Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, all characters belong to Squaresoft...
An Unlikely Meeting- Part II
At the dimly lit bar, Seifer was having a drink and conversing with Raijin, the bartender. The Galactica wasn't just a bar. It was a café and a favorite hangout for the general public in the morning and afternoon, but starting in the evening, the place was transformed into a nightclub, dark with pulsating lights, loud music, dancing, and excitement in the air.
"Yo, Seifer. Why're you smiling like that all of a sudden? You're lookin' kinda out of it, ya know?," said Raijin, handing over a Margarita to Seifer.
"Huh?," said Seifer, snapping out of his reverie. "Oh. Man, I just saw Quistis again today."
"Again, huh?"
"Yeah, I saw her last night too. At the beach."
"So that's where you ran off to yesterday?"
"Yep. I just couldn't stand being with you for another second," he said jokingly.
Raijin just grunted in reply. Seifer laughed, then sighed. "Man. She hadn't changed a bit in two years. She's still got that weird hairstyle of hers too. It's as if the two years between us never even existed."
Raijin looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "You don't have any funny feelings for her do you? Cuz that'll be kinda weird, ya know?"
"AGREE," said Fujin's unmistakable voice. She sat next to Seifer.
"Sup Fujin," replied Seifer. "And no, I don't have any funny feelings towards her. It's just good to see her again after all these years, ya know?" Raijin's way of speaking was beginning to rub off on Seifer, having been with him for all these years.
"DOUBTFUL," said Fujin. She eyed Seifer suspiciously.
"Hey, would I lie to you guys?," he said smoothly. "Oh, by the way, I'm bringing her here."
"Hah! See, you do have feelings for her!," cried Raijin triumphantly. He had a broad smile on his face.
"QUIET," Fujin said, and she reached over and smacked the side of his head hard. That dumb looking smile of his won't do any good for business.
Rubbing the spot where he had been hit, he grumbled and glared at Fujin. She glared back, and, intimidated, he quickly looked away and went over to the other side of the bar to serve another customer.
Fujin smiled. Seifer shook his head and laughed. His was lucky to have such amusing friends.
"WHEN?," asked Fujin, turning to him.
"We're supposed to meet by the beach at nine. We'll be here at about... ten, maybe?"
"SO LONG."
"We'll probably do some talking, and walking, and reminiscing. You know, stuff like that."
Fujin grunted and rolled her eye. "HEY!," she called. Raijin walked toward her, eyeing her cautiously. "DRINK," she demanded, and Raijin filled her a cup and slid it to her. She took a big swig.
Seifer sighed. What was he going to do until nine o'clock?
"Quistis!," cried Selphie.
"You're late!," said Rinoa, admonishing her jokingly.
Quistis smiled bashfully. "Sorry guys. I was at the mall and... I lost track of time," she finished. She didn't really want them to know she had been meeting with Seifer. Plus she will see him later in the evening. She wondered what has become of her.
"That's OK," said a cheerful Selphie. "We were just getting started anyway."
They were at the cafeteria. Selphie was munching on a hot dog and Rinoa was having an apple. She offered one to Quistis as she sat down with them. She declined.
"So," said Quistis, "is there a theme to the dance?"
"Well, we were thinking of doing an underwater theme," Rinoa answered, "because it's just so hot out these days and we want everyone to feel cool and refreshed at the dance."
Quistis nodded. "Then there should definitely be a lot of blues, greens, and silvers. Maybe some golds."
"Yeah!," interjected Selphie. "And all sparkling with glitter!"
"With sea creatures hanging from the ceiling!," piped in Rinoa.
The plans for the upcoming dance was underway.
It was five o'clock in the evening and there was nothing to do. Celeste stretched, catlike, on her bed. Hmmm, she thought. What to do, what to do. She reflected back on what had happened in the afternoon at the mall. She smiled. That girl, she thought, she can do more than I expected. I never even concentrated on letting her know my name. She just plucked it out of the air. She pondered on this for a while. She might be more powerful than I thought she would be, she thought. No matter. I'm more powerful than she'll ever be. She frowned. No, still, one must always be ready for the unexpected. Look at what happened to Ultimecia. That fool. She got too cocky and ended up dying from those pathetic SeeDs. She laughed. How sad. All her hard work gone to waste. After two years, they're bound to have gotten weaker. Like that Squall character and Rinoa. They think they have it so well. The same with Zell, Selphie, and... what was his name? Ah yes, Irvine. She smirked. Pathetic humans. They'll never know what hit them.
She thought of Quistis. Poor little Quisty, all alone with only her shadow for company. She laughed. I think I'll just play with her for a while and weaken her spirits a little, she thought as she smiled craftily. "Yes, that's exactly what I'll do."
Seifer stood by the beach. It was five minutes before nine. He looked up at the stars and the thin crescent moon in the vast emptiness of night. He wore all black with a snug tanktop and jeans and his gunblade was sheathed by his side. He hooked his thumb at his pockets when he heard Quistis calling out to him. He turned and waved.
She was wearing a simple white one-piece skirt that billowed in the gentle summer breeze. She was holding on to her sandals in one hand. She smiled and waved back.
A barefoot angel, he thought. Finally, she reached him. "I don't see you're whip on you," he observed.
"I didn't think I'll need it."
"Ah, but you must always be prepared for whatever monster may come your way," Seifer said, wagging a finger at her.
She smiled. "Didn't you know I can give that look that can make anyone run away? Even big, scary monsters?"
"Hmm, I guess I forgot about that," he said, and began walking. Quistis followed.
"You know," she said, "if it weren't for your blond hair, I never would've seen you." She was commenting on his black attire. She had a playful smile on her face.
"Hey, it was the only thing I could find in my closet," he said. He turned around to face her while walking backwards. "I don't look that bad, do I?," He said with a slight, worried frown.
Quistis laughed. "No, you look just fine," she said, trying not to blush at the sight of his muscular build. "Um, where are we going?"
"I told you I'll take you to our place, right? That's where we're headed." He smiled mischievously. "It might be kinda wild, though."
It was very wild. The music boomed and reverberated off the walls. Lights were flashing on the dance floor and everyone seemed to be having a great time.
"Seifer!," Quistis shouted to be heard above the music, "this place is amazing!"
He grinned proudly. "Do you like it?," he yelled back, and Quistis nodded enthusiastically. He motioned for her to follow, and they both sat down at the bar where Fujin was bartending with Raijin.
"Sup guys. Look, I even brought Quistis with me," said Seifer.
"Instructor!," Raijin cried with a broad and foolish looking, yet welcoming, smile. "Long time no see, ya know?"
"HI," said Fujin.
Quistis smiled and laughed joyfully. "Fujin and Raijin! You guys haven't changed a bit! How are you these days?"
"GREAT," answered Fujin.
"Yeah," Raijin agreed. "Especially since we got our business up and running. We're pretty well off, ya know?
Several people from the other end called for more drinks, and Fujin and Raijin had to hurry off.
"You told me you had a bar, not a night club!," exclaimed Quistis. She looked around. The place was dark and outlined by glowing blue lights, and the glass and mirrors from the tables and walls reflected this light, making the place seem more brighter and open. "Don't tell me you were just being modest."
Seifer just shrugged, and he noticed then that a slow dance song had begun to play. He hopped off from his stool and reached out a hand towards Quistis. "Dance with me?," he implored.
Quistis looked at him in surprise. Dance? With him? "Oh," she said, "well, you see..."
He smiled and playfully rolled his eyes. "Come on Quistis," and he took her hand and led her to the dance floor. She hesitantly placed her hand on his shoulder as he held her by her waist, and they danced. The slow music quickly calmed her heart, and she looked up to Seifer, who looked back.
"Seifer," she started, "what do you do here?"
"I'm manager of this place. I basically run the show."
She nodded knowingly and lowered her head to give her neck a rest. Then she looked back up. "It must be tough," she said.
"Yeah," Seifer admitted. "It can be sometimes, but that's OK, cuz I love it here. This is what we created."
"Do you like it better than Garden?," she asked. Seifer's smile went away. He thought.
"Well," he finally began, "it would've been nice if I'd become a SeeD. I miss training and fighting. I miss the days when I would sit in the back of your class and just daydream."
Quistis gave him a dry half-smile. "And what would you daydream about?"
"You," he said, and he quickly realized his slip. "Uh, well, you know, about when you would finally finish class, and stuff," he finished lamely. Dammit, I can be so uncool sometimes, he berated himself.
Quistis, not having noticed anything, just shook her head. She relaxed and rested her head on his chest. She closed her eyes.
The faint scent of roses reached Seifer. Man, he thought, this girl's intoxicating. He sighed dreamily, and he noticed that Quistis was suddenly tense.
"Quistis?," he said. He looked down at her. Her eyes were shut tightly, her teeth clenched. She was murmuring something, but what he did not know. "Quistis," he said again.
"No," Quistis whispered through her teeth. "Not again, not now. Not now, please."
Quistis was seeing the same thing she dreamed of the other night. But this time, she was wide awake. She was still looking through the eyes of someone older, and there was fire all around her. She saw the girl, calling out to her mother. Quistis felt miserable.
Seifer leaned down to hear what Quistis was saying.
"Too... hot...," she whispered, more to herself than to Seifer. She was clutching on to him tightly and her breathing was labored.
"Oh man," he said, and he quickly escorted her through the crowd and out of the club. They stood outside for a few moments and Quistis calmed down.
"Hey, what's wrong?," Seifer asked softly. He gently brushed her honey-golden hair away from her ghostly pale face. It accented the deep blue of her eyes, which were now wide with fright and glittering from unshed tears.
"Seifer," she said. "What's wrong with me?" Her voice was barely even a whisper.
"Tell me what's wrong. What happened?"
"I'm so scared."
Eyes filled with pain, Seifer instinctively opened his arms, and Quistis went against him. She was trembling. They stood there, holding each other. Finally, Seifer broke the silence.
"Hey, let's go someplace more quiet," he offered. He took her outside the town where everything was green with lush grass as far as the eye can see. They went to a large tree with it's branches drooping low. It's feathery leaves swayed in the wind. They sat at the base of the tree.
"I had this dream last night," she began. "I was at a village, looking through the eyes of someone else, and everything was on fire. Then, I saw a little girl, maybe about six, and she reached out towards me, and called for my help." She paused. Seifer looked at her encouragingly. She continued, "But I couldn't help her," she said pathetically. "The fire surrounded her, and I couldn't go anywhere near her. But before the dream was over, I saw the silhouette of a woman behind a building."
"Did you think that she was the cause of the fire?," Seifer asked inquisitively.
She nodded. "Yes. Somehow, she was behind it." She sniffed. "And this afternoon, at the mall, before I met you, I saw her. She was in front of me. We were looking at each other. She smiled this strange smile, and she just disappeared."
Seifer had a scowl on his face. This all seemed very familiar.
"Do you know what's even more strange?," Quistis asked.
"What?"
"I was able to get her name. It just came to me, as if someone whispered it in my ear."
"What was her name?"
"Celeste."
Celeste?!, Seifer thought. That can't be! She hasn't been heard of for so long!
His emotions were clearly visible by his expression, and Quistis asked, "Seifer, do you know her?"
"Oh man," he said out loud. "Celeste has got to be the most clever of all the sorceresses. She's psychic, you see, and she can see the future, read minds, plus she has her sorceress powers. She's not someone you would want to mess with."
"But why is she doing this to me?," Quistis said miserably.
"I don't know. As far as I know, she might be doing this for fun."
"What?! But that doesn't make any sense!"
"I know," he said dryly, "but she's known to love playing mind games with people." He paused. "Wait a minute! You said you were able to get her name?"
Quistis nodded.
"And you don't know how you did it?"
She nodded again.
Hmm, he thought. "I think you might be showing some signs of suppressed abilities that are just beginning to surface."
"What?!," Quistis cried. "You mean I'm psychic?"
"Yeah. She must've been waiting all this time for the perfect opportunity. She's hasn't been heard of for a while, see. She's been laying low, and now all of a sudden she just appears. She must want something from you."
But what would she want from me exactly?, Quistis thought. But she couldn't ask the question. She had a headache, and her head was pounding. She clenched her teeth.
"I think you should go to Matron so... Quistis?" He put his hands on her shoulders reassuringly. "Hey, is it coming back again?"
But Quistis wasn't listening. All she could hear was the pounding in her head. What is he doing here?, she thought. He's dangerous. He's with the sorceress.
She knew that what she was thinking was irrational, but she couldn't help it. These thoughts just popped up in her head and she couldn't shake it off. She had an urge to act upon her strange feelings.
"Quistis?," Seifer said gently. Quistis looked at him with a sudden look of rage. Seifer's eyes widened with confusion. "Hey, Quistis, are you alright?"
"Get the hell away from me," she said with barely contained anger. Her eyes had changed to a bright orange glow.
"Holy...." That was all Seifer could say. "Quistis, what's wrong?"
"I said get the hell away from me! I mean it!"
"This is way uncharacteristic of you, you know that?," he said with narrowed eyes. Poor Quistis, he thought. Is she under the influence of the sorceress now?
She pointed an accusing finger at him. "You're with her!," she shouted.
"Who?," he shouted back.
"HER!"
"Celeste?"
She lunged at him, but Seifer saw it coming, and he grabbed her by her wrists and trapped her between him and the tree.
"Look," Seifer said in a controlled voice. "I don't know what's happening to you, but you gotta snap out of it."
Quistis growled and her orange eyes grew brighter and Seifer found himself howling in pain. Quistis had evidently summoned a great amount of energy to transfer on to Seifer, and he had received it as electricity. His grip on her loosened and he crumpled to the floor. Quistis, having used up too much energy for the attack, collapsed next to him. They were laid on the grass, side by side, as though they had fallen asleep on that warm summer night.
An Unlikely Meeting- Part II
At the dimly lit bar, Seifer was having a drink and conversing with Raijin, the bartender. The Galactica wasn't just a bar. It was a café and a favorite hangout for the general public in the morning and afternoon, but starting in the evening, the place was transformed into a nightclub, dark with pulsating lights, loud music, dancing, and excitement in the air.
"Yo, Seifer. Why're you smiling like that all of a sudden? You're lookin' kinda out of it, ya know?," said Raijin, handing over a Margarita to Seifer.
"Huh?," said Seifer, snapping out of his reverie. "Oh. Man, I just saw Quistis again today."
"Again, huh?"
"Yeah, I saw her last night too. At the beach."
"So that's where you ran off to yesterday?"
"Yep. I just couldn't stand being with you for another second," he said jokingly.
Raijin just grunted in reply. Seifer laughed, then sighed. "Man. She hadn't changed a bit in two years. She's still got that weird hairstyle of hers too. It's as if the two years between us never even existed."
Raijin looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "You don't have any funny feelings for her do you? Cuz that'll be kinda weird, ya know?"
"AGREE," said Fujin's unmistakable voice. She sat next to Seifer.
"Sup Fujin," replied Seifer. "And no, I don't have any funny feelings towards her. It's just good to see her again after all these years, ya know?" Raijin's way of speaking was beginning to rub off on Seifer, having been with him for all these years.
"DOUBTFUL," said Fujin. She eyed Seifer suspiciously.
"Hey, would I lie to you guys?," he said smoothly. "Oh, by the way, I'm bringing her here."
"Hah! See, you do have feelings for her!," cried Raijin triumphantly. He had a broad smile on his face.
"QUIET," Fujin said, and she reached over and smacked the side of his head hard. That dumb looking smile of his won't do any good for business.
Rubbing the spot where he had been hit, he grumbled and glared at Fujin. She glared back, and, intimidated, he quickly looked away and went over to the other side of the bar to serve another customer.
Fujin smiled. Seifer shook his head and laughed. His was lucky to have such amusing friends.
"WHEN?," asked Fujin, turning to him.
"We're supposed to meet by the beach at nine. We'll be here at about... ten, maybe?"
"SO LONG."
"We'll probably do some talking, and walking, and reminiscing. You know, stuff like that."
Fujin grunted and rolled her eye. "HEY!," she called. Raijin walked toward her, eyeing her cautiously. "DRINK," she demanded, and Raijin filled her a cup and slid it to her. She took a big swig.
Seifer sighed. What was he going to do until nine o'clock?
"Quistis!," cried Selphie.
"You're late!," said Rinoa, admonishing her jokingly.
Quistis smiled bashfully. "Sorry guys. I was at the mall and... I lost track of time," she finished. She didn't really want them to know she had been meeting with Seifer. Plus she will see him later in the evening. She wondered what has become of her.
"That's OK," said a cheerful Selphie. "We were just getting started anyway."
They were at the cafeteria. Selphie was munching on a hot dog and Rinoa was having an apple. She offered one to Quistis as she sat down with them. She declined.
"So," said Quistis, "is there a theme to the dance?"
"Well, we were thinking of doing an underwater theme," Rinoa answered, "because it's just so hot out these days and we want everyone to feel cool and refreshed at the dance."
Quistis nodded. "Then there should definitely be a lot of blues, greens, and silvers. Maybe some golds."
"Yeah!," interjected Selphie. "And all sparkling with glitter!"
"With sea creatures hanging from the ceiling!," piped in Rinoa.
The plans for the upcoming dance was underway.
It was five o'clock in the evening and there was nothing to do. Celeste stretched, catlike, on her bed. Hmmm, she thought. What to do, what to do. She reflected back on what had happened in the afternoon at the mall. She smiled. That girl, she thought, she can do more than I expected. I never even concentrated on letting her know my name. She just plucked it out of the air. She pondered on this for a while. She might be more powerful than I thought she would be, she thought. No matter. I'm more powerful than she'll ever be. She frowned. No, still, one must always be ready for the unexpected. Look at what happened to Ultimecia. That fool. She got too cocky and ended up dying from those pathetic SeeDs. She laughed. How sad. All her hard work gone to waste. After two years, they're bound to have gotten weaker. Like that Squall character and Rinoa. They think they have it so well. The same with Zell, Selphie, and... what was his name? Ah yes, Irvine. She smirked. Pathetic humans. They'll never know what hit them.
She thought of Quistis. Poor little Quisty, all alone with only her shadow for company. She laughed. I think I'll just play with her for a while and weaken her spirits a little, she thought as she smiled craftily. "Yes, that's exactly what I'll do."
Seifer stood by the beach. It was five minutes before nine. He looked up at the stars and the thin crescent moon in the vast emptiness of night. He wore all black with a snug tanktop and jeans and his gunblade was sheathed by his side. He hooked his thumb at his pockets when he heard Quistis calling out to him. He turned and waved.
She was wearing a simple white one-piece skirt that billowed in the gentle summer breeze. She was holding on to her sandals in one hand. She smiled and waved back.
A barefoot angel, he thought. Finally, she reached him. "I don't see you're whip on you," he observed.
"I didn't think I'll need it."
"Ah, but you must always be prepared for whatever monster may come your way," Seifer said, wagging a finger at her.
She smiled. "Didn't you know I can give that look that can make anyone run away? Even big, scary monsters?"
"Hmm, I guess I forgot about that," he said, and began walking. Quistis followed.
"You know," she said, "if it weren't for your blond hair, I never would've seen you." She was commenting on his black attire. She had a playful smile on her face.
"Hey, it was the only thing I could find in my closet," he said. He turned around to face her while walking backwards. "I don't look that bad, do I?," He said with a slight, worried frown.
Quistis laughed. "No, you look just fine," she said, trying not to blush at the sight of his muscular build. "Um, where are we going?"
"I told you I'll take you to our place, right? That's where we're headed." He smiled mischievously. "It might be kinda wild, though."
It was very wild. The music boomed and reverberated off the walls. Lights were flashing on the dance floor and everyone seemed to be having a great time.
"Seifer!," Quistis shouted to be heard above the music, "this place is amazing!"
He grinned proudly. "Do you like it?," he yelled back, and Quistis nodded enthusiastically. He motioned for her to follow, and they both sat down at the bar where Fujin was bartending with Raijin.
"Sup guys. Look, I even brought Quistis with me," said Seifer.
"Instructor!," Raijin cried with a broad and foolish looking, yet welcoming, smile. "Long time no see, ya know?"
"HI," said Fujin.
Quistis smiled and laughed joyfully. "Fujin and Raijin! You guys haven't changed a bit! How are you these days?"
"GREAT," answered Fujin.
"Yeah," Raijin agreed. "Especially since we got our business up and running. We're pretty well off, ya know?
Several people from the other end called for more drinks, and Fujin and Raijin had to hurry off.
"You told me you had a bar, not a night club!," exclaimed Quistis. She looked around. The place was dark and outlined by glowing blue lights, and the glass and mirrors from the tables and walls reflected this light, making the place seem more brighter and open. "Don't tell me you were just being modest."
Seifer just shrugged, and he noticed then that a slow dance song had begun to play. He hopped off from his stool and reached out a hand towards Quistis. "Dance with me?," he implored.
Quistis looked at him in surprise. Dance? With him? "Oh," she said, "well, you see..."
He smiled and playfully rolled his eyes. "Come on Quistis," and he took her hand and led her to the dance floor. She hesitantly placed her hand on his shoulder as he held her by her waist, and they danced. The slow music quickly calmed her heart, and she looked up to Seifer, who looked back.
"Seifer," she started, "what do you do here?"
"I'm manager of this place. I basically run the show."
She nodded knowingly and lowered her head to give her neck a rest. Then she looked back up. "It must be tough," she said.
"Yeah," Seifer admitted. "It can be sometimes, but that's OK, cuz I love it here. This is what we created."
"Do you like it better than Garden?," she asked. Seifer's smile went away. He thought.
"Well," he finally began, "it would've been nice if I'd become a SeeD. I miss training and fighting. I miss the days when I would sit in the back of your class and just daydream."
Quistis gave him a dry half-smile. "And what would you daydream about?"
"You," he said, and he quickly realized his slip. "Uh, well, you know, about when you would finally finish class, and stuff," he finished lamely. Dammit, I can be so uncool sometimes, he berated himself.
Quistis, not having noticed anything, just shook her head. She relaxed and rested her head on his chest. She closed her eyes.
The faint scent of roses reached Seifer. Man, he thought, this girl's intoxicating. He sighed dreamily, and he noticed that Quistis was suddenly tense.
"Quistis?," he said. He looked down at her. Her eyes were shut tightly, her teeth clenched. She was murmuring something, but what he did not know. "Quistis," he said again.
"No," Quistis whispered through her teeth. "Not again, not now. Not now, please."
Quistis was seeing the same thing she dreamed of the other night. But this time, she was wide awake. She was still looking through the eyes of someone older, and there was fire all around her. She saw the girl, calling out to her mother. Quistis felt miserable.
Seifer leaned down to hear what Quistis was saying.
"Too... hot...," she whispered, more to herself than to Seifer. She was clutching on to him tightly and her breathing was labored.
"Oh man," he said, and he quickly escorted her through the crowd and out of the club. They stood outside for a few moments and Quistis calmed down.
"Hey, what's wrong?," Seifer asked softly. He gently brushed her honey-golden hair away from her ghostly pale face. It accented the deep blue of her eyes, which were now wide with fright and glittering from unshed tears.
"Seifer," she said. "What's wrong with me?" Her voice was barely even a whisper.
"Tell me what's wrong. What happened?"
"I'm so scared."
Eyes filled with pain, Seifer instinctively opened his arms, and Quistis went against him. She was trembling. They stood there, holding each other. Finally, Seifer broke the silence.
"Hey, let's go someplace more quiet," he offered. He took her outside the town where everything was green with lush grass as far as the eye can see. They went to a large tree with it's branches drooping low. It's feathery leaves swayed in the wind. They sat at the base of the tree.
"I had this dream last night," she began. "I was at a village, looking through the eyes of someone else, and everything was on fire. Then, I saw a little girl, maybe about six, and she reached out towards me, and called for my help." She paused. Seifer looked at her encouragingly. She continued, "But I couldn't help her," she said pathetically. "The fire surrounded her, and I couldn't go anywhere near her. But before the dream was over, I saw the silhouette of a woman behind a building."
"Did you think that she was the cause of the fire?," Seifer asked inquisitively.
She nodded. "Yes. Somehow, she was behind it." She sniffed. "And this afternoon, at the mall, before I met you, I saw her. She was in front of me. We were looking at each other. She smiled this strange smile, and she just disappeared."
Seifer had a scowl on his face. This all seemed very familiar.
"Do you know what's even more strange?," Quistis asked.
"What?"
"I was able to get her name. It just came to me, as if someone whispered it in my ear."
"What was her name?"
"Celeste."
Celeste?!, Seifer thought. That can't be! She hasn't been heard of for so long!
His emotions were clearly visible by his expression, and Quistis asked, "Seifer, do you know her?"
"Oh man," he said out loud. "Celeste has got to be the most clever of all the sorceresses. She's psychic, you see, and she can see the future, read minds, plus she has her sorceress powers. She's not someone you would want to mess with."
"But why is she doing this to me?," Quistis said miserably.
"I don't know. As far as I know, she might be doing this for fun."
"What?! But that doesn't make any sense!"
"I know," he said dryly, "but she's known to love playing mind games with people." He paused. "Wait a minute! You said you were able to get her name?"
Quistis nodded.
"And you don't know how you did it?"
She nodded again.
Hmm, he thought. "I think you might be showing some signs of suppressed abilities that are just beginning to surface."
"What?!," Quistis cried. "You mean I'm psychic?"
"Yeah. She must've been waiting all this time for the perfect opportunity. She's hasn't been heard of for a while, see. She's been laying low, and now all of a sudden she just appears. She must want something from you."
But what would she want from me exactly?, Quistis thought. But she couldn't ask the question. She had a headache, and her head was pounding. She clenched her teeth.
"I think you should go to Matron so... Quistis?" He put his hands on her shoulders reassuringly. "Hey, is it coming back again?"
But Quistis wasn't listening. All she could hear was the pounding in her head. What is he doing here?, she thought. He's dangerous. He's with the sorceress.
She knew that what she was thinking was irrational, but she couldn't help it. These thoughts just popped up in her head and she couldn't shake it off. She had an urge to act upon her strange feelings.
"Quistis?," Seifer said gently. Quistis looked at him with a sudden look of rage. Seifer's eyes widened with confusion. "Hey, Quistis, are you alright?"
"Get the hell away from me," she said with barely contained anger. Her eyes had changed to a bright orange glow.
"Holy...." That was all Seifer could say. "Quistis, what's wrong?"
"I said get the hell away from me! I mean it!"
"This is way uncharacteristic of you, you know that?," he said with narrowed eyes. Poor Quistis, he thought. Is she under the influence of the sorceress now?
She pointed an accusing finger at him. "You're with her!," she shouted.
"Who?," he shouted back.
"HER!"
"Celeste?"
She lunged at him, but Seifer saw it coming, and he grabbed her by her wrists and trapped her between him and the tree.
"Look," Seifer said in a controlled voice. "I don't know what's happening to you, but you gotta snap out of it."
Quistis growled and her orange eyes grew brighter and Seifer found himself howling in pain. Quistis had evidently summoned a great amount of energy to transfer on to Seifer, and he had received it as electricity. His grip on her loosened and he crumpled to the floor. Quistis, having used up too much energy for the attack, collapsed next to him. They were laid on the grass, side by side, as though they had fallen asleep on that warm summer night.