Quistis threw herself on her bed and curled into the fetal position, shutting her eyes tightly.
I can’t do this. What if he’s alive? He killed me once, he could do it again. He’s just so evil…Just so consumed, it’s frightening. What else could scare that girl that much? And what does Lila have to do with it?
She curled her body tighter and beat her fist against the mattress. Too many questions. Too many possibilities. Hyne, why me? She opened her eyes, bright blue against the pale white of her face. It’s going to be only me, this time.
Two strong arms came around her, and she bit her lip, trying not to cry.
“You’ll be fine.” His voice. “I’m here.” His warmth. “We don’t even know it’s him.” His eyes. “Let’s not worry until we absolutely have to. Besides, your knight will kick his ass.” Him.
And she couldn’t block the tears anymore. Turning on her side, she buried her face in Seifer’s shoulder and let them fall. He stroked her long golden hair, jade green eyes hard on the wall. He wouldn’t let anyone hurt her. Anyone.
“Seifer, I can’t deal with him again,” she whispered. “I hate him, but I’m so scared.”
“What’s to be scared of?” he murmured against her forehead. “I killed him before. And remember,” Seifer lowered his scarred forehead to hers,” it might not be him at all.” Her blue eyes searched his green ones for a long moment, before she pressed her lips against his.
It was a hard and violent kiss, the kind of which they’d never shared, filled with all the fear and anger inside of both of them. He dragged her against him, strong arms locked around her waist and rolled on top of her, his body pressing hers into the mattress. But she wrapped her own arms around him and pushed back. Abruptly, they broke apart, staring at each other, breathing hard. A sweet smile curved her lips and she whispered,” How come you can always make me forget? Make me feel better?”
Seifer smiled arrogantly. “I’m Seifer Almasy. I make everyone feel better.” Then he lowered his mouth to hers again, and smiled a genuine smile against hers. “But you’re the only one who gets me.”
“My knight?”
“Always.”
And he rolled onto his side, taking her with him. She snuggled against his shoulder, eyes staring at the white cross of his vest, and he contented himself with watching her hair. They lay like that for a long time.
“Seifer…How’d you get in here?”
Seifer grimaced, thinking of the master key card he’d swiped. Busted…
* * *
The girl woke up.
That was the message on Seifer’s door the next morning. As soon as he read it aloud, Quistis was out the door and in her shower. Seifer made a face and went to his own.
Their morning ritual was almost nonexistent, other than him putting up her hair, and soon they were at the infirmary. Obviously they weren’t the only ones who had been notified. Rinoa stood next to Squall on one side of the room, and Zell and Alexya stood on the other. Selphie and Irvine hadn’t arrived yet, and Edea had resumed her spot next to the girl. Cid was talking with Doctor Kadowaki.
Again the girl’s eyes were moving around, but this time they were taking everything in. Her clothes had been changed into a dry pair of sweats and her hair was no longer wet, but it was pulled back into a messy ponytail. She was laying down, the oxygen mask within easy reach, and her dark gray eyes were curious, jumping from person to person, couple to couple. They paused on Seifer and Quistis, widening, before she quickly averted her gaze.
“She woke up?!” Selphie, clad in a pair of white shorts and a yellow top, bounded into the room, her cowboy right on her heels. She turned excited green eyes on the patient, who regarded her with something akin to horror. More like a cross between horror and astonishment. “Booyaka!” The brunette fell to her knees with a loud THUNK! in front of the girl. “I’m Selphie! Who are you?!”
No one said a word as Selphie had gone directly to the point, and the girl shrunk under their gaze. Carefully she sat up and cleared her throat. “Uh…Kyariana Ledras…I’m from Dollet…I think…” They all gazed at her expectantly and she blushed slightly, looking down at her lap. “Could ya’ll stop staring at me please? It’s kinda nerve-wracking…” A long silence and she looked up to find that not one of them had stopped looking at her.
Squall stepped forward. “Why are you here?”
The girl twisted her hands nervously. “It’s kinda hard to explain…” Quistis frowned. Why was the girl stalling? Seifer stepped forward then, leaving one hand around Quistis’.
“Quit stalling!” he glared. “You were obviously in a hurry to get here, so get to it! Why the hell are you here?” Kyariana’s eyes snapped to his and they widened just a bit.
“You were there…” she murmured. Her eyes moved to Quistis. “She was too.”
“What?”
“Not really,” she said. “But I saw it. I saw you.”
Seifer stood up straight and looked around the room, exasperated. “Does anyone know what the hell she’s talking about?!”
“Seifer…” Edea gazed at him with her warm brown eyes and carefully shook her head. “You don’t know what she’s seen. Please be patient.”
“Patient?!” he slashed a hand through the air. “If she’s scared of what she could be scared of, there is no patience!” Edea’s gaze didn’t waver and Seifer let his hand drop. “Matron,” he bowed, mockingly, and closed his mouth.
“Now, Ke-Ka-Kya…” Cid stumbled, adjusting his glasses in embarrassment.
“Kyariana,” she corrected.
“Kyariana…Why have you come here?” Rinoa sat down on the cot next to her. “We’re here to listen. No one,” pointed look at Seifer,” will interrupt. Just tell us.”
“I don’t even know where to begin,” Kyariana forced her hands to calm down.
“The beginning is fine.” Rinoa rested her chin in her hand, reaching out her other one to grasp Kyariana’s.
And so she told them. She told them of her supposed meeting in Timber, the dark skies, the freak thunderstorm. She told them about entering some store to find a hidden door and the glow. And she told them about the visions.
“I saw this man. Black hair, green eyes…he had this aura, and it was black, pulsating. And it wasn’t evil then, just slimy. Then you two,” she pointed at Seifer and Quistis,” were there. Then there was blood everywhere, running all over everything. It was everywhere, it was on me.” Slowly her hands went to her head. “And last was this man’s head, rolling around on the floor, but no blood came from it. Just this black smoke, and it was evil. I was so scared, all I could do was get out of there. But I couldn’t move.” Her gray eyes were glued to the wall, filled with horror, as if she were reliving the entire thing. “I guess something startled me and I tripped and fell down the stairs, but I caught myself before I went over the edge. And I heard voices. This charming one, but it was so evil…and a clear one, really obedient, but strong. They heard me, and started after me. The evil just got closer and closer. So I ran. I ran and hid, but the feeling wouldn’t leave. And there were whispers in my mind. Whispers of the horrible things he would do when he caught me. They didn’t stop until the sun rose, and I can still hear a few of them.” Kyariana shook her head to clear it, and looked pleadingly at the people in the room. “He said something about destroying Balamb Garden. Revenge. Something like that. And I had to get here.”
“Question!” Selphie raised her hand. “Why’d you have to come here? You don’t know any of us, anyone here, right?” At the shake of Kyariana’s head, she continued,” So why didn’t you just keep on with whatever you were doing? Why go to so much trouble to tell us?”
Kyariana stared at her in disbelief. “It was so evil. I couldn’t just let it come…I mean, I…I just had to tell you,” she finished lamely. There was no response, just a few skeptical glances, and she jumped to her feet suddenly. “You don’t have to believe me! I don’t care, I did my duty! I came here and told you what I know. What you do with it is up to you! But don’t blame me if something bad happens!”
“It’s not that we don’t want to believe you, it’s just hard,” Lex spoke up. “Especially since what you saw-“
“Especially since what you saw is a threat to our lives,” Seifer cut in. “How do we know you aren’t completely delusional? After that fit with Lila, you have me pretty convinced that you’re insane!”
“Lila?” Kyariana frowned. “Who…?”
“Don’t tell me you don’t remember! You started to scream at the top of your lungs when she walked in!” Seifer glared at her.
“I…don’t remember,” she offered. “It’s a little bit hazy between Timber and right now.”
Seifer snorted, and Squall shot him a look. “This happened at a shop in Timber?” At Kyariana’s nod, Squall went on. “Could you show us which shop if we took you there?” She shook her head frantically.
“I’m not going back there,” she whispered. “No way, not even if Hyne carried me there.”
“You won’t be alone, we’ll all be with you,” Rinoa assured her. She still didn’t look convinced. “Do you honestly think we can’t take you there, even if you don’t want to go?” Rinoa raised an eyebrow. “We’re SeeDs, after all. Most of us. And those of us that aren’t could still probably overpower you.”
Kyariana stared at Rinoa, before lowering her head. “I can show you.”
“Good.” Squall turned to Cid. “We’ll leave immediately.”
“You can’t,” Cid responded. “Field exam tomorrow. You have to look at the grading sheets.” Squall glared at the Headmaster, but conceded the point.
“We can go without Puberty Boy,” Seifer cut in, but Cid shook his head.
“I want Squall there, so we can decide what course of action to take. This concerns all of Garden.”
Seifer cursed and stomped out of the room, muttering something about training. Quistis watched him go, before turning back to everyone. “I’ll talk to him.”
“Reschedule the field exam,” Squall ordered. Cid stared at him in disbelief. “The well-being of Garden takes precedence over the field exam. Reschedule it.” There was no argument. “We leave tomorrow. 0600 hours. Ragnarok.” Squall nodded and left the room.
“Someone tell Lila. She’s going too,” Rinoa spoke up, before following Squall out of the room.
“We’ll tell her,” Zell volunteered, and Lex nodded her agreement. With a salute to Cid and Edea, they left the infirmary, headed for the library. Edea and Cid left next, followed by Selphie and Irvine, Selphie chirping a cheerful “See ya later!” Doctor Kadowaki looked from Quistis to Kyariana and back again, before offering an excuse of paperwork, and leaving, shutting the door softly behind her.
Quistis and Kyariana stared at each other a long moment.
“You died,” she said suddenly.
“Yes.”
“Your boyfriend killed him.”
“Seifer. Yes.”
“He wants revenge on you.”
“Yes.”
Kyariana sighed, looked down at her lap. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I just had to tell you…” Quistis went to the cot and sat down, sticking out her hand.
“I’m Quistis. It’s very nice to meet you, Kyariana.”
The girl looked at the hand, then met Quistis’ blue gaze. She took the hand and smiled hesitantly.
“Call me Ari.”