Chapter V: Fun Before the Fray
Zell slowly made his way out of Balamb Garden and into Fisherman's Horizon, getting onto one of the three stolen Galbadian Motorcycles that had been stolen during the invasion on FH. He heard two familiar voices behind him, along with two pairs of footsteps that he recognized all too well. One of them, the one closer to him, sounded of cowboy boots, the other of high- heeled boots. He turned around to see his thoughts confirmed; there were Irvine and Quistis, running towards him. Quistis looked at Zell worriedly, managing to say after she caught her breath, "Zell, you can't go alone. We know you want to avenge Squall, but there's three of them and one of you. You'd never survive, Zell." Irvine nodded in agreement, quickly speaking before Zell could manage any word of protest. "Besides, three of us will assure more damage done, and you DO want revenge on Seifer, right? You know…" he nudged Zell in the side with his elbow lightly, "after all he's done to hurt Rinoa…" Zell looked in surprise at Irvine, and then at Quistis, who couldn't help but smile and laugh softly into her hand. "How did you guys know?" He asked, with a puzzled look. Irvine smirked with a laugh, shaking his head. "We all knew. It was obvious after you and Rinoa left the cafeteria at the same time. Besides, I checked in your dorm a little while before we left and Rinoa was sleeping on your bed." His smirk grew wider. "You two didn't… do anything, right?" But at this, his tone grew serious. "Because if Squall knew, he'd have you dead in a heartbeat." Zell let out a sigh and shook his head. "No, we didn't." He was getting extremely uncomfortable, and made a quick decision to change the subject. "We have to get going. Seifer's waiting." Irvine and Quistis both nodded, each getting on one of the remaining Galbadian Motorcycles. The trio set the engines ablaze, and roared off down the long bridge that connected Fisherman's Horizon to the rest of the world. They made their way through mild forests, down huge valleys, through arid deserts, and over vast plains.
Finally, a large red building came into view, with a huge disc rotating around its base. But there was one final problem: Galbadia Garden was suspended, floating, in the air. Irvine and Quistis glanced at each other worriedly, but Zell didn't seem too worried. Zell circled around in front of G-Garden several times, as though he were looking for something. Suddenly, he jammed the throttle on his motorcycle to full, even applying what little afterburner was left, heading for a large incline. Irvine and Quistis watched in terror as Zell's bike left the ground and went soaring, sky-high, into the air. He pulled his body forward and did a mid-air handstand on the handlebars, shoving off the bike at the peak of his jump. He now flew, with no bike, and nothing to catch him if he didn't make it all the way. All the while, a loud "OOOOHHHHH YEEEAAAAAHHHH!!!!" could be heard.
Irvine laughed as he saw Zell land at the open entrance to Galbadia Garden. He glanced at Quistis with a look that said, 'I bet you can't do it.' And she returned his glance with a mocking stare of defiance, 'We'll find out now, won't we, boy?' Quistis grinned and slammed the throttle on her bike, speeding towards the ramp, an excited Irvine following close behind, almost as though they were racing. Both bikes left the ground and soared into the air, only to be abandoned by their riders in mid-flight and come crashing back down to earth, causing small explosions where they landed. Both Irvine and Quistis laughed as they soared through the air and landed into the entrance of G-Garden. Quistis, despite that she was wearing high- heels, landed elegantly, but Irvine, on the other hand, landed on his feet, but wasn't expecting a rough landing and thus, rolled on the ground upon impact. He hit against the wall lightly with a thud, sighing as he heard Zell and Quistis laugh. Irvine sat up, looking out the entrance to Galbadia Garden, to see his tan cowboy hat floating down to the ground. He sighed as he looked back over to Zell and Quistis. "Oh well, I guess we'll get it when we leave…"
Zell slowly made his way out of Balamb Garden and into Fisherman's Horizon, getting onto one of the three stolen Galbadian Motorcycles that had been stolen during the invasion on FH. He heard two familiar voices behind him, along with two pairs of footsteps that he recognized all too well. One of them, the one closer to him, sounded of cowboy boots, the other of high- heeled boots. He turned around to see his thoughts confirmed; there were Irvine and Quistis, running towards him. Quistis looked at Zell worriedly, managing to say after she caught her breath, "Zell, you can't go alone. We know you want to avenge Squall, but there's three of them and one of you. You'd never survive, Zell." Irvine nodded in agreement, quickly speaking before Zell could manage any word of protest. "Besides, three of us will assure more damage done, and you DO want revenge on Seifer, right? You know…" he nudged Zell in the side with his elbow lightly, "after all he's done to hurt Rinoa…" Zell looked in surprise at Irvine, and then at Quistis, who couldn't help but smile and laugh softly into her hand. "How did you guys know?" He asked, with a puzzled look. Irvine smirked with a laugh, shaking his head. "We all knew. It was obvious after you and Rinoa left the cafeteria at the same time. Besides, I checked in your dorm a little while before we left and Rinoa was sleeping on your bed." His smirk grew wider. "You two didn't… do anything, right?" But at this, his tone grew serious. "Because if Squall knew, he'd have you dead in a heartbeat." Zell let out a sigh and shook his head. "No, we didn't." He was getting extremely uncomfortable, and made a quick decision to change the subject. "We have to get going. Seifer's waiting." Irvine and Quistis both nodded, each getting on one of the remaining Galbadian Motorcycles. The trio set the engines ablaze, and roared off down the long bridge that connected Fisherman's Horizon to the rest of the world. They made their way through mild forests, down huge valleys, through arid deserts, and over vast plains.
Finally, a large red building came into view, with a huge disc rotating around its base. But there was one final problem: Galbadia Garden was suspended, floating, in the air. Irvine and Quistis glanced at each other worriedly, but Zell didn't seem too worried. Zell circled around in front of G-Garden several times, as though he were looking for something. Suddenly, he jammed the throttle on his motorcycle to full, even applying what little afterburner was left, heading for a large incline. Irvine and Quistis watched in terror as Zell's bike left the ground and went soaring, sky-high, into the air. He pulled his body forward and did a mid-air handstand on the handlebars, shoving off the bike at the peak of his jump. He now flew, with no bike, and nothing to catch him if he didn't make it all the way. All the while, a loud "OOOOHHHHH YEEEAAAAAHHHH!!!!" could be heard.
Irvine laughed as he saw Zell land at the open entrance to Galbadia Garden. He glanced at Quistis with a look that said, 'I bet you can't do it.' And she returned his glance with a mocking stare of defiance, 'We'll find out now, won't we, boy?' Quistis grinned and slammed the throttle on her bike, speeding towards the ramp, an excited Irvine following close behind, almost as though they were racing. Both bikes left the ground and soared into the air, only to be abandoned by their riders in mid-flight and come crashing back down to earth, causing small explosions where they landed. Both Irvine and Quistis laughed as they soared through the air and landed into the entrance of G-Garden. Quistis, despite that she was wearing high- heels, landed elegantly, but Irvine, on the other hand, landed on his feet, but wasn't expecting a rough landing and thus, rolled on the ground upon impact. He hit against the wall lightly with a thud, sighing as he heard Zell and Quistis laugh. Irvine sat up, looking out the entrance to Galbadia Garden, to see his tan cowboy hat floating down to the ground. He sighed as he looked back over to Zell and Quistis. "Oh well, I guess we'll get it when we leave…"
