She ran. Forget bravery, forget brotherhood, forget all that. She'd failed to bring him back
(it's been fun)
and now everyone was going to die. It didn't really matter what she did now, but she ran, boots whispering lightly along the smooth crystalline floor of the Lunatic Pandora.
She could hear Raijin behind her, his boots making little more sound than hers did. She didn't know whether he was chasing her or simply running along with her. No matter, he couldn't stop what was comingany more than she could. Two possibilities, a horrible death in Time Compression or a death of her own choosing. She would choose if she got the chance. But to get that chance she had to run faster.
She skidded down staircases, careened off walls, and pelted down straight hallways, Raijin no more than a few steps behind her. Blood pounded in her ears, and they made their way quickly down to the lower levels.
Finally they were close to a hatch. Raijin was at her side now, and she was glad he hadn't been chasing her- she wanted him with her. They ran together at breakneck speed toward the hatch. A Galbadian soldier stood limply beside it and gaped at the two figures racing up to them before Raijin screamed, "Open it!"
He moved quickly enough then, swinging the wide door out and then they ran straight out the hatch and into the sky, never mind that it was a hundred feet above the earth, never mind that because Time Compression would surely be starting pretty soon here and if they missed it because they were dead they could count themselves lucky.
She never hit the ground. The world winked out, she was cast into darkness. Time Compression, she thought with weary terror. You should have tried to run faster, because you're not dead and this is going to be bad. Prepare to scream, Fujin.
She waited, all senses alert for anything at all, but there was nothing. She was standing, right? She couldn't tell. It was dark, not the absence of light in this place but the antithesis of light, hungry, and she felt that it was scouring her skin, searching for light, trying to devour her and she moaned
(not me you want, it's not me, i'm dark, leave me alone)
into the silence and a chorus of whispers
(yes, make that lovely sound)
(is she frightened?)
(yes, she's beautiful, terrified, oh let's)
(lick her throat)
answered her. She felt something move at her throat, her hand flew up and it was wet and warm and why did it feel like blood? The whispers continued and she felt her mind desperately trying to faint, and she fought but it didn't work and she found herself

lying curled in a ball on her bed in B-Garden, sunlight splashing over her cheerfully.
She rolled over and sat up, rubbing her left eye curiously. What a strange dream. She'dbeen wearing an eyepatch, and could still feel the dream residue of terror andan empty socket. Funny the morbid dreams she had sometimes. She swung slim legsover the side of the bed and contemplated breakfast.
Coffee, black, and a bagel. Her stomach churned, she was starving to death.
Where was he? He was late. Raijin had never been late to breakfast, ever. Not in all the years she had known him; even as a little kid in a shitty run-down wooden orphanage in Galbadia, Raijin always ran to breakfast.
She pulled on her boots
(face my)
irritably and rubbed at her eye again. She felt weird; hadn't she had enough sleep? She eyed the other bed in her room digustedly. Ditzy roommate had already left for the day. Probably sucking up to an Instructor- next year they would both be of an age to begin SeeD candidate training, and her roommate was intent on using every advantage. Well, Fujin would kowtow to no one. Who cared about being a SeeD, anyway? It was all a big joke. Garden was a money-making machine and everyone knew it. No honor here. Or anywhere, as far as she knew.
Finally there came a loud knocking at her door, and she answered it glowering.
"Where the hell have you been? I'm about to starve to death, Raijin."
"Sorry Fuu-sama," he said cheerfully, and then she saw the purpling skin around one eye. "Got into it with that Seifer guy again."
She rolled her eyes. "He's an idiot. Everyone knows it. Can't you just ignore him?"
Raijin shrugged. "He's not so bad, Fuu."
She glared at him. "Yes he is. He's an egotistical maniac who doesn't care about anything but himself. And he's bigger than you. Stay away."
"Aw, Fuu, it's not that simple, ya know?" He gestured, and they began the stroll down to the cafeteria.
"Yes, it
(my wrath for)
is. He's in SeeD training, he's got a weapon. He must be nearly six feet tall, Raijin! At fourteen!"
Raijin made a face. "So? I grew two inches last year. Besides, I invited him to breakfast with us."
She stopped and turned on him, shocked. "Raijin, you didn't! The guy is a jerk."
"Come on, Fuu," he said, grinning. "You've never talked to him. You'll like him, I know it."
"No, I won't," she grumped, reluctantly allowing Raijin to lead her down the wide corridor. Her head felt funny again. Everything started to shimmer and she watched Raijin's lips move as he spoke. But she couldn't
(wrath)
understand him.
"Raijin," she said, and could not hear herself speak. Suddenly she was terrified. "Raijin, something's wrong. Raijin! I think I'm going to

pass out. Why did her face hurt so much? Oh yes, the shuriken. Buried in her face now, blood running down her cheek, the left side of her face a fiery mess of pain. She clenched her teeth and felt her Instructor's horrified touch on her shoulder. Lesson, indeed. The bastard had misjudged and sent his shuriken right into her face. Wonder she wasn't dead.
On her hands and knees now, she wished again that she would pass out. The pain was horrific, and she knew she'd lost her eye. It had been punctured; she could feel blood and other things running wetly down her face.
The Instructor's voice rose in pitch and she wanted to rise up out of her kneel and punch him right in the balls. Better yet, slice him. He deserved it.
She growled and heard herself telling him to leave her alone.
"Your eye, your eye," she heard him flutter, and she growled again. Before she could do anything, a new voice cut across her hearing, sharp with anger.
"She said, leave her alone. Don't make me tell you again. I'd have to kill you twice." Seifer.
"You hurt her," and she had never heard that tight note in Raijin's voice before. She heard the hum of his staff beginning to twirl and whispered, "No, don't, Raijin. I'll be fine." The whirring stopped but she heard the sound of a huge fist cracking into someone's face. Broken jawbone, or she'd pry out her other eye.
Hands then, picking her up. Arms under her legs, slinging her up. She was rattled as he broke into a sprint for the infirmary, but she smiled, imagining his new coat belling out behind him.
"What's the joke, Fuu? Or are you just happy to finally be in my arms?" He teased, but she could hear worry in his voice. Not fear, but worry, and she felt herself finally accepting him, after two years of not really trusting him she could finally call him

"Asshole," she spat, glaring.
Raijin's eyes widened, and she heard a snort off to the side as Seifer began to snicker.
She wheeled on him next.
"Prick."
He raised his hands as if to say, What? I'm innocent! and she sneered at him. He grinned back at her.
"C'mon Fuu, I won fair and square, ya know? Chimera."
She turned to glare at Raijin
(for seeking thy sealed power)
and rubbed her head as she flung the card at him. She had a headache, a bad one, it felt like there was a battle raging inside

the hotel. Raijin panted at her side, tired now. He'd fall any minute, she knew. She shouldn't have glanced at him, for when she turned her attention to the enemy, all she saw was Dincht's face, oddly apologetic, before she tasted the metal and leather of his fist.
She flew back, landing with a painful thump on the floor, and spat blood.
The world spun, and

she woke up shouting, "The past!"
She sat bolt upright in bed, panting. Her husband stirred beside her.
"Christ, Fuu, trying to wake the dead?"
Seifer pulled her close and she struggled.
His eyes snapped open, and he looked at her sharply. "What's wrong? You mad at me?"
"No," she said, wondering what the hell was wrong with her. For a second she'd forgotten that she'd ever married him. "Sorry, had a weird dream."
"Good to know you're not insane. Come here," he purred, and she allowed him to pull her close. As he bent his head to kiss her the world went gray and

she woke up murmuring, "The future," without understanding why. The dream was already fading, and
(face my wrath)
she didn't bother to try and remember it as she rolled over and wrapped her arms around the huge lump that was her husband.
"Raijin," she whispered, "wake

UP!
(it's a frayed rope, solid at one end, a million threads the other, all possible futures and this is why Time Compression kills)
She was falling, falling, trapped in a kaleidoscope of futures
(Raijin)
(Seifer)
(Raijin)
(Seifer)
(face my wrath for seeking thy sealed power)
(Seifer)
(Raijin)
(sealed power)
(Seifer)
(Squall)
and it was the last stroke, waking up next to a sleeping Squall Leonhart; she flailed for balance and could not find it, she screamed in the darkness and flung out a hand as if to ward off