Things Change
Chapter 9
by Mariye
======
Disclaimer: I don't own FF8.
======
"Yeah, well, luckily a friend of mine saw me hoofing it on the road and was kind enough to give me a lift. And since someone decided to just ruin my plans for the day, I thought I'd come and help you."
"Yeah, we even got that first backdrop finished!" Irvine said as he hopped off the stage and gave Selphie a quick kiss. "So Zell, how are you feeling?"
"Fine."
"Are you sure? I mean, if you just want to rest..."
"I'm fine." Zell pulled himself onto the stage and in front of Sionna.
"Now listen I am sick and tired of your holier-than-thou attitude. I'm sick of your little cryptic phrases and your little pop ins."
"Can you believe this? He's only known me two days and he's smitten." Sionna said as she turned and picked up some paints. Selphie was giggling and Irvine was just shaking his head.
"SMITTEN?!?! What would I possibly see in a Seifer wanna-be?!?!" Zell said while spinning Sionna around.
"I SAID..." Sionna pushed him down. "Don't grab me!"
Selphie and Irvine stared moving onto the stage.
"Come on everyone, hold up. Calm down." Irvine tried to work his way between the two. Zell got up and pushed him aside.
"I can't take the little witch anymore!" Zell raised his fist and punched her in the face.
"Zell! Don't! You don't know who else might come and help too!" Selphie said as she tried to hold back Zell's arm.
"I don't care! Right now I'm gonna give her just what she deserves!" Zell kicked Sionna in the side.
"What the hell do you think you're doing to my little sister Chicken-Wuss?"
~Great, two surprises within ten minutes of each other.~
"What is he doing here?!?!" Zell asked as he spun to face Irvine and Selphie.
"The D.C and Library Committee promised to help with the festival." Selphie said. Irvine moved over to try to check Sionna, but stopped when Zell stepped in his way. Seifer hopped on stage, with Raijin and Fujin behind him.
"Yeah, and here I come, on a little goodwill mission, and what do I see? This Wuss," Seifer accented the word Wuss. "Attacking my little sister? I'm sorry, but family ties demand that I step in." Seifer walked right up to Zell's face.
And then Zell felt himself falling. His legs had been kicked out underneath him. He opened his eyes and looked up.
"I can handle myself." Sionna said as she walked past Seifer.
"Didn't look like you could." Seifer said as he turned to face her.
~That sounds familiar...~ Zell thought as he tried to get up. He felt the edge of a gunblade cut his leg.
"Don't even think about it. I heard you say she's been asking for a beating. Well, I think you deserve it much more." Zell felt the end of a staff hit him the head, and then everything went black.
---
Zell opened his eyes and saw an infirmary around him. Lheia was working around him.
"You know, soon I'm going to have to open a separate ward for people Seifer puts here. Oh, hello, welcome back to the world of the living."
"How long was I out?" Zell asked as he propped himself up on one elbow. He saw Aeron come in and start working around the room.
"About three hours. Just a slight concussion. Raijin is going to be serving a suspension for that. Seifer will be joining him for the slashes in you leg. So far I think Fujin is the only one who was smart enough to keep out of this scuffle." Lheia looked at him. "Feel strong enough for visitors? I think someone wanted to see you."
"Sure."
~Why not. I wonder where the little Almasy is... I thought she was a major volunteer here...~
"I'll go get her." Lheia left the room. Aeron came over.
"Hey, so how you feeling?"
"Awful. No thanks to 'her.'"
"Sionna? What's your problem with her?"
"She is annoying and seems to devote her life to pissing people off." Zell said while starting to sit up.
"Its better if you lay down for a while." Aeron said as he walked around. "And she has a good reason for her attitude toward you. You touched her."
"So?"
"Listen, I can't say anything without her consent, but let me tell you this. The only people I have ever seen touch her, and not get their brains beaten out, are you and Seifer. She even knocked me out once when I grabbed her shoulders and tried to scare her in the cafe." Aeron grabbed a Combat Weekly off the shelf. "Here, since you might be here a while, it might be best if you read this."
"Thanks."
~Why wouldn't she want people touching her? Weird... I guess its probably a normal Almasy trait though.~
"Hello Zell." Zell saw Quistis enter the room. She smiled and nodded at Aeron as she sat down on the edge of Zell's cot. "You doing okay?"
"Just peachy."
"I expect that from Seifer or Squall, but not from you. I guess you've been around Seifer too much lately."
"Please, don't remind me."
"I hear you beat up a girl. Bravo. I don't think Seifer's even come that far."
"Listen if you came here to lecture me Quistis, you can just leave." Zell looked away from her.
"No. I didn't come here to lecture. I came to see how you were doing. Well?"
"Okay I guess. Except for a massive migraine and my leg." Zell said while rubbing his head.
"That's good to hear. Raijin is lethal with that staff. We were all worried. Selphie said not to worry about the sets for the Garden Festival. She said that the three of you can start that tomorrow."
"I thought she had four people working on sets." Zell said, moving to sit next to Quistis.
"Sionna quit."
"For what reason?"
~Like I don't already know.~
"Because of you." Quistis said as she stared at her feet. "So Selphie says you, Irvine, and her will have to do double duty on the sets. Rinoa and Squall wanted to come with me when I came here."
"Why?"
"Rinoa is just... petrified. She's scared of you dying. You're making her fear for her own mortality too. And Squall seems like he's very nervous too. You're probably his best friend you know." Quistis looked Zell in the eyes.
"We're all a little terrified. Just some of us are better at hiding it. I'm trying to rationalize it. Make it seem like its nothing. I've been at the library all day reading about Leukemia. Squall is thinking too much again. Rinoa is on edge. Irvine is trying to pretend that it isn't happening. Sure he knows its there, but he thinks as long as he doesn't name it, it will disappear. And Selphie... she's taking it hardest. She's trying to pretend that your disease isn't even as serious as a papercut."
"You shouldn't worry about me."
"No. We have to. Because before you were always the one to worry about us Zell. You always took all the worries and tried to be responsible and helpful." Quistis stood up and put her hand on his shoulder.
"Let us worry about and take care of you for a change." Quistis said. Then she turned and slowly walked out.
Zell stood up and looked out the window.
~What is Sionna doing out there?~
Zell walked out.
"I have to go." Sionna walked quickly out of the room. Aeron looked to be a little shocked, while Lheia walked over to Zell.
"It seems that Aeron and I will be the only ones working on this case now. It is a shame. We could have used a good psychologist for you."
~Psychologist?~
"But, isn't he the?" Zell looked at Aeron. Aeron laughed a little.
"Well..."
======
Why does Sionna object to anyone touching her?
If Aeron isn't the Psychologist, then what is he?
Why, if Seifer dislikes Sionna, would he help her?
What will Zell do now? What will he do?
Will Seifer return?