There are some that are born into class, and some who are born with class.
Quisitis Trepe was obviously included in the latter. There was always
something that set her apart from other girls, even those who weren't all
bottle blond hair and grossly exaggerated makeup. She had a certain way of
holding herself, a certain way of walking, of speaking which was all
Quistis and all feminine elegance. It drew men to her, becoming victims of
their baser needs.
Walking, almost gliding in her fluid way, Quistis placed the bouquet down on an empty spot at the table. In a move that surprised Irvine and Squall, she warmly embraced Irvine.
"Welcome back." She whispered softly, only loud enough to be heard by this receiver of this uncharacteristic gesture.
Momentarily stunned, Irvine returned the embrace and stood up to offer Quistis his seat. She gave him a grateful smile, and pleased with her show of gratitude, he went to fetch another chair for himself.
In yet another moment of uncharacteristic behaviour, inspired by Quistis, Squall felt the need to blurt, and blurted out for the first time in a long time. "How come I don't get a hug?"
Bemused, Quistis cocked her head to one side, and addressed Squall. "Well, I know that you'll always come back alive. And you'd never offer me your chair."
He clucked softly. "I don't know if I should take that as a complement or an insult." Quistis smiled and reached over to gently squeeze Squall's hand. At this point, Irvine had brought another chair to the table and noticed that Squall returned this reassuring gesture. "It seems like our fearless, emotionless leader may have fallen under our resident enchantress' spell as well." Irvine thought silently reflecting on the scene before him. "Badinage was hardly Squall's strong point."
Sitting down, Irvine faced Squall. His demeanor had changed completely at this point since now, they needed to talk about business. "I should tell Zell and Selphie this at the same time," he began, "but I think we need to take action first before the news is broken to them, especially to Zell." He paused and reached for his drink, but was stopped by Quistis' slender hand.
"Don't."
Irvine was a little confused at this exchange. Although they may have been barely of drinking age, not a single one of his closest friends could not hold their liquor. He had obviously missed something interesting in the time that he had spent away.
Sighing, and drinkless, Squall continued. "SeeD has never meant to become so large as to become a syndicate. But apparently, our reputation precedes us, and it looks like the Galbadians have decided to test us. It's looking like a gang war right now, and the gauntlet has definitely been thrown down."
"What do you mean?" Quistis inquired.
"Seifer was out collecting some of our larger debts yesterday." Upon hearing this, Irvine recalled how persuasive the man was, he apparently feared nothing, not even cutting open an enemy to draw out their entrails while keeping them alive the whole time. He shuddered unconsciously at the memory. "Killing was pretty much a job requirement, but there's no real need to be messy about it." Irvine thought.
Unaware of the mental imagery swirling through Irvine's mind, Squall did not pause. "One of our debtors had gone to the Galbadians. He was ambushed."
Quistis gasped softly, and Irvine narrowed his eyes upon hearing this. "Is he alive?" they asked, simultaneously.
"Remarkably, yes. Dumb luck I suppose. He always refuses to bring others with him unless it's absolutely necessary. It was a small welcome party, about ten younger kids, and a few more that were older and knew what they were doing."
It was hardly luck that he managed to escape with his life. Seifer Almasy of the inner SeeDs was truly a force to be reckoned with. Like his greatest rival Squall, he was also an expert gunblade user and his skills had established him as a highly successful member of the underworld.
"Where is he now? How badly hurt is he?" concern and worry obvious in Quistis' voice.
"He's at Fujin's apartment right now. But we should probably move him soon. He was cut up pretty badly and has a few broken ribs, it's nothing to worry about."
Irvine let out a sigh of relief. "Phew, Seifer still has to replace a very expensive bottle of Don Perignon that he thoughtfully stole from me." He paused for a moment, trying to let the reality of one of his closest friends almost becoming a casualty of their profession sink in. "So Squall, I suppose you want Quistis and I to go stir up a little trouble then?"
He nodded. "That would be the idea. Nothing to big or fancy, just a quick 'hello' gesture."
"Consider it done then. We'll do the mission outlines tomorrow morning at the usual place." Quistis cut in, replying for both her and Irvine. "And now, gentlemen, if you'll excuse me, I suppose I should pay our injured but not fallen compatriot a little visit." She rose, and picked up her bouquet.
As she turned towards the dressing room, Irvine called after her. "Quistis, next time I'll be the one bringing you flowers."
"Don't bother. Spend your gil on something more useful. Like a new hat." She laughed.
Irvine put a hand on his Stetson. The "cowboy" look had come and gone, and came and gone again, but there was nothing wrong with appreciating a good Stetson.
"Hey Squall, do you like my hat?"
AN - total OOCness.. but I think I have to kind of mold the characters to fit with the story. Sorry! : ) This Irvine isn't sauve at all, apparently he's a dork.. hehe ! Many apolly-loggies for the skimpiness of this chapter, as it's just a setting of the stage, or "putting the pawns in motion". Thanks to all of you great authors out there that just keep on drawing me back to this site.
A special thanks to gietzeng, for his lovely complements. (:
And.. there'll be action, soon ! So stay tuned, same bat time, same bat channel ! (Merry Christmas too !)
Walking, almost gliding in her fluid way, Quistis placed the bouquet down on an empty spot at the table. In a move that surprised Irvine and Squall, she warmly embraced Irvine.
"Welcome back." She whispered softly, only loud enough to be heard by this receiver of this uncharacteristic gesture.
Momentarily stunned, Irvine returned the embrace and stood up to offer Quistis his seat. She gave him a grateful smile, and pleased with her show of gratitude, he went to fetch another chair for himself.
In yet another moment of uncharacteristic behaviour, inspired by Quistis, Squall felt the need to blurt, and blurted out for the first time in a long time. "How come I don't get a hug?"
Bemused, Quistis cocked her head to one side, and addressed Squall. "Well, I know that you'll always come back alive. And you'd never offer me your chair."
He clucked softly. "I don't know if I should take that as a complement or an insult." Quistis smiled and reached over to gently squeeze Squall's hand. At this point, Irvine had brought another chair to the table and noticed that Squall returned this reassuring gesture. "It seems like our fearless, emotionless leader may have fallen under our resident enchantress' spell as well." Irvine thought silently reflecting on the scene before him. "Badinage was hardly Squall's strong point."
Sitting down, Irvine faced Squall. His demeanor had changed completely at this point since now, they needed to talk about business. "I should tell Zell and Selphie this at the same time," he began, "but I think we need to take action first before the news is broken to them, especially to Zell." He paused and reached for his drink, but was stopped by Quistis' slender hand.
"Don't."
Irvine was a little confused at this exchange. Although they may have been barely of drinking age, not a single one of his closest friends could not hold their liquor. He had obviously missed something interesting in the time that he had spent away.
Sighing, and drinkless, Squall continued. "SeeD has never meant to become so large as to become a syndicate. But apparently, our reputation precedes us, and it looks like the Galbadians have decided to test us. It's looking like a gang war right now, and the gauntlet has definitely been thrown down."
"What do you mean?" Quistis inquired.
"Seifer was out collecting some of our larger debts yesterday." Upon hearing this, Irvine recalled how persuasive the man was, he apparently feared nothing, not even cutting open an enemy to draw out their entrails while keeping them alive the whole time. He shuddered unconsciously at the memory. "Killing was pretty much a job requirement, but there's no real need to be messy about it." Irvine thought.
Unaware of the mental imagery swirling through Irvine's mind, Squall did not pause. "One of our debtors had gone to the Galbadians. He was ambushed."
Quistis gasped softly, and Irvine narrowed his eyes upon hearing this. "Is he alive?" they asked, simultaneously.
"Remarkably, yes. Dumb luck I suppose. He always refuses to bring others with him unless it's absolutely necessary. It was a small welcome party, about ten younger kids, and a few more that were older and knew what they were doing."
It was hardly luck that he managed to escape with his life. Seifer Almasy of the inner SeeDs was truly a force to be reckoned with. Like his greatest rival Squall, he was also an expert gunblade user and his skills had established him as a highly successful member of the underworld.
"Where is he now? How badly hurt is he?" concern and worry obvious in Quistis' voice.
"He's at Fujin's apartment right now. But we should probably move him soon. He was cut up pretty badly and has a few broken ribs, it's nothing to worry about."
Irvine let out a sigh of relief. "Phew, Seifer still has to replace a very expensive bottle of Don Perignon that he thoughtfully stole from me." He paused for a moment, trying to let the reality of one of his closest friends almost becoming a casualty of their profession sink in. "So Squall, I suppose you want Quistis and I to go stir up a little trouble then?"
He nodded. "That would be the idea. Nothing to big or fancy, just a quick 'hello' gesture."
"Consider it done then. We'll do the mission outlines tomorrow morning at the usual place." Quistis cut in, replying for both her and Irvine. "And now, gentlemen, if you'll excuse me, I suppose I should pay our injured but not fallen compatriot a little visit." She rose, and picked up her bouquet.
As she turned towards the dressing room, Irvine called after her. "Quistis, next time I'll be the one bringing you flowers."
"Don't bother. Spend your gil on something more useful. Like a new hat." She laughed.
Irvine put a hand on his Stetson. The "cowboy" look had come and gone, and came and gone again, but there was nothing wrong with appreciating a good Stetson.
"Hey Squall, do you like my hat?"
AN - total OOCness.. but I think I have to kind of mold the characters to fit with the story. Sorry! : ) This Irvine isn't sauve at all, apparently he's a dork.. hehe ! Many apolly-loggies for the skimpiness of this chapter, as it's just a setting of the stage, or "putting the pawns in motion". Thanks to all of you great authors out there that just keep on drawing me back to this site.
A special thanks to gietzeng, for his lovely complements. (:
And.. there'll be action, soon ! So stay tuned, same bat time, same bat channel ! (Merry Christmas too !)