The last chapter in my story called "A Walk in the Knight". If you enjoy this chapter I suggest you read Rodeo Man, a short drama I wrote and think you may like.
~Chapter 10~
The policeman nodded at Quistis and Seifer in turn and regarded them with a cold, steely gaze. He heaved a sigh and looked Quistis in the eye as he spoke with a calm deliberation.
"I'm very sorry for your loss. There was nothing the hospital could do for him. There are some papers to be filled out regarding his death, if you would just follow me." He sounded mechanical, inhuman. If he felt any emotion whatsoever, he hid it very well.
Fresh tears burned in the corner of Quistis's eyes, but she followed the policeman into a small office just off the waiting area. Seifer followed, and they sat down in soft gray chairs in front of a large mahogany desk. In silence, Quistis filled out the forms quickly, signing her name at the bottom. She stood up and left the office unceremoniously. Seifer gave the policeman his best apologetic look before he went after her.
"Quistis, wait up." Catching up to her in a few strides, he slung one arm around her tired form. She sighed and leaned into him.
"Where do we go from here?" Seifer shook his head.
"I don't know. Does it matter?"
"Yes."
"Then we'll find somewhere, if we look for it." Quistis nodded in a sort of daze. "Right now we have to go back to Garden, to Chi... to Zell's funeral." Looking up, Quistis saw just a small, shining edge of a tear in one corner of those fathomless emerald eyes. She inclined her head.
"We'll go back. Out of respect for Zell. Then, you're going to become a SeeD."
"Yeah and...what?"
"Seifer, you didn't come back to Garden for your health. You are going to realize the dream you could have achieved earlier. And you are not, under any circumstances, going to let me stop you." Seifer smiled down at her. He really did need to go to that SeeD graduation ball, to dance under the banner of the second most important thing in the world to him, with the first most.
"You have to come. You can be the useless live in girlfriend of a very important guy, just like Rinoa." He grinned and mustered a fake cry of pain when she punched him in the arm, smiling at his teasing.
"No way! You'll see, I'll have Squall's job yet! Always was more qualified..." she muttered.
Hand in hand, glowing in each other's presence, they walked down the streets of FH. They needed to pay respect to an old friend's memory.
~*Two Days Later, Garden, Zell's Funeral*~
The ceremonies were just ending, the speeches had been made, and new tears had coursed down the cheeks of those who knew him well. White roses lay in fragrant bunches around a solid rosewood casket. It seemed the whole of Garden and beyond had come to pay their last respects to the outstanding SeeD known as Zell Dincht. That year, the graduating SeeD ball would be dedicated to his memory. The martial artist would not soon be forgotten, by his friends or by those who barely knew him. Garden had been dreary without him in his short absence, and now that that absence was lengthened to forever, most were trying to collect their lives and move on. It was not an easy task.
As Seifer lead a somber Quistis away from the crowd, he pondered the hand that life had dealt him. It seemed the dealer had finally given him the queen of hearts he needed for a winning combination. It was too bad his friend-yes, friend, even though they weren't always on the best of terms-Zell, had folded before the game was over. He looked down at the woman who had captured his heart, and even through the sober atmosphere, he had to smile. He was going to realize two dreams that hadn't previously had a chance to come true. His dream to become a SeeD, but even more powerful than that, his romantic dream.
"Quisty?"
"Mmm?"
"I love you. You know that right?"
"I know. I love you too, Seifer."
"What would you do if I asked you to marry me right now?"
"I'd say yes." A beat of silence followed. "Are you asking?"
"Yes."
"Then I'm yes-ing." He grinned and held her closer to him, if that was possible. He then noticed she stiffened a little in his arms and frowned.
"Zell would have been happy you're happy Quistis." She looked up at him with a concerned expression.
"Do you think? I mean, it's not dishonoring his memory, us being engaged on his funeral day?"
"I think he'd be honored." She smiled. "Of course then he'd try to beat the crap out of me but..." But Quistis had stopped listening after the first sentence.
"Maybe he would be...maybe he would be."
~*Epilogue*~
One year later, Seifer and Quistis had married, Seifer was a SeeD, and the world in general was a wonderful place for them both. Quistis had been promoted to Instructor again, because her only failure had become her greatest success. Cid began to realize that if he expected her to be his maid, he had another thing coming. Squall and Rinoa had married, as had Irvine and Selphie. The library girl Zell had had a fling with was married to some upstanding SeeD named Chad.
Life was going on. They missed their friend and brother deeply, but they were living again. Each day brought a new respect for the life they had been given, an attitude they would pass on to their children in the coming years. Sometimes, Quistis would pause in her teaching and look out the window as if in deep thought. Seeming to get an answer to an unspoken question, she would resume her class with a smile on her face. On quiet nights, she loved to watch the stars with her husband until long after midnight.
One star, just off to the left of Ursa Major, shone more brightly than any other in the sky. Its blue-white radiance guided many a troubled soul to finding a peaceful moment. It was every student, instructor and SeeD's favorite star, for it always seemed to be there for them, waiting with a listening ear.
Quistis called it Zell.
~*Fin*~
~Chapter 10~
The policeman nodded at Quistis and Seifer in turn and regarded them with a cold, steely gaze. He heaved a sigh and looked Quistis in the eye as he spoke with a calm deliberation.
"I'm very sorry for your loss. There was nothing the hospital could do for him. There are some papers to be filled out regarding his death, if you would just follow me." He sounded mechanical, inhuman. If he felt any emotion whatsoever, he hid it very well.
Fresh tears burned in the corner of Quistis's eyes, but she followed the policeman into a small office just off the waiting area. Seifer followed, and they sat down in soft gray chairs in front of a large mahogany desk. In silence, Quistis filled out the forms quickly, signing her name at the bottom. She stood up and left the office unceremoniously. Seifer gave the policeman his best apologetic look before he went after her.
"Quistis, wait up." Catching up to her in a few strides, he slung one arm around her tired form. She sighed and leaned into him.
"Where do we go from here?" Seifer shook his head.
"I don't know. Does it matter?"
"Yes."
"Then we'll find somewhere, if we look for it." Quistis nodded in a sort of daze. "Right now we have to go back to Garden, to Chi... to Zell's funeral." Looking up, Quistis saw just a small, shining edge of a tear in one corner of those fathomless emerald eyes. She inclined her head.
"We'll go back. Out of respect for Zell. Then, you're going to become a SeeD."
"Yeah and...what?"
"Seifer, you didn't come back to Garden for your health. You are going to realize the dream you could have achieved earlier. And you are not, under any circumstances, going to let me stop you." Seifer smiled down at her. He really did need to go to that SeeD graduation ball, to dance under the banner of the second most important thing in the world to him, with the first most.
"You have to come. You can be the useless live in girlfriend of a very important guy, just like Rinoa." He grinned and mustered a fake cry of pain when she punched him in the arm, smiling at his teasing.
"No way! You'll see, I'll have Squall's job yet! Always was more qualified..." she muttered.
Hand in hand, glowing in each other's presence, they walked down the streets of FH. They needed to pay respect to an old friend's memory.
~*Two Days Later, Garden, Zell's Funeral*~
The ceremonies were just ending, the speeches had been made, and new tears had coursed down the cheeks of those who knew him well. White roses lay in fragrant bunches around a solid rosewood casket. It seemed the whole of Garden and beyond had come to pay their last respects to the outstanding SeeD known as Zell Dincht. That year, the graduating SeeD ball would be dedicated to his memory. The martial artist would not soon be forgotten, by his friends or by those who barely knew him. Garden had been dreary without him in his short absence, and now that that absence was lengthened to forever, most were trying to collect their lives and move on. It was not an easy task.
As Seifer lead a somber Quistis away from the crowd, he pondered the hand that life had dealt him. It seemed the dealer had finally given him the queen of hearts he needed for a winning combination. It was too bad his friend-yes, friend, even though they weren't always on the best of terms-Zell, had folded before the game was over. He looked down at the woman who had captured his heart, and even through the sober atmosphere, he had to smile. He was going to realize two dreams that hadn't previously had a chance to come true. His dream to become a SeeD, but even more powerful than that, his romantic dream.
"Quisty?"
"Mmm?"
"I love you. You know that right?"
"I know. I love you too, Seifer."
"What would you do if I asked you to marry me right now?"
"I'd say yes." A beat of silence followed. "Are you asking?"
"Yes."
"Then I'm yes-ing." He grinned and held her closer to him, if that was possible. He then noticed she stiffened a little in his arms and frowned.
"Zell would have been happy you're happy Quistis." She looked up at him with a concerned expression.
"Do you think? I mean, it's not dishonoring his memory, us being engaged on his funeral day?"
"I think he'd be honored." She smiled. "Of course then he'd try to beat the crap out of me but..." But Quistis had stopped listening after the first sentence.
"Maybe he would be...maybe he would be."
~*Epilogue*~
One year later, Seifer and Quistis had married, Seifer was a SeeD, and the world in general was a wonderful place for them both. Quistis had been promoted to Instructor again, because her only failure had become her greatest success. Cid began to realize that if he expected her to be his maid, he had another thing coming. Squall and Rinoa had married, as had Irvine and Selphie. The library girl Zell had had a fling with was married to some upstanding SeeD named Chad.
Life was going on. They missed their friend and brother deeply, but they were living again. Each day brought a new respect for the life they had been given, an attitude they would pass on to their children in the coming years. Sometimes, Quistis would pause in her teaching and look out the window as if in deep thought. Seeming to get an answer to an unspoken question, she would resume her class with a smile on her face. On quiet nights, she loved to watch the stars with her husband until long after midnight.
One star, just off to the left of Ursa Major, shone more brightly than any other in the sky. Its blue-white radiance guided many a troubled soul to finding a peaceful moment. It was every student, instructor and SeeD's favorite star, for it always seemed to be there for them, waiting with a listening ear.
Quistis called it Zell.
~*Fin*~
