Disclaimer: All the characters of FF8 belong to Squaresoft.
A/N: Look I'm not dead yet! Here's Chapter 10! R&R please, Thanks.
~*~Chapter 10 ~*~
~*~Rain and Tears~*~
The sky was grey with heavy clouds. Seifer was lost in his thoughts as they walked out of the Presidential residence. As the first drops of rain fell, Seifer was still lost in his thoughts.
"I told you so," Quistis turned to face him.
"Huh?" Seifer gave her a blank look.
"I told you it was going to rain," she held her hand out to catch the falling droplets, which started to fall quicker.
"So it's raining. Someone give Trepe a gold star," he exclaimed in sarcasm.
"Isn't there anything you appreciate in the world?"
"What?"
"You're always so…I don't know, never mind."
"Yeah I appreciate some things. I'd appreciate when I'm not stuck in the same hotel room as you."
Quistis pretended not to hear his last comment, "I love the rain. It washes away all the dust on everything, and the air just feels so clean and fresh again." She took a deep breath of the moist air as a smile spread across her face.
"Too bad the rain doesn't clean everything," Seifer's expression was dark as he looked as his hands.
"Seifer," Quistis whispered as she slowly approached him.
"What? Aren't I right? The rain doesn't clean everything. Cause you stink!" Seifer smirked.
"I do not stink! You're such an ass!" Quistis gave him a playful punch on his arm.
"Did you just hit me and called me an 'ass?'"
"No, I called you and 'ass' first, then I hit you," she corrected. "Not only are you an ass, your mentally challenged."
Seifer started to chase her in the rain, for a moment nothing matter, he felt free like a child again.
When they reached the bus stop, the bus arrived just in time to rescue them from the now pouring rain. The bus was crowed with people looking for temporary shelter from the rain, and the two soaked new comers were forced to stand. Immediately Seifer started to feel a negative tension in the bus. He felt cold stares directed at him. Seifer caught some of the people murmuring about his identity as being the "sorceress's knight" or "lap dog." He just shrugged his shoulder and decided to do what he had been doing fort he last three years, ignore them. Quistis also noticed the drastic change in the atmosphere as they got onto the bus causing her to unconsciously step closer to Seifer.
"Young lady, you look like a nice girl. You should stay away from the likes of him," said an old lady sitting next to her.
"Hey Lap dog!" A voice in the back yelled out in a sneering tone. "Where's your sorceress? Did she abandon you? Did the little puppy get abandoned and found a new whore to follow?"
Seifer didn't mind the remarks about himself, but calling Quistis a whore was going to far. Seifer was ready to bash this guy in the face, but Quistis stopped him. This only fed the rude man's ego.
"Aw, look he's so obedient to his new mistress," he sneered. "A definite 'lap dog' indeed, he only knows how to take orders. Why don't you finally learn how to think and go kill yourself?"
"Sir," Quistis interrupted the man. "No one is perfect. It is a know fact that everyone makes mistakes. Some are more severe then others, but how would you react if you were in this man's position? How would you feel if you were misled and manipulated by someone who you trusted and loved? Do you know the agony that this man has experienced in the past years? Why can't you people just leave him alone?" Quistis eyes were rimmed with angry tears. Her outburst surprised Seifer, but the man just sneered at her and sat back down. The bus stopped in front of the hotel, and she ran out of the door into the bright hotel lobby. Seifer gave one last look at the man and ran after her.
When Seifer reached the hotel room he found Quistis had already changed out of her wet clothes, sitting on the bed with head buried in her hands. He removed his wet coat and through it over the back one a chair, and sat down facing her.
"I'm sorry," Seifer softly said.
She raised her head from her hands, "sorry for what?" Her voice was weak as she wiped away another tear that managed to slip down her cheek.
"I'm sorry you had to go through all that shit."
"No, I should be saying sorry."
"Why the hell should you be sorry?" Seifer was starting to become annoyed. "It's not your fault that I did the things I did."
"Yes it is!" Quistis suddenly burst out. "Yes, it's my fault! If I had been a better instructor and paid more attention to you, this wouldn't have happened to you! If I didn't just worry about Squall, I would have made you pass that damn SeeD exam. Instead of being against us, you would've been with us saving the world, fighting Edea, and defeating Ultimecia. Instead of being seen as a criminal, you would have been a hero, but because I didn't do my job and kept my eye on you. Now you have to go throw this hell everyday of life." Again tears started to flow down her porcelain face.
Seifer was speechless, to think all this time Quistis believed she had failed him. He always believed it was he who failed her. Sure he use to call her mediocre, but he only did that to evoke a reaction from her. Seifer got up and walked over and sat next to the crying woman on the bed. He wrapped his arms around Quistis and brought her close to him to comfort her.
"It's not your fault Quisty," he whispered as he comforted her. "It's not your fault."
~~~
A young guard quickly ran into his master's study and saluted, "Sir, our spies have reported that the President has sent SeeD for assistance in case of any movement from our side to sabotage the wedding."
The older man was in his early fifties. His dark brown hair was covered with silver streaks of age, but his face betrayed only few lines of passed time. He lifted his blue eyes away from the book he was reading, and looked at the young guard.
"So he hired SeeD just for me, how amusing," he smirked. "Does he really think I would seek to sabotage my own son's wedding? Anyway is there anything else he is doing?".
"No sir, this is so far all the intelligence they have been able to gather."
"Very well, you are excused," he waved for the guard to depart.
"Can SeeD save your soul Alma?" the man said out loud to the empty room and leaned into his chair.
"Of course SeeD can't save anyone's soul. SeeD can only give temporary help." The man quickly turns his head to where the feminine voice emerged. He relaxed when he saw that intruder was a dark haired woman. The women smiled and gracefully walked to her husband's side.
"Thea, my dear, what brings you in here at this time of night?" He smiled welcoming her company.
"Ivan, why are preventing this marriage because of the past? Why must our children suffer for last generations faults?"
"Thea, how many times have we had this conversation? What Alma did to General Trepe and his family is unforgivable."
"Is it?" she interrupted him.
"I don't care if he's a changed man," he continued, "I just can't forgive him, but it looks like that is no way to stop Vincent from marrying his daughter. Damn him!" he slammed the book in front of him close and stood up to walk about the room.
Thea sighed and stood where she was and said, "The General has been dead for nearly fifteen years, and Alma hasn't done any harm to anyone. In fact he's actually made Deiling a better place." Ivan was about to interrupt her, but she continued, "I know it doesn't matter what he's done now. As a loyal friend and servant of the former General, it is your duty and honor to seek vengeance on him. But it has been nearly fifteen years, and you haven't done what you've set out to do. Now look both our children have cross paths. Maybe this is a sign to let this go."
Ivan stood by the large window and looked out into the dark night and watched the droplets of rain knock the glass.
"If only we find could the Trepe's daughter. We've looked almost everywhere for her. Unless she…" Thea's voice trailed off.
"I know where is and where she has been for the last fifteen years."
"What?"
"She's in Balamb Garden."
"You mean she's a SeeD?" Ivan nodded. "Then why don't you find her, and speak to her?"
"Because I'm not sure if she remembers anything, besides she is one of the SeeDs at the wedding. There we will see if she is ready for the truth."
"I hope your right," Thea her head against her husbands shoulder. "It's getting late you should get some sleep." With a kiss she left the room, leaving the man alone with his thoughts.
A/N: I know this chapter is short, and I am so sorry about that. Especially after disappearing for like a long freaking time you would have figured I'd finish the story by now, but unfortunately the delays of school has prevented me from writing anything short of analyzing a line of prose or poetry. But I definitely will try to update again soon, and hopefully it won't be in like 4 month. Thanks for all the review guys!
