Disclaimer: I own it. Got a problem with that?
Author's Note: Author requests that each reader reads and reviews. Thank you.
Dedication: To Sayaka, This is for the time when we were like Seifer, on the phone at midnight, crying over math. Sigh. Happy Birthday, pal, and hope you're having a great time at Macalaster.
Chapter 5: Seifer, an honor student?
Cooper looked at Seifer with great distrust. Seifer simply grinned as he put on his long grey coat and checked himself in the mirror. Impeccable as usual.
"Seifer, I don't like what you're doing. I mean, I told you to use it only as a means of winning your bet and not doing other things like getting your gunblade."
Seifer rolled his eyes and ignored Cooper as he picked his gloves from the drawer and put them on.
"Furthermore," Cooper continued. "I still think the way you seduced her at that time was pretty sad."
Seifer still ignored Cooper.
"I mean it's pathetic! You should try a different way. Quistis isn't like every woman you know. You can't go all charming on Quistis and win her that way! You need to win her trust! She's that kind of person. You should try and be nicer to her instead of becoming all sleazy like you were that night. I mean, you might as well have a cheesy thin moustache. I mean, you already bleach your hair and all."
"I do not bleach my hair." Seifer said slowly and testily.
"Oh, come on! There is no way you can have that kind of hair. And I could have sworn that I saw bottles of hair dye in the bathroom."
Seifer smiled at Cooper dangerously. "This is precisely the reason why I want my Gunblade back."
Cooper grinned and waved her fairy wand. "I could do worse, Seifer." Cooper pouted. "I don't like the idea that you're going back in time to get your security blanket instead of fulfilling the bet."
"Look. I'm not going back to do anything bad. I'm going back to pass the test and get my weapon back. Is that wrong? I'm being good."
"Not in a good way." Cooper said sulkily.
Seifer laughed as he pressed the double arrows on the remote.
***
He was glad that only Cooper knew that he was going back to study before the test. How embarrassing if anyone else found out. How embarrassing if Raijin and Fujin found out. He would never live it down.
But he had to pass the test. He had spent his free time after the probation appealing for his gunblade, bullied underclassmen, appealing for his gunblade and yet, he was denied access to it. Further, Quistis had been extremely pissed off by his actions the night she got drunk that she had barred access to his gunblade unless he approached her first. And so, he couldn't believe this, he was going to study to pass the damn test to get off academic probation. He could try to cheat his way through the test but Instructor Quistis had placed him so damned close to the chair that it was practically impossible to cheat. Secondly, since he stormed out of class the moment the test began, he had no clue what the test was about, so he couldn't use time manipulation to his advantage.
Damn the bitch, he thought ruefully. He needed the Hyperion. And therefore, he would rather swallow his pride and study for the damn test.
And so, that was how Seifer began the night. First, he had to go through the piles of paper he stashed on desk to find what the test next day was about. When he finally found it, he had to refer to the notes he was supposed to have taken in class. Which, he soon realised were useless. Had he been paying attention or at least taken some notes down or something, he wouldn't be in such a dire situation.
Fuck. He had to do something extremely drastic.
He had to go to the library.
The thought of going to the library nauseated Seifer. He was the delinquent, the bad ass of the school. And now, he had to risk everything so he could get his damned Gunblade. Well, no one must notice that Seifer was at the library.
Seifer gingerly discarded his precious grey coat to the side. He felt naked without it but he had no choice. Then he did the unthinkable, he pulled out a pair of jeans and a black shirt. He put them on and put on sneakers. He examined himself in the mirror. He was still recognizable although he looked like…a student. He shuddered. But his transformation wasn't complete. Seifer then took off his contacts and put on glasses he had never used for almost ages and a cap he had snatched from a kid he bullied a few years ago.
Seifer cringed as he read what was written on the cap. "Trepies Forever." Great. But at least, he wasn't recognizable as he was before. He looked…well, normal. He wouldn't stand out. Finally, he pulled out his student ID card, the only thing that would betray his identity, but something he needed to enter the library.
With that, he took a deep breath, prayed that Raijin and Fujin (or anyone for that matter) would not see him as he took his notebook, pen and headed towards the library.
***
"Another late night, Quistis?" asked the nameless library girl. Quistis smiled. "Yeah, I have to prepare for a big lesson in strategy. And there is a test tomorrow. I want to make sure that all the kinks in the test is sorted out."
The nameless library girl laughed. "Oh no! It's a Quistis test! Everyone run for your lives."
Quistis laughed. "Well, you know what? I think tomorrow's test would be a killer one. I hope all of my students are ready for it. But none of them are here though," she said, feeling slightly disappointed. The nameless library girl shook her head. She's been going out with Zell for a long time now, she made it a mental note to remember her name next time.
"They're students. Besides, they haven't really gotten a test of a true Quistis test have they? Don't tell me you're becoming soft now."
"Soft? Heck no! I think I was being easy on them though. My bad for tomorrow's test."
Quistis looked around the library. The library was fairly empty save a few people here and there. A man dressed in jeans, a black shirt and a cap caught her eye. He was studying intently, the books piled around him.
She tapped NL girl on the shoulder. "See that guy? I wish some of my students were as hard working as he is. Some of my students are the most talented bunch I've ever seen, if only they would put in some effort."
NL girl laughed as she checked out a book for Quistis. "Lazy by Instructor Trepe's standard is hardworking by many people's standards." NL girl looked at the man in black.
"Which guy are you talking about?" she asked.
"That guy over there, black shirt, blue jeans."
NL girl looked thoughtful. "Funny you don't recognise him. I thought he was one of your students."
Quistis looked surprise. "Really?"
"I've never met him before. I think it was his first time at the library, he did seem confuse. Yeah, he's been here all night. Thought he was your student since he asked for mostly of your class material. You know most of them from Advanced Strategy."
Quistis frowned. "You know, I don't believe I know him."
"Really? That's strange. I think he mentioned that he was in your class but I'm not sure. He didn't mention his name though"
Quistis nodded thoughtfully. "There's only one way to find out," she announced and headed towards the young man in the cap.
From a distance Quistis could see the Trepies cap. For a second it intimidated her and she didn't want to talk to the student. But then she realised, for a Trepie, he sure didn't act like one. In fact he had ignored her voice from the very beginning itself. Now, most Trepies she knew would jump at the chance to stare and to ogle at her. All Trepies recognized her voice. This one didn't.
And the cap seemed very old, unlike the new one, which just went on sale just this month.
"Stupid, Instructor Trepe. That woman can't teach. How the fuck am I supposed to know the difference between Moyse formation and a Schirmer formation?" the man muttered.
Quistis froze in place. For two reasons actually. One reason was that she was shocked that her student would be so rude and accusing her of being unable to teach. Well, that had actually hurt. And the second reason was that she actually recognized the voice.
"Seifer?" she asked incredulously.
Seifer looked up immediately, his hair tousled. He looked up at Quistis in horror, his eyes wide, wider then it really was behind his wire-framed glasses. He looked like a…student, almost innocent with a pencil in his hand and his cap, turned backwards.
Seifer's reaction was similar to Quistis' reaction. He froze and was unable to think or say anything. He suddenly felt very small, something he never usually felt. His mind suddenly travelled into the past to the time when he was at the orphanage. Matron had just baked cookies and she made all of them promise not to touch them. But he had to have one. As he reached into the cookie jar to take one, Matron caught him.
Undoubtedly, the two situations were very different. Because the situation when he was smaller was a bad thing. The situation he was in now was a good thing. But the feelings were the same. And he was certain he looked every bit like the frightened mouse Matron said he looked then.
"What are you doing here?" Quistis asked, regretting the words the moment they came out of her mouth. What do you think he's doing? Studying of course, you fool. But Quistis couldn't help asking. Seifer looked like a terrified mouse, as though he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
It took Seifer a second to regain himself. "What does it look like? The dear instructor can't teach for her life. It seems that I have to look up for some things myself," he muttered quickly.
Damn! Brilliant, just brilliant, Seifer. Seifer, you could have said that you were looking at girly mags. You could have said that you were plotting Cid Kramer's assassination. You could have said that you were learning to build a bomb. Noooo, you had to say that you were studying.
Quistis stood beside him looking over his shoulder. She didn't say a word but she read over the notes he had learnt and without asking for his permission, took up his notes and glanced through them.
"Instructor," he said. "Does mind your own business mean anything to you? It's no wonder you lost your license the first time round. One of your faults is that you don't know when to back off. I can take care of myself."
Seifer mentally kicked himself several times. He sounded so childish. Maybe it's because Quistis seemed so…grown up. She seemed hardly affected by his remarks. There was a time when…
"These are very good notes, Seifer. A lot more in depth than what I would go to for tomorrow's test. But it's alright, it will help you understand the other strategies that I'm going to teach later on in the year."
Quistis then pulled up a chair and sat beside him to his dismay. This was not supposed to happen. Quistis would probably talk about this the next day. He could just see it. She would probably, during her lunch break tell Squall all about how Seifer was in the library, studying in the library till the wee hours in the morning. And then Squall might start believing that Seifer was a changed man. He would become more civil towards Seifer. He might ask him out for a beer. Watch a bit of football together. And then, they would become the best of buddies.
Seifer felt physically sick over the thought.
"So, you have problems over the Schirmer formation and the Moyse formation?"
"What if I do?"
Quistis was annoyed by the wise cracks, yes, and had wanted to lash out to him, yes. But the more he insulted her and the more ignored it, the more uncomfortable Seifer seemed. Quistis took a deep breath and tried her best not to allow his words to get to her.
"I'm the instructor. That's my job, Seifer. I teach. I know what the Moyse formation and Schirmer formation is about. So you want to have a shot at it, be civil for just one night and work at it together so that we could finish early. That way you won't fall asleep in my class tomorrow."
Unfortunately….yes.
"Whatever," was his answer. Quistis smiled. How Squall-like. Seifer would die if he heard that and so she kept the remarks to herself. "Alright, the Schirmer formation is the basis for the Moyse formation. It is crucial that we understand the Schirmer formation inside out…"
***
Quistis, the speed demon had finished marking the exam papers on the same day she gave them out. Generally, the students were unhappy. She had marked strictly (and to many people's opinion, rather unfairly) and there was no curb. The highest score so far was an 83 percent far lower than the previous test.
"Instructor Trepe, are you sure there isn't a curb?" a girl asked. She clutched her paper tightly, almost in tears over her results.
"I'm sorry, but I can't give a curb. It's necessary for you all to learn that this class is no easy A and most importantly that this class is going to accelerate. If you don't study, you're not going to catch up. You'll do better next time."
"If there is a next time," a boy muttered. Seifer snickered albeit slightly nervously. He was the only one who had not received his test back yet.
"Class dismissed. Mr. Almasy, please stay back. I would like to have a word with you."
The class filed out quickly, used to Instructor Trepe's 'word with Mr. Almasy'. Usually, the word with Almasy consisted of yellings of him being an irresponsible, lazy student in her class or since she was also Seifer's tutor in field training, she would accuse him of being irresponsible and selfish on the field. Usually, not a pretty sight.
Seifer stood in front of Quistis, his arms cross, and his face showed defiance. Quistis tried to keep a straight and serious face for some time.
"Do you know why I called you, Mr. Almasy?"
"Not at all, Instructor Trepe."
Quistis couldn't take it anymore, she broke into a smile immediately and handed him the test paper back. Seifer prepared himself to give a smart answer in defence for his poor results but when his eyes fell on the score, he was speechless. His score was a 95.
"Seifer…congratulations. You scored the highest in the class. In all three classes in fact. And no matter what you think…." Quistis wasn't sure if she should say it but she felt it was necessary to say it. "No matter what I might have said to you before Seifer, you're not a failure. And…I'm really happy and proud of your achievements today in class."
He should really say something to Quistis' words. Some sort of unkind remark to brush off her well thought out words. Because that was what Seifer Almasy does. But he couldn't do it. For the first time, he couldn't say anything. Because for the first time in a long time, he felt good about himself.