I started writing this story last year on July 30, 2006. I remeber sitting on my mother's bed listening to the stereo of Star 99.9 Dilila and just writing it. I remember laughing while I was writing some parts.
I hope you enjoy this story as much as I have enjoyed writing the first few parts. The next parts after are to still come.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the College applications I am filling out.
Chapter 1: Thunder and Lightning
Another sleepless night, another tired day Quistis thought as she sat up in her cot sized bed. Sometimes she wondered how bigger people at Garden actually fit in these beds. Did they just lay on them, on their backs with their arms and legs hanging off. Did the same go to really really tall people?
A loud rumble of thunder erupted in the sky for four seconds did Quistis know why she was awoken up for and couldn't go back to sleep. She wasn't scared or anything, it was just that it was so loud and being at a military school she was trained to be alert, and once she was alert she was alert even for the littlest of things.
Thinking to herself she estimated that she wouldn't be able to fall asleep for maybe an hour or so she put on a light jacket, pulled her hair up into a clip, put her glasses on, grabbed her Save the Queen and her idenification card she left her dorm to take a walk around to weary herself out.
The thought was better than reading a former book she had finisehd because with it being so predictable and knowing what was going to happen the idea would bore her but wouldn't help her sleep.
Walking she was glad to have been a former Instructor even though she wished she was still one. The benefit that she still held was that she was able to keep her Instructors dorm for the time being which were bigger than regular dorms but furnished the same. The room was equipted with a cot, a small night dresser, a small shelf to store books and a small dresser. There is no carpet and there is only one window. You had to be in a lucky dorm for the window to open up, but to keep it open a book had to be on both sides to hold it in place.
The second benefit was that she could be out of her dorms past ten-thirty. All she had to show was her I.d card. the I.d card was needed for many things but most importantly if you didn't have your card then you could not get into your dorm.
The sound of thunder and heavy pouring rain outside along with the occasional lightning occured outside, while inside the cooling air and protection of Garden kept Quistis in high spirit for the moment. Being inside she was glad that she wasn't outside at the moment or somewhere on a mission where some were currently inwhich she sent her blessing and her heart out to them.
Even though it was almost one in the morning they must've had a hard time sleeping as she had at the time, but she was in a protected dry environment and they were not.
From out of the dorm hallway she came to center of every location; the fountain. The fountain was where she was going to sit but the sudden noise of another made her want to think twice. Bounding her weapon just in case she turned and started walking backwards listening carefully.
Hitting something, actually someone she let out a scream and the person let out a scream.
The person she had bumped into turned out to no other a friend, a member of her team, Selphie Tibett.
"What are you doing out so late?" she questioned Selphie who was also dressed for sleep only she dawned a light white jacket. Quistis put her hands into her sleeves and witht eh material of the sleeves scrunched it up and held it with her hands because her hand became chilly.
The reason they both wore coats was that it was hot during the day time hours, but come night it got a bit chilly when the air system tended to drop in temperature below the point of comfort.
Wrapping her arms in her long sleeves like Quistis did she replied, "I don't like thunder, you know that. Remember when we were kids and the thunder used to be close since we lived on the beach, and Seifer used to make it scary since he loved it so much!"
When they were all little on the beach growing up in the orphanage Seifer loved the thunder. He would beg Matron to let him outside which she didn't. So wherever he was now, if in this area, he must be loving it, and maybe having a quick remanance like they were. It was one of the good memories from the past.
"But why are you out of your dorm," Quistis questioned sitting on the ledge of the fountain, hands still in her sleeves.
Some cadets thought they were smart and tossed a coin into the fountain as if it was a wishing well. If the fountain in this hallway was a wishing well Quistis would not be where and doing what she was doing now.
Even though she didn't believe in the whole 'wishing-well game' she sometimes wished she had a coin in hand to toss into the now dirty water of other students who could only wish for a better way.
"I thought a walk would calm me down," Selphie answered and Quistis's attention went back to her friend but she did not buy it. She gave her the 'half-true?' smirk.
"Ok, ok," she said having to give in because she was not very good in giving the half truth.
"I hoped if I took a walk around it would be over." she answered but was not ashamed to admit it to Quistis because she knew very full well of the situation.
Selphie was very skilled with her Nunchucks and a brillant bright cadet who planned most of Garden's events infact was scared of storms. She could destroy terrorists, stop bombs, travel far away, but stomrs scared her. She blamed it on Seifer, but Quistis thought it was mostly just her and the way she felt.
"You better get to your dorm before you get into trouble even though there is nothing out here except for the dim lights." Leaning her hand sleeved and all into the fountain she ran it through the water then stood up.
"Want me to walk you back to your dorm," she suggested and was right on time with that becuase thunder suddenly erupted outside.
Selphie nodded and she walked her there and then went to the entrance. She wouldn't leave, just sit on the steps and watch the weather conditions. the conditioned still didn't change and the rain continued to fall, the lightning erupted the sky and the thunder rumbled.
The weather hot and humid many wished it would cool down atleast ten degrees. Sadly, the weather forecasted planner from the weather experts said that they shouldn't wait up because if then they would be waiting for at least another week or so.
The next morning Quistis woke up at six fourty-five and once again, when she was up, she was up. A quick shower and into her peach battle suit, she was planning to go to the Training Center but her plan went astray as she along with seven other SeeDs had to go to Balamb and assest the damage of the city. Just to make, she thought sarcastically, a wonderful little trip, Squall was leader.
No Surprise.
In Balamb there was quite the damage from the storm with signs blown down far from their posts, the tide rose up and swept many things out and the lightning struck the tower in which some got hurt.
The soliders job was to clean the mess up and to look for hurt people who might've got struck with something or had been swept out.
Quistis Trepe and Squall Lionheart were assigned to check out the struck tower of an abandoned plant.
"Your junctioned," Squall questioned at the fork of the entrace.
Even though they were back to back she nodded. They seperated, weapons at their sides to fight in case, and walked seperate way down the abandoned dirty halls. Eventually they would meet up at the other end.
Walking, nothing really sounded except the dript of water upon some metal object or the russle from a rat. Then something caught her attention from a side room. Curiousity did kill the cat, and since she wasn't a cat she checked it out.
The room from the doorway was filled with boxes and plastic and a person? Moving then, she saw grey; a grey trench coat.
Moving more and cutting her hand in the process she discovered an old face, the fate of a horrible story; an old childhood friend Seifer Almasy Knight of the Sorcerer during the War which ended by the heroic team: Squall Lionheart, Zell Dincht, Rinoa Heartily, Selphie Tiblett, Irvine Kinneas and herself.
After that Seifer wasn't seen since.
Quistis knelt down. She shouldn't be aiding the enemy but that didn't count someone who couldn't help it. She felt his forehead which was very warm. Leaning her head toward his mouth she listened for a breath which was there. He was jsut unconcious.
Quistis stoodup and looked down at him. He was a mess of his former self. He wasn't strong looking, but weak, dirty and tattered, bruised and scratched up he couldn't've just happened to be there. Someone must've put him there to die because of his "traitor" status, instead of just finishing him off.
Of all the things he did, of all the people he hurt and killed, of all the things he did for his dream being possessed wasn't one of them. He dserved a second chance. Everyone deserves a second chance.
Seifer deserved one.
"Cure," Quistis casted on him. She knelt down and cast it again.
Squall found her like that. He did not expect to find his rival there.
He wanted to kill him at the minute. He wanted him gone for everything he did.
"Do something Squall!" she shouted at him on the verge of panic.
Hope you've enjoyed the first chapter. Please tell me if you liked it or anything I can do to make it more enjoyable. Thanks. God Bless, take care.
