1 Part three
Chapter 3 What If…?
So many unanswered questions raced through Quistis' mind as she made her way back into Garden from the humble surroundings of the old orphanage she had grown up in. She played with the white, blood coated rose in her hand and wandered around the hallways. She peered over the barrier and looked down onto the water as it slowly rippled against the sides. She felt tears come to her eyes as she held the rose over the water.
"No more Seifer…no more…" she said quietly as she released her grasp on the rose, letting it fall gently onto the surface of the water. Some of the blood trickled off of the white petals and dripped into the water, turning it a bright red. Tears slowly fell down her pale cheeks as she turned and walked away, allowing the flower and her love for Seifer to drown.
The young blond walked back into the stone building and sat on a chair and thought. Seifer had told her of his love and she knew that she couldn't let this emotion get to her. She couldn't let the love they felt for each other ruin everything. Her heart was in love with Seifer but a part of her yearned not for Seifer, but for Squall. Everything was so mixed up. Her mind was telling her to forget but her heart was telling her to love Seifer. She didn't know how to make this kind of decision, so she got to her feet and went to find Matron Edea, thinking that maybe she could untangle the knot of confusion inside her soul.
"Our field exam is today!" Mylina squealed with delight. Seifer had passed the written test and the prerequisite with flying colours, as had Mylina, which surprised Seifer greatly as she was only 15. "Look! I'm wearing my uniform already! I'm so excited Seifer! I hope we get put together!" she was literally jumping about like mad, eagerly anticipating the field exam, the final one before they either became SeeD or they didn't. Seifer was also, surprisingly enough, wearing a proper SeeD uniform for the exam. He saw Xu and Squall approach the group, Xu armed with a clipboard. Quistis slunk behind them, looking upset. Seifer began to get concerned but his attention was focused elsewhere. "Ooh look! A rose!" Mylina cried. "It's…covered in blood…oh…" Seifer's heart wrenched as he heard those words. He ran over to the barrier and looked down onto the clear water. His eyes welled up with tears as he looked at the rose float gently along. It was still in bloom, but the blood was mainly washed off. A tear escaped from Seifer's eye and made its way down his cold white cheek. He focused his gaze on Quistis, who refused to make eye contact.
"All right, Mylina, Seifer, and Zaine. You'll make up the first team. Seifer, I'll leave you in charge since you have experience," Squall said. Mylina jumped up and down happily. Seifer nodded, trying not to let more tears fall down his face. Quistis' heart ached. The rest of the drill for the exam was told by Squall. Seifer kept quiet while Quistis silently sobbed.
"Matron," Quistis asked. The tall, longhaired woman turned and knelt down to face the young inquiring Quistis.
"What is it my child?" she asked.
"Why is love so complicated?" she said, hanging her head slightly. Matron laughed.
"It's not complicated my child!" she chuckled. "Your heart will always tell you where the true path lies. Your heart tells you who you love, not your head." Edea patted her head affectionately. Quistis smiled and left the Matron to finish her washing. No matter what little comfort Quistis had received from Matron's words, it didn't ease the pain and conflict still felt within her. What was she going to do? She heard the large wooden door of the orphanage open and a young couple stepped in. They towed with them a boy of about 12. Matron rushed out from the wash room to greet the three. They started up a conversation. It appeared that they wished to adopt a child. But who? Quistis prayed that it wouldn't be her they were after. Matron turned to Quistis and smiled. "Quistis my child these people wish to adopt you! Isn't that wonderful!" she said happily. Quistis' heart sunk like a rock. She was going to have to leave them all.
Seifer stepped out of the car in complete silence. He just stared at the floor as he walked to the boat at the Harbour. Mylina had a concerned look on her face. She was worried about her new friend. He looked so hurt, so antagonised. Why and how could this be? She wanted to help him because she valued his friendship and trust. It made her sad to see him so down.
"Seifer…" she said. He continued to stare quietly at the floor. They boarded the boat and sat down. Mylina rested her hand on his shoulder. "Seifer…please tell me if you're OK or not…I'm worried about you," she asked, the worry deeply embedded into her words. A tear fell from Mylina's eye and onto Seifer's hand. It felt cold. Seifer blinked in astonishment. He'd failed to realise how worried he'd made Mylina feel. He'd made her cry. Seifer started to feel terrible. Mylina was always so happy and bubbly; it was rare for her to cry. He looked into her eyes and saw the tears. He gently wiped them away with his hand.
"Don't cry now my friend," he said softly. "I'm fine. Thank you for asking me. I really didn't mean to worry you so much, I'm sorry." He picked up her hands and shook them gently. He then smiled and tickled her chin, making her laugh. She smiled happily back at him. At that moment Seifer was so happy that he had a friend like her to depend on. Raijin and Fujin were back in Balamb now, so he had to make new friends alone. He was glad Squall had kept him with Mylina. He may not have the same feelings for her as he did for Quistis but she still meant so much to him. With her worries for Seifer now put aside Mylina felt a lot more secure and happy, knowing that the one she considered her best friend was OK.
"Seifer," Mylina began. "I made you something. It's not really that great but…I made it especially for you." She pulled a seashell necklace from her pocket. Seifer smiled in amazement. It was so shiny and beautiful. She handed it to him and he put it round his neck.
"Wow…this is amazing Mylina…thank you so much!" Seifer smiled cheerily. She smiled back.
"I know you've got a thing for Quistis, but we can be best friends right? Well…you're my best friend anyway," she replied. Seifer gasped. No one had ever said that he was their best friend. Not even Raijin and Fujin. He, Raijin and Fujin were a posse, but Mylina wanted to be his best friend. Seifer felt a sense of pride inside him as he nodded.
"We can be best friends, sure," Seifer replied, pulling a small cross on a chain from his back pocket. "I've had this since I was an orphan at the orphanage, but I want you to have it." He put it round her neck. She squealed with delight and hugged Seifer. Seifer felt deeply relaxed.
Quistis slowly began to gather together her things as her new parents and her brother were waiting to take her home with them. She didn't want to leave, as the thought of never seeing her friends again scared her. Her bedroom door opened and Seifer stepped in.
"Matron says you're going," Seifer said. She nodded.
"I've been adopted," she replied quietly.
"Do you want to go?"
"No! No I don't!" Quistis sobbed and fell into Seifer's arms. He held her there gently and tried to calm her down.
"It'll be OK…you'll have a lot of fun in your new home!" Seifer said reassuringly. "And I'm sure we'll all meet again. Tell ya what, we'll meet here when we're 18. On this day when we're both 18, OK?" Quistis wiped her eyes and nodded.
"I'll see you then?" she asked. He nodded.
"Yes. You'll see me then," he replied.
Quistis looked out onto the empty expanse of ocean. Small teardrops fell onto her uniform. She tried to stop herself forgetting but she couldn't. How could she forget? She'd felt so loved and safe with him. He was all she could think about. Squall came up behind her.
"I know you about as well as you know me Instructor," he said. She turned and faced him.
"I don't think so," they said in unison. Squall smirked triumphantly. He'd finally got one up on his Instructor. Quistis sighed.
"I'm getting easier to figure out aren't I?" she asked. Squall nodded.
"I can tell what you're thinking right now. You're thinking about Seifer, about how much you care about him and how much you love him," Squall smirked again, knowing that he'd said all the right words. Quistis looked at him in an alarmed way. He laughed. "You're so easy Quistis," he smiled and put his hand on her shoulder. "I know how you feel…everything will work out." He smiled once more in order to boost her confidence. Quistis smiled back and decided just to accept Squall's advice. Squall walked back down to the main deck. Squall, giving advice? Was that even possible? It was impossible to comprehend, let alone see in action. She decided just to accept it for now and made her way back down to the main deck.
OK, so this took a long while. I have an excuse. I've been host to a 13- year-old girl from Germany so it's taken a while. By the time you all read this my birthday will have been and gone. Sob! Oh well, part 4 will (I pray) be up soon!
Chapter 3 What If…?
So many unanswered questions raced through Quistis' mind as she made her way back into Garden from the humble surroundings of the old orphanage she had grown up in. She played with the white, blood coated rose in her hand and wandered around the hallways. She peered over the barrier and looked down onto the water as it slowly rippled against the sides. She felt tears come to her eyes as she held the rose over the water.
"No more Seifer…no more…" she said quietly as she released her grasp on the rose, letting it fall gently onto the surface of the water. Some of the blood trickled off of the white petals and dripped into the water, turning it a bright red. Tears slowly fell down her pale cheeks as she turned and walked away, allowing the flower and her love for Seifer to drown.
The young blond walked back into the stone building and sat on a chair and thought. Seifer had told her of his love and she knew that she couldn't let this emotion get to her. She couldn't let the love they felt for each other ruin everything. Her heart was in love with Seifer but a part of her yearned not for Seifer, but for Squall. Everything was so mixed up. Her mind was telling her to forget but her heart was telling her to love Seifer. She didn't know how to make this kind of decision, so she got to her feet and went to find Matron Edea, thinking that maybe she could untangle the knot of confusion inside her soul.
"Our field exam is today!" Mylina squealed with delight. Seifer had passed the written test and the prerequisite with flying colours, as had Mylina, which surprised Seifer greatly as she was only 15. "Look! I'm wearing my uniform already! I'm so excited Seifer! I hope we get put together!" she was literally jumping about like mad, eagerly anticipating the field exam, the final one before they either became SeeD or they didn't. Seifer was also, surprisingly enough, wearing a proper SeeD uniform for the exam. He saw Xu and Squall approach the group, Xu armed with a clipboard. Quistis slunk behind them, looking upset. Seifer began to get concerned but his attention was focused elsewhere. "Ooh look! A rose!" Mylina cried. "It's…covered in blood…oh…" Seifer's heart wrenched as he heard those words. He ran over to the barrier and looked down onto the clear water. His eyes welled up with tears as he looked at the rose float gently along. It was still in bloom, but the blood was mainly washed off. A tear escaped from Seifer's eye and made its way down his cold white cheek. He focused his gaze on Quistis, who refused to make eye contact.
"All right, Mylina, Seifer, and Zaine. You'll make up the first team. Seifer, I'll leave you in charge since you have experience," Squall said. Mylina jumped up and down happily. Seifer nodded, trying not to let more tears fall down his face. Quistis' heart ached. The rest of the drill for the exam was told by Squall. Seifer kept quiet while Quistis silently sobbed.
"Matron," Quistis asked. The tall, longhaired woman turned and knelt down to face the young inquiring Quistis.
"What is it my child?" she asked.
"Why is love so complicated?" she said, hanging her head slightly. Matron laughed.
"It's not complicated my child!" she chuckled. "Your heart will always tell you where the true path lies. Your heart tells you who you love, not your head." Edea patted her head affectionately. Quistis smiled and left the Matron to finish her washing. No matter what little comfort Quistis had received from Matron's words, it didn't ease the pain and conflict still felt within her. What was she going to do? She heard the large wooden door of the orphanage open and a young couple stepped in. They towed with them a boy of about 12. Matron rushed out from the wash room to greet the three. They started up a conversation. It appeared that they wished to adopt a child. But who? Quistis prayed that it wouldn't be her they were after. Matron turned to Quistis and smiled. "Quistis my child these people wish to adopt you! Isn't that wonderful!" she said happily. Quistis' heart sunk like a rock. She was going to have to leave them all.
Seifer stepped out of the car in complete silence. He just stared at the floor as he walked to the boat at the Harbour. Mylina had a concerned look on her face. She was worried about her new friend. He looked so hurt, so antagonised. Why and how could this be? She wanted to help him because she valued his friendship and trust. It made her sad to see him so down.
"Seifer…" she said. He continued to stare quietly at the floor. They boarded the boat and sat down. Mylina rested her hand on his shoulder. "Seifer…please tell me if you're OK or not…I'm worried about you," she asked, the worry deeply embedded into her words. A tear fell from Mylina's eye and onto Seifer's hand. It felt cold. Seifer blinked in astonishment. He'd failed to realise how worried he'd made Mylina feel. He'd made her cry. Seifer started to feel terrible. Mylina was always so happy and bubbly; it was rare for her to cry. He looked into her eyes and saw the tears. He gently wiped them away with his hand.
"Don't cry now my friend," he said softly. "I'm fine. Thank you for asking me. I really didn't mean to worry you so much, I'm sorry." He picked up her hands and shook them gently. He then smiled and tickled her chin, making her laugh. She smiled happily back at him. At that moment Seifer was so happy that he had a friend like her to depend on. Raijin and Fujin were back in Balamb now, so he had to make new friends alone. He was glad Squall had kept him with Mylina. He may not have the same feelings for her as he did for Quistis but she still meant so much to him. With her worries for Seifer now put aside Mylina felt a lot more secure and happy, knowing that the one she considered her best friend was OK.
"Seifer," Mylina began. "I made you something. It's not really that great but…I made it especially for you." She pulled a seashell necklace from her pocket. Seifer smiled in amazement. It was so shiny and beautiful. She handed it to him and he put it round his neck.
"Wow…this is amazing Mylina…thank you so much!" Seifer smiled cheerily. She smiled back.
"I know you've got a thing for Quistis, but we can be best friends right? Well…you're my best friend anyway," she replied. Seifer gasped. No one had ever said that he was their best friend. Not even Raijin and Fujin. He, Raijin and Fujin were a posse, but Mylina wanted to be his best friend. Seifer felt a sense of pride inside him as he nodded.
"We can be best friends, sure," Seifer replied, pulling a small cross on a chain from his back pocket. "I've had this since I was an orphan at the orphanage, but I want you to have it." He put it round her neck. She squealed with delight and hugged Seifer. Seifer felt deeply relaxed.
Quistis slowly began to gather together her things as her new parents and her brother were waiting to take her home with them. She didn't want to leave, as the thought of never seeing her friends again scared her. Her bedroom door opened and Seifer stepped in.
"Matron says you're going," Seifer said. She nodded.
"I've been adopted," she replied quietly.
"Do you want to go?"
"No! No I don't!" Quistis sobbed and fell into Seifer's arms. He held her there gently and tried to calm her down.
"It'll be OK…you'll have a lot of fun in your new home!" Seifer said reassuringly. "And I'm sure we'll all meet again. Tell ya what, we'll meet here when we're 18. On this day when we're both 18, OK?" Quistis wiped her eyes and nodded.
"I'll see you then?" she asked. He nodded.
"Yes. You'll see me then," he replied.
Quistis looked out onto the empty expanse of ocean. Small teardrops fell onto her uniform. She tried to stop herself forgetting but she couldn't. How could she forget? She'd felt so loved and safe with him. He was all she could think about. Squall came up behind her.
"I know you about as well as you know me Instructor," he said. She turned and faced him.
"I don't think so," they said in unison. Squall smirked triumphantly. He'd finally got one up on his Instructor. Quistis sighed.
"I'm getting easier to figure out aren't I?" she asked. Squall nodded.
"I can tell what you're thinking right now. You're thinking about Seifer, about how much you care about him and how much you love him," Squall smirked again, knowing that he'd said all the right words. Quistis looked at him in an alarmed way. He laughed. "You're so easy Quistis," he smiled and put his hand on her shoulder. "I know how you feel…everything will work out." He smiled once more in order to boost her confidence. Quistis smiled back and decided just to accept Squall's advice. Squall walked back down to the main deck. Squall, giving advice? Was that even possible? It was impossible to comprehend, let alone see in action. She decided just to accept it for now and made her way back down to the main deck.
OK, so this took a long while. I have an excuse. I've been host to a 13- year-old girl from Germany so it's taken a while. By the time you all read this my birthday will have been and gone. Sob! Oh well, part 4 will (I pray) be up soon!