A light blue robe with "BG" inscribed was wrapped around the wide body of one Cid Kramer, who exhaled with a pleasedE smile on his face as steam erupted from the bathroom. He took his first step into the hall and cracked his neck luxuriously and permitted the door to shut behind him as he worked to retie his fluffy attire.
"Hmph, they really should make XXL size, Large is just too small nowadays," he grunted as he double-knotted his robe, then turned the corner and walked back up the stairs to his—well, Xu's—office. This staircase was far more comforting than the one in the secret passage, pictures of past leaders hanging on the walls including one of NORG, perhaps one of Cid's oldest rivals. Former rivals, at the most.
Cid chortled as he recounted the old memories of multiple arguments with the giant Shumi, many late nights bickering and going over numbers and plans for the Garden… it was a shame the Garden's highest financial contributor was such a twat, but it had to be done to keep the school running. However, since NORG's defeat, the Garden learned to shift its reliance to SeeD missions and other means, allowing the establishment to continue its success under its second generation of leadership.
Being a 'substitute Headmaster' wasn't difficult in the least. These first couple of days were easy as pie, giving Cid the confidence that he still had the administration talent in him, though really, he was letting Edea do all of the hard work… the Jacuzzi was just too hard to resist!
"Good evening, Cid."
Speak of the Devil.
Well, think of the Devil, really.
"Grah! Oh… Edea, it's just you. You gave me a scare!" Cid marveled to himself, holding his hand on his chest as he continued into his office, shutting the door behind him.
Edea was wearing a slim-fitting black dress that hugged her features, fringing off around her knees while her lengthy dark hair was wound up in a bun and held by many bobby pins and clips. She looked a bit tasseled, but otherwise calm as usual as she crossed from the entrance of the Office to the desk, where she sat down and smiled at him knowingly, dark calculating eyes radiating against the afternoon Sun.
"So, I see you've been enjoying yourself."
"Yes ma'am! Have you noticed how many new gadgets and stuff they have around here now? I mean, they've really upgraded!"
Edea smirked. "No, I haven't. I've been too busy working."
Cid gulped and laughed nervously while rubbing the back of his head, walking over to Edea while he squeaked with every step. Raising a brow, she looked from his reddening features to his feet, which were swallowed by matching slippers with rubber ducky heads at the toes, squeaking delightfully. "I really hope Squall doesn't wear those," she mumbled, then stood up from the chair and folded her arms as Cid replaced her in her seat.
As the computer hummed back to life, Edea walked around the perimeter of the desk and stationed herself at the front, resting pre-arthritic hands on its surface. "So, what have you been up to today?" she inquired, keeping her expression as stoic as ever. Cid looked up to her from the screen with a faltering demeanor before smiling and laughing nervously and clicking the computer's mouse a substantial amount of times.
"Oh! Oh… just nothing. Patrolling the halls, sifting through mail, making sure everything is nice and tidy on the… computer."
"Oh really?" Edea asked, pursing her lips and keeping her stone cold yet unhampered gaze on him.
"Y-yes," Cid continued. "So much technology… it's exciting!"
Edea turned and began heading down the carpet towards the elevator, arms folded. "Sounds interesting. You know, you shouldn't be taking baths during storms. Old wives' proverb."
"Storm?" Cid asked, bemused.
Edea nodded as she talked over her shoulder. "There's been a sudden change in the weather, a storm approaching from the East. It seemed to be a… slow storm, concentrated on the mountainous areas. But do not worry, I think it's finally… migrating on."
Cid's eyes widened at the choice of verb, and quickly dove behind the computer screen to hide any bolts of panic he might have been shooting into the air. "Oh! Oh… interesting. Odd. That's nice. Never was a weather analyst, though I have a nose for rainstorms. Passed down from my father, it was!"
Edea blinked and then turned back to face the elevator doors, smirking and shaking her head before continuing out. "Well, I'm going back to the Commander's Office; there's a bit of a problem that I have to address. I will see you for dinner, correct? Assuming you're not too busy with your… work?"
Cid nodded energetically as he peeked out from the side of the monitor. "Yes, dinner at 19:00! See you then!" he sang, waving as Edea disappeared behind the swift metallic doors, and the shaft shot down out of sight. He exhaled heavily and slumped down in his seat, feeling the robes riding up on him. "Bah! I wonder if she knows… no matter, they are just migrating, right? Right?!" he asked himself, as if for self-assurance. Cid wasn't a bestiary expert in the slightest; he could only make his logical assumptions, assumptions that had evidence to support it.
Evidence.
Quickly, Cid opened the G-Force radar, searching for the 'History' taskbar as frantically as a vagrant searched for a ham sandwich on a cold, December day.
Problem solved.
- - -
"And now, we move to page 63 of the Budget Review."
The speaker who led the meeting droned on effortlessly, as if his monotonousness was practiced daily, nothing out of the ordinary. Xu pored over the papers while Squall suppressed his groans and complaints, wincing some as the afternoon Sun steadily lowered with each passing minute of this never-ending congregation of boring political minds. Numbers followed numbers that followed even more numbers, the authoritarians of Squall's very livelihood.
What was Squall doing here? He was a fighter, not an accountant, nor a businessman. Only forty-percent of this made sense to him, but then again, did it have to? Xu was there to do all of the thinking for him, and it was her work, anyway. No other military leaders were there, but Xu had insisted that Squall attend to improve Balamb's image, like it needed much improvement after they saved the world from a psychopathic sorceress. But apparently, some people still needed some convincing, at least in the Headmistress's opinion.
"Are there any questions?"
Two could play at this game.
"Actually, I have one," Squall said as he raised a couple fingers to signify the raising of a hand. The man who was standing in front of an electronic version of a dry erase board peered at him through large spectacles, then nodded to allow him to inquire as he wished. "Actually, it regards the previous page. I was a bit confused on the part talking about funding for allied parties."
The entire council grumbled as they turned back a page, paper scratching on the table and a dumbfounded Xu staring at him. "What are you doing? We skipped over that part and—" "I know," interrupted Squall with an unreadable expression, "And now it's time to make these facts known."
"Paragraph 8A," Squall said a bit louder, turning away from tittering Xu as she attempted to quiet him down. "It says here: 'Two parties in a bicameral military alliance may use treasury funds in order to aid each other, as long as the reason for the aid is that of military matters, and nothing concerning economical aid.'"
"That is correct," the speaker replied flatly, swaying slightly as he rearranged the pile of paper in his arms. "Then that would pertain to SeeD and members of equaling ranks as well? They cannot be sent for financial purposes that rested outside of offensive and defensive reinforcements?" the Balamb Commander ventured, his tone becoming more pointed. "… yes," the speaker began, knowing he was walking on fragile ice, "Though those would just be the basics. Military reinforcements could coincide with financial reasons, but that point is null and void, and absolutely allowed if it focuses on military efforts. As long as we're still speaking of a military alliance, SeeD and other mercenary groups could not be sent in order to aid the ally in increasing revenue, even if the missions may be pertaining to the military; the primary focus of that action would be the revenue boost, and that of course, would be disallowed. Unless the pact is changed, of course," the speaker added on as a final thought, taking the satisfied smirk of one Squall Leonhart as a signal that that was the end of the question.
Squall looked over to the representatives from Galbadia, who looked quite flabbergasted at the conversation that had transpired, a couple of them glaring right back at him. This point that the speaker explained only supported the Commander's decision to deny them the SeeD dispatches that they so dearly wanted. Xu rubbed her temples as Squall diverted his attention back to the documents, and lowered herself closer to the table as she talked to him, as to not let anyone see her frustration.
"Do you live to make me squirm?"
"Maybe," Squall said in a tone that would've suggested that he was going to smile, but didn't.
"Of course you do," Xu replied with a whine, wiping a bit of eye shadow on page 63 by accident. "Eh, didn't need to see that line anyway."
"It's all strategy. Now if Galbadia tries to pull a half-ass move, all of the right people will know these things so we can have more weight on our side of the scale just in case that time comes."
"A political war? You surprise me sometimes, Leonhart."
Squall snickered. "You don't know me at all, do you?"
- - -
"I'm tipping, I'm tipping!"
Marik yelped and jumped out of the way as Illina fell sideways practically in slow motion, a mountain of shopping bags cascading from her reddened arms like a waterfall. Clothes, trinkets, make-up, and other purchased goods flooded the entrance to the Presidential Palace, waking up the guards from their slumber and sending them into action. Both guards at either side of the glass doors turned and pointed their plasma guns at the pair who immediately raised their hands into the air as if they were being arrested.
"Sorry… bought too much stuff," Illina professed uneasily, eying the barrel of the gun and whimpering some before they were lowered.
"That's right, lower the weapons," Marik said confidently, hoisting up his sagging pants and posing as if he were some sort of important authority figure.
The guards grumbled as they looked from the cadets to each other, returning wordlessly to their stations without even a single apology. Illina squabbled as she struggled to figure out which things went into which bag, and whether or not she could pick up everything and hold it long enough to make it up to her room… hopefully, the elevators would be working.
"Come on, I wanna see what this Presidential Pool is all about," Marik sighed as he looked at the girl as she was now pondering the best way to do this deed without breaking her recently manicured nails.
"Oh fine! I see how it is! Don't even bother trying to help! That's okay, I got it!"
Illina folded her arms and growled before turning to one of the guards who came within seconds of shooting her in the face just moments ago. "Hey, is the underage use of magic banned here?" she asked. The guard did not address her inquiry, instead standing facing forward with his rifle secure in his arms. She stuck her tongue out at him then turned back to her mess on the paved ground. "Fine, but don't tell me later 'you told me so' if I get in trouble… because you didn't!"
Cracking her neck, Illina shot an angry Float spell at her goods, all of the bags and items levitating in mid-air calmly. The merchandise went into the pink, white, and dark blue bags before she nodded to Marik, who opened the door and continued inside, not even bothering to hold the door open for her. "Oh c'mon!" she yelped before reaching out with her free hand to open the door herself, then walking backwards to guide her things in so she didn't accidentally shove things through the glass.
"You know, you can be so rude sometimes!"
"Me? Rude? I am a perfect gentleman."
"Perfect gentleman my ass! You aren't even conversational!"
"Conversational? If you want conversational just talk to Dominic; he—"
"He what? He what?!"
"… do you like him?"
"Like who?"
"Dominic, genius! Who else are we talking about?"
The two continued to argue back and forth as they continued down the lavishly furnished hall to the elevators, passing by a somber-looking girl sitting alone in a decorative loveseat, outfitted with floral pillows. Her large glasses reflected against the hallway lights that turned on everyday at 18:00 as the sky began losing light. Bushy light brown hair covered her expression, but it didn't matter as she went rather unnoticed by cadets as they passed. Illina's bags would continue to float after them down the hall, a few bags crashing into the walls with every screech or squeal that came from Illina's mouth, making their entrance widely known to all that occupied the lobby at that time in the evening.
Safana scratched at her thin forearm with uncanny strength, mumbling to herself as the darkness engulfed her. Today had been a terrible day, starting with the first yawn as she awoke up until this point, everyone entering the building ignoring her as they always did. It was her life, it was her existence, but somehow she couldn't get used to it. Her quirky and intelligent nature had never boded well with her classmates, even with the other intellectuals who were usually popular, attractive, or in some other clique that made them stand out and be appreciated.
Safana didn't even know the meaning of appreciation.
Quietly, Estharians had passed her by the entire day, ignoring her presence, not paying any heed to the many questions she had. It was as if a ghost of her former self was walking the pink and purple streets, not able to be heard, seen, or recognized by anyone. The only person she had was herself, but even then, was she even human? She sure wasn't being treated like one in any amount. This wasn't any vacation, this was just an amplified version of the nightmare she lived through everyday of her life.
She rested her head against her folded legs, and cried softly, all by herself.
- - -
"So, you're off then?"
Xu looked back to Laguna, who had spoken out of the blue as she strode off towards the humming and hovering vehicle. Wavy hair poured over her shoulder as she turned on her heel, dark and glistening eyes returning his longing gaze as she folded her arms with a sad sigh. "Yes… but who knows, maybe things will go really well and I can make it back in time for the Festival! Wouldn't that be nice?"
The President looked down towards his feet, scuffing the ground with his heel while his paled hands rested in the security of his denim pockets. "Yeah, I suppose… but rarely do things go as planned in Esthar."
The Balamb Headmistress smirked and walked back towards Laguna, holding his elbows with both of her hands and lifting his chin, sneaking a light kiss behind the locks of dark hair. Stepping back, she tucked loose strands behind her ear and smiled warmly, in attempts to cheer up her secret lover. "You knew when we started this that we wouldn't be able to see each other too often, what with professions we have. That's how things are now, so you can't get morose every time we have to part… that's cheating."
Laguna looked up and attempted to return the smile, although it was tinged with rue. "I know, but… it doesn't get any easier."
"Understandable," Xu replied as she took another step back, looking up towards the darkening sky, etched with purple and pink streets from the radiance of the great city of Esthar. It was chilling, yet poetic as she peered up into the realm of the Heavens, a tiny speck on a small and ever changing world. "I guess with my SeeD training, I've learned to calm such emotions… though, I've never had these emotions before…"
And right then and there, President Loire kissed the stammering woman fully on the lips, taking her in as he cradled the small of her back elegantly. It felt as though she was being swept off of her feet, though she knew she was still on the ground with both feet. Xu wished to break away, but couldn't resist the warmth of Laguna's lips, the reassuring hold he held on her soul…
The clinking of Estharian guards approaching tore Laguna away surprisingly enough, wiping his chin with the back of his hand as they stopped to salute him. The President returned the offered salute and allowed them to continue on to the vehicle, then redirected his attention back to Xu.
"Al… alright. I'll see you soon."
"That's right, soon."
Both exchanged a shameless hug before Xu continued on her path back towards the hovercraft, not dreading her potentially stressful venture to the Lunar Base, but instead reliving that single moment with Laguna in her mind, time and time again.
- - -
Squall growled as he nearly smashed the small little box, which beeped at him incessantly in almost a mocking manner.
He had been trying for a handful of minutes to try and figure out this new lock to the door to the Palace quarters, but to no avail. Squall must have swiped the card a thousand different ways, all with different speeds and different techniques. None of these methods would make any sense during the day after a good night's rest, but now that it was getting late, the Commander was getting a bit hysterical.
"Last try, then I'm sleeping in the hallway."
Inhaling deeply and trying to drown his surging anger, Squall flipped his card upside-down so the Estharian logo faced him, the black bar facing tiny white lights that flashed periodically. Closing his eyes, he swiped the card from right to left and heard beeping, but only this time in a lower octave and lasting only a couple seconds. Parting his eyelids slightly, he witnessed a green light on the little box in front of him, and nearly shrieked like Selphie did when she realized she remembered to bring her chapstick on their last adventure to Trabia.
He twisted the doorknob, pushed the door defiantly, and crossed the portal into his cozy and luxurious suite.
The setup was similar to that of his room back at Balamb. Squall had stepped into a very large and lavish bedroom outfitted with a vanity, paintings, plants, a laptop with wireless Internet, a stereo sound system, and more. There were two doors to his left, one leading to a walk-in closet (for guests who would be staying for an extended period of time), the other leading to the bathroom which Squall knew had cool things such as a Jacuzzi and a motion-sensing faucet. One of the doors on the right led to a large kitchen along with an eating area while the other led to a game and entertainment room, a room Squall knew he wouldn't be visiting too often.
The most breathtaking aspect of this suite, however, was the giant paned window that overlooked the streets of Esthar. Glowing tubes, glimmering streets, and silhouettes of towering buildings was seen through this ingress, a viewing glass to a vast, unexplored world. Far-off stars and the ominous moon broke through superficial clouds easily enough to cast a faint glow on the desolate room, and with this light the calculating eyes of the Commander picked up the silhouette of an unidentified person. As Squall took his next step into the room, the shadow shifted, and a cool and motionless voice called out to him through the darkness.
"Squall… long time, no see."
- - -
The door silently slid shut behind her as she trudged out into the hall, now darkened as evening turned to night. Loose clothing adorned her person: white slippers, baggy white sweatpants and a white beater tank top. Her hair was wavy and somewhat stringy as she had just taken her evening shower, now smelling of various fruits and flowers. In her arms she carried a standard Balamb issue white pillow with the school's crest sewn in the center, though it was stuffed with soft material to provide more comfort. A sheer silken and translucent sheet was draped over the pillow like a waterfall, trailing behind her slightly as she effortlessly traversed the straightforward corridors.
The entire hallway was awash with a light blue gale, offered by the dimmed lights that reminded her more of candles than actual light bulbs. Crickets provided the orchestral background music to her venture, devoid of any crescendos, ritards, or any other component to improve musicality. However monotonous it might have been, it was still a melody in her mind, a unique piece arranged by the ancients of time; did her ancestors hundreds of years ago hear the same song?
Approaching footsteps startled her to the point where she nearly fell over, but instead of tumbling to the spotless floors, she ducked behind a corner and pulled the tail end of her blanket to her side. Hugging her pillow to her chest, she looked to her left to the corner's edge, the muffled footsteps growing louder as the source drew closer, coming from the direction which she had just came. Squinting her eyes shut, she allowed the person to pass through the intersection of hallways, a petty specter in this house of horrors.
No worries.
When she was sure suspected member of the Disciplinary Committee was gone, the brunette stood back up and dusted off her rear end before continuing down the hall she had escaped to, conveniently enough being the hallway that would lead to her destination. Oh, the number of times she had traveled down this hall… she could follow this path with her eyes closed and not bump into a single object, she knew it like the freckles on the back of her hand. She was traveling to this place of solitude for a different reason than usual this night, however, and keeping this new reasoning in her temporal lobe, the female cadet approached the threshold to this place of familiarity, and knocked.
A few moments later, the door slid open and a quiet acoustic song slowly dipped into her ears, past her eardrums and to the places that could make her melt.
"Hey there," the greeter said with a crooked, yet cute smile. "Come on in."
- - -
Lights in the distant corners of the room bled into existence, filling the area with a pale, orange hue. In the corner where a shadowy figure once existed now stood a woman of medium-height and a slim figure, chestnut hair similar in color to Squall's coming down and hovering just above her shoulders, swooping bangs partially shielding her gloomy eyes from the world. She wore a gray graphic tee along with slim fitting jeans, an odd wardrobe choice for one of her nature. Squall's widened and threatened eyes shifted to that of surprise and joy, and in no time he was in her arms, and she in his.
"Ellone…"
"Initiating a hug? You've changed."
Squall chuckled minimally and pulled away, looking at his "Sis" with a doting eye.
"You know, you don't need to be losing weight."
"And you don't need to be gaining it!"
"Whatever."
Ellone smiled weakly and ruffled Squall's hair, she being one of the few people who could actually do that without getting attacked brutally. "So, how have you been for the past however many months? You sure haven't changed much, still moody and impatient and always. And are you growing out your hair?"
Squall pursed his lips slightly as he took a step back to avoid getting his head molested by Ellone's hand, then folded his arms and turned his gaze towards the window. "I've been fine," was all he said, a response that made Ellone laugh inwardly. "That's alright, I didn't want you to elaborate, anyway!"
The mage moved from the nightstand to the bed, sitting on its edge and looking in the same direction Squall was, towards the illuminated and minatory streets, eavesdropper on the steady conversation developing between the two orphans.
"How's everyone else?"
"Fine, I assume. Zell's been teaching some more classes, Irvine's been making a fool of himself, Selphie shows no signs of losing any energy, and Quistis is overworking herself as usual. Same old, same old."
Ellone laughed again. "That's nice, I think. How's Rinoa?"
Squall went to speak, but nothing came out of his parted lips, only silence. He looked to Ellone then back to the window, stammering some before lowering his chin slightly, his eyes now looking at the tiny potted plants on the giant windowsill. "She's… gone off to do some training."
"Training? What do—… oh. Sorceress training, right?"
Squall nodded slowly.
"Off already, is she? Well, that's good, isn't it? She'll be better than ever before, kind of like an upgrade and—"
Her efficiency levels will…
She is not an automaton.
Of… of course.
"… and I bet she's getting luxury treatment and all sorts of praise and… don't worry, she'll be back in no time. Just think of the reunion!"
"So that's what you call it. You know Zell said he'd make me one exactly like it. Who knows, maybe I can become like a lion, too. That'd be crazy, huh?! I mean, everyone might, y'know, get the wrong idea about us."
"You sound like you want everyone to get the wrong idea."
"No-no-no-no-no!"
"Yeah," Squall confirmed, though he couldn't even imagine the homecoming; all he could do was hang on to those memories that were so real, they seemed tangible.
- - -
"Hey! Why is your bed bigger than mine!"
Lania stopped at the edge of Cameron's bed and looked over to him, who was in the mini-kitchen, grabbing snacks with the door wide open. He bent back and looked to her in the main room and smirked before sticking his head back in the fridge. "Oh, Aidan and I have connections. Cadet-issued beds weren't suiting us," he said dryly before taking out bottles of beer, hidden behind cartons of milk and take-out food just in case they had their quarters raided or something of that nature.
Carefully, Cameron balanced the bowl of popcorn along with the drinks, candy, and other random things before dumping them on his bed in a surprisingly orderly fashion, the bed already turned to face the large convex TV that was on the local news station, muted. Not surprisingly, he was in a tank top and athletic shorts, just as comfortable as Lania was although she surely was more warmly dressed. "How can you stand how cold the Garden is at night?!" she asked, bewildered. "I'm wearing layers!"
Cameron shrugged as he plopped down on the bed, the movie already in the DVD player and the remote on the nightstand next to the bed. He idly noticed that he had accidentally mentioned Aidan again, but this time Lania didn't react negatively at all… perhaps she was finally starting to get over him, or maybe she was just distracted. "Thick skin, I guess," he suggested as he pushed the headband that was around his neck up and over his forehead to push back his blonde locks.
"So first, we have A Walker's Tale… I think it's a horror movie."
"A what! I hate scary movies, they're either really scary or not at all…"
Cameron chuckled. "Well, let's watch it anyway. Marik said it's good, so I decided to pick it up from the library. Comfy?"
Lania dove under her blanket and propped up multiple pillows against the wooden construct at the head of the bed, taking the bowl of popcorn and putting it on her lap while Cameron got under his own blankets, yawning and pressing 'Play' on the remote. "Just don't drink all of the beer, okay?"
- - -
"So, I've heard the Garden's in a bit of a scrap."
Squall's ears perked up as he redirected his attention to Sis, a brow raised. "What do you mean?"
"Well, rumors are abounding that Balamb's having some issues with Galbadia. Then again, who isn't having problems with Galbadia nowadays? It's a shame really, must be tense here for you… probably not for everyone else though, not everyone knows about the diplomacy that's going on here."
Squall nodded, and looked to Ellone curiously. "Laguna told me, if you're wondering," she said with a dim smile. "He seems quite confident in your abilities, though. He knows you can be anti-social and all, but your intelligence should be more than enough to resolve the matter, no?"
"There's nothing to resolve. Galbadia wants us to be their 'sugar daddy', how the cadets say, and I for one won't give them a single gil. They've done enough to us in the past where they should be giving us money and support. The alliance we have is just a ruse on their part, and I saw through it on the first day. Xu did too."
"Oh…" Ellone said, trailing off and tapping her fingers on her lips. "I see." The silence that followed her statement was very awkward, as if she was going to continue on to say something, but hesitated out of fear. Squall noticed this fear and moved past her towards the window, resting his hands on the windowsill and exhaling deeply. "Is there something you'd like to tell me?" he asked, and she jumped slightly, startled by his sudden inquiry.
"Oh! Well… I wouldn't want to make you even tenser than you already are. You could use some sleep; you've had a long day, I can t—"
"—You're making me even more tense right now, Ellone."
"Squall…"
Ellone sighed, and sat down in a chair that was stationed next to the dresser. "Maybe you should sit down first. What I have to say is just a theory, but it's something you should hear."
Squall blinked, and did just as she recommended.
- - -
"Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Lania squeaked and dove underneath her covers, the security of her thick and fluffy blanket surrounding her while the TV roared. "This is one of the really scary ones!" she yelled over the shrieking and other questionable sounds coming from the television, although her cries were muffled. Cameron simply laughed and took another sip of his beer, then patted his friend where he thought her shoulder was.
"Oh c'mon, scaredy pants. It isn't even at the bad part yet."
"Really? Gah!"
Lania twisted and turned in the bed as she heard even more terrifying sounds coming from the television set. "This isn't fair! Is it over yet?" she asked, biting her lower lip and plugging her ears with her hands. "Uhh, not really," Cameron said through laughs, trying to how hilarious the entire situation was. "I think someone just got their head chopped off by the zombie. But you've seen a zombie before in that Bestiary class, haven't you?"
The panicking cadet grumbled and spoke up so Cameron could hear her. "Yeah, but those zombies weren't killing people in the movie, they were just standing there being disgusting looking! I could handle that, but if they're in a scary movie, well…"
"Don't worry, that part's over now," Cameron replied, pulling back the covers to reveal a scrappy looking Lania, hair in a mess and pieces of popcorn all over the bedspread as she sat up, covering her eyes and peeking through fingers to find the main character in the movie now in a basement, preparing to go to bed. "Oh… good," Lania said, coming up from under the covers and straightening her hair.
Her nostrils flared some as she picked up the distinct smell of beer. "Eck… how can you drink that stuff? It tastes so… so weird," she said, diving her hand into a bowl of fruity candy. "Beer? Ah, it gets better once you drink it more. Gotta get used to the taste of alcohol. I'm not a drunkard though, if that's what you're thinking," Cameron said, eying Lania's curious and dubious expression. "Just casual. You know, like at the cadet parties… speaking of which, we haven't had one in a while."
"Not since Naryn threw up at Mikel's party and had to go to the Infirmary… that was a fun night," Lania said, reliving the moments as a glimpse of a ghost appeared on the television screen. It went unnoticed by the moviegoers, however. "Good times, good times," Cameron said with a smile, taking another swig of his beer and handing it off to Lania. "Here, try some. It's the good kind, I got it from the same friend who I got this bed from, so you know it's good quality."
Lania laughed and took the beer in her hand, looking at the label. "What, is this from Winhill?" she asked, blocking her view of the screen with the bottle. "Yup, you bet. Kind of tastes like grapefruit."
"Really?" Lania asked, then took a sip of the beer, smacking her lips together and allowing her hazel eyes to light up and sparkle. "Wow, that's pretty good! How many more bottles did you say you have?" "A few more," Cameron replied, putting his hands behind his head and leaning against the headrest, "But I'm getting more in a couple days. You can have that one if you want, just don't get a beer belly."
"Haha, very funny!" Lania replied, hitting Cameron on the arm before taking a longer drink this time. However, as she took her second swallow, another zombie appeared on the screen, causing her bottle to fly into the air as she dove underneath the covers. The zombie startled Cameron as well, who was watching his friend drink the beer, and apparently the volume on his TV had been turned up from him sitting on the remote control. "Holy shit, that almost made me wet myself!"
Both were now under the covers, breathing heavily before suddenly, they both broke out into a fit of laughter. "Hahaha, you should've seen yourself! Your face was priceless!" Cameron said, reenacting her throwing up the bottle and screaming. "Hey, not funny! You looked like you really were gonna wet yourself, beer breath!" she replied haughtily, giggling again and digging her face into her pillow to muffle the laughter. Cameron's expression softened as he watched Lania, the blanket above her glowing a light blue and flashing while the horrific sounds poured out of the TV. She had never looked so beautiful, hair tussled and looking so happy, so carefree even though she had just gotten scared senseless.
Rubbing her eyes, she looked back to Cameron, whose eyes were now glistening, face slightly red from laughter as he rested his gaze on her. Her heartbeat did not slow at all as she felt herself turning a different sort of red, expression alleviating as well. The shrieks from the movie didn't bother her at all as she looked at him, meeting his look with a trace of the smile she once had.
"What… is there something on my face?"
- - -
Squall's leather pants squeaked slightly as he shifted in his chair, watching Ellone as she moved to the end of the bed, sitting cross-legged and breathing deeply as she tried to assemble her sentences word by word. The Commander raised a brow and cleared his throat. "Come on, what's the deal?" he asked, now getting quite worried. It wasn't often that Ellone got flustered like this, and now that he saw her features in plain light, it was startling.
"There's been a… disturbance, so to speak."
"A disturbance?"
"Yes," Ellone replied, swallowing hard. "It's… really hard to explain, and like I said, it's only a theory of mine. But I've heard of how at the last Lunar Cry, certain mages felt the same things I been sensing lately, which is worrisome."
"What? Are you trying to say there's going to be another Lunar Cry?"
"No… but there may be something… something that could cause an equal amount, if not a greater amount of destruction."
Squall's eyes widened slightly, but the thin lines that made up his lips did not change in the slightest, lips pursed tightly as he thought. "Well, what could it be? I mean, the Lunar Cry eighty-two years ago destroyed a continent and a half, and destroyed an entire race. If something even more destructive were to happen…"
"… then the safety of the entire globe would be threatened," Ellone finished with remorse, looking down at the carpet in front of the bed.
"But if you sense something so destructive might happen, how come you don't know what this particular event is? For it to be so important, you think you'd be able to—"
"—I KNOW! Don't you think that thought has passed through my head? Well, it has! It has and… and… I don't know what to do about it!"
Squall stared at his Sis, who was practically in tears by this point, face reddened and aligned teeth gleaming as she breathed through gritted teeth. "So, you think telling me would provide you the answers, then?" he asked, not changing his expression in the slightest. "No… yes… maybe… oh, I don't know. But I had to tell someone! Laguna would just think I was going crazy again, Kiros would doubt me, and Odine would just want to run tests on me again!"
"How long have you felt this way?"
"I've been feeling these things for the past few months… and these sensations are only growing stronger. Something bad is coming, but I can't put my thumb on what… it's almost like I can see into the future through blind eyes."
There was a moment of silence. Squall sat forward in his chair, sweaty palms clasped together as he now stared at the floor, billions of possibilities skating swiftly through his mind. "You know, Odine might have some answers for you. Maybe it's your powers acting up some, bringing up some feelings from the past Lunar Cry?" he ventured, trying to make the best of a situation, even though it might not be the most realistic possibility. He always tried to be optimistic for Ellone though, for she was always optimistic for him.
"M… Maybe," Ellone replied slowly, but a little thought in the back of her mind told her that this was all too real to be something from the past.
- - -
Cameron's hand went to the outside of Lania's thigh as he crawled over her, dipping his head down and taking her fully on the mouth. Hazy eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed into thin slits as she almost shut her eyes, lids fluttering as slowly, her hand went up to rest on his cheek. Skilled lips met hers, slightly wet with salivation as well as beer as the alcohol danced vivaciously on her tongue. The sensation of liquor was replaced by that of the blonde's tongue on hers, sliding into her mouth easily as she put down all resistance.
Nose tingling from the fizzing of drinks just consumed moments ago, Lania placed her hand on Cameron's chest, feeling just faintly his heartbeat as she pushed him away with a tinge of regret. "Cam, I…" she began, and saw the puppy dog eyes she was being offered. "I… this is just too weird."
Cameron felt his composure slip as he looked at her ghostly features, edges accentuated by the flickering glow of the television. "It's 'cause of Aidan, isn't it?" he asked tonelessly. "Yeah," Lania confessed, swallowing an overweight frog that had lodged itself in her throat. "I… I just don't want to be th-thinking of him while I'm with you. We're just friends, right? I don't want to make any mistakes, I've come too far to do that."
"We all make mistakes," Cameron said in prose soon after Lania finished. "But who's to say this will be a mistake? Maybe some day you'll back on this and thank Hyne that you went ahead with it and… oh, sorry. I don't want to push myself on you… but I guess I did. Literally."
A forced laugh escaped his slightly pinked lips as he began to pull away, to escape from this travesty that had almost ensued. The hairs on his defined forearm tickled the slightly exposed midriff of Lania, her skin coming alive at the touch of his silken skin. Cameron's eyes moved shakily towards the television set again in a forced retreat, but as soon as his feathered blonde locks brushed past his lashes, he felt a gentle tug on his tank top, a tug that soon became forceful as he recoiled some from the shock. Quickly, he averted his gaze back to his friend, who was now looking at him with a new air about her, one that was much more confident than the one before.
"Screw mistakes," she said darkly, and pulled him in for another sloppy kiss, not caring for fluidity or mechanics; all she wanted to do was feel his hard body on hers, his warmth on her skin once more.
A mockingbird that had chosen to perch itself outside the cadet's bedroom suddenly took off, leaving the pair to their business. No one liked to be a Peeping Tom.
- - -
"I think Laguna's been worrying about me," Ellone confessed after a very awkward and drawn out silence. "He's been noticing how… unsettled I've been lately. He's really overprotective, as you probably know," she added with a sullen grin.
"No, I don't," Squall replied quickly, pale skin glowing in the moonlight. "Perhaps I'm too wild for him."
"Well, you have to promise me you won't tell him of my suspicions. He'll either freak out really badly, or just think I'm crazy and ignore it. I don't need him watching me 24/7, it's bad for publicity."
"Alright, agreed," Squall muttered darkly. "But it's not like I tell him anything, anyway."
- - -
Lania's breath hitched as she found herself at the mercy of Cameron once more, only this time, she had incited the lusty encounter. The faintest smell of shampoo mixed with the scents of buttered popcorn and beer swarmed every molecule of air to the point where it was almost arousing. Bolts of excitement danced wildly in the air as slowly, Lania began to let out gentle moans, eyes rolling back into her head and chestnut hair cascading across the pillows of Cameron's luxury-sized bed. Gentle wet kisses and the occasional sucking on her neck allowed her to throw her arms around him, fingers dancing lightly across his back as he went to work.
It was almost like it was in the movies.
His kisses traveled from her neck down to her collarbone, his tender lips just grazing her skin enchantingly before moving on. Strong back muscles quivered under her touch, much to her liking as she moved her hand underneath his thin layer of cotton, feeling the rippling fibers twinge as he slowly moved down her body inch by inch. "Enjoying it?" he asked in-between kisses, and although he heard no verbal response, he felt what words she could say physically by how her body was rocking and swaying underneath his. That was all he needed to keep him going.
The remote to the television dropped unceremoniously the floor below as Cameron moved his supporting arms down to the outsides of Lania's torso, his hands pulling up her top to allow him to plant his butterfly kisses on her contracting tummy. It was of the perfect shape, perfect texture, and had an innie bellybutton with the smoothest skin, faint signs of abdominal muscles appearing under the faint bluish light of the room.
Don't be afraid. This is how it was meant to be.
As Cameron reversed direction, Lania smiled and bit her bottom lip as she slid her hand up and under Cameron's top once more, the familiar feeling of cotton now on the back of her hand as her fingertips traced the outline of seemingly a perfect set of abs, though it was not surprising to her; he was a fighter, after all. Fingers dipping into the crevasses in-between the muscles, she moaned in pleasure once more to feel his stomach flex impressively as she invaded his clothing.
Cameron was doing the same to her as her top was folding like an accordion, pushed up by his thumbs and nose while he advanced up her torso, now fully over Lania as his folded legs rested against hers. As if knowing where this would lead, she moved her hands from Cameron's stomach to the edges of her shirt, pulling it over her head (and consequently doing a worm move of sorts to get it completely off) to reveal a naked chest, skin slightly goosebumpy from the chilly dorm air. In a response to the challenge, Cameron smiled and sat up, straddling one of Lania's thighs as he crossed his arms around his middle, pulling his beater over his head to reveal a naked chest as well, toned and built, although not to the point of unattractiveness. It was perfect for her.
And thus the two met again, moans only growing louder as hormones tested the fortitude of the evening doldrums.
- - -
"Well, thanks for listening. It means a lot, really," Ellone said in the mess that Squall's hair was after plenty of ruffling. She pulled back from the hug and smiled encouragingly at the listless aura he was giving off, stone cold in all of his tiredness. Lips forming a straight, indescribable line, eyes dark and glazed from sleep deprivation, and stance hunched, hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. It was amazing that she had even got any words out of him, but that was the power of Sis. Always the one for a conversation with one of the few people who mattered in the world to her, even if he did have the social aptitude of a brick wall.
"So, I'm going to be busy with Odine and others tomorrow, so I guess I'll see you at the Estharian festival, alright? You should probably get some sleep; you actually get to have some fun tomorrow!"
Squall nodded and turned away, heading towards the large paned window once more as Ellone simply looked at him, watching him as he trudged along wearily. Seeing so many people and going over so much information must have taken a toll on him. "Good night," she said, before she slipped out of the room, the mechanical doors swooshing shut behind him.
The Commander looked back at the closed doors, reflecting a piece of moonlight in a dull fashion. Grumbling over yet another insecurity to lurk in the back of his mind, he slipped out of his jacket, stretched his weary arms if only for a quiet moment, then went off to the bathroom to take a much needed shower.
Days always seemed twice as long in the city of Esthar.
- - -
Lania gasped as bangs swooped across her eyes, harming her ability to see her best friend do wondrous things to her, neglected for far too long. "Hey… want to see something neat?" he suddenly asked, looking up in a ridiculously sexy manner through frizzed blonde locks, lips now reddened and glistening.
"Something… neat?" Lania asked.
"Yeah. Oh, it's not what you think it is, but it's pretty cool. Something I've been saving for a special occasion. Just watch."
Once quivering hands now stilled as he put his hand on Lania's chest, palm resting on her xiphoid as his hazy eyes closed, breathing deeply. The moments of reckless lust and rising temperatures seemed to calm for a moment as they both breathed in harmony, not by planning, but it just came naturally. Nothing felt awkward, nothing felt shameful… that stitch in time where the possibility of mistakes to be made was cast aside turned on a new flame in Lania's soul, a flame that Cameron was now going to manipulate to his liking.
"Curaga."
In a blinding flash of white light that filled the entire room, the pair's bodies glowed magnificently as streams of white magic flowed from Cameron to Lania, entering her chest and spreading throughout her entire body. It was an overwhelming moment, though it was a bonding encounter. The slender girl felt every ounce of passion Cameron held within his soul, within his mind, and within his heart. Placing both of her hands on his and feeling the outline of her breast, her eyes flickered as she saw moments of their past: when they first met many, many years ago, partying together, going out at night with friends and not caring if they were going to get caught, having lunch on the balcony, watching a terrifying movie that now seemed so irrelevant, so far away…
Her legs wrapped around his as the magic faded, and the room returned to its dim blue, the shadows of the pair painting a portion of the wall. Tears began forming in her eyes, slithering down the sides of her face and not once grazing her cheeks. Cameron's thoughts were so beautiful, so… mysterious.
"You didn't like me when I was with Aidan, did you?" she suddenly asked in the middle of the moment, still feeling the arousal of the Curaga spell deep in the pits her stomach. Dead air followed the inquiry.
"I… yeah, I guess I kind of did. But I didn't want to feel the guilt, so I just tried and separate my feelings from my lifestyle, at least when I was around you guys. I hate awkward friendships, you know?"
Lania's mouth hung open slightly as she looked at him, at his innocent appearance, at the feelings he projected from his confession. So many moments, lost. Silently, she slid down on the bed, under Cameron's hovering body as she felt tingles spark up underneath her skin. That Curaga spell sure worked wonders. "Let's catch up on lost times, then," Lania invited openly, her hair trailing behind her as she situated herself back under Cameron.
She was the first to start the exchanges of kissing once more, grabbing Cameron by his muscled shoulders and bringing him back down on her, hardly feeling the weight of his body. Everything seemed to have Float status, nothing held down by the strain of gravity. She was free, she was letting loose all of the emotions she had harbored within her conscience for far too long. Agile tongues performed a courtship dance to a private audience, not too sloppy, and not too dry; they were just right.
Goldilocks would approve.
As Cameron swallowed what tears he had to shed from nostalgic memories and jumped back into the fray, Lania felt her hand slipping as she moved from Cameron's face down the small of his back and between the two. As she blindly searched, she heard the snapping of elastic, and knew she was in the right area. Without any hesitation, her hand slipped in underneath the boxers and entered a world of warmth, a world of pleasure, a world of pure happiness. Her hand simply rested there for a minute as she returned to the attention of Cameron, she sucking his bottom lip momentarily and feeling it recoil as he smiled, warm breath swarming her facial features almost poetically.
It was not brought to Cameron's attention to where Lania's hand was, but as soon as he felt his swelling manhood graced by slightly chilled hands, he pulled back, startled. "Wait… Lania, you…" he began, but he stopped as soon as he saw the look in Lania's eyes. It wasn't a look he ever saw etched on her features; it was an expression not of pure lust, but of intense desire. Once panicked eyes were now wide, hopeful, and glistening. Bottom lip was pursed as flawless teeth clamped down, feeling the rush of excitement.
"No mistakes, right?" he asked.
"R-R-Right," Lania responded, then gasping in surprise as she felt the magnificent thrust in her skilled hands.
- - -
A sliver of red-orange light appeared, slowly widening as the mossy walls opened before her. The giant crack in-between the weathered bricks went from the floor to the ceiling, the dividing wall pushing inwards as stone scraped on stone. Still feeling empty inside yet regaining mental composure, Quistis exhaled and looked down at her hands. Bloodied and bruised deformities returned her hollow gaze, almost mocking her for her weakness. It nearly slipped her mind that she was being summoned here; someone was expecting her. Helplessly searching her mind for her GFs, the Instructor felt her feet gravitate towards this secret entrance, her advance seemingly out of her control.
Her skin was washed over by warm-colored light as she entered, the sudden amount of light a shock to her system. This must have been the deepest catacomb of the ruins, yet there was enough air to keep both Quistis and the torches that lined the perimeter of the room alive. In this secret area, the ceiling was no longer low and flat; instead, the ceiling was so high, it was hidden in the darkness. The scintillation offered by the torches stretched only minimally into the murkiness, making the size of the room indeterminable, but a gut feeling told the blue mage that this room was vast.
Quistis' heart pounded audibly against her breastbone, growing louder as she made her way deeper and deeper into the threshold. The entrance was no longer visible, and soon enough she found herself surrounded by the suffocating darkness, streams of torchlight from a long ways off guiding her limitless path into this unusual place. A gentle humming filled her ears as she walked, her legs pulling her forward. All of her strength had escaped her, but if she had just a bit more energy, she could try to resist… but alas, she was deep into this place now, and this room would be her tomb for certain.
A sudden, small flame in the distance almost made her heart jump out of her throat. Was she reaching the end? Was the purpose of her journey here about to be revealed? She had no choice but to pursue this finding, for in the blink of an eye she was off towards the direction of this flame, a flame that grew bigger with every step. It seemed to be flickering at first, a small ball of hope in the midst of a blanket of darkness, but as she came closer she noticed that it was not a single flame, but gentle puffs of flames, singeing the darkness as if it was the light of Hyne.
Hyne had left this world; who was she kidding?
The silhouette of the source of this flame appeared as Quistis neared the embers, and suddenly she felt warm air rush towards her, sneaking up under her torn clothing and threatening to push her back… it was not a strong stream of warmth, however, thus allowing her to continue to lumber through the impenetrable gloom. Nostrils flared, and a pair of giant eyes met hers as she stopped dead in her tracks, legs suddenly back in her control as she collapsed to her knees, neck cranked upwards as she simply stared in terror.
The scream she emitted could have shattered bones.
- - -
The TV had been muted accidentally when one of the cadets had rolled onto the remote, but that was probably for the better, as the most gruesome scene in the movie was occurring, unbeknownst to the newfound lovers. In a tangle mess of sheets, covers, and blankets one would find this pair, still teenagers but feeling the enthrallment of pure sex under the watch of the nighttime sky. Two pairs of sweatpants had slipped off in the confusion, one pair slung on the nightstand and the other in a heap on the floor. Just barely holding back from letting it all go, Cameron escaped the clutches of Lania and drew himself closer to her, a layer of warm cloth separating the two from skin-on-skin contact.
"You're… something else," Cameron cooed softly, brushing the wavy hair out of Lania's eyes and watching as a lazy smile crept onto her face. "Likewise," she replied, feeling the heat thrive in the air with every movement of her now glistening body. Along with these jolts of sensuality, she also felt the pressing urge of desire from Cameron through the sheets.
"I… have something to tell you," Lania said slowly as Cameron leaned in to kiss her neck, stroking her arms and jawline. "What?" he asked as he inhaled sharply, eager to cover every inch of her body with his kisses. "I… am a virgin."
"… what?" Cameron said more attentively this time, pushing himself up and looking down at her quizzically. It was a shock to him, for she moved so well underneath him, matching every move perfectly with his, returning his passion equally with finesse. "You mean you never… with…"
"No," Lania responded flatly, as if the answer was blatantly obvious. "We… I… never felt this way before. Perhaps I was too scared. I'm not now, but I just thought you should know. This is… all happening so fast and…" Suddenly, a shocking revelation occurred. Perhaps she had thrown herself into this occasion at the influence not of her feelings for Cameron, but because of the alcohol… just how many bottles had she downed?
Quietly, she looked up into Cameron's eyes and noticed that they were glazed slightly… yes, he must have been driven by his beer some, but his tolerance had hardly been tested, so she knew his feelings were true… perhaps hers were true as well, for now that she was controlling herself, not influenced by the beer, she still felt the same tantalizing flames of lust for this boy, this blonde boy who once was just her good friend. Now he was something different, something more.
Their relationship would never be the same.
Lania placed her thumbs at the laced edges of her undergarments, sneaking her hands underneath the comforter as her eyes still rested on Cameron's. Nothing had to be said; they both wanted this so badly, it almost hurt. Lania knew that this wasn't Cameron's first time, but that did not matter… nor did it matter that she was still new at this game. There was a first time for everything, and tonight, she wanted to test her limits. She wanted to break rules.
She wanted to feel comfort once again.
"Lania, think this through, we—"
"I just thought it over. Remember; screw mistakes."
"Well, you're not a mistake. What am I gonna do with you?"
Lania smiled as tears dampened her face once more, the silky comfort of her lingerie leaving her in one swift movement.
- - -
A giant head loomed in the darkness, hovering there a short distance from the now cowering Quistis Trepe. Drooling fangs accompanied the puffs of fire, impenetrable reddish scales glowed in what little light was offered, and dark orbs of eyes were locked on the beaten and battered instructor. Somewhere off in the distance, a tiny white light appeared, growing brighter and moving towards this floating head to reveal an even larger body, powerful legs and folded wings making up the mammoth's frame. Riveted horns pointed towards the rear of the beast, and the intensity of this demon's breath only grew as it continued to breath fire, puff after puff.
Dumbfounded, Quistis' eyes managed to move from the goliath of a dragon to another presence in the darkness, this one much smaller as its silhouette darted through the shadows. It seemed to be a beast as well with the growling sounds it produced under the volume of the dragon's steady breathing, and eventually it disappeared out of sight, only to appear in the span of the white light, rolling into the air to land on all four feet.
A howl announced the arrival of this monster, a wolf with long and spiked hair, perhaps petrified from many years of dirtiness. Its coat was a plethora of shades of blue, some appearing grey in the dismal light. Yellowed teeth were gleaming as well, although drooling significantly less than the dragon's due to its size. Long claws curled into the stone and clicked with every step as the beast approached, growling even louder and staring at Instructor Trepe with crimson-red eyes. The humming in her ears grew louder as she crawled backwards on all fours, attempting to scurry away from the wolf, but the wolf was much too fast for her.
A single pounce took her to the ground.
Now smelling ancient breath on her features, the mage whimpered as she struggled to move her arms and legs, but to no avail. All of her energy had been sapped, and this wolf-like thing was far too strong for her regardless. The humming was now spreading throughout her head, making roots in every niche and corner. Her head was ringing, swelling, throbbing so much to the point where her vision was impaired. Eyes shaking, it seemed as if five wolves had pounced her and now were threatening to eat her, stealing the meal from the hungry-looking dragon.
It seems you've had the pleasure of meeting my friends already.
That voice.
That sick, sick voice.
"Who… WHO ARE YOU!" Quistis fought to say, still trying to struggle with all of her might. The wolf lunged at her, biting her on the face and drawing a surprising amount of blood. Drops of red made its home in the wolf's fur, soaking itself and dying it a faint pink color. Her essence spilled out onto the graveled surface below her, running in miniature ravines and not showing any signs of stopping as she turned her face to look from her prison to the wolf and up to yet another silhouette that was appearing in the darkness.
It's been a long time, Instructor. I see you've been doing well, very well even.
Recognizable, but she couldn't put her finger on it. The dark, sadistic voice filled up the entire room, the entire galaxy that she had stepped into, never-ending and filled with darkness and empty space. She knew few who had such a terrible air to their tone, and none of them could project themselves so loudly as to not only fill up this vacuum, but her mind as well. It was not a sorceress, not a witch's hold that brought her to this place… no, this magic was darker, crueler, forbidden…
I'd like you to meet Fafnir and Fenrir, friends that my dear Sleipnir made not too long ago. They're civil, really, and make wonderful executioners.
Sleipnir… executioners…
Oh no.
Quistis' eyes widened in realization, and in a sudden burst of determination she turned her palm to face the wolf that she assumed was Fenrir, eyes glowing a faint blue as she charged her energy. She needed to get out of this place… this was all too impossible and surreal to be happening. How could he be here? How could he still be alive? And why was death now knocking on her doorstep? Nothing added up; the rules of mathematics had been abandoned in every instance, only strengthening the Instructor's suspicions that this was some alternate dimension, some place far, far away from her home.
"Shockwave Pulsar!" she shrieked, and felt the dark magic shoot through her arm, slamming itself immediately into the wolf's side and sending it sideways only long enough to allow her to roll over and begin crawling away. Perhaps she would get blessed, get lucky enough to be able to crawl away from a lightning-fast wolf and a dragon the size of the Garden's Cafeteria. "Haste!" she then shouted out, clock hands spinning rapidly as the golden magic surrounded her, quickening her significantly. The possibility of having her life ending right here and now motivated her to find those last bits of energy she thought were unattainable in her current state, and now she was ready to make her escape.
With a neigh, four giant white legs soared over Quistis, a monstrous shadow swallowing her only momentarily as the ground shook as it would during an earthquake. At first, she could only see the hooves of the beast, but even those were so recognizable, so familiar in her mind that she didn't even need to look up. She didn't want to look up.
Well, she didn't have a choice.
Losing control of her entire body, Quistis convulsed and vomited profusely without any warning, trails of whatever she had to eat over a day ago erupting from her along with what looked like murky and putrid water. Feeling herself about to shut down, she did not react in any possible way when she was lifted into the air, feet hovering a few feet over the ground as the third arrival took control of every muscle, every bone, and every limb. This thing had entered her mind, brought her here against every fiber of her will, manipulated her thoughts and feelings…
… killed her Guardians.
But none of that mattered now. Trying to fade away from existence one last time, Quistis allowed her burning eyes to shut, the destructive humming in her mind replaced by the sounds of a familiar waltz, a full orchestra carrying her away…
- - -
Step, slide. Step, slide. Twirl and close, step and twirl.
The newly inducted SeeD members all dance din unison, each spin and step executed perfectly as if the Balamb Ballroom was a giant music box. A symphony orchestra composed of strings and winds provided the tunes for this occasion, each note filling the air much like the champagne filled the many crystalline-stemmed glasses. The entire tiered area glowed wonderfully under the full moon, a cosmic entity accompanied by shooting stars. The whole party seemed to shimmer, and upon closer observation, one would understand why cadets and minors dreamed about this night so frequently; it was their last night as children, and their first step into the real world.
"Instructoooooor!"
Quistis' eyes moved from the glowing dance floor to Zell Dincht, clearly inebriated as he approached her in a fit of stumbles and laughter. Once a terrific crest of hair was now waning some, affected by a long night of festivities. Peculiarly enough, his new SeeD uniform was still in mind condition. Perhaps there was a protective spell within the threads.
"Great party, huh? Everything's better when you're a SeeD!" he slobbered while the young instructor took a few steps back to avoid the light-brown liquid that was being spilled all over the place.
"This is why I didn't want alcohol here," Quistis replied frankly, adjusting her silver-rimmed glasses.
"Oh c'mon, lighten up! I know you know how ta party, Instructor Trepe! Show me yo' mooooves!" the fighter insisted with a slurred words, lumbering forth and nearly colliding into Quistis.
"It's my responsibility to chaperone and make sure none of you SeeD get out of control."
"So you got your eye on me?" Zell asked hopefully. Quistis stopped for a moment, sensing a smile coming for some odd reason, but she swallowed it with some hesitation.
"I guess so."
Zell laughed and waved before walking off, spying someone he knew at the bar. The Waltz for the Moon had passed in the blink of an eye, bringing back memories of her first dance. Months cruised by so quickly nowadays.
As colorful fireworks, radiant flowers in the nighttime sky illuminated the ballroom, Quistis caught a glance of the silhouette of one Squall Leonhart, holding someone that was unrecognizable, a mysterious dark artifact amidst a congregation of holy lights. As the SeeD applauded for the historic song and light display, the figure of the ill-lighted gunblader moved through the throngs of dancers, heading for the balcony exit.
Pushing off the wooden wall, she too slipped out of the revered halls in calm pursuit of the enshadowed man.
"I'm a member of SeeD now, just like you. Who knows, maybe we'll end up working together."
"What am I supposed to say about other people's problems?"
"Aren't there times when you want to share your feelings with someone?"
"... Whatever. You're an instructor, and I'm your student."
"... No leadership qualities... failed instructor... perhaps they're right..."
Wake up, my precious.
- - -
The fog from Quistis' recollections gradually dissipated as her eyes slowly opened, her spirit returning to this world of darkness. It was reality, and she could not escape it through dreams of bliss or dreams of pain. Grim malevolence surrounded her, crushing her where she levitated and robbing her breath from her lungs. Swiftly, the humming returned and filled her mind, overcoming her auditory senses and distorting reality. Everything seemed to swim by, swirling and twirling like she just had a delicious blunt to smoke. Through all of this, she could see Fenrir below, having recovered quickly and now staring up at her with dark eyes full of bloodlust and rage.
Commander Leonhart… ah, how I remember him.
Out of the darkness came the head of the giant stallion, breathing fire out of its nostrils and not singeing a single follicle of hair as it did so. Demonically staring forward as it trotted, dark jolts of electricity surged out from under its hooves with every step. Following the steed was a very large figure, a broad armored figure atop which sat a dark head, with black horns that pointed towards the escalated ceiling. His face sent sharp, painful chills down her spine as she screamed again, squirming and feeling her face turn red with her attempts to escape.
Surprised to see me?
"No, no I'm not!" Quistis yelled, eyes bloodshot and practically throbbing. "But I don't understand… how… why?"
Time compression works wonders.
"Even so, why are you trying to… are you going to kill me?"
What use is a SeeD without their GFs?
Quistis' brain suddenly shut down as her world imploded. Her inner guardians were gone and destroyed, and that fact hit her like a brick wall once more. But was he telling the truth? She heard no cries of pain, no final goodbyes… but then again, GFs weren't prone to showing that level of emotion. "You're sick! SICK! What will you get out of killing me, huh? If the Garden finds out about this, whatever you're planning will come to a halt! Mark my words!"
Fafnir and Fenrir will prevent such things from happening.
"I… I don't understand," Quistis said through tears, lowering her head and letting her pain leave her body in tiny droplets, hitting the stone floor silently. "What did I ever do to you?! I tried to protect you in the end, but… this is his entire fault! You should be getting revenge on him, not me!"
It's all a part of the plan. Resistance is futile; I'll have my way this time.
"Well… WELL I WON'T TAKE IT!" Quistis bellowed, taking on her stern Instructor voice with a bit of a squeak as she raised her head, looking straight at the humongous mythical entity with hallowed eyes. "HOLY!" she cried, and with a sudden crash, her entire body turned white and shot out miraculous beams of light, aiming straight for the heart of the horseman as suddenly, she felt herself catapulting to the floor.
She landed with a sickening thud.
Bones snapped and blood was already spurting as Quistis screamed an ear-shattering scream in pain, now crying so loud it was actually echoing. No matter if her body was a useless heap anymore, she had to keep moving, keep going somewhere. Who knows, perhaps Hyne would save her, give her mercy from the pain that she apparently deserved due to some unknown transgression. It was a fight for her life, and she was in it to win it.
Surprised that her back wasn't broken, she began using her bleeding elbows and forearms to drag her sorry carcass across the floor, leaving a trail of blood in her wake. Maybe she would bleed to death, maybe the wolf Fenrir would eat her only after Fafnir barbecued her like the slab of meat she was. Nothing mattered, as long as she at least attempted to save her own pitiful life, her own pathetic excuse for a meaningful existence.
Failed instructor…
Failed friend…
Failed leader…
Failed companion…
A failure.
What did her life mean anymore? Was this a fitting end for a sorrowful tale?
NO! Leave her to me!
Knowing that the harbinger of death was speaking of her, she began crawling faster, legs inoperable and vision now stained with a painful red. Just keep pushing, just keep pushing…
Getting up to her knees, the blue mage attempted to cast some sort of life-saving spell, but she could not concentrate hard enough, not even enough for something that could prevent her death. Perhaps she was already past that point.
Come on, just need to settle down… just believe in yourself, like Squall and Irvine and Rinoa and Zell and Selphie and—
A sudden rush of pain stopped her thinking immediately. Feeling her chest swell, eyes of disbelief looked from the darkness ahead down to her chest, a giant lance running through her. The familiar appearance of her blood was on the head of the oversized weapon, turning slowly while it impaled her very being. This wasn't happening… how could she die here? After Edea? After Adel? After Ultimecia? She was a legend, a hero of the times. Death was not an option, not in this place, far from society, far from her life, far from home…
Tell Gilgamesh I said hello.
And with that, the lance was wrenched from her chest, the demolished body of Instructor Quistis Trepe, conquer of Ultimecia, falling to the floor, lifeless.