"Please state your name and your position for the record."
Zell, however, was still too busy looking at Iris. His look was almost pleading. Apologetic. It was almost funny, looking at him that way. Iris, for her part, was still transfixed at her martial artist-boyfriend in utter disbelief, mouth slightly open.
The moment Quistis called Zell as the defense's first witness, Iris' head instantly snapped at him almost automatically, eyes already wide open. He slowly let go of her hand as he stood up, starting to walk towards the witness stand. He tried looking at her in a reassuring manner, trying futily to maybe telepathically say that "Everything's going to be alright." Instead, his look came off as "I'll explain everything later. Honest!"
They had talked time and again about not keeping any secrets from each other. Looking at her now, however, he could almost wish that he didn't agree on helping Quistis. Iris' face slowly turned from a look of surprise to subtle sulk. Slowly, her gaze became dangerously piercing. That, and the fact that she slowly crossed her arms under her breasts told Zell that he better give her something more than just flowers and chocolates this time. Slowly, he saw his hopes of buying the latest Weapon's Monthly issue turn to mere fancy. No, he told himself as he saw Iris look away from him in that sulking manner and then start to nonchalantly talk with Selphie. He knew what it meant: she will be ignoring him from now on. Make that several future issues. Damn, Quisty. You REALLY owe me big for this!
"Your NAME and POSITION please...!" The secretary's voice broke through his musings again.
"Uh...huh?" Zell replied blankly, looking at the secretary as if he had no idea what he was doing here.
"Please, Mr. Dincht," Cid said, obviously irritated now. "Don't just sit there like a dumb idiot. State your name and your position for the record so we can continue with this trial!"
Quistis leaned her left elbow on her right arm and sighed, covering her face with her left hand. She shook her head resignedly. She heard some snickerings on the spectator seats.
"O-oh...Sorry," Zell said, as if he had just been yanked back to earth after being in the cloud for long. He leaned closer to the microphone timidly. "I-I'm Zell Dincht. 1st Class SeeD. Special Operations and Hand to Hand Combat Specialist." Then, as if in afterthought, he added, "Sir."
"Raise your right hand."
Zell absentmindedly raised his hand. He was still looking at Iris, trying see if she'll look at him still.
"Ehrm...your right hand, Mr. Dincht," the secretary said as patiently as she could.
It was then that Zell realized he was raising his left. "Oh! Sorry." He raised his right hand this time.
"Do you swear to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth, on this trial as mandated by Garden Oath?" the secretary asked.
"I do," Zell said.
"Please take your seat," the secretary said before walking away.
Zell sat nervously in the witness chair. He had never attended a trial before. But now, he was on one. Literally.
Quistis approached him. The look in her eyes told him not to botch this one up. For her sake. But the glower on her eyes told Zell that it might as well be his. "Mr. Dincht, could you please tell the court where you were two days ago at about 11 am?"
"I was walking along the S-3 Hall," Zell answered. "I just came from the cafeteria."
"From the cafeteria, you say?" Quistis asked. "What did you do there?"
"I bought a Big B hotdog with all the toppings," Zell replied, and then licked his lip unconsciously as he remembered the food. "I was waiting a damn long time for that."
"A hotdog fanatic, I see," Quistis said. "Tell me, Mr. Dincht. How much do you like that hotdog?"
"Objection, Your Honor!" Devensor said, suddenly standing. "I can't see what relevance this line of questioning has pertaining to the case!"
Cid turned to Quistis. "Instructor Trepe, does this question have anything whatsoever to do with the case?"
"Yes, Your Honor," Quistis replied, adjusting her glasses on her cute nose.
"I mean this hotdog question," Cid said.
"I know what you meant the first time, Your Honor," Quistis said.
Cid considered for a while. "I'm curious. Objection overruled. You may proceed, Instructor."
Devensor sat back, obviously annoyed.
"Let me ask you the question again, Mr. Dincht," Quistis said, turning back to Zell. "How much do you like the hotdog?"
"D'oh. I've only been waiting for it for at least two weeks!" Zell said. "Everytime I try and get one of it, I'm always late. Two days ago was the first time I finally got it."
"So what you're trying to say is, you've been waiting a long time to eat that?" Quistis asked.
"Uh-huh," Zell said. "I'd kill someone for that hotdog." Then, as if realizing that he was inside a courtroom, he hastily added, "Ehrm...metaphorically speaking, of course."
Quistis let out a chuckle. "Of course. But tell me, would you...say, punch someone for that hotdog? I mean, we know how proficient you are when it comes to hand to hand combat."
"Of course," Zell said.
"What happened after you finally got the hotdog you've long waited for and walked down the S-3 Hallway?" Quistis asked.
"I was about to eat it..I mean I savored it at first, y'know, just so the experience would be optimized," Zell said. "Well, anyways, I was preparing to eat it when Seifer grabbed my collar."
"Seifer? Y'mean, Seifer Almasy?" Quistis asked.
"Yeah," Zell said. "He grabbed my collar and slammed me in the wall"
A murmur rose among the audience. Cid banged the hammer on the gavel. "Order!"
"Does Seifer always do that to you?" Quistis asked.
"Hell no," Zell said. "He would just normally taunt me verbally. But he never became that violent on me until that day."
"Are you, by nature, afraid of Seifer Almasy, Mr. Dincht?" Quistis asked.
"Hell no!" Zell said defensively. "I could take on Seifer with a fistfight. There's no way in hell I would back down from him!"
"Very well. Back to the topic, what did he do to your hotdog after that?" Quistis asked.
"Objection, Your Honor!" Devensor protested again, half-standing up.
"Overruled," Cid said. "You may answer what he did to your hotdog, Mr. Dincht."
"I protested heatedly," Zell recalled. "Then, he just suddenly grabbed my hotdog and threw it on the floor."
"He threw it on the floor?" Quistis asked. "Just like that?"
"Yeah," Zell said.
"So what did you do? Did you punch him?" Quistis asked.
"No," Zell said. He was almost sheepish.
"Wait. Let me get this clear," Quistis said. She pretended to show a very confused expression. "Here is someone who isn't exactly your most favorite of people, and he just threw away something you obviously are crazy with, and you didn't do anything about it when you can easily have?"
Zell grimaced. "You made it sound as if I'm a wuss, Quisty. Ehrm...I mean, counselor."
"I'm sorry. That is not what I meant." Quistis said. "I just find it...strange, Mr. Dincht. You said so yourself. You don't back down from him."
"I don't back down from Seifer Almasy," Zell said. "That person who threw away my hotdog wasn't Seifer. He was someone else."
"Excuse me?" Quistis asked.
"His eyes were not Seifer's," Zell said. "It looked as if he was a different person. I don't know what happened to have caused it, but I can tell you one thing: I don't think Seifer was himself that day. Usually, Seifer just has that mischievous and arrogant glint on his eyes. That day, there was a burning danger in them. That made me wary. He was definitely more serious."
"So, you don't think that Seifer was himself then?" Quistis clarified.
"No," Zell said. "There was a hint of madness in his eyes. And anger."
"Thank you, Mr. Dincht," Quistis said. She turned around and looked at Devensor. "Your witness."
Devensor stood up and took her place in front of the witness stand. She paused for a brief moment, pacing back and forth. Then, in that characteristic drawl, she asked a question. "Mr. Dincht. You said that Seifer grabbed your collar two days ago and slammed you on the wall. Is that correct?"
"Yes ma'am," Zell said.
"Do you know why he did that?" Devensor asked.
"He was looking for Squall," Zell answered. "And I happened to be the closest friend of Squall's he saw."
Devensor let out an "Oh, I see!" expression. "He was, as you said, murderously angry, and he was looking for Squall?"
"I said he wasn't himself," Zell said. "Not murderously angry."
"But he was angry?" Devensor asked.
Zell hesitated. Quistis didn't run this through him yesterday. He looked at Quistis. Quistis nodded.
"Again, Mr. Dincht," Devensor said. "Was he angry?"
"Yes, he was," Zell said finally.
"How angry?"
"I don't know." Zell said dryly. He wasn't exactly fond of Devensor even when he was still under her. "I didn't ask him."
Devensor pretended not to hear the sarcasm in Zell's voice. "Could he be angry enough to kill Squall, Mr. Dincht?"
"Uhm...no," Zell said. "Seifer may be an asshole, but I don't think he's a murderer."
"So, you didn't think he was out to kill Squall?" Devensor asked.
"Nope."
"Interesting you say that," Devensor said, quite amused. "Your Honor, I would like to ask permission to play something for the benefit of everyone present? Just to clarify things up?"
Zell frowned, looking at Quistis, but he, too, saw the confusion on the pretty Instructor's face.
"You may proceed, Instructor," Cid said.
"Computer," Devensor said out loud. "Please play Disc Record Number 19283-746ND. Start on sector 23, track 4 until track 6."
"Acknowledged," the computer synth-voice said.
Within seconds, a voice was heard reverberating around the room. When Zell heard it, his mouth fell open. The voice was Rinoa's.
"W-Wait! S-Seifer was looking for Squall?!"
His voice then followed. He could still vividly remember the scene.
"Oh no. Seifer was hunting Squall."
"Computer, loop the last track," Devensor said.
Zell heard his voice repeated over and over again. "Oh no. Seifer was hunting Squall".
Looking completely lost, Zell turned to Quistis, who just looked back at him with the same sad look.
"No further questions, Your Honor," Devensor said as she walked back to her bench. She never looked back at Zell.
Dr. Kadowaki was called to the stand. The motherly lady doctor calmly raised her right hand and was sworn in. The secretary, then, asked her to take her seat. The doctor complied.
Quistis stood up and walked near the witness stand. She smiled. "Good morning, Dr. Kadowaki."
"Good morning, instructor," Dr. Kadowaki replied.
"I suppose you know why you're here?" Quistis asked.
Dr. Kadowaki nodded. "Yes, I do."
"Just for the record, Doctor," Quistis said. "Do you know what kind of trial this is?"
"A treason slash murder trial," Dr. Kadowaki said.
"Let's focus on the murder angle," Quistis said. "Do you know who were involved?"
"Seifer supposedly killed Squall," Dr. Kadowaki said.
"'Supposedly'?" Quistis asked, raising an eyebrow. "Could you clarify that more, Doctor?"
"Squall isn't dead," Dr. Kadowaki said. "He's in the Intensive Care Unit right now, recuperating."
"But my colleague, Intructor Devensor, clearly filed a murder charge, Doctor," Quistis said. "How can it be murder when no one is dead?"
Dr. Kadowaki shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just a doctor in this Garden. All I know is that Squall is not dead. Either Instructor Devensor did not know that, or this trial is a farce."
"Objection, Your Honor!" Devensor said. "The witness is speculating. Move to strike out that last statement."
"Objection sustained," Cid said. "Dr. Kadowaki, please stick to answering the questions."
Quistis, however, was subtly smiling. "Just one more question, Doctor. Do you think it's possible for someone to be temporarily insane?"
"There are instances where a person might temporarily lose control of full rational thinking," Dr. Kadowaki said. "Intense emotional distress, for instance, in which case the person's feelings are so great that it usually clouds a person's mind. Everyone is capable of losing control, given the right triggers."
"So, it's possible for Seifer to have been temporarily insane when he battled with Squall two days ago?" Quistis asked.
"Given the right motivations, yes," Dr. Kadowaki said.
"Thank you, Doctor," Quistis said. She turned to Devensor. "Your witness."
Devensor stood up and, without wasting any minutes, she immediately asked the doctor. "Doctor, you were the attending physician when Commander Leonheart was brought in that day, weren't you?"
"Yes, I was."
"Could you briefly tell us what happened?" Instructor Devensor asked.
"Squall was wheeled in at about 4 pm. Blood was all over him, and he was in a state of shock," Dr. Kadowaki. "He--"
"Could you tell us his injuries?" Instructor Devensor interrupted.
Dr. Kadowaki frowned for a bit, visibly insulted at being interrupted. "He had three broken ribs, and he suffered minor internal bleeding. There were minor to medium concussions on his face, resulting in it being black and blue. And there was a major cut that run across his chest."
"That cut," Devensor said. "Was it enough to cause death?"
"The cut itself wasn't enough," Dr. Kadowaki replied.
"But if it were coupled with the other injuries and the shock?" Devensor asked.
When Dr. Kadowaki did not reply, Devensor looked at her again. "Doctor, you are under oath. Tell the truth."
"Yes, it could," Dr. Kadowaki finally said.
"Doctor," Devensor suddenly asked. "Did Commander Leonheart die?"
"I told you that he's ali--" Dr. kadowaki said, her voice rising a bit.
"At any point that day, did he die," Devensor interrupted her again. It was a statement, not a question.
"Does it even matter? The important thing is he's a--" Dr. Kadowaki protested a bit.
"I am asking if at any time that day, did Commander Squall Leonheart die, doctor!" Devensor practically snapped at the lady doctor. Her high-pitched voice was irritatingly piercing.
Dr. Kadowaki became silent. Then, mustering as much dignity as she can, she answered. "Yes. He was declared clinically dead for five minutes and forty seconds. But he miraculously came back."
"But still, he died," Devensor insisted. "If he hadn't lived again, would you have defended Seifer, doctor?"
"Objection, Your Honor!" Quistis said. "That question is irrelevant to the case. I can't see why the good doctor's intent to whether or not defend Seifer Almasy has any relevance to the case whatsoever."
"On the contrary, Your Honor, the good doctor's personal feelings towards the accused would determine whether or not she was biased in her defense."
"Overruled," Cid said. "The witness may answer the question."
"Well doctor?" Devensor asked.
"Instructor Devensor," Dr. Kadowaki replied in a forced tone. She was clearly trying to be civil. "For years I have been this Garden's Senior Physician. I have treated almost all the students, and I have learned to love them as though they were my own children. Seifer Almasy and Squall Leonheart, in particular, had been the two sons I never had who were trying to outdo each other. I do not want to see anything bad happen to them. You were asking me if I would still defend Seifer if Squall had remained dead. My answer is yes. Although I won't feel sorry for him like I do now, I do not want to see him be executed. In my opinion, one death is enough."
"Personal feelings have no place in a courtroom, doctor," Devensor said icily.
"And I'm telling you that Squall coming back from sure death is a miracle," Dr. Kadowaki said. "This is supposed to be a time for rejoicing, not a decision to whether or not execute someone when the other had lived!"
Devensor's face showed contempt. "No further questions, Your Honor."
"Since it's almost lunch, I will declare a 30-minute recess," Cid said. "This trial is adjourned until 1 o'clock in the afternoon. I need a drink."
Cid banged the gavel and started to walk towards the judge's chamber.
In the courtroom, no one moved.
"You should, uhm, check up on him more often, you know," Irvine grinned flirtingly at the pretty young nurse who was checking up on Squall's condition. "Like every two hours maybe?"
"Maybe," Andrea, the nurse smiled back. "But then again, the other nurses have warned me against being with you in the same room for more than necessary."
"They what?" Irvine asked, feigning a look of disbelief. "Aw, c'mon! Surely you don't believe them?"
"I do. I have heard of you, Irvine Kinneas, and your reputation as the Garden's ladies' man. I have a phobia against ladies' men," the young woman said as she checked Squall's pulse and scribbled something on her metal-backed stat chart. "Besides, Dr. Kadowaki said that I only need to check up on him for every six hours."
"Look, Andrea, they're just rumours! I tell you that I am nowhere near as they make me out to be," Irvine said defensively, following the young nurse as she checked up on the electrocardiogram. "They're just...uhm...jealous."
"And I know someone who'll get really jealous if I get close to you," Andrea said, shaking her head as she smiled amusingly. "Selphie Tilmitt. I don't think I'd want an angry SeeD breathing down on my neck."
"Aw, Selphie? Don't worry! She'll understand when I tell her that I only wanted to be your frie--"
Suddenly, Squall groaned. "Ri..noa....."
Both Irvine and Andrea stopped, and looked at Squall as if they had been electrocuted.
"Rin..oa...."
"Squall?!" Irvine said, suddenly forgetting everything except his friend. "Squall, are you awake now, bud?"
"I-I'll get Dr. Kadowaki!" Andrea said. Irvine just nodded, his attention still riveted at Squall.
Squall's eyes suddenly fluttered and, for the first time since two days ago, his eyes opened halfway. He groaned again.
"Squall! Y-you're okay!" Irvine said excitedly. "You're not brain-damaged or anything?"
"Head...hurts like hell..." Squall rasped. He tried to move, and then regretted the motion. "W-where's...Rinoa...?"
"She's in the courtroom, I think," Irvine said. "Together with Quistis, and the others."
"C-courtroom...?" Squall asked.
"Yeah," Irvine said. "They're having a Trial by Pleading today."
"Who's...on trial?"
"Seifer," Irvine said. "For killing you."
At exactly one o'clock, Cid came out of his chamber and the court resumed its session.
"Pleadee, do you have any more witnesses?" Cid asked.
"None, Your Honor," Quistis said. "The Pleadee rests."
"Very well," Cid said. "The Prosecution may now present its witnesses."
"We only have one, Your Honor," Devensor said. "The Prosecution calls Rinoa Heartilly to the stand."
There were murmurs as Rinoa appeared and started walking down the middle of courtroom, and to the witness stand. Quistis, for her part, found herself standing half-way, taken aback at what happened. She watched Rinoa gracefully walk across the aisle towards the center of the room. She was wearing a muted baby-blue long-sleeved dress and black plaited mini-skirt. She was graceful, and beautiful. She would have been more beautiful if her face wasn't set in a somber reflection.
After the secretary swore her in, she was asked to sit down. She slowly did.
"Ms. Heartilly, can you tell the court how you are related with Commander Leonheart?" Devensor asked.
"S-Squall and I are lovers," Rinoa said.
"Can you tell us where you were two days ago?"
"I was here, at the Garden," Rinoa said.
"Business matters?" Devensor asked.
"You...could say that," Rinoa replied. She glanced at Quistis meaningfully.
"At about half past three in the afternoon, where were you?"
"I was with Zell," Rinoa said. "We were looking for Squall and Seifer. We heard that Seifer was looking for him, and I was afraid."
"Of?" Devensor inquired, raising her eyebrows dramatically.
"Seifer hurting Squall," Rinoa answered.
"Why were you sure he'd do that?" Devensor asked.
"Because I was the reason Seifer was looking for Squall," Rinoa said. "He saw us fighting in the balcony, and I told Squall to go away. After that, Seifer came...and we exchanged heated words...and he walked away. I sat in there, crying for about an hour more...must have been two...I can't recall. But I was crying. When I found out from Zell that Seifer was looking for Squall, and that he was unusually hostile to him, I feared for the worst."
"So you looked for them?"
Rinoa nodded.
"And after many hours of searching, you found them?"
"A cadet said that he heard Seifer challenge Squall to a duel. On a place called Devil's Seat. So we went outside. It was raining," Rinoa recounted. "A storm. I felt cold then. But maybe it was more from the fear, than from the wind. Then, Zell said that he thought he saw something from the distance. A light. When we ran there, I saw Seifer defending from Squall's Lionheart..."
"Please continue," Devensor said.
"I was afraid. For both of them. But I was more afraid for Squall. So I shouted to them to stop," Rinoa said. Her voice had become progressively softer, as if doing so would cushion the impact of what she had seen. "When I did, they both looked at me. And then...I...I saw Seifer turn back to Squall...and he slashed him with his gunblade."
Devensor turned to look at Seifer. Her gaze was accusing. She let out a breath, and then a triumphant gaze at everyone, and said, "Seifer Almasy slashed Commander Leonheart with intent. Ms. Heartilly saw it with her own eyes. And Dr. Kadowaki confirmed that it was the same cut and those other injuries, inflicted by Seifer, which killed him. For five minutes and forty seconds, yes. But he still killed him nonetheless."
With that, Devensor turned to Quistis and said, "Your witness."
Quistis did not realize she was trembling until after she stood in front of Rinoa. She clenched her fist in an attempt to steady herself. Then, she forced herself to calm down by taking slow, subtle breaths.
"Ms. Heartilly, please tell them what you told me back there in Squall's room," Quistis said.
Rinoa did not reply. She looked down.
"Ms. Heartilly," Cid said. "Answer the question."
Rinoa was silent.
"Rinoa, please!" Quistis pleaded. "Seifer's life hangs in the line here! Tell them what you told me! That it wasn't his fault!"
"He shouldn't have done that!" Rinoa suddenly cried. "Whatever happened in the past, he shouldn't have done that! Squall did not deserve it! Can't you even see that, Quistis?! How can you even defend him when you saw yourself what happened to Squall because of him?!"
"And do you think Seifer deserves to be killed, then?!" Quistis shouted back. "I love Squall as much as you do! But I can't let a student of mine be killed just because some senior authorities decided that he committed a crime by mere technicality alone! Damn, Rinoa, why can't you understand that Seifer did what he did because he loves you?!"
"You weren't there when he ripped his gunblade on Squall's chest," Rinoa sobbed. "You weren't there when I held Squall's head on my lap, and saw the pain in his eyes. You weren't there when Squall died for a moment. You don't know how it feels."
"You were right," Quistis said, looking at Rinoa. Her voice was quivering. "I wasn't there. And you know what? I regretted it. I wasn't there when Squall needed me. I wasn't there to hold him, like you did. But I was not there when Seifer was hurt, either. What did you do to him, Rinoa? What did you do to him, to make him feel that much pain and anger, and use it to coat his love? You said so yourself. What happened to Squall was your fault. What happened?"
Rinoa did not reply again. Her face was covered with her hands. The tears seeped between her fingers, and into the back of her hands.
"Rinoa, tell us." Quistis pressed. "Make them understand what Seifer felt! Make them see what incensed his mind so much that he did what he did to Squall! Make them understand him! For once, Rinoa, show us what made Seifer become what he is today!"
Rinoa kept sobbing, her raven hair streaked with wisps of brown falling loosely over her shoulders.
"For the love of life, Rinoa!" Quistis practically shouted. "Let go of your grasp for the past before it destroys the life of someone who holds you dear!"
"Objection, Your Honor!" Devensor suddenly protested. "She is badgering the witness!"
"Quistis, please," Seifer suddenly said.
Quistis looked at Seifer, surprised. He didn't usually call her by her first name.
Seifer's face was alarmingly pleading. "Don't...don't press her. Don't make her cry. Not again. Do what you want to do to me. Just...don't make her cry. Please."
Murmurs arose from the audience again as students felt the tension in the air. Cid had to bang the gavel numerous times before the murmurs were calmed down.
"Intructor-counsel Trepe," Cid warned. "I advice you not to pursue this line of que-"
"I was naive then," Rinoa suddenly said. Everyone turned to look at her at the sudden interruption. She was looking at Seifer. Everyone could see that she was wrapped up in the past now. "My life was so full of boredom, what with the parties and all. It was all the same. Just the same old people, in the same old parties, and the same old boredom. When I saw Seifer, I saw mischief in his person. I saw excitement. And I thought that he was someone who could bring diversity to my life.
"I was attracted by his carefree, devil-may-care attitude. And for a while, I was happy with him. I was really happy with him, mind you. And he was always so sweet with me. He made me feel as if I was a princess. He often told me that he was my knight. Maybe, it was the fairy tale feeling of it all. He always sent me flowers. And we always went out to sample Deling's night life whenever he managed to be there."
Quistis looked at Seifer. The blond gunblader imprisoned his head with his hands. And she could almost feel the pain in him right now. She turned back to Rinoa.
"But even I was getting tired of it," Rinoa continued. "That, and the fact that we only get to be together during Sundays, or when he manages to slink off the Garden. There were the calls, yes. And the letters. But I can't live on calls and letters alone. I wanted to be held. And touched. And...my feelings for him lessened each and every day. Sometimes, maybe even fairy tales get outgrown. That's when I met Daryll Dysen. He was my father's friend's son. We went out. And I..."
"Stop..." Seifer murmured. "Please. Just stop."
Rinoa looked down, and did not say anything more.
"Rinoa," Quistis said softly. "Seifer loves you so much, he can't bear to see you cry. Even after what happened, he still held that torch out for you. I can...I can sympathize with him. I know how it feels not to be loved by someone who you're willing to offer your life for if only they'd love you half as much as you love them. Can you blame Seifer for what he did?"
Rinoa did not reply. Her gaze was on Seifer. Seifer slowly looked up, and met her gaze with his.
"More importantly, can you forgive him for what he did?" Quistis asked.
"Seifer..." Rinoa started.
"Oh puh-LEEEEASE, Your Honor!" Devensor suddenly said, breaking the mood. She stood up and started to make exaggerated gestures. "This is supposed to be a court trial, not a soap opera! So what if Ms. Heartilly broke his heart? That was a long time ago! I can't see any relevance to it now, in this case! Teenage lover's quarrel, nothing more! Look at him! Just look at him! The fact that he's showing off that sad, tortured student is just a ploy to get our sympathies! And you, Instructor Trepe. I am quite disappointed at you! I expected a legal battle, not some 'teenage-heart-break-from-long-ago-which-tragically-caused-him-to-turn-temporarily-insane' story! It's absurd! We don't need melodramatics here. We need facts!"
"You want facts, Instructor?" Quistis almost shouted, bristling with anger. She almost spat out the last word. "The fact is that the human psyche can be wrapped up with so much emotion that it makes us slaves to its whim. The fact is that Seifer Almasy loved Rinoa Heartilly so much that he was willing to give up his life just so he can get back to whoever it was who made her cry. A twisted sense of honor? Yeah. Maybe it was. To you. Or to everyone else. But he believed that what he was doing was right. You heard what Dr. Kadowaki said! Intense emotional feelings makes us capable of losing control, given the right triggers. And nothing could be more painful than to see the love you offered betrayed by someone you are willing to give your life to. The Seifer Almasy who fought Squall in Devil's Seat that afternoon two days ago was not the same Seifer Almasy you see here before you. That was someone who he thought had died inside him when Rinoa broke his heart. And that someone came back, through Rinoa's tears! If you've been in love before, you'd know what I was talking about! But all you have inside you is seething anger and personal vendetta against a student who defied you in your classes!"
The courtroom grew alive with catcalls and whistles and more murmurs. The faculty who were seated in the front row looked back, trying to silence the students with their respective glares. To no effect.
"Order! Order!" Cid shouted, banging his gavel repeatedly. "If all of you won't shut up, I swear to Hyne I'll have a memo stating that there will be full exams next week!"
That seemed to have given the desired effect. Everyone shut up.
"Instructor-counsel Trepe," Cid said gravelly. "One more outburst like that and I will have you and Almasy in contempt. Do you understand?"
"Why not hold them in contempt right now?" Devensor said mockingly. "They have raised enough foolishness as it is. And so far, I don't think they presented any strong proof of their plead of temporary insanity and supposed personal vendetta by the prosecution."
"Any more statement and tone like that, Instructor Devensor, and I'll make sure you get transferred to Galbadia Garden as librarian. Remember that it is your witness which led to the ruckus. Is that understood?" Cid said.
Devensor fell silent.
"Now, does the Pleadee have any more questions for the witness?"
Quistis looked at Rinoa, who just sat there looking at Seifer, as if she had seen him in a new light. "None, Your Honor."
"Very well," Cid said. "Ms. Heartilly, you may now leave the stand."
The secretary led Rinoa away from the witness stand. When she passed by Quistis, she stopped. "Q-quisty...will..will Seifer be alright?"
"I-I don't know Rinny," Quistis said. "I don't know."
She watched Rinoa being led away, wearing an expression of confusion and unmasked concern. The first time she saw her have that emotion to Seifer ever since this whole mess started.
"Does the Prosecution have any more witnesses?" Cid asked.
"None, Your Honor," Devensor said.
"In that case, I guess it's now time for us to--"
It was at this point that Quistis saw Selphie approach the oak railing which separates the audience section from the court proper. She was carrying a sheaf of photocopied papers, and she was motioning for her excitedly.
"Your Honor," Quistis said. "I ask for a few minutes' reprieve? I need to confer with my, uhm, assistant."
"You have an assistant, Intsructor?" Cid asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, Your Honor," Quistis said.
Cid saw Selphie. The cute Trabian SeeD smiled and waved at Cid.
"Very well," Cid said. "Five minutes."
Quistis hurriedly walked to where Selphie was. Upon approaching her, Selphie whispered a few things to Quistis, and then handed her the papers. Quistis looked at it, and examined it. She bit her lip and smiled gratefully at Selphie, who gave her a wink and then went away. Quistis returned back to her table.
"Your Honor, the Pleadee would like to call a new witness?" Quistis asked.
Cid raised an eyebrow again. "A new witness? Hmmm...what does the Prosecution say about this?"
Devensor shrugged confidently. "I doubt it'd have that much of an impact, Your Honor. We have already proven our side. But if the Pleadee would like to make a jackass out of themselves more, why not?"
Cid snorted disapprovingly. "Very well. Motion approved. Call your witness."
"The Pleadee would like to call Instructor Myriam Devensor to the stand!" Quistis said.
Another wave of murmurs arose which took Cid about three more gavel bangs to subdue. Devensor's eyes almost popped out in surprise.
"Well, Instructor?" Quistis said.
Devensor hastily tried to regain her composure. She would have wanted to object, but she had already agreed to the presentation of a new witness. Putting on a haughty look again, she gave a piercing gaze at Quistis. "Another one of your melodramatic tactics, Instructor?"
Quistis shrugged.
Devensor walked to the witness stand. After she was sworn in, she took her seat. If looks could kill, Quistis would have been lying in the floor now.
"Instructor, tell me what you think about Seifer Almasy?" Quistis started.
"If you put me here just to discuss my personal opinions about my former students, Instructor, then I think you're just wasting our time," Devensor said.
"It's a very easy question," Quistis said.
Devensor's face showed pure contempt. "I would have thought that my opening statement would have explained it clearly, Instructor. But to paraphrase, I think he is one of the most hard-headed, arrogant, rude, and vulgar degenerate I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. He breaks rules and tests your limits just because he takes pleasure in doing it. He despises all sorts of authority and will never submit to an instructor's demand."
"So you hate him?" Quistis asked.
"I loathe him," Devensor's voice was dripping venom.
"You have no wish of seeing him become a SeeD?" Quistis asked.
"He does not have the discipline to be one," Devensor said.
"Is that why you spearheaded the proposal to brand him as traitor after the Sorceress war, Instructor?" Quistis asked.
"It was the whole Board's decision, Instructor," Devensor replied. "And we had every right to. He was an accomplice of Ultimecia. He should have been branded as a traitor, de jure."
"But you're the Head of the Board, Instructor," Quistis said. "You initially proposed this motion to them, did you not?"
"Yes, I did." Devensor said. "As I said, I had every right to."
"But the Headmaster rejected the motion, saying that Seifer was an excellent fighter and an asset to the Garden when he becomes a SeeD," Quistis said. "After all, there were only very few capable gunbladers of Balamb Garden. If I may remember right, there was only Seifer and Squall."
"There was nothing we could do," Devensor said. "Ultimately, the Headmaster has the last say on everything. It's in the rules. This is common knowledge, Instructor. Do you want me to tell you about my other students as well? Perhaps we should have tea, while we're at it?" The sarcasm was as thick as the tension between them.
"Yes, common knowledge," Quistis said. She walked to the table and got a paper. "Can you tell the court what this is, Instructor?"
Devensor took the paper Quistis handed her. She took a look at it, and then, shrugging, she gave it back to Quistis. "It's a photocopy of the Board's request to have Seifer Almasy be tried as traitor after the war."
"I see you have your signatures in here," Quistis said. "All fifteen Board Members signed on it."
"As I said, all of us agreed on it," Devensor said.
"Your Honor, I would like to present this as evidence and have it marked as Exhibit A," Quistis said.
"Duly noted," Cid said, as the secretary took the paper and placed it on a plastic cellophane.
Quistis turned back to Devensor. "Instructor, tell me. After that one, has Seifer been under any of your class?"
"Yes," Devensor said. "Two. He was under me in Advanced Anatomy and at Advanced Trabia Ecology."
"Was he under the classes of any of the other Board Members?" Quistis asked.
"I have no idea," Devensor said.
"I was under three," Seifer suddenly said. Cid glared at him, and he shrugged. However, he didn't say anything more.
Quistis looked at Seifer and gave her a look that told him to shut up. She turned to the papers. "Seifer was under three Board instructors at that time: Instructor Erno Oreta, in Digital Communications; Instructor Rift Sindai, in Quantum Physics; and Instructor Adam Gates, in Advanced Microengineering." She turned to Cid. "Your Honor, I would like to present this as evidence, and have it marked as Exhibit B."
Cid let out a sigh. "Does this lead to anything, Instructor? Or are you just leading us to a wild-goose chase?"
"It does, Your Honor," Quistis said.
"Very well," Cid said. "Duly noted. But if I find out that you're just leading us on, Instructor..." He didn't have to finish the sentence. The threat was already there.
Quistis handed the paper to the secretary. She, then, turned back to Devensor.
"Instructor," Quistis asked. "Tell me. How did Seifer do in any of your classes?"
Devensor almost laughed. "Seifer? He failed miserably. In both of them."
"Well, isn't that a coincidence," Quistis remarked. She bit her lower lip as she looked at Seifer's last semester school record. "He failed in three other subjects too."
"Seifer's a bad student, Instructor," Devensor said. "I wouldn't be surprised if he failed in all his classes."
"But that's just it, Instructor," Quistis said. "Seifer didn't fail in all his classes. He got impressive grades in all his other subjects, except those five. Do you know what those other three subjects he failed in, Instructor?"
"I am a garden instructor, Instructor," Devensor said. "Not a soothsayer. I am tired of this. Your Honor, this is just a waste of time. I see no relevance this line of questioning has on the case."
Cid was about to say something when Quistis spoke in a serious tone. She put three papers in front of Devensor. "Seifer failed in Instructor Oreta, Instructor Sindai, and Instructor Gates' classes."
"Just what are you trying to imply, Instructor?" Devensor said. The haughty expression in her face went away, replaced instead by a grim expression.
"If Seifer had passed in those classes, Instructor," Quistis said, calmly. "And passed the final field exam, he would've been a SeeD already. But you, and those other three, didn't want that so you four failed him. By Garden law, a cadet who fails to become a SeeD by the time he or she has passed 19 years of age will be expelled. This is his last semester, and since he wasn't under any of your classes now he stood a very good chance of graduating. You can't have that, can you? So, when this chance presented itself, you, together with the other three, immediately fabricated this absurd murder charge based on a technicality. And to re-inforce that chrage, you threw in a complimentary treason charge as well, supporting it with the supposed betrayal he committed during the Sorceress war. The four of you presented this to the Board, and to the Headmaster himself."
"This is absurd! How dare you accuse me of such filth!" Devensor stood up, seething with anger. She turned to Cid. "Headmaster, I will not have this! I am not the one on trial here! I object to this!"
"Headmaster, this will re-inforce one of the articles of defense we have presented," Quistis rebutted. "That Seifer Almasy is a victim of personal vendetta by some of the Garden Board members. I have proof, Your Honor."
Cid turned to Devensor. "Overruled. I am personally curious on these new allegations."
"I have here records of Seifer Almasy's exams that semester," Quistis said. She turned to Devensor. "Do you recognize these, Instructor?" She placed the papers in front of Devensor.
Devensor merely looked at the top paper. "Those appear to be copies of the e-exams I always gave to my students."
"'Appear to be'?" Quistis asked.
Devensor looked at them, and then at Quistis. The look on her eyes were murderous.
"Those are the exams I gave to them."
"Specifically whose papers are those, Instructor?"
"Seifer Almasy's," Devensor said.
Quistis took back the papers, and she read from them. "Why are they unchecked?"
Devensor just kept silent.
"Answer the question, Instructor," Cid said.
"I have long been an instructor even before you took your very first exam, Instructor," Devensor said to Quistis. "In those years I have seen students like Seifer: crude, arrogant fools who think that they could get away from sullying the name of the Garden and the honor of the SeeDs by their insolence and disrespect. Do you know how people see SeeDs, Instructor? We are feared and respected. Because we do the job right. With people like Seifer who have no sense of team cooperation and respect for authority, tell me, what future does it give to the SeeDs and Garden? We have a job, Instructor. We sift the weeds from the flowers. Seifer is a prime example of those weeds."
"And will you do the job, Instructor, even if it means killing a person?!" Quistis almost shouted.
"The Garden is an institution where only those who meet the strict requirements are allowed to pass," Devensor said, her voice rose higher to match that of Quistis. "In here we adhere to a set of rules, and uphold honor, discipline, and loyalty. Loyalty, Instructor! When Seifer became Ultimecia's Knight, he turned his back away from the Garden!"
"Answer my question, Instructor!" Quistis pressed. "Would you go as far as executing someone to 'sift the weeds from the flowers'?!"
"You don't tell me how to do my job, young woman!" Devensor said. "I have been elected as Head of the Board, and I decide what is, and what is not appropriate to make sure the job is done!"
"Even if it means killing someone?" Quistis said.
The people inside the courtroom held their breaths as the shouting match between the two instructors ensued to a high level.
"You want the truth?" Devensor asked, her eyes narrowing and her voice turned dangerously low. She was impassioned with anger now.
"I deserve to know the truth," Quistis answered.
"You wouldn't understand," Devensor said. "A young woman like you still adhered to fanciful and romantic ideals. You still do not know the cold hard facts of reality. To be strong, we need disciplined, able and most of all, dependable students to carry on the Garden tradition! Seifer needs to be removed!"
"Did you, or did you not, plan for Seifer to be executed by a mere technicality so he won't become a SeeD?!" Quistis demanded.
"How dare you question me like that! I am a senior Instructor and I do not deser-!" Devensor started in a grave tone.
"Did you or did you not demand for Seifer's blood in order to uphold your ide-?!" Quistis interrupted.
"You're goddamn right I did!" Devensor shouted, face flushed with fury now. She found herself standing in the witness stand.
The courtroom became as silent as a tomb. And then, the murmurs arose. The students looked at Devensor. Most with contempt and disbelief.
"No further questions, Your Honor," Quistis said. She walked back to her table, and then buried her head in her arms.
"What is this?" Devensor said. "I am only doing my job!"
Cid banged on the gavel. He cleared his throat. "Well, I suppose we don't need to put Seifer Almasy to the stand given the recent revelations now, do we?"
Devensor looked at Quistis, then to Seifer, and then to Cid. "S-she invoked Section 10! Your Honor, she invoked Section 10! Seifer Almasy is still subject to a vote! Remember, Your Honor, that Seifer is still under the impression that he is guilty unless proven innocent! The fact still stands that he seriously injured Commander Leonheart which caused to him being dead for five minutes and forty seconds!"
"Your Honor, Instructor Devensor herself admitted that she planned on Seifer Almasy getting capital punishment," Quistis pointed out. "The charge was on the assumption of a technicality. Squall isn't dead. The murder charge should have been dropped."
"Technicality or not, the charges still remain," Devesnor said. "And since Instructor Trepe invoked Section 10 herself, I think it's more than appropriate that the voting should be carried out as originally planned."
"But Your Honor--!" Quistis protested.
"I'm afraid she's right, Instructor," Cid turned to Quistis. "You did file the motion. It has to be carried out."
Devensor smiled, as she crossed her arms. The haughtiness on her face returned. She was confident that there won't be anyone who will try and vote for Seifer. She had explained her side rather well. Besides, she knew that the faculty was under the govern of the Board of Garden Directors. They would not try and go against the Board's wishes--her wishes--if they still expect to be under the roster of Garden instructors. There was only the problem of the headmaster. It seemed that he believed in Quistis' revelations. Well, she just had to worm her way out. But not before she'll see Seifer dead.
Cid cleared his throat. "Will the Pleadee stand up, and be passed judgment by the faculty of Balamb Garden?"
Quistis looked at Seifer, and she swallowed hard. She cursed herself for bringing Section 10 at the beginning of the trial. She looked at Cid's expression now, and she knew that if it would've been up to him, Seifer would have been pardoned. If only she hadn't brought up Section 10, she chided herself. She stood beside Seifer, and she looked at him with apologetic eyes.
"Seifer, I'm sorry," Quistis whispered. "I shouldn't have brought it up. If I had only known that Selphie would give me a breakthrough on this one..."
Seifer just looked straight ahead. He replied back, in a low voice. "Don't apologize, Instructor. You said so yourself. It's not over until the headmaster says I'm croaked."
"But the other faculty..." Quistis said.
"I saw forgiveness in Rinoa's eyes," Seifer said. "I think I could rest well in that. Besides," he paused. "Today is a good day to die."
"Faculty and staff of Balamb Garden," Cid intoned. "As Section 10, of Article 92 states, the Pleadee shall be given clemency if at least three Garden staff will speak on his behalf. I shall give five minutes for anyone to stand up and be counted among the three. We start now."
"I shall speak on his behalf, as a Garden instructor" a female's voice came. Quistis closed her eyes. She did not need to look back to see who it was. Dear Xu, she thought as she closed her eyes and bit her lower lip. Thank you for standing behind me until the end.
"One," Cid said. "Four minutes and forty seconds remaining."
The students looked towards the front row, where the instructors and staff were seated. Those on the back tried to crane their necks. There was only Xu, who was standing there.
The other instructors casted surreptitious glances at each other, and then looked at the Board of Directors seat. The looks most gave were contemptous, especially the other three who were mentioned along with Devensor.
Devensor, for her part, was glowering with obvious pleasure.
"Three minutes remaining." Cid said.
Seifer was still expressionless. Quistis was looking down now.
"I...speak on behalf of Seifer Almasy," a male voice said. "As a Member of the Board."
Quistis couldn't believe her ears, hearing that. She looked to where the voice came from. She saw Leo Ramuo standing up, the lone standing figure in the Board of Director's section. The Board member's old face looked at her, and smiled in a fatherly way. He propped up his glasses and placed his hands behind his back, standing tall and proud.
"That's two," Cid said.
Devensor looked at Ramuo, and she gave him a hateful glare. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine a member of her Board to betray her so.
Silence followed after that. Quistis' hope was buoyed up by the vote of confidence of the Board member. She looked around, at the other instructors. When her gaze fell on them, some looked away, trying to avoid her gaze, while some managed to pick imaginary folds on their Garden uniforms. Quistis shook her head in apparent disgust.
"One minute remaining," Cid announced.
"Well, Instructor," Seifer said, letting out a breath. The smirk on her face returned. "Is there someone in the afterlife you want me to greet for you?"
"Damn you, Seifer," Quistis said. "You are not going to die." Her voice wavered at that. She wished she could believe that.
"I never did manage to tell you this, Instructor," Seifer said. "But I think you're a very beautiful woman. And no, I'm not being sarcastic. That's the truth."
"Seifer..." Quistis said. She tried to say something, but the words got stuck in her throat.
"Thirty seconds," Cid counted.
From the center portion of the room, there was a sobbing. Seifer and Quistis, as well as several students, turned around. They saw Rinoa crying on Selphie's shoulder. Selphie looked at them with mournful eyes, and she turned and patted Rinoa's back. Zell and Iris, who were sitting beside them, wore masks of sadness as well. Iris had her face buried in her hands.
"Ten seconds," Cid said.
"I think it's safe to declare that Seifer Almasy's initial sentence will be carried out, Your Honor," Devensor said, triumph in her voice. "There are only two who will vouch for his behalf!"
"Very well," Cid started. His voice trembled a bit, but he continued. "As mandated by Garden law, You, Seifer Almasy, were charged by murder and treason. You have pleaded your part for absolution by way of a Trial by Pleading, but nonetheless had been found g--!"
"STOP!"
The voice rang out even as the courtroom door slid open. Everyone gasped as they saw who it was. From the door stepped the bandaged and bruised figure of Squall. He was being supported by Irvine.
"Squall!" Rinoa gasped.
Quistis placed a hand over her mouth. She could barely utter out his name in her surprise.
"I...speak on Seifer's...behalf," Squall said. "As a duly recognized...Garden commander. Seifer...is a warrior. Not a murderer. And he...made me see...how selfish I had been. I'll be damned...if I'll let him be executed...for his love for someone. Your Honor...as the supposed 'victim' of this whole mess...I ask that Seifer Almasy be not charged...with murder or treason. The only betrayal he made...was to his promise to himself...not to feel something for someone again."
"No!" Devensor said. "Your Honor--!"
"The Garden has spoken, and three duly recognized Garden staff has vouched for Seifer Almasy's behalf," Cid said, ignoring Devensor's protests. "Therefore, this court drops the proposed sentence of capital punishment."
Chaos broke out as students excitedly confronted this sudden turn of events. Devensor went back to her table and sat on her chair, stunned in disbelief. Leo Ramuo beamed down on Quistis and Seifer, even as the other Board members discussed the turn of events with each other. Rinoa ran across the aisle seats towards Squall. And Quistis turned around and impulsively hugged Seifer.
"We did it! Seifer, we did it!" Quistis cried in joy.
Seifer remained silent, surprised at Quistis' action. Then, slowly, he embraced her back. And he whispered, "No. You did it. Thank you, Instructor."
"ORDER! ORDER! DAMN IT, PEOPLE! CAN'T WE HAVE ORDER IN THIS COURT?!" Cid's gavel banged multiple more times before everyone finally calmed down. "That's better. As I said, capital punishment had been dropped. However, the fact still remains that Seifer Almasy seriously injured a Garden staff. Such behavior cannot be tolerated without due punishment. I therefore sentence Seifer Almasy to one month solitary confinement in the Garden holding facility. He will not be allowed any visitors during the sentence period. He will only be given two hours each day to go out and perform his daily exercise and other such activities. His sentence will take effect tomorrow. Is this understood by the Pleadee?"
"Yes, Your Honor," Quistis said, even before Seifer could protest.
"As for you, Instructor Devensor," Cid said. Devensor looked at him in an expression of confusion and fear. "I want to see you in my office tomorrow. Together with Instructors Oreta, Sindai, and Gates. I expect all four of you to turn in your resignation papers. Is that understood?"
"But Headmaster! She forced us--!" Oreta stood up in defense.
A crack was heard as Ramuo's fist connected with Oreta's jaw. Ramuo shook his hand in pain, even as Oreta fell down unconscious. "I have always wanted to do that, Headmaster."
Devensor could only look at the happenings in a daze.
"The court is adjourned," Cid said, banging his gavel. "At least now, we can finally have some peace around here." Slowly, Cid stood up and walked towards his chambers, even as the students and the faculty started to walk out as well. Excited voices filled the whole room. Several went up to Quistis and congratulated her. Some even acknowledged and congratulated Seifer, who merely looked at them without so much as an expression. Rinoa hugged Squall the moment she managed to go through the crowd. Crying profusely, her heart leaped the moment she was in his arms.
"I'm sorry, Rinoa," Squall whispered. "I'm so very sorry. I have been selfish. I love you. I love you..."
"I know," Rinoa cried. Her tears soaked Squall's white shirt. "And I'm sorry, too. I never realized I love you so much until you were almost taken away from me. Don't leave me. Not ever, you hear? Not ever!"
Squall kissed the top of Rinoa's head, hugging her. Beside them, Irvine and Selphie were smiling joyfully. A few ways off, Zell's face was trying hard to look sorrowful in front of Iris, who had her arms crossed in an interrogating manner.
It was then that Squall saw Seifer flanked by two Garden security personnel coming towards them. Rinoa saw him, too, and she wiped away her tears. As Seifer was about to pass them, he paused and then gave Squall a hard look.
"You were lucky, Leonheart," Seifer said. "If you make her cry again, I swear by my blood that I will take you down next time."
Squall just looked back at his rival. "Thank you, Seifer."
Seifer snorted and gave Rinoa one last look before walking away.
Meanwhile, a few ways off, Quistis quietly picked up her papers, and looked at Rinoa and Squall still in their embrace. Quietly wishing them happiness, she turned and walked away.
The cell was dark. Pitch-black, except for the light coming from a 3-by-3 window with bars about six and a half feet up from the foot of the metal door. There was nothing but silence, and someone's regular breathing.
Softly walking, and taking in trembling and timid steps, Rinoa looked for the room the guard told her. She brushed back her brown-streaked raven hair and tucked it behind her ear. Finally, she saw the room she was looking for. Taking a deep breath, she placed her hands on the cold metal door.
"S-seifer...?"
There was no reply. However, she heard the regular rhythm of the breathing on the other side of the door stop for a moment. And then, it resumed again.
"Seifer, it's me, Rinoa," Rinoa said softly.
Still, there was no answer. Rinoa leaned back on the cold metal and then slid down and sat on the floor, her back on the door. She hugged her knees with her arms.
"Seifer, I know you can hear me," Rinoa said. "Uhm. C-congratulations, by the way. Looks like you've won."
"And my prize is a month of abyssmal blackness," Seifer replied. "I wonder which could be more worse?"
"At least you're not dead," Rinoa said, turning her head sideways. Her temple felt the cold metal.
"But you wished that, didn't you?" Seifer asked. "The moment I slashed Leonheart with my gunblade. The moment you saw him fall down with the rain that afternoon."
"Seifer, that's what I wanted to talk to you about," Rinoa said. "That afternoon. Is it true...?"
"What?" Seifer replied.
"That you did that...because of me...?" Rinoa asked.
"I thought you said that yourself, back in the trial?" Seifer asked. "You said you knew I was looking for Squall, because of you."
"I want to hear it from you, personally," Rinoa asked. "Did you really do that because of me? Did you lay down your life, because I cried?"
"Don't flatter yourself," Seifer said.
"Seifer, I don't understand you," Rinoa said. Her voice cracked a bit.
"Who does?" Seifer said. "Except maybe for Quistis. She tried to. But I didn't want her to."
"I'm sorry," Rinoa said. "I want to let go of the past. I want to look forward to the future, without the threat of what happened before loom at me. I don't want anyone to hurt anymore."
They were silent for a while, as if feeling each other. And gauging each other's sincerity. Rinoa traced imaginary circles on the marble floor. Seifer was sitting on the floor on the other side of the door in darkness, his arms placed on his knees. Each were lost in their own feelings.
"Did you love me?" Seifer finally broke the silence.
"Hmm?" Rinoa asked.
"Back then, when both of us were still naive and happy," Seifer said. "Did you love me?"
"Yes," Rinoa replied, after a while. "I did love you."
"Prove it," Seifer said.
"I forgive you," Rinoa answered.
"Hmm?" Seifer said, a hint of confusion in his voice.
"Back then, when you said you're sorry, and I said I can never forgive you?" Rinoa said. "I take that back. I forgive you, Seifer. For everything. And I thank you, for loving me that much."
"Go away, Rinoa," Seifer said. "Go back to Squall. I feel he loves you as much as I do. And you love him, the way you never loved me. You don't need to fear about the past anymore. No one needs to be hurt again. I forgive you, too."
"Seifer..." Rinoa started.
"All these betrayals should be enough to teach us that we only hurt when we let others hurt us, and when we let the past catch up to us," Seifer said. "I don't intend to let that happen to me anymore, Rinoa. Now, go away."
"I did love you, Seifer," Rinoa said, as she stood. "For a moment, we were both happy. I just want to remember that happiness we shared. Some pasts are worth remembering. Goodbye."
Rinoa walked away, her footsteps echoing in the silent hall.
Seifer became silent for a while. He drew his knees to his chest, and wrapped his arms around his shin. For a while, he looked like the defenseless kid again, when he was first brought to that Orphanage. When he still feared everyone because he was alone and new. Now, the darkness enveloped him, and he wanted to let his guard down for a change. No one will see him be defenseless here. In the darkness, no one will see him when he cries.
