Day 18; Courtyard

[felled_hero]

The intercom always did have perfect timing. Maes had been hoping to talk to Quistis some, but it seemed like the very important conversations got cut short. Of course, if his nurse wasn't quite so eager to bustle him off

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[theycutitout]

Outside was as noisy and empty as ever, River decided as she took a few careful, deliberate steps across the courtyard to take in the scenery again. If it was to be an empty shell with substance or meaning, at least this was a pretty shell. Like a painted Easter egg, not that River's family had ever celebrated the Christian holiday when she'd been growing up. Painted eggs, rabbits that carried said eggs along with candy, and the supposed resurrection of Jesus Christ. Three subjects that had little to nothing in common grouped together on one day.

At least there were flowers.

There weren't so many people outside just yet, so the girl was easily able to focus on one of the men laying down on a nearby bench. Unconsciously, she reached out to him, feeling the same vagueness that had been thwarting her brain's attempts since she'd come to be here. A single phrase did echo in her thoughts, however, and she soon found herself kneeling down next to the bench and watching him quietly. Maybe he wouldn't even know she was there, but, as usual, River Tam just couldn't keep her questions to herself.

"A second chance?" she asked with a curious frown.

[felled_hero]

"Hmmm?" Maes shifted, turing his head to the side at the sudden and unfamiliar voice. He blinked a few times at the disheveled looking girl who was kneeling next to him. He had seen her around, in some company or another, but couldn't remember actually speaking to her. Or knowing her name. Hadn't he seen her with Scar?

"Can I help you with something?" he asked, his voice concerned. He'd heard her question but hadn't entirely understood it.

[theycutitout]

"You're the one with Colonel Mustang all the time," River continued, ignoring the question for the time being as she cocked her head to the side and peered directly at him. "Hughes. You're the real one, I imagine. And Scar too, right?" The girl laughed, grinning as she recalled a lot of what she'd observed from the larger man's actions. "I've seen him glare in your general direction before, so I had to assume."

River turned her gaze to a single blade of grass, plucking it and examining it as she sat there in silence for a second or two.

"A second chance. I'm asking if this is it. Not everyone gets one, you know. Some don't even get a first," she finally continued, still looking intently at the grass.

[felled_hero]

"Oh, yeah, I'm Maes Hughes and I'm usually with Roy," Hughes said, nodding and grinning some. Ah, so that was why she was talking to him. "And sometimes Scar, too. I saw you with him, the other day, actually. He likes to glare - but he's not really as bad as he tries to make people think he is." Maes winked.

"The real one, huh? The real what? I'm sorry, I don't really know what you mean by that." He felt as though the girl was having a different conversation than he was. It was a bit disorienting. And then she repeated her comment about a second chance.

"A second chance?" he echoed, peering at her intently. "I guess you could say that." Had Scar or Roy mentioned something to her?

[theycutitout]

"Maes Hughes," River repeated like she was confirming something she'd already known. She smiled again when he mentioned Scar's obvious habits, mind drifting back to the first time she'd met him. "He does, but you're right. Nothing's ever what it seems. Sometimes the hardest ends up being the softest." Another pause and a small laugh. "Or there's at least something that's made to shatter the stone in the first place. He doesn't like to be hugged, I don't think."

He was confused by her other words, but River wasn't going to explain herself. She'd been clear enough. In her own mind anyway, which was naturally at least fifty times foggier than usual.

The small girl adjusted her sitting position, tucking one of her legs under herself while stretching out the injured one so that it wouldn't become aggravated. She was going to sitting for a little longer, so it would be worth it.

"A second chance, then. I wasn't sure. Brain's foggier than normal, but I saw a little. Or thought I saw a little. Can't ever be sure." River bit her lip as she pulled up another blade of grass. "I'm sorry. Can't help it. It's crowded, and everyone's so loud."

[felled_hero]

"That's my name," he confirmed, watching the girl with a curious smile on his lips. He would be tempted to call her simple minded, but she didn't exactly seem it. More like she wasn't used to talking, almost. "Yeah, Scar doesn't much like being touched at all." Hughes chuckled. "He gives me a death glare everytime I do. But he's a nice guy, under all the gruff. You're friends with him?" Though Hughes knew 'friend' was an awkward word when it came to Scar.

"Saw what?" he asked curiously, propping himself up on his good elbow. "And don't apologize, I'm sure it's fine." He didn't know what she was apologizing for, but he couldn't imagine she had much reason to. "I didn't catch your name, sweetheart."

[mercenaryblonde]

Quisits had blinked at the sudden whirlwind of activity in the cafeteria, watching the nurses drag Maes off and then huffing over her and her slow nibbling of the toast.

She'd seen how he'd held his arm when he left the table, he'd been hurt. So talking with him and fixing him up were going to be a priority. She looked around the cafeteria one last time for any late arrivals.

There were several people missing, ones that she knew by sight. Goku, though she'd never really talked to him much, the woman with the tattoo on her face that she'd seen once or twice... and Squall. Again.

She allowed the nurses to push her into the courtyard and she took a moment, still nibbling on the dry toast, to find Maes and head his way.

[theycutitout]

"River... My name is River," she replied distantly, looking up to the sky for a moment as though something up there had distracted her from the conversation at hand. The girl slowly rose to her feet, her eyes still not meeting his. The answers would have to come later if he cared to find them. For now, it wasn't here place.

"Coming. I... not her place. Not my place to intrude anymore than I already have," River added, feeling incredibly out of place as she felt the other one looking for him. "Not my place." With that, she turned to hobble off as quickly as possible.

Had to be a place somewhere for her here.

[felled_hero]

"River, huh?" Hughes watched her carefully, completely baffled by her odd behavior. Trauma? Shell shock? Well, he wouldn't be surprised if she was suffering from something like that. He was doubly surprised to her strange and sudden turn about, her awkward almost-apology. He pushed himself halfway up to a sitting position, perplexed and shaking his head.

"You're not... intruding," he finished, but she was already gone. Well, that had gone brilliantly. Had Quistis scared her off? He glanced over at the woman, wondering if that was what River meant by 'intruding'. Damn it all, did everyone think he and Quistis were... were... like that with each other?

He scrubbed a hand over the back of his head and glanced up at Quistis, in way of greeting. "That is one weird little girl. Have a seat." He patted the bench beside him, still mulling over the odd girl named River.

[mercenaryblonde]

Quistis blinked at the young woman walking away and then over at Maes. "I don't think I've ever spoken with her, though I've seen her." She sat down and gave him a thorough look. "You however look like you got into a mess last night."

She laid a light hand on his arm, along the bandage. "What happened? I know... I know someone died last night, Ashi and I... saw what was left of the body... but... it looks like there were a lot of injuries this morning."

She shuffled up one of her healing spells and let the energy wash over him.

[felled_hero]

"First time I've ever talked to her," Maes said, shrugging. "She just started talking kind funny at me, didn't even introduce herself. She hangs around with Scar a lot, though, I think she's suffering some trauma. I wanted to talk to her, but she took off like a shot and apologized for 'intruding' when you started coming over." Maes coughed and rubbed the back of his neck with his good hand.

"Uh... and, well, we hit a spot of trouble. Roy and I came across a couple other patients having a fight with four nurses. We joined in and got our butts handed to us. Took out the nurses though, as far as I can tell. I got scalded, all along my arm." He held out his bandaged arm, grinning sheepishly. he could feel... well, something, and he figured it was Quistis' doing. She had said she could heal, but he didn't want her taxing herself. Certainly not on his account!

"It'll be fine, sweetheart, the doctor's patched me up good. Don't you... you know, work yourself up over it or anything."

[mercenaryblonde]

Quistis looked up as the spell finished its work on him. "Intruding? I was the one coming over. Scar... well I guess that'd be the man with the facial scarring? Again not someone I've spoken with, though he is distinctive."

She gave a small tilt of her head, assessing her power use. Not too bad, that should have fixed most of the damage. "I don't think I can maintain the sort of sustained casting I normally do, but keeping people healthy... I can at least still do that. A cure spell shouldn't tax me much." She sat back a bit and regarded him soberly. "The others? How badly were they hurt?"

[felled_hero]

"Uh..." Maes cleared his throat again. "Well, I... I think people kind of have the wrong impression about us. You and me, I mean. Roy brought it up last night, too. So... yeah." He flushed some. "And yeah, Scar has the X on his forehead. He's from my world, gruff guy but he's got a good heart under it all. As long as you're not an alchemist." He shrugged some.

"Quistis, I mean it. I appreciate the healing, I do, but..." he frowned, torn. "You've got to take care of yourself. And I don't know, I was out pretty bad last night...." He frowned. "Roy seemed okay, I think one of the others got beat up pretty bad though...."

[mercenaryblonde]

She looked blankly at him for a moment as she processed his words and then a small snicker broke out, rapidly covered by her hands. Of all the things... really... "People think we're lovers? Oh... oh... um... look, I'm sorry if any of your friends are thinking that, I realize I probably don't have the best of reputations here. I'll clear it up with Roy and anyone else."

She nodded at the rest of his statement and dropped her hands, a small smile still playing around her lips. "I'm trying to stay out of anything that will get me into too much trouble or need to use too much magic, but healing energy shouldn't hurt the baby. If people are hurt, healing is the one type of magic I feel safe using."

[felled_hero]

"Yeah, people seem to think we're...." Maes waved his hand vaguely, not actually saying the word. Quistis didn't seem upset or offended, but he still couldn't bring himself to say it out loud to her.

"Well, they think we're more than just friends. I set Roy straight, so that's alright. It's got nothing to do with your reputation. Roy just... well, I've got a saying. People need people. And so he was thinking I was needing, well, you." He shook his head. "It's all cleared up now, so don't worry about it." He patted her knee gently. Let people talk and think what they wanted. It didn't matter much to him, and he got the feeling it didn't bother Quistis any.

"Alright, alright. If you're sure you can use it and be okay, then I won't fuss too much." He grinned. "And I do really appreciate it. And I'm sure everybody else does, too."

[mercenaryblonde]

Quistis gave him a nod, "I'll keep things to a minimum, and feel free to swat me a bit if you think I'm doing too much."

"I do need you, you are the only person I know that's ever been a parent and you don't... mind if I sometimes need to cry. So Roy was part right, but he just misinterpreted." Quistis sighed and sat back on the low bench, pulling her other knee up and wrapping her arms loosely around it. She flicked a glance around to ensure that no staff was in immediate earshot. "I managed to get one of the bolas assembled last night, Ashi really helped me out, threaded some metal in with the cloth. Should work pretty well."