Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Sowing the SeeDs ❯ Chapter 9

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Sowing the SeeDs : Part 9

a fanfic by Greenbeans
with His lordship Chaos
edited by Helen Fong
based on the world of Final Fantasy 8
created by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C.



Quistis slowly paced circles around the Garden directory as she waited.
Kei leaned against the directory, watching Quistis go around without comment.
After several students passed them with questioning looks on their faces, Kei
spoke up.

"What are you so nervous for? She's as excited to be back as you are to
see her."

Quistis stopped her pacing and sighed. "What if she doesn't want to see
me?"

Kei favored her with a level look. "That was a stupid question."

Quistis resumed her circling. "When will Xu be here?"

"A car has already been sent to Balamb. The train she's on should have
arrived," Kei paused to look at her watch, "20 minutes ago. Which leaves me to
wonder why you're waiting for her here. If she's arriving in a car, she'll
enter the grounds through the Parking Garage."

Quistis stopped her pacing with a look of mild panic. Kei was right! She
darted down the corridor to the Parking Garage.

"Wait! It's not like she's not... staying," Kei shook her head before
following the cadet to the Garage at a more sedate pace.

A lot's changed in the two years Xu's been gone. The Garden looked the
same; that would be a small comfort. Indeed, a majority of the changes
involved the young woman so anxious to greet Xu. Quistis had grown
significantly, both physically and emotionally. With her maturing appearance
coming closer to matching her superior intellect, Kei often had to remind
herself that Quistis was only fourteen. She didn't look fourteen and she shot
past acting fourteen months ago.

'Xu will be pleased with the results,' Kei assured herself smugly. She
didn't have as much to do with Quistis' growth as she would have liked -- her
duty often called her away on missions -- but she did play her part in guiding
the young cadet. It took a Garden to raise a SeeD and they'd done a damn fine
job up to this point in her biased opinion.

Further down the corridor, Quistis ran into the Parking Garage. She saw
that they were still unloading the car that brought a handful of SeeDs from
Balamb station to the Garden. Where was Xu? Ah, there she was, leaning into
the cargo compartment. Quistis found an out of the way spot to wait while her
friend finished retrieving her things.

When Xu looked up to see her former roommate waiting for her, the time
that passed since their last meeting melted away. She couldn't believe the
sight of a quickly maturing Quistis. Was the adolescent standing before her
really the girl she first met four years ago? Several centimeters were added
to her height during Xu's time away. Xu now looked up to Quistis instead of
vise versa. Quistis' body was rounding out as Sean predicted it would.
Perhaps the belt wasn't as outrageous of an idea as she originally thought now
that she could see what he'd envisioned. When Quistis was finished growing she
would be a lithe, full-figured woman.

Quistis' facial features were also boldly defining themselves. Her sharp
nose and high cheekbones gave way to a pair of slender eyes. Those eyes shone
brightly with joy at seeing her friend. Thin lips painted lightly with
lipstick stretched into a smile before she brought Xu into a warm hug.

'She's started weight training,' Xu noted as her exuberant friend squeezed
the air out of her. She winced with discomfort as Quistis pounded on her back.

"It's so good to see you again!" Quistis continued to hold her tight.

"You too, though I fear for my life if you get much stronger," she
quipped, returning the embrace firmly.

"Let me get a better look at you," Xu said as she pulled back. "Now these
don't surprise me one bit," she lightly tapped the bridge of the glasses
resting on Quistis' nose.

"They don't?"

"Nope. You think I didn't notice all the times you buried yourself under
your covers to read with a penlight once the lights were turned off."

Quistis flushed. "You've got me there."

"They do make you look older, more mature," she smiled with approval.

"Sure, hug Quistis and neglect me," Kei drawled dryly from her position
leaned up against a wall. "I see how it is with you."

Xu marched over to Kei and stood squarely in front of her before
responding. "And since when does the self-reliant SeeD Kei need a hug?" She
challenged.

Kei pouted. "Remember that time I got into trouble for throwing rocks at
a Jelleye's nest after the elders performed all those ceremonies to discover
why the monsters were restless?"

Xu pulled her cousin into a strong embrace. "Yes, I remember that. And
the harsh scolding you took because of it."

"There are more painful things in this world. I'm sure you can think of a
few?"

"I'm sure I could," Xu released her hold on Kei. "We'll discuss it
later."

Kei frowned slightly at that, but nodded her agreement. They didn't need
to switch languages to convey a message that someone listening to them wouldn't
get. Kei made a mental note to stop by Xu's quarters tonight after she was
settled in.

Xu hefted one of her duffels up onto her shoulder. Quistis already
claimed the other one.

"If you'll follow me I'll take you to your quarters. Then you have to
report to the Headmaster," the cadet said. "He's anxious to see you."

"'Anxious' isn't quite the word," Kei amended as they walked. "He's been
'Xu this' and 'Xu that' since last week. He'll have you running around here
like a person who's been hit with Confuse before too long."

"Even if he does, it's good to be home," Xu said with fervor.

Cid insisted on keeping their meeting informal and short (since there were
plenty of others who wanted to greet her). There would be time later for her
to give him a full report. They also needed to discuss her new duties at
Balamb, but that could wait until the morning. His 'orders' for today were to
reacquaint herself with the Faculty and students.

Quistis was more than happy to go around with her to introduce the new
faces that she didn't recognize -- of which their were plenty. Kei left them
before long citing that she had some other things to do. Many of the older
students who remembered Xu from when she was a cadet warmly welcomed her home.

"Our Triple Triad decks are in danger of being ravaged by a returning card
shark," one student lamented.

"I wouldn't worry too much. I haven't played in two years," Xu explained
with a woeful expression.

"I'll play you," Quistis offered.

"Don't do it, Xu. She's the biggest shark of them all!" He warned.
Quistis crossed her arms and acted innocent.

That was how most of the day went. It would take her at least a week to
catch up on the Garden gossip from the sounds of it. Though she suspected that
she would be the topic of discussion for a while. A new Instructor always
primed the pump of the rumor mill. Many students had scraps of information
about her time in Galbadia. Most just wanted to know more, especially the full
story behind the rumor that she met Vinzer Deling and lived to tell about it.

Quistis parted ways with Xu after dinner and slowly meandered back to the
room she shared with Nym. Her current roommate was seated at her desk with her
twin seated in Quistis' chair. Both of them were on schedule to graduate at
the end of this term, so she wasn't expecting to see either of them for much
longer.

"Yo, Quistis, how'd it go?" Myn gave her a jaunty wave as Nym continued to
muddle through the problem they were working on.

Quistis hadn't even tried to hide the joy she felt because of Xu's return.
For the past week she was practically walking on air with anticipation. The
week seemed to drag along while at the same time race by. Anticipation was
funny that way.

"It went well. Xu's unpacking now," she walked up behind Nym to look over
her shoulder at the problem. "Hum... You didn't move the decimal point here,"
she stabbed a fingertip at one of the rough calculations on a scratch sheet.

Nym stared at the sheet, then pinned Myn with an evil look. "Idiot," she
growled before scribbling furiously to correct the mistake.

"Hey! This isn't my subject," he defended.

"It's not mine either," Nym retorted. "But one of us has to do it."

"Flip a coin?"

"No way, you always win," she pounded on the keys of her calculator to
come up with a new solution.

"Didn't the Faculty say it'd be fifty/fifty? 'Cause there's a one in two
chance it'd land on either side. How can I always win with odds like that?" He
reasoned.

"Don't confuse the issue with the facts!" She snapped.

Quistis couldn't resist the urge to laugh any longer. She rocked back on
her heels with laughter as startled expressions spread across both of their
faces. They didn't even realize how funny their bickering was!

"I'm glad someone is amused," Nym muttered.

Quistis waved an apology. "I'm sorry, but you're too much sometimes.
'Don't confuse the issue with the facts'? Honestly, Nym," she flopped herself
down on her bed after picking up a magazine to glance through. Myn was fond of
leaving the things lying around their room and she was beginning to follow some
articles regularly.

"She's got a point," Myn admitted.

"Shut up, I'm not talking to you," Nym sniffed.

Quistis hid her grin behind the magazine. They could go on like this for
hours and in the end are still the best of friends.

Myn kicked himself around on the swivel chair briefly before becoming
bored with it and turned to speak with Quistis. "So, your friend Xu is an
Instructor, huh?"

It was a subject they had discussed several times already. He knew the
answer, but she indulged him. "Yep, that's why she was in Galbadia. I heard
that she picked up her Master qualifications while she was there."

"Meaning that you shouldn't hit on her unless you want to get your butt
kicked, Myn," Nym commented off-handedly while she worked.

"Xu wouldn't do that," Quistis defended. "Not unless you provoked her,
that is. Don't worry, she's one of the fairest people I know."

"Do you know what she's going to be teaching?" Myn pressed, ignoring both
his sister's jab and Quistis' reassurance.

Quistis shook her head. "Not even she knows yet."

"Why do you care so much?" Nym eyed her brother suspiciously.

"I'm just curious. I heard the guys at dinner saying how hot she was. A
real spirited personality too. I wouldn't mind having her as my Instructor, if
you know what I mean?" He rocked in the chair as the females gave him dirty
looks.

"I hope she punts you into next week," Nym muttered darkly before going
back to their assignment.

"I'm telling you, she wouldn't do that," Quistis gave herself a mental
shake and went back to the magazine. Myn did have a point; Xu was looking
better than ever. She was in excellent condition. No SeeD uniform -- was that
a Galbadian one she was wearing? -- could completely hide the athletic body
contained within. It was a build Quistis could only strive for.

She didn't look up when another person entered the room. Nym was an
integral part of the dorms gossip network and as so there was a constant flow
of people in and out of their room. It didn't take Quistis long to become
accustomed to the additional traffic. It was a welcome change from the near
lethargic approach on life Skye presented. Quistis finally looked up from the
magazine when the newcomer blocked the overhead light with his shadow.

"Hey, babe, wanna go for a walk?" Enju's hands were shoved into his
pockets with a rakish grin on his face. The man who took it upon himself to be
a thorn in her side had a roguish look that many of her classmates found
appealing. He brushed them aside, continuing to focus his efforts on winning
her over -- never mind that she was young enough to be his kid sister. "You
can bring the magazine with you if you don't think I'll be amusing enough," he
added.

Quistis stood up, leaving the magazine on the bed. "You'll pester me
until I say 'yes', so let's go," she quipped with only a touch of malice in her
tone.

Enju favored her with a pained look. "Quistis, that hurts. Really it
does." Then he went back to grinning, completely unfazed by her words. Enju
had a way for getting under her skin. It was hard to explain. She could sense
that he was a good person, but at the same time that she should be wary of him.

She knew that at some point Enju and Kei butted heads, but not what it was
regarding. As it was, they generally avoided each other by tacit agreement.
She realized that not everyone could get along, even if both people were very
nice.

Quistis gave a mental sigh of relief. It was nice to have Xu back. She'd
have someone to *talk* to again. Enju tried sometimes. He would ask how her
day went and try to get her to open up to him, but she wasn't comfortable. She
couldn't put a finger on it. He just *felt* different.

The thought that she really didn't know anything about him had crossed her
mind a few times. She knew that he transferred from Trabia, but the twins
don't remember seeing him at the Garden. He'd been orphaned and raised in the
Guild. Beyond that, she couldn't tell.

Then again, she hadn't volunteered much information about herself either.
Communication was a two way street; one they hadn't learned to freely travel
yet. Maybe, someday, when she felt closer to him -- and him to her -- their
friendship would begin. But until that day, they would remain comrades in
arms, fellow SeeD cadets.

*****

There was a light tapping on the door to Xu's quarters. She stood and
tightened the belt to her night robe before answering it. Kei was in the
hallway with her hands neatly folded in front of her.

"I was wondering when you'd come around," Xu stepped aside to allow her
cousin to enter.

"Everyone was so excited to have you back. I didn't want to bother you
with this until things were settled down for the evening." The room was sparse
of personal effects. Kei wouldn't have expected anything else from Xu. The
majority of her unpacking probably involved putting uniforms away after ironing
them.

"That's considerate of you. I'm as curious to know as you are," Xu led
them into the bedroom. Kei respectfully turned her back as Xu began to
undress.

"So they did *it*, huh?"

"See for yourself," Xu invited. Kei turned around to have her cousin's
bare back towards her. The fact that Xu was completely naked except for a pair
of panties didn't faze Kei. Her eyes were intent upon the elaborate tattoo
that went down the center of Xu's back and spread across her ribs and shoulder
blades. Kei lightly traced a finger along it, noticing that Xu squirmed at her
touch due to its newness.

"You always put yourself through more pain than necessary," Kei complained
while pulling a Cure spell from her pouch. She cast it with enough force to
bring relief to the tender skin. The tattoo was a 'wound' that was inflicted
long enough ago that no curative spell could reverse the 'damage', only
complete the natural healing process. "Sometimes I think you enjoy suffering.
You don't do anything to prevent it."

Xu purposefully ignored that last comment by answering the earlier one.
"I didn't want to risk the spell removing it," she explained. With her back to
her cousin, Xu couldn't see the glare and obvious difference of opinion that
Kei felt. There was no chance of it healing completely after a day passed. Xu
didn't heal herself because she was following 'tradition' and that irked Kei.
It was stupid to suffer when one didn't have to.

Kei sighed heavily then returned to examining the markings on Xu's back.
"Damn, this must have taken them hours and hurt like hell," she leaned closer
to take in the finer details.

"You're right on both points. Can you read it?"

"I'm trying," Kei muttered as she concentrated. Xu was much better at
reading their language than she was. She'd switched over to the standard
language as soon as she could and rarely looked back. It was only because of
Xu's insistence that they speak in their native language when they were alone
like this that Kei retained any fluency at all. "This is so elaborate. Not
even my father's tattoo can match it for detail."

Kei sighed again and looked around her. "Where's a piece of paper? I'll
draw it for you and you can try to read it. I don't recognize more than your
name."

Xu remained still as Kei carefully copied the design onto the paper. For
as long as it was taking Kei, she was either being careful with her drawing or
it was very detailed.

"Why did you let them do this to you? It wasn't bad enough that your name
is blazon across your back, but you'll never be able to wear something that
doesn't fully cover your upper body again," Kei scolded as she worked.

"It- I can't explain it, Kei. It felt like the thing to do."

"It's called an 'impulse'. You generally ignore those because they prompt
you to do foolish things. If I listened to my impulses, there would be fewer
cadets running around the Garden. I'm going to touch you for a moment," she
warned before angling Xu's skin differently. The center of the back was an
inconvenient place for such nonsense.

"But it feels significant," Xu insisted quietly. She let that feeling
fade before speaking again. "They were anxious to see you as well."

"I'm not going near them if they're going to try to do *this* to me," Kei
growled. "Blast it all, but this is some piece of work. I don't think I'm
doing it justice. It might be better to wait until your physical. Doctor
Kadowaki will take an image of it and you can look then."

"You know I can't let her take an image," she protested.

"This coming from Miss Let's-Keep-A-Journal? Don't be hypocritical," Kei
gave her a solid poke in the back for that.

Xu winced, but didn't reply to the comment. Kei was right, it was
hypocritical, but her *feelings*... She didn't understand them, never mind
being able to explain.

"I'm finished," Kei announced, handing the sheet to Xu over her shoulder.
She then turn away again to allow her cousin the chance to belt her robe back
on without her watching. Such courtesies really weren't necessary between them
considering their familiarity with each other, but Kei was funny that way.

Xu let out a low whistle as she looked over the sheet. "This is really on
my back?"

"I didn't get all the details, but that's what it generally looks like,"
Kei pointed out the areas she fudged on. "Can you read it?"

Xu sat on the corner of her bed as she studied the picture. There were a
pair of upward turned four pronged designs across her shoulder blades with a
character at the tip of each. This pattern with a different set of characters
mirrored across her lower back. In the center was an elaborate design that had
some characters (or so Xu assumed) that she didn't have a chance of
understanding. Surrounding this center design were various other characters
that almost looked familiar, but not enough for recognition. "I'm as boggled
as you," she admitted. "'Something of something' here in the center? I don't
know..."

"And I doubt my father would be helpful if we asked him," Kei added
sourly. Stupid traditions about having to figure it out on your own if you
couldn't read it already. It wasn't like there was a dictionary here that they
could go look the characters up in. The Anshin were pretty stingy when it came
to letting such materials out into the world.

"It's fine. I'm sure we'll figure it out someday," Xu rolled onto her
stomach as she lay stretched out on the bed studying the drawing. "It's almost
pretty..."

Kei leaned over to look at it again. "Not to my tastes, but I can see
it," she allowed. "Honestly, what did you do there?"

"I'm not sure I should tell you," Xu drawled slowly. "It should be a
surprise for when they catch you."

Kei wasn't amused by her cousin's stab at humor. "C'mon already."

"The elders pounced me as soon as I got off the transport. I saw my
parents standing off to the side, but the elders pulled me away. I was looking
forward to seeing my father too," she frowned slightly.

"I hadn't been in the building they led me to before. I don't know if you
have either. It's the one behind the old granary, with all the tall shrubs in
front of it?" Kei indicated that she knew which one Xu was describing.

"I thought it was closed off, but it wasn't. It was dark and the air was
thick with the smell of incense," she wiggled her nose as she recalled the
scent. "They had me change into traditional robes -- you know the ones. Then
we sat and they asked me all sorts of questions for who knows for how long."

"About what?"

"Anything... Everything! They asked about Garden, SeeD, Galbadia, Sean,"
his name was said at the tail end of a sigh. "They did say it was my
punishment that he died, as I knew they would."

"Insensitive bastards," Kei squeezed her hand sympathetically.

"We spoke at length about Sean, in fact. They wanted to know everything
about him. Especially how I felt. I missed him so much, Kei. I can't help
it. I'm lonely without him.

"When I was too tired to keep talking they wouldn't let me return to my
parent's house to sleep. I curled up and slept where I was sitting. They all
left at that point. Probably to go to bed in their own homes," she added
bitterly.

"The next day -- or so I assume, there was no way to tell the passage of
time in that room -- your father led me to another room in the building. This
room had a large hot spring. Your mother was there. They wanted me to
thoroughly cleanse myself. Your mother insisted on helping me wash though I'm
more than capable of doing it on my own."

"How odd," Kei mused, "she wouldn't help me tie my shoes after I learned
it once. I wonder what got into her?"

"I don't know. After that, I was led into a third room with a table and,
well, you can figure out what happened *there*."

"You could have fought back. You could have told them to go to hell and
left," Kei frowned as she regarded her cousin.

Xu bobbed her head in agreement. "True. None of them could stop me if I
was that intent on leaving, but I wasn't. Like I said earlier, it just felt
right -- being there, I mean. It was as if I was finally doing something I was
supposed to and it felt good."

Kei scoffed. "Being a SeeD, an Instructor, and a Weapons Mistress aren't
enough for you? You have shoes large enough for ten people to fill. Don't let
them add any more responsibilities to your already heavy load."

"That's what was so odd about it all," Xu reflected. "They didn't ask me
to stay, or to make any commitments. I went to my parent's house after that
and didn't see another elder except for your father during the rest of my
visit. That reminds me..."

Xu got off the bed and went to her desk. She pulled out a drawer to
retrieve a small bundle from it. "Your siblings asked me to deliver their
letters to you. Catch," she tossed the bundle over. A data chip followed the
bundle as Kei's quick reflexes snapped it out of the air.

"I took a lot of images while I was there. Mikel's gotten big, but he's
as adorable as ever."

"Thanks," Kei replied only half-paying attention. She was intently
studying the envelope of the top letter. It was from her father according to
addressing. She undid the twine holding the letters together so the she could
read his now. He always wrote so formally. She usually needed Xu's help to
understand him whenever he did send correspondence.

"Hum? What is it, Kei?" Xu was too polite to look over her shoulder, but
was curious as to what caught Kei's attention.

"It's a request that I return as soon as possible. 'It is of the utmost
importance that you come home. While I cannot order you to do so, I can beg
you. Please return, Kei.' What's gotten into them?" She hit her fist on the
bed. Such puzzles frustrated her and the fact that she and Xu were apparently
the keys didn't make her any happier.

"Maybe he wants to bury the hatchet?" Xu offered.

"..."

Kei handed the letter over to Xu for her to read. "I wonder if they'll
call the Headmaster and ask him to release you as they did with me. I can't
see him being pleased about that without some answers being given. But it
might be the only way we'll find out what they're up to. Besides," her serious
expression softened as she smiled, "you're better at telling them off than I
am. It would give you a chance to vent."

"Tch, what nonsense!"

*****

Xu tried to maintain a stoic expression as she stood at ease before the
Headmaster's desk, but it was hard to not return his warm smile. Cid looked
well and all his familiar fidgeting was the most appropriate 'welcome back'
that Xu could think of.

She was wearing one of her Galbadia uniforms. Unfortunately, she was
unable to get any of her Balamb ones altered before this meeting. She had
considered borrowing a uniform from Kei, but then she would be dressed as a
male, which was almost as bad as wearing the wrong uniform in the first place.
To Cid, it didn't matter what she was wearing, he was just glad to have her
back.

"I've read through your report. You've certainly outdone yourself," Cid
complimented while flipping through a folder of papers on his desk. "Are you
ready for your next assignment?"

"Yes, Headmaster," she replied promptly.

He regarded her over the rims of his glasses before glancing down once
more. "Your next assignment is the complete the first one I gave you. Make
sure Quistis Trepe graduates as a SeeD," his eyes moved up to meet hers.

'But... you told me that when I was a still cadet!' Her mind protested.
"Yes, sir," she acknowledged without hesitation. Wondering about his
long-lived memory could be left for later.

He closed the file he was reading from. Then stood up and walked around
the desk so that he could lean against it while speaking with her. He folded
his arms across his chest in a relaxed manner. This was the Cid Kramer she saw
on a few occasions as a cadet. His 'candid stance' is what it could be called
when he was at ease like this. Xu prepared herself mentally for the cards Cid
was about to put onto the table. It was rare when he played his hand; one
mustn't miss it.

"The upcoming year will tell the tale. I expect great things from
Quistis, just as I expect great things from you. Every garden needs nurturing
and I believe that you will make an excellent gardener, if you'll forgive the
pun.

"Not that I expect you to pour all your efforts into a single student. I
want you to establish a weapon training program here that is similar to the one
Galbadia has. Teaching weapons was never one of my strong suits and you seem
to have a knack for it," his eyes crinkled closed with a smile. "The Faculty
can ease the burden on you by continuing to teach the introductory level
classes. But by the end of the term I want all of the upper division classes
under your watchful eye."

'Okay, maybe comparing it to dropping a bomb was more appropriate than a
game of cards,' Xu thought dryly. Her mind raced to figure out a way to fit in
both instructing and weapons classes. She managed it for a week in Galbadia,
but she couldn't do it on a long-term basis. There were enough students at
Balamb to justify having a full time Master.

"Sir, in my opinion, contracting a Master would be for the best if you
want to implement that system," she advised. Cid was always open to
suggestions, so she didn't feel uncomfortable pointing out the possible
shortcomings of his plan.

"And what's wrong with the Master I have standing before me?" He
challenged.

She flushed before answering. "I'm concerned that I won't be able to
maintain quality instruction while also teaching weapons work. It'd become too
much before long."

His eyes narrowed. "Whatever gave you the impression that I would waste
your time with instruction? It's all too rare when I have a SeeD who is also a
member of the Guild. It's an opportunity I won't waste. Let the Faculty deal
with the instruction end of things. I want you spearheading the physical
training programs. And don't forget Quistis, understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good," he nodded his head sharply. "I want you to feel comfortable
coming to me for anything you need. If you want to talk -- professionally or
otherwise -- don't hesitate. We'll be working together closely in the upcoming
years. We need to become familiar with where one another is coming from."

"Yes, sir."

"Cid."

"Sir?"

"Xu! At ease," he favored her with an exasperated look while shaking his
head. "You're not in Galbadia any more. Military precision has its place, but
my office is not one of them. You will kindly leave your 'sirs' at the door
when you enter. Call me Cid."

"Yes, s- Cid," she corrected herself hastily.

"Well, that's a start." He drew a ring with many keys on it from his
trouser pocket. "Here are the keys to the training facilities. If you need
access to an area that you don't have a key for let me know."

There had to be at least twenty keys on the ring he handed her. Each one
with a little sticker attached that indicated what it opened. She tucked the
ring away in a secure pouch until she found a way to fasten it to her belt.

"The training facilities are your domain now. Take an inventory and
requisition any items you need, then organize them as you see fit."

"I'll get right on it," she assured.

Cid's lips quirked, "Business as usual, Xu? I would encourage you to not
squander your youth in favor of duty if I didn't need you so desperately."

Xu's expressionless mask broke into a soft smile. "I gave myself
willingly to duty when I came here. It's a decision I don't regret. I'll give
the tasks you assign me everything I've got until I succeed."

"I know you will," he placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a tight
squeeze. "That's why I chose you."

*****

Only a few lights were on when Xu entered the training room. She turned
to a panel on her right and upped the brightness so that the room wasn't cast
in shadows. Calling it a 'room' was a misnomer. The 'Training Center' applied
to the area that contained live monsters for combat purposes. The 'Training
Room' was the training facilities, which consisted of a weight room, shooting
range, weapons locker (another misnomer for the small room that contained
various practice weapons), an office, locker rooms, and a large practice area
with several mats to spar on and a punching bag in each corner. Xu didn't
doubt that there were more rooms here that she'd never been in. There had to
be for all the keys that dangled from her belt.

The first place she decided to explore was the office. It was a smallish
room off of the main practice area. A large window was in the shared wall with
draw down blinds offering the office privacy. The key that was labeled
'office' slid into the lock with it tumbling easily when twisted.

A sparse room with a desk terminal greeted her. She could look through
the files stored on the terminal later. For now, she moved into the room and
began familiarizing herself with it. Shelves filled with books ranging in
topic from weapons to first aid to monster anatomy hung from the wall above a
storage cabinet. The cabinet contained many small bins that could be pulled
out. Doing so, she discovered that the bins contained various spell beads.
She made a mental note to make labels for the bins while pulling them out to
get a rough idea of how much of each spell was present.

'The supply of curative spells at every strength is low,' she noticed. It
was good to have a healthy supply of the bead form of spells on hand so that
anyone could cast them in an emergency. Using potions for mass curative
purposes quickly became expensive whereas spells could be harvested from
monsters time and time again at no cost.

She crouched down to reach the lower bins. "What the-?" She asked aloud
at discovering a softly glowing, emerald colored stone. It had to be a
Guardian Force of some type, but why was it orphaned in a locked office? It
*should* be with its owner being properly cared for.

"Hey there," she greeted the stone as she picked it up. "Let's take you
into the other room and see what you look like."

She could feel the Guardian Force within awaken. It stirred sleepily at
first -- its time tucked away must have span into the years -- then snapped
awake. Xu stumbled on the edge of a mat due to a wave of disorientation that
washed over her. The GF's bond to her was like an iron grip. None of her
other GFs aligned themselves with her as quickly or as firmly as this one.
Especially considering that she had yet to summon it even once. A trickle of
fear crept into her mind as she wondered again why this GF was so long
forgotten in a bin.

Standing in the middle of the main mat, she focused her will into
summoning the Guardian Force. The world around her shimmered then a small hole
opened up a few meters from where she stood. An emerald colored creature with
long, pointed ears to match an equally long tuff of fur off the top of its head
poked up. After looking around, it leapt into the air with a spin. The ruby
red jewel on its forehead exploded into light. Xu nodded appreciatively as she
felt the Reflect spell being cast on her before the creature disappeared back
into its hole.

"Nice to meet you too, Carbuncle," she caressed the stone in her right
hand. The Guardian Force bonded even tighter to her, if that were possible.
She twitched her head physically in response.

"What are you doing?" She mumbled softly. "You can't lodge yourself in my
body, but I feel as though you would if it were possible."

The idea didn't frighten her, as it ought to have. She slid the GF into a
pouch with the others in her possession. Carbuncle wouldn't be denied the
attention it craved any longer.

The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring the facilities and taking
note of things to change, look into, or replace. The facilities weren't bad,
but she had some ideas on how to improve them. If Cid was giving her this
opportunity, she might as well test how long of a lead he put her on.

What order should she start to take over students in? She rolled the
question around in her mind before deciding to approach those that were closest
to graduation first. A bit of spit polish before sending them out for the
exams wouldn't hurt. But before she could polish, she'd need to establish
where the students were in their training. The thought of taking cadets out to
assess their abilities while gathering beads to refill her supply came to mind.
That would kill two birds with one stone. She could take the first ones out as
early as tomorrow.

*****

Later that evening, Xu was jotting down her notes from the day. Once
everything was down on paper she leaned up from her bent position to run her
fingers through her hair. Idly, she rolled the stylus between her fingers as
she read through her entries for anything that required further elaboration.

What did Cid expect of her? Her best, but that was the obvious answer.
His orders were clear, yet ambiguous. How did he want her to go about training
the cadets? Any skills that he wanted her to emphasize? What if they wanted
to learn a weapon she wasn't familiar with? Just because she was a Weapons
Mistress didn't mean she had command of every type of weapon out there.

She pushed herself away from her desk. Now was a good time to visit
Doctor Kadowaki. The good Doctor always had an ear to lend and advice to offer
when someone's mind was troubled. Plus she knows the Headmaster in a way Xu
doesn't. Maybe she could get some hints for what to expect.

Even with that goal set aside, she still needed to see the Doctor for a
check up. When she was to stop by for the exam was at her convenience, just so
long as it was sooner rather than later. Xu checked the chronometer to see if
it was still during office hours. The Doctor was always on call if an
emergency presented itself, but this hardly qualified. Confident that Kadowaki
would still be in, she made her way to the Infirmary.

The doors to the Infirmary hissed as they drew into the wall to admit her.
Kadowaki looked up from her work to see who it was. A smile spread across her
face at seeing Xu approach. "It's good to see you, Instructor Xu."

"Please, you calling me anything besides 'Miss Xu' strikes me as being
wrong," Xu brushed a lock of hair back behind her ear with embarrassment.
Kadowaki came from around her desk to embrace the young Instructor.

"So you say," Kadowaki waved aside the protest. "I assume that you're
here for your routine exam? Good, you know the drill, up on the scale with
you. The Galbadia Garden Doctor forwarded your medical records, so this should
be pretty cut and dry."

Xu went through the paces as Kadowaki checked items off on her clipboard.
The Doctor directed her to get up on the examination table. SeeD made a point
of noting every distinctive characteristic of its members. This was a standard
procedure should SeeD find itself in need of identifying a member or the
remains there of.

"Any scars, cuts, missing toes, or whatnot that I should know about?"
Kadowaki asked.

"My back."

The Doctor walked to the other side of the table and hiked Xu's shirt up.
Kadowaki hummed to herself softly, then instructed Xu to remove her shirt so
that an image could be taken. Xu stretched across the table with her head
cushioned by her arms. The Doctor checked the display to be sure the image was
a good one before allowing Xu to get dressed.

"May I see the image you just made?" Xu asked after pulling her sleeveless
undershirt back on.

Kadowaki gave her a questioning look. "Of course, I'll bring it up on the
display." She tapped a few keys before the wall display glowed brightly with
the image.

Xu crossed her arms as she tried to read what was on the display. She
could see why Kei was having problems. "Guard? That's not the character for
Guardian, but it resembles it..." she muttered softly to herself in her native
language, completely forgetting that Kadowaki was standing behind her.

The Doctor watched her as she thought. "What are you saying, Xu? I don't
understand you."

Xu sighed heavily then turned to address the Doctor. "I can't deny it
anymore. I'm from Centra and this," she gestured to the screen, "is my position
within the Anshin clan. The only problem is, I can't read it," she sighed
again.

Kadowaki pressed Xu back up onto the table like she had so many times in
the past when Xu was a child in need of being straightened out. "You silly
girl. It doesn't matter to anyone of importance where you're from. The fact
that you and Kei even try to hide it is amusing," she gave the younger woman a
solid poke in the belly.

"..." Xu wasn't sure how to respond to that.

Kadowaki snorted. "It's called 'genetics'. You come from a very pure
bloodline," she paused. "If I had to place a wager, I would say that Kei is a
pure blood while you are three-quarters?"

Xu blinked. Her father's father was an outsider to the clan who joined
them. Genetically speaking, that would make her three-quarters pure. How did
the she know?

"I'm right," the Doctor concluded from Xu's silence. "I've examined
siblings who had less in common than you two do.

"You don't need to worry about your privacy. As a Doctor and your friend,
your secret is safe with me."

"It isn't much of a secret anymore," Xu admitted sheepishly.

"Yes, I remember reading a couple articles on the newslinks about an
Anshin woman who stood up to Vinzer Deling. They didn't name her, of course,
but I had a sneaking suspicion that it was you," she laughed. "Kei wasn't in
the country at the time, so it had to be you!"

Xu smiled at that. Standing up the Deling was relatively minor compared
to what Kei would do if she were allowed to run freely around Galbadia. She'd
bully them into realizing how foolish their xenophobia was or die trying (with
the person dying not being her). It would do Galbadia a world of good to have
her cousin breathing down their necks for a while in Xu's honest opinion.

"I must admit that the exam wasn't the only reason I came by. Do you have
a few minutes for me to bend your ear?"

"I'm here anytime you need me," Kadowaki assured. "What did you want to
talk about?"

"You've known the Headmaster for a while haven't you?"

"I used to baby-sit him when he was a boy," her face creased as she
smiled. "But don't let him know that I told you that. Why do you ask?"

Xu ducked her head. "I was hoping that you could help me figure out what
his expectations of me are. I was caught off guard by his shifting the weapons
training over to me. I'm feeling somewhat overwhelmed by such a daunting
task."

Kadowaki gave her a sympathetic squeeze on the shoulder. "Do we ever know
what's on that man's mind until after the fact? I would say that he's testing
you. Rise up to the challenge and show him what you're made of."

"That's easier said than done," Xu pointed out.

"Yes, it is, but since when have you backed down from a challenge? I seem
to recall a stubborn cadet who tested out of her class level right after having
the stuffing beaten out of her by a Grat."

Xu smiled as she recalled that afternoon. "You're right, I won't back
down. I just wish that I had a firmer grasp of the Headmaster's intentions."

"Don't we all?"

*****


Kei frowned as she read the message that was displayed on the terminal in
her quarters. It was another request from her father to return home.

Why won't he leave her alone? She didn't want to see him. He didn't want
to see her. That was the status quo. This arrangement suited her just fine
and she saw no reason to change it.

"I'm not some Guardian Force to be summoned at your whim," she muttered.
With a savage poke of her index finger the message was erased from the system.

*****

"Do you think you're ready to challenge her?" Nym asked in a hushed voice.

"I've been ready for a year now," Quistis waved off her current roommate's
concern. Her former roommate sat across from her at the Cafeteria table. Xu
hadn't been back for two days before Quistis challenged her to a Triple Triad
match. But not just any match. The cadet was making her way through the ranks
of players and was stuck at Xu's tier. Quistis couldn't advance until she beat
her friend at a game. Nym was present to witness the match since it was an
official one involving player rankings.

Xu didn't comment as she sorted through her cards. Even *finding* them
had been a challenge. As much as she loved her cousin, she should never have
sent her cards to Kei. Her idea of organization defied all established
definitions for the word. Xu finally found her deck tucked between the
mattress and the frame of Kei's bed. She wasn't brave enough to ask how they
got there in the first place.

The rules were agreed upon. The winner would collect one card from the
loser. The question was; how good of a deck did Quistis have? Xu didn't have
any of the newer cards that were released within the last couple years. If
Quistis was in possession of a handful of those, she was quite likely screwed.
The five cards she would use to defend her ranking were selected with the rest
of the deck set aside.

Quistis set the first card down in the corner with both facing sides
strong. So Quistis was going to play defensively and catch her at the end,
huh? The strategy was vulnerable to forced draws if both players were
defensive. That wouldn't save her skin for long since Quistis could continue
to challenge her for as many matches as she wanted. But if Xu took a big
enough bite out of her deck it might discourage the cadet from coming around
again any time soon.

The first match did end in a draw. Quistis immediately challenge Xu to
another one. Xu was able to fend off Quistis' more aggressive tactics this
game. In the end, she won by a single point and claimed one of the newer cards
from Quistis' hand. The girl frowned deeply and challenged again.

Xu knew that she didn't have the cards to fend off Quistis if she was
persistent. In the end, it didn't matter. Quistis surprised Xu with the last
card she laid down capturing two of Xu's. The cadet reclaimed the card Xu
captured while her elder lamented her lost status.

"Do you know who to challenge next?" Xu slipped her deck into a pocket.
At least she hadn't lost any cards.

Quistis nodded, "I've just been waiting for you to return."

"Well, if you want to practice, you know where to find me. Which reminds
me, Nym, I want you and Myn to come to the training room after your classes let
out tomorrow. We're going bead gathering so bring your Guardian Forces."

"Sir?" A puzzled expression crossed her face.

"You know that I hold a Master's rank within the Weapons Guild?" They both
nodded. "With that in mind, the Headmaster has decided that I will take over
teaching weapons work to the Garden's student. I intend to start with the
students closest to graduation and work my way back in class. I want to take
my new students out spell gathering so that I know where to begin when we get
back."

Nym bobbed her head. "We'll meet you there," she paused briefly,
"Instructor? Mistress? SeeD? Which title should I use?"

"Xu, please, just Xu. I've had enough titles to last a life time."

*****

A party consisting of Myn, Nym, and Xu left Balamb Garden the following
afternoon in search of Cure spells. The easiest monsters to get them from were
the Glacial Eyes.

The appearance of the Glacial Eyes always reminded Xu of a floating spinal
cord complete with rib cage. The description wasn't far off. Their flesh
stretched from the bottom of one 'rib' and over the top (where a head would be
on a neck if they had one) and down the other side. Their glossy blue coloring
was almost beautiful, despite being a fairly ugly creature overall.

Only Xu carried curative items in the form of a few potions. If they
could all return with a full pouch of Cure beads, that would give her a solid
start on rebuilding the Cura supply when she refined the Cures into the
stronger magic.

Myn checked over his utility belt once more as they walked up a grassy
knoll not far from the Garden.

"Is something the matter?" Xu asked, curiosity piqued by his rummaging
around in his pouches.

"I feel as though I've forgotten something," he said more to himself than
to answer her.

Xu looked him over quickly to see if anything was out of place. He had
his knife, several pouches, and his weapon: a pair of sickled blades attached
by a chain. How one could wield such a weapon and not slice off a limb boggled
Xu. She'd watched him warm up with them and was amazed by the effortless grace
with which he performed.

His twin's approach was straightforward with her shuriken darts. Xu could
appreciate the advantages a ranged weapon offered as long as the person using
it wasn't solely dependent upon it. She wanted to see how practiced Nym was
with her close combat skills in addition to how good her aim was.

Myn pointed down the slope of the hill to where two Glacial Eyes hovered
near some underbrush. Xu acknowledged his keen eye and motioned for them to
range to either side of her. She would take up the point while they tried to
catch the monsters in a pincer attack.

"Kill off one and leave the other to draw spells from," Xu ordered after
successfully engaging the monsters. Myn moved forward first to attack. He
lunged up to the monster and swiped the edge of his weapon across its
vulnerable underside. The Glacial Eye howled with rage at his impudence.

Nym jumped into the fray after he pulled out. She surprised Xu by drawing
out her belt knife, bringing it around swiftly, and sinking it deep into the
creature's flesh. With a sickening sound, she twisted it once before
withdrawing the blade savagely. That proved to be its deathblow. The Glacial
Eye convulsed once before dropping to the ground.

Xu quickly stepped in and cast Sleep on the remaining monster. The
creature couldn't resist her spell, drifting off to sleep. "Pull as much as
you can while it's out," she put words into practice as she prepared to draw
Cure magic from the monster.

"Dammit!" Myn exclaimed. "I left my Guardian Forces on my desk when I
bent over to fasten my boots. That's what I'm missing."

Xu frowned at his thoughtlessness. One didn't leave their GFs behind,
especially when they were on a spell-gathering mission. Spells could only be
collected with the aid of the GFs. Anyone could cast magic, but the collection
required training and a Guardian Force that was junctioned to the user.

"Finish off this Glacial Eye and I'll lend you one of my GFs," Xu motioned
for them to attack.

The twins acted quickly to carry out her orders. Once the immediate area
was secured Xu pulled out a Guardian Force for Myn to use. She didn't even
think about which one to give him as long as it wasn't already junctioned to
her. It came as a surprise to them all when Carbuncle rejected Myn outright by
refusing to junction with him.

"I haven't done anything!" He professed his innocence. If he had
neglected or abused the GF he could understand its hostilities towards him, but
this was his first encounter with Carbuncle.

"I'm sorry, let me give you another one," she lent him Diablos instead.
Once Carbuncle was back in her possession, she felt it 'cuddle' up to her. It
didn't like being away from her, even for the few minutes that Myn held the
stone.

'What's your problem?' She thought silently to the Guardian Force. It
didn't answer her, of course, except to wash her over with a wave of love,
adoration and assurance. She had never encountered a GF with so much
personality. Usually they were content with being summoned and occasionally
fondled. Carbuncle was a constant presence in the back of her mind, always
wanting to be in on her thoughts and feelings.

'I should speak with the Headmaster,' she decided. But when would she
have the time? As long as Carbuncle wasn't doing any harm, she could let
matters stand as they were. She would have to remember to mention it next time
she caught up with Cid.

Once Myn was junctioned, he turned out to be a strong magic user. He
consistently pulled the maximum amount of Cure one could in a single attempt.
It was a skill his twin couldn't match. She would draw only a few castings if
she didn't outright fail in the attempt.

This disturbed Xu. Trabia drilled their cadets in the use of energy
quanta, which was considered an advanced magic technique. Bead magic was
simple compared to it. She hoped that Nym was just out of practice with the
use of beads since Trabia didn't hit on the subject very hard.

It took fewer encounters than Xu expected to fill their pouches. She
wasn't sure if she was pleased by their efficiency or disappointed at not
having more of a chance to see the twins in action -- especially Nym. She had
an uneasy feeling about the cadet's true skill level.

"Let's head back," Xu motioned in the general direction of the Garden.
They were far enough out that it would take a couple hours to get back if they
stopped to battle monsters along the way. "If you want to impress me, now's
the time to do it."

"Oooh, a challenge," Nym jabbed her twin. "You heard the Instructor, Myn,
we've gotta knock her socks off!"

"I'm thinking that our 'Twin Magic' should do the trick," he nodded his
head in agreement with his own idea.

"Twin Magic?" Xu asked, pulling up the rear of the group.

"You'll see," Nym promised, motioning to a pair of nearby Glacial Eyes
with her head. Xu wasn't sure she liked the devilish gleam in Nym's eyes.
"Orders, sir?"

"Engage them, standard formation," Xu took up the point with Nym and Myn
fanning out to the sides. One of the Glacial Eyes took notice of Xu and
charged at her. She spun away easily while managing to clip it along one of
its fleshy flaps with her sai.

To her left, Myn made a hand motion with Nym following his cue. They were
focused on casting a spell if Xu didn't miss her guess. The Glacial Eye came
around again and was rewarded with a gash to its other flap for its efforts.

"FIRA TWIN!" They call out simultaneously; perfectly mirroring their
focusing exercises. Twin bursts of Fira engulfed the pair of Glacial Eyes,
causing them to squirm with pain before dying as a result of the doubly cast
spell.

Xu had to admit that she was impressed. "I wonder if you could cast two
spells like that -- one right after the other -- if you had used a Double spell
first..." she mused aloud. Their little trick did have merits under the right
circumstances. If both of them could double cast a spell, and then did a
twinning of that, it would make for a powerful magical attack.

"It's something to try if we can get some Double castings," Myn agreed.
"It took us long enough to figure out how to cast Fira without having any Fira
spells on us."

"I didn't think you guys had any Firas with you," Xu admitted. "How did
you do it? Can you do that with other spells?"

The party continued making their way towards the Garden while Myn
explained the logic behind it. "We discovered that when we were both casting
the same spell at the same time, we could boost its power using the other as a
sort of mirror. So if we focused on a Fire spell, we could boost it in
strength to a Fira spell, but it was a single casting between two people."

"And how useful is that when you could simple refine Fire spells into the
more powerful Fira?" Nym chimed in. The point was well taken. It was poor
combat practice to tie up two fighters on a single task when one person could
accomplish the same thing with a little preparation.

"So we worked on learning how to split the Fira after we combined to
create it. Took us a while and a lot of charred rocks, but you can see that
our efforts were successful," he beamed with understandable pride.

"We're well practiced at boosting low level elemental spells to medium
level. We've only been able to boost a high level Firaga spell up to a Flare
once. And we felt drained for days afterwards. It was too big of a leap for
us," Nym picked up the explanation.

"Where did you get the idea to even try a combined magical attack?" Xu
marveled at their ingenuity and wondered if the Headmaster knew. More than
likely, he did. He wasn't one to let such things slip by unnoticed.

"Oh, from this silly video game Nym used to play all the time. It had
these twin magic users in it that cast powerful magic together." Myn
disregarded the validity of the game with a flip of his wrist.

"It was *not* a silly game," Nym huffed. "They were cute! And when they
sacrificed themselves in-"

"I'm not listening," Myn sighed. He abruptly had to duck a swipe at his
head with one of his twin's shuriken.

Nym continued arguing with Myn for the rest of the trip about the merits
of the game. Xu chuckled to herself. She had to agree with Myn on this one,
video games really were silly.

Once they had returned to the Garden, Nym and Myn parted ways to get
cleaned up. By the time they met up again for dinner Nym had already told
Quistis and Enju that Myn had forgotten his Guardian Forces. Nym continued to
give him grief as they waited in the dinner line and back at their table.

"Did you really forget your Guardian Forces?" Quistis asked. Myn wasn't
capable of such a stupid mistake, was he?

He sighed dramatically with a mischievous glint coming to his eye,
"Questioning my questing qualifications, Quistis?" The corner of his mouth
quirked up as he awaited her answer.

"Quit it," Nym warned with a grin betraying the seriousness in her tone.

Quistis held Myn's eyes with her own, then firmly said, "That's quite
enough."

Enju smirked, "Quippy." Quistis shot him a look and he ducked his head.
"Sorry, couldn't help myself."

Quistis giggled softly. She couldn't be upset, even if the joke was
somewhat at her expense. The twins teased each other constantly and decided to
pull her into their fun tonight. Besides, Myn forgetting his Guardian Forces
was a good laugh in and of itself. He'd never make SeeD if things like that
continued to happen.

*****

Later that night in the privacy of Xu's quarters a game of Triple Triad
was being played between a woman who loved the game and another who hated it.

"Xu?"

"Hum?"

"Are you going to lay down a card or stare at my shoulder?" Kei sighed.
"You make me play this damn game with you and you aren't even paying
attention." The game itself was distasteful to Kei as it was a blatant waste
of time, but she indulged her cousin on occasion.

Xu inhaled deeply before concentrating on the cards in her hand. She put
one down in a position that even Kei could see was a foolish mistake. Kei set
her borrowed cards aside. "Enough games. What's on your mind?"

"A lot of things," Xu answered, not even protesting the abrupt end to
their match. She leaned back in the desk chair she pulled up to a small table
for their game. Her quarters were too quiet sometimes, she could almost
hear... That bit of insanity was cut off before the thought could fully form.

"That much is obvious," Kei said dryly. That was her way of being
sympathetic. Her cousin wasn't much for offering a shoulder to cry on, but Xu
would be hard pressed to find someone more willing stick up for her. Kei would
listen to her, as she always did. Then she would offer suggestions that ranged
from ignoring the problem to confronting it in a manner that was a complete and
total overkill. The middle ground of 'peaceful resolution' that someone like
the Headmaster would suggest wasn't in Kei's repertoire.

"The Garden feels different. No... That isn't true. The Garden feels
normal, *I* feel different," she fumbled for the words to describe the
ambiguous feelings she experienced ever since leaving Galbadia. It wasn't that
Balamb didn't feel like her home anymore. Galbadia could never replace it in
her heart, but everything felt *different*.

The frown on Kei's face only deepened as she listened to her cousin grasp
for the words. "Are you sick? Do you need to see Doctor Kadowaki?"

"I don't have gas, Kei," Xu said, trying to lighten the mood a bit.
"Though it feels uncomfortable like gas does..."

"When did you start feeling this way?"

"After leaving Galbadia. I don't think anyone has ever been happier to
get out of that place, but when I came here my joy was muted," Xu sighed. She
wanted to be ecstatic about returning to Balamb, but she couldn't quite muster
the enthusiasm.

"Did something more happen while you were back home that you didn't tell
me?" Kei's mind rapidly shifted through everything Xu told her and tried to
make sense of it. "You did say that coming of age felt right. What did you
mean by that?"

"It did feel right. I don't know why. Maybe I'm more Anshin than I wish
to admit," Xu sighed and slouched in her chair. She knew Kei wouldn't buy
that. It was a weak excuse, even to her ears.

Kei crossed her arms as she thought. "You are more traditional than
you'll admit. You always have been," she met Xu's eyes and held them. Those
rich brown eyes that matched Kei's own reflected the uneasiness that was
warring in her soul.

"That's not a bad thing," Xu said finally.

"No, it's not," her cousin allowed, "but you need to decide where you
stand on some issues. You can't remain neutral forever."

Xu opened her mouth to protest, then closed it without anything being
said. She sunk deeper into her chair and closed her eyes.

"I've never seen you so listless. What's wrong with you?" Concern colored
Kei's voice. This was most definitely *not* like her. Xu was confident and
strong. She knew what she wanted and went straight for it without hesitation
or regret.

"Nothing. Everything. I don't know anymore," Xu whispered without moving
from her slouched position. "I feel different but I can't explain how."

"Xu..." Kei resisted the urge to take her by the shoulders and give her a
solid shake. That would do nothing for Xu's lethargic spirit.

"Are you fit for duty?" Kei asked after the pause stretched on for several
minutes.

"I will always complete my duty without fail."

Kei didn't need to see the fire in Xu's eyes to know she meant that. The
steel in her voice regarding her convictions to serve SeeD faithfully was
absolute.

As it should be.

They continued to sit, Xu with her eyes shut and a sad expression on her
face. Kei watched her, knowing that she was likely working with her Puzzle
Stone searching for an answer. She would be available to talk when her cousin
brought herself out of her meditations -- even if they sat here all night and
into the next day.

*****

The next day, as it turned out, wasn't a very good one for Kei. She left
Xu's quarters after another baffling chat. That girl was messed up, no doubt
about it. She got less sleep then a growing SeeD should, which left her
feeling grumpy in the morning. While eating a cold breakfast, a messenger
informed her that the Headmaster wished to see her. The distasteful meal was
left on the table in favor of answering Cid's summons.

"You called for me, Headmaster?" Kei saluted, then stood at attention
before Cid's desk. His elbows were on the desk with his hands steepled
together. He leveled his eyes on her and she wondered why he called for her.
He didn't seem pleased, whatever it was.

"I try to be flexible when it comes to my SeeDs. I realize that we all
have obligations besides the ones we take on willingly as a member of this
organization. That being said, I've spoken with the Anshin more in the last
month than I have in the last ten years. I don't think it's too much to ask to
be let in on whatever it is you all are doing."

Kei's head cocked slightly before realization hit her. "I don't know,
Headmaster," she kept her eyes locked forward as her anger flared. So they
called him behind her back! The growl she wanted to release was carefully
contained.

"Don't know or can't tell me?"

"They've called for me to return several times and I've refused. I don't
know why they insist I come," she said through gritted teeth. Damn it! She
was losing face before one of the few men she respected. There'd be hell to
pay for this!

"Well then, SeeD Kei, it is your job to find out. You'll leave on the
next transport. Don't come back until you can give me some answers.
Dismissed!"

She saluted smartly, then turned on her heel and left. Her pride was stun
and her anger boiled over. She didn't want to go see them. He was giving them
exactly what they wanted: her. She would find some answers, if for no other
reason than to know why she was giving them the boot when she delivered it to
them.

*****

Xu was beating a cadence on a punching bag when the door to the training
room hissed open. It was late enough in the evening that most students would
have called it a day. The door slid open and she ducked around the bag to see
who it was before halting it with a steadying hand.

"May I help you?" She called to the student. His sharp eyes snapped onto
her position before he walked purposefully towards her. He looked like he was
dressed for a fight wearing his cadet uniform and kote on his forearms. She
recognized the weapon secured to his belt as being much like the steel fans
used by a skilled Weapons Master during a demonstration at the weapons
convention.

Upon reaching the edge of the mat, he bowed formally. "Ah, we meet at
last," he said. Xu noted the odd amount of respect in his voice; it was
something different than from what she got from other cadets. "I wanted to
introduce myself to you, Mistress Xu," he said, "I am Enju."

She sketched a quick bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Enju. You
needn't address me as Mistress, SeeD is fine."

He gestured around them. "Within these walls you will always find
yourself in Guild territory," he replied. "And as is proper for one of your
rank, I should address you as 'Mistress'."

"You're familiar with the Weapons Guild?" She hadn't heard of it until she
went to Galbadia. Then again, if Enju was from there it was quite likely he
would know of them.

"I know enough to respect a Master," he bowed his head politely. "Your
cousin doesn't think very highly of me. I was hoping that we could have a
better relationship."

Xu's eyes narrowed. Kei didn't like a lot of people, but it was brash of
him to approach her in such a way. How did he even know about them? Best to
play dumb for the time being. "I have many cousins, Cadet Enju, which one have
you alienated?"

"You have only one cousin that is a SeeD, Mistress. That is the one I
have battled against," he pulled his sleeve up to give her a better view of his
kote. He'd obviously had a run in with someone possessing a bladed weapon
judging from the strike marks scratched into the guard. Kei was hot tempered,
but she wouldn't go after a cadet with her katana would she? Xu thought back
to her quip not long ago about fewer students running around the Garden. She
was joking, wasn't she?

"You're lucky to have been wearing guards," Xu said, hoping to draw more
information from him without tipping her own hand.

"Luck has nothing to do with being prepared. Luck did play its hand when
it came to defending against SeeD Kei. She is a fine warrior," his eyes almost
gleamed with mischief. Xu swallowed down the bile in her throat. What he was
accusing Kei of was enough to get her discharged from SeeD.

Xu wanted to protect her cousin from his accusations. Such things
couldn't be true! "Watch what you say about a SeeD," she warned with a touch
of steel to her tone.

An amused look crossed Enju's face as he pulled his sleeve back down over
his forearm. "I'm not trying to cause trouble. I'm simply making you aware of
what has happened up to this point. I know that Miss Trepe admires you
greatly. Rightly so, in my opinion. SeeD Kei and I have differing opinions on
how to best help Miss Trepe. Know that her best interests are what's foremost
in my mind."

Quistis was involved?! An outburst by Kei now made sense if she was
defending the girl from this man. Why would Cid even allow such a creature
into the Garden? She held back the growl that formed in her throat. Enju
seemingly noticed this and smiled impishly.

"You're as intense as your cousin," he commented lightly. "I've heard
that about the Anshin. Despite what you may think of me, I'm on your side. No
one will lay a hand on Quistis, and if they do," he ran his thumb down the edge
of his fans. And to further his point, the blades sprang out from their
sheaths, causing Xu to flinch in surprise.

It was the first time he used her name instead of her title. He was a
dangerous individual of questionable scruples, but he seemed resolved in his
decision to be Quistis' defender.

"I thank you for your concern. You'll notify me before you take any
actions, understood?" She said firmly, hoping that she appeared to possess some
authority greater than what she felt.

He flashed her a roguish smile. "As you wish, Mistress," he bowed again
then withdrew from the room. A chill ran down Xu's spine. There was something
about him that made her feel as though death followed him as a pup would its
master.

Xu punched the bag once more, then called it a night. She and Quistis
were going to Balamb tomorrow. The cadet wanted to show her all the things
that have changed while she was away. Xu welcomed the opportunity and the
guide. It would be a good opportunity to renew her bond with Quistis.

*****

Quistis beamed happily as she and Xu walked down the well-traveled road to
Balamb. There were so many things Quistis had to share with her. She was
bubbling with stories to tell. And she wasn't the only one. Xu had some tales
to spin as well.

Balamb hadn't changed much while Xu was away. A few planks in the dock
the guys liked to fish off of had been replaced. The general store expanded to
selling some basic Guardian Force supplies. It was still a slow paced,
everyone knows their neighbor, sort of town.

"I've missed this place," Xu inhaled deeply, taking in the salty air. A
fisherman with a pole on his shoulder tipped his cap as he passed by them on
the dock. Quistis watched Xu as she gazed out over Balamb Bay.

"How are *you* doing, Quistis?" Xu asked, taking her eyes away from the
lovely ocean to regard her young friend.

Quistis leaned against the rickety railing while considering her answer.
"You're back, which is reason enough to be happy. I'm doing well in my
classes. The only thing holding me back is my Limit."

"Your Limit?" A strange expression crossed Xu's face.

"Yeah, I haven't been able to find it yet," she sighed and placed her head
on her arms that were folded along the railing. "The Headmaster says that I'll
stumble into it soon enough, but I can't advance to my next level of courses
until I learn it."

Xu went pale.

Quistis didn't understand what got into her suddenly. "Is something the
matter?"

The Instructor shook her head. "No, nothing. How long have you been
blocked?"

"Not too long, a couple months. They say it could break at anytime. I
just need to keep throwing myself into battle until something snaps and I get
it."

"Yes, that's one way to approach it. Don't worry, I'll make sure you
learn your Limit," the steel in Xu's eyes startled Quistis. Why was she so
fired up? It's not like she would remain blocked forever.

"I know you will. You've always helped me when I couldn't figure
something out on my own," she smiled kindly. That was the truth, Xu had always
been there for her when she was available. Not that she was going to become
dependant on Xu now that she'd returned. Quistis was able to take care of
herself. But having her friend there to offer reassurance was always welcome.

Xu nodded and resumed watching a few fishing boats as they moved from one
end of the bay to the other. "Would you mind working on your Limit on our way
back to the Garden? Nothing should be holding you back."

Quistis blinked. Xu had always been the straightforward type, but even
she respected the importance of rest days. Her not knowing her Limit must
bother Xu more than she was letting on. Quistis frowned on the inside. She
didn't want to let her friend down. If practicing today would make her feel
better...

"Okay, we can go looking for monsters on our way back if you'd like," the
cadet agreed.

Their conversation wandered to other topics from there. She learned all
about the new friends Xu made while in Galbadia. That Pan fellow sounded like
one Quistis would have avoided herself. The idea that he could best help Xu by
fighting her when she first arrived didn't strike Quistis as being completely
sane. Jen and Eileen seemed to be people more to her liking. Ah well, what
were the chances that she'd even meet any of them?



Quistis stretched out on her bed after a long afternoon of monster
hunting. They fought Bite Bugs and Glacial Eyes until she was tired of seeing
their ugly mugs. And in the end, she was no closer to learning her Limit.

She flopped over on the mattress and buried her face into her pillow. She
was such a failure for not getting this. Xu learned hers like it was second
nature and here she was struggling. Was she even good enough to be a SeeD?
She let the doubts dominate her thoughts as tears slipped down her cheeks.
What if she did fail Matron and the Headmaster and Xu after all?

The room was slowly pitched into darkness as the sun set. She didn't
bother to turn on the lights; she didn't want anyone to see her in her misery.
Time slipped by and she must have drifted off to sleep because the next thing
she knew someone flipped on the overhead lights as they entered the room.

"Aw crap!" The lights flicked off again. "Sorry, Quistis, didn't realize
you were taking a nap," Nym apologized as she tried to come into the room
quietly. "Shh, I'll get my books and we'll study out in the lounge," she told
someone who waited in the hallway -- likely Myn.

"It's alright. You can turn the lights on if you want," she sat up,
smoothing down her hair.

The lights came to life again. Nym took one look at her from behind her
sunglasses and was immediately at her side. "Are you okay? You look like
hell," she brushed aside a few loose strands of Quistis' hair. It was hard for
the girl to hide that she'd been crying, especially when her eyes were still
puffy.

Quistis bobbed her head, trying to play it down. "I'm fine, just felt a
bit discouraged," she explained.

Myn poked his head into the room, then noticed that they were having a
conversation without him. "Hey! Yo..." He trailed off. "What's wrong,
Quistis? Time of the month?"

Even with the shades on, his eyes visibly widened as he frantically ducked
a shuriken dart that nearly sank into his forehead. The dart shot out into the
hallway, narrowly missing another hapless cadet out on a walk before burrowing
into the wall.

"Shut up, you moron," Nym snapped.

The other cadet who'd nearly been attacked shot Myn a look before walking
off. "Next time, close the door before you say something to provoke her," he
sighed. "There are some of us who enjoy living, Myn."

Myn groaned sheepishly as he shuffled in.

Quistis sat herself upright so that Nym could sit on one side of her while
her twin took up the other. "What's got you down?" Nym asked gently, taking
Quistis' hands into her own.

"Xu and I went to Balamb today. I told her that I hadn't learned my Limit
yet. She suggested we go around fighting monsters this afternoon to see if I
could get it and I didn't. I'm feeling frustrated at my own failure," she
sighed heavily.

"That's nothing! There was this cadet named Lee at Trabia Garden who
couldn't learn his Limit so they stuck him outside the gates to fend for
himself. He finally learned it when a Snow Lion started chasing him across the
Bika Snowfield," Myn encouraged. Quistis' face paled.

"Are you trying to traumatize her?" Nym reached behind Quistis to give her
twin a smack upside the head. "That's not what happened. He refused to return
to the Garden until he learned his Limit and the Snow Lion ate him. Dammit,
now you've scared her. Why did you even bring up that stupid story to begin
with?!"

"I was *trying* to cheer her up and then you go and ruin the ending!" He
growled back. "And I think that near-death and learning your Limit makes for a
lot better story than getting eaten! My ending's a lot happier."

"It's okay," Quistis assured, not feeling up to being in the middle of
another one of their fights. "I'm sure I'll figure it out soon." She smiled
weakly at each of them.

Neither of them seemed convinced, but realized they'd already worsened the
situation and were willing to leave matters where they stood. Nym got her
books and left the room. Myn stood up slowly and stretched. "Don't listen to
her Quistis, this time *I'm* the one telling the truth," he leaned over to give
her a platonic kiss on the cheek before leaving himself.

She wanted to believe Myn, but for some reason her mind was certain Nym
was the one telling the true tale.

*****

Enju was no stranger when it came to the Training Center. On many
afternoons he could be found there practicing against a bag or working with a
practice blade. None of the other students worked with him. Frankly, they
weren't good enough. He'd brush aside any challengers and then return to his
individual practice. If there was a challenge he accepted, it was usually for
hand to hand--and that almost always dealt with a curious SeeD who wanted to
test his reputation. When it came to cadets, Enju tended to keep to himself.

Xu took notice of this anti-social tendency. Myn had been the only one he
practiced with at length, but since the twins were graduating soon Myn had
other obligations. And once again Enju played the loner in training. It
wouldn't do for him to alienate his classmates, nor to miss out on important
sparring opportunities because he felt as though he was too good for them.

She decided to speak with him about it when they were the only ones in the
Center. The afternoon had melted away hours ago and he should have retired to
his dorm room by now to do his homework.

Enju was returning a borrowed piece of equipment to the weapons locker
when she confronted him. He took her by surprise by speaking first--even
though his back had been turned and she could have sworn he hadn't seen her
coming.

"Good evening, Mistress Xu," he said, standing up. A katana was in his
hands and he gave it a testing twirl, his hand steady as the grip was flipped
around it. "Might I make a request?"

"You're still going to call me that, aren't you?" she said with a slight
sigh. It seemed like her colorful army of titles was coming from Galbadia to
Balamb to haunt her. She'd checked on his files, and after seeing his own
raising in the Guild she understood his proficiency. Not to mention his
tutelage by Master Niethe.

Enju nodded, and carefully set the katana back on its rack. "I hear Talasu
is still being an intrusive bastard as always."

"You know him?" Xu asked, slightly taken aback by the venom in his voice
when he spoke Talasu's name.

"I had the pleasure and misfortune of studying under him for a short
time," Enju replied, picking up a tonfa and relaxing into a ready stance with
it braced against his forearm.

Xu tried to hide her frown; that hadn't been listed in Enju's records. As
far as she knew, it had just been Niethe. Something didn't feel right.

"It is something I prefer to keep quiet; I dislike have too many questions
raised about me -- by friends or otherwise. As a result, many of my weapons
are underused, and thusly unappreciated."

He replaced the tonfa and pulled out a simple knife to examine next. Xu
watched with mild interest as his fingers curved around the grip as if the
weapon was made specifically for him. Every weapon in the locker was generic
in style and crafted with durability in mind.

Xu leaned against the doorframe. "Why come to me? Your classmates are
willing to practice with you, but you refuse."

Enju spun the knife, and then seemed to appraise the smoothness of the
blade. "You're the only other one at Balamb who's been involved with the
Weapons Guild. You are familiar with their techniques and weapons. I require
someone who holds a distinct possibility of defeating me."

He slowly turned his head to Xu. "I am requesting that you be my opponent
for a few hours each week, after classes. Surely you can appreciate the desire
to retain one's fighting skills, Mistress Xu."

"Hum..." she relaxed with her back to the doorframe. "I have no desire to
take on an apprentice."

"And I don't want a Master," he replied easily. Talasu would his last
Master, ever.

Xu considered it, then nodded. "I'll make you a deal, Enju. You start
practicing your hand-to-hand skills with your classmates and I'll challenge you
blade-to-blade in the evenings."

Enju hid the scowl he was tempted to express. The last thing he wanted
was to waste his time with underlings, but knew it was the only way that
Mistress Xu would agree to help him. "Very well," he conceded, "Is tomorrow
good?"

"Tomorrow is fine. Let's not begin with anything too exotic. Just
because I hold a Master's rank doesn't mean I know every weapon that's out
there."

He sketched a bow. "I'll bring my own weapons. I'm sure you'll find
something appropriate to challenge me with."

Xu regarded him thoughtfully as he strode out of the room. That was an
odd thing to say. Most students couldn't afford anything beyond simple
modifications to the basic Garden issue weapon. From how he spoke it sounded
as though he had an extensive inventory at his disposal.

The next evening Enju was prompt in arriving with a gym bag in tow. He
went to the locker rooms to change into something better suited to their
training session. Xu waited for him on the main mat with her sai-harness belt
on. If they were going to practice bladed weapons, there was nothing she'd
rather use until she had a feel for what he was capable of.

Enju came out of the locker room wearing a gi with a tee shirt underneath
and his ever-present kote strapped to his forearms. A simple belt held a knife
to his side.

"Good evening, Mister Enju," she greeted.

"Mistress," he bowed politely. "Are we ready?"

Xu shook her head. "Not quite. Please remove your kote, they'll only get
in the way."

His expression froze as his blue eyes bore into her. Xu hit a nerve and
she knew it. "I'd rather not," he answered coolly.

"It wasn't a request. We have nothing to hide here, Enju. Or should I
call you by your other name?" Confronting someone like this wasn't Xu's style,
but she had to know. A small part of her enjoyed playing the trump on him
after he confronted her not so long ago.

"Kei," he hissed. "What did she tell you?"

"Hum? My cousin's away. I haven't spoken with her about you," she put up
a calm facade. Once she learned more about him, she was afraid. There was no
way that a sane person wouldn't be. Cid briefed her about Enju's past at
length, but there were still many uncomfortable holes in his story and doubts
regarding his 'reformation'. She kept those doubts private. If the Headmaster
expected her to train him up to be a SeeD, by the Spirits she would.

"I will say that the Headmaster asked me to keep an eye on you. He was
concerned that you might need someone to watch your back," she smiled sweetly
at him.

Enju crossed his arms and hmph-ed.

Xu took that as an invitation to continue before he could come up with a
long list of protests and waste half their training time. "Since we're all
friends here, I expect you to be honest with me."

Again, that it wasn't a request. Enju looked over his shoulder at the
door. If someone came in while his identity was revealed he would have to
leave this place. Xu followed his eyes then add, "I locked the door when you
came in. Our session won't be interrupted."

He glanced back at her. She maintained a politely expectant look. It
oddly mirrored the one Talasu gave him when he was expecting something of Enju
that he wasn't quite ready to give. "Very well," he conceded. Slowly he undid
the straps holding the armguards in place. The sleeves of the gi remained to
cover a majority of the tattoos.

"Remove your top," she ordered next. This time he scowled. His white
undershirt wouldn't do much for covering his arms. The past he went to so much
trouble to hide would be plainly obvious. He tossed the sleeved top aside to
stand before her with his hands folded in front of him in a proper SeeD stance.

"How about you?" He challenged defensively. "I'm not the only marked
killer here."

"What's fair is fair," Xu agreed without hesitation and removed her own
gi. She then went one step further by removing her tee shirt to stand before
him in her sports bra. She turned around so that he could see clearly the
tattoo across her back.

He called her bluff and she paid up; that was a trait he could admire.
His eyes traced the designs on her back, then followed along her spine. She
stood erect, even when in a relaxed posture. It occurred to him that she was
allowing him to see her like this -- a side she allowed few to see -- to build
a bridge of trust between them. She was stretching an olive branch out to him;
all he had to do was accept it.

"You shouldn't turn your back on an enemy," he chided.

"Are you my enemy?" She turned around again to address him. He smirked,
then pulled his tee shirt over his head.

"Have few friends and view those you don't know yet as potential enemies,"
he advised, turning around so that she could see his back. Usually he wouldn't
go this far for someone, but he felt like his was obligated to at least meet
her halfway.

"How delightfully pessimistic," Xu drawled. "You're a SeeD cadet now.
We're all here to back you up and you are here to back us up. We're a team."

"'There's no I in team,'" he quipped while turning back around. "You and
your cousin are too much alike. Forgive me for being doubtful, but I've worked
on my own for quite some time now and have cut the need for others out of my
life. Relying on others can get you killed if they don't pull their weight.
If I'm the only one on the 'team' then I know what all the variables are.
There's less chance of my life coming to an unexpected end."

Xu considered what he said carefully. The amount of thought she put into
weighing his words was obvious by her expression. "But what if you have a
weakness, one which you cannot overcome? That's the strength of a team. Every
person has different abilities. Mixing and matching them appropriately can
make a near unstoppable force.

"When I'm through with you, you'll be a solid foundation for such a unit.
From what I've read in your records and have observed while you train in here,
you're an excellent combatant but will never be a strong spell caster." She
paused to shake her head. "Just like me. We are alike in that our forte is
combat. Leave the magic to those better suited for such things."

"Then perhaps we should get to it?" He suggested. Avoiding answering her
was the most comfortable option. Right now, he didn't have an answer for her.
What she said made sense, sort of. He could see people who weren't as well
rounded needing others to fill in for their shortcomings. There was nothing
wrong with being self-reliant. Not if that's what a continued existence
required.

After an exhilarating match he thanked her. "I'll show you one of my more
exotic toys next time we meet."

Xu wasn't expecting him to show up the next afternoon during an open
training session with an oblong case. He undid the latches and lifted the lid
to reveal a very odd weapon indeed.

"It's called a gunblade," he explained. "Some pioneering Weapon Smiths
developed a weapon that combines the explosive impact of a gun and the edge of
a sword."

He pulled the long weapon out of the case before presenting it to her for
examination. It looked unwieldy to say the least. How could anyone hope to
fence effectively with a gun's stock doubling as a hilt? The broad blade of
the weapon made it an awkward weight to swing around.

"What happens when the trigger is pulled?" She asked, unable to find the
'barrel' of the gun.

"Right now, nothing. There aren't any cartridges loaded into it," he
smirked. "What will happen, in theory, is that an explosion that nearly
doubles the damage on impact will occur. Timing is everything."

Xu continued her examination of the unusual weapon. It probably would
make more sense to her if she were better with swords to begin with. Kei would
likely be able to make something of it.

"Spar me with it?" She handed it back over to him.

He nodded in agreement. Xu went to the weapons locker to find something
appropriate to battle with. As much as she loved her sai, the gunblade was
physically large enough to make them next to useless. Hum... A polearm should
be able to deflect the gunblade's blows.

They took up positions on the center mat. Most of the students halted in
their own exercises to watch their Instructor battle against the rare weapon.
And quite a battle it was. Enju didn't have nearly the skill that he could
have, but he did admirably well. The gunblade required him to use both hands
to swing it around with any measure of control.

Off on the sidelines, a pair of boys admired the two combatants.

"I've decided. That's the weapon I want to use," Squall said with muted
awe. He'd spent most of his life at the Garden, but often went unnoticed (as
the sprouts tended to be).

He had only just entered the SeeD program with Seifer. They were still in
the early weapon training stage, practicing knife work. Their Instructor had
suggested that they start frequenting the training room to get an idea for what
type of weapon they would like to specialize in once the time to choose came.

His only friend and rival hmph-ed. "Too late. I already decided to use it;
you can't copy me."

"What?!" Squall protested. "You didn't say anything."

"I decided at the start of their match, but just didn't bother voicing it.
That makes you the sorry copycat, Squall." Seifer smirked.

"Whatever," Squall turned on his heel and made to leave the training room.
Seifer grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

"What d'ya mean 'whatever'?" He demanded.

Squall sighed and didn't answer. If Seifer couldn't figure it out on his
own, Squall wasn't going to help him.

What usually happened when they got into an argument occurred once again.
They began scuffling, trying to drive the other boy's face into the mat. A
group of female cadets leapt out of the way as they slammed up against the
wall. Their fight ended when someone grabbed each of them by the collar and
pulled them apart.

"What in the hell do you two think you're doing in my training room?" Xu
eyes flashed with anger. Seifer tried to swat at Squall once more as the other
boy sulked. Xu gave him an extra shake to make sure his attention was fully on
her and not Squall.

"Well?" She demanded when neither of them spoke.

"We came to watch the cadets practice," Squall volunteered with some
hesitation. "The Faculty suggested it."

"Did the Faculty also suggest disrupting the practice sessions of those
around you?" She asked with in an icy tone.

"No one else was practicing. They were all watching you," Seifer sneered.

From his position on the mat Enju called, "Hey, dumbass, how about
learning some respect?"

Xu waved him silent before turning her attention back to the young
upstart. "You've got a lot of attitude," she glared at him until he finally
turned away. "You'll both be reporting to the Headmaster for discipline.
Don't come back here until you're serious about training."

*****

Quistis pushed a pea around her dinner plate as the sinking feeling of
failure gnawed away at her stomach. She'd spent the afternoon with Xu. In the
quiet of the Instructor's quarters Xu tried to teach her something called a
Puzzle Stone. It was an exercise in frustration. She couldn't picture what Xu
asked her to. Her friend patiently tried to lead her through the exercise for
close to three hours with little success.

It was her fault for failing. Xu was a patient teacher, but Quistis just
didn't get it. If she couldn't understand a simple lesson taught to her on a
one-to-one basis, how would she graduate as a SeeD? This was the second time
she failed Xu recently.

She stabbed ruthlessly at the pea and even failed to skewer it with her
fork. Quistis sighed heavily.

"Good evening, cutie. How are we doing tonight?" Enju set his tray down
on the table opposite of her and plopped down onto a chair.

Couldn't he see that right now she wanted to be alone to brood? She could
ask him to leave her alone, but then he'd do the exact opposite. So she kept
playing with her peas silently as he ate.

Enju got the message well enough--but he ignored her desires anyway. He
angled his fork at her. "The silent treatment? Oh, that's harsh, Quistis, not
the way to greet an old friend. It's not like I kissed you again."

When that failed to draw a response (that sort of prodding usually did in
any case), Enju got noticeably worried. "What's on your mind? Something
serious, I can see it in your expression."

"I don't want to talk about it," she grumbled.

"Says she in the very public Cafeteria," he retorted easily. "If you
didn't want to talk about it, you would have found some hole to hide in and I
would have spent hours trying to find you. The Cafeteria is hardly a place for
recessing from social activity."

Quistis grunted in acknowledgement of his point. She told him about her
recent failings and doubts that she was good enough to be a SeeD. He listened
politely, only asking questions to clarify points and waited until she was
finished before he gave her his thoughts.

"Oh, please!" he said bluntly. "That's bullshit and we both know it.
You're one of the most promising SeeD cadets at this Garden and the fact that
you even question that is laughable. So what if you don't get something on the
first try? I know that you're a child protege but even you," he reached out
and tapped her lightly on the nose, "have limits."

She frowned. "No, I don't have a Limit, that's my problem," she said
bitterly. Enju favored her with an exasperated look.

"If it's bothering you so much why not ask Mistress Xu to take you out for
more practice?"

Quistis laid her head on the pillow of her arms on the table. "I'm taking
up so much of Xu's time as it is. She's got more important things to do."

"Like teaching her students, maybe?" Enju scolded. "What more important
thing is there for an Instructor to do than that?"

Again, he had a point. She slid back up to a sitting position. "You're
right."

"Naturally. Now, let's go do something fun," he held his hand out to her
in invitation. She picked up her tray with one hand and took his with the
other. She enjoyed walking around the Garden with him, admiring the many
fountains and gardens.

Enju escorted Quistis to her room after they spent an hour wandering
through one of the courtyards. And when he gave her a chaste peck on the cheek
when they parted ways, she didn't object. In fact, she found herself smiling as
she watched him stroll down the corridor. Maybe he wasn't such a puzzle after
all.

Quistis seemed happy when he left her; but then again, anything would be
an improvement over the doubtful depression that was gnawing at her. Doubt was
such a meaningless waste of energy. Why did she let it get to her like it did?
She was the best thing walking around this Garden and didn't believe in herself
enough to see it. Modesty had its place, but not to the point of lacking
self-confidence.

It was nearly time for his training session with Mistress Xu. He knew
that she'd taken Quistis' Limit difficulties on as a personal project. Perhaps
now would be a good time to nudge her into action since Quistis wasn't getting
any better. Enju could only hope that Quistis would grow out of the depressive
mood swings once she had more years. Doubt could be lethal.

Xu was waiting for him on the center mat. She'd already changed into her
preferred training outfit of shorts and a sleeveless shirt. He asked her once
why she wore a uniform or gi while training with everyone else but not when she
trained with him. Her answer was to the effect that they had nothing to hide.
She didn't have a professional SeeD image to maintain and he didn't have to
worry about his dirty little secrets. When they trained together, the doors
were always locked to ensure their privacy. During their session, it was only
a Master and her student.

He changed quickly. He wanted to continue their last session. He felt as
though he'd give Xu a run for her money, but knew that was furthest from the
truth. He hadn't come close to scoring a hit on her. If he had to catch her
in a dark hallway and slit her throat, she wouldn't have time enough to scream.
But when he was forced to stand there and fight out the battle, things got
difficult. That was the area he needed the most improvement in.

"Miss Trepe is distressed about learning her Limit," Enju huffed as he
danced away from a flurry of swiped and jabs Xu threw at him. Perhaps
challenging the Mistress with a set of Tiger Claws wasn't the wisest of moves.
The claws were really just a bar with a ring at each end meant to be slipped
onto the pinky and index finger. The bar itself had four curved blades attached
to it, like a set of tiger's claws. Their reach was limited to the reach of
his arms.

She'd chosen to defend herself with her sai, which he knew was her
strongest weapon. If anything, he was getting a workout from all the dodging
he was forced to do.

"As am I," Xu replied, knocking his jab away with a sideways stroke.
Thankfully, his kote were shielding his wrists from the brunt of her sai.

"When will you be going out again?"

Enju adeptly blocked her thrust with one set of tiger claws, and spun
around to rake the claws on his other hand across her back. Xu floated away
before he could finish the strike. "Tomorrow," she answered.

He paused. "You're going on a rest day? Isn't that defeating the purpose
of getting a day off?"

Xu let her guard down long enough to shrug. "Quistis requested it."

"Might I come with you?"

It was an unusual request. Usually Limit Skills were taught with only the
Instructor and the student going out together, thus reducing the student's
nervousness induced by peer pressure. Even more so, the student needed to feel
*fear*. They needed to feel desperate enough to reach down inside of
themselves and tap the Limit energies. When there was a full party they tended
to be confident that their party members would haul their butt out of the fire.

Xu once again shrugged before lunging at him to exchange another round of
blows. "It's your day off. Who am I to stop you if you decide to follow us?"

He shoved her back with enough force to send her backpedaling across the
mat. "Thank you."

She quickly regained her balance and leapt forward again. "I doubt you'll
be thanking me after tonight. Ready!"

He settled into his stance and prepared to fend off another assault.



Xu took a long shower after their session. The spray of water washed away
the sweat, but not the heavy feeling in her heart. What was she doing? By the
Spirits, what was she *doing*? Acting the part of a lackey to SeeD? No! She
shook her head firmly to dispel that thought.

She had a purpose -- a calling, but what was it? Leaning her forehead
against the tiles, the water ran down her face mixed with tears. Once again,
the conversation she had with her father about some people being more than
others haunted her. Was she more than others were? Or was she simply
delusional? Perhaps even arrogant for thinking such a thing, as her father
scolded her for.

It was so hard to define the discontentment she felt. She was on the fast
track to the top of SeeD, and yet it wasn't enough. The fear of falling victim
to mediocrity gnawed at her. It nipped at her heart like a mutt would at a
person's heels.

What kind of fool was she?

*****

It was a crisp morning that Xu and Quistis left the Garden to battle
against the monsters that roamed the Alcauld Plains. The monsters seemed to be
out in force today. They fought several small swarms of Bite Bugs without
Quistis taking any significant hits. The cadet needed to be in a desperate
situation before the Limit would present itself. After fighting a pair of
Glacial Eyes, Xu came to the conclusion that they weren't going to find
anything powerful enough on the Plains proper to challenge Quistis.

They continued along the paved road that ran between the Garden and
Balamb. Off the road a quarter kilometer was a forest that had Caterchipillers
in it. The Caterchipillers drew their name from their smaller cousins. They
were a large caterpillar-like creature that was stubby in length and fat in the
body. Xu fondly remembered a time when Quistis thought that Caterchipillers
were cute. She wondered if the girl would see them in the same light today.

The two of them penetrated the thickly wooded area. Quistis led the way
by climbing over fallen trees and around bushes like a seasoned explorer. She
was stealthier than Xu would have expected. The confident care with which she
placed her feet hinted that she was practiced in slinking around quietly.

A pair of Bite Bugs swooped down on Quistis, causing her to fall back on
her butt. She picked herself up from the ground quickly and took a ready
stance. The prey they were searching for lumbered out from the underbrush.

"Watch out! Caterchipillers are faster than they appear," Xu warned as
she brought up her guard.

Xu let Quistis take the lead in the battle, deciding which would be the
first target. She brought her chain whip around above her head before lashing
it across the distance to strike one of the hovering Bite Bugs. The small
creature fell to the ground, dead. Xu mentally nodded with approval. It was a
good idea to pick off the weaker monsters first so that they couldn't keep
stinging you for minimal damage. Xu took her cue and rushed up to the other
Bite Bug. She pierced the tender flesh under the its maw, then flung it off
her sai to strike against a nearby tree.

The Caterchipiller didn't seem fazed that they had just eliminated its two
companions. It arched its large body and flung itself at Quistis. The cadet
put her arms up to guard her face, but that's what it wanted. It wrapped its
body around her before biting at her neck. She prodded it off her with a sharp
elbow jab. It retreated to a relatively safe distance away from the two of
them.

"Are you okay?" Xu asked hastily, taking up a position that placed her
between the monster and her injured student.

Quistis touched her neck with a gloved hand. It came away bloody. "I'm
fine," she replied quietly.

'Good! She's becoming angry!' Xu silently cheered on Quistis to let the
emotions propel her. The Caterchipiller used an attack that was catalogued as
'Ultra Waves'. It was almost like pulsating sound waves that knocked both of
them back, but didn't do much harm.

Quistis brought her weapon around again, striking the Caterchipiller on
the tip of its 'tail'. It wasn't a very good hit. The creature flung itself
forward and wrapped itself around her again. She punched at it to knock
herself free. Blood flowed freely down her neck to stain her yellow ribbon
orange. She sat on the ground holding her neck, too drained to return to her
feet.

'That's enough for today,' Xu decided. "Enju!" She called out, summoning
their shadow to come and finish the battle. He'd been true to his word to
remain concealed, but she was able to track his hiding places; it was easier to
spot him here in the open country.

The older cadet abruptly exploded from the leaves of a nearby tree, a
katana raised over his head. Without so much as a word he mercilessly cleaved
the monster in two across the belly with a katana. Innards of the once living
creature steamed as they spilled out over the ground to mix with the moist
earth.

The precision of the attack was impressive, but that was second in Enju's
mind. He dropped down to Quistis' side to examine her wounds. It looked worse
than it likely was, but Doctor Kadowaki would be the judge of that. Xu cast
Cure on Quistis to hasten the healing process. Quistis got to her feet with
Enju's help. She walked over to the dead monster, glaring at it.

Unexpectantly she gave the carcass a solid kick. She leaned over to touch
the sticky web that was sometimes harvested from the monster by entrepreneuring
individuals. "What good is that?" She demanded of the carcass. "Stupid
attack!" With a mocking gesture she mimicked the monster's earlier efforts and
hit it with a series of Ultra Waves.

Xu's jaw dropped open. She glanced over at Enju, who had much the same
expression on his face. "The fuck?!" He exclaimed.

"WHAT?!" Quistis demanded angrily, giving the carcass another hard kick.

"Your Limit Skill is... Blue Magic," Enju managed to say. He shook off
the stupidity he was feeling to give her a quick hug. "You found your Limit!"

"Huh? Mimicking monster's attacks is my Limit?" She looked about ready to
break down from the frustration. "Why couldn't I have a powerful one like Xu?"
She pouted.

"What are you saying?!" Xu exclaimed. "Blue Magic is one of the more
powerful Limits Skills there is. This was a weak creature," she gestured to
the mess near them that was quickly becoming pungent. "If you can learn the
skills of more powerful monsters you'll be more powerful!"

"It sounds to me as though you need to go back and study up on your
monsters," Enju suggested, gently putting an arm around her shoulders to lead
her away. It wouldn't be long before more monsters showed up to feast on their
fallen comrade. Sticking around wasn't a good idea.

"It isn't a weak Limit?" Her eyes lit up with the hope that she was being
told the truth. Xu had never fed the girl false hopes and had no reason to
start now.

"Like any skill, the more you practice it, the better you'll become.
You'll need to encounter as many different types of monsters as possible so
that you can pick up on their tricks," Xu smiled softly. "Blue Magic suits
you. It takes someone with a keen mind to make the most of it. I think you'll
do well with your Limit."

The return trip to the Garden was a short one. Enju made quick work of
any monsters that made the mistake of challenging their passage. Upon
returning, Doctor Kadowaki bandaged Quistis' neck while at the same time
congratulating her on finding her Limit. It was with great pride that Xu was
able to report her success to the Headmaster personally in his office. The
broad grin on his face made all their efforts worth it. But it was only icing
on the cake when compared to the beaming smile that was Quistis'.

-----
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