Teaching Respect.
By C S Sinclair.
Chapter Seventeen.
But... that wasn't Raijin's voice... Fujin barely had time to register the thought, before another voice sounded out from the doorway – and this time, it was him. What on earth?!
"Hey! That don't sound anything like me!" she heard him protest loudly to someone.
"Well maybe not, but it is the kind of stupid thing you'd sa... oh my God!"
Emerging into the corridor; combat pole in her hands, came Jeanette. Her gaze swept over the unconscious intruder and round to where Fujin was tending Xu's bodyguard, whereupon she screamed and rushed forward, dropping the pole on the floor.
"Hey! Will ya watch what ya doin?!" howled Raijin, coming through the doorway and stooping to pick up the fallen weapon. Looking up however, his face fell also as he too took in the scene.
"Fujin! Are you okay? Oh my... what happened here?! Is... where's..." Jeanette had rushed over to kneel beside her, a look of horror on her face as she stammered out questions. They probably thought...
"XU IS FINE!" she snapped sharply, causing Jeanette to flinch slightly. That was unfair, she thought with regret – they were here to help after all, and it was a great relief to see them.
"WILL BE FINE, BUT HAVE TO HURRY" she added in an apologetic voice. Jeanette nodded with determination. "PLEASE - ATTEND TO INJURIES" she continued, handing her the bandages and standing up to face Raijin.
Unscrewing the two lengths of the pole in the centre, he came forward, peering around at the carnage with a look of concern. She knew the look well – that he was fighting his urge to be brotherly and protective against the need to appear strong and dependable. She could also tell he was just as angry and scared as she was.
Neither of them were accustomed to showing fear in stressful situations, especially in front of each other (more of Seifer's teachings), but this was different. This was their home now and Raijin would be reminded of the previous siege when they were the aggressors, just as painfully as she was. But there was no time to dwell on all this right now.
"SECOND FLOOR GALLERY" she explained, beckoning him to follow as she turned towards the stairs.
"Fu?" he called after her. She whipped around, a stern rebuke at the ready – they had to hurry!
"You'll need this when we catch 'em" he explained, holding up her bloodied Boomerang. She thanked him silently as she took it, for saying 'when' not 'if'.
Smiling briefly, he then gripped his weapons in a 'Let's do it!" way, his face set with resolute determination. Neither of them had the words, but it was such a relief to be together during all this. They'd faced so much and come through the other side – the siege, having to fight people they knew, finally breaking away from Seifer...
Not quite resorting to the cliché of hitting their knuckles together therefore, they raced over to the stairs. They would reach Xu in time – she just knew they would.
"Oh, but... can't I come too?!" Jeanette suddenly called from behind them. "I think this girl will be okay and he seems okay, so..."
"STAY!" they shouted together, causing her shoulders to drop miserably.
"And be careful, ya hear?!" Raijin had just called, when Jeanette suddenly raced over to them and kissed him full on the lips.
Eager as she was to get to Xu, Fujin stopped in the doorway, frozen in astonishment. Jeanette leapt back in embarrassment, her face burning bright red. Raijin meanwhile, looked like he had been hit by one of his trademark thunderclaps...
"That was... that doesn't mean... I just want you both to come back safe – both, alright?!" Jeanette shouted in a flustered voice. "Look, I can prove it" she insisted when Raijin didn't move, lunging at Fujin and kissing her on the cheek, before she could stop her.
"AM XU'S!" Fujin cried with outrage, as Jeanette sped away back to her patient. Angrily, she smacked Raijin on the shoulder, motioning him to follow. "YOUR FAULT!" she accused, blushing bright red at the thought of how she would explain all this to Xu.
Descending hurriedly, they made for the 2nd floor. Keeping on the move like this was helping to keep her nerves steady – she had to stay positive. She could do without the constant background noise however - Raijin was coping with his embarrassment by babbling.
"And they must have placed charges in the lower stairwells ya know? Most people are trapped on the ground floor, see? Had a hell of a time gettin up to the 3rd floor; good thing the training poles unscrew, else I'd never be able to carry 'em on these stairs, eh? You know... I had no idea Jenny felt that way about me...
Tuning the loveable oaf out, she fixed her thoughts on Xu and how good it would feel to be hugged and fussed over for being such a hero and saving her. It was going to happen... it was. There was the door... nearly there.
"Hey, hey, hey – what ya doin?! Woah!!!"
Suddenly, she found herself yanked back roughly, Raijin appearing in front of her, motioning her to be quiet. But as she had been daydreaming about her partner's soft embrace, any other physical contact seemed a kind of violation, right now. Involuntarily therefore, she lashed out with a surge of energy, sending him flying back into the opposite wall.
"AM SORRY – TENSE, SCARED!" she apologised, moving forward, but he held up a hand to show he was alright.
"It's okay, but weren't ya listening?" he wheezed. "Through this door's where they had us pinned down!"
Pinned down? Casting her mind back, she vaguely recalled him saying something like that. That as she'd made her way up, they'd spotted some people coming down, trying to sneak past in all the commotion.
"They made a blockade right outside here – couldn't get to em" Raijin explained, screwing his weapon back together. "That's when I figured the best way was to come up here and use their route."
Having got his breath back and assembled his weapon, he crept up to the door. Straightening up, he braced himself. Fujin darted forward to stop him, pulling him away a short distance.
"MAY BE WAITING! WAS SEEN – WILL HAVE WARNED!" she explained.
"You got a better plan?!" Raijin countered impatiently. "We gotta take the chance, right? They could be getting away, right now. Besides... this is the part I'm good at!"
So saying, he shoved her aside and leapt at the door with a surging kick. The door burst open with a loud crack. She was just making to follow, when the air once again exploded with the furious sound of gunshots. Shimmers of energy and the splash of blood flashed before her eyes, as Raijin was thrown back heavily into her, knocking her back against the stairwell wall.
Seeing her hand covered in blood, she looked up in shock and saw Raijin clutching at the door frame, shaking. Blood streamed from his nostrils and ears as the spell turned the fatal wounds into severe internal and external bruising. And yet before the rage and fear she felt inside could burst forth, she saw her friend was smiling through it all.
"Raarrggh!! That's the stuff - come on then!!!" he roared, whirling about with a laugh. "YAAAHH KAAAZZ!!"
Bolting forward, uttering a battlecry of his people, she saw him leap into the air and land next to one of the gunmen, bringing his pole crushing down into the side of the man's head. As the first assailant crumpled, he whipped the end of the pole up, disarming the second, before unleashing a savage kick to send him tumbling over the makeshift barricade they had constructed.
"KAH! SO! RAAZ!" he howled joyfully, grabbing the first man as he dizzily attempted to stop him.
Recovering her senses when she saw the second man struggling up from behind the barricade, she pushed off from the wall and sped out onto the balcony. Preparing to take him out with a flying kick, she pulled up short when he was suddenly flung violently back to the floor, by his comrade flying through the air headfirst into him.
"Go - I got these guys!" Raijin shouted, vaulting over the barricade. Looking back, he saw Fujin's hesitation – he was bleeding profusely from several orifices. "I said I got em – now get going!" he roared, pointing in the direction of the gallery.
Staggering away, Fujin turned to make sure he was alright, before gritting her teeth and racing off down the corridor. Tears stinging her eyes, she prayed he would be alright. She'd lived most of her life with him and Seifer – she'd already lost one... But there was no denying the fact that whenever she had to choose, whoever it was, Xu would always win. She had to have her back!
"...the matter with you?! No Casualties we said, no casualties!" a voice howled ahead, causing her to slow her pace. Strangely, it seemed familiar to her, she thought hurrying silently forward.
Rounding the corner, she saw them. Two men dressed in Galbadian military uniform, (one in the standard blue, one in the officer class orange), were standing at the far end of the corridor. The officer was arguing with the man from before, who was still nursing his wounded hand. And in the subordinate's arms – was the unconscious form of her partner! She'd found her!
"Is this all a game to you, you... what is it now?!"
The officer angry diatribe broke off as the wounded man cried out in horror and collapsed back as he tried to get away – he had seen her. Instantly, she adopted a defensive posture, taking care to display her Boomerang prominently. The two soldiers glanced at each other and faced her warily. They also shot glances at the door to the outside gallery behind them. Fujin shook her head angrily.
"RELEASE IMMEDIATELY!" she demanded, nodding in the direction of Xu.
The two looked at each other again, before the Officer spoke: "I'm sorry... but I can't do that, Commander! All this... it isn't how I wanted it to be! But please, just back away and..."
But Fujin was no longer listening. Commander? And his voice was familiar...
"LIEUTENANT BIGGS?!" she asked incredulously. "PRIVATE WEDGE?! WHY..."
"That's Colonel Biggs, if you please!" shot the Officer angrily. "I do not recognise the authority of the man who stripped me of that rank!"
Seeming to calm down at Fujin's look of utter astonished betrayal however, he held up his hands. "Please... I assure you she will come to no harm. I give you my word as one solider to another."
"DO NOT... AM NOT SOLDIER!" Fujin shouted fiercely. "WORD MEANS NOTHING! ACTIONS PROVE GALBADIA'S TREACHERY!"
Biggs looked down at his gauntleted hands and shook his head sadly. "We're not acting on their orders – I doubt they even remember us now." He clenched his fists with determination, passion ringing in his voice. "But this is our true skin and whether they realise it or not, they will always have our loyalty!"
This wasn't Galbadia's doing? Then who…
'Never mind that now!' she admonished herself furiously. 'Save Xu first!'
"RELEASE XU!" she demanded. "WILL NOT ASK AGAIN!"
She couldn't believe this – Biggs and Wedge. They'd hardly been friends, but they'd always seemed decent enough. If only Raijin was here – he had been closer to them than her. The last time she'd seen them was when they escaped the Pandora together... why were they doing this?
Meanwhile, the pair exchanged further helpless looks. Wedge looked down at Xu who was slumped in his arms.
"Please; we don't want to fight you, Commander. You turned a blind eye... let us get out. If you'd told Sir Seifer..."
"THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY?!" Fujin yelled in exasperation. "DESERTED TOGETHER – HOW CAN… WHY DO THIS?! RETURN XU!" she pleaded.
"We have..." Biggs' voice tailed off, as he cocked his head to the side. They all heard it, faint in the distance, but coming closer – the sound of helicopter blades!
There was nothing for it – she had to act! Raising her arm to throw the Boomerang, she caught sight of Biggs extending his arms.
"I'm sorry, Commander" he called.
A sudden cloud of smoke issued forth from the armoured gauntlets on his suit, obscuring them from view. Checking her throw, she cursed herself for forgetting the suit's inbuilt weapon systems. Through the smoke, she saw a faint outline – the door to the outside had been opened!
Racing forward towards the cloud, she summoned what little energy she had left, forming two wind walls ahead of her. Pushing her hands to the sides, she swept the smog from her path, revealing a clear path to the exit. Taking no chances, she held her breath and charged forwards onto the gallery, blinking hard as sunlight erupted all around her.
Biggs, Wedge and her assailant from earlier were halfway across to the far railings. There was no way off the gallery but the exit behind her... but the sound of helicopter blades told that an escape route was about to open up for them. There was no time to lose – it was having to play catch up due to the Garden being mobile, but it was gaining.
Seeing her emerge however, Biggs waved Wedge on, whilst readying his suit's arm mounted sub machine pistol. Spotting this, Fujin activated her last shielding spell and cast about for cover. Fortunately, a large pile of recently delivered supply crates sat nearby. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Biggs wrenching the wounded man past him, where he collapsed to the floor.
"Get out of the... get down!"
With his field of fire open, he opened up, a stream of fiery bullets flashing through the air towards her. Diving forwards at the crates, she felt a hot burning across her leg, before rolling up safely behind them. Gritting her teeth with pain, she clutched at her leg as the crates cracked and splintered under the intense barrage.
Finding that the spell had saved her any injury, she readied her Boomerang. It was time to strike back – the helicopter was practically here. As soon as the firing on the crates ceased, she shot up, gauged the distance and threw. The metal of the disc and the spikes gleamed brilliantly in the sunshine as it sped towards its target... and contacted!
"Arrghh!!"
With a tremendous spark and squeal, accompanied by an agonised shout from Biggs, the Boomerang arced into his arm, shearing away the weapon attachment with expert precision. As Biggs collapsed, clutching his arm however, a wave of tiredness suddenly washed over her, like her head had gone to sleep, but not the rest of her body.
Her energy was all but spent. The wind loop she had subconsciously summoned to return her weapon to her faltered and it clattered to the ground just a few feet from her target. Both of them had lost their weapons! The advantage was still hers however – she had to press it before that changed.
She could hear the blades chopping through the air above her, like the oncoming craft was chasing directly after her. None of her opponents were in any state to offer resistance – she just had to get to her partner in time. As she sped forward, she saw Biggs trying to rise to his feet – oh no he didn't!
With a shout so full of passion and righteous anger that it could even be heard over the oncoming helicopter, she caught him full in the chest with a savage kick, sending him tumbling head over heels away from her, coming to rest in a heap.
Seeing that he was down and that the musician was more interested in trying to get away from her than attack her, she turned her attention to Wedge, who was pressed up against the side railings, looking about helplessly. The air thundered with the sound of helicopter blades as she snatched up her Boomerang and faced him. From here, she could see that Xu had suffered a nasty blow to the side of the head...
"RELEASE XU NOW!" she screamed through the din, holding the weapon up threateningly. She couldn't throw it for fear of hitting her partner, but she made sure Wedge knew she would have no qualms about coming over there and using it on him manually if he didn't co-operate.
Alone and no match for her, Wedge seemed about to set Xu down, when he glanced to his side and suddenly shouted: "GET DOWN!"
Looking over, she saw the musician was standing with his arms raised, calling the helicopter down. The craft had flown right alongside... and Fujin understood. She recognised the configuration of craft from her time in the military... She started to run – she had to get out of the open now!
An awful piercing shriek from behind her told her she had been correct. Forcing herself not to look back, she pounded across the ground, feeling the force of the erupting ground battering against her back. Her body was burning with the exertion of the previous hour, but she found the strength to throw herself forwards against the far railing.
Swinging back, she saw the gallery centre had been devastated, great gouges ripped into it by the Helicopter's chaingun. Having reached the far railing however, she was out of its field of fire. Instead, it had dropped a large boarding plank down, fitted with hooks that grappled onto the railings. She had to... where was her Boomerang?!
Looking across, she saw she had dropped it in her haste. But she could probably reach it without risking the gun. As she darted forward however, she sensed a sudden danger and looked up just in time to see Biggs pointing at her, his body shaking with the exertion of spell casting – another feature of the elite suit he was wearing.
The air about him rippled and a smell of burning wafted towards her. Through the haze, she could see the energy building and building, red and angry... she had to move! Kicking backwards, she was thrown onto her back, narrowly managing to avoid hitting her head as the spell seared white hot into the ground where she had been standing, scorching and melting it.
Forcing herself into a sitting position, she shook her head to clear it. She had to get up! But Biggs was already casting again and her body felt so heavy. She... what... what was happening to him?!
"Argghh... gh...noo...arrrgghh...AAAHHH!!!!"
Stiffening suddenly as the energy flowed overhead, he doubled over, revealing a strange kind of effervescence glowing about him. A kind of mesh of fine sparkling threads had fallen across him, and it seemed to be stifling his spell, preventing him from releasing it. But who... Xu!
Behind the imperilled Biggs, she saw her partner, wide awake now and standing, erect and commanding by the opposite railing! Using her extensive knowledge of pressure and energy points (not to mention pleasure points), she was effortlessly holding Wedge in what looked to be a very uncomfortable arm-lock, whilst her free hand manipulated the threads like a marionette's strings. There was a kind of stern determination about her – Fujin couldn't remember ever seeing her so angry before this.
Watching on with astonishment, she saw flickers of light as the spell locked about Biggs started to eat slowly into its caster. As he twisted about, she caught sight of his terrified, agonised face... Fujin was just considering that it was perhaps a blessing that the air was filled with the sound of helicopter blades, when suddenly the spell escaped with a flash into the air and he tumbled to the floor, his armour peeling away from his (rather red) body.
Xu had released him – falling back against the railings, she had her hands over her face. She couldn't go through with it, of course – it wasn't in her nature... how could they do this to her, put her in this position?! Fujin couldn't bear it any longer, and trying desperately to call out to her stricken lover over the intense roar of the blades, she scrambled to her feet.
At that moment however, she saw Wedge call out to Xu, gesturing back at the helicopter. She couldn't hear over the racket - possibly they were threatening her with the chaingun, or maybe more soldiers were about to disembark. Whatever they were up to, she had to get over there and help her!
As she ran however, she caught sight of a familiar figure sailing through the air. Throwing herself to the floor, she curled tightly into a ball, pressing her hands against her ears for all she was worth. But it was unlikely to be enou...
"HAAA CHA-KATA!!!"
She cried out in pain as the world seemed to erupt beneath her, heaving and roiling, the air shattering under the assault of what seemed dozens of thunderclaps exploding all around her. Her ears were ringing, her whole body shaking to its core... With a superhuman effort however, she looked up through the cacophony and saw Raijin kneeling against his staff, wiped out from the exertion of his spell. Couldn't do anything quietly...
Biggs and Wedge were rolling in agony on the floor, hands pressed to their ears. The helicopter was listing dangerously, kept in place solely by the boarding plank as the crew suffered. The musician who had been on the boarding plank was slumped half in, half out of the craft. But what about Xu... where was... Finding her partner, her mouth dropped open in wonder.
Her partner was standing serenely amid the maelstrom, hands pressed together as if deep in prayer, an island of tranquillity. Opening her eyes and seeing her watching her, she smiled that same peaceful, joyful smile of hers (though tempered with concern for her suffering) and suddenly everything seemed right with the world. Feeling the strength flow back into her tired body, Fujin rose to her feet, eyes locked to her partner's.
And then they were rushing to each other, like something out of an old love story. Finding herself hampered by her long dress. Xu hitched it up as she ran, looking like a princess... so beautiful and perfect. As for herself, she probably looked a state, crying profusely with joy and relief. They were going to make it – she would fling herself into her lover's arms!
She didn't know where she found the energy. Perhaps it was her patron again; maybe she had drawn unconsciously from someone present... And how did she know of the danger? Was it intuition, had she received a warning from Raijin or her patron, seen it out of the corner of her eye... It didn't really matter to her - all she knew was that when she needed it, somehow it was there.
The gust caught Xu squarely in the chest, throwing her back onto the floor. Twisting to escape herself, she saw dirt kicking up right in front of her, the howling ringing in her ears, then burning pain as she fell to the floor. Staring into the sky, all she could see was her lover's face, so happy and relieved, arms open wide to receive her.
"Stop! You'll hit the hostage! I said STOP IT!"
Leaning up painfully, she saw the musician being ripped away from the chaingun by Wedge. The same manic look in his eyes no doubt, he fought, but Wedge overpowered him, punching him out, before manning the gun himself. The gleaming barrel swung in her direction... she couldn't feel her leg... she must have been hit...
Vaguely, she could feel someone picking her up and shielding her – Raijin. He was shouting something, but she couldn't quite make it out. Was Xu alright... she hadn't been hit, had she?
"XU..." she stammered weakly.
"...ya doin this to us?! It's us, damn it, Wedge! Cut it out, man –we're friends, ain't we?!"
They were going to fire... she just wanted to see Xu one last time, wanted her to hold her...
"Xu... love... you"
"STOP!"
That was her voice! She was okay! She... no!!! Desperately trying to rise, she screamed in pain as she felt her wounded leg properly for the first time.
Hearing this, Xu turned on the boarding ramp, a look of mortified concern on her face. She made to run to her... but Biggs caught her by the shoulders, restraining her and pointing insistently to the helicopter. Throwing him off, she backed away, hands pressed to her face to try and contain her tears, before retreating up the ramp and collapsing miserably into one of the seats.
Xu was sacrificing herself to save her!
"NO!!!" she screamed, feverishly, trying to fight both the pain in her leg and Raijin, who was trying to hold her down. "XU MUST NOT GO!!! PLEASE, NO!!!"
"Fu, cut it out – we got nothin!" he hissed. "We'll get 'em, but not now!"
"NO! XU NEEDS... I NEED... LET - GO!" she snarled, but was too weak to fight free. She could only watch helplessly as her lover boarded the helicopter, to save her life. No, she mustn't do this; she mustn't!
She reached out with all her strength for her partner, who reaching back, called frantically out to her above the din.
"..VE YOU, JIN! CAN YOU HEAR ME, JINNY?! I LOVE YOU! I'LL COME BACK TO YOU, I PROMISE!"
For a second, she could swear that their hands had touched, could feel her there beside her. Tears streaming down her face; she was a captive audience as Biggs solemnly drew up the boarding plank and the helicopter started to move off.
"NO!!!" she screamed, trying to rise and failing in agony. "LOVE YOU! Don't... don't leave me, please! Give her back! Please!!" she cried, tearing her hands into her hair and face in utter despair, as Raijin tried in vain to console her. This couldn't... she couldn't lose her... they belonged together! She couldn't live without Xu, she couldn't!
And even when the Helicopter had become but a mere speck in the sky, she was still reaching weakly towards it, paralysed with the sheer emptiness threatening to overwhelm her. She felt so cold and hollow, like nothing mattered anymore... only her tears were keeping her warm.
"Fu! Hey Fu, snap out of it! Help, somebody he..."
She could barely hear him. There was nothing left to listen for; nothing left to care about... They'd been so happy, so wonderfully happy…
"Xu…Xu! Love you… back… please… don't leave… oh, please come back!"
"And so the Maiden was taken and shut all away, in the very top room of the tower" Genaro read aloud, cuddling Catherine close as he did. She was practically hovering with excitement, picking at the edge of the page, trying to get a peek.
"Now now, Dear; none of that" Mrs Franks admonished lightly from her place by the fire.
Catherine looked like she might throw a tantrum at this, but calmed down when he kissed her on the side of the head. She was just excited - today was one of her good days. Leaning his forehead to hers, he longed for the time when they had all been good days...
"We're okay, aren't we, baby?" he said warmly. "We're just coming to the good bit – I almost snuck a quick look ahead, just before too!"
Catherine giggled happily and it seemed as if for a moment, with that swish of her hair, that a glint of her old self had returned. Before she'd been hurt... before Almasy. Pushing the hopeless thought away, he continued in as jovial a tone as he could muster.
"But before the Prince slammed closed the door..." (Catherine slammed her hand on the floor happily), "he turned to the Maiden and said: 'Here I put you, a mean little cell, 'till agree you to cast the happiness spell!" (He wiggled his fingers as if casting a spell, tickling her nose at this) "And when my people you've given joy, fun and glee, then from this cell, you I'll set free!"
"Turn over, turn over!" she shouted ecstatically, wringing his hand and glowing with innocent joy.
Before he could do this however, a knock sounded at the door. Sighing with Irritation, he got up off the floor to a cry of despair from Catherine.
"No-o, you said you'd read with me! Pleaaase; I want to know what happens next!" she whined crossly.
"Shh, it's okay, my baby! I won't be long, I promise – I won't even leave the room, okay?" he said softly, kissing her hands in genuine apology. "I want to know what happens too!"
Motioning to Mrs Franks to keep her company, he opened the door. Seeing the furtive look his man gave to the room's occupants, he stepped some way into the hall. Immediately however, a commotion started behind him and he ducked his head back inside.
"Hey hey, I'm still here; I haven't left – so no peeking at that next page, my lady!"
Returning her cheeky grin, he turned back to his subordinate, whereupon his smile faded. He suddenly felt a weight about his shoulders... a weight about his soul... "What news?" he whispered wearily.
"It's done sir. They are taking proper precautions and will be heading here shortly."
Nodding with grim satisfaction, he dismissed the man and turned to head back inside. Big smile... just keep smiling; don't ruin her day as well...
"Now, how are my women?" he jested, settling down on the floor, as Catherine cuddled back up to him."Now... where were we?"
"I don't think I like the Prince" Catherine said suddenly. "He's quite mean – I hate him!"
"Ohh dear, don't say things like that!" clucked Mrs Franks; putting her knitting down with a reproachful stare.
"No, no, it's alright, Mrs Franks" Genaro shrugged. "My baby's right – he does seem quite mean, doesn't he? But , hmm... doesn't he look quite sad too?"
Catherine shook her head stubbornly, before looking closer, cocking her head to the side.
"And all he really wants is for his friends and his people to be happy – it's not just for him" he reasoned. "I actually think it's quite mean of the maiden to keep all the happiness to herself, don't you?"
Catherine nodded vigorously. "I feel sorry for him – she's so mean! He's a good Prince!"
Smiling broadly, he kissed her hair and gave her a big cuddle. "There now; that's my good girl!"
End of Disc One – Please insert Disc Two!