Chapter 2
Rinoa Heartily paced around her dormitory that she shared with Squall Leonheart. She wasn't totally sure why, but something really bugged her about Cid wanting to see Squall today, she had a bad feeling about it, and deep inside she knew something was going to go horribly wrong.
She tried her best to stop pacing but, every time she sat down, her mind began to wonder, making it impossible for her to relax.
Suddenly there was a knock her dormitory door. Without a second though Rinoa rushed to the door and opened it, showing the friendly face of one of her and Squalls close friends.
Clothed in blue jeans and black vest, the man was dripping with sweat, he had obviously just been training before he came here, a tattoo outlined the left side of his face, setting off his fearsome masculinity, and he cocked a geeky grin in Rinoas direction.
"Yo, Rinoa. Is Squall in?" He said, his voice slightly exhausted, probably from his training.
"No, he went to see Cid apparently."
"Aw, man!" He said, kicking the wall slightly, "Just heard some rumors from a group of kids in the training arena, they told me the 'commander was kicking the crap outta someone.' Damn kids and their rumors! I should kick there asses"
Rinoa looked at Zell sternly, for some reason, she had a feeling those rumors could be true. But then again, it wasn't like Squall to kick the crap out of someone without a very good reason. And he sure as hell wouldn't harm any of the trainees or SeeDs here. "Did they describe the man at all?"
Zell put his hands behind his head. "Not really, apart from they said he was wearing a white trench coat."
Rinoa cocked an eyebrow at him. "A white trench coat? How many people do we know who wear them?"
A confused look started to go across Zells face, quickly followed by a look of panic. "Ya don't think…"
"Zell!" Squalls voice interrupted the two of them in mid conversation. "Glad you're here"
Zell turned round, with a grin on his face, which quickly disappeared as he saw Squall angry expression. Which wasn't doing anything to prove Zells current theories wrong, if anything it just made them more believable
"S'up Squall?" He asked concern and panic raking in his usual care free tone.
"Go fetch the others there's something I need to announce"
Zell quickly followed the orders, the commander, and his friend gave to him. He quickly ran down the hall vanishing out of sight.
Rinoa ran to Squall and quickly threw her arms around his waist hugging him tightly. "Squall, I heard you were in a fight, are you hurt!?"
He loved how this woman was concerned for him, a few years ago, Squall didn't care much about anything, he didn't care for friends, never mind relationships, but since meeting her and making his promise to her, everything was so much simpler. He had someone to rely on; someone who he knew would never let him down. He loved her for that. He loved every last little thing about her.
He ran one hand through her soft, hair and held her close to him. "No Rinoa, I'm fine, honest."
"Good, 'cause I really ain't in the mood to go kick someones but for hurting my Squally" She grabbed his hand lead him back into their dorm, placing him on the sofa. "So tell me before the others get here, what ya gotta announce?"
"Rinoa…don't freak out, okay?"
She folded her arms and stared it at him. "I don't think I like where this is going…"
Squall let out a sigh as he was about to bestow upon his girlfriend, the worse news she could probably have. "Seifers here, in Garden"
Angry over what had just happened, Seifer stormed back to his hidden dormitory, which was placed away from the others on the second floor, it was created in an old unused class room. Away from the rest of the Garden, and out of sight.
You are to stay here Seifer, and remain out of sight of Squall and the others.
Head Master Cid's words echoed through his head, part of Seifer wished he had listen to him. But Seifer was never very good at following orders, unless those orders came from a Sorceress…
Shaking his head, Seifer tried to banish the thoughts of the deeds he had done in Ultimecias name. It was his dream to become the knight of a sorceress.
But had Squall said, he had become a lap dog, a puppet. While Squall guarded Sorceress Rinoa…
He was the true knight.
"Damn you Leonheart, you have to beat me at everything, don't you?" He thumped his dormitory door before he planted his key inside the lock.
Just as the door opened, someone from behind grabbed his shoulder.
"Seifer Almasy" The voice said sternly, rich with a western type accent. "And just what in the heck are you doing here?"
"Don't touch me cowboy!" Seifer shrugged the hand off him and turned round to see Irvine Kinneas. Clothed in his brown suede coat and trousers, with his signature cowboy hat resting on the top his head, the western reject never did seem to change, much like Squall.
"Just wondering, why the hell vermin like you are walking round the place I call home!" He said, anger raging in his voice.
"Squall hasn't said anything to you guys yet, has he?" Seifers evil smirk crossed his face.
"Squall knows you here?"
"Well obviously, the commander is alerted whenever an ex-member of Garden comes here to retake SeeD training"
Irvine's jaw went slack at that, he couldn't have been more shocked if Seifer had dropped his pants in front of him! "So, the big guy let you in then?"
"Big guy? If you are referring to Cid, then yes."
"Why the heck would he let you back in!?"
Seifer walked into his dorm, and closed the door behind him, just before saying "Well, I'll let Squall explain the rest!"
Zell traced the hall ways of the Garden, he had already managed to track down, Selphie, and Quistis and told them to get over to Squalls dorm, but he had trouble tracking down Irvine.
How hard could it be to look for some random cowboy walking round Garden anyway?
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Zell heard that familiar western drawl.
"Hey Zell, y'all never guess who I just seen"
"Seifer Almasy?"
"Whoa. That was just lucky"
Zell shook his head at the man. "Look, Squall wants to talk to us about it, so we better get over to his dorm, okay?"
"Sounds good to me."
The two of them headed for Squalls dorm, without even bothering to knock they strolled in. Rinoa and Squall wear sat on the couch, while Selphie, who was clothed in her favorite yellow dress, stood pretty close to a far end wall, leaning back on it. While Quistis was wearing her traditional instructor uniform, after the events with Ultimecia Head Master Cid had willingly gave her back her instructor license.
Irvine closed the door and took place next to Selphie, throwing his arm over her shoulders and kissing her on the cheek. The two of them had both decided to get together after the whole Ultimecia thing, only problem is, Irvine was still a flirt, the rest of the gang had lost count of how many times the couple had fallen out because Irvine flirted with some pretty blonde girl.
It made Squall and Rinoas relationship look easy.
"Right…" Squall said, his voice back to its natural self, but if anyone was listening close enough, they could detect the panic in his tone. "Head Master Cid recently made a decision that my opinion wasn't allowed in, though he did inform me about to it tell you guys it." He stepped of the sofa and started to pace round the room. "He's allowed Seifer into Garden to retake his SeeD training"
"Yeah, I just had a run in with Seifer on the 2nd floor," Irvine said crossing his arms.
"A lot of my students where talking about 'Commander Leonheart kicking the shit outta' a blonde guy in a white trench coat.' I assumed it to be Seifer." Quistis stated her tone formal as always.
"Well," Zell said interrupting, "What are we gonna do about it? We can't just let Seifer waltz on into our home after everything he put us through! No man should walk into another mans home unless he's invited!"
"Cid's decision as been made." Rinoa said solemnly, it was easy to understand why she was so upset; she had suffered a lot by Seifers hand. "And not even Squall can do anything about that."
"Maybe we should just put the past behind us?" Selphie suggested, she was always slightly too caring.
"No…" Zell said from across the room, "We can't make Head Master Cid make him leave, but we can sure as hell get rid of Seifer!"
"How do we propose we do that?" Squall asked
"We make this place a living hell for him and make him want to leave!"
Squall smiled at the idea, but as the commander, he couldn't do such things, "we'll come up with a plan, Zell, we'll get rid of him, make no mistake about that…"