In Who's Name? Chapter 3: Liberi Fatali, a final fantasy viii fanfic

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Characters and universe borrowed from Final Fantasy VIII.

Ha! England 1, Argentina 0. HURRAY! I just watched the entire match…did anyone notice that England had a nine-man defence?

Title: In Whose Name?

Part 3: Liberi Fatali

Cid Kramer, Headmaster of Balamb Garden, folded his hands.

Squall Leonhart, Commander of Balamb Garden, was silent.

Instructor Quistis Trepe of Balamb Garden waited patiently. She had played this game before, almost a year and a half ago, and she had won. Of course, no one in Garden knew about it, and if they did, she would be stripped of SeeD status, her licence and probably be slapped with a lifetime ban from all Gardens. In addition, she would probably bring down on several innocent heads the taint of suspicion.

"You know this means that you are to keep an eye on him at all times. Are you sure about this?" Cid broke the silence, looking dubiously at Quistis.

He was trying to make it seem like a reluctant decision. It would increase her burden and decrease the pressure on him. Quistis repressed a sigh. "Yes, sir," she answered firmly.

Cid nodded. "Is there anything else?" He looked from Quistis to Squall.

"I have informed his friends of his presence here and the circumstances that led to it, sir," replied Quistis. "He was staying with them previously. They are former members of Garden. I'm afraid it took a little while to trace their whereabouts; they all but vanished after the trial. They have expressed a wish to see him immediately."

Cid raised an eyebrow. "Here, at Garden?"

Quistis gestured. "I'm not sure, sir. I told them that I would call them back to inform them if he could make it, depending on the results of Dr. Kadowaki's examination. Dr. Kadowaki may still wish to retain him. His injuries are not fully healed."

Cid rubbed his chin. "Yes, well." He sighed. "All right. Quistis, Squall—I'll leave it in your hands. Good luck."

Outside the office, Quistis turned to Squall. "Thanks."

He shrugged. "You're welcome." It wasn't much, but it was a start.

She nodded. There didn't seem to be anything else to say. Quistis wanted to ask him why he had supported her, but decided not to. He would have refused to answer anyway, or given a short reply that wouldn't have been much of an answer, and she was learning wisdom. Besides, she already knew why he had supported her, although it would have been nice to hear him admit it. So she simply bade him farewell and set off in the direction of the infirmary.

Dr. Kadowaki was scribbling on a pad when Quistis entered the doctor's office. The doctor looked up when the young instructor entered.

"How is he?" asked Quistis politely.

"He needs a couple more days of rest. I can release him from supervision in the infirmary today, but he must see me for a daily examination. That is my condition for his leaving the infirmary. His head wound is healing well and he won't have a scar to add to the one he already has. The bruises and other minor scrapes are of no concern and his weight has gone up, which is good. He's a good deal thinner than he used to be."

Yes. She knew that.

Dr. Kadowaki consulted her notes again. "I haven't released him just yet—I still need to do a check on his reflexes, but there's something else you should know. I was not certain before, but now that he is better, you have to know about it. I take it that you are now in charge of him." Her face was impassive, but the look in her eyes was significant.

"Yes?"

Dr. Kadowaki took a deep breath. "That chest wound was self-inflicted. The weapon used was probably a very sharp and wide blade." The doctor looked meaningfully at Quistis. "It could very well have been a gunblade that caused the wound. The wound was deep, which was why he lost a lot of blood, but fortunately, it missed his vital organs. "

Hyperion. Dear Hyne, Hyperion.

Quistis' mind spun and seemed to splinter in different directions.

"I believe we should keep him for observation. A life is a life, and his intention in inflicting that wound on himself…" Dr. Kadowaki shook her head.

Quistis heard her voice babbling in horrified tones. It seemed to come…from very far away…"Self-inflicted? Doctor, are you sure?…Doctor, his friends are coming here to see him tomorrow…they will want to take him back…"

Dr. Kadowaki frowned. "If it were only temporary amnesia, I would agree, but the circumstances have changed. I will talk to the Headmaster about this." She patted Quistis on the shoulder. "Don't worry. Wait here while I finish with him. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes."

Quistis sat down, her mind racing haphazardly through everything Dr. Kadowaki had just said. Suicide and Seifer did not go hand in hand. Seifer had passion in him, a fire that could not be snuffed out so easily. Seifer challenged life and he did not do so by embracing death that way. To him, it would have been the wrong way to die. He would have wanted to go out in a blaze of glory, to die fighting, to die for a cause, and—not—by—his—own—hand. Yet he had apparently tried to kill himself. That in itself was peculiar enough to warrant much thought, but what puzzled Quistis was that the stab had missed all the vital organs. Seifer was an experienced fighter and a superb one. He could not have missed his heart if he had truly wanted to kill himself. Then—why? Unless, of course, he had entertained some notion of wanting to bleed heavily and painfully to death…

Quistis shoved away the thought. He had to stay. There had to be some way of making him want to stay alive. It was too much of a risk to let him go back to his old life, where the cause of his decision to commit suicide might be. On the other hand, Quistis mused, it could be that a combination of factors, including the Ultimecia Wars and his role in it, had led him down that path. He had to be kept alive. There had to be enough reason for him to stay alive, even if the day came when he regained his memories, including whatever it was that had driven him to plunge Hyperion into his chest.

Yet it was Hyperion that had saved his life, in the strangest of twists, if what Dr. Kadowaki had said was true.

"Gnah."

She looked up to see a cross-looking Seifer. She forced a quick smile and arched an eyebrow. "What happened?"

Seifer shrugged and shot a dark look at Dr. Kadowaki. "I keep telling her I'm fine, but she won't take off these bandages."

"You broke a rib and sustained a very deep cut," the doctor told him. "You're lucky the cut isn't infected. Now just do as I say and rest, unless you want to spend time arguing with me. You can always stay here longer if you really want to. No one's stopping you, you know." She waited for Seifer to scowl before smiling. "All right, Quistis, he can go now."

Quistis stood up abruptly. "Dr. Kadowaki, you spoke just now about having to talk to the Headmaster. Could I talk with you about it first?" She deliberately refrained from suggesting a time to meet; she did not want Seifer to know anything.

Dr. Kadowaki nodded, comprehension in her eyes. "All right, but make it quick."

Quistis turned to go, motioning to Seifer to follow her. "Come."

He looked surprised. "Eh?"

"Oh, sorry." Quistis turned back to him. "Dr. Kadowaki says that you can be released from the infirmary, provided you go to her for a daily check-up. I will take you to the cafeteria for lunch first, and then I will show you to your room. You must stay here for a few more weeks, at least until your injuries are healed and Dr. Kadowaki is satisfied."

Or until I can find a way. I will not allow you to die like that! Liberi fatali we may have been, but we have served our purpose for destiny and it is time to make our own. Besides, too many people have risked their lives for you to throw yours away just like that.