The Storm part 1

A storm was brewing. I could taste it in the air. The static charge pierced my flesh, aching me to the bone. My arm trembled with the ferocious might of my opponents grasp. Our eyes were locked in heated combat. Two mighty forces at war to their very core, fire and lightning. As I pushed, he pulled with just as much force. We were locked in a dance of sheer willpower. I flexed my bicep. Taunting my prey I loosened my grip ever so slightly, awarding his fragile ego a single moment of reprieve before unleashing all of my pent up rage. With a final blow, my arm swung the tan skinned behemoth completely over the table. Sweet victory was mine at last. I looked down at him, Raijin, the god of thunder. His hulking body even intimidated me, once. I stretched out my hand in obvious pity. Raijin's blue cut off jacket was slumped over his shoulder, almost seductive when combined with his whimpering grimace. As if I would ever go for someone like him. Arrogant, useless, inep…

My thoughts were immediately interrupted by the arrival of a rather boisterous child. Always making a scene everywhere he went, that boy. His name, Zell Dincht, struck a chord in my mind. Everything about him irked me. He was so full of himself. Pretending like he was better than the rest of us. Better than my legendary gun-blade. As if his fists could ever compare to Hyperion's honed perfection; Pitiful. Then it hit me. I would finally prove once and for all that I was superior to this whelp. I wandered over to him. Ignoring the crumpling heap beneath my feet, I swept up behind Zell unnoticed. I reached out my hand to his shoulder. Zell immediately countered with a hefty swing at my right temple. Dodging the skilled swing I noticed his expression turn from surprise to anger. A look I have become accustomed to. Everyone else in this school looked up to me and the Disciplinary Committee. Their looks of admiration were welcome and deserved. Zell, on the other hand, always looked directly into my eyes with such ferocity. His unwavering glare was just fuel for my fire. Zell's blonde hair, spiked up to make him seem taller, bounced as he hopped backward to avoid any counters of my own. His voice was deep. In a tone reserved only for me he mumbled, "What do you want Seifer?"

"You scared?" I snickered. An evil grin crossed my face as Zell melted back into his regular 'happy-go-lucky' demeanor.

"Yo Seifer, I really just want a hot dog. Can this wait till after lunch? I ditched class early today and everything!" Zell whined. He was now a completely different person than the one I had touched. His rage subsided to humor. His glare now soft and pleading, "I really just don't know what I would do if I went hungry again. Don't be so mean."

"Nice try Chicken Wuss, but I don't show mercy, remember?" I growled, hoping for the reaction I craved.

"You talkin' to me? …Bastard!" Zell exclaimed as he punched at the air in anger. "Wuss? As if!"

"Oh, did I hit a nerve with the baby?" I taunted. Raijin's laughter could be heard echoing throughout the whole room from the floor where I left him.

Zell's face blistered with anger and pride. Puffing up his chest and dancing on the tips of his toes, "I'm no baby! You're just an annoying, no good, low level Bite Bug with a dull, used up stinger!" Zell proclaimed. Proud of his insult he danced victoriously.

I could feel my eyebrow twitch with immediate hostility. I wanted to punch his lights out right there to prove this punk wrong, but I knew everyone was watching. I had to play it cool. Suddenly I burst out in roaring laughter, "You think that was an insult Dincht? Your mom would be disappointed in you, such the underachiever."

"What'd you say about Ma'?" Zell murmured. Before I knew it a foot was inches from connecting to my head. I blocked his boot with my fist and in one swift motion I grabbed his foot and launched him at the cafeteria wall. He landed feet first. I was at the disadvantage. Zell shot off the wall, with all of his might, aiming straight for my chest. I stepped to the left and countered, a direct hit. My fist dug deep into his abdomen before he flopped to the ground. I had won.

"Cure!" a female voice rang out. "What the fuck if wrong with you, Seifer?" the girl yelled, running to Zell's side. Blue light encircled the boy's body and healed his superficial wounds. Zell coughed and looked up at the girl before sitting up and glaring at me with hurt in his eyes. Selphie Tilmitt was her name. The yellow dressed ditz was part of the same group as Zell. Her arrival meant only one thing. Squall was soon to follow. Squall Leonhart, the ice king, walked right past his comrades and sat at his table in the back of the cafeteria. Head back, placing his palm on his forehead as if to calm a migraine caused by our little scene. Such the pompous douche he was.

"Seifer, leave him alone." Squall ordered. Yeah, right.

I noticed my true plan was already complete. Smiling, "Oh no Zell, looks like your white knight is here to save you again. Just like a little princess. Can't fight your own battles, can you?"

"Seifer lea…" Selphie was immediately cut off by a determined Zell.

"No. I will fight my own battles. I challenge you to a duel Seifer Almasy!" Zell pointed at me with such fire in his eyes. Was this fire his own or merely my reflection?

"I accept, Zell Dincht. On this day, you have sealed your fate." I was deadly serious. I wasn't about to let this small fry off the hook just yet.

"If I win Seifer, you can never talk about Ma' ever again." Zell's eyed sharpened, obviously overprotective of his dear mother.

"Then if I win you have to be my chicken slave for the rest of the week." I said with the utmost confidence, "Training Room at eight o' clock tonight." Our stares never parting, we mulled over the details in our heads. "Deal" we simultaneously shouted as we retreated to our respective corners of the lunch room. I was lost in thought while Raijin was asking me stupid questions about what he had just seen. I wandered my mind and for just one second I questioned if I was really going to be able to win. That single moment of doubt was enough to piss me off for the rest of my life. My inner turmoil was only broken by the shrill scream of Zell as he finally realized the cafeteria had closed down for the day. I had won this battle. As much as I wanted to enjoy my victory, it wasn't right. I grabbed Raijin's lunch tray and took it over to the sobbing pixie. "Here. I want this fight to fair." I mumbled, sitting the tray on Squall's table, "What good would beating up a starving kid do for my reputation? Just be ready Dincht. I'm gunna' show you just how deadly this Bite Bug's sting can be. " Ignoring the commotion my little act just caused, I slowly left the cafeteria and headed for my quarters. I had to prepare for a battle after all.

Elated with the unlimited possibilities of our fated encounter, a devilish grin crossed my face. Crossing the hall in front of the Training Room, my heart raced in anticipation. While trying to maintaining my composure I couldn't help but notice the thickening air around me. Aware of the change I shuddered silently, ignorant of the imminent danger I had put myself in. The storm I was about to unleash.