¸.·´¯`·»Nostalgic Harmony«·´¯`·.¸
The city of Esthar shined below them in all its mechanical glory. Glass buildings towered above the populated moving highways. People looked liked ants moving along with their daily business dressed in the bright colors that made everything in Esthar.
It hadn't taken them long to convince Squall and Cid to allow the to borrow the Ragnarok for their mission. It also hadn't taken long to convince Cid to allow Quistis to hire then on as her employees. He wasn't happy that she had chosen to join them on the research mission, but it was well within her rights. It even said so in her contract, which Quistis was more then happy to point out to the headmaster and the commander.
Seifer shook his head at the irony of working for his former Instructor. She sat in the seat across from him next to Ellone, who was hitching a ride back to Esthar to be with Laguna.
"Hey Quistis," Ellone spoke up suddenly.
"Yeah?" Quistis asked looking at the older woman.
"Why did you decide to quit SeeD" Ellone asked an unexpected question and Quistis balked a bit. Seifer perked his ears up awaiting her answer.
"It just wasn't me anymore, I am a different person now. No longer a mercenary" Quistis said softly looking down at the glowing blue gem in her hand. Ellone nodded sage-like as the plane lurched a bit announcing their landing.
"Another perfect landing Selphie!" Zell said climbing from the navigator seat.
"Thanks Zell" Selphie responded making her way past them to open the back hatch allowing them access into the Esthar airport.
President Laguna was waiting for them at the end of the ramp with his two advisors Ward and Kiros.
"Welcome to Esthar" Laguna said to them all flashing a smile at Ellone.
"Uncle Laguna" she said dropping her green scarf as she gave him a hug. Zell best over and handed it back to her as she pulled away from Laguna.
"I was afraid I was going to have to come look for you again" Laguna said.
"I'm fine" she insisted smiling over her shoulder at Zell. "I am even going to help them research!"
"Why don't you start by showing them to guestrooms, They can start their research in the morning" Laguna said as the all walked out of the airport onto the busy walkways of Esthar.
"Thank you, I'll do that Uncle" Ellone said. They followed her unto a hover seat and were whizzed into the huge building that was the presidential palace. The walk to the guestrooms was short, since they were located on the first floor. Ellone through open a door and revealed a hallway with doors running down each side.
"The hallway is all yours, you can pick you rooms" she said.
"Thanks Elle!" Zell exclaimed as she left them there. Seifer glanced around and walked through the first door on the left shutting out the excited exclamations of Zell and Selphie as they went though each room. Seifer didn't care what his room looked like as long as there was a bed.
He finally got the good night rest he needed, he was not looking forward to a day of research tomorrow.
It was a typical Seifer Almasy pose. Sitting in a high-backed chair his long legs stretched out in front of him. Silver decorated boots resting on the highly polished oaken table. The chair resting on two legs. A large book was propped up in his lap, which he was looking at intently.
"I wish you would have studied that hard in my class" Her voice cut through his thoughts like firaga through ice cream. His green eyes glared up at her, a smirk slowly spreading across his chiseled features.
"I didn't have to study for that class, I all ready knew it all" He retorted with the usual cockiness.
"Then why didn't you pass?" she asked. He frowned a bit, but the smirk never left his face. As always he was ready with a witty remark.
"Quistis, you look like shit" he said his white teeth gleaming. She peered over the edge of his book spotting the glossy pages of a Weapons Monthly Magazine.
"Ah I see today you are truly studding as hard as you usually do" she said pulling the magazine expertly from the book.
"Hey!" he exclaimed trying to grab it from her. She laughed dancing a step backward and stuck her tongue out at him. He leaned over more to reach for the magazine more. Then in a blink of his eye, she had drawn her Save the Queen. Before he could react it was wrapped around one of the one of the two legs supporting the chair. The he was toppling to the floor, book spilling from his hand.
Her musical laughter filled his ears as he stood up ever so slowly.
The suddenly he was upon her and they were cascading to the floor, her whip skittering out of her hand. He lay on top of her chuckling slightly, the sound mixing nicely with her laughter. It gave him a nostalgic feeling of time when things were less complicated.
Seifer stood up suddenly, and reached down with a gloved hand to help her up. Quistis gracefully accepted his hand and was brought to her feet. He leaned over and picked up her whip holding it out to her. She took it and sheepishly held out his magazine, finger still marking his place. Taking it he quickly folded a page back before rolling it up and tucking it inside the inner pocket of his trench coat.
"Sorry about that" she said with a smile.
"No offense Quis, but I wasn't kidding. You really do look like shit" Seifer said returning to his chair. She sighed and moved to the other side of the table and plopped down in a chair. She sat there limp her arms draping down towards the floor.
"I've been having the strangest dreams" she said softly. He leaned over the table peering into her cloudy blue eyes.
"Dreams" he whispered his deep voice echoing across the rows and rows of books in the Esthar library. "What kind of dreams?"
"Forget about it" she said with a sigh and a limp wave of one hand.
"I will not forget about it, Trepe. What kind of dreams" he said as he reached out and grabbed her thin wrist, hardness settling through his voice.
"Forget I even said anything!" she exclaimed her eyebrows furrowing together as she squirmed her wrist a bit in his grip.
"Tell me" he said his eyes growing dark, voice cold. His grip tightened, to the point of where it hurt. Then in her second surprising move of the day her open hand slammed into the side of his face.
"Leave me alone!" Quistis exclaimed wringing her wrist from his grasp as he was surprised. She ran from the library, her clip wrestling its way free of her hair and skittering across the floor.
"Quistis" he called after her standing up. He leaned over and picked up the clip, deciding to run after her. He ran though the hallways of the Esther presidential building, trying to follow the sound of her footsteps.
Eventually he found her, after bursting through a set of double glass doors. She stood on a balcony, the wind blowing her hair wildly around her. Her back was to him, hands curled into fists which were resting on the railing.
He walked up and stood next to her silently. They stood there for a few moments, like statues only the wind moving. Suddenly he moved his hand to the railing and set her clip there, with a tiny clink.
"Thought you might want this back" he said in his usual deep voice before turning to leave.
"Is that all then?" she asked moments before he reached the door. He stopped hands clenched into fists.
"Yes" ...No
(~NO~)
The heaviness was deafening as it matched his own thoughts. Diablos' single thought left his ears ringing. His mind reeled as he found himself turning around to watch his former Instructor swiftly clip her hair back up into place.
"No, that's not all" he said suddenly. She looked over her shoulder at him raising her blond eyebrows. What was he doing? Had he changed so much that he was ready to apologize?
"I'm sorry" he said closing his eyes for a moment and letting out a deep breath. She half turned to look at him.
"Did it hurt? I know it does sometimes the first time" Quistis said flashing him a small smile. He shot back one of his rare genuine smiles.
"I deserved the slap too, I hope I didn't hurt you" he said trying to ignore her remark.
"I'm fine, but thank you for asking" she said looking genuinely confused by his niceness.
"The reason I got so upset was, I've been having strange dreams too" he said. Seifer walked over and leaned on the rail next to her. They both stared out into the blue sky above the glittering city.
"About a man and a woman in love" Quistis said her voice trailing off.
"A love that can never happen" he finished her sentence for her their eyes clicking both registering shock. It wasn't possible that they were having the same dreams was it?
"I --I mean she had to marry another man" Quistis said.
"You dream you are the woman?" he asked. She nodded silently. Seifer stood up straight running a hand through his blond hair.
"Why are we both..." Quistis' voice trailed off as the doors behind them slammed open. Zell and Selphie bounded onto the balcony smiles spread across their faces.
"We've been looking for the both of you everywhere!" Selphie exclaimed.
"Looks like you've found us" Seifer responded folding his arms across his chest eyeing them both.
"You guys find anything?" Zell asked.
"I'm sure Seifer can tell you all about the latest upgrade for any weapon this month" Quistis said grinning slyly at him.
"Awww man! You mean you were looking at the new Weapons Monthly while I was reading that stupid book?" Zell asked rubbing at the back of his neck. Seifer only shot him a smirk in response.
"Well I think I've found something" Selphie said shaking her head and smiling a bit.
"Let's see it" Quistis said following her back inside.
A/N:~ Sorry if this chapy was too long! But I was on a roll! I had to make up for the not so great Seiftisness last chapter.
I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who have been sticking with me through this, I am so glad you like it! I hope you will keep reading!