Reflection Essay

Chapter Three | Fade Out


There was silence for a couple of minutes, save for the scratching of pen against paper and then a random faint hum from the little Trepie kid who was annoyingly serious about his essay.

"Shouldn't we be trying to break out of here or something?" Aston called out in a stating-the-obvious manner. "The kids always do that in the movies."

Seifer lazily flicked his head to the camera fixed in the corner of the room. "Wouldn't bother. Security's watching us."

"Have you tried before?"

"Several times."

"I'd really prefer if we didn't make any jail break attempts," said Sebastian pompously, turning around to look at the boys with a serious expression. "My record is perfect and I still don't think I'm supposed to be here, I'm going to contest it tomorrow morning with the headmaster…"

Seifer stared back at him harshly. "You're posting creepy crap on the message boards," he deadpanned. "That's why you're here."

"And you're here because you set our study room on fire!" exclaimed Addie indignantly, joining in with the conversation. They were all turned to each other now, their essays forgotten.

Midori raised her eyebrows. "What? Is that true?"

Addie nodded gravely.

"And for fisting that clown," Seifer added with satisfaction, nodding his head over to Aston who flushed angrily.

"Wouldn't mind a rematch, Almasy," he snarled.

"Sure, let's go, right now."

"I thought the cameras are watching?" said Midori, slightly concerned.

"Who cares."

"No, no more fighting!" Addie broke in, "You - you both need to calm down."

"I'm calm," returned Seifer with a nonchalant shrug, still leaned back in his chair, playing with his pen.

"Yeah, he's just a jackass," Aston said with a stab at that same casual dismissiveness that characterised Seifer. "And anyway, it was your book I was trying to save from him."

"I know," the blonde girl said reproachfully. "Thank you. But you didn't have to fight over it. Why do boys always fight over the most mundane things?" she wondered aloud, "Do they think it's impressive?"

Seifer clapped his eyes on her. "It's your book?" he said sharply. "You did the drawings?"

To her credit, she didn't shrink back from his gaze. "I did one drawing," she said haughtily, "And it wasn't meant to be posted, so you're going to leave me alone about that."

"What are you guys talking about?" asked Midori, looking thoroughly confused.

"Addie's very good at drawing. Show them your other ones, Addie," entreated Sebastian.

"Oh - no, no one wants to see."

"I want to see," said Midori straight away.

Addie looked tentatively at them all, but when they just sat there staring back at her she gave a small sigh and picked up her notebook. Holding it up she began to flick through some pages.

There was silence for a few seconds.

"Wow. You're really talented," Midori commented in an impressed voice, her dark eyes trained intently on the sketches. "These are amazing. Have you entered those online competitions?"

Addie blushed but looked pleased. "No… never. I didn't think I was good enough."

"You should. Especially the ones you've coloured."

"That's what I keep telling her," said Sebastian seriously.

Seifer gestured with his hand for Addie to pass him her notebook, which she did after a second's hesitation.

"I wasn't trying to burn that. I didn't realise they weren't full of pictures of…" Seifer gestured carelessly at Quistis' desk. "This one's cool." He held up an impressive sketch of a Ruby Dragon up on a mountain. "Reminds me of a movie."

The younger girl brightened considerably. "That's where my inspiration came from. A movie about a sorceress and her knight."

Seifer raised his eyebrows. "You've seen that?"

"Yep. I drew the knight as well. Let me show you." She took back her notebook with greater enthusiasm now and flicked over a few pages.

"Pretty impressive, kid. You could make some gil doing this."

"How?"

"People online want pictures commissioned all the time. You've just gotta put yourself out there and put up samples of what you've done. Any of these would be good."

"And you must state your terms clearly and have a method to pricing your work. There's really a lot to it too. You need to know exactly what you're being asked to do and you have the right to refuse to include some details that's being requested - "

"Had a lot of experience getting this stuff done, Iguo?" sneered Aston.

"Yes. I've had two artworks commissioned, if you must know," Sebastian answered. "My favourite CAPA hero the Ice Maiden overlooking the snow capped mountains of Tarrix."

"Ohh, you play CAPA?" asked Midori enthusiastically. "My favourite hero is Hoodwink."

"You play games? Online games?"

"Yeah. You don't?"

Aston shook his head, still looking shocked. Midori's gaze slid over to Seifer who also shook his head.

"Well, you guys are missing out," she said simply with a shrug.

"Speaking of Ruby Dragons, did you know you can draw high level spells such as Flare and Meteor from a really powerful one? In order to do so you must junction Sleep to your status attack and have high magic stat - "

Seifer could feel his attention fading as it always did when instructors droned on. The kid was relentless though. He continued to speak in a serious, contrite way, voice trembling with excitement and the fountain of knowledge he had to pour out.

It was starting to give Seifer a dull headache.

"Hyne, he's such a geek," muttered Aston a minute later as Sebastian continued chattering to the two girls who, for some reason, were still listening. "Reckon he's even faced a real battle before?"

Seifer wasn't going to bother responding, but even though he thought exactly the same thing about Sebastian, Lee's snarky comment rubbed him the wrong way. He angled his head towards Lee without looking at him.

"Are you talking to me?"

"Yes, Almasy, I'm talking to you. We should give him a bit of a rough up. An initiation of sorts."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Seifer was baffled.

"Just hit him with a spell. You distract him. I'll do it. Probably doesn't even need a distraction, his head's so far up his own ass - "

In spite of himself, Seifer now turned fully to Aston to behold a gleeful, malicious expression on his face.

"Isn't he one of your people?" he said contemptuously.

Aston just shrugged, uncaring, "Doesn't mean I like him."

Seifer frowned. "You're messed up. He's just a friggin' kid."

"Don't act like you're above this, Almasy. You're the champion of doing this crap - "

"Only to assholes like you, Lee."

Aston glared at him before flipping Seifer off. Seifer returned the gesture with a sarcastic grin and blew back a kiss.

The door slid open at that moment and everyone broke off as Quistis stepped back inside. Her expression was a little miffed but she looked otherwise unfazed as she walked inside and glanced at them all. They were quick to look back down at their papers except for Seifer who kept his gaze on her.

Quistis sat back at her desk, her mind full of the shipment of monsters she'd just seen unloaded. They'd just needed her to sight them all and sign off some papers, leaving three SeeDs, a few older students and just two senior instructors to transport them carefully over to the Training Centre. The approval of more exotic and formidable monsters to be included in a separate part of the Training Centre had finally arrived. It had been rather exhilarating to sight some of them close up, knowing they were here, in Garden.

Though Quistis had felt a little uneasy leaving the SeeDs and students behind to take them over. Monster shipments were standard and uneventful, but that was usually with Grats. Even when they transported just a single T-Rex there were usually at least five people overseeing it including SeeDs and senior staff.

She'd offered to stay and help, but they'd waved her off, telling her to go back to the detention room.

So here she was.

Always following orders. Doing what she was told. Perfect, rule-abiding Quistis.

It was what she was good at, right?

Letting a small sigh escape her, Quistis focused back on the students in front of her - and froze when a piercing green stare met hers. She felt a queer tremor and took a breath to compose herself.

Seifer wasn't glaring. He wasn't smirking. To be honest, he had looked at her a few times like this before, and each time it caught her off guard. She couldn't quite put a finger on the emotions in his eyes. It was as if he knew exactly what she was thinking and like he was trying to work her out, both at the same time. It was neutral yet frustrated. Nonchalant yet intent.

Whatever it was, it always made Quistis feel seen. Really seen. Not as a prodigy or the perfect Instructor that the Trepies ogled at, but as herself.

And probably another way Seifer Almasy sought to get under her skin.

She wondered if she would ever have a handle on him. Just when she thought she might understand where he was coming from, he'd say or do something to catch her off guard.

Quistis tore her eyes away and cleared her throat. "How is everyone going with their essays? Has anyone finished?"

"Not even close - "

"Yes, I'm finished, Instructor Trepe."

Aston looked up towards Midori with his mouth slightly open. She flashed him a triumphant smile as she stood up and went up to the front desk with her piece of paper.

Seifer glanced at the clock. 10:07PM. His page was stubbornly blank and he heaved a sigh, knowing he'd have to cobble something together soon. He'd end up with several more detentions if the night ran out with him having nothing to turn in, and he didn't much like spending his evenings like this. Even if they were with Quistis.

Besides, the next detention was likely to be with some old fart like Aki.

He scowled slightly at the thought.

Who still wrote reflection essays these days? He'd rather do something useful for the school. Clean the windows. File some old documents. Hell, de-weed the Training Centre or some crap like that.

With a roll of his eyes, Seifer picked up his pen in resignation.

I made a poor choice. I make choices everyday and these choices have consequences.

He hadn't got further than that when a movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention. Seifer frowned and glanced behind him to where Aston was sitting.

Aston was leaning forward in his seat with a look of concentration. He had one palm facing out on his desk, his fingers splayed down, and his eyes were fixated on Sebastian who was sitting a few seats in front of him. Seifer stared uncomprehendingly, knowing that look but not automatically understanding what it was.

Then he realised. Lee was trying to cast a spell. It took Seifer a moment to connect the dots because they were sitting in a classroom, for Hyne's sake, and it looked so out of place here.

"Don't do it - " he started to growl, eyes darting to Quistis' desk. Of course, her eyes which were so quick to spot him just looking at Addie before was now completely fixated on Midori's essay when one of her cadets was about to cast magic in the classroom -

Too late. There was a whoosh of air and the atmosphere in their immediate vicinity changed almost imperceptibly. Seifer groaned aloud.

There he goes. Friggin' Lee. Now I'm gonna get blamed.

He counted to three silently in his head, and right on cue, Sebastian stood up suddenly at his desk. And started to rotate in slow circles as if he was in a trance.

All the girls looked over to him, including Quistis. She looked flummoxed.

"What's going on? Cadet Iguo - stop - "

Still Sebastian stepped round and round, speeding up a little.

"I think he's Confused, Instructor."

"Confused? What? How?" Quistis' eyes darted over to Seifer's direction accusingly and he merely looked back, though he wanted to face palm. Of course she thinks it's me.

"Oooh, should we use a remedy?" Addie queried.

"I don't have one handy. Unless someone here does, by any chance?"

"No."

"Cadet Iguo, can you hear me?" Quistis called out sharply, but Sebastian showed no sign of hearing or recognition. He seemed to be in his own world, a blank, vacant expression on his face.

There was a shuffle as Quistis stood up and walked over, and the girls all grouped about Sebastian trying to work out what to do.

"How was that?" Aston murmured out of the corner of his mouth.

Seifer looked darkly at him. "That was sick, you idiot," he hissed back. "And what are you, walking around junctioned? I could get you on another detention for that."

"Nah. My limit break. Not bad, eh?"

Seifer was impressed - begrudgingly so. He'd never seen anyone handle status magic as part of their limit break, and to cast it so accurately under calm, non life-threatening circumstances as well.

Still. Lee was an idiot. And dangerous if he was going to be wandering around with that kind of control over his limit break and lack of regard for other students.

Quistis had steered Sebastian towards her front desk, her lips pursed.

"Midori, kindly escort Sebastian to the infirmary. Dr Kadowaki should still be there. Seifer, Aston, is there something you wish to share with the rest of us?"

"No, Instructor," said Aston soberly, sitting up at once. "I can go, too, if you like."

"Midori has finished her reflection essay so she will be going to her dormitory after taking him to the infirmary. Seifer?" Her glare was directed right at him.

"Nothin' comes to mind, Instructor."

Her blue eyes hardened. "Nothing to say at all about how Cadet Iguo turned out this way?"

Seifer's jaw tightened, but he answered, "Nothing at all."

"It was probably himself, Instructor," piped up Addie from the side. Midori had taken Sebastian by the arm and dragged him out of the classroom. He had followed, still trying to walk in circles with a dazed look on his face but otherwise harmless. "It happens a few times with Sebastian. Some accidents here and there, but it's nothing ever too serious."

Quistis' nostrils flared as she considered Seifer a moment longer. He could tell that she knew it was no accident, but there was only one person she thought caused it and Seifer wasn't about to disabuse her from her assumption.

Yeah, yeah, assume it was me. Friggin' ice queen.

"Right," she said coolly. "Well, it is now twenty past 2200 hours. We are not staying here past 2300 hundred so I suggest you put your heads down and get this done. Seifer, have you started yet?"

For answer Seifer merely plucked up his page and held it up for her to see. She did seem surprised but not altogether impressed to see his two short lines.

"Seven hundred words of reflection, Seifer," she repeated firmly.

"Got it."

"Instructor."

"No need to call me instructor."

This time he swore he saw everyone try not to laugh. Quistis' eyes flashed but she ignored him, her glower flicking back down to her desk, blonde bangs swaying as she sat back down with greater vim than necessary.

Friday night detention. Seifer Almasy, called out to leave students unattended for twenty minutes, and now one of them is Confused. What else could go wrong?

She only thought this as a way to summarise the dismal evening so far, to put things into perspective (because things were unlikely to get worse, weren't they?), but a mere ten minutes later, just as she was ready to call upon Aston yet again to check in on him, the lights went out.

Silence that seemed to stretch in the sudden darkness.

Aston was the first to call out. "What's going on?"

"It's so dark," Addie's voice was hushed. "I can't see anything."

Quistis frowned, gripping hard on the edge of her desk as she sat up straighter, all her senses sharpened. Her first instinct was to listen for sounds, but she couldn't make out anything. "I'm not sure," she said cautiously. "Just stay in your seats everyone. I'm sure they'll be back on in a second."

They waited in silence for a minute, but instead of the lights returning the PA system crackled on.

Everyone froze as a siren blared once, twice, three times, followed by a clear, authoritative voice.

"This is a lockdown. This is a lockdown. Every student must remain in their dormitory. I repeat, this is a lockdown. Every student must remain in their dormitory. If you are in the Training Centre, you must proceed to a safe room IMMEDIATELY. Every door will be overridden with locks in five minutes. I repeat, every door will be overridden with locks in five minutes. This is a lockdown."

"A lockdown…" said Quistis softly to herself. Her hands curled into fists as voices echoed in front of her.

"What's going on?" asked Addie fearfully.

"They're gonna lock the doors? Shouldn't we get out of here?" Aston demanded.

"Didn't you hear, genius? It's a lockdown," gruffed Seifer somewhere in the middle of the room.

"Right."

It was a few minutes, but felt much longer, when there was the beeping sound of the locks activating, and suddenly the classroom felt much darker and ominous with them all trapped inside.


Notes: Lights out boooom.