Chapter Eleven - A Close Shave [part two]
"Hurry Instructor!" Seifer urged, still holding her by the hand as they continued to run blindly in the dark hallways, their every step pounding against the cold, hard floor like a hammer to the heart.
"Wait, slow down Seifer. . ." Quistis said breathless from their run.
"No, we can't stop. We can't. . . ah hell, that thing's still after us?!" he said, half in agitation and half complaint.
"Aura," Quistis said to him, her voice hoarse from the running.
"Aura? No, Quistis we-"
"Degenerator might work,"
45 seconds remaining
It'll take at least fifteen seconds at least to charge up, fifteen seconds we're not gonna have if we don't move now, fifteen seconds we can't afford to waste. Confused and perplexed, Seifer regrettably cast aura on the girl and saw the yellow-orange colours engulf her. X-ATM092 soon came into view, it's strange fixed gaze visible in the dark. That thing is something else, Seifer thought casting a triple dose of Ultima magic that sent the eerie eyes a few metres back, the metallic monster crashing against the side walls as it fell back.
To his own surprise, Quistis had not selected the Degenerator attack. Instead, the crack of a flurry of bullets filled Seifer's ears as they pummelled home, into the body of the crawling beast: Gatling Gun. X-ATM092 crashed further backwards, only when the flicker of the red lights that served as its eyes, disappear did Seifer once more grab Quistis' arm and run like crazy in the direction of sunlight, away from the nightmarish hellhole.
You have 30 seconds remaining.
"See them?" Selphie asked anxiously.
"No," Zell said miserably, slumping in his seat.
Come on Quistis, Squall silently pleases. Appear now.
"Hey, wait!" Zell said. "Oh, no it was nuthin'"
"Grr, what did she go and do that for?! Taking that chance, it's suicide!" Irvine exclaimed, taking his hat off to fan his face. All of a sudden the atmosphere in the bridge had become very tense.
"They're doomed!" Zell wailed.
"Don't say that!" Selphie snapped her face frightened.
"They're not gonna get out safely now, are they?!" Zell stormed.
"Arguing amongst ourselves is not going to help," Squall spoke in a struggled calm tone.
"Squall, I'm being realistic. They've got 20 seconds to get outta there. We need to get outside the radius of the blasting zone. No matter how fast the Ragnorak goes, we're gonna get caught in it if we don't get the ship up in the air and outta the way within. . . five seconds." Zell said.
We're not going to make it, Quistis thought running as fast as her legs could. I should have listened, should have realised. Now it's too late. Rounding up a corner, a glimmer of hope shone for the two of them. Taking on a burst of speed, Seifer ran like he had never ran before, hearing the speakers announce that there were 12 seconds remaining. Hurtling themselves into the sunlight, Quistis caught sight of the Ragnorak taking off.
11
"Wait!" she cried out, waving her arms madly above her head to catch their attention on the ship.
"Selphie, hold up!" Zell said, spotting the pink of Quistis' clothing and the blood red of the cross-sword on Seifer's coat. "They're here, they're coming."
10
"Faster, faster!" They've got to move faster!" Irvine said. "Selphie, get the ship up,"
"Man, they're coming! Just wait!" Zell said pushing Irvine roughly by the shoulder. "The hell are you trying to do Irvine, you wanna leave them there?"
"We're gonna get killed Zell if we don't get moving," Irvine bit back.
"Stop it, stop it, STOP IT!!" Selphie shouted to them. "Where's Squall, where did he go?"
Down below, Squall had ran to the hanger and slammed his palm against the emergency latch. The ramp opened and extended just as the Ragnorak began to slowly lift up into the air. Flinging rope down, he saw Seifer and Quistis.
9
"Here, grab on!" he yelled over the thrum of the Ragnorak's engine. Throwing himself forward, Seifer reached to grab hold of the end of the rope.
"Quistis!" Seifer called to her. Without warning the Ragnorak ascended further up into the air and feet or so.
8
"Seifer!" Quistis screamed her arms outstretched to take hold of his. "Don't leave me!"
"I won't. Squall, lower the rope a bit!" Seifer yelled to the other boy. "Quistis, grab my hand!"
"I can't reach!" she said, her voice frantic. 7, 6. . .
In a last act of desperation, the blond boy entwined the end rope around his ankles, leaving him suspended - upside down, his trench coat upturned and thrashing wildly about in the wind created by the take off of the ship. His hands found and held onto hers just when the Ragnorak was properly clear and lifted from the research facility's heliport, and racing away as fast it could, the lives of six young people depending on it.
The calm female voice only fell to the vast emptiness of the deep-sea research facility and to those of inhuman ears. One by one, the red eyes of X-ATM092 flicked on back to life, the mechanical beast oblivious to the fact that in five seconds it would be nothing more than a pile of useless metal junk, soaring endlessly up into the stratosphere and into orbit.
You have five seconds, four, three, two, one. Activation of the self-destruct mechanism, now.
A circuit that ran the whole depth and width of the research facility connected to the triggering system. With a clap that could have easily been mistaken of the sound of heavy thunder rumbling, and in an earth-shattering wave of tremors and sound, the deep sea research facility exploded.
Simultaneously other devices went off; computer panels in the deserted laboratory of Doc. Odine and security locks. The huge glass casement cracked into a million pieces - shards of glass flying haphazardly all over the place. Rock and concrete crumbled into dust, the floors giving way coupled by large fireballs rising high up into the air. X-ATM092 did not feel the slow tremor that gradually developed, and neither did it feel its self be decapitated at the head, and it's body convulse and erupt in the forceful blow. It's limbs separated from the rest of its body flailed helplessly as a surge of energy sent it and the remnants of the research facility shooting into the serene, early afternoon blue sky.
Chapter Twelve - Cold Fury
The force of the explosion shook the Ragnorak in mid-air crazily. Meteor showers of metal, concrete and rock hailed down upon the ship causing it to rock from side to side, and to lose a foot in altitude. All this happened while Seifer still hung in his upside down position whilst clinging to Quistis who was dangling from outside the ship, with both hands. He did not know how long he would be able to maintain his hold onto her; one thing was for sure, Seifer knew she was slipping from his grasp. At least we're not dead Seifer consolidated to himself, better situation than being blown to bits.
Squall had attempted to haul Seifer and Quistis back on board but then decided against the idea when the rope that was wrapped around Seifer's ankles began to loosen. "Tell Selphie to land somewhere, anywhere. Just make it quick!" Seifer said to him. Rogering that, Squall left to return to the bridge, leaving Quistis and Seifer stranded for the time being. "So. . . how're you holding up?" he asked the girl who gently swayed to and fro on the movement of the Ragnorak.
"OK I guess, still shaken though," Quistis said, her face a few inches from his. "That was a close call back there, thank you, Seifer."
"Wait till the ship lands, then you can commemorate me for my heroic deeds. What's this Quistis, you've suddenly seen me in a new light?" he said, a sly grin on his face. Blushing, the comment broke a smile to Quistis' lips, making her relax a little.
Directly north to the deep sea research facility - or what used to be a research facility - was a long tipped island notorious for the high levelled monsters that inhibited it, and of course high levelled magic. Ensuring that at least someone had junctioned Enc-none to himself or herself to avoid unwanted attacks, Selphie landed the Ragnorak on the Island Closest to Hell. There, Squall and the team had time to recharge their batteries and get over the eventful experience - one nobody was likely to forget too soon, or either experience again!
While Irvine, Zell and Selphie left the ship to stock up on Ultima, Meteor and other "forbidden" magic, Squall remained behind to ensure Quistis was recuperating and was feeling well. Seifer was nowhere to be found, probably lurking on board the ship somewhere.
"Squall, I've never known you to fuss like this before. Usually it is me worrying over my students," she said, resting on a chair. "Do I sense a role reversal?"
"I worry about my instructor like everyone else does," Squall said modestly, catching Quistis by surprise. "A year ago, I was more distant and gave you the cold shoulder quite often. I then realised that you were only watching out for me."
"Yes, I do worry over you, Squall," Quistis said softly. "I may be a year older than you, but your maturity as a person and as commander does little justice to your age. You are the youngest out of all of us! I took notice of how you changed when Ellone was taken away from the Orphanage to live with Raine at Winhill. I was afraid of how quiet and subdued you had become, and it carried right on Squall, it carried right until you were seventeen. You depended on Ellone so much, and then Rinoa changed all of that." she paused for a moment, a deep feeling within her told her that she was going to crack if she didn't calm herself down. Too much emotion was welling up inside her. "You really love her, don't you?"
Squall nodded unable to meet her gaze. Deep inside, Quistis yearned for the sort of love Squall felt for General Caraway's daughter. Like all of them, she was an orphan at birth and never really experienced what it felt like to be loved. Zell still had his foster parents at Balamb Squall had Rinoa. Selphie and Irvine, they were genuinely happy people, did they really need that sort of love? If anything, they had the unconditional love of their closest friends. Certainly everyone needed love and to feel what is was like to be loved, it was what fuelled a person's heart, their desires, their dreams. Without it, a person would become heartless and cruel. Just like Ultimecia, Quistis crudely thought.
She once had thought she had found love in Squall. She and him were obviously not meant to be - once Squall laid his eyes on Rinoa at the night of the graduation ball. He was intrigued by her beauty and her spirited nature - love at first sight? - Nah, that wasn't it. Squall at one point wanted to 'screw Rinoa' during the Galbadian attack on Balamb Garden, when she was left hanging helplessly by the skin of her teeth. He did admit though that her rescuing had annoyed him, but when you loved someone that much, you'd be willing enough to sacrifice your own life just to save theirs. No, his love for Rinoa gradually developed over time, and that was what made it special.
"No matter what, Squall," Quistis said resting a hand on his shoulder. "I'll always be there for you. We all will be there for you, we're here for each other, till the end."
"You, Zell and the others have known me literally from the start of my life. You were always the bossy one out of all of us." Squall said, smiling faintly. "Although me and Ellone use to be close, the many years apart changed all of that. Quistis, you're like an older sister to me. Selphie a sister, Zell and Irvine, brothers. Geez, Zell as a brother?! Somehow I find that hard to believe,"
"What about Seifer?"
"Yeah, what about Seifer?" the very person whom Quistis had mentioned stood at the doorway, his blond hair in place after being slightly ruffled. His sudden appearance was unexpected. Giving Quistis a hug, Squall whispered in her ear, "If I ever told Zell to try and imagine Seifer as his brother, he'd go suicidal." With that, Squall left the room giving Seifer a curt nod and a cool smile on his way out. Quistis found it hard to smother a laugh.
Narrowing his eyes, Seifer sat opposite the girl, his right foot resting on his left leg, and his elbows on the chair back - sitting down - Seifer style. He did not say anything and continued to stare back at her in an almost patronising way.
"So, Seifer," Quistis said uncertainly, her hands clasped together on her knees. "Has the blood stopped rushing to your head yet?"
"Yeah, kind of," he said, breaking eye contact to stare outside the window behind Quistis. "I take it you're feeling better now, Instructor?"
"Fine, Seifer, thanks to you," Quistis said. "But it was a very stupid thing to do," she added on a serious note.
"Oh, I get it, stroke my ego and then burst my bubble," he said tilting his head back and laughing.
"Well. . . yes. But really Seifer, and I do mean it, it was a dangerous thing to do. You jeopardised two lives," she said, altering her tone of voice that sounded too grave for Seifer's own liking.
"Show some gratitude, Instructor Trepe,"
"I'm in debt to you, Seifer. It is nice to see that you care. It is not as if I do not appreciate what you have done for me. It was a dangerous thing to do, you were taking a risk." Quistis clarified. I seem to have offended him.
This comment he shrugged off. Care? Do I, Seifer, care? Danger? I laugh at the face of danger! Risk? Risk teaches us what we love. . . "It was nothing. We need someone to enforce order amongst ourselves," he smirked.
We? Quistis wondered. Was Seifer getting the impression that he was being re-accepted into the folds of the Garden community? He may have saved a SeeD's life and had begun to establish an understanding between the commander, but that did not mean other students at Garden would be willing to accept him. Was rescuing Quistis a good enough reason to recompense the misery he had brought to people's lives? Ultimecia is ultimately to blame, remember that too Quistis. Seifer was used, a pawn, an accessory to Ultimecia's crime.
The event of last year affected the lives of the entire world - SeeD's and individuals alike. Some would say that it was Ultimecia who was truly to blame - her powers of persuasion and manipulation. And then there was some that targeted Seifer. He was only a teenager still; people seemed to forget that, a confused teenager. Sure he was headstrong and refused to follow orders - but that was normal, conventional Seifer wasn't it? Quistis could see a change occurring in the blond haired boy.
"Are we seeing a different side to you, Seifer?" Quistis asked slyly.
"In other words, am I changing?" Seifer said. "Nope, this is who I am: Seifer Almasy. I intend to stay that way."
"You still haven't explained yourself,"
"What's there to explain?" he asked.
"Staying behind when everyone else had gone back to the ship," Quistis reminded him. "Why did you stay?"
Sensing what she was driving at, it was on the tip of Seifer's tongue to tell her not to flatter herself, then he stopped himself short and replaced it with a casual shrug. "Fighting instincts. Pay back for ditching the other guys on the Dollet mission and letting them fight X-AMT092 by themselves," he said.
"And you think that if you had been there at the time, there would have been no need to call upon the heavy artillery?" Quistis guessed.
"Yep," Seifer said simply. He did not want to admit it, but he had respect for the girl dressed in the sleeveless pink vest that exposed her navel. He stared at the exposed flesh for a while, all sorts of thoughts drifting in and out of his mind, some pensive and some lurid. Quit it, Seifer, he warned himself. Stop drooling over her like some sicko. She's your instructor, well ex-instructor. And she's the same age as me. Seifer reminded himself. Quistis was indeed the same age as he was. The two months age difference, she being born on October 14th and he on December 22nd - was what separated them in personality and character. Quistis was obviously the maturest one - it came from being an instructor - maturity was needed for such a responsibility.
Seifer, in many odd ways was mature. It was at times when the situation required you to be serious, that he quit the childish side of him. Right now the word lust circled around his mind. Seeing Quistis and her exposed navel also reminded him that he was a teenager that had no control over his raging hormones. And they were taking effect too; he couldn't tear his eyes away from her.
Ooh, Seifer has a crush on Quistis, a voice inside his mind like a taunt said. Zell? Shut the hell up Dincht! Did Seifer love her? No, love was such a harsh word - such a strong word to use. Seifer did not love he lusted. The word 'lust' brought a grin to his face. Lust was such a good word to use, it rolled so nicely on the tongue when said. Although Seifer could not say he 'loved' the older girl, he was though attracted to her. Many students were attracted to her. Who could resist her sapphire blue eyes and fair complexion, and the way the front strands of her hair fell sexily down to the sides of her face.
That's it, Seifer. You've lost it. You're hormones are screwing your brain and wanna get it on with your damn teacher! Sighing again, Quistis leaned backwards on her chair and closed her eyes, shutting the world around her. Her decision to stay and defeat X-ATM092 had been a foolish and reckless one. Why had she done it? To impress? No, Quistis did not need to do that. She had become an instructor at a young age, that was enough. People in Garden were already impressed by her fighting skills and talent, her only weakness being, worrying over trivial matters, and being a failure?? She also had a group of wanna-be's and devoted followers: Trepies - to boot too!
Seifer continued to watch her even when she had closed her eyes. Her face looked nearly. . . serene. When those sapphire eyes opened again, he guiltily diverted his gaze and began to tap his foot.
"Do you ever fret?" she said suddenly, gazing into the deep sea that was his blue eyes.
"About what?" he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"About the Guardian Forces robbing us of our memories,"
"Can't be helped," Seifer said. "We depend on them too much to disregard them especially if we fight bosses."
Quistis nodded sadly, "It is just that my childhood memories of living at Orphanage, by the sea and with Matron. They were the only spark of happiness in my life." She said.
"You're not happy then,"
"Well. . . yes of course I am," she lied weakly. I have my friends don't I? So long as I have my 'brothers and sisters' around me, then I'm happy. . .
"Right," came the flat response. "That's why the long face."
"You certainly don't know me well as you think," Quistis said wryly. "I'm prone to worry over trivial matters, resulting in me becoming upset unnecessarily."
"Is Squall listed as one of your 'trivial matters'?" Seifer asked quietly.
"You heard?!" her blue eyes snapping at his.
The blond boy shrugged, "They should make the metal doors thicker," he said.
"You stood outside and listened to our conversation?" Quistis said angrily. "How rude! We were confiding in each other, and you, you eavesdropped on us?!"
"Big deal,"
"Big deal?!" Quistis echoed angrily, she stood over him with glittering dangerous eyes. "That shows how much you have not changed, and it also shows how untrustworthy you are!"
"You trusted me when I held onto you, suspended from a rope." He reminded her. "That takes trust doesn't it?"
"I-" she couldn't argue there. Quistis stood speechless for a moment, trying to find something to throw back at him. She wasn't succeeding. She had placed her life into his hands, and had trusted Seifer with it. She couldn't say that to him, give him the benefit of the doubt.
"Doesn't it?" he repeated, standing also, his 6' 5" height towering over her own in a foreboding manner. "What's wrong Quistis, cat got your tongue?"
"I'm, I'm not answering your question," she said defiantly, avoiding any eye contact.
"Because you know that your mouth will betray your heart," he said softly.
Blushing furiously, Quistis turned her back to him, arms folded across her chest angrily. She knew that Seifer was right. It was ludicrous really - impossibly, unthinkable! She like him?? If any of the others found out her thoughts, they would laugh themselves to insanity. She knew how Zell and Irvine would react. Squall, Quistis was not so sure about.
Seifer was closer to her age than anyone else of the group. She, being the eldest of the bunch and Squall, the youngest. It was not Seifer's age that appealed to her. It was his charm and rakish good looks. Charm. . . it always came down to his damn charm!! Despite being arrogant and the one to cause trouble, Seifer still had that charm that always got him out of trouble. Also, Seifer had a crude sense of humour that Quistis couldn't resist.
'Good luck, Seifer," she had said to him before embarking upon the Dollet mission.
'Luck?! Say that to someone who'll need it,' Seifer had said.
'Good luck Seifer.' Quistis repeated. Replaying that moment in her mind again and again brought a smile to her lips.
The gentle touch of his gloved hand on her arms yanked her from her reverie, and back to reality. She remained rooted to the spot. She did not want that hand to go away, and neither did she want the moment to end. Lowering his blond head, Seifer whispered to her ear.
"It's OK, Instructor," he said. "I won't tell anyone that you fancy me,"
Whirling round in an act of fury, Quistis raised her own gloved hand, striking the boy right across the face. "Seifer," she said coldly, watching him rubbing his left cheek - the one that she had slapped. "Don't flatter yourself,"