Prologue. -Breaking- I sigh, staring out the window of my dorm. I wonder if I'll ever be out there, living life as fate has planned. No, probably not. Instead, I'm alone. Here, by myself. People say I have Raijin and Seifer to rely on... No. Ever since Seifer was defeated at Lunatic Pandora, Raijin wants nothing to do with him. I want nothing to do with Raijin. ...I've gained a new respect for Seifer. He'll do anything for his dreams... but now he's gotten depressed. Instead of an intense look in those green eyes, there's a dismal look of sadness. Seifer goes everywhere alone. Sure, we are still friends, the two of us, but nothing like before. We are both SeeDs. He is twenty-one, and I'm twenty. I fear things will never be the same. "Fujin Sanada and Seifer Almasy, please report to the Headmaster's office." The intercom blares. I walk out of my room, wondering what he could possibly want from the two of us. I pass Seifer on my way to the elevator. He smiles at me weakly, but I can tell its not a real smile. When people are truly happy, you can see it in their eyes. I didn't see the happiness in his eyes. "HAVE IDEA WHAT WANT?" I ask, hoping he'll say something. He doesn't. He just shrugs. I sigh, and press the up button on the elevator. As I stare out of the glass, at Seifer's reflection, the only thing I want in the world is for him to say something. You see, Seifer's my everything. He is why I get up in the mornings. He doesn't know that. I don't think he ever will. We hear the familar "bing" of the elevator coming to a halt, and he steps out first, and I follow. He opens the door to the headmaster's office. He stands there. Waiting for me to enter first? Why? Oh, probably just to get in good with the headmaster. With that thought in mind, more of my dreams are shattered. No one realizes it. But I'm shattering. I stood high and strong, but after awhile, things break. I'm breaking-slowly. I walk in, and Seifer follows. We both salute the headmaster, awaiting orders, or punishment. "Good afternoon, Ms. Sanada, Mr. Almasy. I have a small mission for the two of you." Deep inside, where no one can see, I smile. Just me and Seifer. "What are the conditions, sir?" Seifer sounds so official. I sort of miss his hot-headedness, but thats okay. I know he is still Seifer in there somewhere. "Well, in Timber, there has been a gang problem. The gang consists of fifty people. We could call it a mob. Anyway, it started out with just stealing, but now homicide is involved. I need you two to go there, and explore. Find out all you can, and send the information back here. We will send out back up if physical risk comes into veiw. You leave tonight, at eight. You will arrive at midnight. Stay there a maximum of a month. Understood?" "Yessir." Seifer answered. "Ms. Sanada?" I just nod once. We are dismissed. So, we leave in two hours... He'll probably go train. Seifer, why don't you talk to me...? We walk out the door, and once again, Seifer holds the door for me. He's using me... Hyne, I hate him... But I love him at the same time. He walks into the elevator, and I follow. He's muttering something to himself. I can't make it out though. "SOMETHING, WRONG?" I ask, feeling stupid. "Yeah, another fucking SeeD mission. Fucking waste of time." I sigh, and gaze out the glass doors, not able to wait to get out of the elevator. I stay silent. And the elevator passes the first floor. "What the hell? Friggin thing." Seifer kicks it, hard, and it stops, somewhere between the basement and the first floor. Stupid Seifer. Now we're stuck. He doesn't say anything, but I can see the anger building. Hyne, he has a short temper. "EMERGANCY BUTTON." I suggest. "Fucking thing doesn't work. The elevator is dead." I sigh, feeling foolish for not noticing. The light flickers, then goes out. I can no longer see him. I get scared. I don't show it... I never do. Maybe he noticed. I don't know how, I guess it happens after years of knowing someone. I think he noticed, because he patted me on the back and uttered a "Maybe someone seen us come down." I doubt it, but it's some condolence. It made me feel good; that Seifer cared. We sit down and wait. Maybe the elevator will come back to life. After about a half hour, Seifer stands up, and roars for someone to "get their lazy asses down here." No one answers, and Seifer sighs. I finally decide to talk in my normal voice, just because we are alone. I haven't done that since Lunatic Pandora. It feels good to just talk. "Someone will look for us. I mean, we are supposed to leave at eight..." I say, slowly. I can see Seifer face me quickly, perhaps in surprise of my voice. "Yeah, you're right, Fuu." Fuu. He hasn't called me that in so long. I have the urge to hug him. But, my mind won't let me. I hate this. I'm just a shattering peice of glass... Maybe he is too. I wonder if I'll ever be able to make Seifer smile again. I mean, really smile, not just the fake one he throws out to make me feel better, but a real smile. Suddenly, we hear a voice. "Haha! The elevator's stuck. That's where they are! They are probably making out or something too!" "Hey, fuck you, chicken-wuss!" Seifer yells up. I guess he knows Zell's voice. Everything goes silent, and then the elevator starts to move slowly upwards. I sigh. We are leaving as soon as we get up there, I guess getting stuck was good thing. It let me know that Seifer might actually care. We are in a car now, being driven by some 17 year old. Me and Seifer are seated in the back across from eachother. He stays silent. Hyne, Seifer, say something! The trip to Timber goes highly uneventful, and Seifer hardly says two words to me. We arrive at the hotel at one AM, and Seifer tosses his bag in a closet, along with his gunblade. I do the same with my bag and shriuken. "Seifer, you don't have to be so quiet." I suggest in a timid voice. I didn't mean for it to come out timid. But remember how I said was shattering like glass...? Sometimes my true emotions seep out, without my meaning to. The more I shatter, the more emotions seep out. Maybe no one will ever understand me. Maybe I don't even understand me. I get so lost in my thoughts that I don't notice that Seifer never answered me. I wonder why. Did he hear me? I clear my throat, let him know I'm alive, if he even cares. "What?" He asks. "Nothing." I reply. I can see he's getting annoyed so I shut up and lay down on my bed. Thats not something I'd usually do... Why am I doing it now? I look over, and he's lying on his bed. His eyes are open. What are you thinking about, Seifer? Tell me. I could understand... I don't say that. I really wish I did. The next morning I woke up at ten. I seen Seifer, he was still laying there, with his eyes open. "Seifer?" "What?" "Did you... sleep?" I ask, trying not to sound as concerned as I really am. "No." "Why?" "I never do." "Oh..." I get up and walked towards the closet. But something inside me makes me turn and face him. I ask "why?" I didn't mean to. But I did anyway. "...I don't know... Just can't." He looks up at me, through those tired and dismal green eyes. I want to cry, and hug him, tell him I'll make things okay... But thats not me. Thats not Fujin.