A Fated Child: Pages in the life of Quistis
A Final Fantasy VIII fic
by Andrés aka Faethin
A year later...
As Quistis finished the welcoming speech a thunderous applause filled the hall. The new students were all divided into three groups and led to the dance hall by the graduated SeeDs. One by one, they left the auditorium until the only remaining people were the high-ranking SeeDs and Headmaster Cid.
She was again instructor No. 14 Quistis Trepe, and she was in charge of the first and seventh years of the Garden. "Because you look a lot like the big sister we all need" had said Headmaster Cid when she had asked why she had been chosen to instruct the young cadets, and "Because you are by far our most talented SeeD apt for teaching in the final levels of the training" he had said when she had asked why she had been given the last year as well. True though it was, it was also very tiring for her, and she was not yet too sure about being fit for the job.
"Great work, as usual," said Xu approaching her, some hours later, when the ceremony was over. "Let's just hope they don't forget everything you said about honour and courtesy the first time they get to try the cafeteria's hot dogs".
"Let's hope so," said Quistis, laughing. "It's too bad not even the rank allows for privileges in the cafeteria. At least for someone I know." She smiled as she saw Zell just entering the hall along with the Pig-tailed Girl.
"Hey, Quistis! I mean, Instructor Trepe, uh, yeah," he said, blushing a little and looking at the Pig-tailed Girl. "D'you hear the latest? Rinoa is gonna be made honorary Instructor!"
"Yes, I had heard," said Quistis, nodding. "Honorary Instructor No. 20, Rinoa Heartilly, in charge of Magical Training."
"Yeah, that's it!" he said. "'Course, I'd forgotten that you are the unofficial Garden Intelligence officer!" The Pig- tailed Girl burst into giggles. "Anyway, I was looking for Squall. Rinoa told me that he's supposed to meet her at the Secret Place tonight at eleven."
"But that's technically not allowed..." said Xu.
"Indeed, it isn't," said Quistis with a sigh. "But since when does Rinoa care about rules? And I think she's infecting Squall with that attitude."
"Well, she is an Instructor." Zell said, scratching the back of his head.
"Have you ever seen me or Quistis sneaking around the garden almost at midnight at will?" inquired Xu, raising an eyebrow.
"No, least not you," said Zell, but as he was about to add something else, Quistis narrowed her eyes at him.
"Anyway!" he said, quickly. "We gotta go! Catch up with you later!"
He left speedily, the Pig-tailed Girl following behind.
"Sometimes I wonder..." Xu started.
"How can he be a graduated SeeD?"
"How I can really feel no remorse in breaking up the rules just like that."
"Ah! Ladies!" Headmaster Cid said loudly, seemingly coming out of nowhere. "Wonderful job! I'm so proud of my students right now I could burst! And, just between you and me, I sure feel relieved that I did manage to pick up the right choices of Instructors to handle the ceremony."
"Thank you, sir," both girls answered.
"Seriously, a truly wonderful job! Edea as well thought it was great. I especially liked your speech, Quistis, the whole part of the pride and the will to fight along your fellow soldiers. It almost made me want to enlist myself in the program."
"Is Matron here?" asked Quistis.
"Yes, well, I mean, she was. She felt a bit tired and left early. You'll find her up at first our in the morning on Monday, though. I heard she wanted to remind all students about the true meaning of SeeD and how they should always behave properly, in accordance to the rules, for that is truly the role of SeeD: to maintain peace and order, and all that stuff... She's probably going to stop at every classroom to tell them that. You know, the Edea way.
"The Edea way," repeated Xu, laughing.
"I wish she hadn't left so early," Quistis said, looking away. "I wished to have a few words with her."
"You'll get your chance soon enough, Instructor. And now, one last congratulations isn't out of order, I suppose. And with that, I'd send everybody off to bed. I feel as if the ceremony had been going on for days now. Guess it's the age, you know. Or maybe I had a little too much champagne? Nah, it's not that, maybe I am getting old..."
"Or maybe it's just that it's already half past two," Quistis said.
"Yes, of course. Now, then! Everybody back to the dorms! Great work, you two, and everybody else involved! Quistis, make sure the hall does remain locked up. I've heard rumours that some of the older students have been sneaking around at night and using this same hall along with the training center as some kind of nightly rendezvous point. Must be that CC group again."
Quistis smiled and dropped her sight. "Yes, it must be them again."
Headmaster Cid let out a yawn. "I'm almost in the need of a Full-life. Good night, ladies. I'll see you again tomorrow."
"So, the CC group?" said Xu, raising her brow again but smiling, when the Headmaster had left.
"I could tell them to meet at night right here and make the rumour true, you know," Quistis said.
"Or you could simply tell the Trepies to make them do so."
"Oh, don't say things like that! Sometimes, I just don't know what to make of them. Did I tell you about that poem I found on my desk?"
"The one about the Gold that flows like a River from your forehead?" said Xu with a giggle.
"No, the one written with permanent ink on my datapad. It took me forever to clean it up. And I didn't make it before Irvine came and claimed the authorship."
"Irvine Kinneas? A Trepie? I wouldn't think so..."
"I never gave the thought a chance. I never will give the thought a chance," she said, almost shuddering.
She sighed then.
"Now that I think about it, I never give any of those thoughts a chance."