"You -what-?"
Seifer forced a small grin, in spite of the glares the others were giving him. "I'm sorry. There wasn't anything I could do!"
"Still, Seifer, you just left Rinoa there. You left her with the enemy!" Zell fumed.
"Ah, well, you guys didn't really like her much anyway..." Seifer commented quietly.
"Seifer!" Quistis reprimanded. "Regardless, that was no reason to just leave her there..."
"Well, -instructor-, would you had rather I left both of them there?" Seifer asked, outstretching his arm and pointing to the bed they stood next to. There lay Squall, his breath shallow but evident. Quistis sighed.
"Seifer's right. There wasn't anything he could do. He already explained that he piloted Ragnarok back to the spot where he had left Rinoa and she was gone, as was the enemy that attacked them." Selphie said calmly. Seifer looked at her, nodding a silent thanks.
"Still..." Zell hissed.
"That's enough, Zell. He's already apologized. Our focus now is to get Rinoa back." Quistis said.
The door beeped and opened, Irvine strolling in, tipping his hat in a small greeting. Fujin followed after him, carrying a small stack or papers.
"ALRIGHT?" Fujin asked Seifer. He smirked.
"I'm fine. But that's not what I'm worried about." He replied. Fujin smiled knowingly as she watched Seifer direct his attention to the occupant of the bed.
"Irvine, Fujin, were you able to get information on the enemy?" Quistis asked.
"We were." He turned to Fujin who promptly handed him the papers. "Dante Remaniax, second in command of a rebel faction lovingly called the Sorceress Hunters."
"Well, they've gotten what they want, how do we know they haven't killed Rinny yet?" Zell asked bitterly.
"We don't. We just have to hope." Selphie replied grimly.
The door beeped again and Dr. Kadowaki walked in. Everyone stopped and gave her their undivided attention.
"Dr. Kadowaki?" Seifer asked.
"Don't worry, Seifer, Squall is quite alright. It's his blood test that has me puzzled..." she said quietly.
"What about it?" Irvine asked.
"Well, you know the source of magic within humans, yes?"
"Usually it comes from the Guardian Forces. They lend us their power." Selphie answered,
"Correct. But what about the powers of the sorceresses?"
The group looked around. None had an answer.
"After doing a few tests on Rinoa, I found an elevated level of ectoplasm in her system. To put it simply, ectoplasm is source of magic, and everyone has it. The Guardian Forces merely reinforce the ectoplasm already within. Sorceresses, it seems, have a higher percentage of ectoplasm in their bodies, giving them the ability to summon magic without the help of the Guardian Forces."
"So what does this all have to do with Squall?" Seifer asked.
"Well, it appears that Squall has recently undergone a change. His ectoplasm levels are high above normal..."
"In other words..."
"In other words, Squall has become a sorceress, or in his case, a sorcerer."
The group fell silent, all of them looking to one another in surprise, except for Seifer. He had focused his attention to Squall. Who happen to appear very awake at that point of time.
"What...happened?" He whispered coarsely, slowly rising to a sitting position.
"Squall!" Selphie shouted happily, wrapping him in a hug. Squall gasped as the bouncy girl attacked him.
"Hey there, Sefie, lemme go, I can't breathe!" Selphie backed off and smiled.
"I'm so glad you're awake!"
Squall let out a few small coughs. "I can see..." He replied.
"Squall, how do you feel?" Dr. Kadowaki asked patiently.
"My muscles ache, but besides that..."
"Good. I suggest the rest of you leave, and allow Squall to rest." She said before leaving the room. The rest of the group followed except for Seifer, who took a seat next the bed. Squall sighed, laying back down on the bed.
"Almasy." He muttered quietly.
"Leonhart." Seifer returned, leaning back in his chair.
"What happened back there? After I..."
"Passed out?"
"Yeah."
"I heard you scream, so I took care of that little brat and came to help you. By the time I got there, both you and Rin were unconscious."
"Where is Rinoa? Is she alright?"
Seifer looked down, scratching the back of his head ruefully. "Ah...I don't know if she's alright. I kinda...left her there..."
Squall sat up, staring at Seifer. "You -what-?"
"You know, Quisty had the same reaction..."
"Shut up Seifer. Why didn't you just leave me there instead?"
"I...I couldn't."
"Fuck, Seifer, our task was to protect Rinoa!"
Seifer stood up. "Our -task-? Is that all you care about? The mission!? You should be thankful I saved your sorry ass."
"That's no excuse."
"I...I know. I shouldn't have left her. But..."
"But what?" Squall asked irritably.
Seifer glared. "But nothing. Had I known you were going to be such a fucking tight ass about this, I would have left you there to rot. I'll see you later, Sorcerer."
"Sorcerer?" Squall repeated, but Seifer was already out the door and out of earshot.
* * *
Seifer sent Hyperion through the fleshy body of another Grat, its bodily fluids spraying everywhere. He wiped the slimy blood off his face before continuing through the Training Center. For the past hour he had gone through Grat And T-Rexaur alike, all falling to his frustration, kindly translated into deadly slashes of Hyperion's blade. He growled as he dispatched another Grat, probably the tenth or eleventh he had gone through that night.
He wiped his forehead off, his body drenched in sweat. //Perhaps I ought to give it a break.// He thought, tossing a glance to the hidden area of the Training Center. It was far past curfew, and most of the normals were gone. Tonight he was alone.
He leaned against the railing, heaving a massive sigh, his breath coarse from the workout. He couldn't believe the way Squall was acting. For Hyne's sake, Seifer had saved him and all the damned ice prince could think about was Rinoa!
//Rinoa...maybe he's still in love with her...// Seifer thought dismally. He ran a hand through his tousled hair out of sheer frustration. He was running in circles, thinking about Squall. Every time he'd contemplate the chocolate haired boy, he'd think a little too much and end up depressing himself through simple logic. The logic that Squall and Rinoa still held feelings for one another.
The thought killed him.
At first, when he came back to Garden, he pleaded to let him in, a very humiliating thing for the Great Seifer Almasy to do. And then Squall...his rival, his enemy, his destiny...intervened, pulling the right strings to get Seifer in and not only that, but give him a second chance to make it as SeeD. Squall offered him a kindness that Seifer didn't know Leonhart-less could give.
And sadly enough, it got to him.
Now that wasn't the only reason Seifer started to get a little squeamish around the former Commander of Garden. It was when Seifer gave him the chance to know Squall a little better did he start to see another side of the man.
A very sexy side, at that...
//Stop it, Seifer. That's weak. You can't allow yourself to brood like this.// He reprimanded himself. A breeze ran though the air, sending a slight chill down Seifer's back. He had left his coat back in his quarters, figuring it was too warm for it. He cracked his neck, blocking the chill as he continued to stare out into the horizon.
"Thought I'd find you here."
Seifer didn't bother turning. "And why did you think that?"
"Because, it's where I'd go if I had to think."
Seifer turned, facing the newcomer. "Very funny, Leonhart. It doesn't matter where you are, if you need to think, you just zone out."
Squall shrugged. "Yeah, I guess I do."
Silence fell between them, the only interruption being a small wind dancing around them before dying off in the darkened air.
"So what are you thinking about?" Squall asked.
"Honestly, what I can do to fix all this..." Seifer muttered, letting out an exasperated sigh.
"I see..."
Seifer looked and Squall, eying him carefully. His eyes...they were distant, it seemed. Yet, they also appeared shaken, far from the calm blue eyes he was used to seeing.
"You're scared." Seifer observed. Squall didn't reply.
"Eh, that's alright, I wouldn't readily admit it either."
"Of course I'm scared, you stupid fuck." Squall said, a bit more harshly than he meant it to sound. "How would you like it if you just found out you're the next Sorceress..."
"Sorcerer." Seifer corrected.
"Whatever."
"You don't have to be scared."
"If I know my fears, then I know my enemy. With that knowledge, I'll survive."
"Using fear as an advantage, rather than a weakness. Clever..." Seifer mumbled.
"I thought so. Seifer?"
"What?"
"Why didn't you get Rinoa? Why did you save me?"
"Aah..." Seifer swallowed hard. "...I can't really say, Leonhart. It just happened."
"...you should have saved her..."
"But I didn't. What's done is done."
"Still..."
"Enough already. I've had enough of this shit, everyone blaming me for Rinny getting left behind! If you didn't notice, I was occupied by that bastard kid and what do you do, you fucking black out on me!"
Squall looked at him, his eyes slightly glossed over. "Whatever. I was granting her a final request..."
"What? What do you mean final?"
Squall paused. "Do...do you know how fucking difficult it is to know that I am what I am now because of Rinoa's death?"
"Squall, she didn't die."
"But she gave her powers to me, meaning that the chances of her surviving were slim."
"How pessimistic of you..." Seifer pointed out.
"Realistic." Squall corrected.
"Whatever."
"That's my line, Almasy."
Seifer flashed a small grin. "Yeah? And what are you gonna do about it?"
Squall shook his head. "Listen, I came here to tell that we're having a meeting tomorrow morning at 9:00. I suggest you get some sleep."
The brown haired boy then turned, making his way to the exit.
"Hey Squall?"
Squall paused, turning to face Seifer. "What?"
"Are...you going to be alright?"
Squall looked at him, a confused look passing through his eyes before falling into their normally stoic appearance. The change in his emotions were quick, but Seifer noticed his confusion. He decided to keep quiet about it...for now.
"Seifer...I'll be fine."
With that, he quickly retreated, leaving Seifer alone.
Seifer forced a small grin, in spite of the glares the others were giving him. "I'm sorry. There wasn't anything I could do!"
"Still, Seifer, you just left Rinoa there. You left her with the enemy!" Zell fumed.
"Ah, well, you guys didn't really like her much anyway..." Seifer commented quietly.
"Seifer!" Quistis reprimanded. "Regardless, that was no reason to just leave her there..."
"Well, -instructor-, would you had rather I left both of them there?" Seifer asked, outstretching his arm and pointing to the bed they stood next to. There lay Squall, his breath shallow but evident. Quistis sighed.
"Seifer's right. There wasn't anything he could do. He already explained that he piloted Ragnarok back to the spot where he had left Rinoa and she was gone, as was the enemy that attacked them." Selphie said calmly. Seifer looked at her, nodding a silent thanks.
"Still..." Zell hissed.
"That's enough, Zell. He's already apologized. Our focus now is to get Rinoa back." Quistis said.
The door beeped and opened, Irvine strolling in, tipping his hat in a small greeting. Fujin followed after him, carrying a small stack or papers.
"ALRIGHT?" Fujin asked Seifer. He smirked.
"I'm fine. But that's not what I'm worried about." He replied. Fujin smiled knowingly as she watched Seifer direct his attention to the occupant of the bed.
"Irvine, Fujin, were you able to get information on the enemy?" Quistis asked.
"We were." He turned to Fujin who promptly handed him the papers. "Dante Remaniax, second in command of a rebel faction lovingly called the Sorceress Hunters."
"Well, they've gotten what they want, how do we know they haven't killed Rinny yet?" Zell asked bitterly.
"We don't. We just have to hope." Selphie replied grimly.
The door beeped again and Dr. Kadowaki walked in. Everyone stopped and gave her their undivided attention.
"Dr. Kadowaki?" Seifer asked.
"Don't worry, Seifer, Squall is quite alright. It's his blood test that has me puzzled..." she said quietly.
"What about it?" Irvine asked.
"Well, you know the source of magic within humans, yes?"
"Usually it comes from the Guardian Forces. They lend us their power." Selphie answered,
"Correct. But what about the powers of the sorceresses?"
The group looked around. None had an answer.
"After doing a few tests on Rinoa, I found an elevated level of ectoplasm in her system. To put it simply, ectoplasm is source of magic, and everyone has it. The Guardian Forces merely reinforce the ectoplasm already within. Sorceresses, it seems, have a higher percentage of ectoplasm in their bodies, giving them the ability to summon magic without the help of the Guardian Forces."
"So what does this all have to do with Squall?" Seifer asked.
"Well, it appears that Squall has recently undergone a change. His ectoplasm levels are high above normal..."
"In other words..."
"In other words, Squall has become a sorceress, or in his case, a sorcerer."
The group fell silent, all of them looking to one another in surprise, except for Seifer. He had focused his attention to Squall. Who happen to appear very awake at that point of time.
"What...happened?" He whispered coarsely, slowly rising to a sitting position.
"Squall!" Selphie shouted happily, wrapping him in a hug. Squall gasped as the bouncy girl attacked him.
"Hey there, Sefie, lemme go, I can't breathe!" Selphie backed off and smiled.
"I'm so glad you're awake!"
Squall let out a few small coughs. "I can see..." He replied.
"Squall, how do you feel?" Dr. Kadowaki asked patiently.
"My muscles ache, but besides that..."
"Good. I suggest the rest of you leave, and allow Squall to rest." She said before leaving the room. The rest of the group followed except for Seifer, who took a seat next the bed. Squall sighed, laying back down on the bed.
"Almasy." He muttered quietly.
"Leonhart." Seifer returned, leaning back in his chair.
"What happened back there? After I..."
"Passed out?"
"Yeah."
"I heard you scream, so I took care of that little brat and came to help you. By the time I got there, both you and Rin were unconscious."
"Where is Rinoa? Is she alright?"
Seifer looked down, scratching the back of his head ruefully. "Ah...I don't know if she's alright. I kinda...left her there..."
Squall sat up, staring at Seifer. "You -what-?"
"You know, Quisty had the same reaction..."
"Shut up Seifer. Why didn't you just leave me there instead?"
"I...I couldn't."
"Fuck, Seifer, our task was to protect Rinoa!"
Seifer stood up. "Our -task-? Is that all you care about? The mission!? You should be thankful I saved your sorry ass."
"That's no excuse."
"I...I know. I shouldn't have left her. But..."
"But what?" Squall asked irritably.
Seifer glared. "But nothing. Had I known you were going to be such a fucking tight ass about this, I would have left you there to rot. I'll see you later, Sorcerer."
"Sorcerer?" Squall repeated, but Seifer was already out the door and out of earshot.
* * *
Seifer sent Hyperion through the fleshy body of another Grat, its bodily fluids spraying everywhere. He wiped the slimy blood off his face before continuing through the Training Center. For the past hour he had gone through Grat And T-Rexaur alike, all falling to his frustration, kindly translated into deadly slashes of Hyperion's blade. He growled as he dispatched another Grat, probably the tenth or eleventh he had gone through that night.
He wiped his forehead off, his body drenched in sweat. //Perhaps I ought to give it a break.// He thought, tossing a glance to the hidden area of the Training Center. It was far past curfew, and most of the normals were gone. Tonight he was alone.
He leaned against the railing, heaving a massive sigh, his breath coarse from the workout. He couldn't believe the way Squall was acting. For Hyne's sake, Seifer had saved him and all the damned ice prince could think about was Rinoa!
//Rinoa...maybe he's still in love with her...// Seifer thought dismally. He ran a hand through his tousled hair out of sheer frustration. He was running in circles, thinking about Squall. Every time he'd contemplate the chocolate haired boy, he'd think a little too much and end up depressing himself through simple logic. The logic that Squall and Rinoa still held feelings for one another.
The thought killed him.
At first, when he came back to Garden, he pleaded to let him in, a very humiliating thing for the Great Seifer Almasy to do. And then Squall...his rival, his enemy, his destiny...intervened, pulling the right strings to get Seifer in and not only that, but give him a second chance to make it as SeeD. Squall offered him a kindness that Seifer didn't know Leonhart-less could give.
And sadly enough, it got to him.
Now that wasn't the only reason Seifer started to get a little squeamish around the former Commander of Garden. It was when Seifer gave him the chance to know Squall a little better did he start to see another side of the man.
A very sexy side, at that...
//Stop it, Seifer. That's weak. You can't allow yourself to brood like this.// He reprimanded himself. A breeze ran though the air, sending a slight chill down Seifer's back. He had left his coat back in his quarters, figuring it was too warm for it. He cracked his neck, blocking the chill as he continued to stare out into the horizon.
"Thought I'd find you here."
Seifer didn't bother turning. "And why did you think that?"
"Because, it's where I'd go if I had to think."
Seifer turned, facing the newcomer. "Very funny, Leonhart. It doesn't matter where you are, if you need to think, you just zone out."
Squall shrugged. "Yeah, I guess I do."
Silence fell between them, the only interruption being a small wind dancing around them before dying off in the darkened air.
"So what are you thinking about?" Squall asked.
"Honestly, what I can do to fix all this..." Seifer muttered, letting out an exasperated sigh.
"I see..."
Seifer looked and Squall, eying him carefully. His eyes...they were distant, it seemed. Yet, they also appeared shaken, far from the calm blue eyes he was used to seeing.
"You're scared." Seifer observed. Squall didn't reply.
"Eh, that's alright, I wouldn't readily admit it either."
"Of course I'm scared, you stupid fuck." Squall said, a bit more harshly than he meant it to sound. "How would you like it if you just found out you're the next Sorceress..."
"Sorcerer." Seifer corrected.
"Whatever."
"You don't have to be scared."
"If I know my fears, then I know my enemy. With that knowledge, I'll survive."
"Using fear as an advantage, rather than a weakness. Clever..." Seifer mumbled.
"I thought so. Seifer?"
"What?"
"Why didn't you get Rinoa? Why did you save me?"
"Aah..." Seifer swallowed hard. "...I can't really say, Leonhart. It just happened."
"...you should have saved her..."
"But I didn't. What's done is done."
"Still..."
"Enough already. I've had enough of this shit, everyone blaming me for Rinny getting left behind! If you didn't notice, I was occupied by that bastard kid and what do you do, you fucking black out on me!"
Squall looked at him, his eyes slightly glossed over. "Whatever. I was granting her a final request..."
"What? What do you mean final?"
Squall paused. "Do...do you know how fucking difficult it is to know that I am what I am now because of Rinoa's death?"
"Squall, she didn't die."
"But she gave her powers to me, meaning that the chances of her surviving were slim."
"How pessimistic of you..." Seifer pointed out.
"Realistic." Squall corrected.
"Whatever."
"That's my line, Almasy."
Seifer flashed a small grin. "Yeah? And what are you gonna do about it?"
Squall shook his head. "Listen, I came here to tell that we're having a meeting tomorrow morning at 9:00. I suggest you get some sleep."
The brown haired boy then turned, making his way to the exit.
"Hey Squall?"
Squall paused, turning to face Seifer. "What?"
"Are...you going to be alright?"
Squall looked at him, a confused look passing through his eyes before falling into their normally stoic appearance. The change in his emotions were quick, but Seifer noticed his confusion. He decided to keep quiet about it...for now.
"Seifer...I'll be fine."
With that, he quickly retreated, leaving Seifer alone.