"Come on love run with me
Get the hell out of this town
So we can get a better feel for each other
I'll take you, back to, when you
Remembered how you used to
Just live your life a little for me"
Beauty in the Breakdown – the scene aesthetic
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Final Fantasy VIII characters; they are all property of Squaresoft or Square Enix, etc.
Chapter One
It was just an ordinary day for Selphie Tilmitt, as she walked down the corridors towards tutorial. She looked at all the SeeD's walking, running, skipping past and remembered when she used to be so free. Now, she felt like everything was tying her down; especially the new mission that she was on.
Seifer Almasy was due to be transferred from Esthar Prison to Galbadia Prison in a week and she was to arrange everything for it – transportation, who would accompany him, plans if he escaped (this was Seifer Almasy after all) and it was bringing her to her knees.
No-one would have guessed how badly organised Laguna Loire would be, in spite of having his son, Squall, second in command.
After the sorceress war, Cid offered Squall position as Commander of Balamb Garden, which Squall obviously took for a few months. During those few months, he went to Esthar quite a bit, trying to organise a Garden being built there to increase defences against any future sorceress attacks and to generally make it more difficult to access the Lunatic Pandora Laboratory, Lunar Gate, Tear's Point and the sorceress memorial. He was not prepared to go through another war again. He came back one time and announced that he was moving to Esthar to help build the Garden and to take position as Commander there, to be close to his father, Laguna.
Naturally everyone was in shock – Selphie more than anyone because she loved Laguna and now she loved Squall's Father which just seemed wrong. Rinoa decided to go with Squall to Esthar and a year or so later they all received an invite to their Wedding.
Selphie was absolutely dumbfounded because a week before Squall had admitted his undying love for her but he knew he had to stick with Rinoa – Selphie found out why on the day though… Rinoa was pregnant, which seemed a little suspicious to Selphie seen as Squall was the kind of guy who would wait until the wedding night before anything like that but she dropped it.
A couple of months later and the Garden was fully built and operational, to which Selphie was due to travel there after tutorial to make the final arrangements with Squall.
"Hey Selph!" Irvine called. It was no surprise that they had dated for a while after the sorceress war but Irvine couldn't commit so they had to go their separate ways but it didn't do anything to their friendship which remained ever strong. Although sometimes Selphie wondered if it had been because there was someone else – but who could keep a track with all the girls wondering in and out of his dorm at all times.
"Hey yourself!" She said, smiling and stopping for him to catch up.
"About the mission," She sighed and rolled her eyes turning around in one fluid motion, heading towards tutorial, "Hold on!" He said, going after her, "I just wanna make sure you know what you're doing and that you're ready… I still care about you Selph." She stopped dead in her tracks at the last part.
"What?"
"Erm… Yeah… I don't want you going out there and getting hurt! I know what Seifer's like!" Irvine said, trying to recover, "Oh forget it. I'll see you in a month or so." He hugged her and jogged off to class.
She sighed at the typical timing of men in her life – Squall's confession, Irvine breaking up with her and now suddenly seeming to admit his true feelings for her.
She continued walking down the corridor and strolled in to class and sat at her usual desk with Zell sat next to her, snoring and drooling slightly.
She prodded Zell really hard in the side, causing him to snort loudly and jump up.
"Yes Instructor Treppe." He looked around, worriedly and then glanced back at Selphie who was desperately trying not to laugh at him.
"That was not funny Selphie!" He said banging his fist down on the desk.
"Now Zell Dincht. That is inappropriate behaviour and I will not tolerate acts of aggression. Detention with the disciplinary committee at four today." Quistis said, walking to the front to sit at her desk.
"Aww but Quistis! It's Selphie's fault!" Zell said, trying to get out of two hours with Raijin and Fujin. They had been accepted back in to Garden around about the same time that Seifer was caught and thrown in Esthar prison.
"I don't want to hear it Zell, you know the rules and that's final." She opened the folder she was carrying and began sorting out papers to hand out to people.
"Firstly, you are all to receive an information pack about Esthar Garden because as we understand there are people here from Esthar or Fisherman's Horizon, or just people in general who would like to transfer there. Secondly," She said pausing for everyone to take in the information as she handed out packs, "Commander Leonhart is returning to Balamb Garden for a short while to keep track on everything and also because Seifer Almasy will not be returning to Galbadia Garden as planned because…" She stopped as she reached Selphie's desk, "He will be executed point blank the moment he steps on to Galbadia Soil."
The whole class started yelling about how he deserves it and how it should've happened sooner.
"QUIET!" Quistis yelled, "He will be returning to Balamb Garden and staying in the lower floors of Garden. No student is to go down there without authorised personal and or clearance from either myself, Commander Leonhart or Headmaster Cid." She said as the bell rang for end of tutorial and the start of first class.
"No student is to make direct contact with Seifer Almasy – we don't know what effects Sorceress Edea left on him and what prison has made of him. He will be returning in just over a week."
Everyone left for class, except for Selphie who sat in her seat frozen by what had just happened. Why wasn't she told? It was supposed to be her mission to bring him back secretly… Why did Squall keep this from her?
"Selphie. Your train leaves in an hour… You better leave now, "Quistis said smiling, "Good Luck. Say Hello to Rinoa and Laguna for me." She walked off.
Selphie slowly stood up and practically floated to her dorm to get her suitcase. She took her coat off the back of her door and put it on. It was autumn in Balamb meaning it would be winter in Esthar, she grabbed her suitcase, her keys and stepped out of her door.
"Can I give you a hand with that?" Selphie almost jumped out of her skin at the deep voice behind her.
"Oh my Hyne! What're you doing here?" She said, throwing her arms around him.
"Thought I'd come and escort you there… If you don't mind?" He said, taking her suitcase and holding his arm out for her to grab.
"Oh Squall, you shouldn't have! How's Rinoa doing?" She said grabbing his arm and walking with him towards the car park.
"About that… I've gotta tell you the truth, Selphie."
"Well your time in Esthar has done you some good…" She said, commenting on his wanting to be open.
"What?"
"You're awfully open now… Not that I'm complaining mind," She said quickly.
"It turns out Rinoa had an affair, and when I found out she was pregnant it was two months down the line. She told me it was something to do with the part of her that was a sorceress and that she would get bigger quicker and have the baby sooner. It was all a lie…" He said, staring down at the floor.
"Oh Squall… Do ya know who the real Father is?" She asked, knowing even if he did know he probably wouldn't say.
"No… She left before I could ask. That's partly why I came here… She's gone and I don't know where she's gone. I've been to Deling and they've not seen her, so I thought about here but she's not here so… I'm at a loss really…"
"Well she'll turn up sooner or later. It's not like Rinoa to hide away from attention…" She said realising that that was quite bitchy.
"Ouch… That was a little harsh." Squall said.
"Sorry… I'm just tired. I didn't sleep well last night." She sighed, as they arrived at the car park.
Squall lifted her suitcase and placed it into the back seat of the car, "Well, it'll be all over once we get Seifer back here."
She got in the car and put her seatbelt on as Squall started the engine and turned on the Radio.
This is my first ff8 fanfic so i hope i'm doing okay :)