Chapter 27
** I don't know if anyone is still interested in this story but finally here is an update. I apologize for not updating this story for so long. I've had major writers block as to how to end it.**
The pilot landed the Ragnorak smoothly in a small clearing surrounded by a thick growth of trees that would protect it from any curious onlookers.
Quistis, feeling the ship touch down, opened her eyes and stretched, and then looking up she caught Seifer's eyes. He gave her a short smile before Ian pulled both their attention away.
"Ok people, this is it. We are about 8 to 10 miles from General Soto's fortress. We will be going in on foot through heavily wooded terrain." He pulled a map out of his pocket and unfolded it before continuing, "We will set up a base camp, here," he said pointing out the spot "at the foot of these cliffs. It will be all but undetectable by Soto's or Perry's men."
....................................
The team assembled their gear in silence and headed out of the Ragnorak. Ian stood waiting patiently until everyone was gathered once again then led them into the thick undergrowth.
It had been raining steadily for the last 2 hours and everyone was cold, wet and tired when they reached the base of the cliffs Ian had pointed out on the map.
'Not much further to go,' Seifer thought as he started to hum a tune to himself. He looked back as he felt someone bump his arm and saw Zell scowling at him. Seifer gave him a big smile then turned back, following Selphie, who was walking in front of him.
"What the fuck are you so happy about?" Zell snarled at Seifer as he moved up beside him.
Seifer looked back over at the shorter blonde and smiled slyly, "My, my, Zell, such language. You kiss your mother with that mouth?"
"You leave my Ma outta this," Zell snapped keeping in step with Seifer. After a few minutes Zell realized the other man wasn't going to answer. "So...you gonna answer my question? What have you got to be so happy for?"
Seifer looked back at Zell "Gee Zell...what more could I ask for ...great friends.." He gave a sarcastic little laugh, " lovely weather." Seifer lifted his face up to the falling rain for a moment then lowered it to look back over at Zell, a murderous gleam in his eyes, "and the chance to make Perry pay for some of what he did."
Zell shook his head at Seifer's comments. "Man, someone must have dropped you on your head when you were a baby." He grumbled as he continued on past the other man. He could hear Seifer's low laughter follow him.
....................................
The morning light wavered through the wetly dripping trees and underbrush as the team came to a halt.
Quistis looked tiredly around at the spot that they would call home for the next few days. 'Hopefully not any longer' she thought to herself, sick of tromping through one wet forest after another. Then her eyes fell on Seifer, who had his back to her and she sighed, knowing for him, she'd do it all again.
Seifer had slung the pack off his back and was kneeling over it when he felt as though someone was watching him. Turning slowly so as to not draw attention he looked back, then a smile crept across his lips. There was Quistis standing in a puddle of water, looking rather like a drowned rat, with water dripping down her nose. She looked lost in thought and none to happy, but when their eyes met her face broke into a smile.
"Ok" Ian said surveying the clearing "let's get this camp set up. I'm sure you'd all like to get dry and some rest before tonight. The scouting party should have left..." he moved over into the underbrush ".ah here." He motioned to Zell and Irvine, who were closest.
The two men joined Ian, who had bent down and was looking at something. The three of them conversed for a minute before pulling out a large bundle covered with a camouflage tarp. Under it was the camping gear they would need to stay relatively comfortable.
Cold, wet and hungry the team, as if by mutual consent, put away their differences and after an hour had the camp mostly set up. Ian looked around as the last tent went up, "I think this is good for now, why don't you all get something to eat, get some rest and we'll finish the rest later."
....................................
Quistis was just starting to get warm in her sleeping bag, her eyes drooping tiredly, when she heard Selphie moving towards the entrance of the tent. "Selphie?" she mumbled "where ya goin?"
"Ah.um, sorry Quis, didn't mean to wake you," Selphie hedged. Quistis sat up and gave her a look. "Well.I was cold and..I thought..maybe I'd go see how Irvine was doin." Selphie said, the last part coming out in a rush as a blush stained her cheeks.
Quistis let out a chuckle and shook her head waving Selphie out of the tent. She dropped back down letting her eyes close. One last thought wandered through her mind as she drifted, almost asleep, 'wonder what Seifer's gonna do?'
....................................
Seifer and Irvine sat talking, too tired to sleep but to tired to do any thing else. "Hello sunshine," Irvine said, grinning when Selphie's head popped through the door flap, "What're you doin here?"
"I was cold..and couldn't sleep," Selphie pouted, then with a whoop she launched herself at the cowboy, jumping into his lap. "Besides I missed my Irvy," she added snuggling in his arms.
Seifer watched the blur that was Selphie with a look of amusement as she attacked the other man. After several seconds he cleared his throat, letting the girl know he was there. "Oh, hi Seifie" she said giving him a cheery smile. He heard Irvine chocking on a laugh as he glared at the bouncy girl. "Don't call me that," he growled.
Selphie looked over at the blonde man unaffected by his show of bad temper. With a sly smirk on her face, she said "You know.Quistis is.. all alone, over in our tent."
"And just what would you mean by that," Seifer said, feigning an innocent look.
"Well" Selphie began, her smirk growing wider, "maybe you could.go check on her.. for me, of course. I mean we are in the forest. and anything could happen..her being alone and all."
Seifer started laughing as he stood up "Yeah and I'd feel damn sorry for anything that attacked Quistis.. she'd kick it's ass. Have you ever been around Quis when she's cold and tired? I have and it's not a pretty sight." Seifer didn't see anyone as he strode through camp. The only sound was that of the rain falling on the leaves above.
....................................
"Hmmmmpp?" Quistis mumbled as she felt someone sliding in beside her. She opened her eyes sleepily as she heard Seifer speaking softly. "It's only me, sweetheart."
"What're you doing here," she slurred. Suddenly her eyes popped open, "Seifer.you cant be here.what's Selphie gonna think?" She looked frantically towards the other girl's sleeping bag as she sat up.
Seifer chuckled "It's ok. As a matter of fact it was all her idea." Quistis turned to look at him, disbelief clearly written on her face. "It's true," he said laughing, "She kicked me out of my tent. Told me to come check on you." Seifer leaned toward Quistis giving her a kiss, then pulling away he added "and you know I'm not one to argue."
Quistis jabbed him in the ribs, then laughingly pulled him down with her, "No not you," she murmured kissing him.
....................................
"Quistis, Selphie!" Quistis opened her eyes. "C'mon, time to get up" She looked around, not sure for a moment where she was. Then she looked down to see a pair of sleepy green eyes looking up at her. "Quistis?" She heard from outside the tent, "You ok in there?" She saw the tent flap start to move and jumped up in a panic, throwing the sleeping bag over Seifer's head.
"Um, Zell" she said running to the opening to stop him, "D-don't come in.. we're up." Quistis reached the doorway and stuck her head out, "See," she said giving him a smile.
"Uh, Ok" Zell said giving her a smile, he turned to leave. Quistis watched him walk across camp before turning back in the tent. Seifer sat there, where she'd left him, watching her with a smirk. "Well that was close," she said walking back over to him. "Yes," Seifer remarked "but you handled it so well. He reached out and pulled her back down, smothering her laughter with kisses.
.................=0.0=..................
** I don't know if anyone is still interested in this story but finally here is an update. I apologize for not updating this story for so long. I've had major writers block as to how to end it.**
The pilot landed the Ragnorak smoothly in a small clearing surrounded by a thick growth of trees that would protect it from any curious onlookers.
Quistis, feeling the ship touch down, opened her eyes and stretched, and then looking up she caught Seifer's eyes. He gave her a short smile before Ian pulled both their attention away.
"Ok people, this is it. We are about 8 to 10 miles from General Soto's fortress. We will be going in on foot through heavily wooded terrain." He pulled a map out of his pocket and unfolded it before continuing, "We will set up a base camp, here," he said pointing out the spot "at the foot of these cliffs. It will be all but undetectable by Soto's or Perry's men."
....................................
The team assembled their gear in silence and headed out of the Ragnorak. Ian stood waiting patiently until everyone was gathered once again then led them into the thick undergrowth.
It had been raining steadily for the last 2 hours and everyone was cold, wet and tired when they reached the base of the cliffs Ian had pointed out on the map.
'Not much further to go,' Seifer thought as he started to hum a tune to himself. He looked back as he felt someone bump his arm and saw Zell scowling at him. Seifer gave him a big smile then turned back, following Selphie, who was walking in front of him.
"What the fuck are you so happy about?" Zell snarled at Seifer as he moved up beside him.
Seifer looked back over at the shorter blonde and smiled slyly, "My, my, Zell, such language. You kiss your mother with that mouth?"
"You leave my Ma outta this," Zell snapped keeping in step with Seifer. After a few minutes Zell realized the other man wasn't going to answer. "So...you gonna answer my question? What have you got to be so happy for?"
Seifer looked back at Zell "Gee Zell...what more could I ask for ...great friends.." He gave a sarcastic little laugh, " lovely weather." Seifer lifted his face up to the falling rain for a moment then lowered it to look back over at Zell, a murderous gleam in his eyes, "and the chance to make Perry pay for some of what he did."
Zell shook his head at Seifer's comments. "Man, someone must have dropped you on your head when you were a baby." He grumbled as he continued on past the other man. He could hear Seifer's low laughter follow him.
....................................
The morning light wavered through the wetly dripping trees and underbrush as the team came to a halt.
Quistis looked tiredly around at the spot that they would call home for the next few days. 'Hopefully not any longer' she thought to herself, sick of tromping through one wet forest after another. Then her eyes fell on Seifer, who had his back to her and she sighed, knowing for him, she'd do it all again.
Seifer had slung the pack off his back and was kneeling over it when he felt as though someone was watching him. Turning slowly so as to not draw attention he looked back, then a smile crept across his lips. There was Quistis standing in a puddle of water, looking rather like a drowned rat, with water dripping down her nose. She looked lost in thought and none to happy, but when their eyes met her face broke into a smile.
"Ok" Ian said surveying the clearing "let's get this camp set up. I'm sure you'd all like to get dry and some rest before tonight. The scouting party should have left..." he moved over into the underbrush ".ah here." He motioned to Zell and Irvine, who were closest.
The two men joined Ian, who had bent down and was looking at something. The three of them conversed for a minute before pulling out a large bundle covered with a camouflage tarp. Under it was the camping gear they would need to stay relatively comfortable.
Cold, wet and hungry the team, as if by mutual consent, put away their differences and after an hour had the camp mostly set up. Ian looked around as the last tent went up, "I think this is good for now, why don't you all get something to eat, get some rest and we'll finish the rest later."
....................................
Quistis was just starting to get warm in her sleeping bag, her eyes drooping tiredly, when she heard Selphie moving towards the entrance of the tent. "Selphie?" she mumbled "where ya goin?"
"Ah.um, sorry Quis, didn't mean to wake you," Selphie hedged. Quistis sat up and gave her a look. "Well.I was cold and..I thought..maybe I'd go see how Irvine was doin." Selphie said, the last part coming out in a rush as a blush stained her cheeks.
Quistis let out a chuckle and shook her head waving Selphie out of the tent. She dropped back down letting her eyes close. One last thought wandered through her mind as she drifted, almost asleep, 'wonder what Seifer's gonna do?'
....................................
Seifer and Irvine sat talking, too tired to sleep but to tired to do any thing else. "Hello sunshine," Irvine said, grinning when Selphie's head popped through the door flap, "What're you doin here?"
"I was cold..and couldn't sleep," Selphie pouted, then with a whoop she launched herself at the cowboy, jumping into his lap. "Besides I missed my Irvy," she added snuggling in his arms.
Seifer watched the blur that was Selphie with a look of amusement as she attacked the other man. After several seconds he cleared his throat, letting the girl know he was there. "Oh, hi Seifie" she said giving him a cheery smile. He heard Irvine chocking on a laugh as he glared at the bouncy girl. "Don't call me that," he growled.
Selphie looked over at the blonde man unaffected by his show of bad temper. With a sly smirk on her face, she said "You know.Quistis is.. all alone, over in our tent."
"And just what would you mean by that," Seifer said, feigning an innocent look.
"Well" Selphie began, her smirk growing wider, "maybe you could.go check on her.. for me, of course. I mean we are in the forest. and anything could happen..her being alone and all."
Seifer started laughing as he stood up "Yeah and I'd feel damn sorry for anything that attacked Quistis.. she'd kick it's ass. Have you ever been around Quis when she's cold and tired? I have and it's not a pretty sight." Seifer didn't see anyone as he strode through camp. The only sound was that of the rain falling on the leaves above.
....................................
"Hmmmmpp?" Quistis mumbled as she felt someone sliding in beside her. She opened her eyes sleepily as she heard Seifer speaking softly. "It's only me, sweetheart."
"What're you doing here," she slurred. Suddenly her eyes popped open, "Seifer.you cant be here.what's Selphie gonna think?" She looked frantically towards the other girl's sleeping bag as she sat up.
Seifer chuckled "It's ok. As a matter of fact it was all her idea." Quistis turned to look at him, disbelief clearly written on her face. "It's true," he said laughing, "She kicked me out of my tent. Told me to come check on you." Seifer leaned toward Quistis giving her a kiss, then pulling away he added "and you know I'm not one to argue."
Quistis jabbed him in the ribs, then laughingly pulled him down with her, "No not you," she murmured kissing him.
....................................
"Quistis, Selphie!" Quistis opened her eyes. "C'mon, time to get up" She looked around, not sure for a moment where she was. Then she looked down to see a pair of sleepy green eyes looking up at her. "Quistis?" She heard from outside the tent, "You ok in there?" She saw the tent flap start to move and jumped up in a panic, throwing the sleeping bag over Seifer's head.
"Um, Zell" she said running to the opening to stop him, "D-don't come in.. we're up." Quistis reached the doorway and stuck her head out, "See," she said giving him a smile.
"Uh, Ok" Zell said giving her a smile, he turned to leave. Quistis watched him walk across camp before turning back in the tent. Seifer sat there, where she'd left him, watching her with a smirk. "Well that was close," she said walking back over to him. "Yes," Seifer remarked "but you handled it so well. He reached out and pulled her back down, smothering her laughter with kisses.
.................=0.0=..................