(a/n: Ooh, thx for the reviews! I had made it a one chapter story, but many of the reviews had such interesting suggestions for where this plot could go...so here's the second chapter!)

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Chapter Two - Cid's Mistake

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After much banging, summons, magic and screaming, the pair had managed to escape from the elevator that had held them prisoner for so long. Of course, their freedom would not have been achieved if not for the extent of hate they felt towards one another. Once free, there was no need for them to discuss with one another about what had happened, since they both knew that if anyone would find out, it would be over their dead body.

Besides, Squall was already too traumatized to speak of it.

The next day, Selphie was bustling along and being her sociable self when Zell came running up to her, his face flustered.

" Yo, Selph," he said, panting. He paused for a moment, hands on his knees in an attempt to catch his breath. " Cid wants you in his office- pronto. I think it's about that mission you blew off yesterday."

Selphie's face grew pale and she groaned. Now she was going to be in for it. Zell wished her luck and ran off toward the library to visit his girlfriend, no doubt, and she was alone once more. As she walked gravely to the elevator (oh, that damned elevator...) she struggled to think of an excuse that hopefully would save her from having her SeeD level drop three notches. It was ironic how she had taken the mission to bring her rank up, but now there was a great possibility of it going down.

Once on the third floor, she trudged toward the Headmaster's office. It had never seemed so intimidating before to her. She raised her hand to knock on the door and hesitated before giving three sharp knocks.

" Come in," Said the muffled voice of Cid.

Selphie took in a deep breath and opened the door with a large, cheery (deceiving) smile on her face.

" Hi Headmaster Cid!" She called out, skipping toward his desk despite herself. Hopefully he would take how cute and sweet she was into consideration. After all, no one should ever have the heart to punish someone as cute and sweet as she!

Cid looked up from his paperwork and peered at Selphie over his round glasses, which were perched on the end of his hawk like nose. He seemed to study her for a moment before he nodded and began muttering, "Yes, yes, I'm afraid I'm going to have to-"

" No!" Selphie cried out, and in an instant her bright and sunny eyes were filled with tears. She threw herself to the foot of Cid's mahogany desk and began to sob.

" I'll do anything!" She cried out. " Just don't discharge me! Please!"

She opened one eye, still remaining in her kneeling position, but was surprised to see that Cid was smiling.

" Selphie, whatever made you think that I was going to discharge you?"

The girl quickly stood up and focused on smoothing her yellow dress, feeling like quite the idiot.

" No, no. I actually called you up here so that you would be given a chance to make up fro missing your mission from yesterday."

" My level-"

" This new mission will raise it straight up to Class A SeeD."

For a moment Selphie had thought that she had misheard Cid, for Class A SeeD was an incredibly difficult position to gain. As she thought about it, only one person had ever gained that level and that was Squall Leonhart.

Dread suddenly overcame her instead of the glee she expected to experience. If this mission was enough to bring her rank to first class, then it must be quite the troublesome task. Although Selphie literally laughed in the face of danger, she was starting to feel a bit queasy. Never had she gone on a mission alone, and a large one at that.

Cid seemed to notice Selphie's pale face and he cleared his throat so that she would snap out of her negative thoughts.

" Would you like to hear what the mission is about?" Cid asked. He swept his hand toward an empty seat next to his desk and Selphie quickly walked toward it. Once she was seated and the colour had returned back to her face, Cid began.

" You and a Level 4 SeeD will be taking a train to Timber where you will be clearing away some Wendigos that had ventured into the residential area, and possibly trying to prevent an attack from Esthar."

He smiled and folded his hands on the top of the desk, staring at Selphie expectantly. She simply gaped at him open mouthed until finally she shook her head.

" Possible attack from Esthar?"

Cid's smile suddenly depleted and he cleared his throat.

" Uhm..ahm...forget I even said anything..."

" Then why did you tell me?" Selphie said, beginning to feel frustrated.

" Well, it's a bit complicated," said Cid. " It turns out that an assassin has been hired by a Desert Resistance Faction located in the outskirts of Esthar. Their motive is to kill off President Laguna Loire when he visits Timber for a conference, which will be broadcasted from the television station."

" Kill Laguna Loire?" cried Selphie. " How are we supposed to stop the assassin, then?"

Cid motioned for Selphie to come closer and handed her a manila folder.

" In this folder is the first task that I told you about -the Wendigo evacuation. This is your mission, if asked by anyone. The Level 4 SeeD that I assigned on the mission with you will have no knowledge about the possible assassination. You alone will have to be alert to any suspicious persons in Timber. If you sight anything questionable, take immediate action."

A lapse followed, Selphie taking advantage of it to fully digest the information she was given. It seemed a very difficult task, as she had suspected it to be... and that made it a bit peculiar that Cid was giving her this mission instead of someone more experienced, such as Squall Leonhart or perhaps even Quistis Trepe.

" Selphie, I do hate to rush you but you're to leave tomorrow morning to Timber," Cid said, shuffling papers on his desk and obviously wanting Selphie to leave his presence. " I'd like an answer now."

" I'll take it!" Selphie said without giving it another moments thought. She needed the promotion, and if she could get the same rank as a hero such as Squall Leonhart by doing something which clearly arose questions, then so be it. But first there was something that she needed to know.

" Headmaster?"

" Yes, Selphie?"

" Who is the SeeD I'm assigned with?"

" I don't think that's important."

" C'mon!" Selphie whined. " I deserve to know!"

Cid let out a sigh and looked up from his papers. The pause that he gave almost sent Selphie screaming around the office but finally, he said the name.

" Seifer Almasy."

***

Selphie did not know when she left Cid's office but for some reason, she was standing in the hallway of the dormitories. She couldn't speak, still being in shock of the information Cid had given her. Seifer Almasy? SeeD? It seemed near impossible. She remembered faintly a conversation between Quistis and Squall, each speaking about Seifer becoming SeeD.

" The Headmaster had pity on him, Squall. He had raised him as a son and never wanted to give up on him."

" That's probably why he was given the field test alone. Cid is well aware of his discipline problems, as you probably are."

" Then how is he to be given missions? They require team work!"

" Well, just wish luck to whomever gets paired with him."

" Squall, I don't like that laugh."

Frankly, Selphie didn't like that laugh either. It was deep and booming, almost like the laughs that villains gave in the cartoons she used to habitually watch.

Selphie began walking in stupor, her destination unknown. Well, her room was bound to show up eventually...if she didn't end up smacking straight into a wall and ending up in a coma. But that would be too lucky for her. How did she end up becoming paired with Seifer? It almost seemed like something that would happen to Quistis, but never to her! This was especially bad news, considering what had happened between them just the day before.

" Hmm...why so down, Messenger Girl?"

Great, now she was beginning to imagine Seifer standing in front of her wearing a SeeD uniform and a big grin on his face. No...but an illusion wouldn't be touching her arm in such a way.

" Ack!"

Selphie jumped back as if something vile had touched her but then again, Seifer was vile.

" Found out about the mission, eh?" Seifer said, leaning against the grey wall casually and studying Selphie. " Two weeks, and just the two of us."

For some unexplainable reason, the thought of Seifer and her being very drunk and very naked came to mind. Selphie shuddered.

" Listen Almasy," she said, standing up tall (for her tiny 5'1'') and glaring at him. " I want to make a few things straight. Number One: I'm in charge. Number Two: You will not go against orders and Number Three: You will not come a step near me. Under--Ooh!"

Seifer grabbed her by the waist and steered her into a nearby closet. Once inside, he shut the door and pinned her against a shelf by her wrists.

" What the hell do you think you're doing?" Selphie cried out. The shelves were cutting into her skin and the closet smelled like lemon cleaner. Despite the darkness, she could still see a glint in Seifer's eyes.

" What do you think?" he hoarsely whispered, leaning in closer to Selphie and gripping her wrists tighter.

He kissed her roughly and despite herself, she kissed him back with the same intensity. She wished that he let go of her wrists so that she could run it through his hair, but she also wished that he wouldn't release her ever. He moved his lips to her neck and she felt a shiver run up her spine. Her legs became weak and it was as if she would melt. Seifer began to kiss her again, this time his body being right against hers.

But the truth was that she didn't realize what she was truly doing until the closet door opened and in the frame Zell stood, appearing far beyond astonished. His eyes moved frantically from Selphie being pinned against the wall, her leg around Seifer's, to Seifer who was holding her.

" I...I...I guess my T-Board's not in here!" he stuttered, then looked both ways and darted.

(a/n: I'm going to see how many reviews I get for this chapter. If it's not a whole lot, then I'll delete this chapter, since I really don't have the time to write something that not a lot of people are going to read. Sorry! I really am!)