Squall drew his blade and took an offensive stance. His opponent, Seifer, smirked and took a defensive stance, something he didn't often do. In the moment that his opponent pondered his first move, Seifer quickly leapt forward and sliced at neck height. Unsurprisingly, Squall noticed with plenty of time and leant back, Seifer's blade merely an inch from his neck, Squall returned to his offensive stance then changed his mind and started to circle his opponent. At this, Seifer responded by lowering his blade and leaned on it in a way to show boredom.
Neither was surprised at what had just happened. Squall knew that he would try something like that, and Seifer knew that he wouldn't fall for something so plainly obvious.
Nevertheless neither took the training just as training. In fact, their new instructor had quickly learnt that to not keep an eye on them was asking for trouble. But there was something enticing about they way they fought, it was like a circus act. Always countering and then being countered, launching a flurry of moves that wowed the audience but suddenly being thrown back by a similarly flamboyant set of moves only to once again dig deep and bring out another counter. Many times the instructor had found herself mesmerised by the display.
Even though it had only been two months since Balamb Garden had taken on the new recruits, the headmaster has noticed that Squall and Seifer had already set themselves apart from the others. They excelled at all their subjects, especially subjects that involved fighting. 90% of his attention was set to the "terrible duo" - both were unparalleled by any student, they did have their problems; Seifer was a troublemaker and refused to take orders, Squall on the overhand was quiet he did as he was told but only when he had to. He walked over to his window and stared down into the Quad, he was glad he had agreed to go along with the idea from his newest instructor, Quistis Trepe.
It was a good to let the students fight each other, plus it was nice to let the students out in the open to fight instead of cooping them up inside… fresh air and all that. He noticed that Squall and Seifer were in the middle of a battle to the death, like all their encounters, he wheeled his chair over to watch them.
Squall was circling round Seifer, watching, and waiting. He didn't have to wait long…Seifer faked to the left by spinning round but changed mid-way to a strong thrust, Squall noticed at the last second and changed his moving block into a spin of his own. They moved past each other in this fashion until they were back to where they started just the opposite side.
"Heh heh, that was very good. Well done Squall."
"If you weren't so goddamn obvious, you might actually get the upper hand one day."
"Cheeky ain't ya. I'll show you what REAL fighting is!"
Seifer, as always, made the first move. He moved in close to Squall, locking the two blades together. He could feel the heat from Squall's body; the sweat smell of perspiration filled his nostrils that flared as he breathed heavily trying to make Squall back down. But Squall wasn't budging an inch, in fact he doubled his efforts pushing their torsos closer together, Seifer could feel Squall breathing through their clothes…he could feel Squall's muscles tightening as he tried to dislodge him.
Two men with blades locked in combat and eyes locked in…. Squall wasn't sure…why was Seifer looking at him that way. He knew Seifer enjoyed to fight, but there was something in the look he was giving Squall.
With a thrust, Seifer was thrown off balance and cluttered to the floor his blade slid out of reach. Squall held his blade to Seifer's throat.
"Do you concede?"
From his vantagepoint high above the fighting ring, Cid nodded to Quistis.
"Okay Squall, lower your blade, Seifer doesn't have to concede…this is TRAINING after all."
After a few hesitant seconds, Squall lowered his blade, though the eye contact was constant.
"Lesson's over, everyone practise what I showed you…except Squall and Seifer whom should just try to keep fighting, within training time." Everyone lightly giggled at this comment; everyone except Squall…all he could think of was the look in Seifer's eye…and how …how he also felt something.
Cid, buried has head in his hand, why did Squall and Seifer have to take their training so seriously. If those two would fight together they would be unstoppable…SeeD could take on any mission. He had made his mind up, there had to be an ultimatum. Cid leaned out of the window and called down.
"Squall…Seifer…Please go and get changed, I would like to see you in my office as soon as possible."
Seifer got up from the floor and dusted himself down, he waved his hand in the general direction of the Headmaster and sulked off toward the changing room. Squall on the other hand, lifted his right hand to his face in the usual SeeD salute and jogged to catch up with Seifer.
"What's with you today?!"
"Nothing, I just have a lot on my mind… I had this dream…and it was romantic and…and aww for get it."
Just then Zell came running out, he was cursing lightly under his breath. "Sold out of hot dogs already, oh man! Oh, hey what's up with you two?"
Squall looked at Seifer, there was a 'you-tell-him-and-I'll-kill-you' look on his face. "Nothing Zell. We've gotta go."
"Yeah Zell, this is man's talk, go away…Chicken-wuss." Squall and Seifer continued walking, leaving Zell to fume.
"Was that really necessary?"
"Of course!"
They walked the rest of the way round to the changing room in silence, upon entering the room it was obvious that they were the last, there was steam in the air and towels all over the floor. Most of the benches were damp and the heater was clicking.
"Damn, I bet there's no hot water now." Seifer kicked a towel across the floor.
"Why don't you have a cold shower, they're meant to be good for you." Squall retorted, as he punched in his PIN to open his locker.
"Like hell I will! Why don't you have a cold shower."
"I intend to, I'm not gonna go round smelling of BO the rest of the day. Especially when we've got to go see Headmaster Cid soon."
"You are really back-chatting me today, I think I will have to put you in your place." Seifer says in a playful tone, though there is an air of righteousness to his comment.
"Oh really?" Squall says, dismissing Seifer's comments "maybe next training session…unless you freak out again."
The silence returns as Squall rummages about in his locker for his shower-gel and shaving foam.
Neither was surprised at what had just happened. Squall knew that he would try something like that, and Seifer knew that he wouldn't fall for something so plainly obvious.
Nevertheless neither took the training just as training. In fact, their new instructor had quickly learnt that to not keep an eye on them was asking for trouble. But there was something enticing about they way they fought, it was like a circus act. Always countering and then being countered, launching a flurry of moves that wowed the audience but suddenly being thrown back by a similarly flamboyant set of moves only to once again dig deep and bring out another counter. Many times the instructor had found herself mesmerised by the display.
Even though it had only been two months since Balamb Garden had taken on the new recruits, the headmaster has noticed that Squall and Seifer had already set themselves apart from the others. They excelled at all their subjects, especially subjects that involved fighting. 90% of his attention was set to the "terrible duo" - both were unparalleled by any student, they did have their problems; Seifer was a troublemaker and refused to take orders, Squall on the overhand was quiet he did as he was told but only when he had to. He walked over to his window and stared down into the Quad, he was glad he had agreed to go along with the idea from his newest instructor, Quistis Trepe.
It was a good to let the students fight each other, plus it was nice to let the students out in the open to fight instead of cooping them up inside… fresh air and all that. He noticed that Squall and Seifer were in the middle of a battle to the death, like all their encounters, he wheeled his chair over to watch them.
Squall was circling round Seifer, watching, and waiting. He didn't have to wait long…Seifer faked to the left by spinning round but changed mid-way to a strong thrust, Squall noticed at the last second and changed his moving block into a spin of his own. They moved past each other in this fashion until they were back to where they started just the opposite side.
"Heh heh, that was very good. Well done Squall."
"If you weren't so goddamn obvious, you might actually get the upper hand one day."
"Cheeky ain't ya. I'll show you what REAL fighting is!"
Seifer, as always, made the first move. He moved in close to Squall, locking the two blades together. He could feel the heat from Squall's body; the sweat smell of perspiration filled his nostrils that flared as he breathed heavily trying to make Squall back down. But Squall wasn't budging an inch, in fact he doubled his efforts pushing their torsos closer together, Seifer could feel Squall breathing through their clothes…he could feel Squall's muscles tightening as he tried to dislodge him.
Two men with blades locked in combat and eyes locked in…. Squall wasn't sure…why was Seifer looking at him that way. He knew Seifer enjoyed to fight, but there was something in the look he was giving Squall.
With a thrust, Seifer was thrown off balance and cluttered to the floor his blade slid out of reach. Squall held his blade to Seifer's throat.
"Do you concede?"
From his vantagepoint high above the fighting ring, Cid nodded to Quistis.
"Okay Squall, lower your blade, Seifer doesn't have to concede…this is TRAINING after all."
After a few hesitant seconds, Squall lowered his blade, though the eye contact was constant.
"Lesson's over, everyone practise what I showed you…except Squall and Seifer whom should just try to keep fighting, within training time." Everyone lightly giggled at this comment; everyone except Squall…all he could think of was the look in Seifer's eye…and how …how he also felt something.
Cid, buried has head in his hand, why did Squall and Seifer have to take their training so seriously. If those two would fight together they would be unstoppable…SeeD could take on any mission. He had made his mind up, there had to be an ultimatum. Cid leaned out of the window and called down.
"Squall…Seifer…Please go and get changed, I would like to see you in my office as soon as possible."
Seifer got up from the floor and dusted himself down, he waved his hand in the general direction of the Headmaster and sulked off toward the changing room. Squall on the other hand, lifted his right hand to his face in the usual SeeD salute and jogged to catch up with Seifer.
"What's with you today?!"
"Nothing, I just have a lot on my mind… I had this dream…and it was romantic and…and aww for get it."
Just then Zell came running out, he was cursing lightly under his breath. "Sold out of hot dogs already, oh man! Oh, hey what's up with you two?"
Squall looked at Seifer, there was a 'you-tell-him-and-I'll-kill-you' look on his face. "Nothing Zell. We've gotta go."
"Yeah Zell, this is man's talk, go away…Chicken-wuss." Squall and Seifer continued walking, leaving Zell to fume.
"Was that really necessary?"
"Of course!"
They walked the rest of the way round to the changing room in silence, upon entering the room it was obvious that they were the last, there was steam in the air and towels all over the floor. Most of the benches were damp and the heater was clicking.
"Damn, I bet there's no hot water now." Seifer kicked a towel across the floor.
"Why don't you have a cold shower, they're meant to be good for you." Squall retorted, as he punched in his PIN to open his locker.
"Like hell I will! Why don't you have a cold shower."
"I intend to, I'm not gonna go round smelling of BO the rest of the day. Especially when we've got to go see Headmaster Cid soon."
"You are really back-chatting me today, I think I will have to put you in your place." Seifer says in a playful tone, though there is an air of righteousness to his comment.
"Oh really?" Squall says, dismissing Seifer's comments "maybe next training session…unless you freak out again."
The silence returns as Squall rummages about in his locker for his shower-gel and shaving foam.