Seifer sneered at Quistis and quietly he inquired, "Come on, really. Why are you here? It doesn't look like you fit in here at all… And you would never have take the gall it takes to turn me in… Instructor." His green emeralds mocked her.
Quistis' blue sapphires glared right back at Seifer and she quickly retorted, "Though it's been a few years, I assure you, I haven't lost any of my willpower. I could probably kick your ass if I really tried." Her eyes grew cold. It felt strange for her to be intimidating—well, attempting to be intimidating. She felt quite out of character, being this harsh, in a bar of all places.
"But that's beside the point," she continued. "I'm sure Squall would love to get you back and carry out your execution. That 5 million gil reward is just what I need. But you can give me one good reason why I shouldn't board the next train to Balamb and report my information to Commander Squall. If it's valid, I pretend like I've not seen you since Ultimecia.
"You have until 6:15, Seifer. I'll just hang around until then." Checking the clock, she added, "That's 45 minutes. And you might want to actually use your brain on this one." She daintily slid off the stool, and left Seifer speechless for once. He frowned and cursed under his breath after she turned her back. He narrowed his eyes and finally chuckled, shaking his head.
She took her screwdriver and headed to the nearest vacant pool table. Placing her drink on the edge, she went to retrieve a pool cue from the wall. She came back and took a sip from her drink, and proceeded to chalk her pool cue.
Everyone looked on in fascination as the white-clad nurse carried on in her game of pool, as if it were the most common thing in the world. Apparently, it was all too much for one man, for he emerged from the shadows, clutching a beer glass. His knuckles were tattooed, and read "Butch"; he was a barrel-chested man with a beer gut, and arms the width of tree trunks.
He slithered up behind Quistis as she set up to break. When she pulled the cue back to strike the white ball, the end connected with the man's engorged stomach. She whirled around and found herself looking up to the man's cold, hard eyes. Her eyes widened and she meekly said, "Oh. Excuse me…"
Butch cracked his knuckles and he belched loudly. He quickly and expertly cracked his neck, she began to shrink back from both disgust and fright. He finally spoke in a gruff, deep tone.
"I think it's time you left. Ain't nobody here to protect you, if anything should…happen." He held a menacing tone, and everyone looked on silently.
Quistis stuttered, "Oh… well… I think I have as much right to be here as you."
The man grunted in reply, "No, you obviously don't understand." He began to advance on her, pushing her into a wall. When her back was against the rack of pool cues, she involuntarily gave a little gasp. The man laughed heartily, and said, "I think I should show you why it's not such a good idea to hang around here!" He reached back with his tattooed fist and his arm muscles bulged as he wound up. "Just sit still, Princess…" A split second later, his fist was barrelling toward Quistis' face.
Quistis' eyes widened, and she ducked at the precisely right time. The man's fist connected with the wooden pool cue rack, and continued on straight through the wall, leaving a gaping hole.
He howled with pain and screamed, "Gah, you little BITCH!" He held up his fist, and it was pouring blood, and his knuckles no longer read "Butch." Bits of plaster and particleboard were embedded in his flesh. He bellowed, "FUCK! You fucking bitch, sit STILL!"
Seifer jumped over the bar counter and threw his towel behind him. "Break it up!" he shouted. Drunken barmembers were panicking and running around, managing to block Seifer's way. He finally made his way over to Butch at precisely the wrong time.
Butch blindly swung his beer glass, and connected with someone's head. Unfortunately, it missed its intended target. Seifer bellowed in pain and clutched his head, while sinking down to the ground. He quickly lost consciousness; blood was quickly streaming down his face, and glass shards were everywhere.
Quistis screamed, and seemed to be frozen to her spot. But her quick thinking skills aquired from SeeD kicked in, and she decided to do something drastic.
She began to breathe heavily, and focus intensely. "STOP!" she screamed. Instantaneously, all action stopped; people were frozen in mid-step, and expressions were frozen mid-shout. Now that the pandemonium was temporarily stopped, she whispered, "Float." Seifer's body rose from the floor, and she did her best to guide him to the exit.
She frantically thought, If anyone finds out that I had, never mind used those spells, I'll be locked away… I'm not a SeeD anymore, and civilians are forbidden from stocking and using magic.
Quistis grabbed a kerchief from her bag and pressed it on Seifer's head. "Cure," she whispered. The blood flow was temporarily halted, and he regained consciousness.
He groaned and clutched his head again; bringing his hand over his eyes, he frowned. No blood stained his hands.
"I cured you, but we have to hurry to the Hospital. The spell won't last long, and you need medical attention immediately," she said. Putting an arm around his waist, she steadied him. "Come on Seifer, now put an arm around my shoulders, we have to walk together."
He gave a lopsided smirk, and the dim light of the bar reflected off his jade eyes. She saw that his pupils were unevenly dilated.
He spoke in a weak voice. "You get it any way you can, eh Instructor? Too bad you never got Puberty Boy…" he chuckled, and lost his balance, falling into her.
They made their way to the door, and she opened it, letting frigid gusts of air in. Seifer shrank back, and Quistis saw that he wore a thin short-sleeved black shirt; his arms were completely exposed to the cold. "For Hyne's sake, Seifer!" She quickly unbuttoned her coat, thrust it over his shoulders, and put his arms in. Though a tight fit, it would have to do for now.
As the door closed behind them, Quistis heard the patrons inside beginning to cause trouble again; the Stop spell had worn off just in time.
They slowly made their way down the dark sidewalk to the hospital. Seifer's steps were hindered by his condition; he shuffled along, holding tightly to Quistis.
Quistis shuddered from the cold, and was relieved that the hospital was conveniently right around the corner. She had a firm grip on Seifer, and was sorry that the Float spell wore off so quickly.
Many staccato steps were matched with smooth steps, and the hospital was finally looming over them, the bright white lights beckoning them in. When the Emergency Room doors were within reach, they quickly entered, and Quistis rushed to the nurse on duty. Surprisingly, the Emergency room was barren; no patients were there.
The Cure spell had worn off, and blood was beginning to run down Seifer's face, staining his forehead and cheeks crimson. The nurse looked at Seifer in shock, then back to Quistis, with an utterly perplexed look. Not every day did a huge man enter on the arm of a small nurse, wearing a woman's coat, pouring blood.
Nonetheless, she rushed Seifer and Quistis through the swinging doors.
