This is my first actual story on I've had an account for so long, and yet, I never used it for anything – namely since high school has kept me from completing any fan fiction, usually. So what better way to start that with a two-part Final Fantasy VIII story? And since my best fan fic works are short and humorous, this was born… Mostly as a by-product of me trying to come up with a music video using game play and cut scenes… Yes, I'm sorta lame; I tape my game play.
Anywho, you're about to read about what happens when Squall and the others (including Seifer, Raijin and Fujin) take part in the making of a music video. It's weird, it's (hopefully) idiosyncratic, and a little strange on the subject of relationships… I like Squall x Rinoa. I like Squall x Seifer. Then there's this little part of me that keeps picturing them as a threesome… And I've seen it written about on occasion. So, there's just a little bit of that in this.
As with some of my fan fiction, there's a character I've created simply to help further the plot – actually, my alternate ego, just in a different time period. I wrote a little about that on my userpage…I've seen it done before, mine tends to run on a smaller scale than what I've seen. There's a sort of explanation about her on my page, actually. In this, she's working on something similar to my final presentation for British Lit. class.
I haven't set a definite time in the plot where this takes place… I like to think it takes place after the general plot of the game, but it could be during the plot… I suppose it depends on POV, amongst other things… It's open to interpretation. As well, as the theory of the way their world works. I've always thought of it as part of our world, sometime in the more distant part of the near future; say after a few economic collapses, and some major plate tectonics.
And that part about the gerogero – I actually used to call it that; a little dyslexic slip. It still makes me laugh.
Comments always appreciated, and enjoy!The Making of a Music Video
By Burning Bridges
Part One: Carnival!
"Don't be sad! It's Carnival!"
-Bart Simpson on the South American celebration, 'The Simpsons'
Squall sighed and leaned against the wall, his patience now wearing thin. He, and his squad, had been called up to Headmaster Cid's office about an hour earlier where Squall (who'd arrived first) had found Seifer and his cronies Fujin and Raijin lounging about.
"What are you doing here?" he had asked, and Seifer chuckled.
"You don't seem very happy to see me."
"We don't know why we're here, ya know," Raijin offered as explanation, and Fujin nodded in agreement.
"OLD MAN."
"Yeah, the Old Man called us up – said he had something for us to do, and that we'd get paid. Since we're low on cash…"
"He didn't say what?" Squall asked casually, trying to figure out what was going on here. Cid tended to be on the mysterious side sometimes, but this was just somewhat odd… In his mind, at least.
"No, but since you're here, I bet you've got something to do with it," Seifer answered, with a noticeable amount of distaste in his voice, despite a rather good-natured smile that was out of character for him.
Squall just ignored him, and watched a spider spinning a web in the corner. In the silence, all that was audible in the room was the call of an approaching storm. The two exchanged glances at random intervals while Raijin was attempting to amuse Fujin by doodling an effigy of Edea on the back of a paper that had been on a nearby table.
Rinoa was the first of the squad to step into the room, with an unbelievably cheerful greeting to Seifer, followed by what sounded like a game of twenty questions. The others piled in, in an unenthusiastic manner, observing Seifer's crew with whatever amount of agreeability they could muster on a depressing day such as this.
The Garden was unusually quiet, and without incident – and it seemed to have everyone down. It wasn't long after the others stepped in, that Cid came out to greet them.
"Everyone, I've asked you here because I have a request. It's a wonderful opportunity for you to work on your humanitarian skills, and I hope you'll help me."
Humanitarian skills, Squall thought, What is he getting at?
"A family friend has asked me to find people to assist her with a project she's been working on – a music video for her final exam, which determines if she graduates from school or not. I know it's odd, but she asked me for the best people I knew, and you all came to mind."
"Sir, I'm sorry, but this sounds crazy," Squall said.
"RIDICULOUS," Fujin interjected.
"It's been quiet lately," Cid said, "SeeD hasn't had much to do, so I thought you'd might like to get out and have some fun."
"Then why are they here?" Zell asked, eying Seifer.
"She wanted people who'd had a lot of experience with each other for… chemistry. And when I discussed the squad with her, she said she needed a few more people, as it turns out. And since you all know each other fairly well…"
Chemistry?, Squall thought.
"… The hell?" Zell muttered to himself.
"Will you assist her? She really had her heart set on this, and I'd hate to turn her down. Also, she's paying us as generously as she can for our time…"
Quistis, Zell, Rinoa, Selphie, and Irvine all looked at Squall. It was his decision.
"We'll do it," Seifer said abruptly, which clearly shocked everyone present. They weren't sure what had gotten into him, but he was being… nicer than usual.
"I think it sounds really fun," Selphie said, trying to encourage Squall a little.
"What do you say?" Rinoa smiled at him, and he hesitantly went to answer.
"… Yes."
"You'll all do it? Oh, thank you. She'll be very pleased to hear that! Wait here; I'll call her, and she'll be right over."
And so here they were still, an hour later, waiting for this "family friend" to arrive. Squall was uneasy about this, but the others were a little more optimistic. They had all fallen quiet after the first thirty minutes passed, and now the only sound was the rain outside. Odd weather, odd requests, Seifer acting odd… This day was quickly starting to eat at the back of Squall's mind incessantly.
Cid stepped in again, smiling, and headed for the elevator doors.
"Come along, everyone. She'll be arriving any moment."
They all managed to squeeze into the elevator, and to Squall's dismay, he found himself a bit closer to Seifer than he preferred… But he didn't want to admit to himself that it bothered him. Instead, he tried to focus his attention on Rinoa, who was hanging lovingly on his arm.
They got out on the first floor (Zell complaining that he couldn't breathe in the middle of a tight fit like that), and walked down to the directory. Just as they assembled, Irvine pointed towards the front gate.
"Would that be her?"
A young woman with short brown hair lavished by spiky candy-apple red locks had just entered. It was apparent that she liked green, seeing as though nearly every article she was wearing, aside from her jeans, was some shade of green. She was coming towards them, a smile on her face. This green-bedecked woman couldn't have been much more than a year older than Seifer.
"Over here, Vee," Cid called.
She paused, turning back to look the way she'd just come, and Selphie leaned closer to the Headmaster.
"What's she doing, Sir?"
He gave a chuckle as Selphie jumped when a Leviathan came through the entrance, and slithered after the young woman.
"Hi, Cid," she shouted, and the Leviathan roared a greeting of it's own. "Shh, this is a Garden, silly."
She was dripping wet, and shivered a little bit, but she didn't seem to notice. "Sorry I'm late… I ran into a Greg-Oreo on the way here."
"Um… 'Greg-Oreo'?" Zell said. Selphie and Rinoa couldn't contain their giggles.
"You mean a Gerogero?" Irvine questioned, and she started laughing herself.
"Yeah, that's what I meant – I get dyslexic sometimes…"
Cid and the soaking wet woman embraced each other, while her GF followed a small bug that was buzzing around his nose with his snake-like eyes. He opened his mouth wide in a yawn, the light glinting off his barely detectable fangs just before he snapped his jaws shut on the insect that was annoying him.
"Are these the people you were telling me about?"
"Yes, they are. This is Squall, squad leader - "
Squall nodded.
"Rinoa - "
She gave her a warm smile, "Hi!"
"Selphie - "
Selphie waved ecstatically.
"Zell - "
He shook her hand, and grinned.
"Irvine - "
Irvine tipped his hat.
"And Quistis, one of our instructors."
Quistis smiled politely.
"Over here, we have Seifer - "
Seifer acknowledged her with a smirk that made Cid's eyes linger on him a moment longer.
"Raijin - "
"Hi, ya know," he said.
"And Fujin."
"OBLIGED," she answered.
"Everyone, this is Vee, our film maker and artist. And a close friend."
"Hi, everyone," she said, "I look forward to working with you, and – well, I look forward to getting to know you. I'm glad that you agreed to help – Cid spoke very highly of each one of you… As well as tell me any problems I might have with the way in which some of you work with others…" She looked in Seifer's direction, her smile taking on a devious nature.
He didn't notice, being too busy poking at the Leviathan who was slowly taking on a look of bloodlust. It wasn't long before he snapped at the blond boy.
"Snooter, leave Seifer alone. It's not like he's hurting you or anything."
Snooter grumbled something to himself about seeing how she'd feel in the situation, and she reached up to scratch his nose and calm him down.
"Do you have any ideas for what you want to do yet?" Cid asked, and Vee's expression lit up.
"I'm still working on finding the right song – I've one in mind that's very old, but I still haven't decided between some of them. I'm starting to get an idea of who I'll have doing what, though."
"Excellent. Well, why don't you all get acquainted, and I'll arrange for a room at the Balamb hotel?" Cid smiled, "And while you're here, you can dry off, and leave Snooter with me for a bit."
"Sounds lovely," Vee said, finally taking a good look around her, and Snooter gave an indignant grunt.
"Good. Squall, why don't you show her around? And afterwards, she can take some time to get to know your squad." Cid's smile to Squall was of an especially effervescent sort, and Squall knew that it would mean a lot to the old man, so he didn't turn him down.
"I will."
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to work. I'll check in on everybody later."
Cid marched back up the stairs and into the elevator, trailed by the grumpy Leviathan whom disappeared at the doors.
"Squall, we'll meet you in the cafeteria. Nice meeting you, Vee!" Rinoa said, and the squad turned and walked off collectively.
Seifer waved to Vee, as he turned to leave the area, "We'll talk."
"Uh-huh. It was first-rate meeting the three of you," she said, walking up to Squall. "Shall we?"
They walked in silence for a moment, Squall wondering why Cid always seemed to volunteer him for everything… Having great expectations of someone doesn't mean you make them do everything.
"I take it you don't want to be bothered showing me around." Vee gave him an amiable smile.
He looked off somewhere, and didn't answer.
"It's okay, I've been volunteered for things I didn't want to do many times… At least this is better than some of the jobs I've had." She looked at him, and added sadly, "Great Expectations."
"… What?" He looked over at her, and she was fiddling with a strap on her black arm-warmers.
"Great expectations… You and I both have great things expected of us, and we're not to into it. Maybe it's because we'd rather not be depended on…"
"What makes you say that?" He studied her pensive expression, while she stared at the ceiling, seemingly looking for something that wasn't there.
"When you study psychology with such a passion and apply it to yourself, and those around you, you start to learn how to read people's minds…" The dreamy way in which she stated this made Squall snort.
"You're not serious."
"Try it sometime, it's quite fun, really. Other times, it's scary… It's scary, the unknown; and when you figure it out, it's even scarier… That was a novel, you know, Great Expectations… Turning a poor young boy into a proper gentleman…"
"You're not saying that…"
Vee looked at him absentmindedly. "No, no – I'm not; I don't try to understand Cid."
"How do you know him?" This had been a question in the back of his mind all day.
"He's traveled, met people in other countries… My family just so happens to be included in that spectrum. I'm from very far away, and I go to a school very unlike a Garden, but with similar principals. We simply study to better ourselves, and make sure we're ready for the run-of-the-mill jobs around us… I study medicine."
"Aspiring to be a doctor?"
"No… A funeral director."
Squall stopped, and looked at her in near astonishment.
"… Hehe, that's what people always do. I just want to help the grieving."
He looked at her oddly for a moment more, and then realized he hadn't been doing his job. "I haven't shown you anything."
"That's alright! I can read well enough to figure things out. Now, where's this cafeteria, anyway?"
In the cafeteria, they found the team crammed around a table discussing the day so far.
"So, Vee, how do you like the Garden?" Selphie asked as they drew close.
Vee replied cheerfully, "It's beautiful."
She leaned up against the nearest support beam, while Squall seated himself next to Rinoa.
"Much lovelier than where I'm from."
"Where are you from?" Zell questioned.
"Far, far away… The other side of the world. I can get around pretty easily, considering. I live on top of a mountain there, in a town that's dispersed over miles of hilly land, sewn into the forests. It's boring, most of my neighbors are snotty people that came up from rich parts of the city. School's okay, except there's a huge issue with drug dealing. But the instructors are excellent, and most of the students go on to lead good lives. It works for me."
"I've wondered what it would be like not being part of a Garden… Standing outside, looking in, and being a foreigner to it all…" Selphie trailed off.
"It's not very exciting," Vee said. "We don't do much like what you do here. More or less, our only goal in life is to learn, and apply it to a career. Or that's sure what it feels like."
"In a way, I know what you mean. Sharp shooting is something like that," Irvine said. Then he added out of curiosity, "What exactly is it that brought you here, to film?"
"Half of my life is art. I incorporate it into everything I do, and since my final project to graduate is quite significant to whether I can leave or not, I needed to do something big. And since the course deals in literature, I decided on ballads. Namely, illustrating through a movie what a ballad is."
"What do you have in mind for us?" Quistis asked, and it seemed whatever misgivings she was having were slowly slipping out of their hiding places.
"Well… Something that arouses attention. Maybe like Carnival."
This drew a blank with all of them.
"A celebration involving a lot of dancing, music and colorful things. Um… Outrageous stuff."
"I think I see what you're talking about…," Rinoa said, "Sort of like Sorceress Edea's parade, but rainbow colors, and livelier music?"
"Exactly," Vee said with a laugh.
"…" Squall looked a little disgusted.
"And, uh… What is the video going to be about?" Zell asked quietly, trying to picture where this was going.
"Friendship, love…"
They spent the rest of the afternoon in the cafeteria with the squad, Vee talking about her ambitions, her home, and various things she'd learned there, while Squall still pondered her comment about great expectations, Great Expectations, and Cid.
It was starting to get dark out, when Cid called Squall up to his office to make, yet another, request.
"Squall," he said, ushering the teenager swiftly into his office, "I need a small favor."
Here we go again, Squall thought.
"I was going to give Vee these papers – just some standard paperwork that needs to be filled out by those hiring SeeD – and various things I know would be of interest to her while she's with us."
Squall wanted to roll his eyes, but he refrained.
Might as well just get this over with.
"I'll take them to her at the hotel," he said flatly, and Cid was elated.
"Thank you! Just give this box to her, and she'll be set." He handed a rather heavy box to Squall, who turned to leave, but hung back momentarily.
"Sir," he said slowly, "… Have you ever read Great Expectations?"
"Not that I recall… Should I?"
"No, just asking."
It was dim outside, as the night's shades of blue and black had started to set in, veiling the real world in shadows. It was still raining, and Squall pulled his jacket over his head in order to keep somewhat dryer while he jogged along the road towards Balamb. He made it there quite quickly, and slowed down to a walk under the streetlights that led the way to the hotel.
When he entered, the clerk at the front desk stared like he was a two-headed Creeps carrying a Molotov cocktail. He shook himself off, and stepped towards the desk.
"I'm looking for a woman named Vee. I've got something for her."
The clerk didn't speak right away, apparently contemplating whether or not this was some sort of crime in the works.
"Up the stairs, third door on the left. Would you like a towel?" She asked, looking the dripping-wet Squall over cautiously.
"No. Thanks." He walked up the stairs slowly, catching his breath, and located the third door on the left. As he approached, he noticed a sign hanging on the knob that said "DO NOT DISTURB" with an additional message underneath – written in the familiar slipshod handwriting of a certain someone – "All who don't follow directions will be killed on the spot". He disregarded this, and knocked.
"Go away!" he heard someone say, followed by an "Oh, shut up. I'll get it".
Vee opened the door. "Squall! Nice of you to join us, come on in!"
"I'm just here to drop off these things from Headmaster Cid for you," he said simply.
"Oh, come on. Share a drink with us, maybe a story?" she pleaded with a lighthearted grin.
"Yeah, Squall," Seifer said from his spot on the floor.
Squall gave in, without further protest, knowing how girls get when you repeatedly tell them no. He handed the box to Vee, and stepped in, leaning against the wall as close to the door as he could. Seifer, Fujin and Raijin were seated in a dilapidated half circle on the floor (surrounded by empty bottles of different colors), watching a movie on a laptop, and listening to a song on the small stereo Vee had apparently set up on the bedside table. She set the box down, and seated herself by Seifer.
"What do you guys think of this song?" she asked just as the singer proclaimed 'When you lose small mind you free your life'.
Raijin was scratching his head. "I like the message, ya know, but it's kind of depressing."
Seifer glared at him huffily. "It's not depressing. Listen to it a little harder. It's about life."
"LIFE DEPRESSING," Fujin insisted, and Seifer just shook his head.
"Not always."
Squall had been staring at the wall until now, when he looked over to see what they were watching… Just because the wall wasn't that interesting anymore.
A bleach-blond guy with glasses was making an extra set photos he'd just processed of a customers family, and acting quite suspicious.
"One Hour Photo," Vee said, looking up at Squall.
He didn't answer, just looked back over to the wall, as Vee changed the song that was playing.
"This one's called 'Rolling Suicide'," she told Raijin, whom commented that it had a nice tune.
Squall let his eyes wander over to Seifer.
Just to see what he's doing over there, he told himself. Not that he really cared or anything.
Seifer was listening to the song, a rather melancholy expression on his face as he looked towards the ceiling. To Squall's trepidation, Seifer's glance met his, and for what seemed like ten hours, their gazes were locked, like they were trying to read each other. Seifer smirked at him, and Squall abruptly looked away, his mind racing for an explanation.
Why is Seifer acting so weird?Another song had started during that time, and the first line Squall was able to pick out as his brain zoned in and out madly, was 'I am extraordinary if you ever get to know me'.
And that's the end of part one! Part two will be up soon, given that my final paper for English doesn't bog me down with it's 8 pages of nothing-so-far on the Lobotomy. Then I have some more plans for these peeps, hehe! .
I don't know what I'm using for a song yet – there are so many that would make it interesting… I guess it's just a process of elimination.
Hmm… I don't think Leviathan actually has teeth – he has more of a beak, something reminiscent of a squid, but since he's a serpent-type creature, I'll throw them in anyway. I thing there is a sea creature with both a beak and teeth… Just in passing, I've never actually renamed any GF – I just named this one Snooter for the heck of it.
'One Hour Photo', man – I got to watch that tonight. I love Robin Williams. 'Sy the photo guy'!
Oh, and the songs I used in this chapter are 'Aerials' and 'Rolling Suicide' by System of a Down, and 'Extraordinary'.