PeRFecT
PeRFecT
Chapter 11
She teased him the entire way.
Samah escorted Quistis right into Martine's office and sat himself down beside her. Martine was too busy barking orders into his PHS to notice their arrival. Quistis took the opportunity to explain herself to her colleague.
"I'm okay, Lukan. Really, I am. Just a little shaken up. It was my own fault. Don't worry about me. You can leave if you need to. . ."
"Actually- I want him to stay."
Martine pushed the power button on his PHS and plopped himself down in his chair. He sighed and tapped his fingers on the desk.
"Quistis- I want to send you back to Balamb."
'Good.' Her heart began to palpitate and she quietly uttered a sigh of relief. Balamb was safe and good and she was PeRFecT in Balamb.
'nO. nOt GoOd. wHaT aBoUT IrVInE?'
'I'll fold him up and shove him in my suitcase.' She growled mentally, not quite sure whether she meant it or not. She caught the two men exchanging glances out of the corner of her eye. It wasn't a comforting exchange. 'Maybe not. . .'
"But- your contract is for two months, so you're stuck here." Martine heaved a sigh and ceased his finger tapping. Quistis just nodded. 'Of course not. I swear- I'm not going to be able to survive this internship. Hyne- I've only taught two classes! I'm going to be a terrible Instructor. . ."
"Quistis- I know this week has been painful- excessively so. If it's not one thing then it's another. But you still have seven weeks of placement. So- while you're here, we are going to make the most of it."
'Hyne- what does that mean?'
"I'm going to have you teaching all of the time. Instructor Furtivan has agreed to split his advanced battle tactics class so that you can have some more time Instructing. You will still T.A. Samah and Botchaskya's classes and the three tutorials on Fridays. Your evenings. . .." Martine paused and glanced out the window. " You will spend your time working on something that will benefit everyone in the long run. Honing your sorceress powers. . .."
'NO! I'm not a sorceress.'
'BlUE SoRCeREssssssss. . ..'
"Ahem. She. . .uh, doesn't believe she's a sorceress, Martine." Samah interjected politely. Martine frowned.
"What's there not to believe. She has strange magical powers and she's a woman. Those are the only two attributes one needs to be a sorceress."
'Smart ass. . .'
"It's a limit break, Headmaster. My powers only appear in desperate circumstances. Like the missile crisis or the Rexaur attack."
"Or when you're pissed off- right, Trepe. Like the way you liquefied that assassin?" Martine crossed his muscular arms across his chest and frowned. "So it's selective?"
"I. . .uh. . ."
"She doesn't know, Martine. You don't know how hard it is for orphans of the sorceress war." Samah stood and began to pace. "Quistis' parents died in the war- perhaps at the hands of Adel herself. To tell her that she's a sorceress and expect her to accept it easily is simply ludicrous. But. . ." Samah turned on the blonde instructor and looked her deep in the eye. "I know sorceresses, Quistis. I watched Adel torture my parents when I was seven years old- she forced me to watch as she electrocuted them over and over- sending them over the edge, then reviving them so she could do it again. But it's not simply that. . ." Samah sat down and held Quistis' hand, mostly to comfort himself. "When I was a little older, after I was orphaned, I spent some time with the Second Sorceress, who was kind and wise. But her morality began to deteriorate so a group of us- a group of SeeDs- sealed her five years ago- with her permission, of course. She understood that she was losing control. After that time, I took up a post in Esthar and posed as a lab assistant for Dr. Odine, where I learned the vast history, prowess and psychology of Hyne's descendents. I have been studying sorceresses my entire life, Quistis- And that display today, when you battled the T-rexaur. Those- "limit breaks", are blue magic. You have nothing junctioned, no GF. The magic is yours, Quistis. You are a Blue Mage. The blue Sorceress." He paused to let it all sink in. Blue sorceress. It was absurd. And untrue. She had no special powers. But she did have a secret.
"The power is not mine- Samah. I. . .steal it. From the dead."
"Huh? What?" Martine, who had been balancing a pencil on his nose, sat up straight in his pilot chair. Quistis sighed and continued.
"My powers. I'm . . .not born with them. I. . .steal the energy from the remains of monsters. Absorb their memories and, in doing so, I absorb their talents. I'm a power thief." She hung her head in shame. Hearing the words aloud was even more shameful than she ever anticipated. Martine popped a cough candy in his mouth and motioned to Samah, who bit his lip and nodded.
"Of course you are, Quistis. That's just what a Blue Mage is." Samah answered simply. Quistis' mouth fell open in shock. He continued. "Blue Mages are leeches. When a monster, or human-I'll get back to that- dies, each cell continues to carry the memory and DNA of that creature. Though the spirit of the creature may be deceased, the essence lingers, trapped in the creature's remains. A Blue Sorceress is able to refine that essence into magic and harness it herself."
"But I can't harness it! I can't control it! It's just a limit break. . .."
"You controlled it today, Quistis. You may not have thought so, but that last attack wasn't out of need- it was out of anger and for vengeance." Samah interjected. "That's why you have to learn to harness it. . ."
"He's right, Trepe." Martine agreed. "Those powers of yours are dangerous- but also a blessing. Believe me- I would've slapped one of Odine's thingmadoodles on you to stop your powers if I'da thought them evil. You saved my cadets with those powers, Quistis- I'll never forget that. But let us help you. Samah can help you. When all of this nonsense with Galbadia ceases, I'll send you to see Odine."
"I think he'd like that too much." Grumbled the dark-haired SeeD, his eyes widening. " Odine has been secretly studying the descendents of Diadem since Adel's sealing. He's never been able to trace the Blue Magic. Quistis would become a prisoner of science. For Odine, Science equals torture. He doesn't see his specimens as living organism- their powers and scientific value far outweigh their lives. The doctor is brilliant, but. . .a little overzealous." Samah explained, turning back to Quistis. "But if you can harness your sorceress powers, you could be a great crusader for justice on this planet, Quistis. And, from what I've learned about you, I know that this is what you want. Galbadia's suffering. Timber is suffering. All three Gardens are threatened with political interference and control. You are a great SeeD and an intelligent woman. Your powers are telling you something- all of the. . .events of the past week can be indirectly traced back to your powers. Your coming to Galbadian instead of to Trabia. The missile base. The T-rexaur. Not to mention your condition- your illness and weariness and the injuries that have been inflicted upon you. You notice these injuries have triggered your outbursts. And even mentally. You haven't worn your watch in four days. Your obsessions are waning- you're becoming less inhibited. The cosmos re-aligns for magic, Quistis. Life is shifting to accommodate you, if only in the slightest way."
'He'S gOod. LiSTeN tO HiM, QuIsTiS. hE kNoWs.'
"Did you say 'Descendent of Diadem'?" Quistis asked suddenly. 'Where have I heard that name. . ."
"Yes." Samah nodded vehemently. "The Blue Sorceress is also called the Descendent of Diadem, just as the Dark Sorceresses are called the 'Descendents of Hyne.'"
'Diadem?'
'tHe AsSaSsin CaLlED yoU sUcH a WoRD.'
"That was the last word the Estharian assassin spoke before I. . ." She cringed, remembering what she had done. Which brought up another injury she had inflicted. 'Oh, Hyne. Irvine!. . .what have I. . .what is wrong with. . .'
'StUpId GiRL- He'S aLiVE. No ThANks tO yOUr BlAcK-WiDoW tAcTiCs. . .'
'How could I hurt him? I care for him so much. Hyne- and I just left him to die!.'
'hE liVes, HuSh mY PeRFecT QuIStY. . .'
"That name has been kept in silence for nearly a thousand years- I only know of the legend from Odine himself." Samah paused to think. "Odine would not send an assassin for you- he would kidnap you, but he would never kill you before giving himself a chance to experiment on you. . ."
"Perhaps the assassin was sent from a cultist faction- y'know, like those underground worshippers who still claim Adel as their Queen." Martine offered, taking in another cough candy.
"There is that possibility. But Diadem isn't like Adel, Martine- No one is alive now to remember the Blue Sorceress. And the idea of Diadem is so blasphemous that most of the records have been eradicated from history. Well, all of those that weren't lost in the Centran Lunar Cry. Adel worshippers lived through her terror and still live in fear. The Blue Magic hasn't publicly resurfaced in centuries- even during Adel's reign when it should've been at it's maximum power. Quistis was only a child then, though. And both sorceresses are now fully charged, though contained. I don't really understand the logistics, or why Quistis' powers are blooming so fully now. Perhaps it's a maturity issue. I really have no clue."
"So I shouldn't feel ignorant if I don't know who Diadem is?" Quistis asked meekly and stared at her hands.
"Ahh, hell Trepe. Do you think I know what this egghead's going on about?" Martine groaned. "I swear- an academic martial-artist. It's like an oxymoron."
"That's a little prejudiced." Samah bridled. "But, anyway. I don't want to frighten you, Quistis. This is so much for you to take in. But let us help you."
"Tell her about the Blue Sorceress, Samah. If people are speaking this psycho's name, Quistis should at least understand what they're implying. Even if it scares her." Martine prepared three shots of rum. Slinging back the first, he handed the second to Quistis, who gulped hers down. Samah reached for his, but was intercepted by Quistis who tossed back the last one. Neither Samah nor Martine could hold back their chuckles as the young instructor coughed and choked. "Alright, Trepe. Don't knock yourself out- you need to hear this. And, believe me, you won't want to listen to it a second time. 'course- Samah kind of enjoys telling it, but, really- it's not exactly a fairy tale. Brace yourself." His baritone voice reflected his dark tidings. Gulping, Quistis sank deep in her chair and prepared for the worst. Samah spoke.
"I'm going to try to explain this in the least ominous way, Quistis. But I'm afraid there is no easy way to tell you this. Diadem was not the first blue sorceress- but after her there could only ever be one. Before the Lunar Cry, Centra was as alive with population as Galbadia is now. They were the most powerful civilization on the planet- Esthar and Galbadia were fledgling colonies and places like Balamb and Trabia were uninhabited. But Centra did not prosper as we do now- they did not rely on machinery or man-made weapons. They had many gifted mages-blue mages- who could easily handle the beasts that plagued them. The whole planet was governed by the same ruling council of mages, therefore, there was no inter-continental warfare. There were no sorceresses to dictate- everyone had their own magic. But as history dictates, one must always rise above the rest. Whether it is for better or for worse. This someone was Diadem- a powerful woman- a child prodigy- of the Blue arts. A thousand years ago." He paused to let the first section sink in.
'This isn't ominous? He keeps building the tension- I'm going to chew my nails right off. . .'
"PaY aTtenTioN."
"Diadem devoted herself to the art- leaving home at fifteen to search the world over for beasts she could devour. She scoured the world, building her power to new and dangerous heights. But her need for knowledge could not be sated with the local monsters. They were not strong enough and held only the knowledge of this planet. She wanted more. Hence, she called forth the great Lunar Cry.
" The moon's red tear dropped thousands of legendary demons to the planet's surface. They tore through the civilizations and overwhelmed the relatively weak mages. But Diadem gorged herself on these seemingly immortal creatures, absorbing their awesome power. Until finally, she walked the earth fully omnipotent- a power more awesome than a legion of Adels. And then. . .she began to kill and absorb her people, stealing their memories and powers. She wreaked havoc across the continents, until she had murdered all the remaining mages. Then, she called to Hyne from the Centran foothills and challenged the creator himself. She was a goddess of lust and gluttony. She had become a false idol.
" So the creator descended upon the earth, taking human form, and raised arms with Diadem. The battle crippled the Centran landscape and wiped out the last remaining Centrans. Diadem fell defeated at Hyne's feet, but not before she severed both his arms. The flesh from those arms melted and molded into two women, who accomplished Hyne's wishes. They separated Diadem's essence from her body, then ripped the conglomerated power from her spirit. Hyne destroyed Diadem's body, but her powers and essence could only be contained. Her spirit was locked in a Guardian Force so it could spend eternity purifying itself while in the servitude of others. The power itself had no moral alignment, but had to be affixed to a soul or else it would return to it's mistress. So Hyne created a single Blue Sorceress and linked the power intrinsically with the soul. That power would be fully encompassed and enshrouded by the soul, so that the abilities could only be resurrected through relearning the spells from the deceased monsters. The power was passed through generations of Centran survivors and never really awakened. But something has brought this power out in you, Quistis Trepe. You are Diadem's descendent. . . Do you understand? Do you understand what this means?"
Quistis sat silently and let it process through. The power that had destroyed a civilization and challenged the creator lived and breathed inside her body. She nodded.
"Hyne hates me. I take his name in vain far too much. . ."
Dead silence. Samah cocked his head in shock and stupefaction. Martine suddenly burst out laughing.
"Good grief. Trepe, you certainly are a quirky girl. I like that. Good attitude."
"I don't know how the power is transferred, Quistis. It may be like Hyne's sorceresses, or it may be hereditary. No one knows."
"Well- I'm sure you'll find out once I kick the bucket, Samah." Quistis laughed hysterically then sobered quickly. "I'm scared. Really scared. I never felt different than any of the other students. I mean. . . I learned more quickly and I was stronger physically, but I never anticipated anything like this. I. . .can't remember much of my early childhood, but there was something amiss- someone recognized my powers, because the only memento I had was a canvas bag full of natural artifacts- spider webs, fangs, coral fragments. And I was able to refine my abilities from these objects. The spells are much more powerful than me, and I've been fairly lucky so far and have survived dangerous situations that I really should not have." She paused to breathe. "My powers had always been a blessing- but now. . .they're burdening me. Ruining my life. I don't feel in control of anything- even my own mind seems to be turning against me. I'm afraid. . .I may hurt someone."
'YoU hUrT PoOr liTtLE IrVY. . .'
"I want you to help me, Samah. I'll. . ..be a good student. I'll do anything."
"Good decision, Trepe. You're a smart woman. But we already knew that." Martine beamed and rose to shake her hand. Samah massaged her shoulder and she gave him a weak smile. Thrusting his hand in his pocket, he pulled out a delicate silver tennis bracelet, subtly ornamented with engraved ciphers and glyphs.
"Will you wear this for me?" The quiet martial artists asked, offering it to her. Quistis blushed.
"Samah- you're a good man, and I like you a lot. But I can't accept this. We both know that you're in love with Xu, and I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I ruined your chance for happiness. I'm sorry- I just don't feel that way about you."
Martine burst out in a wild cackle as Lukan Samah's face turned white, then green, then a deep crimson. Quistis remained pitying and stoned-faced. Influenced by Martine's reaction, Samah smiled, very embarrassed, and clasped the piece around Quistis' wrist.
"It's a magic descrambler I stole from Odine, Quistis. I want you to wear it until I meet with you Monday evening. Note any changes in your mood or appetite or. . .well, anything, okay? Keep a journal of the changes. To open it, just insert this key in that hole. . ." He handed her a tiny silver key on a chain. She pulled it over her head and hid it under her pink sweater. "Do you feel alright now?"
She did a body check. Fine. Tired. But fine.
"I'm a little tired, but I was in the same state before."
"Alright then. Well, I'm off to Timber, Martine. I'll be back Monday morning." Samah rose, as did Martine and Quistis.
"Fine then. Check on those wingnuts and make sure the plan is being put into action. If they've spent all their money on booze and women and are camped out in the street, put a hotel room on chargex, but nothing fancy. Do remind them of why they're there, okay?" Martine smacked himself in the head. "Dunkan and Westmut are damn good SeeDs, but having a cadet with them- well, I'm sure Seifer's amusing them. Hyne, that kid likes attention. Send him back if he has alcohol poisoning, okay Samah?"
"Of course, Headmaster. I'll make sure they contact you before anything. Have a good night, Headmaster, Instructor Trepe."
"Goodnight, Instructor Samah." Quistis replied as he took his leave. Martine left his desk and came around to face her. Many women would've been intimidated by the Headmaster's strength and charisma. But she held her position.
"I apologize again for all that has happened. I realize that the week's events haven't exactly cast a healthy light on Galbadia Garden. Your entire life has been revamped. But. . .we do care for our own. And you are part of us right now- We won't let anything harm you, Quistis Trepe. But I need you to promise me the same. Just so I can sleep easy at night. Promise me you won't hurt any of these children, intentionally or accidentally. Not one of them."
'But I already have. Hyne- Irvine, I'm so sorry. . .'
She waited for the double-jointed voice to pop into her head. Nothing. Silence. Only the sound of the fan's whirling above them. She felt strangely calm- almost lethargic. She nodded grimly.
"I promise. No one will hurt these cadets- no one."
"Well- now that you have your own classes, I need you to start planning your courses. Here are Furtivan's course outlines and materials- these will get you started. I hope this will keep you busy- keep your mind off. . . everything. Oh, and do review your Instructor's package and all the rules and regulations. Garden is much less lenient with Teacher's assistants than full-fledged Instructors Trepe." Martine said this very pointedly, very meaningfully.
'He knows too. Everyone knows about Irvine.'
No one answered her. It was almost lonely.
"Anyway- I need to get back to these commissions. If you need anything, don't be afraid to buzz me or visit me, alright?"
"Thank you, headmaster." Quistis stood and shook his hand. Like a gallant, he opened the door for her. He could be very charming. She stepped into the waiting room and turned back to him. "Oh. . .um, headmaster. I was just wondering about Kinneas. Is he recovering well?"
'I'm such an coward. A foolish coward. I'm going to be disbarred and I won't even 'get the guy'. What was wrong with me this morning? How could I take advantage of him and harm him in that way? What was he talking about, anyway? Hyne- you can be so very annoying, Quistis Trepe. He was talking about you forgetting things and you've already forgotten half the conversation. You're just a wannabe slut, y'know that? Too busy filling your head with sick fantasies and plans to fulfill those sick fantasies to actually listen to his emotional outpouring. Fickle fickle fickle.
"He's doing fine, Trepe. A couple of his stitches ripped open this afternoon while he was sleeping, but they re-sutured the wound and he wheeled him back into his room. He'll be popping curagas for the next couple of days, but he recovers fast and he'll be back to normal- which is most definitely a mixed blessing- in the next couple of days." He smiled. "He blurted out that you had promised to get his homework for him. I thought about it, and I guess that's okay. He should have a chance to pass this year. It was kind of you to offer."
"I. . .just thought it would be a step in the right direction. . .you know- to becoming a good Instructor. Taking care of the students who fall behind." 'Bull-shit, Trepe. Anything to please him. . .'
"That's a fine idea, Quistis. Now- take care of yourself tonight. Sleep in your own room, in your own bed- sleep easy and deeply. Good night, Instructor Trepe."
"Good night, Headmaster."
Quistis found her room fifty two. She thoroughly checked it- a little paranoid. But the instilled sense of calm still filled her mind. She spent a couple of hours glancing through her course packages, then ordered dinner from the cafeteria around eightish. Eightish. . .and twelve minutes and thirty two seconds. Old habits die hard. But her mind was still and quiet and her anxieties had dissolved Then she slept- profoundly, painlessly and peacefully.