PeRFecT
Chapter 22
(no- this is not the naughty one- that's actually been pushed back to 24, I think.)
Quistis waited outside the auditorium door with the rest of the mob- half the Garden was waiting to find out what Instructor Botchaskya's sentence would be.
Sighing, Quistis glanced over to her partner and squeezed Irvine's hand. Neither had been able to sleep the night before, and both had the purple bags under their eyes to prove it. Since the days events had caused them to feel counter-amorous, they had laid together shivering in room fifty-two. Five hours and thirty six and a half minutes had passed by at a snail's pace- it felt a pit of darkness. And every one of those minutes had been full of counter-life-productive hurt and misery.
She had wanted to ask him about the orphanage- about Matron and the sealing. But she couldn't find any words strong enough to burst through her self-inflicted, psychological gag. So they had waited in a tomblike silence.
"Quisty. . ."
Irvine grinned desperately and squeezed her hand. His smile lifted her spirits a bit- it always did- but she still felt empty. To Irvine's right, Seifer was pacing back and forth like a tiger in a cage.
"Seif. . ."
"Shut-up, cowboy." He growled. "I'm fucking sick of this bullshit- why can't we go in there? I wanna know what's happening. . ."
Quistis was taken-aback by Seifer's vehemence, but she wasn't especially surprised- Evana was one of the few people Seifer actually respected. Her boldness, shrewdness and skill with her gunblade had given her the right to treat him like a rookie, and he accepted it. Quistis was always amazed at how Evana could control the cadet- not even Xu had been elevated to that position.
"The Galbadians don't want any disturbances while they crucify someone whose revolutionary ideas might just shake up their conservative, beaurocratic world." Hunter said what was on everyone's minds. He held Astrid in his arms, who clutched at him miserably, trembling.
"If they put her away, then who is going to teach me?" Seifer exclaimed haughtily. The comment garnered a couple of unintended chuckles.
"Don't know- Seifer. You're just going to have to devise your own way of beating Squall when we get back to Balamb." Quistis offered, knowing full well that that was one of his main issues.
"Yeah well- a much as Balamb sucks, Galbadia has the worst political system ever. I'm considering conquering it in a couple years just so I can knife Deling's throat in front of millions of people without them locking me away. . ." Seifer sneered, slicing the air with his gunblade.
"I wish. . ."Astrid muttered.
"Don't wish for things like that." Irvine suddenly turned serious. ". . .ya just never know."
"Heh heh- don't worry, cowboy." Seifer sheathed his gunblade. "If I was the president of Galbadia, I'd make you my full-time, personal serving wench- you'd love it. You could. . .dress up in pretty little, slutty costumes and wear your hair in a nice little bun and flit around, worshipping the ground I walk on- doesn't that sound nice?"
". . .sure it does, Seif," Irvine chuckled, "But hasn't Rinoa already filled that position?"
Both men reached for their weapons. Quistis decided that this would be a perfect time to step in.
"Okay okay okay!" Quistis interrupted, giggling. "Guys, cool your jets. Seifer is not the dictator of Galbadia, so Irvine doesn't have to worry about competing with Rinoa to be his personal 'wench'. Let's just. . .um. . .refrain from shedding any blood today, okay?"
"Sure, Quisty. No prob!" Irvine grinned and holstered his gun. Seifer followed suit.
"I'm gonna get you one day, Kinneas." Seifer sneered. Irvine rolled his eyes to the ceiling.
"Oh, please, Seif- you don't know how many times you've said that to me. . .thirty eight." He enlightened the gunbladesman. "You used to go 'round sayin' that ta'all us - 'specially Squall. . .and even more so Selphie. . ."Irvine laughed. "We saw it on The Sorceress Knight movie- you used to alternate between mimicking the hero and mimicking the villain. You always made me play the dragon. . .don't know how many times you've slain me. . ."
"Alright, cowboy- shuddup." Seifer moaned. "I'm so sick of these stories. . I get it. Thank you for remembering my life for me. . ."
'Did Seifer just thank Irvine? '
". . .Your fault for being so power-hungry. If you didn't use GF's, you'd know who you were. . ."
"Irvine." Quistis cut him off. She just didn't want to hear it. Not today.
"What will happen to us if she's sentenced?" Astrid's tiny voice made a delicate slice through the tension. The question was for Hunter alone, although it was plenty loud enough for the nuclear assembly to hear.
". . .we'll probably be out on the street." Hunter replied quietly. It was met with a quiet sob. "Don't worry- I'll take care of you. I always have. . ."
"I'm sure Martine wouldn't throw you guys out, just cause Evana can't pay anymore. He'll find a way- just put you to work. . ." Irvine offered sympathetically. Hunter glared at him.
"Yeah- we could be like you, Kinneas. We could all be Deling's private assassins. . .personal gun whores. . ."
"Hunter! Stop it." Astrid pounded on his chest. "Irvine means well." She turned to her friend. "Irvine- you forget that we've been Evana's trainees for several years. Almost all of her projects involved us. They'll. . .probably expel us."
". . .I. ..didn't forget, hun- Just didn't wanna think 'bout that. . ."Irvine murmured.
"Yeah, well- you won't have to worry 'bout that. Everyone knows you're Deling's favorite." Hunter sneered, casting a cold eye on his compatriot.
"Hunter! It's not his. . ."
"It's alright." Irvine interrupted Astrid's sponsorship. "I deserve it. I do. . .whore myself to them." He looked at the ground.
All three of Evana's cadets fell silent. Grumbling to himself, Seifer punched Irvine casually in the arm.
"It's not your fault, cowboy- 'sides, Martine's the one whose been whoring you out . . .the headmaster's your. . .pimp."
Everyone looked at Seifer, who was turning red in the face. He chuckled a bit, then erupted into a traumatizing howl and slapped at the wall. "Martine's your pimp, Kinneas! Ha Ha HAH!"
"Seifer!" Quistis tried to sound stern, but it came out in a snigger.
"Almasy- shut up!" Hunter burst out. Seifer just found this to be hilarious.
"He's lost it." Astrid whispered in quiet awe.
The scene was reminiscent of the conversation she'd had the previous night. An emotional roller coaster that seemed to reach a high point of hysteria.
Gasping for breath, Seifer chuckled a couple more times and punched Irvine again. This time it was hard.
"Ouch! What the hell was that for?" Irvine groaned. Seifer just kept on chuckling.
". . .for fun, ya fuckin' yokel. Get a hair cut."
"You're so A-D-D Seifer." Quistis shook her head. But the mood had lightened thanks to that almasy disorder.
"You know you love. . ."Seifer's retaliation was interrupted with the sudden opening of the auditorium. The hearing was over. They had passed out the sentence. Everyone assembled in the foyer affixed their attention to the vestibule door. The silence was deafening.
The portly and pompous plutocrats of the Galbadian commission processed in religious fashion, each clad in the flashy, ceremonial robes of the Galbadian senate. Vinzer Deling headed the brigade with a subtle sneer adorning his fleshy face. Xu and Martine walked alongside the President with cold and unreadable masks. Martine looked particularly sober. Then the SeeDs and Instructors emerged from the Great Hall and gathered in the lobby.
Last came Rose Laurentide Seagil- aka Evana Botchaskya, codename CrimsonFury and Anti-sorceress agent number 00012. She was grimy and shackled, dressed in a gray jumpsuit, with her flaming hair matted around her hard, comely face like a mane. Five armored guards escorted her away from the political and Garden rabble. Her head was lifted high, but her eyes were full of melancholy.
Quistis reached out to gently touch Xu's hand as the commander passed her by. Xu stared her friend deep in the eye, still in motion, still on Deling's right arm.
"Death by injection."
It was barely a whisper, barely a hum
But mayhem ensued.
Angry cries of protest and bewilderment erupted from Galbadia's cadets. The mob swirled and turned on each other, bickering, reduced to pettiness. Cursing ricocheted off the walls- the cadets were incensed. Deling and his cohorts slunk against the wall as a team of elite Galbadian bodyguards filed in to form a barrier. The Galbadian flag on the left wall was ripped from it's lofty position, and a group of berserked cadets lit the tapestry on fire.
Quistis held onto Irvine for dear life- the shuffle and commotion were intense beyond belief.
"What the hell is going on? Why is everyone so fucking nuts?" Seifer swore beside Quistis, his hand on the hilt of his gunblade.
"They're gonna kill Evana!"Irvine hollered. "And, fuck, the government's overstepped their jurisdiction- Evana's Estharian." Irvine continued., narrowly evading a punch. The students had begun to revolt against the soldiers, and the argument had degenerated into a fist fight. "They didn't even consult the Estharian government before the case. Plus, Garden's actually a privately own institution, even though these assholes sponsor us- they arrived here with no warrant, no police, no lawyers. They just came in and seized Garden."
"Fucking Deling." Seifer sneered, pulling out his gunblade. "Taking over everything. Garden, Timber, killing innocent people- I'll show him. . ."
"Seifer, no!" Quistis screamed, lunging at the cadet. Jetting his hand into her forehead, Seifer threw the Instructor back into Irvine's arms and forced himself into the brawl. Quistis slammed into Irvine, who in turn, slammed forcefully against the marble walls.
"Seifer!" Irvine hollered. Quistis jumped to her feet and drew her whip.
She'd be damned if he got himself killed under her watch.
"Almasy, get the fuck back here!" She ordered, stepping through the warring soldiers. She snapped her whip in tight and flickering waves, creating a field around her body. Quistis remained outwardly composed, but she could feel her magic jetting through her nerves; it's warmth cascading through her limbs and torso. She moved like an automaton.
"Seifer."
A massive grunt charged her, galbadian katals in hand. With a slight gesture, her chain whip slapped around his neck and broke his spinal cord. She walked on, her magic surging.
The blood lust. She began to crave. . .
She easily discarded another- her left fist lunged out to her side and sent a soldier to the ground, unconscious. Simultaneously, Quistis flicked her whip at an officer. The intensity of her stroke sliced the man's abdomen right open. He collapsed to his knees, arms sweeping in futile attempts to contain his innards.
She walked on. She needed to get to Seifer.
He had already forced his way through the outer ranks and was battling with a katana-wielding elite. There was honor in every stroke of his gunblade as he toppled the first and took on the next. Wounded men from both factions lay twitching on the despoiled Garden floor. The sight was sickening, but it did nothing to deter Quistis.
"Quisty! Quisty?" The SeeD felt a gentle hand on her wrist. She knew who it was. "Honey, c'mon- grab Seif and let's go. We're gonna get killed in here!"
Quistis surveyed the scene. It was dreamy- almost impressionistic. Deling and his fascist regime cowered behind the line of elite soldiers who were battering cadets with the buts of their pistols and the hilts of their katanas. Her eyes fell over the President's face- his mouth was rigid, but his eyes revealed that he would empty his bowels out of fear any moment. She glanced to Martine- there was a deep sorrow on his generally dazed and clownish face. He unwillingly watched his cadets collapse in piles of battered bodies- he was going to have a breakdown.
Quistis' eyes then turned to Xu, who met her gaze quickly. Xu's hazel eyes were open and fierce and her mouth moved violently in a lost scream. She was yelling something. Quistis couldn't make it out- the outcries and violence were deafening around her. So she stood there, shaking her head in bewilderment. Xu became more incensed and began to point. Noticing this, President Deling whirled around and punched the Balamb commander in the face. Xu slammed against the wall and slunk to the ground.
"Quistis!"
The blue sorceress spun around at the sound of Evana's voice. The red- headed Amazon was grappling with her captors- she'd already knocked out two. Glancing back at Seifer, whom Irvine had pulled from the battle, Quistis bolted towards her comrade.
'I'll help her escape- we'll get her to Esthar. Then, she can have the life she deserves. And she can find her son. .. I'll make her. . .'
Quistis' reasoning fuelled her magic. She ran toward Evana as the Estharian spy kicked the last jailer in the groin and hurried into the battle- still shackled and weaponless. Quistis stopped.
"Evana! That way." She screamed, pointing behind. But Evana kept running toward her. "Evana!"
"Quistis stop!" She screamed, gesticulating wildly. The instructor followed her mentor's movements with her gaze.
Ten feet away, a sniper took aim.
"Quistis, Evana!" Irvine's voice cut through the dense clamor.
"The Prisoner!" A voice cried out.
"Quistis! Move!" Evana screamed and ran.
"Quistis!!!"
A shot.
Then another.
All noise ceased.
All wagging tongues and vibrating tonsils ceased motion. Guns and knives and swords were dropped mid-stroke and mid-fire.
All movement halted, save the turning of heads. . .
. . .And the flowing river of Evana Botchaskya's blood.
"Evana. . ."Quistis whispered, stunned. Her feet felt stapled to the floor.
The elder instructor fell to her knees then slumped into fetal position. Her large emerald eyes were massive with shock, the darkness of her dilated pupils fathomless and profound. Her right hand slithered to her side, where her gunblade should've rested. The left hand covered the bullet wound in her chest that had cut clean through her thorax. Through her heart and lung. She gazed up.
"Quistis. . ."
All of a sudden Astrid pushed her way through the crowd and flung herself onto Evana's body, weeping. Irvine and Seifer and Hunter all followed suit, creating a ring around the dying gunbladeswoman. A few other cadets slowly crept in.
Quistis broke from her paralysis and dropped to her knees.
"Evana. . ."
"Trepe?" Instructor Botchaskya coughed and chuckled.
"I wanted to save you. . ." Quistis whispered, a fountain of tears ready to spout.
"Yeah well- I wanted to save you. And I'm older, so I won." She groaned, forcing pressure onto her wound.
"Mama Red don't die!" Astrid cried, burying her little face in Evana's unruly mane. No potion, no spell was potent enough. Quistis was so grieved her abilities left her. And none of the Galbadians were handing out curagas.
Hunter bent down to press his cheek to Astrid's scalp.
"Evana, please. . ."
"You be a good boy, Hunter, and take care of that little girl. She's in love with you, you know- stop being a bastard and accept it. Marriage may be a little tough since I adopted you both, but tell Kiros. He'll fix that for you."
"I will, thank you." Her apprentice muttered, kissing his mother on the forehead. The tears began to flow freely from Quistis eyes.
"Mama red.. ."
"Get outta here Irvine." She reached up weakly and grabbed his chin. "Sweetheart, get out of this place. Go with Trepe, be happy, be free. SeeDs needs sunshine to grow- this place is dark, Irvine. And you're never gonna grow tall enough ta see it for yourself. Get outta here, baby. You make me so proud. . ."She coughed up, spewing thick red humor down her chin. "You do. People love you out there- don't throw it away. . ." She whispered. He kissed her cheek. Evana paled, then shuddered violently.
"Evana. . ."Quistis gasped.
"Tell Xu. . .I'm sorry for not bein' there. Tell Edea. . .that I did rip the head off her doll. . .I was jealous. . ."
"Mama." Irvine cried out, forcing his hand over her heart-wound. Evana continued.
"Tell. . .Laguna. . . .that I hate that fuckin' song and Ward that I know he's faking it. Tell Kiros. . . that he's one virile son-of-a-bitch. . ."
"Tell my son. . .that he's brave and I wish I deserved him. . ." She coughed and wheezed. She was fading. Suddenly, from a reserve of untapped strength, Evana thrust her arm upwards and grabbed Seifer by the trench coat. She pulled him to face her. His wide green eyes reflected hers.
"Tell Seifer. . .don't go with her."
"What?" Seifer gasped. "Who? Evana!"
"Don't go with her, Seifer! Stop it." Evana hissed. He was bewildered. "I. .."
"I promised him. . .I would try. . . to stop. . .don't. . .love. . .knight. . .Sei-f-r. . .she's. . .come. . .Ulti. . .Dia. . .ir. . ."
Evana clutched at Seifer's coat with one claw and fisted Irvine's hair with her other. Her eyes rose to the ceiling.
She nodded once. Then sighed.
Then expired.
A moment of silence was pierced with cries.
Astrid screamed and collapsed into Hunters robotic arms. Seifer, in utter shock, took Evana's hand in his and knelt beside her head. Despite her blurry vision, Quistis found her way to Irvine. She didn't care about any Instructor's clauses. She just wanted to hold him and be held in return.
She put a hand on his shoulder- it was shaking.
She whispered his name. He closed his eyes and the tears raged down his cheeks.
Whirling around, he drew Valiant from his holster, marched before the perpetrator and pulled the trigger.
The shot echoed through the halls of Galbadia Garden, as did the dull thud of the officer's lifeless body as it dropped to the cement.
Irvine had shot him in the head. Close range.
He turned his angry gun on the President.
The sound of a dozen guns cocking echoed itself.
"Irvine. . ." Quistis pleaded, watching her lover helplessly. He was surrounded.
Seifer stood, dazed, and joined Irvine, gunblade in hand. Quistis' tears fell faster.
"Mr. Kinneas. . .I understand you're upset. . ." The President began with outstretched hands. "But you need to think about this and choose wisely. . ."
"Even if they did kill me, You'd be dead before they could even think about pulling their triggers. . ." Irvine seethed. President Deling shrugged and nodded.
"You know I wouldn't kill you, Irvine. But there are others here, well within range, who would suffer the consequences of your treason."
"C'mon, cowboy- don't waste a bullet on him." Seifer grabbed Irvine's arm and tugged. It was one of the greatest moments of humanity for Seifer Almasy.
The sharpshooter glowered for a moment, then lowered his gun. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Irvine holstered Valiant and with a fierce and desperate cry, threw himself, sobbing, in his rival's arms. He wept bitterly on Seifer shoulder.
The Balamb cadet displayed no awkwardness when he put a comforting arm around Irvine's shoulders- there was moisture in his green eyes, and genuine sadness.
Vinzer Deling snarled and quickly exited, followed by his assemblage and bodyguards, leaving the Garden community to their sorrow. EMS came in to collect Evana's body, disregarding the swarms of cadets and instructors who wanted nothing more than to pay their last respects.
Quistis ran to Seifer and Irvine, who opened their bizarre embrace for her. The scent of galbadia and gun powder emanated from them and from the room. She began to sob quietly.
"Irvine. . .Quistis. . ." Seifer started ineptly. Quistis placed a hand over his mouth.
"Not now. . ."
" But. . .Xu. . ." He whispered, glancing over their heads. Irvine and Quistis both turned around to Xu rise from the ground, clutching at Martine's hand. Her nose was broken and she held a hand to her head.
"My god. ..She doesn't know. . ." Quistis murmured. She watched Xu as the look of disorientation turned to one of fear, then horror, then, ultimately rage. Martine backed away.
"Shit. Seifer, Irvine. Help me hold her down. She's going to limit."
The men raced over and grabbed the field commander, who had begun emit a fiery red aura. Her inhuman screams shattered the windows. Irvine and Seifer held on for dear life.
They clutched at the raging victim for moment and felt the burning power of Xu's deeprooted sorrow. Xu's cry was the true vocalization of what each of them had burrowed in their hearts.
The power surged, then the fire melted.
"Aunt Evana." She whispered in a hollow tone. The notoriously cold field commander gripped at the cadets with a clawlike grip. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted. Seifer caught her slim form in his powerful arms.
He stared at her for a moment, pensive and pondering. Then his eyes followed the men in the white jumpsuits as they strapped Evana's body bag onto a stretcher. He cursed.
"How the mighty fall-without honor, in obscurity. . ." Seifer whispered, holding Xu's incapacitated body in his arms. ". . .never. Never."
He handed Xu over to Martine and walked out.
The others wept in communal silence.
Chapter 22
(no- this is not the naughty one- that's actually been pushed back to 24, I think.)
Quistis waited outside the auditorium door with the rest of the mob- half the Garden was waiting to find out what Instructor Botchaskya's sentence would be.
Sighing, Quistis glanced over to her partner and squeezed Irvine's hand. Neither had been able to sleep the night before, and both had the purple bags under their eyes to prove it. Since the days events had caused them to feel counter-amorous, they had laid together shivering in room fifty-two. Five hours and thirty six and a half minutes had passed by at a snail's pace- it felt a pit of darkness. And every one of those minutes had been full of counter-life-productive hurt and misery.
She had wanted to ask him about the orphanage- about Matron and the sealing. But she couldn't find any words strong enough to burst through her self-inflicted, psychological gag. So they had waited in a tomblike silence.
"Quisty. . ."
Irvine grinned desperately and squeezed her hand. His smile lifted her spirits a bit- it always did- but she still felt empty. To Irvine's right, Seifer was pacing back and forth like a tiger in a cage.
"Seif. . ."
"Shut-up, cowboy." He growled. "I'm fucking sick of this bullshit- why can't we go in there? I wanna know what's happening. . ."
Quistis was taken-aback by Seifer's vehemence, but she wasn't especially surprised- Evana was one of the few people Seifer actually respected. Her boldness, shrewdness and skill with her gunblade had given her the right to treat him like a rookie, and he accepted it. Quistis was always amazed at how Evana could control the cadet- not even Xu had been elevated to that position.
"The Galbadians don't want any disturbances while they crucify someone whose revolutionary ideas might just shake up their conservative, beaurocratic world." Hunter said what was on everyone's minds. He held Astrid in his arms, who clutched at him miserably, trembling.
"If they put her away, then who is going to teach me?" Seifer exclaimed haughtily. The comment garnered a couple of unintended chuckles.
"Don't know- Seifer. You're just going to have to devise your own way of beating Squall when we get back to Balamb." Quistis offered, knowing full well that that was one of his main issues.
"Yeah well- a much as Balamb sucks, Galbadia has the worst political system ever. I'm considering conquering it in a couple years just so I can knife Deling's throat in front of millions of people without them locking me away. . ." Seifer sneered, slicing the air with his gunblade.
"I wish. . ."Astrid muttered.
"Don't wish for things like that." Irvine suddenly turned serious. ". . .ya just never know."
"Heh heh- don't worry, cowboy." Seifer sheathed his gunblade. "If I was the president of Galbadia, I'd make you my full-time, personal serving wench- you'd love it. You could. . .dress up in pretty little, slutty costumes and wear your hair in a nice little bun and flit around, worshipping the ground I walk on- doesn't that sound nice?"
". . .sure it does, Seif," Irvine chuckled, "But hasn't Rinoa already filled that position?"
Both men reached for their weapons. Quistis decided that this would be a perfect time to step in.
"Okay okay okay!" Quistis interrupted, giggling. "Guys, cool your jets. Seifer is not the dictator of Galbadia, so Irvine doesn't have to worry about competing with Rinoa to be his personal 'wench'. Let's just. . .um. . .refrain from shedding any blood today, okay?"
"Sure, Quisty. No prob!" Irvine grinned and holstered his gun. Seifer followed suit.
"I'm gonna get you one day, Kinneas." Seifer sneered. Irvine rolled his eyes to the ceiling.
"Oh, please, Seif- you don't know how many times you've said that to me. . .thirty eight." He enlightened the gunbladesman. "You used to go 'round sayin' that ta'all us - 'specially Squall. . .and even more so Selphie. . ."Irvine laughed. "We saw it on The Sorceress Knight movie- you used to alternate between mimicking the hero and mimicking the villain. You always made me play the dragon. . .don't know how many times you've slain me. . ."
"Alright, cowboy- shuddup." Seifer moaned. "I'm so sick of these stories. . I get it. Thank you for remembering my life for me. . ."
'Did Seifer just thank Irvine? '
". . .Your fault for being so power-hungry. If you didn't use GF's, you'd know who you were. . ."
"Irvine." Quistis cut him off. She just didn't want to hear it. Not today.
"What will happen to us if she's sentenced?" Astrid's tiny voice made a delicate slice through the tension. The question was for Hunter alone, although it was plenty loud enough for the nuclear assembly to hear.
". . .we'll probably be out on the street." Hunter replied quietly. It was met with a quiet sob. "Don't worry- I'll take care of you. I always have. . ."
"I'm sure Martine wouldn't throw you guys out, just cause Evana can't pay anymore. He'll find a way- just put you to work. . ." Irvine offered sympathetically. Hunter glared at him.
"Yeah- we could be like you, Kinneas. We could all be Deling's private assassins. . .personal gun whores. . ."
"Hunter! Stop it." Astrid pounded on his chest. "Irvine means well." She turned to her friend. "Irvine- you forget that we've been Evana's trainees for several years. Almost all of her projects involved us. They'll. . .probably expel us."
". . .I. ..didn't forget, hun- Just didn't wanna think 'bout that. . ."Irvine murmured.
"Yeah, well- you won't have to worry 'bout that. Everyone knows you're Deling's favorite." Hunter sneered, casting a cold eye on his compatriot.
"Hunter! It's not his. . ."
"It's alright." Irvine interrupted Astrid's sponsorship. "I deserve it. I do. . .whore myself to them." He looked at the ground.
All three of Evana's cadets fell silent. Grumbling to himself, Seifer punched Irvine casually in the arm.
"It's not your fault, cowboy- 'sides, Martine's the one whose been whoring you out . . .the headmaster's your. . .pimp."
Everyone looked at Seifer, who was turning red in the face. He chuckled a bit, then erupted into a traumatizing howl and slapped at the wall. "Martine's your pimp, Kinneas! Ha Ha HAH!"
"Seifer!" Quistis tried to sound stern, but it came out in a snigger.
"Almasy- shut up!" Hunter burst out. Seifer just found this to be hilarious.
"He's lost it." Astrid whispered in quiet awe.
The scene was reminiscent of the conversation she'd had the previous night. An emotional roller coaster that seemed to reach a high point of hysteria.
Gasping for breath, Seifer chuckled a couple more times and punched Irvine again. This time it was hard.
"Ouch! What the hell was that for?" Irvine groaned. Seifer just kept on chuckling.
". . .for fun, ya fuckin' yokel. Get a hair cut."
"You're so A-D-D Seifer." Quistis shook her head. But the mood had lightened thanks to that almasy disorder.
"You know you love. . ."Seifer's retaliation was interrupted with the sudden opening of the auditorium. The hearing was over. They had passed out the sentence. Everyone assembled in the foyer affixed their attention to the vestibule door. The silence was deafening.
The portly and pompous plutocrats of the Galbadian commission processed in religious fashion, each clad in the flashy, ceremonial robes of the Galbadian senate. Vinzer Deling headed the brigade with a subtle sneer adorning his fleshy face. Xu and Martine walked alongside the President with cold and unreadable masks. Martine looked particularly sober. Then the SeeDs and Instructors emerged from the Great Hall and gathered in the lobby.
Last came Rose Laurentide Seagil- aka Evana Botchaskya, codename CrimsonFury and Anti-sorceress agent number 00012. She was grimy and shackled, dressed in a gray jumpsuit, with her flaming hair matted around her hard, comely face like a mane. Five armored guards escorted her away from the political and Garden rabble. Her head was lifted high, but her eyes were full of melancholy.
Quistis reached out to gently touch Xu's hand as the commander passed her by. Xu stared her friend deep in the eye, still in motion, still on Deling's right arm.
"Death by injection."
It was barely a whisper, barely a hum
But mayhem ensued.
Angry cries of protest and bewilderment erupted from Galbadia's cadets. The mob swirled and turned on each other, bickering, reduced to pettiness. Cursing ricocheted off the walls- the cadets were incensed. Deling and his cohorts slunk against the wall as a team of elite Galbadian bodyguards filed in to form a barrier. The Galbadian flag on the left wall was ripped from it's lofty position, and a group of berserked cadets lit the tapestry on fire.
Quistis held onto Irvine for dear life- the shuffle and commotion were intense beyond belief.
"What the hell is going on? Why is everyone so fucking nuts?" Seifer swore beside Quistis, his hand on the hilt of his gunblade.
"They're gonna kill Evana!"Irvine hollered. "And, fuck, the government's overstepped their jurisdiction- Evana's Estharian." Irvine continued., narrowly evading a punch. The students had begun to revolt against the soldiers, and the argument had degenerated into a fist fight. "They didn't even consult the Estharian government before the case. Plus, Garden's actually a privately own institution, even though these assholes sponsor us- they arrived here with no warrant, no police, no lawyers. They just came in and seized Garden."
"Fucking Deling." Seifer sneered, pulling out his gunblade. "Taking over everything. Garden, Timber, killing innocent people- I'll show him. . ."
"Seifer, no!" Quistis screamed, lunging at the cadet. Jetting his hand into her forehead, Seifer threw the Instructor back into Irvine's arms and forced himself into the brawl. Quistis slammed into Irvine, who in turn, slammed forcefully against the marble walls.
"Seifer!" Irvine hollered. Quistis jumped to her feet and drew her whip.
She'd be damned if he got himself killed under her watch.
"Almasy, get the fuck back here!" She ordered, stepping through the warring soldiers. She snapped her whip in tight and flickering waves, creating a field around her body. Quistis remained outwardly composed, but she could feel her magic jetting through her nerves; it's warmth cascading through her limbs and torso. She moved like an automaton.
"Seifer."
A massive grunt charged her, galbadian katals in hand. With a slight gesture, her chain whip slapped around his neck and broke his spinal cord. She walked on, her magic surging.
The blood lust. She began to crave. . .
She easily discarded another- her left fist lunged out to her side and sent a soldier to the ground, unconscious. Simultaneously, Quistis flicked her whip at an officer. The intensity of her stroke sliced the man's abdomen right open. He collapsed to his knees, arms sweeping in futile attempts to contain his innards.
She walked on. She needed to get to Seifer.
He had already forced his way through the outer ranks and was battling with a katana-wielding elite. There was honor in every stroke of his gunblade as he toppled the first and took on the next. Wounded men from both factions lay twitching on the despoiled Garden floor. The sight was sickening, but it did nothing to deter Quistis.
"Quisty! Quisty?" The SeeD felt a gentle hand on her wrist. She knew who it was. "Honey, c'mon- grab Seif and let's go. We're gonna get killed in here!"
Quistis surveyed the scene. It was dreamy- almost impressionistic. Deling and his fascist regime cowered behind the line of elite soldiers who were battering cadets with the buts of their pistols and the hilts of their katanas. Her eyes fell over the President's face- his mouth was rigid, but his eyes revealed that he would empty his bowels out of fear any moment. She glanced to Martine- there was a deep sorrow on his generally dazed and clownish face. He unwillingly watched his cadets collapse in piles of battered bodies- he was going to have a breakdown.
Quistis' eyes then turned to Xu, who met her gaze quickly. Xu's hazel eyes were open and fierce and her mouth moved violently in a lost scream. She was yelling something. Quistis couldn't make it out- the outcries and violence were deafening around her. So she stood there, shaking her head in bewilderment. Xu became more incensed and began to point. Noticing this, President Deling whirled around and punched the Balamb commander in the face. Xu slammed against the wall and slunk to the ground.
"Quistis!"
The blue sorceress spun around at the sound of Evana's voice. The red- headed Amazon was grappling with her captors- she'd already knocked out two. Glancing back at Seifer, whom Irvine had pulled from the battle, Quistis bolted towards her comrade.
'I'll help her escape- we'll get her to Esthar. Then, she can have the life she deserves. And she can find her son. .. I'll make her. . .'
Quistis' reasoning fuelled her magic. She ran toward Evana as the Estharian spy kicked the last jailer in the groin and hurried into the battle- still shackled and weaponless. Quistis stopped.
"Evana! That way." She screamed, pointing behind. But Evana kept running toward her. "Evana!"
"Quistis stop!" She screamed, gesticulating wildly. The instructor followed her mentor's movements with her gaze.
Ten feet away, a sniper took aim.
"Quistis, Evana!" Irvine's voice cut through the dense clamor.
"The Prisoner!" A voice cried out.
"Quistis! Move!" Evana screamed and ran.
"Quistis!!!"
A shot.
Then another.
All noise ceased.
All wagging tongues and vibrating tonsils ceased motion. Guns and knives and swords were dropped mid-stroke and mid-fire.
All movement halted, save the turning of heads. . .
. . .And the flowing river of Evana Botchaskya's blood.
"Evana. . ."Quistis whispered, stunned. Her feet felt stapled to the floor.
The elder instructor fell to her knees then slumped into fetal position. Her large emerald eyes were massive with shock, the darkness of her dilated pupils fathomless and profound. Her right hand slithered to her side, where her gunblade should've rested. The left hand covered the bullet wound in her chest that had cut clean through her thorax. Through her heart and lung. She gazed up.
"Quistis. . ."
All of a sudden Astrid pushed her way through the crowd and flung herself onto Evana's body, weeping. Irvine and Seifer and Hunter all followed suit, creating a ring around the dying gunbladeswoman. A few other cadets slowly crept in.
Quistis broke from her paralysis and dropped to her knees.
"Evana. . ."
"Trepe?" Instructor Botchaskya coughed and chuckled.
"I wanted to save you. . ." Quistis whispered, a fountain of tears ready to spout.
"Yeah well- I wanted to save you. And I'm older, so I won." She groaned, forcing pressure onto her wound.
"Mama Red don't die!" Astrid cried, burying her little face in Evana's unruly mane. No potion, no spell was potent enough. Quistis was so grieved her abilities left her. And none of the Galbadians were handing out curagas.
Hunter bent down to press his cheek to Astrid's scalp.
"Evana, please. . ."
"You be a good boy, Hunter, and take care of that little girl. She's in love with you, you know- stop being a bastard and accept it. Marriage may be a little tough since I adopted you both, but tell Kiros. He'll fix that for you."
"I will, thank you." Her apprentice muttered, kissing his mother on the forehead. The tears began to flow freely from Quistis eyes.
"Mama red.. ."
"Get outta here Irvine." She reached up weakly and grabbed his chin. "Sweetheart, get out of this place. Go with Trepe, be happy, be free. SeeDs needs sunshine to grow- this place is dark, Irvine. And you're never gonna grow tall enough ta see it for yourself. Get outta here, baby. You make me so proud. . ."She coughed up, spewing thick red humor down her chin. "You do. People love you out there- don't throw it away. . ." She whispered. He kissed her cheek. Evana paled, then shuddered violently.
"Evana. . ."Quistis gasped.
"Tell Xu. . .I'm sorry for not bein' there. Tell Edea. . .that I did rip the head off her doll. . .I was jealous. . ."
"Mama." Irvine cried out, forcing his hand over her heart-wound. Evana continued.
"Tell. . .Laguna. . . .that I hate that fuckin' song and Ward that I know he's faking it. Tell Kiros. . . that he's one virile son-of-a-bitch. . ."
"Tell my son. . .that he's brave and I wish I deserved him. . ." She coughed and wheezed. She was fading. Suddenly, from a reserve of untapped strength, Evana thrust her arm upwards and grabbed Seifer by the trench coat. She pulled him to face her. His wide green eyes reflected hers.
"Tell Seifer. . .don't go with her."
"What?" Seifer gasped. "Who? Evana!"
"Don't go with her, Seifer! Stop it." Evana hissed. He was bewildered. "I. .."
"I promised him. . .I would try. . . to stop. . .don't. . .love. . .knight. . .Sei-f-r. . .she's. . .come. . .Ulti. . .Dia. . .ir. . ."
Evana clutched at Seifer's coat with one claw and fisted Irvine's hair with her other. Her eyes rose to the ceiling.
She nodded once. Then sighed.
Then expired.
A moment of silence was pierced with cries.
Astrid screamed and collapsed into Hunters robotic arms. Seifer, in utter shock, took Evana's hand in his and knelt beside her head. Despite her blurry vision, Quistis found her way to Irvine. She didn't care about any Instructor's clauses. She just wanted to hold him and be held in return.
She put a hand on his shoulder- it was shaking.
She whispered his name. He closed his eyes and the tears raged down his cheeks.
Whirling around, he drew Valiant from his holster, marched before the perpetrator and pulled the trigger.
The shot echoed through the halls of Galbadia Garden, as did the dull thud of the officer's lifeless body as it dropped to the cement.
Irvine had shot him in the head. Close range.
He turned his angry gun on the President.
The sound of a dozen guns cocking echoed itself.
"Irvine. . ." Quistis pleaded, watching her lover helplessly. He was surrounded.
Seifer stood, dazed, and joined Irvine, gunblade in hand. Quistis' tears fell faster.
"Mr. Kinneas. . .I understand you're upset. . ." The President began with outstretched hands. "But you need to think about this and choose wisely. . ."
"Even if they did kill me, You'd be dead before they could even think about pulling their triggers. . ." Irvine seethed. President Deling shrugged and nodded.
"You know I wouldn't kill you, Irvine. But there are others here, well within range, who would suffer the consequences of your treason."
"C'mon, cowboy- don't waste a bullet on him." Seifer grabbed Irvine's arm and tugged. It was one of the greatest moments of humanity for Seifer Almasy.
The sharpshooter glowered for a moment, then lowered his gun. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Irvine holstered Valiant and with a fierce and desperate cry, threw himself, sobbing, in his rival's arms. He wept bitterly on Seifer shoulder.
The Balamb cadet displayed no awkwardness when he put a comforting arm around Irvine's shoulders- there was moisture in his green eyes, and genuine sadness.
Vinzer Deling snarled and quickly exited, followed by his assemblage and bodyguards, leaving the Garden community to their sorrow. EMS came in to collect Evana's body, disregarding the swarms of cadets and instructors who wanted nothing more than to pay their last respects.
Quistis ran to Seifer and Irvine, who opened their bizarre embrace for her. The scent of galbadia and gun powder emanated from them and from the room. She began to sob quietly.
"Irvine. . .Quistis. . ." Seifer started ineptly. Quistis placed a hand over his mouth.
"Not now. . ."
" But. . .Xu. . ." He whispered, glancing over their heads. Irvine and Quistis both turned around to Xu rise from the ground, clutching at Martine's hand. Her nose was broken and she held a hand to her head.
"My god. ..She doesn't know. . ." Quistis murmured. She watched Xu as the look of disorientation turned to one of fear, then horror, then, ultimately rage. Martine backed away.
"Shit. Seifer, Irvine. Help me hold her down. She's going to limit."
The men raced over and grabbed the field commander, who had begun emit a fiery red aura. Her inhuman screams shattered the windows. Irvine and Seifer held on for dear life.
They clutched at the raging victim for moment and felt the burning power of Xu's deeprooted sorrow. Xu's cry was the true vocalization of what each of them had burrowed in their hearts.
The power surged, then the fire melted.
"Aunt Evana." She whispered in a hollow tone. The notoriously cold field commander gripped at the cadets with a clawlike grip. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted. Seifer caught her slim form in his powerful arms.
He stared at her for a moment, pensive and pondering. Then his eyes followed the men in the white jumpsuits as they strapped Evana's body bag onto a stretcher. He cursed.
"How the mighty fall-without honor, in obscurity. . ." Seifer whispered, holding Xu's incapacitated body in his arms. ". . .never. Never."
He handed Xu over to Martine and walked out.
The others wept in communal silence.