III
"That's what... I have to face alone..."
--Irvine Kinneas
"...cut power to the engines, and... there! We've set down."
"Thank god," Nida said, wiping imaginary sweat from his forehead.
"Shut up," Zell said. "I didn't do half bad."
"Just find Selphie and Irvine and get off my bridge," Nida said. "Every time I think about that take-off my stomach flips over."
"It isn't my fault you had me park facing Balamb Garden!" Zell said.
"Just get off the ship so I won't be reminded," Nida said. "Geez. I know they wanted to repaint the ring, but that was not the way they wanted the paint scraped off."
"I didn't get anywhere near that close!" Zell stormed, then stopped when he saw Nida's grin. Turning, he stepped onto the lift.
Laguna, leaning on the copilot's seat behind Nida, turned to Seifer. "You really coming to the Shumi village?"
Seifer nodded. "Yeah. Why shouldn't I?"
Laguna shrugged. "All right, but no messin' around while you're there. They don't let visitors in very often, you know."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just lead the way, and I'll follow suit." Seifer said. Taking a side glance at Laguna, Seifer wondered how he was going to get along with him in the time they would be at the village. Quistis and Kiros were going to Esthar and taking the Ragnarok with them, so they might be stuck in the Shumi village for a bit. Matron and Rinoa might be a bit awkward, but Laguna he had no idea about.
Other than the fact that Dyne thought he would be good to use against Squall, he thought. Don't know why, though.
"In ten minute's we'll lift off," Nida said. "We'll drop you off by the Shumi village, and we'll be back around this way in three days. Make sure you have all your winter gear ready. I hope you made reservations at the hotel?"
"Done and done," Laguna said. "They're expecting us today. Ten minutes, then."
Seifer turned and moved back through the Ragnarok to the entrace, waving mockingly as Zell got off, shouldering a pack. The ramp began to retract, and the hum of the engines powering up filled the room. Sitting down on the floor, Seifer waited as Nida took off. An indeterminate amount of time passed, and the Ragnarok set down again. The ramp extended to reveil a snowfield almost exactly like the one they had left. Quistis, Edea, Rinoa and Laguna stepped into the entryway, and Seifer stood up to wait while they left. Quistis stood on the ramp and waved as he walked down, though she was obvioulsy not waving to him.
"Three days," she called.
"We'll see you," Rinoa called back. Laguna waved, rolling his sleeves down.
"Can we get going?" Seifer asked, ignoring Quistis. Laguna nodded.
"Yeah. Right this way."
They started walking, the Shumi Village little more than a brown smudge in the distance. Seifer took a moment to wonder why they couldn't have dropped them off a bit closer, but put it out of his mind. It was cold--that was the first thing he noticed. For the first time he actually understood why people called it "bitter cold"--the temperature translated into a physical pain almost like the flavor.
As they walked, Seifer wondered about Laguna. They had never had a chance to talk and, honestly, Seifer didn't know whether he would take it up if a chance did arise. There was something odd about him, about the way he'd overreact whenever Squall was mentioned. Not a lot, but subtly, as if there was someting going on between the two. That, added to Dyne's use of him against Squall, made him wonder even more. Of course, without actually getting into a long conversation with the man, Seifer had no way of seeing what he was up to. Still a bit confused, he put it out of his mind.
The only other thing that bothered him was Rinoa. He felt... awkward around her, to say the least. And why shouldn't he? What had he done to her? Captured her, and forced her to be junctioned to Adel. Two years ago, they had been friends. More than friends--for that one, breif summer Seifer had thought he was in love.
He should have realized it was hopeless from the start. And now he had destoryed any possible hope for a continuing relationship between them--even if it wasn't painfully obvious that Rinoa loved Squall, who would want to date their worst enemy? Anyway, Seifer didn't have time for love. It just didn't figure in his life anymore.
A sneer began to creep onto Seifer's face. It was a defence: Squall didn't let any emotion show, Seifer tried to make it seem like nothing mattered to him because it wasn't worth noticing, much less caring for.
Still, it didn't do much to reduce the pain. Just reduce the pity.
Snarling silently to himself, Seifer kicked a stone. It was imbedded in the ground further than he thought it had been, and as he stubbed his toe he let out a stream of muffled curses that got him a quizzical look from Edea, a surprised look from Laguna, and a very amused look frim Rinoa. Glaring the latter two into silence, Seifer stalked towards the Shumi village.
Damn it all anyway, he thought. What does it matter? Even if none of that had happened, would it have turned out differently? Some things just weren't made to be. I'm the misfit. Always have been. Thre was probably a reason Fujin and Raijin were my only friends. And they'd be better off without me too. Resisting the urge to kick another rock, Seifer looked away from the rest of the group. The Winter Island snowfield stretched on for kilometers beside him--barren, desolate, empty, and cold. So empty.
I don't care if I'm alone! Seifer thought irately. I can handle it. Even if none of them want me around... even if I am the most hated person in Garden... I've made it on my own before. I can deal with it.
He kept repeating that, like a litany, inside his head. As if he could convince himself that it was the truth.