Septifiria; The Becoming

Chapter 18

   Septi entered the Rec Room, feeling half dead, not noticing the Saha family huddled around the foosball table. She collapsed into a chair and rubbed her face, wondering if she'd ever be alright again. When a shadow fell over her, she looked up.

Gin Saha was standing in front of her, looking slightly embarrassed. Septi motioned to the chair across from hers and spoke.

   "Yes?"

   "I wanted to thank you," Gin said, motioning to his siblings. "They like it here."

   "What about you?" Septi asked.

   "It's nice enough," he said, looking awkward. "Er, one of the girls- Val I think? She said that I would be trained if we stayed. What's that mean?"

   "You'll learn how to fight, how to control your power, and build up your endurance and stamina," Septi explained, her heart not really in the conversation.

   "I can fight," he muttered under his breath.

   "I knocked you out pretty quickly," Septi said raising an eyebrow. "You may be strong, but you need to be able to connect with your target at least 99% of the time." Gin blushed, and Septi let her voice fade off.

   "So you're commander," he said. "Is it because of your fighting skills?" Septi laughed lightly.

   "Not hardly," she said. "Both Ferinequell and Val are better than I am, usually."

   "You're young, to be in charge of the VI4C, aren't you?" he asked.

   "I'm only a few years younger than you," she said, sounding bored but on the defensive.

   "How old are you, anyways?" he asked, slightly surprised.

   "You're not s'posed to ask a woman how old she is," Septi admonished him. "But I'm eighteen. And you're twenty."

   "How did you know that?" he asked, shocked.

   "I didn't read your mind, if that's what you're thinking," she said coolly. "I'm a shape-shifter, not a telepath."

   "How, then?" he asked, looking cornered.

   "Well, now," Septi said coyly. "That's for me to know, and you to find out."

   "Fine then! I will," he retorted angrily.

   "Fine," Septi said icily. Then she smiled. "Slept well, I take it."

   "Not much," he said, shifting anxiously.

   "I see," Septi said, studying him. "Ferinequell told me that you nearly injured him when he woke you this morning."

   "Sorry about that," Gin said. "Waking up in a strange place to a strange person-"

   "Am I strange person?" Septi wondered absent mindedly, her fingers tracing the seams on the upholstery.

   "I don't know!" Gin exploded. Kin and Kane looked over, startled, and Septi focused on their brother.

   "Temper," she said warningly. "You'll need to control it if you are going to stay here. I will not permit you to destroy things because you can't keep your cool." Gin ground his teeth audibly, his jaw muscles working furiously.

   "What's wrong, Gin?" Kin asked, drifting over and standing behind her oldest brother's chair.

   "Nothing," he said calming down enough to stop grinding his teeth. "Don't worry about me."

   "It didn't sound like nothing," Kin muttered, reluctant to leave Gin.

   "Go," he insisted. She did, but she didn't look happy about it. "How do you know so much about us?" he asked Septi.