Chapter 3: Ifrit and the Fire Cavern

The Garden Faculty guarded the entrance of the Cavern and asked for the student ID numbers and the support. We each gave out ID numbers, then chose a time limit.

"How about 30 minutes? That way, if any problems arise, we won't be short on time, and we don't have to rush beating Ifrit," I said. Squall looked at me and nodded, and Quistis agreed.

"Very well. You have 30 minutes to complete the test. Good luck," one of the Garden Faculty members said as he handed Quistis a watch with the chosen time limit.

"Let's go," Squall said, drawing his gunblade. I drew mine, and Quistis unhooked her whip from her belt. We stepped into the Fire Cavern as Quistis started the time. There were few distractions, so we just ran to the end of the cave, where Ifrit would be waiting.

"You two ready?" Quistis asked. I nodded; Squall waved his hand a bit. "Ok, here we go." She whistled loud and long (which hurt my ears), and soon Ifrit jumped out of the hole in the rock.

The GF threw back his head and roared, showing sharp fangs, accepting our challenge. Squall and I held out gunblades ready, Quistis cracked her whip against the rock. My wolf stirred, feeling the battle getting ready to unfold. I could feel my eyes change from silver to gold as a smile played across my lips.

"What are you smiling at, mortal human?" Ifrit demanded. His voice was deep and booming.

"I'm excited, that's all. My first real battle and it's against you," I replied, my voice innocent.

"Don't taunt me mortal!" Ifrit snarled. He jumped up and readied his elbow to smash into me. At the last moment, I jumped back, then ran and drew my blade deep into the GF's bicep, leaving that arm useless. The slice was long, deep, and neat, not jagged.

I jumped back again as he tried to grab me with his good arm. Quistis snapped her whip, which sent it wrapping around Ifrit's arm. Squall sliced open the GF's side, which made him roar in pain and anger. He grabbed part of the chain whip holding his good arm and yanked, throwing Quistis to the other side of the Cavern.

By now I was really sweating. The heat from the lava and the battle really add up. I glanced over at Squall and noticed he had the same problem. I watched Ifrit as I took off my leather jacket, leaving nothing to protect me except my speed, strength, and a tank top. I threw my jacket back and checked to make sure it landed on the stones. Then I focused on Ifrit, Quistis, and Squall. Ifrit was charging Squall, who jumped to the left and ran behind the beast to Quistis. The instructor had not gotten up yet, and her face was contorted in pain.

Squall looked at me and nodded. I keep Ifrit occupied while he takes care of Quistis. So, I turn my attention back to the fire GF. My eyes made contact with his, and that angered him. He roared again, jumping up and trying to smash me with his elbow again. I noticed how tall he was, which made me feel short, which angered me. (I notice the strangest things at the strangest times) I charged the GF, gunblade down and out to the side.

As he tried to get his elbow out of the crater he made, I did an upward stroke, catching Ifrit on the tricep. The cut wasn't deep and didn't limit him like the other cut did, so he roared again (he roars a lot, don't you think), yanked his arm free and charged me. I tumbled gracefully out of his way, using my speed to my advantage. I danced around the large creature, using my speed to run in and give him a shallow cut. Then, I remembered that morning with Tom.

I looked around, keeping Ifrit out of range and in my sights and found what I was looking for. I ran at the fire GF, sliding under his legs. I didn't cut him because I had an idea. At that moment, thank God, or Hyne, Quistis and Squall got back in the fight.

"Keep him busy! I have an idea!" I told the two. I ran to the stalagmite, jumping from the side of one to the side of another to climb. I got to the top of the stalagmite I spotted earlier, and crouched on the top. I carefully aimed myself, not wanting to overshoot or undershoot. I watched as Quistis kept hitting Ifrit in the face with her chain whip. Squall used the same tactic I was using, but he wasn't as fast. That's ok, he was more graceful.

I shook my head, clearing it of my daydreams, then carefully re-aimed myself. Once I was lined up, I whistled, long and loud so it would echo, even though it hurt my sensitive ears. Squall and Quistis backed away a bit as the GF looked around for the source of the sound. Seeing that he was staying in one spot, I did a quick check, then pushed off the stalagmite as hard as I could. My aim was perfect. I landed right at the back of his neck. Ifrit tried to shake me off, but I clung to his mane. He was so busy trying to keep me occupied that he didn't notice when Squall started to summon Shiva as Quistis checked the time real quick.

"We have 4:30 left!" she shouted.

(Sylvia, you should get off now,) Quetzacotl said.

'Trust me, I know what I'm doing,' I replied.

"Sylvia! Get off him!" Quistis shouted.

"I know what I'm doing," I growled again. I noticed the ice crystals forming Shiva's ice pillar. My wolf yipped in agreement. Before I jumped off, I bent toward Ifrit's ear.

"I told you I was excited. Now do you believe me?" I jumped off of the now confused GF back onto the stalagmite. I grabbed it, and climbed to the top again, just as Shiva unleashed her attack. The ice barely missed me, but it did a lot to cool me down. I slid down the rock after the ice shattered.

"THEY HAVE SHIVA!" Ifrit snarled.

"Just a little more than 2 minutes left!" Quistis shouted. I looked at Squall, who looked at Quistis once I got his attention. She looked at me, and we all nodded. I held up three fingers. I watched as the other two cut off his escape, Quistis on his left, Squall on his right. I took the back. I put down one finger. We readied our weapons and magic. I put down the second finger. All three of us got ready to charge. I put down the third finger.

We ran at the GF, Quistis coated her chain in ice so it did more damage as she whipped his face and arm. Squall and I put all of our strength into our blow, pulling the trigger at just the right time. Ifrit fell onto his knee.

"For me to lose to mortals. Very well, I will join you," he said. His voice was rough with pain.

It took me a bit to process that information. My mind was a haze of fighting. When it finally sank in, my face broke into a grin. My wolf settled back down, her part complete. I felt my eyes turn back to silver.

Ifrit went to Squall, Quetzacotl went back to Quistis, and Shiva came to me.

((You are a reckless human. One who puts others safety before personal safety. There aren't many people like that.)) she said.

'Well, I'm not fully human…' I started.

((I know, Quetzacotl told me. Don't worry, he won't tell Quistis.))

"I never would have guessed you were so fast!" Quistis exclaimed. I smiled, sheepishly.

"Seifer wouldn't want to pick a fight with you," Squall commented. I saw his smirk, just before it was wiped away.

"And, you're strong. Most people wouldn't be able to jump like that. And the way you sliced into Ifrit with such grace and accuracy was amazing," Quistis said.

(-Ok, stop fawning over the girl. She gave me a pretty good cut,-) Ifrit said.

"Well, you were just too slow. I have been on the street since I was 3, fighting for food and safety. I had to be strong and fast," I told everyone.

"Ok, well, let's get out of here. The SeeD Field Exam is tomorrow, and you want to be in top condition," Quistis said.

Squall watched her go to Cid's office, a smile playing at his lips as he watched her move, remembering how those very same muscles moved during battle... That is, until Ifrit barged in on his thoughts.

(-Hey! She nearly amputated my arm! Stop daydreaming about that little wench-)

'You sound jealous. Do you envy her?' Squall teased.

(-No! I don't like her one bit-)

'He he he, I think someone is a sore loser.' Squall walked to his dorm and lay on his bed, his hands behind his head. 'I wonder what the Field Exam will be like…'

(-I don't know, and I don't care. As long as the wench isn't on our team, I'll be happy-)

'Whatever.' After a while, he got off his bed to see what was going on, because the dorms were suddenly quiet.

He went to the main hall, and saw a big crowd surrounding the elevator, so he went to investigate.

I walked out of the elevator after having a meeting with Cid, right into Seifer. 'Hyne, help me.'

"Well, look who it is. Where were you this afternoon? With your boyfriend?" Seifer baited. She started to get ticked off with his attitude.

"I was with Squall and Quistis fighting Ifrit. Now, unless you want to end up in the infirmary, I suggest you move," I said, glaring up at the blonde boy in front of me, because he was taller than me.

"Or what? What'll you do, bitch? Go to Squall, or the headmaster? Hahahaha! You are such a joke. You shouldn't even be here," Seifer smirked. I ignored him, and tried to get through. He moved to block my path. I moved to the other side, and again he blocked my path.

My wolf started to get pissed. No one treats me with disrespect like this. I decided to try to scare him.

"Just so you know, I'm not scared of you, or your little groupies. I can take you down. I was able to take down Ifrit with hardly any sort of strain. I almost severed his arm, and I was going easy on him," I said. At that moment, Quistis walked out of the elevator.

"You were going easy on him? Oh, Hyne, I'd hate to think about what would have happened if you went harder on him…" Quistis looked at me, wondering what I could do.

"So, she's…not bluffing?" Seifer asked timidly.

"Go get Squall and have him tell you. He's junctioned to Ifrit, not me," Quistis retorted. Then she walked off to the infirmary to find some GF potions.

"Holy shit, girl! You know, we could use someone like you on the Disciplinary Committee," Seifer said, smiling and putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Don't touch me," I growled through clenched teeth. Seifer kept smiling, keeping his hand on my shoulder.

"Get. Your hand. Off. Of. My shoulder." I said more forcefully. He didn't. So, I did the logical thing. I grabbed his arm and flipped him over my shoulder. Seifer landed on his back, groaning and wincing in pain.

It was then that I noticed the crowd of students crowded around me, because they started cheering. Apparently, people have wanted to do that for a while.

I had just disappeared into the crowd when the Garden Faculty members showed up. They saw Seifer, then immediately asked "Who did this?"

No one answered. They didn't want to have me get in trouble for putting Seifer in his place.

Squall watched, surprised, as Sylvia threw Seifer over her shoulder. He pushed through the crowd, trying to find her. But, she had already disappeared. Actually, he was pleased that the girl could take Seifer down. Considering she was about 95 pounds and Seifer was about 195 pounds, she must be strong.

It also means he won't have to worry about her during the field exam… Ah, damn it! This girl is getting to close. But, Squall had to admit that it felt nice to let someone inside his secret personal life.

He wandered around, looking for something to do. At the moment he didn't want to do anything. He just wanted to get to bed. It had been a long day for the young SeeD candidate. He had too much adrenaline coursing through his body, what with the Fire Cavern, then Sylva taking down Seifer. And he hadn't done anything else today.

Well, tomorrow, he'll be taking the field exam, and then? Who knows? He certainly didn't.

He sat on his bed until he saw Sylvia enter her room, then he laid out on his bed and fell asleep.