A/N: We're getting close to the end… One more chapter and the Epilogue…
I have another vote for you guys. In a review, someone told me that Quistis' red hair don't suit her. So, in the sequel do you guys like her to change it back to blond, or do you prefer red? Vote now! I'll hold it until the fic is finished.
Oh and a question. What's a Mary-Sue?
Chapter 36: Hear ye, Hear ye…
The three couples, Squall and Rinoa, Irvine and Selphie, Zell and Shizuka, were all sitting at their usual table for lunch. None of them was saying much, they were just having their lunch quietly. They events of the morning were still very fresh in memory for anyone to talk about it casually.
- "At least now we know why Quisty seemed so happy lately…" said Selphie at some point, triggering the inevitable conversation.
- "Hard to believe Seifer was the one responsible though…" said Zell.
- "Well he did change… a lot…" said Irvine.
- "True…" said Selphie "Probably Quistis' doing…"
- "Sorry to tell you guys, but you were real assholes this morning…" said Shizuka. Everyone turned and looked at her "It's the truth… They obviously did nothing but make each other better people and you tried to make them feel guilty about it…"
- "It's just that…" began Squall "…it was a real shock…"
- "Seriously…" added Rinoa.
- "Either way, you'll have to deal with it now, 'cause it seems to me like they'll be together for quite some time…" said Shizuka.
- "Speaking of which… where are they?" asked Zell.
- "Probably in a room, finishing up what we interrupted them from…" said Squall scoffing.
- "Quisty seemed to be having a really 'good time' this morning by the way…" said Irvine. All of them snickered.
- "Man… Talk about awkward situations…" said Rinoa.
- "Remember the look on their faces when we caught them?" asked Selphie giggling.
- "Nah, I was too busy looking at Quistis'…" began Irvine talking dreamily. Selphie shot him a poisonous look "…umm… hair…" he said quickly.
- "Speak of the devil…" said Zell looking up from the table.
Seifer and Quistis had just walked inside the cafeteria. They spotted their friends and walked over to them.
- "Hi…" said Quistis looking at them awkwardly when they got there.
- "Are you two gonna sit down?" asked Squall. Both of them did so.
- "We uh… wanted to talk to you guys…" said Seifer.
- "Shoot." said Shizuka.
- "Well…" began Quistis "It's just that… we wanted to ask you not to… tell anyone. About us."
- "Why not?" asked Selphie.
- "We talked about it and we don't really think we're ready to let everyone know… yet." said Seifer.
- "Why? What's the problem?" asked Rinoa. Both of them gave her an are-you-serious look.
- "Well you're gonna have to at some point…" said Irvine.
- "Yeah, but not yet…" said Quistis "By the way, Edea and Xu know…"
- "Edea knows?!" asked Seifer surprised.
- "She figured out…" replied Quistis.
- "Well, when were you going to let me know?!" asked Seifer exasperated.
- "Look who's talking! What about Xu? Did you tell me? No, she had to tell me herself!" replied Quistis, crossing her arms.
- "Touché…" said Seifer. He and Quistis noticed that everybody was looking at them in a weird way.
- "What?" asked Quistis.
- "Nothing…" said Zell a bit too quickly.
- "Something…" said Seifer.
- "It's just that…" began Irvine.
- "…we're not used in seeing you two have… a… quarrel…like a couple, I mean…" said Selphie.
- "*Scoff* You thought that was a quarrel?" asked Seifer sarcastically.
- "You don't want to see us have a real fight…" said Quistis. All of them were still looking at them in the same weird way.
- "OK…" said Seifer to break the tension "What's good to eat?"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next morning…
Quistis was sleeping peacefully inside Seifer's arms. She had her back turned towards him and he was holding her waist, while his chin rested on her shoulder. A loud knock on the door woke both of them up. Quistis let out an annoyed grunt and turned around to face Seifer, nuzzling her head in his arms.
- "Someone's at the door…" mumbled Seifer sleepily.
- "It's too early…" whined Quistis.
- "QUISTY?! OPEN UP, IT'S URGENT!" yelled Selphie from outside.
- "I'll get it…" mumbled Seifer and got up, picking up his boxers from the floor. He stumbled to the door and opened it "What?" he asked Selphie sleepily.
- "We've got a major problem!" said Selphie rushing inside, followed by Rinoa and Irvine.
- "What is it?" asked Quistis sitting up on her bed.
- "This." said Rinoa handing Seifer a magazine.
Seifer's eyes shot wide open at the sight of the front cover.
- "Holy shit…" he said breathlessly.
- "What? What does it say?" said Quistis getting up, dressed in a big T-shirt.
She took a look at the magazine's cover and opened up her eyes widely as well.
- "Oh no…" she said faintly.
The front cover of the magazine sported a large picture of Quistis and Seifer from their vacation to Esthar and above it in huge letters read: 'Exposed: A Balamb Garden scandal'. Seifer quickly skimmed along the pages to the article and began reading it.
- "The moment has come my trusty readers for us to finally reveal the military scandal we've been giving you hints about all this time." read Seifer "We have now got enough evidence to prove that a secret affair has been going on between two military officials of Balamb Garden. Quistis Trepe, Instructor of Balamb Garden, as well as one of the legendary six to defeat the sorceress Ultimecia, has been secretly having an affair with Seifer Almasy, former Knight of the sorceress mentioned before. As we all know, Seifer Almasy has been recently acquitted of any charges with the excuse of being under Ultimecia's spell and has been attending Balamb Garden ever since. Soon, a relationship flourished between the ex-Knight and the Instructor…" Seifer went on. He read the whole article which gave details on just about everything "A recent trip the couple took to Esthar is the source of the pictures you're about to view. The two lovers thought a plain disguise would fool our reporters, but they were obviously wrong…" read Seifer. He finished up the article and looked at the name written at the end of it "Signed, Dixie Robinson…"
- "I don't believe this…" said Quistis slapping a hand on her forehead.
- "That bitch!" yelled Seifer throwing the magazine on the floor.
- "How could she have found out?" asked Selphie.
- "I don't know!" said Quistis desperately "We never told anyone! Xu and Edea would never tell her…"
- "The mission…" said Seifer holding his head in both hands.
- "What mission?" asked Rinoa.
- "The one in Wallace's mansion!" replied Seifer "She was there! She talked to me and told me I looked familiar… She must've spotted us there…"
- "Oh Hyne…" said Quistis "How many people have read this?" she asked.
- "Practically everyone on the globe. It's all over the news…" said Irvine.
- "The 'Deling City Scoop' has been sold out from every magazine stall. Every single person in the Garden has a copy…" said Rinoa.
- "How did they… react?" asked Seifer.
- "Trust me… You don't want to know…" said Irvine.
- "The Trepies are wreaking havoc out there…Literally…" said Selphie. Suddenly there was a knock on the door.
- "It's Zell." came Zell's voice from outside. Rinoa opened the door and let him inside.
- "I suppose you've heard…" said Irvine.
- "Cid wants you two up in his office." said Zell looking at Seifer and Quistis.
- "How did he take it?" asked Quistis.
- "He's… he's…" said Zell, hesitating "…pretty… upset…"
- "Oh shit…" said Seifer touching his forehead with one hand.
- "We'll wait outside…" said Rinoa "Come when you're ready…" she added and all of them walked outside.
The door closed and the couple was left alone.
- "It's time…" said Seifer looking at Quistis.
- "Why did things have to go so wrong?" asked Quistis, sitting on her bed.
- "I don't know…" said Seifer sitting next to her "…but at least we don't have to hide anymore…"
- "I guess so…" she said and turned to look at him "I'm scared Seifer… Scared of what's waiting us out there…"
- "Don't be." he said holding her hand "I'll be right next to you…"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Seifer and Quistis walked out of the dorm, fully dressed they silently walked down the Dormitory corridor, along their friends. None of them spoke a single word. When they reached the Main Hall though, nothing could have prepared them for what they were about to see… Hundreds of students were gathered outside, waiting for them to come out. When they did, yells, protests and angry shouts came from everywhere. Seifer put his hand around Quistis' shoulder and began to walk towards the elevator. Irvine and Zell tried their best to keep the crowd away, until they all reached the elevator. When they got inside, Rinoa hastily pressed the button to the 3rd floor. Quistis rested her back against one wall, looking terribly pale.
- "It's madness out there…" she whispered "We're both as well as dead…"
- "Hey…" said Seifer putting his arms around her "It'll be OK… I promise…"
Quistis hugged him tightly and rested her head on his chest. Seifer caressed her hair and kissed her on the forehead, oblivious to everyone looking at them.
- "Hey guys…" said Zell. Both of them turned around to look at him "Don't worry. We'll try and talk some sense to Cid…"
- "Thank you Zell…" said Quistis, smiling weakly at him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
All six of them walked inside the 3rd floor. Squall and Xu were waiting for them outside.
- "How does it look?" asked Seifer.
- "Bad…" said Squall "Come on… No point in delaying the inevitable…" he said leading them inside Cid's office.
Cid was sitting on his armchair behind his desk, looking distressed. He had his fingers crossed and at the sight of Seifer and Quistis entering the room, he frowned.
- "Sit down…" he said without any emotion.
Seifer and Quistis sat down in the armchairs in front of him, while the others sat on some other chairs around the room.
- "I suppose you've figured why I've called you two here…" said Cid.
- "Yes sir…" replied the couple in unison.
- "Good. Before we move into any… conversation, I need to hear it from you first: Is all this true?" he asked.
- "Yes sir, it is…" said Quistis lowering her head.
- "All true…" said Seifer. Cid took a deep breath.
- "Have you any idea how much bad publicity this will bring to Garden?" he asked seriously. None of them spoke "Why wasn't I informed of this?" he asked.
- "With all due respect sir…" said Seifer "This was a personal matter." Cid raised an eyebrow at that.
- "I'd watch my tongue if I were in your position Seifer…" said Cid sharply "*Sigh* Quistis… I expected better from you… I never believed you'd go and start an affair with one of your students…"
- "Seifer wasn't my student then sir…" said Quistis "Nothing happened between us while I was training him for the SeeD exam."
- "And why should I believe that?" asked Cid "You've already hidden your relationship for so long, why not lie about that too?"
- "It's the truth. There's nothing more we can say. You can either believe it or not…" said Seifer.
- "I think I told you to watch that tongue young man!" snapped Cid, pointing a threatening finger at him. Regaining his composure, Cid spoke again "I'm sure you understand that I couldn't possibly keep you in this Garden after such an incident…"
- "Now sir, that's a little too drastic, don't you think?" asked Squall getting up.
- "Commander, you'll only speak when spoken to." said Cid, not even turning to look at him.
- "But this is not fair!" protested Selphie.
- "Selphie stop…" said Quistis quietly. She then turned around to face Cid "Sir, I will accept the punishment, but I really must protest about Seifer's. It wasn't his fault. The only one who has to go, is me."
- "What?!" yelled Seifer "Sir, don't listen to her. It was my fault. I came on to her."
- "Lies!" yelled Quistis.
- "Come on, who are you gonna believe?" Seifer asked Cid sarcastically "Who's the trustworthy between the two?"
- "Seifer stop it!" hissed Quistis.
- "You stop it! You're not going anywhere! I'm the one who's leaving!" he spat back.
- "BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!" yelled Cid "Get the hell out of here until I decide how to deal with you! Go on! OUT!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: Cid's pissed… Obviously… Stay tuned for the grand finale!
ON THE NEXT CHAPTER OF 'LOVE CONQUERS ALL':
The ending!!!!