By Haruka

Everyone looked from Fujin to Seifer and back again. "You're serious?" Zell said. "_You_ did that to her?"
"You want to hear what happened or do you just want to sit there with your mouth hanging open and your hot dogs falling out?" Seifer asked. Zell clamped his mouth shut.
"What _did_ happen?" Rinoa asked.
"She attacked me." Seifer shrugged. "This girl I'd never seen before just came up and challenged me one day. It seems she'd heard I was the strongest fighter here and she wanted the title for herself. She launched her Pinwheel at me and I was forced to counterattack." He looked over at Fujin fondly. "She nearly had me. She was stronger than she looked, and more relentless than anyone I've fought then or since. I finally had to take her down with a fire spell and then stop her from coming at me again with the gunblade."
There was a moment of silence, then Squall touched his own scar. "So in other words, you did to me what you did to her - only in my case, your aim was off and you missed my eye."
"More or less," Seifer said. "After that, Fujin offered herself to me as my second-in-command, bodyguard, and friend."
"Why?" Irvine said in confusion. "Fujin, how could you be so forgiving?"
"FORGIVE?" she said in surprise. "FAULT, MINE. SEIFER MERCIFUL."
"She's right," Seifer said. "She attacked me first. It was within my rights to kill her. But I saw incredible potential in her and besides, I liked her spirit and determination. We understand each other."
"Raijin, you already knew Fujin when this happened, didn't you?" Rinoa asked. "Where were you when they were fighting?"
"I was a witness, ya know? Make sure everything was legit. When Fujin joined up with Seifer, I joined, too. I didn't have to challenge him myself, ya know. I knew if he could beat her, he could beat me."
"I always thought you three had a weird relationship," Zell said. "Now I know it's even weirder than I thought."
"Why don't we move on?" Selphie suggested. "It's Fujin's turn to ask a question."
"I don't think she's interested enough in any of us to ask anything," Squall said wryly.
"NEGATIVE!" Fujin said. "QUESTION!"
"Well, by all means, go ahead," Quistis told her.
Fujin turned to Selphie. "DEPRESSED, EVER?"
The other girl blinked. "Um ...."
"Fujin," Irvine began, "you know that Selphie was upset when Trabia Garden was destroyed ...."
Fujin shook her head emphatically. "EVENT, MAJOR," she said dismissively, then looked Selphie in the eyes. "DEPRESSED, NORMALLY."
"Oh," Selphie said, and looked thoughtful.
"You can take a dare, Selphie," Rinoa reminded her.
"I know, but I want to answer," she replied. After a couple of moments, she looked toward Fujin. "Yes, I get depressed," she said. "Sometimes I even cry. But I'll never bring others down with me, especially since those moods don't last very long." She shrugged and smiled helplessly. "I'm an optimist by nature, and I don't imagine that will ever change, but yes, I have my moments in privacy."
Fujin nodded to indicate the answer was sufficient. No one spoke for a few seconds, then Irvine said, "It's your turn, Selphie."
"So it is!" she said brightly, all traces of solemnity vanishing. "And I'm going to ask Seifer something!"
"Be afraid, be very afraid," Quistis teased him.
"It's a very simple question, really," Selphie said casually, her dancing green eyes belying the innocence of her voice. "I just want to know if you're attracted to anyone."

End of Chapter 6

Story contents (c) 2000 Tenou Haruka No characters here are mine.

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