In Who's Name? Chapter 4: The Domino Effect, a final fantasy viii fanfic

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Characters and universe borrowed from Final Fantasy VIII. Not owned by Gold.

World Cup 2002 will forevermore be known as the Tournament of the Underdogs. I mean, Senegal won against France, the United States shamed Portugal, South Korea sent two past Poland, England scored against Argentina, and Croatia was victorious over Italy…*shakes head sagely* True, Germany drubbed Saudi Arabia, Brazil thumped China, and so on, but on the whole, truly an unexpectedly good outing for the underdogs this World Cup.

Enjoy the following chapter, everyone! J

Title: In Whose Name?

Part 4: The Domino Effect

"What the—" hissed Zell Dincht, purple with rage as two tall figures appeared. "Setting him free was one thing, but letting him back in here is ANOTHER!"

Quistis spotted trouble from where she was standing and gritted her teeth. The route from the infirmary to the cafeteria had been littered with incidents. She had already sent four students to detention, barked out warnings to another six students, and threatened all of them with dire (unspecified) consequences if they failed to attain a 90% on a certain quiz she was going to set them, about the trial of Seifer Almasy. Whoever coined the proverb 'The course of true love never did run smooth' obviously hadn't tried to escort Seifer Almasy anywhere before. She'd bet her Save The Queen that of the two, the path of true love was infinitely smoother. Well, she could send Zell to detention, but—been there, done that, she thought. Besides, detention class would get almighty crowded if she continued in this strain. More creative measures were necessary to persuade the ignorant public over to the desired point of view.

She coolly laid her free hand on her whip and casually pulled it from its position at her waist, flicking it slightly in the process.

A mug of hot coffee shattered a distance away.

Irvine Kinneas blinked. "Quisty's not in a good mood. Zell, shut up and eat those hotdogs." He reached out to push his friend's face into a plate of hotdogs.

Zell ducked the hand, still scowling. "If he sits at this table, I'm gonna leave."

Irvine promptly assumed a prayerful aspect, hands clasped, face uplifted and all. "Dear Hyne, please make sure that Seifer Almasy gets to sit at this table—OW! OW!"

Selphie Tilmitt, who was sitting next to Irvine, had given him a sharp elbow in the ribs. Zell had kicked Irvine at the same time. Opposite them, Rinoa Heartlilly burst into merry laughter and Squall Leonhart's lips moved approximately one millimetre outwards on either end.

Irvine, who was nursing his sore ribs and leg, peered at Squall. "Ya think he's smiling?" he asked of Zell and Selphie. "Did he actually move?"

A shadow fell across the table.

Blue-gray eyes looked up through brown bangs.

Green eyes looked down from under straight blond brows.

Blue-gray met green.

An invisible line stretched between them, humming.

The tension in the air grew and crackled.

Any moment, it would explode.

Blood would spill.

"Let us all bow our heads and pray."

Irvine's sepulchral tones sliced into the deadly silence that had fallen over the cafeteria.

Selphie, Rinoa and Quistis promptly burst out laughing. Selphie snorted into Irvine's shoulder and Rinoa hunched over her plate, all but howling with mirth. Quistis' smile nearly blinded Seifer, who stared at her, his mouth dropping open slightly. He'd thought she was gorgeous, but amazingly, she was even more beautiful than he had ever seen her. If only he could capture a picture of her just like that, laughing openly with that sweet softness in her face!

Meanwhile, the laughter broke the tension and the cafeteria burst into a frenzy of noise.

With an embarrassed start, Seifer took a seat next to Squall Leonhart, facing Zell Dincht, who froze and looked like he was going to do...something.

"Seifer has amnesia," said Quistis as she sat next to Zell, effectively stalling any moves on the latter's part.

"I can see that," huffed Zell crossly.

Seifer rolled his eyes. "Gee, and you can see all the other 'flu symptoms I'm having too."

Zell glared at him. "He's not even here two seconds and he's already having a death wish."

If Quistis turned paler than usual, nobody seemed to notice.

"You couldn't lay a hand on me if you wanted to, Chicken Wuss," Seifer returned cheerfully and absently as he started on the contents of his tray.

Zell turned to Quistis, his eyes glittering dangerously. "I thought you said he had amnesia."

"He does. His mouth just moves faster than his brain sometimes," Quistis shook her head. "He believed me when I told him that his name was Squall Leonhart."

Squall visibly choked on whatever he was chewing. Quistis' report hadn't said anything about that. Rinoa, who was barely hiding a smile, patted him vigorously on the back while Seifer watched with immense interest and an air that could almost be termed curiosity hanging about him. Zell took one look at the scarlet-faced Squall and a very slow, unwilling smile curved his lips.

"I believe you," he said. "His memory's returning, then?" He shot another none-too-happy glance at Seifer, who caught it.

"I hope so," said Seifer calmly. He reached forward and speared a hotdog from Zell's plate with Squall's fork.

"Seifer, don't—!" Quistis' cry of warning came a little too late.

Zell lunged across the table and caught a fistful of Seifer's vest. Seifer's elbow jabbed Squall in the eye and the fork flew from him to land hard at the edge of Selphie's plate. Her plate overturned and the contents scattered themselves liberally over Irvine, who squawked loudly. The force of Seifer's accidental elbow blow tipped Squall on to Rinoa, who fell back, shrieking. Desperate to save himself and Rinoa, Squall grabbed blindly for a hold and latched on to Seifer, pulling all three of them off the bench, Zell tumbling after.

Quistis, who had frozen in sheer horror, now came to life with a jerk. She hauled Zell off Seifer and sat him down so firmly that he lost his breath. Then she carefully assisted Seifer up, mindful of his injuries. Next she helped Rinoa and Squall up.

"What is all this?"

Cid Kramer, Balamb Garden's Headmaster, stood a few tables away, staring in amazement. His eyes landed on the only unscathed member of the entire group. "Quistis, would you like to explain?"

Quistis swallowed hard and thought quickly. "Ah—we had a little accident."

Cid arched an eyebrow. "Continue." He folded his arms.

"Ah—Zell wanted an extra hotdog and reached over to Rinoa's plate. She said he could have hers. But Zell overbalanced—I accidentally kicked him under the table while stretching out my legs—and he fell in Seifer's direction. Naturally, Seifer wasn't expecting it, sir, and he tried to avoid Zell but elbowed Commander Leonhart accidentally in the eye." Quistis paused for breath.

Cid tried to look stern. "And then?"

"Well, uh, the Commander's fork accidentally flew and landed on Selphie's plate, upsetting it all over Irvine. And, uh, Seifer's blow was rather forceful and the Commander fell back and on to Rinoa, and he and Rinoa fell. Oh, and the Commander tried to catch hold of the table to stop himself from falling on Rinoa, but he accidentally caught hold of Seifer instead, hence Seifer tumbled, and Zell too," finished Quistis. Her blue eyes were very wide and sincere. "It happened faster than we could react, sir, rather like the domino effect."

Cid turned over Quistis' explanation in his mind. It seemed quite watertight. He was quite sure that most of it was truthful, but not all of it. Well, it appeared that no harm had been done…

He cleared his throat, frowning. "Well, it seems that no harm is done. I need not remind you that this is behaviour unseemly of a SeeD, but I will overlook it this time, since it is clearly an accident. Get someone to clean this mess up and make sure it doesn't happen again. Oh, and Quistis?"

"Yes, sir?"

"That was a very fine explanation. I expect the real culprits behind this to give you a treat." With a smile, he walked off.

Seifer spoke up as soon as Cid was out of hearing. "Zell, you owe her a treat."

Zell glared at him. "You started it by stealing my hotdog! You owe Quistis a treat!"

"Almasy, Zell, shut up." Squall's tones were crisp and annoyed. "You heard the Headmaster. You each owe Quistis a treat."

"And I'm collecting," added Quistis severely. "I believe I should also be entitled to select the form of the treat."

"Hey," began Seifer, but Quistis barrelled on.

"What you consider a treat certainly wouldn't be my idea of one. Zell, you'll be extremely courteous and helpful to Seifer for a month. Seifer, you'll be courteous and helpful to the whole Garden for a month. Any time I catch either of you napping, the period of helpfulness and courtesy will be extended another three days."

Seifer and Zell protested at the same time. "That's NOT FAIR!"

Irvine started applauding. "Seifer Almasy and Zell Dincht just agreed on something! Selph, we gotta buy lottery tickets today."

"Why do I have to be courteous and helpful to the whole Garden and he only has to be courteous and helpful to me?" snarled Seifer, glaring at Quistis.

"He's never courteous and helpful to you and you're never courteous and helpful to the whole Garden," replied Quistis placidly. "You both hate it, which is why I like it."

"It sounds extremely reasonable the way she says it, don't you agree?" Selphie commented in an aside to Rinoa, whose shoulders were shaking with laughter.

"Holy Hyne," murmured Irvine admiringly. "Quistis…I never knew you were sadistic!"

"Why else do you think the whip is my weapon of choice?"