Digging up the Past

By: A Voice in the Wind

Dedicated to: Reviewers!! I LUV YOU ALL!  ADMIRE MANY OF YOU, TOO!

"OhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyGod…Wait, no, --OhMyGod!!" Selphie was jumping up and down on her seat; nearly ramming her head into the ceiling in the process "The new issue of 'Weapons Monthly' is out! Irvy, take me to the city to get it!!! I wanna get the new issue!!!!!!!" she tugged on Irvine's hand "Come on you big dope! A night in the city would be gooood for us!" she tugged more insistently on his hand, almost making his fork fly out of his hand "ARGH! Quistis, help me…!" she whined while leaning her whole body weight towards the cafeteria entrance. Irvine suddenly let go of her hand, which had turned white.

A big 'bang' was heard while Selphie hit the ground in a heap, knocking over several chairs. She picked herself up, ignoring the muffled laughter among her peers. Even Squall had a 'smile' on, which was really just a tugging on the sides of his mouth. 

"Irvine Kinneas, that was NOT funny! I demand you take me to Deling City! Right now! And if you DON'T, why I'll, …I'll…--" 

BEEP BEEP BEEP

"New students from: Trabia Garden : have arrived. SeeDs: Rege Ulfson, Commander Squall Leonhart, Yauri Fantasy, Seifer Almasy, Baceon Fat, Zell Dincht, Selphie Tilmitt, and Scarlet Fevor, please report to the Garage to pick up your student(s). That is all."

BEEP BEEP BEEP

Squall stood up first, giving a curt nod to the 'gang', and heading out of the cafeteria, his long strides eating up ground. Zell and Selphie both jumped up at the same time, knocking over their chairs. Selphie emitted annoyance at being interrupted. She looked sternly to Irvine. "We'll finish this conversation later. See ya 'round."  With that she walked out of the cafeteria, a smile already replacing her annoyed look. Zell just grabbed another hot dog off his plate and shoved it in his mouth. He was rather disappointed. Zell had hoped to break his previous record of 28 hot dogs in 7 minutes, but now he wouldn't be able to.  He quickly waved bye to his friends and walked towards the Garage.

While walking down the hall he spotted Seifer Almasy walking with his usual group of cronies, Fujin and Rajin.

Seifer really hadn't changed his attitude much. He was still known around the school as 'that arrogant bastard', but was also known as 'lapdog' by the more daring people. Seifer had toned down his 'tude towards Zell and Squall, probably just because they had given him a second chance and he didn't want to ruin it, although there were some extravagant rumors flying around the school about 'favors'.  

Fujin and Rajin had enticed Seifer into coming back to the Garden about 3 months after Ultimecia. He'd been living in some fishing place up till then.  Seifer had graduated with flying colors, and easily reached a high-level SeeD position within 2 weeks of his graduation. Hyperion still gleamed at his side, an impressive sight. It was rumored that only 5 people had ever touched Hyperion after it's making—Seifer, Fujin, Rajin, Ultimecia, and Squall. How Squall had joined the small group was anyone's guess, but as most legends, it had started out as rumor and then snowballed.

Seifer walked with that same 'I own you and that patch of Earth you walk on' gait, and still sneered anytime Chickenwuss or Puberty Boy passed, although he had stopped teasing Zell and goading Squall into fights. As he walked closer and closer towards the Garage, apprehension surrounded him. Even Fujin and Rajin noticed. Seifer's eyebrows were drawn into a frown, and his eyes were bright with hidden turmoil. Fujin had found him, beat and bloodied, in a small wood in the middle of nowhere, and she still remembered the sickly feeling in her stomach as she had approached him, wondering if he was alive or dead.

"WRONG?" asked Fujin, cutting into the air of apprehension.

"No, Fujin, it's nothing…Cid didn't call you, perhaps you should go back?" it was phrased as a question but was really a hidden order.

"I dunno, Seif—OUCH!" Rajin yelled out, making all eyes turn towards him. He grabbed his shin and hopped along. "Fuuujjin…. why'd you go an' do that, ya know?!  I didn't do nothing to you, ya know?!"

Fujin turned her hard glare to him "STUPID! NEED BRECKFAST! COME!" and with that she abruptly turned around, grabbing Rajin's shoulder, leaving Seifer alone in his thoughts.

"SEIFER! There you are! Over here!" Cid's voice carried through the Garage, echoing and throwing his voice back at him. Cid was standing next to a petite red-haired woman, who in turn was standing next to a ship that resembled the Ragnorak in structure, but was painted various shades of blue with the SeeD insignia on the side.

Cid's voice once again boomed off the walls, "Hello SeeDs of Balamb Garden Military Academy! With the Lunar Cry bringing forth so many high level monsters-" some snickering was heard from the back of the group "-we have had more requests for SeeD than usual, especially from around Dollet. Many students from Trabia Garden have come here to train and acquaint themselves with the area. You, having nothing better to do,-" he looked out pointedly to the crowd of SeeD's, "will help and guide them around the Garden, supervise their training and help with tests and prerequisites." Some scattered groans were heard from the crowd.   Cid cleared his throat. "As I have said, having nothing better to do, you will help train and set down fundamentals for these future SeeDs. Any questions?

Seifer's arm shot up. Cid repressed a roll of his eyes. Seifer was full of sarcastic remarks. "Go ahead, Seifer…"

"Ok, then." A pause from Seifer "Do we get paid?" A few laughs were heard, quickly stilled by a glare from Cid. Cid did seem to be considering it, at least. Cid rolled his eyes. "Why the heck not? You will all receive an Instructor's pay- as long as you keep to your guidelines. NO funny business." He looked at Seifer. Seifer raised his hands in mock surrender and shrugged his shoulders. Cid wondered who the hell would be stupid enough to assign this to Seifer Almasy. At least Selphie, Zell, and Squall would keep him in line. Cid turned his attentions back towards the group.

"The students will be unloading their stuff in a few minutes, so please make yourselves helpful and carry their stuff to their dorms. A quick tour and a spar at the Training Center could help them get acquainted, so in one-hour meet together in the 'secret place'. We're all SeeD here, ok? No reason to be secretive around them…" another roll of Cid's eyes completed that speech, and the first student walked out of the ship.

"Now, I will assign particular students to SeeD's, so listen closely!

Ashley Hamlett, Scarlet Fevor. Derrick Gurd, Baceon Fat. Chelsea Briggs, Zell Dincht,-" a girl with a gothic air about her walked out of the ship "- Cloud Strife*, Selphie Tilmitt.  Emilia Veros, Seifer Almasy---…" it went on and on like that, Cid reading off the names of 15 students, each getting paired up with a SeeD.

There were 15 students and 8 SeeDs, and Seifer was the lucky SeeD to only get assigned one student; everyone else had two. He turned to his student to lay down the rules of being 'the great pricks' partner, but found only air. He had missed her off the ship, wanting to play tic-tac-toe with himself rather than listen to Cid, and now he didn't even know what she looked like. How could he find her with all these new students?! He silently swore to himself as he walked back to the cafeteria. Maybe she was there? He would have to find…Emilia Veros. Why did that name sound familia- Seifer stopped the thought before he even completed it. No need to get suspicious. But he just couldn't shake the air of apprehension that settled on his shoulders.

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A/N: So why is Seifer getting so edgy? Who's Emilia Veros? High-level monsters? Dun dun dun dunnnn…tune in next time to find out! Unless you think it's crap. I wrote it while I was tired, and I could do some revising. Ok, lots of revising. Don't pick on the author. Just tell me whether to scrap, keep, or do over when I'm fresh.  

*CLOUD STRIFE IS NOT THE CLOUD FROM FF7! JUST LOOKS LIKE HIM, AND I HAPPEN TO LIKE THAT NAME! THAT IS ALL…! ^^ This is dedicated to the reviewers! Oh, yeah, Chapter 6 of Melting Walls is up. That's all.

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC ………