Ch 4 - Confrontation
Zell wandered the halls of the Dorms, mulling over what Headmaster Cid had told the group after Laguna refused to assign SeeD to bodyguard him.
"Laguna was given a choice, and refused. We cannot go against his wishes." He smiled. "However, we can go around them."
Zell had an inkling on what he meant. Of course. Simply join the tournament anyways and ferret the assassin out without Laguna knowing. Zell shrugged mentally. Of course, he wouldn't be getting paid for it…but he'd feel a little better knowing that he would be helping to stop the murder of his best friend's father.
Turning a corner to move into the Instructor and Commander quater of the Dorms, he was slightly surprised to see a couple of cadets standing secretively outside Squall's door. One boy had his ear to the door, whilst a girl bent over him.
"Well?" She asked. "Hear anything?"
"No…" the boy replied. "There are two people, but…"
"What the hell is going on here!!" Zell boomed, making the two cadets jump.
They quickly swivelled to see who it was, and snapped to attention. "N…nothing, Instructor!" The boy stated, saluting crisply.
Zell planted his hands on his hips and got right into the boy's face. "Is that right, cadet? Since when is tormenting a friend of mine considered 'nothing', huh!?" He looked over at the girl, who was trembling slightly. "And what's you're problem, missy? Haven't got any more rumours to pass around?"
He grabbed their shirtfronts and pulled them close, his voice going from loud orders to a low growl. "If I see either of you around here ever again…" He smirked. "…Well, lets say I wont give you to the Disciplinary committee immediately." He placed them on the ground and jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Now make like a tree and bugger off."
The two cadets scurried away, and Zell heaved a sigh. He didn't like being the bad guy – bullying was something he despised the most – but he had felt so angry that a couple of punk cadets were trying to invade on his friends privacy.
Moving forward, he knocked on the door gently with a knuckle. "Yo. Anybody in?" he asked, loud enough for anybody inside to hear.
He heard a scuffling, and then the door opened, Rinoa peering out. Relief merged on her tired yet still beautiful face. "Oh, Zell! Thank Hyne!" she exclaimed, opening the door fully and hugging him.
Zell took and uneasy step back, unsure what was going on. "Uh…is something wrong, Rinoa?" he asked prying her arms from his neck. She was always very emotional – hugging her friends at the drop of a hat, laughing just as easily. Her face now, however, was saddened beyond belief.
"I…I don't know what's wrong with him…" she murmured, closed to tears. "He's…he's a wreak. He hasn't slept, hasn't eaten…I know it's just a day, but you know how regimented he is…he hasn't even bothered to change his clothes from yesterday!"
"Don't worry about it, Rinoa." Zell said sympathetically. "Why don't you go and rustle us up some grub, and I'll talk to him a little."
She sniffed and forced a smile. "O…ok…but good luck. He's barely said a word to anybody but me since yesterday, and even then he's been pretty clammed up to me." He lowered her gaze to her shoes. "I just hope you can get him talking…"
Zell grinned. "I'll see what I can do…but I'm not making any promises!"
She giggled and moved past him. "Hotdogs, right?" They were everybody's favourite in the Garden, but Zell loved them more then anybody. Somehow the love had been passed to Squall as well, and the delicacy had become his favourite food too.
Zell's grin grew a little wider. "Yeah, if you can find some!"
She waved him goodbye and began to walk away, her eyes set on the horizon. Zell nodded. This must have been quite a blow to her too, seeing Squall acting like this. She'll feel better as she focuses on something else.
Turning to the room, he walked inside and closed the door, activating the security palm. Only Squall and Rinoa could open the palm lock. Zell would have complete privacy until Rinoa came back.
Squall was lying on his bed, his back turned to the door. Zell could see that he hadn't even bothered to take off his coat, the white collar speckled with dinosaur blood standing out in the dim light. Someone had drawn the blinds, plunging the room into twilight. Zell walked over to the bed and looked down at his friend, craning his body over to see his face.
He could see Squall's face, still stained with the monster's blood. His grey eyes were blank, his sight fixed on the wall. His hands were supporting his head, his legs limply stretched out on the bed.
Zell scratched the back of his neck. What should I say?' How you been?' 'What are doing tonight?' Or should I just ask him straight out what Cid and him talked about?
Silence reigned in the room, and Zell began to feel uncomfortable. Turning to the Desk, he sat down on the chair and crossed his legs, crossing his arms as well, waiting…for what? He didn't really know.
After what seemed like an age, Squall sighed, the first sign of life Zell had seen since he had deposited him on the bed the other day. "Do you know what it feels like…to know that you're father will die unless you do something about it?" He rolled over to look at Zell with those dead eyes. "And he refused to accept you're help?" His voice was infinitely distant.
Zell sat still, frowning slightly. "I…I have to say that I don't know, man. It must be pretty…screwed up, huh?"
"Yeah…" Squall murmured, before rolling over once more.
Zell frowned again. He sighed. He began to pick on a loose bit of rubber on the sole of his sneaker. He chewed on his lower lip. He cleared his throat. He scratched the back of his neck.
Squall sighed again. "What are you doing here?"
Zell shrugged. "Waiting for a hotdog." He said simply. He couldn't see Squall's face, but he knew that he was smiling.
"You've got a one track mind, Zell…" Squall whispered. "I wish that my life could be as simple as yours."
Zell shrugged again. "My life isn't all that simple. I have training almost everyday…instructor duties…missions…not to mention that fact that Selphie suckered me into the Garden Festival Committee. Aiyaa, I have no idea how she got me to do that…" He scrubbed the back of his neck. "The fact is, my life is simply made of regime. Doing things at set times, doing them to the best of you're ability, and if you screw up, you realise you're mistake and move on."
"…Realise you're mistake…" Squall echoed.
"Yeah, man." Zell continued. "I try not to let anything get to me. Otherwise you become a stressed out wreak, like…" He hesitated. "…Like you. Or Quis, but that's different."
Squall didn't say anything for a minute. "That's another thing I like about you, Zell. You tell it as it is. You don't beat about the bush with meaningless chit-chat."
Zell smirked. "Oh, I do that. I just try to keep it to a minimum."
Squall snorted at that, a small chuckle emitting from the belly, before rolling over once more. "Then, Mr. Know-It-All-Zell…what should we do?"
Zell leaned forward. "I'm entering this tournament, whether Laguna want's me to or not…and I'm going to be there to save him when his words bit him on the ass."
The dead look faded from Squall's eyes, being replaced by something else. Determination. "Excellent." He swung his legs over the side of the bed and took off his coat, looking down at it. "Hyne…" He muttered. "What have I been doing to myself?"
"Beating yourself up." Zell said quietly. "Everybody does it once and a while, man. You just had a bad bout of the depressions."
Squall shook his head, his sad expression giving way to his usual stoic one. "I need a shower."
Zell stood up. "Don't let me keep you." He moved to the door. "I'll just wait for Rinoa outside, ok?"
Squall began to take off his shirt. "Whatever."
Zell grinned as he opened the door, closing it behind him and leaning his back against it. Well…it seems that you aren't as much of a screw up as people think you are, Zell Dincht. He thought to himself. You just got a person who had an overload of emotions suddenly become neutral again. Oh well. At least you didn't make the situation worse…yet.
"How's he going?" Rinoa asked, walking up to the door with a plate of hotdogs in one hand and a tray of sodas in the other.
"He's still moping…" Zell lied perfectly. "Let me take those off you're hands and you can go have another try."
"Oh…ok…" she said, her expectant face giving way to sadness once more. She passed the tray and plate to Zell, who allowed her to open the door. She was halfway through when she jumped. "Squall!?" she exclaimed.
"Rinoa!!" Zell heard Squall exclaim himself, before Zell nudged her in with an elbow, giggling, and shutting the door.
Sitting down beside the door, he began to tuck into the hotdogs, liberally drinking the sodas as well as happiness glowed from the crack between the doorframe and the door.
* * *
Zell walked into the classroom early, wanting to get ready before the cadets began to file in. He looked over at his station to see Angel sitting on the Instructor Desk, tapping some keys. "And what are you doing, little girl?" Zell asked in his sternest voice.
Angel jumped off the Desk, standing to attention and saluting sharply. "Reading you're personal mail, sir!" She looked at him with a twinkle in her eye. "Am I going to be punished, sir?"
Zell walked past her, his stern expression melting into a grin. "I'll have to think of something suitable for something so heinous…" Sitting down at the Desk, he tapped a few more keys, bringing his mail back to the New section.
Angel sat on the Desk next to the terminal, waving her legs under the desk. "I didn't get to see much. Just some advertisements and things." She watched as his amused expression went to a serious one. "What? Did I do something wrong, hon?"
Zell's eyes narrowed as he saw the marking on the address.
World Martial Arts Tournament.
It had only been a two days since Squall had began to come back out of his newly formed shell, but Zell hadn't expected an invitation to the tournament so soon. When did Squall say it was to begin? A month? He opened the letter with a shaky click of the mouse, the box springing up on the screen.
The letter had the insignia of Galbadia in the corners, and looked like it had been handwritten, before being scanned into the computer.
To Zell Dincht,
You're fighting prowess has become legend throughout Gaia, and now you can have the opportunity to show the world what you are truly capable of.
In a month's time, a martial arts tournament shall be held, consisting of the best fighters in the whole of Gaia. This tournament shall be held on all different continents of the world, in differing conditions, differing climes, and differing rules.
The internationality of the competitors we have asked to battle is one of the better parts of the tournament, with fighters hailing from Esthar, Galbadia, Trabia, Centra and even Gardens.
You may have someone to sponsor you, or you may even simply finance the travel arrangements yourself, but we wish that you fight for you're nation and you're Garden, and for the grand prize of $$20,000,000 Gil and the Title as strongest fighter in the world!
The Tournament starts in exactly twenty-eight days from the time you gather this letter – July the twenty-eighth. The opening ceremonies will be held next to Obel Lake, north of Timber. The first fight shall be held shortly after the ceremony. I'm sure the location will be a pleasant surprise.
Cordially,
The President of Galbadia, Justice DelarnZell felt woozy. "The President of Galbadia himself…inviting me to fight?"
Angel read an re-read the letter again. "Wow. Someone high up really likes you."
Zell nodded. "Yeah…or is just interested in my fighting prowess…"
Angel looked down at him. "What are you going to do?" she asked slowly.
Zell paused, before looking up at her. "I…I suppose I should join." He shrugged, as if it wasn't a big deal.
She rolled her eyes in a 'don't give me that crap' kind of way. "Come on. I know you'd love to join."
Zell smiled. "I'm like an open book to you, huh?"
"Yep."
He smiled up at her, before nudging her off the Desk and patting her on the bottom. "Come on, little angel. Get in you're seat, before people start talking."
She smiled with mischief and walked slowly to her Desk, in the middle of the room. He shook his head. Squall was right. She has changed since she has been going out with me. He chuckled and pulled a rubber band out of a drawer, firing it at her as she sat down. It smacked her right on the nose, and she frowned at him as he smirked in his boyish way.
* * *
Squall sat down, a plate with four hotdogs in one hand and cradling two sodas in the other. Zell immediately pulled two hotdogs to his awaiting plate and accepted a bottle of soda with a grateful nod of the head. They were sitting outside the newly finished Trabia Garden, enjoying the sunny day. Everything around them was covered in a thin layer of snow, but it seemed surprisingly warm today.
"It's amazing what they can do with ovens…" Zell muttered. Trabia hotdogs were his all time favourite; even better then the ones in Balamb.
"It must be the climate…" Squall murmured, unwrapping his hotdog from its wrapper.
"So…" Zell said with his mouth full. "…I open my mail today, and guess what I got?"
"The invitation to the Tournament?"
Zell looked surprised, which evolved to disappointed as Irvine sat down next to him. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a ten-gil note and handed it to Irvine, who smirked and pocketed it.
Squall shook his head and smiled, cracking open his soda and taking a sip. "So, what did it say?" he asked, ignoring the obvious bet that Zell failed.
Zell got over his disappointment and cracked his own soda open with a tooth, ripping the top off and chugging a gulp. He slammed it back down onto the table and belched. "You know…blah, blah, blah, World tournament coming up, blah, blah, blah, different continents, blah, blah, blah, we want you to fight, signed President of Galbadia, Justice Delarn."
Irvine looked surprised. "Really! The President himself asked you?" He shook his head in amazement and bit into his T-Burger. "Wow. What a way to make a name for yourself, huh?"
"Yah. He said the opening ceremony will be held next to Obel Lake, you know, the big fresh water lake north of Timber."
"A good place to relax…"
Both Irvine and Zell stared at Squall, who sipped his soda and stared back at them. "…Whatever…"
Zell shook his head in amazement and took another swig of his soda. "So, what do we know about this Justice Delarn?" He asked Squall.
Squall leaned back, and rubbed his chin. "Off the top of my head, it's said that he's a lot more fairer then the last President…doesn't rule Galbadia with an iron fist like Deling did…"
"It seems that he's not hell bent to rule the world like Deling was either." Irvine said. "He's already making peace agreements with Esthar, and is trying to open trading ports along the Esthar coast. He's even seriously considering making Timber an independent state."
"Really!" Zell exclaimed, looking down at his hotdog in amazement. "Wow…well, if he's such a good guy, then why does he want to take out Laguna? From the sounds of things, it would be easier and more safe to simply make peace with them."
Squall grimaced. "Some people are different from their social profiles, Zell. Delarn may be as twisted as Deling was…"
"Or maybe it's not even Dalarn! Maybe it's some kind of rouge Galbadian army team, launching international countermeasures which activate years after Deling's death?" Irvine said, the idea being met with blank stares from both Zell and Squall. "What?!" Irvine protested. "It might be true!!"
Squall shrugged. "Whatever." He bit into his hotdog as if he didn't care anymore.
Zell swallowed some hotdog and burped again. "It doesn't really matter anyways. I mean, there must be a ton of people wanting to kill Laguna, right? What does it matter who it is? We stop them, take em out, and Bobs-your-mothers-brother, right?"
Irvine stopped and swallowed. "Uhhh, don't you mean you? You have to find out who they are, and stop them."
Zell shrugged. "Well, if I have to go in alone, then so be it." He sipped his soda. "I'm not gonna let some punk assassin whack Laguna. He may be a bit clueless, but he's still a cool guy."
Squall looked at Zell for a minute, chewing on his hotdog thoughtfully. Zell began to feel like a bug under a microscope, trapped under a cold stare. "What? What is it? Is there something on my face?"
Squall swallowed. "You're really going to go to the tournament?"
Zell frowned, as if it was a stupid question. "Of course! Even if Laguna wasn't in danger, I'd still go. Do you know what kind of kudos I could get if I actually win the thing!? I'd never have to worry about money again, that's for sure."
"Yeah, what do you get if you actually win this thing?" Irvine asked.
Zell bit into his hotdog, a little embarrassed for some reason. "Twenty million Gil…" he whispered.
Both Squall and Irvine spat out their food simultaneously, the revelation knocking the wind out of them. "Tw-twenty million Gil!!" Irvine stammered. "Y-You'd never have to work again!!"
Squall tried desperately to keep a straight face. "With a pot like that, you can't afford to lose, either. It's things like that that draw out the crazies…the people who aren't in it for the fighting, but simply for the money."
"Yeah…" Zell murmured, sipping his soda. "They spoil the purity of the battle. But Squall…" Zell hesitated. "I…I might need a sponsor for the fight…someone to pay for travel and food and things like that…and I was wondering…"
"Sorry, Zell." Squall said. "I'm not allowed to use the Garden in order to sponsor my friends in martial arts tournaments."
"Oh, come on!!" Zell exclaimed, slamming his fist into the table, making the plates and cans rattle. "Don't you understand?! Twenty million gil!! As my sponsor, Garden'd be entitled to at least fifty percent of the winnings! Why else do you think people get sponsored."
Squall shrugged. "Whatever." He saw the look on Zell's face, however, and caved in. "…I'll talk to Cid about it. But don't hold you're breathe."
Zell grinned. "Thanks dude. By the way…"
* * *
Sweat poured off his face as he darted through the snow, ducking under a rock and trying to control his breath.
Zell looked left and right, and quickly cast Cure on himself, feeling the fatigue in his muscles melt away, before setting his jaw and jumping out from behind the rock.
Bullets flew through the air as he flipped and twirled through the snow, shrieking shrilly as the lead salads threatened his life. "Oi!! I thought you were going to miss!!"
"I am, aren't I?" Irvine yelled back. "Now hold still!!"
He had asked Squall and Irvine to help him train, but this was ridiculous!
Irvine quickly reloaded the shotgun, raising it to his shoulder and taking aim once more. Zell watched the movement and waited for the expectant pull of the trigger.
Don't miss it, Zell! Keep focused on his movements! Utilise the distance between you and him! Keep focused!!
Suddenly, a large form jumped on top of him from behind, knocking him down and making him eat snow. He rolled over to see Squall swing his gun blade down, his Shear Trigger slashing through the cold air as he yelled a deathly battle cry.
Zell threw himself to the left, the blade narrowly missing his head, digging into the dirt. He picked himself up – and jumped as a load of shotgun pellets blew the mound of snow next to him into snow crystals.
"Come on, Zell! I know you can do better then that!!" Squall yelled, pulling the blade from the ground and swinging the Shear Trigger left and right, loosening his wrist, before attacking once more. Zell defended himself, deflecting the adamantine blade with his Metal Knuckles, the blade bouncing off the metallic protection laid over his knuckles…just.
Another shot rang out, and Zell felt a sting on his cheek as the bullet slashed the air across his face, cutting a small slash across his cheek, right over his tattoo. He grimaced at the pain, glancing over at Irvine, who grinned and waggled the Vincent Valentine in his hand – then ducked as Squall swung the gunblade like a baseball bat, the razor-sharp edge embedding itself into a dead tree trunk.
I'll need to take them both out… Zell thought to himself. Squall was struggling with the gunblade, which had gotten stuck on something, and Zell took the opportunity to punch his Commander across the chops, knocking him out cold. Suddenly spinning, he raised his hands, the Water spell forming instantly around Irvine, lifting him into the air and dropping him into the icy ground, the large water bubble formed around him breaking and spilling everywhere.
Zell nodded in satisfaction and wiped imaginary dirt off his hands. Not half bad, Dincht…
* * *
"So…what are you going to do tomorrow?" Angel asked Zell as he pulled on his sneakers. She had snuck into his room late at night, falling asleep in his arms. He was amazed that it never went as far as that. He figured that if she wanted to go further, then she'll let him know.
"Well, since Cid finally agreed to sponsor me, I figured I better find someone else to take over my classes…and begin to train fully." He rubbed his chin. "Although Squall and Irvine are beginning to get rather predictable…maybe I ought to ask Selphie and Rinoa to help me…maybe even Quistis!"
"I could help!" she said.
Zell smiled. "Sorry baby. You're good, but not that good." He frowned. "I better not say that too much, or I'll get a big head."
"Yes, you will!" she said with a giggle. "Besides, you knock me around enough as it is in our morning training sessions. Maybe I wouldn't be cut out to go full days of that kind of stuff…"
Zell nudged her cheek. "Don't worry about it baby. I'll enter, win, and take you to Deling City to buy whatever you want! Hell, I'll have enough money to buy anything, really!!"
"Really! You'll do that!?" she squealed with delight and hugged him. "Oh, Zell, thank you!!!" She pulled back suddenly. "But you shouldn't make promises you can't keep. What if you lose?"
Zell crossed his arms and smirked. "What makes you think I'm going to lose, baby?"
She giggled once more and kissed him on the cheek.
Zell's face grew serious as she walked out. What makes you think I'm going to lose…
