Fairytale Dream
by Lilith Morrigan aka Midnite Angel Aeris
******

Let me tell you a little story.

It was a cloudless night when Balamb Garden held its annual SeeD celebration party. Figures in SeeD uniforms whirled around the dance floor as the orchestra played a lively tune. The stars and moon shined brightly above them, their light visible to all in the dance hall through the crystal-clear glass roof.

A song ended. The orchestra started to play a familiar waltz tune. Two figures slowly approach the dance floor, hand-in-hand. One was wearing the standard black SeeD uniform. The other was wearing a shimmering long white dress. The other dancers on the floor quickly made way for the couple, for one was the respectable leader of SeeD, the other, his smiling angel that everyone adored.

The couple stepped into the waltz, their graceful dance watched by everyone in the room. The male sensed everyone's eyes on him, and in nervousness his body became tensed. But one assuring smile from his angel calmed him down.

Others in the room watched in admiration, adoring, and in a way, envying the couple dancing in front of them. They were the perfect couple; the love story they share was one that people only expect to find in storybooks. Together they have been through life, death, and even the dimension of time; yet they managed to make it through. Their bond strengthened even further through each obstacle in their lives. It was like a fairytale one could only dream about; a beautiful damsel in distress found her knight in shining armor, and together they escaped from the world filled with darkness, finding paradise in each other's arms.

People envy them, because they knew they probably would not find such pure love like these two have. Yes, you have the ability to fall deeply in love with a person, but will that person love you back the exact same way? Will that person give you back the same amount of love as you give him/her? An equal sharing of love is almost impossible unless two people are truly in love each other. But in this dark world, finding a person that truly loves you, whom you also dearly loves, is almost an impossible task.

The Angel and her Knight accomplished this impossible task. They have been through what one could describe as hell, but their love survived through all and kept them together. That was why everyone at the party envied them. They want the Angel and the Knight's love story to be their own. They wondered why the same story could never happen to them...

You have heard the perfect fairytale-like love story. Now hear reality.

******

Fujin sat on the barstool, staring down at a glass of wine in her left hand. The party was over, and most people have already retired to their dorm room.

The sound of a groan made her look up from the wineglass. She turned to Seifer, who was sitting next to her. His face was flushed red; he had been drinking throughout the whole party. He started to reach out for another drink, but Fujin stopped him. "Enough. Stop."

Seifer did not reply, as he was too intoxicated to even understand what she was saying. He let out another groan, then rested his head on the countertop.

Fujin sighed softly to herself. Raijin was sick today, so she accompanied Seifer to the party. The party started out well for her; she and Seifer sat at the bar and had a few drinks while they chatted about the old times.

It was all going well, until Squall and Rinoa stepped onto the dance floor.

Seifer watched them with angry eyes. He glared at Squall's every move, jealously and anger both hitting him at the same time. He stopped talking afterwards and drank in silence.

Fujin knew he hated Squall with a passion, not because he was never able to defeat Squall in battle. He hated Squall...because Squall won the love of Rinoa.

Even though Seifer never admitted it, Fujin knew he loved Rinoa. He never cared for any girl in his life until he met Rinoa. When Rinoa needed help, he gladly lends out a helping hand. He was always happy when he sees her. Who wouldn't? Rinoa was the perfect angel in everyone's heart. She had a lovely smile, a cheerful attitude, and the ability to make anyone laugh. It was easy for Seifer to fall for her. He was happy with Rinoa for a while...until he fell under the sorceress' control and Squall appeared in Rinoa's life.

Squall had always been Seifer's rival in class. Then he became Seifer's rival in his love life as well. But like in battles, Seifer couldn't beat Squall, and Rinoa fell for Squall instead. All this left Seifer in bitterness. He had lost his angel to his rival.

Fujin ran a finger down Seifer's now-rumpled blonde hair. He did not respond. She stroked his hair gently, feeling helpless that there was nothing she could do for him. She didn't want to see him this way...she didn't want to see the person she loved suffering in depression.

She had always loved him. Ever since she had first met him, she admired his strong-willed ambitious attitude. She stood behind him for everything that he had done. Even when he had fallen under the control of Ultimecia, she prayed for his safety everyday. She wished that he would snap back to his senses and come back to her. Her thoughts were always for him, and for his well being. Yet, he never noticed her, as the only person he sees was Rinoa.

She sighed again, then leaned closer to Seifer and whispered in his ear, "We should go,"

Seifer let out a grunt, then started to stand up. Before Fujin could catch him, he fell swiftly to the ground. "Seifer!" she quickly kneeled down next to him.

He reached out and took her hand. "...Rinoa..." she heard him muttered. "Why..."

Fujin knew he was mistaking her for Rinoa. A soft tear fell from her eye as she wondered why he was still hanging on to her. She knew she was no match for Rinoa. Rinoa was the perfect girl, while she herself was the rough tomboy. But she had done much more for Seifer than Rinoa had ever done for him. Why did he love Rinoa, and not her?

She lifted Seifer's head up gently and rested him on her lap. Tears were coming out from his eyes. Fujin had never seen him in such a vulnerable state. She wrapped her arms around him and sobbed silently.

"...Rinoa..." he muttered again and held Fujin's hand. "Stay..."

"I'll never leave you," Fujin quietly whispered. "...No matter what you see me as...I'll stand by you no matter what...because...because I love you,"

Seifer, oblivious to Fujin's confession, closed his eyes and moaned as the effect of the alcohol took its toll. Fujin stayed motionless and in silence as she sat on the floor, wondering why he could love someone who could never love him, and neglect the person beside him who loved him from the depths of her heart. Then she wondered why she continued to love him, when she knew he would never love her.

She looked up at the now-starless sky through the glass roof. "...Maybe fate is playing a cruel joke on all of us..." she said softly.

******

Yes, maybe love is all just a joke created by god. We all know about the happiness love can bring, and in hoping for this happiness we find someone to fall in love with. Yet, that 'someone' rarely loves you back the same way. This is reality. So often you end up loving someone who would never love you back that you couldn't help but laugh at the irony of the situation. Yes, life is ironic. I have observed enough real life examples to know that for a fact. Fujin's and Seifer's stories are just two of the many examples that one's love story can go wrong. Rarely any love stories turn out like the Angel and the Knight's story. Heck, even my own love story didn't turn out the way I wanted. Even today, my heart is still bothered by it.

Fujin questioned why Seifer could never let go. She questioned herself why she could not let go. Even I myself questioned why I could not let go of the person who would never love me.

...Perhaps it's because our desire for love is so strong that we desperately hang on to someone we love, hoping someday that person will finally recognize our love and love us back for it. Each one of us...we desire the same thing. Whether it'd be the loyal guardian Fujin, the ambitious warrior Seifer, the smiling angel, the silent knight, or even I, as their teacher, want the exact same thing - love. We believed in all those fairytales that we had read when we were young. We believed that when we find our 'one and only' love, we will take off to paradise together. Even if we are not loved back, we hang on...because somewhere deep inside our heart we dream that one day the care and affection we gave would be returned, and we would be happy...yet, this thought is the cause of all our pain and suffering. The more we love, the more we feel, the more we get hurt...

I don't know whether I should laugh at our foolishness or cry at the situation - our lives being ruined by love...

...We have become nothing more than slaves to love...

******

he ate my heart, then he ate my brain ♥