Reflection Essay
Chapter Four | Dreamwork
Seifer swore under his breath, dropping his pen onto the table with a clatter.
"This is not ideal," Quistis' voice came from the front of the classroom. Her tone was clear and steady, but Seifer heard the uncertainty underneath. "I - I want everyone to come closer together. Just in case. We'll go to the middle of the room to where Seifer is. Seifer, can you call out please."
"Right here," he responded casually, reaching out a hand and slapping his desk a few times. The resultant taps sounded extra loud and harsh in the dark. "Hey!" he barked out when a hard body backed into him surprisingly soon after this. "I'm not after a lap dance, thanks."
"Shut up, Almasy," Lee's voice grumbled somewhere to his left, "I didn't realise you were so close." There was the scraping of a chair against the floor and Seifer heard the girls moving to the desks beside and in front of him.
"What's going on?" asked Addie nervously. "Is it just a black out?"
"Why the hell is there a black out? It's not even raining."
"I'm not sure," Quistis replied, and her voice was deliberate, careful, not revealing too much. "But they've locked us down so we need to stay inside…"
And away from the door and windows, Seifer finished silently, realising why she'd chosen for them to come to the middle of the room.
"How long is it gonna take?" complained Aston.
"Scared of the dark, Lee?" sneered Seifer.
"You gonna hold me tight if I am?" he threw back.
"I have no idea how long this will be," Quistis interrupted in a quelling voice. "Just… just sit."
"Are we gonna have to sleep here?"
"You better hope not."
"At least we're together."
For some reason that made Seifer break into a small, fleeting grin in the darkness, suddenly remembering being huddled up in a heap of blankets with a bunch of other children in a stone house somewhere.
"We'll have to pass the time somehow. Maybe I can ask some written test questions and you can answer yes or no?"
There was a protracted silence.
"Hyne, Instructor, you are boring," Seifer remarked dryly.
Quistis took advantage of the dark to roll her eyes. Addie spoke up, innocent and eager in a way only someone her age could be.
"We could tell some riddles. I've got one. Anyone want to hear?"
"Fire away, kiddo."
"Okay, here goes: I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I?"
Another stretch of silence in which they all thought.
"…A Thrustaevis?"
"Nope. They have a body."
"A Buel. Those ugly beasts…"
"It can't be," Quistis said pragmatically. "Buels have a mouth. Besides, you're both just naming flying monsters but they're actually weak against wind. The riddles says it comes alive with wind."
"I know. Pandemona. What else could possibly become more alive with wind?"
"No," Addie replied in a sing-song way. "You all need to think more laterally."
"What the hell can hear without ears?"
"Exactly," the young cadet said mysteriously.
Ten minutes went by with both boys and Quistis trying different guesses. Aston and Seifer couldn't help defaulting back to monsters and naming various flying beasts, getting increasingly frustrated each time.
"We give up!" Aston finally barked out. "Tell us the answer."
"Okay," Addie took a deep breath and said with the air of revealing something paramount, "It's an echo."
"What?"
"An echo. It speaks without a mouth, hears our words without ears, and comes alive with wind."
"Technically it comes alive with air…"
"That's clever, Addie. Do you have another one?"
"Do we have to, Instructor?" This said with a groan.
"Should I start asking written test questions?"
"Fine. Go ahead, kid."
"You measure my life in hours and I serve you by expiring. I'm quick when I'm thin and slow when I'm fat. The wind is my enemy."
"Wind, wind, what is it with wind?" muttered Seifer.
"Seifer, can I talk to you for a second?" Quistis asked suddenly.
He was taken-aback but nodded, before realising she couldn't see him and saying, "Yep."
"Go to my desk."
He made his way over to the front and gave a start when she touched his arm and asked him in a soft, urgent voice, "Are you junctioned?" Addie and Aston were still guessing aloud back in the middle of the room.
"No," replied Seifer. "It's against Garden protocol for students to remain junctioned outside of training and class. You know that, Instructor."
"I do. I just thought since you show a certain disregard for the rules that was something you might've overlooked."
"Always think the best of me, don't you, Instructor?"
"I could say the same of you, Seifer," she sighed.
"I do think the best of you."
There was a pause.
"So it wasn't you who hit Sebastian with the Confuse spell?" Quistis whispered.
He grit his teeth. "No. It wasn't."
"Then how did that happen?"
"If you really have to ask me it just goes to show how much of a rookie you really are."
He expected her to tell him off, to bristle at this blatant display of rudeness, but instead something different - something much more human - happened, and Quistis let out a resigned sigh. There was another pause.
"What's really going on?" asked Seifer quietly. "Tell me."
Caught off guard by his serious tone, as well as nervous about the reason for the lockdown, Quistis considered honestly telling him. For a moment she didn't want to be the instructor in charge of her students. For a moment she didn't want to be the adult.
Besides, there was something about Seifer - his confidence, his bravado, perhaps just his sheer size and strength - that made you want to be on his side. Made you want him to be on your side, to have your back. Made you feel bolstered and confident and almost invincible.
But the moment passed and Quistis knew she had to do the right thing - the "instructor" thing. So she said, "I don't know for sure. Let's just go back to the others for now. Thank you."
She touched his arm again, just briefly, and Seifer clenched his teeth in annoyance at how much this affected and bothered him. Then she was gone, moving back into the centre of the room to the others.
"Wait - say the second part again," Aston was saying to Addie.
"I serve you by expiring?"
"…Next bit."
"I'm quick when I'm thin and slow when I'm fat."
"Isn't that everyone in the universe? Isn't that Mr Dobbin at the front gate after he does one of those juice cleanses - ?"
"Uh, please don't talk about our Garden staff like that, Cadet Lee."
"Sorry, Instructor Trepe. Last bit again, Addie."
"The wind is my enemy."
Seifer lowered himself back into his seat silently, processing all this.
Wind is my enemy… Wind was a right pain in the ass when he was trying to cast fire magic. Wait. Fire?
Seifer furrowed his brow. Life in hours… expiring… quick when thin, slow when fat.
A grin unfurled across his face. "A candle," he said with relish.
"Yes!" Addie sounded delighted as she clapped her hands.
"Ohh, that was good, Seifer," said Quistis, and he couldn't help puffing up at her genuine compliment.
"Alright, my turn."
"For a riddle?"
"Yep."
"Oh good, I love guessing them. I hope this is one I haven't heard."
"Yeah, I don't think you've heard this one, kid. What's white, sticky, and better to spit than swallow?"
Aston made a sound like he was hiccoughing and Quistis was scandalised as she berated him at once, "Seifer!"
"Get your mind out of the gutter, Instructor," he replied easily. "There is a perfectly wholesome answer."
"What is it?" Addie asked curiously.
"You've gotta figure it out."
"No, why was Instructor Trepe - ?"
"Nothing, Addie," said Quistis quickly, and Seifer grinned into the dark in her general direction, knowing she was probably glaring at him. "Let's - let's figure it out."
There was five minutes of silence, punctuated every now and then by Addie innocently throwing out guesses that he refuted. Aston cleared his throat loudly. Quistis was conspicuous only in her silence. Seifer smirked into the night, enjoying himself hugely.
If only the lights were on. He dearly wanted to see the look on his always-composed instructor's face. He found her extra compelling with that pink tinge in her cheeks.
"Do you give up?"
"Yes, tell us!"
"Well, I can only think of one thing - "
"Don't, Aston."
"So - white, sticky, better to spit than swallow?" said Seifer. "It's toothpaste, of course."
"Ooooh," said Addie comprehendingly.
"Of course," Quistis remarked dryly.
"Couldn't have been anything else," added Aston.
"Nope."
"Well, moving on," Quistis said with the air of someone wanting to change the topic. "Does anyone have another riddle?"
"Wait," said Addie suddenly in a hushed voice. "What… is that? Do you hear it too?"
A frown set over Seifer's face as he concentrated in the darkness. They were all quiet for a few seconds as they strained to listen. There it was: a weird rushing, buzzing noise. It wasn't so difficult to make out anymore… it was getting louder.
Quistis breathed out, voice more honest and unsure than Seifer recalled ever hearing. "It sounds like… wings?"
"It sounds like it's outside the door - wait, let me go check."
"Aston, wait - I'll go too," Quistis said quickly.
Something warm pressed into Seifer's side; he immediately tensed up before realising it was Addie who had moved in closer to him. She must have stood up from her seat and instinctively closed in. He felt her trembling and he could almost smell her fright as they listened to Quistis and Aston shuffle to the front of the classroom.
Seifer had been about to stand up and join them but now he reached out a hand and gripped where he thought Addie's elbow would be. She seemed startled but didn't jerk out of his grip.
"Breathe," he murmured. "Remember your training. Focus."
She drew a sharp intake of breath, and then he felt her nod. He imagined the look of resolve and determination on her young face. It reminded him of himself years ago.
Perhaps what he said would be considered an overreaction to most regular people, to civilians, but it was instinctive for them to be on guard, wary and alert, at the first sign of uncertainty or danger. It always helped, being able to channel what would otherwise be prickling nerves and spiralling fear into decision and action.
The buzzing sound was loud now, definitely just outside their classroom, and just then there was a weird, high whimper that was certainly not human. Seifer jumped to his feet when several things happened in quick succession: the whimpering noise echoed again, intimidatingly loud and close; there was a loud thud of something strong hitting the metal of the door; and both Quistis and Aston yelled and scurried back into the middle of the room.
"Hyne, there's a huge monster at the door!" shouted Aston, and there was the sound of desks and chairs knocking into each other as he bumped into them in his panic. Several more bangs made them all wince and jump; it sounded as if a heavy bag was being repeatedly thrown at the door.
"Why the hell is there a monster out there?" Seifer demanded, heart racing. Why was this happening? None of them were armed. They were on detention in the second floor classroom, for Hyne's sake.
"A new shipment of monsters just arrived tonight," Quistis whispered, voice tight and rushed in dread. "That's why they called me before, to help oversee it as it was being moved to the Training Centre. They - they must have gotten out somewhere. I'd really hoped this wasn't the reason for the lockdown…"
"That doesn't help us now!" said Aston angrily over the repeated bangs at the door. "That door's not gonna hold! It wants to get in."
Addie was now clutching onto Seifer's arm, shaking all over like a leaf. He grit his teeth and put an arm around her, giving her a squeeze.
"I need you to focus, okay?" he urged in a low voice, "We'll get out of this. But you need to get your mind over your body."
"We need to get out of here," Quistis declared, suddenly authoritative and snappy. "Where's Addie?"
"She's next to me," answered Seifer.
"How the hell are we supposed to get out when it's trying to rail our door in?" Aston snarled. Seifer had to bite back a snigger despite the non-ideal situation. The panic had really crumbled away Aston's cocky swagger. Now he was an angry, ragey child.
He hoped Quistis would see this and remember.
If they made it out.
Of course they'd make it out. Seifer cringed at the thought of even considering otherwise. Armed or not, Quistis was still the youngest to have ever made SeeD and he still had one hell of a fire spell surging in his body.
"The windows!" Quistis yelled to make herself heard over the repeated whacks. He imagined there had to be a dent in the door by now. The situation had fully escalated and they were all revved up, full of adrenalin, no longer trying to pretend everything was calm and easy.
"We're on the second floor!" protested Aston.
"There's water under us - we can jump."
"Like hell I'm gonna jump out into the dark!"
But Seifer was already running to the back of the classroom, pulling Addie along with him. Fire magic welled up in his palm quickly, instinctively - he had good control over Fire Cross under normal circumstances, and summoning it now was even easier with his senses heightened. With his other hand he quickly unlatched the window and peered outside, holding the flame out to peer down.
"Yep, water down there. Let's go!"
"Wow, how do you do that?" Addie asked, awed despite being pale-faced and trembly in the light of the fire.
"Limit break. You'll find yours soon if you haven't already," Seifer said shortly. He swivelled his head back and saw Aston already running towards them. Quistis, as he knew she would, was standing near the door which was shaking with each pound and bang. It wouldn't hold for much longer. She was in a defensive stance, eyes never leaving the door.
"Instructor, let's go - "
"Go first!" she urged. "Make sure you light the way for them, Seifer."
"Now why would I do that - ?"
"Seifer!"
Grumbling, Seifer held out his glowing palm and jerked his head at Addie, but it was Aston who climbed up into the window frame first.
"Oi, Lee, what the hell? Let her go first - "'
"Hold your damn hand still, Almasy, I'm already up here."
"Hurry!" yelled Quistis, and Aston leapt from the window and Seifer had to stumble forwards to make sure he had landed down into the water. A reassuring splash echoed a few seconds later.
"Freaking heart of a lion, that one," he muttered. "C'mon, you're next."
The girl didn't move an inch. "I'm not a good swimmer," she whispered in dread.
Seifer wanted to face palm. "Are you serious?" he growled. "How the hell are you gonna be a SeeD?"
"I can cast Float?"
"You've gotta be f - "
Quistis' voice came to them from across the room. "There's a ladder on the side of the window - help her find it. Hurry!"
Seifer snapped his head back towards her and felt a lurch of apprehension. "Instructor, can you get away from that door - "
"I'm fine, Seifer!"
Swearing under his breath, Seifer gave the young girl a hand up onto the window frame, trying to ignore the threatening pounding at the door and how Quistis was standing right there. By the glowing sphere in his hand he helped Addie find the first rung of the ladder and she was about to reach for it when it happened.
The door burst open with an almighty bang, the buzzing sound becoming deafening, and both Addie's shriek and Quistis' yell filled the room.
Seifer whirled around, bringing the light away from the window into the room. His heart leapt into his throat. The creature was huge and insect-like; poisonous orange and purple patterns were sprawled over its sharp head, prickly limbs and powerful tail. Four enormous wings were buzzing at a sickening rate, keeping it afloat as it batted back and forth. It went straight for Quistis.
Instinctively Seifer moved forward, the fire lighting the scene clearer as he turned, but then a beam of light shot out from Quistis and tunnelled right into the monster, making it screech -
He froze, mind actually blanking as he stared. What the hell?
But it wasn't enough. The beast writhed and with another screech and powerful rustle of its wings, was charging at Quistis again -
The light beamed out again, but instead of hitting the monster it formed a kind of cage around it. Not enough to kill, but enough to contain.
Seifer was still gaping, and it took him a second to realise the fire in his palm had gone out. Quistis' laser beams were now lighting the room. He hurried forward to help her when she shouted.
"Get Addie out of here!"
"Like hell I'm just gonna leave you - " he growled, and the situation was too dire for him to be embarrassed for showing too much.
Quistis didn't look at him (probably a very good thing; those laser beams would likely burn a hole through his chest), but she spoke seriously, deliberately, in that no-nonsense instructor way that he detested.
"Seifer, go. Help her. There might be more down there. Get her somewhere safe."
"I - "
"Please, Seifer!"
Frustrated, he locked his jaw and turned abruptly back to the window where Addie was still clinging onto the top pane. Her pale eyes were wide with fear but she was no longer shaking.
"Will Instructor Trepe be okay?" she whispered as he lit the way to the rungs again.
"Just worry about yourself," he replied. "There they are. They go all the way. Are you alright to climb down?"
"Yes," Addie said bravely, and he didn't move a muscle, concentrating on keeping the fire going as he watched her climb. As soon as she was out of the arc of his light he spun around again to check on Quistis.
It wasn't good. He knew she couldn't hold on much longer. The laser beamed out of her gaze, steadfast and strong, but she was shaking.
"Quistis - "
"Just go, Seifer."
"And what are you gonna do?" he burst out angrily, "You just gonna hold the damn thing in this light cage for the next few hours? You can't take down that thing on your own."
"I just need to make sure you're all okay - "
"And what about you?" he demanded.
"I'll try make a run for the door - "
"Into the dark where there's probably ten more of them?"
She didn't answer, her voice shaking considerably as she said, almost pleading, "Go, Seifer."
He set his jaw, mind working furiously as he looked around the room. The monster kept trying to escape out of its cage, screeching every time it was zapped by one of the laser beams, and Quistis had to work harder to maintain the light.
And Seifer spoke, serious and clear.
"Do you trust me, Quistis?"
"I - what? Why are you still here?" she exclaimed in frustration, shaking more from the effort of maintaining the laser beams.
"We're getting out of this together. But you have to trust me."
"I - "
"Do you trust me?" Seifer snapped.
He saw her stiffen up, saw her weigh up her options and consider his words, all while without looking at him. It was barely a heartbeat, but he saw it all. Then Quistis answered in a voice that was quiet but reached his ears all the same.
"…Yes."
He continued, low, serious, urgent. "On the count of three, you're going to let it go and run to me. We'll jump together. I'll wait for you."
"I won't make it - "
"I'll hit it with fire. Just run to me. Don't look back."
It took a split second, but he saw her nod.
Seifer hoisted himself up onto the window ledge, glancing down at the dark water below. Bracing himself against the side with one hand, he lifted the other out towards the monster and took a deep breath.
"One - two - three!"
With a cry Quistis jerked her head back and the room was plunged into darkness. The monster wasted no time surging forward with a flap of its powerful wings, but Seifer was ready; with his outstretched hand he felt heat surge through his fingertips and a flame burst over the beast, stunning it momentarily, and by the sudden flare of light he saw Quistis sprinting towards him, a hard, blazing look in her eyes.
C'mon, c'mon, he silently urged, his hand reaching out towards her. Darkness enveloped them again and he heard the monster rushing over, but Quistis' hand was in his and he hauled her up, the two of them leaping from the window and falling down, down, the air rushing through them. Still he didn't let go, maintaining an iron grip on her hand, and if he wasn't mistaken she was squeezing onto him with just as much intensity.
Cold water broke their fall and Seifer continued his hold on her hand, kicking furiously and pulling her along with him as he broke the surface and took a big gasp of air. He heard her breathing too, sharp and haggard, and by the faint moonlight could make out the edge of the water where two figures were standing.
"Over here, Instructor, Seifer!" called out Addie's voice urgently. She bent down low and reached out her arm to beckon them over.
Hand-in-hand, Seifer and Quistis waded their way over where they were helped out by Aston and Addie.
The little blonde girl flung her arms around Quistis' middle as soon as they were all out, not caring that she was getting herself wet, and Seifer hid a smirk at the taken-aback expression on the instructor's face. She caught him looking and his smirk widened. He tilted his head towards the side as if to say, "Well, what are you gonna do about it?" and a little smile graced her face as she patted Addie on the back reassuringly.
There was a clearing of a throat and Seifer switched his gaze to Aston, who was just as sodden and looking rather sheepish.
And bizarrely was holding out a hand to him.
"Almasy," he muttered, not quite meeting his eyes. "I lost my head back there. I should've stayed to help Instructor Trepe. Sorry."
Seifer stared down at the outstretched hand. He couldn't quite forget Lee's snide remarks on the message board and his comments about Quistis and what an overall dick he'd been all night (and all his life, probably), but then he looked at Quistis who was watching him carefully over Addie's shoulder.
Her face broke into a a knowing smile and she tilted her head in exactly the same way he'd just done to her.
Seifer heaved a sigh and begrudgingly took Aston's hand.
"Better not let it freaking happen again," he grunted, earning him a shifty grin from Aston and a wide smile from Quistis.
It was past midnight by the time order had been restored at Garden. The SeeDs and senior Garden staff had managed to capture and contain the nine monsters that had escaped, including the rogue Granaldo that had managed to fly up to the second floor.
Actually it had been Instructor Trepe and a sodden gang of her detainees that had informed them of that last monster they'd been trying to locate. They'd come hurrying through the front gate, dripping water everywhere. Everyone had been shocked to see them.
No one was claiming responsibility for the break out. The staff overseeing the movement had blamed it on management, saying that they were completely understaffed and that the senior members had been too lazy to follow protocol. Too cosy and comfortable in their own beds. After all, these shipments happened regularly. What could possibly go wrong?
They hadn't counted on these monsters being particularly aggressive. Apparently it had started with an unassuming Bomb bobbing straight into a light and suiciding in a spectacular fashion, shorting the entire system and causing the black out.
Fortunately the majority of students had been in their dormitories, being past curfew, and there were only three older students in the Training Centre who had quickly sought refuge in a safe room when the lockdown had been announced. Nobody had been hurt. Really, everything had been remedied swiftly once all the SeeDs and instructors had high-tailed out of their dorms to help capture the monsters, and the only really unfortunate thing was a damaged door of the second floor classroom.
A little embarrassing, though, for Garden's reputation. The Garden faculty quietly agreed that not a word of this would be breathed to Trabia or Galbadia Gardens.
They were all in the quad now, about forty of them, SeeDs, instructors and Garden faculty plus the five students who had been on detention. Midori and Sebastian hadn't quite made it to the infirmary when the lockdown was announced. Quistis was surprised and impressed to learn that the quick-witted Midori had slapped Sebastian hard across the face to break him out of the Confuse spell (an effective but unpopular way of shaking off its effects) before pulling him into the moat with her to hide from the monsters. They'd stayed hidden in there while the battle and capture went on around them, completely unbeknownst to the SeeDs and staff out there until everything was over and the lights came back on.
Quistis looked over at her little detention group. They were sitting on the steps all wrapped in Garden's scarlet emergency blankets, except for Addie who had given her ones to Sebastian. She was currently standing in front of them all looking alight and happy. Midori and Sebastian seemed to be thinking hard about something while Aston grinned openly and Seifer sat to the side with his characteristic smirk.
Quistis had to smile as she observed them. A gentle, proud instructor moment that she hadn't ever stopped to enjoy before. She was proud when they mastered a difficult topic or proud when they perfected their weapon technique, proud when they passed a written exam or when they finally learnt how to be compatible with a Guardian Force.
But this, simply just seeing her students get along, was a rewarding moment too. Quieter, more meaningful.
Footsteps approached from behind and Quistis looked round to see Instructor Aki walking over to her, an air of purpose, superiority and disapproval hanging about him as usual. Her stomach flopped in unpleasant anticipation.
"Ah, Instructor Trepe," he observed. "What are you doing here? I don't recall seeing you out there in the effort to contain those beasts."
"I was presiding over that detention on the second floor classroom."
"Of course. Yes, I can see you're all wet." Aki's eyes glittered in malevolent amusement. "Did you not realise there was a ladder on the side?"
"Of course she did," came a sure, nonchalant voice, and Quistis turned in surprise to see Seifer standing there. She had no idea when he'd gotten there. His green eyes were trained on Aki as he took a step closer, and she practically felt his heat right behind her.
"She was a bit preoccupied making sure all of us were gettin' out of there alive. Without a GF or a weapon, I might add. More than what you can claim, eh?" He eyed the weapon Aki had by his side.
Aki's gaze hardened, "Seifer Almasy. Why am I not surprised to see you're part of the detention crew?"
His cocky smirk became more pronounced. "You know I just love 'em."
"Right. Well, Instructor Trepe, Cadet Almasy, you'll understand my sentiment when I say we're keeping the events of tonight quiet. We don't want to scare the students - "
"Or admit that you guys royally screwed up?"
There was a protracted, ugly pause wherein Instructor Aki glowered at Seifer who looked back candidly.
"There was no such thing, Cadet Almasy," he began in a cold voice, but Seifer snorted.
"Come on, Instructor. You guys were skimpin' out. That's why you made Instructor Trepe here leave us alone on detention while she had to help out. Imagine if something terrible had happened while she was called off duty."
"How the Garden is run does not concern the likes of a problem child, Almasy," said Aki contemptuously, not bothering with his unctuous manner anymore. "The events of tonight will not be discussed anymore. This is a direct order from the headmaster. Is that understood?"
Quistis furrowed her brow. She doubted very much that Headmaster Cid had ordered that, but she and Seifer stood to attention; he bowed and she saluted. It was too much to disobey a direct order.
With one more narrowed glare at Seifer, Aki swept away. Quistis let out a breath of what might have been relief or resignation. Probably both.
"Thank you, Seifer. That was… unexpected."
He shrugged. "Aki's a dick. I didn't do it to make you feel good or anything. Just givin' him some of his own crap."
"Well… thank you anyway. And thank you for tonight," she said earnestly. "You were helpful."
He just shrugged again before eyeing her shivering frame. With a grimace he removed one of the blankets that was wrapped around him and threw it over her shoulders. "Here, take one of these. Looks like we just survived something traumatic."
Quistis accepted the blanket with a smile and Seifer shifted his weight from one foot to the other a little awkwardly. Then they both sat down on the step as they observed the quad.
"What were they talking about over there?"
"Midori and Iguo were talking about how they hid in the moat for a good hour."
"Impressive, don't you think?"
Seifer raised and lowered a shoulder, though there was a wry smile on his face. "It worked, I guess. Then Addie wanted to talk about her riddles with them."
"Let me guess. You told them yours too."
"Actually Lee told them mine."
Quistis refrained from rolling her eyes. "Of course he would. So do you like them all better now?"
"What do you mean?"
"After going through an experience like that with them - don't you feel fonder of them all? I always find that after a mission."
"Not really."
"You sound like Squall," she sighed, making him grimace. Then she spoke in a different voice, "What you did tonight… it surprised me, Seifer. As your instructor, might I say it's the last thing - the only thing you need to work on."
"What's that?"
"Working with your team. Helping the underdog. Going back for someone else."
"Interesting you say that since I pretty much went against your orders to do that."
"You're always one step ahead of me, Seifer."
"And anyway, I want to go out in a blaze of glory. On my own."
"Your dream?"
"Hm. Maybe. I like the idea of me against the world."
"It sounds lonely."
"It sounds grand."
She looked at him and then glanced away, shaking her head slightly. Sometimes, in moments like these with that determined look in his jade eyes, he seemed faraway. Too faraway. Was it the dream that captured his fancy? She didn't know how to reach him.
"Does this mean I don't have to turn in that stupid reflection essay?" asked Seifer after a moment's silence. His eyes were fixed on some spot on the concrete in front of him, and Quistis paused to admire the way the lights were reflected in them.
Her mouth twitched. "Depends," she humoured him. "Does this mean you'll start trying in my classes?"
Seifer smiled grimly. "Nothing changes that quickly, Instructor."
"No. I suppose not," she said quietly, and unexpectedly she felt a pang of sadness for it.
There was movement around them; people were starting to move off. Her little detention gang were waving at them before joining the others ascending the quad stairs back into the main walkway.
Quistis stood up somewhat reluctantly and Seifer followed suit. She found herself awkward all of a sudden as she turned to him, not quite able to meet his eyes.
"I'll… see you in class. SeeD field exam's coming up soon."
He seemed amused. "Is that so? You gonna let me know the exact date?"
Quistis shook her head with a slight smile. "You know I can't do that, Seifer. But I do hope you pass this one," she said earnestly, looking at him. "You'll make an excellent asset to SeeD if you could just learn to work with others."
Seifer glanced away, squaring his shoulders back nonchalantly. "Eh. You'll miss me too much. What would you do without me in your class?"
She actually chuckled at that one. "I'm not sure. But I won't be in the classroom all the time forever… maybe we'll work together some day. Like we did tonight."
Seifer was uncharacteristically serious as he looked at her with those deep, piercing eyes. "Yeah. Maybe," he said in a low voice that was somehow much more mature than usual. "Maybe one day we'll be equals again."
Quistis gazed back at him. Her next words came out in a whisper.
"…Would it be any different?"
He held her gaze for another long moment, and for some reason her heart quivered underneath his look. Finally a shadow of his usual smirk turned up the corner of his mouth.
"Guess we'll just have to see." Seifer turned away again and flicked his hand to the side in a wave.
"Good night, Instructor."
She took a deep breath, telling herself to calm down.
"Good night, Seifer."
Notes: Originally I wrote Seifer much more gung ho about staying back and helping the others, but then I remembered how he TOOK OFF in Dollet to make it back to the vessel and ditched Squall and the others. So I had to rewrite a bit to show his reluctance. Call it immaturity. I'd like to believe post-game Seifer has grown and let that protective nature blossom. :)
