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(Spreading Poison)

Zell knew exactly what he was going to do. He would walk up to Irvine and tell him what a creep he was, then he would—He stopped, there was no reason to do that, they were friends. His mind began to clear, why had he even thought that what he heard was true? And where did he hear it from, someone had come into his dorm and told him, but who?

Alone, doing God knows what. He heard the voice in his head, was that true? Of course. Just give him what he deserves, he betrayed your friendship. It had to be true, his anger was returning, of course there was a reason to put Irvine in his place. He had been fooling around with his girlfriend. Now go give him what he deserves.

"Zell!" Layla was waiting for him by the Training Center. "I was just about to go look for you. Are you ready to go?"

"Where is Irvine?" Zell's hands balled into fists.

"I don't know. Is something wrong?" Layla asked noticing the angry look on her boyfriend's face.

At that precise moment Selphie came out of the training center. "Hey, guys."

"I need to find Irvine." Zell turned to face Selphie.

"He's at the Quad, I'm on my way to meet him there."

"He's going straight to the Infirmary after I'm done with him." He ran in the direction of the Quad.

"Did he say-?" Selphie began.

"Oh no!" Layla exclaimed realizing what Zell was about to do, though she had no idea why he was going to do it. "Zell wait!" They both ran after him.

Zell entered the Quad; the first thing he saw was Irvine talking to two students. Look at him, just standing there, acting as if nothing happened, he heard the voice again. Wait, he thought nothing did happened. Oh, but something did happen. The voice came again; you need to give him what he deserves. He will get what he deserves, Zell thought clenching his fists.

"Zell!" Layla and Selphie yelled.

He ignored them. "Irvine!"

Irvine turned around. "What's up?"

"I want you to stay away from her!" Zell yelled angrily.

"Selphie?" Irvine was confused he couldn't think of anyone else that Zell may have been referring to.

Zell rushed at Irvine and punched him in the face knocking him to the ground. "Don't play innocent with me!"

Irvine lay on the floor stunned, he touched his lip; it was bleeding. "What is your problem?" He got up.

"You are my damn problem!" He punched him again, but this time he didn't fall.

"Zell, please stop!" Layla begged.

Zell ignored her. "Defend yourself!" He yelled at Irvine.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" Irvine took a step toward Zell.

"Don't act like you don't know! Maybe you won't fight me 'cause you feel guilty! Is that it?"

"Guilty?" What was Zell talking about?

"You won't fight me? Fine!" Zell kicked him in the stomach.

Irvine stumbled back a few steps and coughed a little.

"Zell what's wrong with you?" Selphie sounded frantic.

Irvine felt he had restrained himself long enough. He didn't know what Zell's problem was, but he couldn't just stand there and pose as his punching bag. He hit Zell hard in the face.

Zell rushed at Irvine again, but couldn't move forward, he felt hands pulling him back. It was Quistis and Squall. "Let go of me!"

"Quistis!" Said Squall holding Zell back, "Take Irvine with you!"

"I'm not finished with him yet!" Zell tried to squirm away.

"You are coming with me!" Squall said dragging Zell out of the quad.

A few minutes later Squall and Zell were in the disciplinary room. Zell sat on one of the only pieces of furniture inside one of the cells, a small wooden stool.

"Do you want to tell me what the problem was?" Squall asked.

"No." Zell was holding a towel to his bloody nose. For some reason, unknown to Zell himself, he didn't want to tell Squall anything.

The door opened and Quistis came into the room.

"Where is Irvine?" Squall questioned.

"In his dorm."

"What was the problem?"

"He says he doesn't know."

"That is a bunch of BS!" Zell suddenly stood causing the stool to fall over. "He knows damn well what the problem is!"

"Zell," Squall said putting a hand on his forehead, "I have to be honest and say that you two were the last people I expected that from."

"Sorry to disappoint you."

Quistis joined in. "We expect you to set an example for students and other SeeD members."

"I can't give you special treatment just because we're friends." Squall felt guilty punishing one of his best friends, even though he did feel he deserved it.

"I didn't ask for special treatment." Zell turned to face the wall.

"You'll have to spend the night here. It's standard procedure."

"Fine."

"You're still not going to tell us what your problem with Irvine was?" Quistis asked.

"No."

"Whatever. Suit yourself." Squall walked out of the disciplinary room feeling extremely confused by the incident. He knew that Zell was impatient and short tempered, but he also knew that he was not the type to start a fight unless he had a strong motive...and fighting with Irvine of all people. It was very strange indeed, but he would have to worry about it later, Rinoa was waiting for him.

Quistis sat at the small desk in the disciplinary office. She was filling out an incident report for Zell and Irvine's 'encounter'. How strange it was for them to fight, she thought, she remembered how much Zell seemed to dislike Irvine in the beginning, but it was different now, much different. She had often seen the two try to convince Squall to go out with them and have some fun, Squall usually refused and in the end they would give up and go by themselves. It was indeed strange to see them fight, but what seemed stranger was that Irvine did not know why Zell had started the fight. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in."

"Hi, Quistis." Elise stepped inside. "What are you doing?"

"Filling out an incident report."

"Where's Squall?"

"He went out with Rinoa."

"Wow."

"What?"

"It doesn't seem fair, does it?"

"What doesn't seem fair?"

"Well..."

"Well, what?"

"Squall is out having fun and he leaves you stuck in here doing the paper work."

"I don't mind, he didn't ask me to."

"Quistis, haven't you ever wondered why Cid made Squall commander?"

Quistis was taken aback by the question. "...Because he's the best person for the job."

"Sure. Quistis, don't get me wrong, I love Squall with all my heart, but..."

"But what?"

"Well, I just think that maybe you got cheated out of being commander."

Once again her words surprised her. "What do you mean?" Elise looked at Quistis in the eye; Quistis had the sudden urge to look away, but found that she could not.

"You have much more experience as a SeeD, you were an instructor at seventeen. I just think that you shouldn't have to listen to someone who is younger and less experienced than you."

Quistis was finally able to look away. "...I-I'm sure Cid had his good reasons for making the decision that he did."

Elise stood beside Quistis. "You know I'm right," she whispered in her ear. "You deserve that post more than anyone." She walked backwards until she reached the door, then stopped. "Oh, and Quistis, don't tell anyone I was here." She stepped out and closed the door.

"That was strange." Quistis said out loud. She really didn't mind having someone younger as her commander, she was very proud of Squall's accomplishment. No one deserves that post more than you. She heard a voice inside her head, maybe it is a little inconsiderate of Squall to be on a date with Rinoa and leave me to do all the paper work. But he didn't ask me to do it, so it's...fine? She began to feel confused.

He's out having fun while you're stuck in here. It is not fair, Quistis thought, my Instructor's License was taken away while Squall was made commander, but what does that have to do with doing paperwork? Why am I even thinking about that? Because it's the truth. Because it isn't fair.

This was Squall's responsibility, she decided, if he wanted to be commander he would have to fulfill all his responsibilities, and that included paperwork. She put the pen down. "I won't do it." She didn't have to listen to some inexperienced child. Next time he gave her an order she would just have to put him in his place.

Quistis was on her way out of the office when Layla appeared.

"Quistis..."

"What?" She saw the expression on Layla's face, it wasn't her fault that Squall was such a—"Sorry, what did you need?"

"Do you know where Squall is? I need to ask for his permission to visit Zell."

This was the last thing Quistis needed to hear. "You don't need his permission. Go in, you have my permission. Here take the keys."

"Are you sure? Because I thought-"

"Look! Just go in. I'll take care of Squall." With that she walked out slamming the door behind her.

How strange, Layla thought, she knew that students were not allowed to be in possession of the Disciplinary Room keys. She walked out of the office and turned toward the cells, she spotted Zell in one of them, he was sitting on the stool holding a bloody towel in his hands.

"Zell?"Layla said unlocking the cell.

"What do you want?" He didn't even look at her.

"What happened? I know you, this isn't like you."

"And I thought this wasn't like you."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't act so damn innocent!" He turned to face her. "I mean, you and Irvine!"

"What?"

They were interrupted by shouts coming from outside, then they saw Xu running toward them. "Zell! You need to get out!"

"But Squall said-"

"Garden is under attack, we need your help!"