Chapter One---Where You Are
Squall sat with his back against a large boulder, heaving with exhaustion from his work out with Seifer. Seifer, also panting, simply smirked at him. Of course, neither had won but Seifer was satisfied with the small victory of wearing the smaller boy out. The sound of approaching footsteps drew Squall's attention to a petite blonde coming towards them.
"Squall, your needed in your office. There's a student here for reenrollment." Squall nodded and stood, following Quistis out the door.
"I've got to tell you Squall, I didn't think we'd be seeing her again." Squall was about to ask who when he stepped into his office and got an answer. Sitting in the chair across from his desk, her legs propped up, sat Fujin Kazeno. He nearly choked.
"Fujin?" She raised a brow to him and smirked. The same infuriating smirk Seifer had taught her.
"Forget me already?" Squall sat and didn't look at her. As if I could forget...I've tried...He thought, pulling out the neccesary paperwork.
"Why are you back Kazeno? You left two years ago with no explaination and no warning." Fujin's smirk deepened into a scowl and she slammed her feet onto the ground.
"I'm back to finish my training. In case you forgot, Squall... There's a world out there and you have to be able to pay the rent." Squall didn't say anything. Ice meet fire.
"Your under 24-hour watch for 3 months Kazeno. No screw-ups, no taking off. If you pass your tests, then we'll see what happens." Fujin grumbled something under her breath but Squall choose to ignore it. Instead, she stood and placed her hands on his desk, looking straight at him.
"I have a name Leonheart. Use it." Picking up a the book of rules and regulations she tucked it into her pocket.
"I'm gonna borrow this." As she turned to walk out the door, Squall stopped her.
"Why'd you leave?" Fujin looked at him a long time.
"Sometimes...sometimes things don't go the way you plan." With that she was gone.
"Fujin! Where ya been, ya know?" Raijin smiled and swept the younger woman up into his large arms while Seifer caught sight of them and rushed over.
"Fuu! Where in Hyne have you been!" Fujin smirked and rolled her eyes.
"Around." Seifer sighed and hugged her.
"Been lonely around here without you. Did you...?" Fujin looked away, shaking her head. No she didn't tell him.
"Oh. So, you're not staying in Garden?"
"No. I've got an apartment in Balamb, pretty close to here. I quit my job at the office to work nights at a bakery to pay the rent until I pass my SeeD tests." Seifer frowned.
"You're gonna wear yourself out Fujin."
"Rent has to be paid Seifer. Food and clothes have to be bought. It's only for a couple more months. It'll be ok." Seifer hugged her once more and prayed she was right.
Why is she back? Why did she even leave? Could...could we have been that wrong? Was I that bad? Or was there someone else? Squall stared up at the dark celing in his room. It was close to 2 am and he was thinking himself into exhaustion. Somehow, now matter how hard he thought, no matter what story he came up with, Fujin's leaving didn't make sense. And worse yet, it hurt.
Squall prided himself on his emotionlessness. His distance from everyone and everything. But three years ago, a 17 year old girl changed that. Somehow she made him see that pushing everyone away wasn't helping him. That there were things in life that were ok to feel. That feeling wasn't so bad. And then one day, she was gone. No reasons, no phone calls, nothing. She was simply gone.
So was the life they'd built together. Squall receeded into himself once more, scared that everyone else would leave him too. But they hadn't. Just her.
"Fujin! They said you were back!" Selphie damn near tackled the taller woman in delight. Fujin smiled.
"Hey Selphie. Yea, I'm back. How are you?" Selphie giggled.
"I'm great! Not the same without you though." Fujin gave her a half smile.
"That's what they tell me. Anything new?" Selphie giggled and blushed. Fujin knew that look.
"How long?" Selphie sighed.
"Three months. I haven't told Irvine though." Fujin laughed. Leave to Selphie to launch a surprise attack such as this on her poor husband.
"Who does know?" Selphie was about to answer when Quistis walked up beside them.
"I do. But that's it. Sneaky little devil isn't she?"
"Raijin always did call her a demon pixie..." Selphie pouted and Fujin laughed. It felt good to be back with her old friends. It seemed Quistis and Selphie, at least, had forgiven her sudden disappearance. But soon they would want the truth. And Fujin had kept the truth to herself for so long, she wasn't sure if she could share it.
A.n: Weee another story.
Sorceress Fujin: Sorry bout the wait on my stuffs. By My Side was great! Stupid browser wouldn't let me review -grumbles- anyways hope you like this and All You Got Left is almost done! It'll be posted soon :)
Everyone else: REVIEW!
i Ultimate !