Chapter 6 – The New Assignment?!
WL: God! Help me! My arm is starting to resemble one of those Caterchipillars, a red one!!!
Celestine: Amputate it then.
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Cafeteria? At twelve-thirty noon? What is she trying to do? I hardly think that there was anything to be learnt at the Cafeteria? Was there?
Maybe she wanted me to get used to being scrutinised by assorted SeeDs and cadets? That really wasn't necessary… I've had my fill of those in the short period of time I returned… which was less than two days ago in case you've lost count.
Of course, I kept telling myself to ignore them… but it's really hard when every move you make elicits a comment, a snigger, or an ill-concealed whisper.
It really takes a toll on my patience… I feel like shouting at them to mind their own business.
But doing that would only erode my determination to be good, and prove to those who believed in me that they weren't wrong in their judgement.
Okay, so I've reached the cafeteria entrance, EARLY like she wants me to be. Strange, it appears that I'm following her every instruction as if it were the imperial decree, she being the Empress Dowager and I the Military General receiving it.
I can see her approaching from afar, a pleasant smile lighting up her face as she realises that I had reached there even earlier than her.
"What a pleasant surprise, Seifer! You have taken my words to heart. Now, shall we?" She gestures towards the cafeteria entrance.
A whiff of fruity scent wafted from her hair into my nose. Not bad. Not bad at all.
I stepped in and looked around with apprehension. Sure enough, stares came from the people queuing up for food, eating at the table. Man, a guy needs a lot of courage to face this alone. But I suppose it would be easier for my life here if I were to get used to it.
She's right, as usual.
"What are you standing around, gawking at people for? Our table is over there!" Quistis came up and took my arm, leading me towards a table where a couple of familiar faces were seated.
I looked at her hand touching my arm. The touch was warm; the grasp wasn't hard at all. In fact, it felt just like that of a friend grabbing another's arm.
I COULD get used to this… I said to myself with a smile.
And I decided that I liked the way she said "our table".
"Hey, Quisty! Come on over! We've got your lunch ready for you! And… for you as well, Seifer." Selphie Tilmitt waves to her, then managed to squeeze out a small smile for my benefit.
Though it was a little stiff, it didn't look like she was faking it.
"Hi…" I lifted my eyes a little, looking tentatively at those seated around, expecting at least one unwelcome face.
Instead, all of them looked normal. Alright, maybe they were a little tensed up, which I sure as hell wouldn't blame them for it. But overall… it was cool.
And I owe it all to Quistis, for she kept involving me in the conversation, filling me in on the things I had missed out. I think she might have told them beforehand that I was joining them too. Otherwise, how come none of them were surprised? And did my lunch magically appear out of nowhere too?
She was like a bridge between them and me… a light in the tunnel of sheer darkness.
For that, I will always think of her in gratitude.
And the only thing that I can do to repay the debt is to pass my SeeD exam with flying colours.
So that she could get back her Instructor's license. She deserves it more than anyone else.
"Hey, Seifer. Is your lunch so interesting that you have to look so intensely at it?" Irvine Kinneas… I mean Irvine's voice suddenly boomed in my ear.
"Yeah… I can finish your hotdog for you if you don't want it." Ch… Zell jested. Wait… maybe he was serious.
"No thanks. I love my lunch enough to eat it, Ch… I mean Di… I mean Zell."
Damn, when can I get used to calling them by their first names?
"Hahaha… hey, you needn't worry about not getting used to our names. You
can call me 'Chicken-wuss' occasionally, provided you don't do it too often."
"Huh? I'd better not." I looked at
him right in the eye, surprised at his words.
"Why not? You scared that your tutor might think less favourably of you?" He teased with a mischievous grin, and turned to Quistis. "Would you, Quisty?"
"Don't worry, Seifer. I have no problems with that. Since he's already allowed it himself." Quistis chipped in with a loud laugh.
"Okay, but I still have to get used to your name. Can't possibly call you Chicken-wuss all the time, can I?"
"You just did! Don't sweat it. You'll lose all your hair!"
"Let's eat, before the lunch gets cold." Guess who that was… the perpetually silent Squall! Who would have thought…
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Boy was I glad that we didn't get off on a wrong foot. I was honestly rather dreadful of the thought that I would have to spend my days in the Garden doing everything on my own.
But they accepted me like one of their own, even after what I've done to them.
They ain't the top SeeDs of the Garden for nothing.
Maybe they had decided to give me a chance cos we used to live in the same orphanage?
Yeah… it's gradually coming back to me now… those innocent years when our days were free of pain. Not really…. But we were too young to understand what that was anyway.
Quistis had told me about the memory loss side effects of junctioning GFs. It was a piece of startling news to me.
I should probably keep a journal then, so that I could still have some record of my past if I were to look back from the future, but I'm not really a journal-writing kind of guy.
Of course, it wouldn't affect me too badly, since I have super memory powers. *Smirk*
Oh, it's all returning. A smirk here, an odd snicker there…
I guess I had better watch myself, but old habits die hard.