FF: Journey

Ch 3

Scott awoke slowly in the infirmary. He grabbed his head with his left hand. "I'm alive?"

A familiar voice off to the side greeted him. "Aw now I can't have his share of the food."

"I see they gave you the bed next to me." Scott turned his head right to see Kit just as he expected. However he was surprised to see Katelyn, Chrissie, and Bridgette. "Who are they?"

"The sneaky one is Chrissie, the black one is Bridgette, and the white one is mine," Kit told Scott which was immediately followed by Katelyn poking him in the chest causing him to wince in pain.

She looked back at Scott and redid the introductions, "I'm Katelyn, I live in the room across from Alan, she is Chrissie, one of Alan's old friends, and she is Bridgette, Alan's roommate." She introduced them in order from left to right.

Scott began, "Speaking of Alan I bet he's got the bed..." Scott stopped short when he turned his head to see the bed on his other side empty. "Where is he!" He suddenly got up trying to ignore the pain.

Katelyn pushed him back down onto the bed while Chrissie explained. "After the stands were evacuated the teachers were trying to break the barrier. The behemoth stabbed you in the right shoulder. It turned and fired a powerful meteor spell from it's mouth at Kit which was going to kill him but..."

"But?"

"But Alan got up and blocked it. Then the teachers broke the barrier and killed the behemoth. They grabbed you all and before we could catch up to them they were already gone. This is actually the first day we were able to see you guys. Clinic nurse told us you two would be OK and when we asked about Alan she told us that she didn't have any information on him."

An awkward silence filled the room considering there were six strangers in a room and the one that connected them all was missing. The silence was only broken by Kit. "So Scott... have you noticed how we aren't wrapped in any bandages?"

"Actually now that you mention it... what is the deal with this? I had a hole in my shoulder and there's no trace of it."

Chrissie added to the inquiry, "I asked about that and never got an answer. Also from the look of things it seems like not all of the infirmary staff is here."

"Mrs. Ginger hasn't been in class since the incident." Katelyn threw in.

Their ponderings were interrupted by the nurse on duty. "Since you both are awake and out of the danger zone you are free to leave." Scott and Kit got out of the beds and with the aid of the girls they left.

On their way back to the dorms they came across the dojo and saw Issui sweeping up the front. As they passed by Issui greeted them which they halted to exchange, "Good to see you two out of the hospital."

"We're glad to be out," Scott replied.

Issui turned his attention toward Bridgette. "Is there something you'd like to ask?"

Everyone, except for Katelyn, looked at her caught off guard by the proposal for her to speak and finally getting to hear her. "Do you know..." She trailed off thinking he might not have the answer.

Knowing exactly what she was going to ask, "Don't worry about Alan. When we started treatment on him, he was estimated to need a week of intensive healing so he should be out in another 2 days."

Scott processed the information. "You mean I've been out for 5 days."

"Oh you mean no one woke you up?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You were all healed on the second day. So you should have already been out."

"Holy crap! I unnecessarily missed 3 days of class." Scott started to worry.

Kit interrupted, "Quit you're bitching. Its not the end of the world."

"Oh, you don't know my teacher."

"I don't know about you but this guy seems pretty nice."

"What are you talking about?"

"Isn't this guy your teacher?"

"No. My teacher is MacCoel."

Kit thought about it for a minute. "You are boned."

Everyone said goodbye to Issui and they continued on their way. Making it back to their rooms the rest of the day was just used for rest. The Next two days almost instantly passed.

Bridgette woke up rubbing her eyes. She looked at Alan's bed and was surprised to see something was under the covers moving. She cautiously approached it and poked it with her staff. The covers were lifted from under as Alan emerged from them. "Is it morning already?"

"When did you get back? I was scared half to death that there was some strange person in here."

"Long story. All that I can tell you is that I haven't slept in a week."

Knowing not to push the subject any farther Bridgette steered away from it. "It's time to get ready for class."

"I'm already ready." Alan examined himself and he was already in day clothes, clean, and actually smelled kinda like a flower.

"It's time for me to get ready," she restated.

Alan laid back down and slid the covers back on. "You do that. I'm going back to sleep."

She walked over to their front door opening it and the next thing Alan knew he was thrown out still wrapped in the covers. Bridgette slammed the door shut. Alan thought for a minute. "Oh that's what you meant."

Later Alan made it to class. As he walked in everyone greeted him making him feel out of place considering he didn't know any of them. Issui finally walked in and everyone sat and drew their attention toward him. "I see we have our little star back."

"Star who?"

"You."

"Me? Why?"

Issui cheerfully answered,"You fought a behemoth and jumped in the way of it's meteor spell. Not only that but made even more amazing by the fact you lived."

"Well it was all really the medical staff."

"Exactly." There was a noticeable change in Issui's tone to seriousness. "If you hadn't been healed by them you would have died. All because you lacked the discipline to know when to run and the training to beat it. From now on until the school year is over you are going to stay after class for an extra four hours of lessons and training. You will also train with me during the holidays and weekends."

"What about Scott and Kit?"

"Those two are getting the same punishment as you from their own teachers."

The class continued as normal and when the rang everyone including Alan left. Alan met up with everyone in the courtyard. Kit, Scott, and Alan exchanged looks. The same feeling of sorrow swept over them all.

Chrissie started up the conversation, "I joined the event committee."

"Awesome I got a part time job at the infirmary," Katelyn added.

Bridgette threw in her two cents, "I'm in an art club."

The girls kept talking for a while. The guys just sat there thinking of all the free time taken from them and all the ruined plans that required said time.

Chrissie looked at them and asked, "What's wrong with you guys?"

Alan answered, "The three of us have to go to extra training after class and during holidays and weekends for the entire year."

"WHY GOD! WHY!" Kit screamed to the heavens on his knees thinking the punishment was unjust. Scott was just speechless.

"Well shouldn't you guys be there now." With that they all winced.

"Guys I got it." Kit started desperately. "We start running now and..." Kit stopped suddenly due to the change in Alan's and Scott's face. He looked behind himself and saw his teacher.

"Trying to escape huh?"

"No you got it all wrong." Kit pleaded as he was dragged away. This made Alan and Kit bolt to their classrooms to beg for forgiveness.

Katelyn just ignored what happened, "So Chrissie what's the biggest event for the school year."

"Some end of the year dance which follows some after year fight."

Editor's Note

Hey all you readers taking the time to read a side project of mine. Rather than writing about the happenings throughout the school year which were not my intentions I'm just gonna skip to the end of the school year.

Throughout the year everyone continued what seemed to be a routine schedule of lessons and extracurriculars. Relationships changed, people grew stronger, and Kit continued to get on Scott's nerve.

The final lessons of the year ended and as everyone left Alan continued to sit. Issui looked at him and told him, "Today we aren't going to have extra training. You can just go to your dorm and relax."

Alan did just that. Upon entering his room he greeted Bridgette, "I got today off so I'm back early."

"Oh, well then you can come with me to the fight."

"Okay." Before he could sit down she grabbed him by the arm and off they went.

They arrived at the audience gate and met up with Katelyn and Chrissie. "Hey you two," Katelyn started, "So Alan you're actually gonna watch it?"

"I don't really have anything else to do."

Bridgette elbowed him in the gut. "He needed to get out more so I brought him here."

Chrissie ended the small talk, "Let's just go get some good seats."

All four of them walked in grabbing some pretty good seats and waiting for the event for start. Two students, a warrior and a black mage, entered the arena. The announcer began, "It's been a good year with lots of excitement and fun. Today is the last day that you all will be here and we're going to celebrate with a fight and dance after wards. Without further delay we have these two students facing off against a monster today."

Just then the barrier appeared above the arena which was meant to protect the audience. Out of the monster gate came a floating, yellow fireball with arms, a mouth, and two eyes. "Look at what we have here ladies and gentlemen. A bomb." The warrior took out a mace and started to swing away at the bomb but couldn't land a hit due to it's incorporeal body. The mage started to look nervous. He casts a spell which made a small red circle filled with runes appear under the bomb. The bomb instantly blew up being hit by a fire spell.

The smoke created from the explosion quickly blasted out and retracted back to it's source. The bomb was still standing, in fact it was even sucking in all the smoke and growing bigger. Soon it started to look like it was at it's limit. Finally bursting making an even bigger explosion than the spell. When the smoke cleared the two students were on the ground unconscious. There were twelve fires all over the arena. Alan got up in anticipation. "What's wrong Alan?"

"That monster isn't dead yet." The fires around the arena started to float and each one became a new bomb. "Apparently that was a mother bomb. When it explodes it gives birth to new bombs depending on the force of the explosion."

Alan quickly ran over to the front of the audience stands. "If only Kit and Scott were here. I won't have enough energy to deal with these things if I break the barrier."

"We can handle it." Alan looked behind him to see the girls standing ready.

He raised his foot above the barrier focusing his chakra for this one hit. Alan brought his foot down axe kicking the barrier. It cracked from where his foot landed and shattered. Chrissie jumped in grabbing the two students and bringing them back over in what seemed like an impossible speed to Alan. Katelyn waved her rod around and while Bridgette did the same with her staff. First a dark yellow circle appeared where the barrier used to be and made a shell in the shape of a dome above the arena. A red circle appeared on the ground of the arena the same size as the other mages except it spun around growing to the size of the arena itself.

A huge explosion contained by the shell occurred. This made all the new bombs instantly explode. Alan was surprised at what they had just done. "Since when did you three get so good?"

"Well we thought that while you were getting extra training we should get some too in order to keep up with you."

Chrissie dropped the two students. "Well now that that's over we should get ready for the dance." Everyone just walked off with the purpose of meeting back up soon. Alan and Bridgette both got ready at the same time.

Bridgette used the bathroom and Alan had the rest of the room. Alan finished getting ready in no time since it was a simple tradition celebration gi. Bridgette emerged from the bathroom in her dress. She was wearing a silk deep true red dress with arm-less straps resting gently on her shoulders has her dress waves at her knees with a blue ribbon wrapped around her waist. Alan was jaw dropped.

"Come on let's go." She grabbed his arm and they left. Along the way they came across Kit and Katelyn walking there too. They group was walking in a pretty even line.

Kit and Alan leaned back and mouthed out a conversation starting with Kit. "How did you manage that?"

"I didn't do anything."

"You are lucky."

"I would assume this is a dream but I haven't gone through any walls today."

They stopped leaning back and made it to the dance hall. After entering there was a lot of greeting with all the people they met during the school year. A couple songs went by and couples danced. Alan took a break by the food table just standing against the wall.

"Would you get me some punch," Bridgette asked as she walked up next to him.

"No can do."

"Why not?"

"The punch was spiked with alcohol."

"Shouldn't we tell everyone?"

"I'm not since everyone's having a good time. Besides it's not like anything is getting blown up." An explosion was heard by everyone but no one cared. "Correction it's not like I'm blowing anything up."

Kit came walking up to the two drunk and laughing. "Guys, Scott just knocked over a wall."

"Then why was there a flash of light followed by an explosion," Alan inquired.

"Because I cast thunder on him which made him fall out the building."

"I'd rather not stay now." Alan began to leave.

Bridgette followed him and replied, "I'm with him."

They both got back to their room locking the door in case some people mistakes their room for theirs. Both laid back in their beds relaxing. Alan was facing against the wall. Bridgette sat up and started talking, "It's been a fun year."

"Yeah."

"Are you gonna miss this place?"

"Of course. If it wasn't for this school I wouldn't have become so strong and met so many people."

She closed her eyes. "So tomorrow is the last day we'll see each other?"

"It won't have to be if you don't want it." She opened her eyes and moved toward Alan's bed. His face turned with her hovering her face over his. They both closed in and kissed. This kiss was the first time their feelings connected. She knew that he wouldn't just let her go off on her own with out reason. Alan untied her ribbon and she allowed him to do so. The rest of their night couldn't have been any better.

The next morning Alan woke up with his arm around Bridgette and her resting on him. He nudged her softly saying, "Hey it's time to get up."

"Can't we stay here a while longer?"

"My teacher told me I had to see him today about something important and I still gotta pack."

"Fine." She pouted a little but let him get up.

Alan got into his regular gi and put everything he brought into his bag. "See you later." Alan finally made it to the dojo after saying so many goodbyes to people. "Sensei I'm hear for whatever it is you wanted."

"Welcome. Sit down."

Alan sat and asked, "What was it that you wanted to see me for?"

"Do you know why this academy was built?"

Alan answered accordingly. "To educate young adults in certain skills to make the world a better place."

"That's actually only half right."

"What's the other half?"

"Do you know about Chaos?" A very serious air enveloped the room.

"Are you talking about the god of discord?"

"Yes the very same."
"What does he have to do with this academy?" Alan started to become very confused.

"Aside from educating we use this place to help us search for the right people."

Alan started to catch on. "People who can be Light Warriors."

"Exactly."

"But why would you need Light Warriors? They are only needed when... Chaos... You don't mean?"

"Yes I'm afraid the time has come for him to reappear and fulfill his duty as god of discord. That's why you and some others have been singled out this year. Each one of you has been appointed to a greater destiny than you know of and it's time to act."

Alan freaked out a little. "But how are we supposed to beat a god? Who are the rest of the warriors anyway?"

"Well it's your friends Scott, Kit, Chrissie, Katelyn and Bridgette. In order to beat him you have to relight the world crystals."

When Alan heard Bridgette's name he stopped freaking out and after a moment of thought. "Well I guess I have to do this."

"Just so you know we didn't just choose you based on your strength but also by what you have within..."

"Cut the cliché motivational."

"I get it." Issui handed Alan a sealed envelope. "This is a list of locations that will start your journey."

Alan stood up and bowed. "Thank you for what you've done for me." He proceeded to leave. Upon exiting the dojo Alan saw his friends grouped together.

"Well I guess we can get this saving the world thing started now," Scott said as he tossed Alan's bag toward him.

Alan caught it. Seeing everyone he thought to himself, 'God or not. Everything in our way is going down.'