OF FOLDED FOOLS AND DRENCHED DRESSES
ACT ONE:STIRRINGS OF ANNOYANCE
1.
He knew that he'd have a lot of hell to pay from her especially after realizing what he had just done right now. But he didn't care. He never did. It was always his nature not to. And besides, he was given all the authority the world named Cid could give just so that he could get in here and go on with his mission.
He never fancied himself as a detective. But he loved to know the truth. And he prided himself to be so keen on details. Still, what came out as a carelessly released slip of a tongue from the matron had him thinking a lot. With better reasons. With better, more personalized reasons.
So here he is, in this stuffy room full of papers and shelves here and there, not knowing where to start exactly. At least he was given the tip that everything in here is alphabetically arranged. He rummaged through the folders and finally settled on letter 'T'. Task number one finally accomplished.
He looked for her confidential folder among the others painstakingly but since her name is quite very unique in nature, he had finally found it. Task number two, accomplished.
He instantly scanned through the files and found what he has been looking for. He closely inspected the dates. And compared it with his own. The years being stated were so obvious a difference that he couldn't help but triumphantly smile.
He knew it. He really just knew it.
Finally, after some complete prodding, he finally has proof that Quistis Trepe is really a year younger than him.
2.
She merely gazed at him, completely annoyed and irritated with this whole tirade. While he remained cold and impassive, though internally he is keeping a private smile of his own.
She even had to pinch the upper bridge of her nose to stop her head from throbbing. "So now I am required to hire a bodyguard."
He made his eyes speak for himself, still not talking and still way away from her as he leaned on the other side of the wall.
"And why again is that?"
"Because. You are a SeeD and an Instructor at the same time. The very first in Balamb history."
She arched a dubious eyebrow as she eerily looked at him like he's outer space. "Uh-huh. And what does that have to do with what happened to my student a while ago, Commander?"
"He placed your life in jeopardy."
"What…he was just giving me a letter!"
"He's the Master Trepie."
"Of course I know that! So what!"
"He's a stalker. He's obsessed with you."
"And that would cost me my life?"
"You don't know how those people obsessed with you are feeling, Quisty."
"Don't you Quisty me, Commander! Even you had No Idea how a 'person obsessed with me' is feeling either, so don't even start! I won't be inclined to sign that paper—!"
"You needed someone who must protect you from the obsessed Trepies' harassment—"
"They are my students so I will take care of them and I am not being harassed! I won't allow you to decide on me that I need a bodyguard—!"
"I am not asking for your permission if whether or not you'd like to have a bodyguard, Trepe. I'm simply informing you."
That left her jaw dropping towards the ground.
"It came from Cid. A direct order."
Another pounding headache. Damn. Him.
"Oh, really, huh?"
He again allowed his eyes to speak for himself.
"Oh, great. That's just great. So, Commander, since the two of you have taken the initiative to decide for me," she asked sarcastically, "…when can I meet this bodyguard of mine?"
This time he allowed himself to show a bit of that private smile of his. "You just did."
3.
"THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL AM I WEARING THAT!"
Here they go again. She and her fiery stubbornness. He and his icy wearing patience. This will be a hard time and a long day indeed. He wondered if this would always be the story of their lives.
"You have no choice. It's either this or you'll die from cold with your wet clothes."
He saw her shiver from cold and from complete fury, knowing the fact that she could never win over this one. Though a little pissed now, he still has that private smile of his carefully kept in check.
The ice queen, besotted from the untimely lake trip that she'd had when they tried to protect the file they were after, nevertheless finally relented as she hastily snatched the thick woolen blanket from him and covered it around herself, still looking annoyed. How he was able to find this comfortable shelter amidst their sorry situation would still be an enigma to her.
"Do you fancy wearing wet clothes all through the night?"
Damn him. She most certainly heard that laughter in his voice. She finally now wondered how she had ever come to think about the possibility that she had thought to love this man once.
"It's not fair." She knew she was being childish but she didn't care.
"It most certainly is. Besides, it was you who waded into the water, not me. Though I wouldn't mind stripping just to make sure you'd feel better."
She let out a shocked and disgusted snort as she more thoroughly hid herself from the blankets. "Just go away, will you?"
"Of course. I don't fancy sleeping in a room with irate snow queens—"
He was able to hastily leave the room as the pillow perfectly took aim at his supposed position, all the while silently laughing at her shrieking voice.
"Damn you, SQUALL LEONHART!"
One year younger in some ways, she is indeed.
4.
"So, you must be the Instructor Trepe my Lemmuel has been so fond of sharing to me through his mails. I was very much informed by my son about your gorgeous physique, my dear, but I never really imagined that you were this tall and exquisite," the classic middle-aged hostess—and also, the wife of the acting general—has said, a smile gently plastered in her lips.
"Thank you, ma'am," was all she could reply, somewhat sheepishly. She never imagined that the Master Trepie would go that far by telling his mother about her in his mails. She'd made a mental note to talk about the matter to him after her mission.
"My, you're modest, too. I like that."
She just curtsied her thanks, all the while smiling uneasily. Ten minutes have already passed and her partner is not yet to be seen. She knew he hated parties but doesn't she, too? Besides, this was definitely part of their mission.
"You're worried about something, my dear?"
"Uh…not really ma'am. I was just actually looking for my partner if he has already arrived."
She couldn't be sure if she had actually seen that disappointment crossing the hostess' features. "Oh, so you brought your fiancé with you?"
She nearly choked on her own saliva. "N-no…actually—"
But the older woman just shrugged her off. "No need, my dear. Forgive me for my own imprudence, I should have known better especially after seeing you that you certainly must be already taken."
"But—"
"Don't worry. My husband has not also yet arrived so he must have also attended his meeting. They'll be here shortly."
"But the meeting ended two hours ago already."
"How did you know?" then as if remembering again…"Oh yes, I have completely forgotten that you are also a SeeD. You really just look so regal right now. But that's good. They did say that you must not mix business with pleasure, but when people are in love, they will always find an exception. Your fiancé must be very good-looking."
Goodness, can't this woman even try listening to her explanations?
"But, really, ma'am, you are wrong—"
"Oh, here they are! George, over here."
And true enough, when she turned on her heel, she saw his partner in a tuxedo, looking gorgeous and suave himself, perfect if only the frown in his face would be gone.
The party and socializing has just started when he leaned into her and whispered something in her ear. "How much longer?"
"I don't know. It all depends on how long the guest of honor wishes to stay, really." Then she glanced up at him. "Still ten minutes of stay here and you're already bored?"
"I don't like parties as much as you do." They both knew he lied.
"I just have more tolerance than you do."
He looked at her instead than reply back. "You look odd. Even a little pale. Have you eaten something bad?" he had commented before he turned back to meet their hostess who was going their way.
"Oh, so you must be the SeeD Commander, Squall Leonhart, isn't it?"
He gave a bow as approval, which pleased the woman very well. "Wow. You are quite better-looking than I thought. Well-mannered, too. And very tall. Goodness, you do make a very wonderful and tall couple."
Before she could ask for her partner's support on the topic, he had only made it worse by placing an arm protectively in her waist. "Thank you, ma'am."
If her looks could kill, he'd be dead on the spot.
It was almost two AM when they have finally talked to the couple and the party has ended. Quistis was more than ready to storm out of the place with or without Squall when their hostess had caught up on them again.
"Please take this as my gift for the two of you…and I hope that you'll be blessed with a lot of children anytime soon. Judging from your looks, you'd definitely have gorgeous children ahead of you." And after hearing the call of his husband, the hostess of the night graciously left, leaving Quistis in a chalk-pale white looking state.
"I think we'd also go now, honey," was Squall's all-too-laughing remark.
If only it was written in her job description that she'd encounter idiosyncrasies like these, she wouldn't have opted for this kind of employment at all.
5.
He was with their usual group as expected when he couldn't stop his frowning at the absence of Quistis.
"Zell, where's Quistis?" Selphie now asked, asking the question he wished to let out.
"You didn't know? She asked for a vacation this weekend and Cid approved. Right Squall?"
"Squall, you knew about this?" Rinoa asked.
He merely looked at his girlfriend, still not talking. He shook his head.
"The request must have been directly passed to Cid," Irvine concluded, though it was much the obvious.
"But where could she be?" Selphie still asked, much worried for the closest female friend that she had.
"She might be staying with Matron's. As what I knew, Seifer was also with her there, too—"
"Hey! How do you seem to know these things when I am supposed to be her best friend!" Selphie blurted out a little bit annoyingly.
Zell, looking sheepish, simply squeaked, "I-I just knew it from Lemmuel, promise!"
Squall glared once again. 'Lemmuel, always the stalker.'
"So now you're best friends with that Lemmuel freak!"
"He freely gave the information to me, Selphie, really! He must have known that we are close friends of Quistis!"
Said girl simply slumped back in her seat, still fuming. "Well, she would've at least informed us that she's leaving—"
"Who's leaving?" a familiar voice finally butt in. They all looked in shock to see Quistis curiously looking at them, a slightly big bag gracefully slumped in her shoulders. They don't know which stunned them the most: to see Quistis indeed being there, or to see her clad in a casual sleeveless shirt and some jeans...plus some sneakers.
When they have slightly recovered, Selphie once again glared at Zell who already made a way for escape.
"Come back here you—!"
Quistis glanced back at them a little more interestingly. "What just happened."
"You know those two, Quisty. Just don't mind them. Anyway, look here...don't we look...fetching." Irvine finished off with a wink.
Quistis only rolled her eyes. "You don't want me reporting back to Selphie, now, would you. But who's leaving anyway?"
"You." It was Squall who talked, with his usual cold, always angry yet not so loud voice.
"Me?"
"Zell heard it from Lemmuel that you're leaving for a vacation...will you really?" Rinoa asked.
Quistis again patiently sighed. "Wow, doesn't news travel fast."
"So you're really going for a vacation."
Again the statement-more-than-a-question from Squall.
"Call it that way if you want, though it's hardly that. I am going back to the orphanage to pick up Seifer—"
"Seifer!" Rinoa blurted.
Quistis weirdly looked at her.
"Why, yes. Cid already took him back, due to Edea's request. Provided that I go train him properly for a week this time before he gets in."
That earned another startled "o" from them, except the one who continued to glare at her, still not talking. Squall finally stood up.
"I'm going with you." Which again earned another startled "o" from them, except Quistis who glared back this time.
He really must keep his private smile in check this time.