Chapter 12 – Adventures at Balamb Beach
(A.k.a. How I wish I had been more careful)
Author's Notes: I just realised that I had numbered the previous chapters wrongly… damn it. I'll change the rest only when I've finished the whole fic…
Okay, if you've read Return to Me, Zell would have mentioned about the Adventures at Balamb Beach in one of the first few chapters (I think titled Back on Track). Here is Seifer's version… which like he said would be more interesting (Wriggles eyebrows suggestively.)
--------S--------
Hmm… How exactly did I make the grade? I'm not really clear about that myself.
But I later found out that even before the announcements were out, the gang had rounded up a petition and presented it to the Headmaster, demanding that I had to be made a SeeD. The incredible thing was that they actually managed to get one hundred and fifty signatures! A hundred and fifty? And all along I thought that the people in the Garden hated me… except for a select few.
It was rather hard for the Headmaster to refuse, though. The newspapers were splashed with my face and headlines screaming, "Future SeeD saves girl from blast." Imagine what would happen if I wasn't made a SeeD, with all that publicity. There would be a huge uproar over the Balamb Garden Community, as well as the Galbadian region if I didn't make it.
A thing that disturbs me, and quite a disturbance it was too… was how easily the people forget. Have they really forgotten? Or is this a false peacefulness that covers over an impending disaster, like the deadly calm that enshrouds the surroundings before a huge storm?
No matter what the answer… I cannot forget it myself. I will not allow myself to.
My reputation among those who liked to criticise me sort of worsened, actually, for they started saying that I only saved the child with the aim of passing the SeeD exam. It seems that nothing I do could ever please all of them… Which wasn't my intention anyway.
I hadn't really thought about being a hero. I only reacted on reflex. Maybe I didn't want to see such a small child die, only because some errant youngsters were too careless. Maybe she reminded me of Quisty… I don't know…
And so I finally I made it as SeeD… in just one month after my readmission. That was some sort of record, I guess. I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself. I could see that Quisty was too, from the megawatt grin she beamed at all when the Headmaster came up to present the certificate of Graduation to me.
"Psst… Psst… I'm glad that the gunblade area isn't monopolised by Squall any longer, with you around!" whispered Headmaster Cramer. I never got the reason behind his perpetual whispering.
All the members of my squad got in too: Water Lily, Nobu and Doug. I think we had an awfully easy exam compared to past cohorts, as we hardly did any combat at all. It was such a shoo-in! Some of the disgruntled SeeDs had said.
Well, I was damn glad, shoo-in or not, cos I wouldn't have to feel bad that they didn't pass, when a rule-breaker (and something else…) such as myself did. I could understand more than anyone else how it felt to be left behind.
Now it was my turn to beam, for Quisty was presented with her freshly renewed Instructor License. It looked pretty much like a platinum credit card with the SeeD logo and a picture on the upper-right corner. In fact, I'll bet that she could easily get a discount in some of the stores in Balamb (and maybe even Esthar, what with the President's 'connections' with SeeD) if she were to flash it there… but that's only a wild guess… and she sure as hell wouldn't use it in that way, being the morally upright Instructor that she was.
On the very same night of the inauguration ceremony, they held one of the grandest balls in SeeD/Garden history. You see, it was a combination of the SeeD inauguration ball, as well as Squall and Rinoa's engagement party.
I think you would have read from Quisty how it went… and I'm too damn embarrassed to talk about it. I thought such things should have been kept to ourselves! But she's brave enough to make it public, and I admire her for it.
One thing I'll say though, was that I hadn't planned on confessing my feelings towards her that very night. I had wanted to wait until the storm passes over then break her in slowly.
Storm? Of course there'd be a storm. I had said that I've noticed the torch she held for Squall, didn't I? This being his and another girl's engagement, how could Quisty not feel all tossed about like a stray leaf in the wind?
But when I saw her going out to the balcony alone… my mind stopped functioning completely, and impulse took over.
I'm glad I listened to it.
They say fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
She said I was a fool for vowing to wait for her until she turns to me.
But I say, let me be a fool then, cos I'll be a happy fool.
If Hyne were to strike me dead this moment, I'd go with a smile on my lips. Hey Hyne, a hypothetical statement, don't take it seriously, eh?
I've got so much going on for me… what did I ever do to deserve this stroke of good luck?
It must be the grace of Hyne protecting me, because I've accepted and handed out the gift of love.
Yuck… excuse me if I sound like a poetry-spouting Casanova… I can't help it… even as I disgust myself with the words.
I meant every word of it, to the bottom of my heart.
Maybe I'd been too contented with the peaceful state I was in… too smug that my friends accepted me the way I was.
I started falling back to my old ways.
Where the insults cut like a knife, blind to the changing dispositions of the intended recipient.
And the repercussions hit right back me, literally.
"Stop it, Zell!" Rinoa screamed as Squall and Irvine tried to hold him back.
I felt light-headed, after having met his fist straight-on with my nose. Blood started dripping from it, staining my greyish-white coat.
Damn it's gonna be hard to get rid of the red…I thought to myself in annoyance, totally missing the main point.
Quisty grabbed a napkin and tried to stem the steady flow.
He must have been really pissed. I muttered to myself, and gawked stupidly at him… while still sitting like a big fat stalagmite on the floor.
"S...sorry." He actually apologised? I thought I should be the one to do that, cos I was the one who started it.
But before I can open my mouth, he ran away from us, while Yuri chased after him in great hurry.
The rest didn't know what to do. Suddenly, everyone had lost their appetites.
"C'mon, I'll take you to the infirmary." Quisty grabbed my hand and started dragging me towards the place.
"But I'm fine!" I started to protest, but wisely shut up when I saw her reddened face.
She was either going to cry any minute now, or she'll blow up like an atomic bomb.
I sure wasn't going to start any of it…
--------S--------
There was a big hoo-ha when word got around that Zell had practised his punching on me. Now don't be going around thinking that I was the culprit. I was too ashamed of myself to utter a peep on it, but those busybodies who witnessed it kept yakking non-stop! How I wished I could gag them up and throw all of them off the Balamb Harbour!
I kept telling them time and again that it was my fault, but did they listen? No!
The disciplinary committee, which was now made up of Brutus, that Conceited SeeD with a crush on Yuri, Yakuza, some unknown new upstart who acts as if his father owns the Garden, and Linda. Linda was one of those Trepies. I think each of them had a grudge against either Zell or myself, and they deliberately gave a hard penalty so that we would feel guilty about a few stupid punches. I really don't see the point in restricting his missions for a month! What kind of disciplinary committee was this, to hand out punishments based on their personal preferences? I remember that when I was in the DC, I was always impartial to all! Hey… what are you sniggerin' at?
The strangest thing was, Zell had accepted it without a second word.
"Something's dreadfully wrong with Zell!" I told Quisty as I watched him shut the door to his room. Lately, all he ever does was stay in his room or go training by himself in the Training Centre. (Yet breaking another rule….) He was just like a robot with only two programmed destinations!
"That's such a gross understatement!" Quisty replied with a heavy sigh.
"But he refuses to even see us… he's avoiding us like plague! How can we help
him like this, then?"
"I'll find a way!" I declared,
hell-bent on setting things right.
I wasn't going to let him flounder in despair; whatever's causing it.
He was one of the first to include me in, even going with me on those field-training trips whenever I asked… even though I had constantly bullied him from the time we were kids until my final days in Balamb Garden before I got kicked out.
And now, I continue to bully him by calling him by that dreaded nickname, "Chicken-wuss"… make that "Daydreaming Chicken-wuss"! I shouldn't have taken the liberty he gave me for granted.
"Enough is enough!" I yelled out of the blue.
Quisty jumped at my raucous voice.
"What?!" She gasped, putting up a hand to calm her heart.
"I have to take action instead of sitting around all day!" I stared into her eyes, which were wide with amazement, and stormed off towards the Headmaster's office.
--------S--------
"Headmaster, Sir! I have a request to make!" I went straight to the point after dispensing with the salute.
"Is this regarding the lifting of Zell Dintch's restriction?"
"Sir, you're so incredibly perceptive! That is indeed my humble request!"
"Oh, it's not the way you think it is. Some others… three in fact, have come up to me and asked for the same thing. But he did not come to discuss it with me himself… so there's really nothing I can do about it."
"Why don't you let me handle this, Sir? By the end of the day, I'm sure that he'd be back to his old self… or at least regain his functionality as a SeeD."
"Alright. I'll leave it in your hands. I expect a report from you tomorrow morning, regardless of the success or failure of your attempt."
"Yes, Sir!"
"Dismissed!"
Oh, he may have looked stern, but I
knew he cared for us like a father would.
Now, how do I go about changing Zell's mind? I have to think of a plan. Maybe I should fish around for ideas. Speaking of ideas… I can think of at least one person with loads of 'em…
--------S--------
I stretched out fully on the canvas, enjoying the soothing breeze and deliciously warm rays of the sun on my bare skin.
I was slowly drifting off to meet the dream-weaver when I suddenly realised that Quisty was talking to me.
I thought that she went out into the sea with Zell and Yuri while I decided to laze like a log here on the sand? How long had she been lying beside me? I must have gotten too comfortable.
"Seifer! Are you listening to a word that I'm saying?"
She's in Instructor mode again…I thought with a snigger.
"What's so funny?" She demanded to be let in on the joke… but I wouldn't say a single word if I valued my life.
"I'm just marvelling at how good you look in that little bikini of yours." I leered at her and pretended to wipe at some imaginary saliva dripping off the side of my mouth.
"You're disgusting, Seifer! As I was saying a second ago, Zell looks like he's enjoying himself. This might be a big step towards his recovery!"
"Yeah, all thanks to yours truly." I replied with a satisfied grin.
"How can you hog all the credit? Sefie was the one who suggested the beach!" She propped herself up on one elbow to look at me.
"I was the one who came up with the idea of pulling him outdoors so that he doesn't have mould growing on him from all that holing up! I think that deserves a big reward!" I frowned like a tantrum-throwing kid.
"So what do you want then? A lollipop? Or the newest toy in town? I can even throw in the new PS2 console you've been wanting for so long!"
"I want YOU!" I snarled and pounced on a giggling and protesting Quisty.
"Stop kidding around!"
"Who sayz I'm kiddin'?"
--------S--------
I think I shouldn't give you all the details, but suffice to say when we emerged from our "hideaway" of some sort, all flushed and happy… the gang stood staring at us while Sefie pointed out at Quisty and collapsed into a fit of giggles without so much as coming up for a change of breath.
"Seifer, my man… you like to leave your mark on you girl, don't you?" Irvine grinned at me knowingly.
Totally missing what he was hinting at, I glanced at Quisty, only to spot to my immense horror, a glaringly visible red mark on her… erm… the area below her collarbone. Now why hadn't I noticed it before?
"Ah…hah… lot's of mosquitoes here!" I clapped my hands in the air to squash an imaginary bug.
"Yeah~~~ Right!" Zell said with a Cheshire Cat-like face.
"What are you guys talking about?" Quisty was still totally in a fog that she was the subject of our exchanges.
"Mm….hmmp… Quisty… look down… your… HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Rinoa finally burst out in great peals of laughter, unable to hold it in any longer.
She looked down, and her face changed colours with alarming regularity, from red to white to red again… and finally shot a look that screamed "BLOODY MURDER" at me.
"Eh… guys… hadn't we better pack up soon? Looks like it's going to rain soon." I tried to plan a path of escape for myself, silently pleading with them to help.
"Oh, Squall and I gotta go pay our respects on my mother's grave." Rinoa dragged a dumbfounded Squall along with her towards the direction of Balamb town… evidently I won't be getting any help from them.
"Irvy and I are going back to Trabia Garden to visit our friends!" That was Sefie attempting to ditch the sinking ship.
"We are…? Oww… my ear!"
"Oh, I've to talk to Headmaster Kramer about resuming my missions… I can hardly wait." Zell gave a sly grin.
"I'll accompany you!" Yuri volunteered enthusiastically.
"Thanks, my love! Let's go!" They took off with the only car left, the other having been taken by Sefie and Irvine…
Traitors… all of them! I thought in annoyance, which was quickly replaced by an urgent need to run.
"Let's go back. Then I'll find a way to deal with you." Quisty said in a tight voice.
Oh Boy… I could really use a bit of distraction now.
********Q*******
I hadn't been as furious as I acted… towards Seifer, that is. I just wanted to let him have a taste of what it would be like if I were to be angry at him. This would come in handy for future emergencies, say, when I need his credit card to buy some clothes, or want him to accompany me to shopping trips. Blackmail? I hardly thought so… it was a perfectly legitimate way to get back at him. For what? For giving me one of the most embarrassing moments in my entire life! No thank y9ou! I would have to teach him a lesson to ensure that there wouldn't be a remote possibility of such a thing happening again!
What did I do? Give him the cold shoulder? NO. That would have been too easy for him. And it was also the oldest trick in the book which I'd rather not use until I was desperate.
Quite simply, but as effective as any other method, I started punishing him in little ways… like adding too much sugar in his beverage when I know that he dislikes sweet stuff; buying a salad for his lunch instead of the usual meaty stuff, filling his room with a sickly-sweet smelling artificial air freshener…
Before long, he came begging for mercy.
"Quisty… I know I was at fault… so please stop?"
"Stop what? I don't recall having done anything to you? Are you insinuating that I'm a petty woman?"
"No…no… darling! I didn't mean it that way at all. But please forgive me, I'll do anything you ask of me from now on!"
"Anything…?" I asked with a raised eyebrow and questioning look.
"Yes, whatever strikes your fancy! Even if it means getting an ice-cream from Esthar in the middle of the night!"
"Alright. Consider yourself forgiven. But don't forget what you promised me."
"Yeah! My baby!" he came up to me, eager as a puppy for a hug. But I simply walked away with a smug look on my face.
End of Round One of One. I win.
Outcome of the bet between Seifer and Water Lily……
Water Lily approaches Zell when Yuri went to freshen up in the little girl's room.
WL: Zell Zell
Z: Who you?
WL (Murderous look): Never mind.
Z: W'ussup?
WL: How many hotdogs did you eat, or plan to eat tonight?
Z: Four… ain't got an appetite.
WL: YES! I WIN! Thank you thank you thank you! (Gives him a peck on the cheek.)
Z: Yuck.
Water Lily goes looking for Seifer to "collect" her winnings, but he has disappeared, in search of Quisty.
WL: Well, at least I gained a kiss… happy!
Author's Notes: Yes. I know what Yakuza stands for (For your information, it is the Japanese equivalent of the Mafia)… thank you very much if you're thinking of educating me on the inappropriate use of Japanese words. And please read and review, although it hardly needs to be said every time… but like the nag and bore that typifies me, I have to repeat myself ad nauseam.