motioned for her to wait, that she was handling this.
"I'm... sorry?" the girl stammered, looking behind her and around. "Are you... talking to me?"
"HERE" Fujin commanded, pointing in front of her. Xu tugged at her arm, but she pointedly did not look in her direction. After a brief hesitation, the girl paced forward, looking around her as did so (presumably to check there were plenty of witnesses about).
"Can... can I help you?" she managed, as she stepped forward.
Without answering, Fujin looked over at Xu. The girl (and Xu) both looked at her with confused glances. Snorting impatiently, Fujin took Xu gently by the shoulders and steered her in front of the girl. Xu tried weakly to resist, but allowed herself to be thus directed without too much complaint. She then held out her palm flat, as if presenting Xu to the girl.
"I'm sorry – I don't... understand" the girl managed, obviously nervous and wanting to get away.
Xu shook her head at Fujin with a pestered look, mouthing 'So rude!' chidingly at her, before turning back to the girl: "I'm so sorry about this, Miss. Me and my friend were just having a disagreement about... what is it? Are you alright?"
The girl was peering at Xu intently now: "I'm sorry. It's just... you look very familiar, actually. Have we met at all?"
Behind Xu's back, Fujin inclined her head towards the Garden... The Garden! Come on, you stupid girl - the Garden!
"Er... no, I don't believe we have..." Xu started, as the girl followed Fujin's gestures with a frown.
"OH MY GOOD..." The girl threw her hands up to her mouth, stifling a small scream as Fujin frantically shushed her with a slit throat motion. Xu shrank back in shock against Fujin and caught part of the motion. She inclined her head in weary recognition of what Fujin was up to. Fujin stared ahead, content she was in the right here.
"Oh – my – God!" the girl breathed, ignoring Xu's attempts to calm her. "Miss Xu? Balamb Garden's Miss Xu? It is you; I can't believe this! I'm... I'm really standing here talking to you – I just can't believe it!" (Talking was perhaps rather generous, Fujin thought - the girl was squealing rather incomprehensibly). "I can't believe I didn't recognise you - there are pictures of you everywhere! We're so proud to have you all here, Headmistress! We thought this day would never come – oh, you don't know how happy we all are!"
Fujin smiled as warmly as she could, though she could live without the girl shaking Xu's hand in quite such a friendly manner. The point had been proven – it was time for the girl to leave now...
"Could you... you're trying to keep a low profile, I understand... but could you sign this for me, please - just so my friends will believe me?" the girl stammered with stars well and truly in her eyes. She pushed a program of the week's festivities at Xu, before Fujin could shoo her off. Still, this did all help to prove her point...
"Oh... I don't think... I, er... I don't have a...oh... thank you!" Sarcasm dripped from Xu's words as she accepted the pen Fujin offered her in triumph. She looked as wild as a wasp, signing the program, but also seemed at least a little amused by it. Fujin hoped against hope that her partner took this in the right spirit.
"Sir?"
Looking round from the sparkling fountain, Biggs was surprised to see his faithful old cohort marching up to him. Still the same smart march, like they were still in the military... it was funny, but whenever he saw Wedge, he still saw the uniform in his head.
"Wedge, what are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you for another hour at least" he replied, noticing Wedge's hand twitch exactly as his had – the reflex to salute.
Wedge shrugged and looked over his shoulder before answering: "I... I had some concerns Sir..."
"No need for Sir, Wedge – we're civilians now, remember?" he interrupted.
"Yes Sir!" Wedge replied with a grin.
Chuckling, he returned the smile: "Old habits… I'm guessing that's the problem with our young musician friend too, yes?" he asked in a more serious tone.
Wedge nodded: "I think he was under the impression that he was the one watching out for me, Sir."
"And...?" Biggs asked, looking back at the fountain, watching the water fall sorrowfully, endlessly... "Did he think you could handle it – did this the 'maestro' think you up to the task?"
"I'll be fine, Sir. It's a bit... I'll be fine" Wedge answered, standing at attention.
Biggs smiled and patted him on the shoulder – Wedge wasn't always the brightest bulb in socket, but he'd spotted that one easy enough...: "I know, I know; I'm sorry I even asked. I know it's hard though... being back here."
Wedge went silent for a moment, staring into the fountain also. "So… did you go? You said you might…."
Biggs nodded: "I went. Its right over in the corner – yours is at the far end, took me a while to find it… I'm sorry about that."
Wedge shrugged: "A Colonel gets a place in the front row, not many people visit a Private's grave..."
"A lifetime of service... and this is what we end up with" sighed Biggs. "Too ashamed to call us deserters, so we're made into heroes instead – we just have to put up with being dead is all..."
He shook his head sadly "But perhaps it's better like this - my father would turn in his grave if the truth came out..."
They fell silent for a while, before Wedge piped up: "I read this book… well it was a comic I suppose, but well anyway it said that the dead were the most pure hearted of us all – because all crimes are committed by the living."
He shrugged and forced a small laugh "So… even though we're dead to our country, we've at least got that going for us! I mean, we're fighting the good fight; that's all that counts in the end, right?"
He paused awkwardly, before plucking up the courage to ask the obvious question.
"We… we are doing the right thing, aren't we, Sir?"
"Genaro's a fine lad – he knows what he's doing" Biggs replied firmly, aware that he had side-stepped the question somewhat.
Standing here, watching the water, everything seemed so peaceful. But it wasn't a soldier's place to question his superiors – even in death, duty remained.
"Did you hear off him yet?" Wedge asked at length, sensing he would get no further reply to his first question."Why do you think Sir Deling's doing this – I mean going to see him now of all times?"
"That information is need to know" Biggs answered, smiling apologetically as Wedge turned to him with some indignation. "I think he's the one that needs to know" he explained."I think he's gone to see him to make sure he can do this - that it's the right thing to do."
The girl was sobbing with such incredulous joy, she could no longer speak. She bowed, took a pace back, bowed again, then before Fujin could react, she had leapt forward, hugged Xu with one arm and run off, clutching her program tight to her chest.
Aghast, Fujin made to chase after her, but found herself restrained by Xu.
"LET – GO! WON'T CALM DOWN! NOT FUNNY!" she shouted, as Xu shushed her and hugged her.
"Shh – it's your own fault for pulling something like that!" Xu soothed with a chiding tone. "Honestly, that was so rude of you! That poor girl..."
"POOR GIRL?" Fujin howled, "DECEITFUL! ABUSE OF TRUST!" she complained.
"She was excited!" Xu countered with a scolding tone in her voice. "Because you put her on the spot and made me out to be something I'm no..."
"NO!" Fujin snapped angrily, taking both of Xu's hands firmly and silencing her immediately with her sincerity. "STUNT UNCALLED FOR, RUDE, ILL-ADVISED..." she admitted, stroking a hand through Xu's hair. "BUT POINT PROVEN – XU IMPORTANT! PEOPLE RESPECT... DESERVES THEIR RESPECT!"
Xu hung her head slightly at this. A brief attempt to shake her head failed when she rubbed her cheek against Fujin's hand and softened under her loving caress.
"DURING WAR... CITY MUCH DIFFERENT" Fujin went on. "PEOPLE SCARED, OTHERS IN DENIAL... THE SORCERESS. BUT HAVE HOPE NOW – FROM XU. GIVEN THEM HOPE, JUST LIKE DID WITH ME" she finished, kissing Xu's hands, trying to catch her gaze. "DON'T WANT TO FIGHT... LOVE YOU – AND VERY PROUD OF YOU!"
Xu was silent for a moment before replying: "Does this mean you think I should have attended that dinner tonight?" she asked with stubborn coyness, looking up with a smile, though her eyes were shining. "If I'm that important, shouldn't I be going to that, instead of skiving off to be with my girlfriend, and not even incognito?" she added, but in a way that suggested nothing could possibly dislodge her now, whatever Fujin said.
Fujin squeezed her tenderly and shrugged: "DONE SUCH HARD WORK - EARNED NIGHT OFF! ANYWAY, HAVE EXCUSE - KIDNAPPED BY JEALOUS GIRLFRIEND! "
From somewhere close by, a raucous sound of music and happy laughter drifted into earshot. Looking in its direction, they smiled in agreement and headed off towards it – the night was young, they were together and therefore they were happy... For now at least, nothing else much mattered or needed to matter.