Disclaimer:I still don't own FF8 or the characters. God, disclaimers are already getting to be a pain in my ass...
Author's Ramblings: Well, since I am so easily influenced by a couple of nice reviews, I decided that I would write a second chapter. Who knows, maybe if enough wonderful people leave me good feedback, I'll make it a series! Come on now, don't groan people. Now...will Seifer be readmitted to Garden? Are him and Quistis going to be an official couple? What is Cid like with a hangover?! Inquiring minds want to know!
That night, Quistis and Seifer fell asleep in eachother's arms. Quistis was the first to awaken, a little surprised to find Seifer's sleeping form next to her. After she remembered the previous day, she relaxed, and settled back against his body, observing him quietly.
Seifer looked completely different when he was asleep. While awake, he emanated confidence, arrogance. But now, far away in dream land, he looked just as he had many years ago in the orphanage. Childish. Innocent.
Quistis almost laughed out loud at that thought. Seifer Almasy, innocent? Ha. Yeah, right. Not with all the blood that has washed over his hands, like water. Not with everything he has seen...or worse...done.
However, Quistis rid herself of all such disturbing thoughts as the man next to her suddenly shifted in his sleep, pulling her closer to him, like a stuffed animal.
"I love you..." he whispered quietly, still asleep. Quistis grinned from ear to ear. "...Mr. Snuggles..." he finished. Quistis' face fell, but soon after she could not help herself from cracking up, clutching wildly at her stomach, tears leaking out of her eyes. Wasn't Mr. Snuggles the name of Seifer's old teddy bear?!
'Oh...this is too rich...' Quistis thought to herself, laughing even harder.
Seifer was soon startled out of his slumber, and rubbed his eyes tiredly. He yawned loudly, somewhat annoyed at having been woken up so early, and in such a way.
"Hey..wha...whaz so funny?" he asked, more than half asleep.
"Oh nothing, nothing at all, go back to sleep."
"Okay..." he replied, and within seconds was snoring. Quistis smiled, and went into the bathroom to get changed, brush her teeth and do her hair.
Shortly after having done so, the familiar ring of the P.A. caught her attention.
"Will Quistis Trepe please report to the bridge. I repeat, Quistis Trepe to the bridge immediately. That is all." Quistis recognized Headmaster Cid's voice and groaned loudly.
She turned towards Seifer, who at the moment sounded like he was having a major nasal crisis. She decided not to risk waking him again, and instead walked out of the dorm, making her way to the elevator.
As she pressed the 3F button, Quistis hoped against hope that she was not being assigned a new mission, so soon after the fall of Ultimecia.
As Quistis stepped onto the bridge, she studied Cid. He had his back turned to her, hands clasped behind him, head lowered. It seemed he either had a massive headache, or was lost in thought.
Somewhat nervously, Quistis cleared her throat. Cid turned around, with an extremely tired face, but forced a smile. Quistis saluted, and Cid nodded, waving a hand casually to signify "at ease."
"Hello, Headmaster Cid."
"Quistis," he replied, with the still haggard face. "Let us get right to the point, shall we?"
Her eyes darted around the room anxiously. It was pretty obvious she wanted to get out of there, and Cid chuckled lightly.
"Don't worry. It isn't anything bad."
"Well?"
"Well, last night I took the time to reflect on your actions during the very recent sorceress war. And I have decided to rethink an old decision." His statement left Quistis puzzled.
"What decision was that, sir?"
"Quistis, I am reissuing your instructing license." Cid stated, rather dully.
For a moment Quistis just stood in surprised silence. Then she squealed a high pitch sound of delight, causing Cid to wince and clutch at his ears. She sounded... just like Selphie.
"Quistis... it pleases me to see that you are happy. But last night I had a bit too much to drink, and it has had a bad effect on my ears. So I would appreciate it if you would contain yourself."
Quistis smirked and eagerly nodded.
"Yes sir! Oh....and thank you. Very much."
Cid smiled warmly, and as Quistis turned to leave, he motioned for her to stay.
"Hold on a second. There is something else I want to speak with you about."
She turned back around, and looked at Cid curiously. He glanced quickly at his watch, noticing that the time was 5 a.m.
"Well, as you know, we landed the mobile Garden just outside the town of Balamb last night. And it seems that three familiar faces have been staying there, trying to get their lives back under control."
Quistis immediately thought of Seifer. But Cid said three familiar faces...who could the other two be?
Then it hit her. Fujin and Raijin.
"...the disciplinary commitee?"
"Well...ex-disciplinary commitee now, but yes."
"What about them?"
"Last night, Seifer managed to sneak aboard. You probably saw him." Quistis nodded, blushing slightly.
"You also saw my wife, correct?" Quistis nodded again.
"I admit, I allowed Seifer aboard. I thought it would be the only opportunity for him to say goodbye to his home, perhaps make peace with his former allies. I did not expect it to turn into anything permanent...but I had some outside influence."
"Influence such as?"
"Edea also caught a glimpse of Seifer. She always was fond of him...when he was just a child. Attention hog even then, but my wife loved him as her own child...so she spent an hour ragging at me to let him back in. She insisted that it wasn't in any way his fault, he was just a puppet for a brainwashing sorceress to play with. I had no choice except to agree..." Cid sighed, and added (more to himself than to Quistis) "There is simply no arguing with that woman...."
"Headmaster...isn't this all um...a little sudden? I, for one, don't hold anything against Seifer, but at least 95% of the rest of Garden does. For god's sake, he was the enemy of the entire world not even a week ago! Perhaps you should let everyone's anger cool down a little, before letting him back in?"
Cid sighed once again, rubbing at his temples gently.
"I have considered all this already, Quistis. I know there is risk involved. But sometimes, instead of hate dying down, it grows. Edea believes that this whole situation has changed him for the better. I don't know, perhaps it's sorceress intuition, but I trust her. She's never made a bad choice before. And, if Seifer really has changed, perhaps he can find it in himself to apologize to Garden. The old Almasy would never do that." Cid shook his head and looked up to Quistis. "It's a chance we have to take. You said yourself many times before, he has amazing potential, and his skills would be worthy to have in SeeD. Please back me up on this." Cid was almost...pleading with her.
"...all right, Headmaster. What do you want me to do?"
Author's Ramblings Continued: Sorry this chapter is so short and that it took so long to get up on here, but I have actually been busy lately. I'm very truly deeply sorry. In the next chapter, you guessed it, Seifer decides to stay. Will conflict ensue? Also, Cid mentioned Fujin and Raijin, only I was too lazy to put them in this chapter. They'll be back, don't worry. Oh, and I'm sorry for making Seif look like a sissy boy. I love him to death, really I do, it's just so easy to make fun of him though! ...Isn't Snuggles the name of that laundry bear? Uh oh, better add that to the disclaimer. Heh, my comments are longer than the freaking story. I better go now. Stay tuned for chapter 3!
Author's Ramblings: Well, since I am so easily influenced by a couple of nice reviews, I decided that I would write a second chapter. Who knows, maybe if enough wonderful people leave me good feedback, I'll make it a series! Come on now, don't groan people. Now...will Seifer be readmitted to Garden? Are him and Quistis going to be an official couple? What is Cid like with a hangover?! Inquiring minds want to know!
That night, Quistis and Seifer fell asleep in eachother's arms. Quistis was the first to awaken, a little surprised to find Seifer's sleeping form next to her. After she remembered the previous day, she relaxed, and settled back against his body, observing him quietly.
Seifer looked completely different when he was asleep. While awake, he emanated confidence, arrogance. But now, far away in dream land, he looked just as he had many years ago in the orphanage. Childish. Innocent.
Quistis almost laughed out loud at that thought. Seifer Almasy, innocent? Ha. Yeah, right. Not with all the blood that has washed over his hands, like water. Not with everything he has seen...or worse...done.
However, Quistis rid herself of all such disturbing thoughts as the man next to her suddenly shifted in his sleep, pulling her closer to him, like a stuffed animal.
"I love you..." he whispered quietly, still asleep. Quistis grinned from ear to ear. "...Mr. Snuggles..." he finished. Quistis' face fell, but soon after she could not help herself from cracking up, clutching wildly at her stomach, tears leaking out of her eyes. Wasn't Mr. Snuggles the name of Seifer's old teddy bear?!
'Oh...this is too rich...' Quistis thought to herself, laughing even harder.
Seifer was soon startled out of his slumber, and rubbed his eyes tiredly. He yawned loudly, somewhat annoyed at having been woken up so early, and in such a way.
"Hey..wha...whaz so funny?" he asked, more than half asleep.
"Oh nothing, nothing at all, go back to sleep."
"Okay..." he replied, and within seconds was snoring. Quistis smiled, and went into the bathroom to get changed, brush her teeth and do her hair.
Shortly after having done so, the familiar ring of the P.A. caught her attention.
"Will Quistis Trepe please report to the bridge. I repeat, Quistis Trepe to the bridge immediately. That is all." Quistis recognized Headmaster Cid's voice and groaned loudly.
She turned towards Seifer, who at the moment sounded like he was having a major nasal crisis. She decided not to risk waking him again, and instead walked out of the dorm, making her way to the elevator.
As she pressed the 3F button, Quistis hoped against hope that she was not being assigned a new mission, so soon after the fall of Ultimecia.
As Quistis stepped onto the bridge, she studied Cid. He had his back turned to her, hands clasped behind him, head lowered. It seemed he either had a massive headache, or was lost in thought.
Somewhat nervously, Quistis cleared her throat. Cid turned around, with an extremely tired face, but forced a smile. Quistis saluted, and Cid nodded, waving a hand casually to signify "at ease."
"Hello, Headmaster Cid."
"Quistis," he replied, with the still haggard face. "Let us get right to the point, shall we?"
Her eyes darted around the room anxiously. It was pretty obvious she wanted to get out of there, and Cid chuckled lightly.
"Don't worry. It isn't anything bad."
"Well?"
"Well, last night I took the time to reflect on your actions during the very recent sorceress war. And I have decided to rethink an old decision." His statement left Quistis puzzled.
"What decision was that, sir?"
"Quistis, I am reissuing your instructing license." Cid stated, rather dully.
For a moment Quistis just stood in surprised silence. Then she squealed a high pitch sound of delight, causing Cid to wince and clutch at his ears. She sounded... just like Selphie.
"Quistis... it pleases me to see that you are happy. But last night I had a bit too much to drink, and it has had a bad effect on my ears. So I would appreciate it if you would contain yourself."
Quistis smirked and eagerly nodded.
"Yes sir! Oh....and thank you. Very much."
Cid smiled warmly, and as Quistis turned to leave, he motioned for her to stay.
"Hold on a second. There is something else I want to speak with you about."
She turned back around, and looked at Cid curiously. He glanced quickly at his watch, noticing that the time was 5 a.m.
"Well, as you know, we landed the mobile Garden just outside the town of Balamb last night. And it seems that three familiar faces have been staying there, trying to get their lives back under control."
Quistis immediately thought of Seifer. But Cid said three familiar faces...who could the other two be?
Then it hit her. Fujin and Raijin.
"...the disciplinary commitee?"
"Well...ex-disciplinary commitee now, but yes."
"What about them?"
"Last night, Seifer managed to sneak aboard. You probably saw him." Quistis nodded, blushing slightly.
"You also saw my wife, correct?" Quistis nodded again.
"I admit, I allowed Seifer aboard. I thought it would be the only opportunity for him to say goodbye to his home, perhaps make peace with his former allies. I did not expect it to turn into anything permanent...but I had some outside influence."
"Influence such as?"
"Edea also caught a glimpse of Seifer. She always was fond of him...when he was just a child. Attention hog even then, but my wife loved him as her own child...so she spent an hour ragging at me to let him back in. She insisted that it wasn't in any way his fault, he was just a puppet for a brainwashing sorceress to play with. I had no choice except to agree..." Cid sighed, and added (more to himself than to Quistis) "There is simply no arguing with that woman...."
"Headmaster...isn't this all um...a little sudden? I, for one, don't hold anything against Seifer, but at least 95% of the rest of Garden does. For god's sake, he was the enemy of the entire world not even a week ago! Perhaps you should let everyone's anger cool down a little, before letting him back in?"
Cid sighed once again, rubbing at his temples gently.
"I have considered all this already, Quistis. I know there is risk involved. But sometimes, instead of hate dying down, it grows. Edea believes that this whole situation has changed him for the better. I don't know, perhaps it's sorceress intuition, but I trust her. She's never made a bad choice before. And, if Seifer really has changed, perhaps he can find it in himself to apologize to Garden. The old Almasy would never do that." Cid shook his head and looked up to Quistis. "It's a chance we have to take. You said yourself many times before, he has amazing potential, and his skills would be worthy to have in SeeD. Please back me up on this." Cid was almost...pleading with her.
"...all right, Headmaster. What do you want me to do?"
Author's Ramblings Continued: Sorry this chapter is so short and that it took so long to get up on here, but I have actually been busy lately. I'm very truly deeply sorry. In the next chapter, you guessed it, Seifer decides to stay. Will conflict ensue? Also, Cid mentioned Fujin and Raijin, only I was too lazy to put them in this chapter. They'll be back, don't worry. Oh, and I'm sorry for making Seif look like a sissy boy. I love him to death, really I do, it's just so easy to make fun of him though! ...Isn't Snuggles the name of that laundry bear? Uh oh, better add that to the disclaimer. Heh, my comments are longer than the freaking story. I better go now. Stay tuned for chapter 3!