Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VIII belongs to Squaresoft
Save the Queen
Fear its soul for it knows no terror.
-Beatrix, FF9
Bright sunlight blinded him through his closed eyelids. He slowly opened his eyes, squinting. The sun was directly toward him. Seifer groaned and reached to his side to touch the ground he was lying on. Sand. Sand? He slowly sat up. Aside from the fact that he was soaking wet, he didn't see a single sign of life in the island he ended up in. He..?
Quistis! He thought frantically.
He recalled having grabbed her and jumping. Then they hit the water and a wave came over them. Then he remembered swimming and…That was it.
But where was Quistis?
If she's dead………
Dread filled him.
God, Almasy! You're not even sure! Quit jumping to conclusions and find your instructor already!
Standing up, he shook his blond hair furiously, salt water spraying everywhere. Seifer looked at the island he, and hopefully Quistis, was in. It wasn't that big. Maybe she was just here somewhere. Alive.
He trudged on the hot sand, trying to find her. The water slapped the shore, instinctively making him turn his head…And see a limp form half covered with sand. Without hesitation, he ran towards her blond head, kneeling beside her.
" Quistis?" He whispered, cupping her pale cheeks with his hands. Her eyes were closed, long lashes sweeping her cheeks and her gold hair messy. Like him, she was wet from head to toe.
Fearfully, he felt for a pulse…And found one. He sighed with relief and carried her to shore. He ducked behind a tall shady tree and gently laid the unconscious blonde on the soft earth.
Once sitting down and calming himself, he concentrated for the first time on the place they were in. Looking at the sea, he squinted for any sign of land. All he saw was water. The wide blue ocean stretching miles and miles was what was between them and civilization.
" We're in the middle of nowhere, that's damn sure," He muttered, cursing Hyne for their luck. Apart from that, they had no means of communicating with Garden or Deling, or any place for that matter. Everything crashed along with the helicopter, including…
" Oh God." Seifer remembered in horror that he put away his gunblade at the side table of the craft. " Fuck you, Hyne!" He shouted, seething.
As if in response, thunder pierced the once silent air and rain began to pour.
Things couldn't get any worse. First, they were in the middle of nowhere, without anyone knowing and looking for them, not for a week until someone called up Deling and asked for them. Then they had no food, no shelter—No Hyperion, Seifer thought angrily—and Quistis was still unconscious.
Trying to calm himself down, which never worked, Seifer just watched as tiny droplets of water changed into huge, pelting raindrops. He scooped Quistis up and sat on a huge tree root. He had her on his lap in a sitting position, cheek pressed on his chest.
She would probably kill me if she wakes up, Seifer thought, chuckling to himself. Whatever. At least she wouldn't be smelling rain, as if sea water isn't bad enough.
Finally deciding to sleep on it, Seifer leaned on the broad trunk and closed his eyes.
He unsheathed Hyperion, looking at the terrified students in satisfaction.
Sorceress Edea had already killed fifty or so students on her way up to the third floor of Galbadia Garden.
A few more wouldn't hurt.
He smirked as a trembling student pointed his rifle at him and pulled the trigger with eyes shut tight. A bang was heard as a potted plant behind him was shot.
In a flash, he slashed the man who fell, dead. The few remaining students who escaped Edea or were unfortunate enough to not flee when they attacked were gathered at the main hall were all huddled in a corner. There were just a few really. Maybe a dozen, maybe less. Some were barely even thirteen.
But it didn't matter at all. He could finish them in a few good slashes.
So he did. Almost everyone fell from one attack.
Then finally, there were only four left.
He smiled evilly. One slash.
And they were all shaking to death. Except one.
It was an attractive girl, probably just around his age. She was whispering something to a crying ten-year-old boy. But unlike the others, she didn't look panicked. Almost calm. And for a second, he felt pity.
But only for a second.
Before the black-haired girl faced him, he sliced them with Hyperion and walked on, following Edea. He heard a thud on the ground, the dead bodies hitting the floor. The cries of the boy stopped.
And he didn't look back.
She opened her eyes. It was blurry at first but she could see more clearly now. Something green was towering over her. Quistis squinted. She was staring at the swaying leaves of a tree. She frowned.
Where am I?
Then she remembered.
Where's Seifer?
Quistis sat up straight, just now realizing that she was in a sitting position in someone's arms. Someone who had an arm firmly around her waist and another supporting her head.
She gasped. " Seifer?"
He was asleep, head resting on the enormous trunk. He looked so peaceful and calm, not like his normal expression in Garden. Funny how different people looked when they were asleep.
My goodness! Does that mean that I actually slept with his arms around me like that?
A flush threatened to form on her face and she killed it instantly. What was he thinking?
She gently pried his fingers, which were gripping her waist protectively. When she was about to stand up, something suddenly forced her back down and into Seifer's lap again. This time, both his arms were encircled around her, his face against her hair. In alarm, Quistis checked to see if he was still sleeping. He was snoring very loudly.
She blushed.
What in the world is he dreaming about, grabbing me like that?
Quistis pushed away his arms carefully, then stood up. She stretched her arms above her head, eyes dreamy. Then they changed to horror.
Oh no.
What were they doing in a lone island? A lone island surrounded only by water. Then she stepped back to look at the forest to see what was beyond it.
She groaned.
Nothing. Only a forest, water and a beach. Nothing else. Great.
" Hyne…," She sighed. " I guess we need to live here for a while…Might as well get wood for a fire," Quistis muttered to herself.
She stole a glance at the sleeping Seifer, then at the sun setting on the horizon, casting a beautiful array of pink, orange, red and yellow. Then she walked to the forest, feet padding on the wet sand.
Seifer sat up straight, sweating. He looked around.
" You're awake."
He turned his head to see Quistis sitting on a log, in front of her a blazing bonfire. She looked as beautiful as ever, her hair dry and up in its usual fashion. The fire danced and cast upon her an eerie glow, making her look ethereal.
" You too," Seifer answered. He stood up and went to their little camp, sitting across her.
There was a pause.
Then Quistis sighed. " What do we do now?"
" Dunno," Seifer shrugged. " Tried thinking 'bout that before and I fell asleep."
Yeah, He thought. Asleep and dreaming of me as a murderous killer. God, I can't believe I actually killed them all. Then you might think that after all that, I would get a break. But noooo…I still have fucking nightmares about it and—
" We don't have food, Seifer," Quistis was saying calmly. " I went around the forest to see if there are things to eat but I found none."
" What?! Are you sure? Not a single berry?" Seifer bellowed. He looked at her pained face hopefully.
" None." She gestured to the forest. " There was nothing but trees."
" How can you be so calm about this?" Seifer asked. " Off with the damn mask and panic with me already."
Quistis shook her head. " What can that do? Our last hope is waiting for Squall—"
" Whaaat?! Are you suggesting that we become cannibals and eat each other? Heellooo, Instructor? Anybody there? Our mission is for one whole fucking week. Hell, we would already be decomposing by the time our dear Squally arrives," Seifer scoffed.
" Do you have any other brilliant ideas, Seifer?" Quistis snapped. " If you do, I'd like to hear them."
" Well, we could go look for at least something's ass we could roast," He shot back.
" Are you telling me that you don't believe me when I say that there is nothing digestible in that forest?"
" You learn fast, Instructor."
Quistis threw up her hands in disgust. " Hyne, Seifer!"
Seifer smirked. " You really think that I'd like to starve? Come on, Instructor. Get your whip and let's go."
" I told you, there's nothing here," Quistis said impatiently for the hundredth time. Why didn't Seifer listen? They had been scouting the forest for about an hour now and all they found were trees, trees, trees, trees, and more trees. And a few bushes.
Seifer hated to admit it, but she was right. " Optimistic, aren't we?"
Quistis growled under her breath as she pushed away a huge leaf. They were going deeper and deeper into the forest and it was getting darker. But strangely, there was nothing, no animals, no monsters, not even crickets or owls.
They continued on in silence, Quistis hoping Seifer would just get a brain and accept the fact she was right and Seifer…Well, Seifer was Seifer.
Suddenly, he stopped abruptly, causing Quistis to almost bump into his broad back. " Quistis, look."
Sighing and muttering something about hopeless fools, she bent down to where Seifer was kneeling and looked at the brown thing in Seifer's hands. " What is that?"
Seifer brushed off the moss covering it, revealing something written on the piece of wood.
" It says…Damn, I can't read the other letters…'Ourt'," Seifer frowned, knowing that this didn't make sense at all.
Quistis raised a thin eyebrow. " Pardon? 'Ourt'? Is that supposed to mean anything?"
Seifer ignored the blond woman beside him. " If this is a sign then there's probably…" His face lit up.
" A town in the middle of a forest? Seifer, come on. We should probably just try catching fish or something." Quistis waved a hand and stood up. " I'm going back, Seifer Almasy, whether you like it or not."
Catch fish, He thought. No wonder she was so calm!
Seifer snorted. " Why didn't you go in the first place?"
" Because," Quistis said, " You don't have your gunblade. You might die—"
" Just say your worried 'bout me," Seifer said, still looking at the sign.
" Hyne!"
Quistis was about to march back to the clearing when something growled.
" God, Instructor! Don't growl at me like that." Seifer stood up. " You know—What in fucking hell is that?!"
The monster in front of Quistis roared. It looked exactly like a Ruby Dragon, only green and five times bigger.
Quistis wasted no time and snapped her whip. " Seifer, stand back!"
Seifer rolled his eyes and ran to Quistis' side. " Geez, Instructor! I have this thing called magic, ya know!" He wrinkled his nose at his last words, thinking he sounded like Raijin.
Quistis stepped forward and twirled her whip gracefully above her. Then she brought it down the dragon's head with a fierce crack.
Quistis gasped as the dragon just looked angrier. " It doesn't take damage from attacks!"
Seifer didn't answer. Instead, he cast Blizzaga on it. Shards of ice splattered everywhere.
But the beast just glared at them.
It was Seifer's turn to panic. " Magic too! What the fuck is this thing?!"
Suddenly, fire erupted, the guardian force Ifrit together with the flames.
Good thing Ifrit's compatible with Quisty, Seifer thought triumphantly. We'll toast that monster's ass in no time.
The fire cleared away.
The monster roared, already pissed off. It didn't take the damage.
" Uh oh." Was all Seifer could say.
" Run for it!" Quistis yelled, about to turn and escape.
" Good idea!"
The dragon charged towards Quistis, who jumped out of the way just before it squashed her against a nearby tree.
Suddenly, someone jumped in between them.
" Who the hell are you?" Seifer shouted.
" Someone about to save your asses," The girl replied.
Instructor and SeeD could only watch in wonder as she twirled her staff to her side, smirking at the beast. Who could smirk at a monster at a time like this?
It growled and charged at the girl, who just waited with her weapon ready. When the dragon was only about three feet away from the girl (" Who is totally insane," muttered Seifer.) , she lashed out her staff and hit the dragon on the head, hard.
Seifer ran to the girl's aid. " We already tried that! It didn't work! Get out of the—"
The monster roared in pain before it fell on the ground and disappeared.
" How the hell did you do that?"
Quistis walked towards them calmly. When she reached the gaping Seifer and the girl, she smiled. " Thank you for saving us."
The eighteen-year-old girl flipped her waist-length black hair and smirked. " No prob. At least you're polite, unlike this guy over here," She jerked her thumb at Seifer.
Seifer crossed his arms. " Who's not polite?"
" Please excuse him," Quistis said, throwing a death glare at her student, " He's really like that."
" Whatever. Answer my question. Who the hell are you?" Seifer asked again. " I mean…How many people you know go around wearing those?" He pointed at the girl's brown breeches and same brown loose shirt with an X-shaped string tied on the top. " You only get to see those in movies, you know."
Quistis was about to snap at Seifer when she studied the girl. She had to agree, she did look like an old-fashioned character from the movies.
Who is she? Is she stranded, just like us? She thought, delicate brows forming a frown.
The girl narrowed dark violet eyes at both of them. " I just saved your lives and you make fun of my clothing? How dare you!"
" Alright, alright," Seifer held his hands up in defense. " We're sorry, okay? Now what's your name?"
The girl sighed. " Fine. I'm Kay. And you?"
" I'm Quistis Trepe, this is Seifer Almasy," Quistis replied.
" Yeah, yeah." Seifer waved a lazy hand. " Where do you come from?"
" I come from the village here. Why?" Kay asked cautiously.
Quistis' blue eyes widened. " There's a village here?"
" Yes," Kay replied. " Are you lost?"
" Isn't it obvious?" Seifer asked sarcastically.
Kay grinned. " Oh yes." Then she turned to Quistis. It was as if she was studying the older girl.
Quistis frowned uncomfortably as Kay squinted at her. " Is there something wrong?"
" You look familiar. Have we met?" Kay asked.
" Oh no. I don't think so," Quistis said, still confused. " Why?"
" Nothing, you just look familiar," Kay said.
" I get it. You probably saw a boar on your way. Yeah, it looks exactly like her, don't you think?" Seifer asked innocently.
" How dare you!"
Kay laughed. " You're both really something. I'll show you to my village."
" Oh thank you," Quistis said, glaring at Seifer who was trying to keep a straight face.
The girl ran deeper into the forest where they both first saw the sign.
" Told you so," Seifer said to the fuming Quistis before he raced after Kay.
" Are we there yet?" Seifer groaned. " We've been walkin' around for hours."
" It's just been twenty minutes," Quistis said.
Kay just kept going, jumping over a fallen tree. " Almost."
Seifer followed suit while Quistis carefully stepped over it.
Then Kay stopped and turned around to face both of them. Then she pushed open a large brown door in front of her.
Quistis and Seifer both gasped.
" Welcome to Lenacourt, the village of the lost tribe."