Becoming Three: World Crashing Down

Blood. Broken glass. Black-and-white images. They pushed to the front of his mind, frightening him. The latter was the most frightening of all. It seemed to say to him that all the brightness had gone out of his life. Not that there was much to begin with. There had been, a long time ago. Almost so long ago he couldn't remember anymore. This was before he'd gone to Garden.

            He could see her in his mind's eye, the bossy girl he used to know. She tried to mother them all into submission, after Ellone left, probably trying to pull Squall up again, but it hadn't worked. She had probably helped to drive him further away, but she hadn't really meant to. All she wanted was for him to be his old self again.

            One of the memories of the old her that stood out the most was that day on the beach. It was the day he'd realized there was something about this Quistis girl that he couldn't ignore. They'd been playing tag, or some such game. Squall stood on the sidelines, as usual, refusing invitations to join in. Seifer tried to coax him into it but he just glared and crossed his arms.

            Since Seifer was occupied with Squall, he hadn't noticed Quistis dart up and poke him in the side. ' You're it!' She said, laughing and ran off. He chased her, of course, but he found himself concentrating more on the way her shimmering golden hair streamed out into the wind instead of catching her and winning the game. Seifer could still recall the way the warm sand felt under his toes and what Quistis was wearing that day, a light pink summer sundress that flowed around her thin body. At eleven, she was just beginning to turn into something other than a little girl and he was just beginning to notice.

            After a few minutes, when he was getting winded, she disappeared from sight. He ran ahead and all of a sudden, tripped over his own feet and fell down a slope he hadn't know about. He heard her before he saw her, and looked around. She was sitting by a large rock, hugging her bare foot to herself in what looked like an uncomfortable position. From where he stood he could see the red trickling onto the sand. Running over to her, he knelt down and gently touched her foot.

            "What happened, Quisty? Did you step on something?"

"I think so." Her voice was thin and high. "Seif. . it hurts. . ." She whimpered.

            "I know. Let me see." After examining her foot carefully, he decided that whatever had cut her foot wasn't still in it. "How are we going to get home?" He asked the sea. A sobbing Quistis was little help.

            "Squall!" Seifer shouted, but after a few minutes he decided he would have to do this on his own. Careful not to move her foot too much, he picked her up. She settled herself in his arms and wrapped her own little hands around his neck. Trying to ignore his pounding heart and the strange sensations his body was feeling, he carried her home.

            That night, after dinner, Seifer found himself outside looking up at the sky.

            "Did you know that a star can die and it will take thousands of years before we see its light go out?" She was back to normal, trying to impress everyone with things they didn't care about at all.

            "Strange." He commented. It was silent for a few moments, and then her soft footsteps neared him. Sitting down next to him, she leaned her head on his shoulder.

            His first instinct was to pull away. Then, however, he thought about it and realized he didn't mind at all. Something about her captivated him.

            The dreaming-picture changed, and he could see her in her SeeD uniform. She stood nervously, hesitantly. Her blue eyes took in everything around her, eager, hungry to learn more. He always knew she would  wind up as an instructor someday, he'd just never pictured her as his instructor.

            Things had changed then. She'd given him almost unfair advantages until she realized she couldn't let her feelings get in the way of her work. The freakishly close relationship they had shared before melted away, leaving him alone. Squall and he had become rivals, almost enemies by then, and he had no one to talk to. That was about the time he had fallen in with Fujin and Raijin, a very strange pair. They made an odd trio.

            Sweating, Seifer tossed and turned in his bed. Sleep was nearly impossible tonight. Eventually he gave up and, after making sure he had pants on, stepped outside into the hallway. He hated sleeping in inns. They were too noisy at night and much too hot.

            This one was pretty dead, though. It was late night and everyone seemed to be asleep. He wondered if he should go check on Quistis. Her room was near his, just down the hall. That was what he was here for.

            After returning to the orphanage and finding Matron unconscious on the floor, he had called Cid immediately. She opened her eyes only once before her husband came, and whispered something he didn't understand. Moving closer, Seifer listened again.

            "Find. . Quistis. . .You must. . save. . " Then she slumped back into her stupor. He'd left as soon as Cid ran in the door, demanding to know where Edea was and what had happened.

            Now, here he was, trying to approach her, with no success so far.

           When he reached her room, he saw that the door was open. She was lying on her bed, sobbing, a deep, heart-wrenching sound. As he listened, he could just barely make out a soft, pleading cry.

            "Seif. . how come you're never here anymore. . I need you. . " She had called for him. Now was the time when he must go to her and make things right. He strode inside and over to the bed, pushing the door shut behind him. Off in her own world, she didn't even notice him. He gently touched her hair and she looked up.

            "Seifer?" She asked in wonder. "How are you here? I called you but you never came before." Her voice was small and fading.

            "Well, I'm here now, aren't I? And I'm going to stay. You'll never have to call for me again. No matter what happens, Quisty, I'm your knight." He leaned down and kissed her gently, only intending it to be a brotherly kiss. However, she turned it into more, catching him before he pulled away and holding him to her. Her small mouth worked busily as she kissed him thoroughly. Although he wanted to take the kiss further badly, he knew he couldn't, not with her in this state. Pulling away gently, he gazed into her teary blue eyes, saw the tearstains on her face, and sighed. How had she come to this? This power Rinoa had given her was eating her up inside, and slowly, but surely, it was killing her and would continue to do so until it was gotten under control.

            Not knowing what else to do, he kissed her again, intensely. "Don't worry. . " He murmured. "You're safe now."

            It was about that time her strength gave out, and she collapsed, asleep, into his arms.

            He held her gently, stroking her hair. Seifer had no idea of what to do, how to help her. Following Edea's orders, he had found her, and he would protect her, but how? What would he need to protect her from, anyway.

            Probably herself most of all. It was a chilling thought. Shivering, he put her down on the bed, straightening her out and covering her. He moved to get up, but she caught his arm.

            "Stay. . please." She whispered.

            "I'm not going anywhere." He said softly, and stretched out next to her. Quistis immediately latched onto him, putting her arms around him and holding him close. Just like so many years before, he found he didn't mind the comfortable feeling that was her body next to his. Rather, he enjoyed the feeling. Moving to hold her as well, he found that he never wanted to be away from her again.

            You're going soft, Seifer.

            They were the fated children. He was only now beginning to realize the full implications of that phrase.