Chapter Seven: A Few Little Accidents
By PasifikStar
Author's Note: Sorry it's taken longer than usual. It's crunch time here at school. Finals and final projects are approaching! Thanks for all the positive feed back so far! Much love!!
* All Standard Disclaimers Apply: I do not own Final Fantasy or it's characters.
The decorations were up around the tall columns as the finishing touches on the food lined tables were being completed. Edea walked around, making sure all the flowers were prepared correctly and all the tables were prepared for the guests.
It was then at Rinoa walked in, dressed in a thigh high light blue dress. It was a halter top and she wore matching shoes and her usual necklace around her neck. Edea, who was wearing a long black dress without any sleeves or straps saw her and smiled.
"Rinoa, what are you doing here so early?" the elder woman asked as she approached the dark haired brunette.
"I just wanted to know if I could talk to the band for just a moment." Rinoa said.
Edea gave her a slightly suspicious, but mostly amused look. "Are you and Selphie still playing cupid?"
"Our job is not done yet, Matron!" Rinoa insisted. Edea merely laughed and nodded.
"All right, dear," she said. "I'm going to start greeting the guests. But be sure they start soon."
"I will! Thank you!" Rinoa bowed her head slightly and scurried off across the room. *I hope Selphie's job is going well.*
"Wow..." Selphie said as she sat on Quistis' bed. The young instructor walked out of the bathroom wearing a floor length, dark blue dress. It was strapless with sleeves that connected to silver rings on her index finger. There was a medium sized bow that was placed at the small of her back, right over where the back cut of the dress ended. It trailed out in a dark blue layer of cloth right behind her.
"What do you think?" Quistis asked as she slowly turned around for the petite brunette to see.
*I think that Seifer's going to fall flat on his face when he sees you!* Selphie thought to herself. "You look GREAT!"
Quistis let out a relieved sigh. "I hope so..."
"Are you...expecting someone to come?" Selphie asked, knowingly. Quistis immediately shook her head and narrowed her eyes.
"Of course not!" Quistis gasped. "It's just that as an instructor...I believe that I should look my best!"
"I bet..." Selphie giggled. "Okay, let's work on your make up," Selphie stood up, wearing an thin strapped yellow dress that hugged her body and reached her mid thighs. She wore matching yellow heels. Quistis nodded and went to sit on the chair of her vanity. "Hey..." Selphie said as she leaned over. Her hand reached out and touched the thin silver chain around her neck. She followed it to the sapphire tear drop that hung right over her chest. "Where'd you get this?"
"Oh? This old thing?" Quistis lied. "I just found it...lying around..."
*From another blond, I bet,* Selphie said, already knowing the truth. However she did notice that Quistis was blushing slightly. "Quisty...are you blushing?"
"Selphie, just put on the make up already!" Quistis exclaimed, flushing even more.
The brunette giggled as she nodded and looked over Quistis' make up on the table. The blond had put her hair in an up do, pinning it back with thin metal sticks that had blue crystal beads hanging from the ends of them.
She placed them in such a way, that they seemed to act like rays of sun light protruding from her golden hair. Her bangs framed her face neatly and were slightly pinned back with silver pins lined with shards of blue crystal. Selphie picked up the powder and opened the case.
"I'm jealous," Selphie pouted as she began to spread the creamy material over Quistis' pale face. "You have such flawless skin."
"Oh please, Selphie," Quistis said. "I've seen Fujin's complexion and it's ten times better than mine."
"I KNOW!" Selphie gasped. "Rinoa and I were just talking about that the other day!"
"But you know who has REALLY flawless skin," Quistis said. Selphie nodded as they both chorused the answer. "IRVINE!"
In the ball room, Irvine sneezed from where he was sitting at their table with Zell and Rinoa. "Are you all right?" Rinoa asked.
"I knew it was too cold here..." Zell mumbled as he looked around and rubbed his hands against his arms.
"No, I'm fine," Irvine assured them. He looked over at Zell. "So where's your girlfriend?"
Zell blushed slightly. "She'll be over later tonight. She has to work a late shift at the library."
"Aww..." Rinoa frowned. "I feel your pain, Zell. Squall said he had to work over time. But I mean, REALLY, he can't get off on time and he's the commander?"
"Well, it is going towards promotion time," Irvine said. "You know he wants that captain position pretty bad."
"Desperately," Rinoa said, rolling her eyes. "He couldn't stop talking about it when he found out he was in the running."
"No way," Zell said. "Squall couldn't stop TALKING? Are we talking about the same guy?"
"Hmm...let me rephrase that," Rinoa shrugged. "I meant he mentioned it between long periods of silence."
"Oh...okay..." Irvine said. He looked around the ball room. "I wonder where the others are?"
"Oh, I'm sure they're just getting ready." Rinoa smiled.
"Seifer!?" Fujin shouted as she knocked on the door for the billionth time. She looked at the thin silver watch on her wrist and frowned.
Raijin stepped in, dressed in his formal SeeD uniform and knocked on the door. "Seifer! The party's started, ya know!" Raijin said loudly.
Fujin was dressed in a long, floor length white dress with high collar and no sleeves. She had long white gloves and even her eye patch was white to match. "Getting late!" she shouted.
"Party? What party?" they heard Seifer say. The door slid open to reveal the tall blond wearing a white tank top and loose pants. "What are you two so dressed up for?" he asked incredulously.
"Anniversary party!" Fujin gasped. She lifted the invitation in her hand and showed it to me. "REMEMBER!?"
"Anniversary party...?" Seifer asked as he lifted the ivory color invitation and read it. "Cid and Edea's 20th Anniversary...oh yeah..."
Fujin began to panic slightly as she looked at her watch. "Get ready!" she insisted.
"Eh...it's too late now," Seifer shrugged, handing her back the invitation. "Just tell them I send my regards or something."
Fujin turned to Raijin. "Uh...wait!" Raijin gasped.
"What?" Seifer asked, pausing before turning around and heading back into his room.
"Quistis there!" Fujin burst out. Seifer stared at her in disbelief and raised an eyebrow.
"So...?" Seifer asked. "Why should I care?"
Fujin rolled her eyes. *Denial...* she thought to herself. *Needs help...* Raijin's mind was running, trying to find a way to get the tall blond male to join them.
"We just thought that you'd like to go, ya know," Raijin said. "She'll be in a formal gown, ya know. And...uh..."
"Fans!" Fujin gasped, nodding her head.
"Right!" Raijin said. "She has a large fan base, ya know. Cadets and SeeDs and some instructors will be all over her, ya know."
Seifer froze in his spot and Fujin hid her smirk, knowing they hit the correct nerve. "Dancing, too..." Fujin added.
The mental images began to run through Seifer's mind. First it was just Quistis. Then it was Quistis dancing with other SeeDs. Then it was Quistis dancing with that Instructor he hated that he knew liked Quistis.
"Oh, instructor Trepe! I'm madly in love with you!" the brainless sap of an instructor would admit as he tried to get Quistis to dance with him.
"Gasp!" Quistis would say. "I can't! I'm already in love with Seifer!"
"But I love you more!" the other instructor would say. "Run away with me forever!"
"If my beloved Seifer doesn't come tonight," Quistis would reply as she'd look longingly towards the door. "I will run away with you because he doesn't care for me! Oh, life! Why are you so cruel as to rip my wonderful Seifer from my arms!"
Seifer frowned as his imagination ran away with him momentarily. "Seifer!" Fujin shouted. He was staring out past the two of them as they looked at him questioningly. "SEIFER!" Fujin shouted once more.
The blond snapped back into attention and turned to them. "I'll meet you there in ten minutes!"
Within a second, he was back inside his room and he door and slid closed behind him. Fujin let out a relieved sigh. *Plan Commencing...*
Squall walked into the gorgeously decorated ballroom and frowned. *Okay, the money for this better not have come from the Garden funds...* he thought to himself as he looked around.
"Squall!" a voice shouted. He turned to his left and saw Irvine and Zell sitting at their table, with glasses of clear liquid in them. Zell waved his arm in the air and Squall nodded as he walked over to them.
"Have you two seen Rinoa?" he asked. Squall, like many of the male SeeDs there was dressed in formal SeeD attire.
"We saw her wandering around a few minutes ago," Irvine said as he lifted his drink up to his lips. "She said something about talking to the band..."
"Do you know which way she went?" Squall asked.
"That way." Irvine and Zell chorused. Squall raised an eyebrow. They were pointing in opposite directions.
"No, I saw her go towards the balcony." Irvine insisted.
"No, she was heading towards the food." Zell countered. Irvine shook his head.
"You only THINK she went towards the food," Irvine counter. Zell rolled his eyes and Irvine looked up at Squall. "Why don't you just wait around here? She'll come back to the table in a bit."
"I think I can find her on my own," Squall assured them as his blue eyes scanned the semi-crowded ball room. The music was already starting the background. "I'll start by the band."
"We'll tell her you're looking for her!" Zell assured him as the brunette walked away.
"Oh hey..." Irvine said. He looked over to his right and Zell turned his head. Rinoa was heading towards the door way. The opposite direction that Squall had wandered off to. "Opps..."
"Should we tell him?" Zell asked. Irvine shrugged.
"Nah, he'll find her on his own," Irvine said. He looked back at Zell. "Now...I was at his website yesterday, right? And I found some rumors about Rin's new book."
"Dark Knight?" Zell asked. Irvine shook his head as he leaned forward.
"No...the one she's supposedly working on right now," Irvine said. "Anyway, I'm thinking that it's going to go deeper with the Noa-Leon relationship. But I have issues with her representations of me."
Zell raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? I though it was right on. Maverick is just like you."
Irvine shook his head. "Rin's books portray me...er...Maverick, as a play boy who flirts with any female that walks by."
"Hi, Irvine!" a group of girls chorused as they walked behind Zell. Irvine shot them a dead sexy smirk and winked.
"Ladies..." he said with a smile. They giggled as they rushed off. Zell rolled his eyes.
"Oh yeah...it's such a digression of character..." Zell mumbled.
"EXACTLY. That's what I'm say," Irvine insisted. "Anyway, I think the Noa-Leon relationship might get more involved in the next book. But I'm still waiting to see what happens between Maverick and Stephanie. What do you think?"
Zell squinted his eyes at Irvine. "I think you're obsessed with the book."
"I am not, Dall!" Irvine retorted.
Zell gave him a strange, questioning look. "Did you just call me Dall?"
"..." Irvine paused and leaned back against his chair. He looked at his drink and lifted it up to his mouth, chugging it back down. "I think I need to take a break from reading them."
Zell nodded. "Yeah..."
"Hey, guys!" The two looked up from where they were sitting and smiled as Selphie ran towards the table and stopped. She put her arms behind her and grinned. "So where is everyone?"
"Squall is looking for Rinoa and Rinoa is wandering around." Zell reported.
"Hey...whose that?" Irvine said, motioning to the young woman standing a few feet behind Selphie. Selphie turned around and smiled brightly.
It seemed that Quistis had been caught by another instructor and was currently trying to worm her way out of a conversation. "I'll get her," Selphie said. She walked over to Quistis and looped her arm through Quistis'. The blond looked over, surprised at first, but letting out a somewhat relieved smile as she saw Selphie. "Hello, Instructor!" the petite brunette said with a wide smile. "Quistis has yet to put her things at our table. If you'll excuse us, I'm sure she'll speak to you in a moment."
Without another word, Selphie tugged Quistis away towards their table where Zell was snickering. Irvine stood up, followed by Zell and smirked at Quistis. "I'll be damned...Quisty, is that you?"
"Who did you think it was?" Quistis told him, rolling her eyes. Irvine chuckled.
"I must say, you look absolutely stunning tonight," Irvine said, allowing his eyes to go up and down Quistis' body. "Very nice..."
Selphie raised an eyebrow as their eyes met and he gave her a sheepish smile. "You never change, do you?" Selphie asked in a dead pan voice. Irvine merely chuckled and shrugged.
"Man, Quistis' fan club is going to freak out when they see her," Zell said as they all took their seats around the table. "You better hide."
Quistis shrugged. "I was hoping that they weren't invited to this," Quistis said. "So where are Cid and Edea? I want to wish them congratulations."
Zell pointed out to the dance floor where the old man and his beautiful young looking wife were dancing around. "They haven't left."
"Aww..." Selphie said enviously as she leaned over the table and put her chin on her hands. "That's so cute! I want to grow up to be an old couple!"
"I'm sure you will be," a voice said behind them. The two girls turned around and saw Rinoa walking towards them. "You guys are late."
"Selphie wouldn't stop piling on the make up," Quistis sighed. "I feel like I'm wearing a mask."
"Hey!" Selphie pouted. "You said it looked good!"
"I'm not complaining that it doesn't look good. I'm complaining that it's heavy." Quistis corrected. Selphie rolled her eyes.
"Fine..."
"Did you guys get something to eat first?" Rinoa said. "The food is hardly being touched! Edea's going to be very unhappy if we don't start eating the food."
"You heard her," Zell said as he stood up immediately. "We must eat! I'm sure it could be the best present we can give them."
Quistis raised an eyebrow. "You didn't bring them a gift, did you?"
"Uh...was I supposed to?" Zell asked casually.
Rinoa merely giggled. "Anyway, have you guys seen Squall?"
"Actually, the commander was wandering around looking for you," Irvine said. "I'm sure you'll find him if you keep wandering."
"You're right," Rinoa nodded as she looked past them and into the crowd. "Anyway, I'll let you guys go for now. I'm going to try to find Squall."
"All right! See you later!" the others waved as Rinoa turned around and headed back into the crowd.
As she turned, she saw Fujin and Raijin enter. *Oh, good! I thought they weren't going to come...* she thought to herself as she wove through the crowds.
Squall turned around, just in time to catch a fleeting glimpse of who he hoped was Rinoa dressed in light blue. He looked around and mentally swore. He was all the way across the dance floor. *Oh, Hyne...* he thought to himself tiredly. Squall began to rush forward.
"Ah! Commander Leonheart!" a voice boomed behind him.
*Oh, Hyne no...you have to be kidding me...* he thought to himself as he slowly turned around. "Instructor..." he trailed off. *I hate you.* "Enjoying the evening?"
Meanwhile, across the room, Rinoa finally reached Raijin and Fujin. "So?" the brunette said. "Where is he?"
"Late," Fujin said. "Will come."
"As long as he comes," Rinoa said with a heavy breath. "Okay...as soon as he gets here, we can start."
"Hasn't the party already started, ya know?" Raijin asked, completely ignorant to the underlying plot hatched by the sorceress.
"Uh...hey, Raijin, did you eat it?" Rinoa said as she pointed to the buffet table laid out. "You better grab something to eat before Zell eats it all!"
"Yeah...eat!" Fujin said. She turned Raijin around and pushed him forward.
Confused, the big man stumbled forward and shook his head. "Crazy women, ya know..." he sighed to himself as he headed towards the table.
"Okay..." Rinoa said as Raijin was out of hearing range. "Fujin, you wait for Seifer. Take him to sit at the table with the others. I'll go and get the rest ready."
"Affirmative!" Fujin nodded. Rinoa gave her a thumbs up sign and quickly melted back into the crowd.
Just as she disappeared, an out of breath and panting Squall finally managed to squeeze his way through. "Fujin!" he gasped as he saw the white haired woman. "Have you seen Rinoa?"
"That way." Fujin said, pointing in the direction where Rinoa had vanished.
"Thanks!" the brunette gasped. He seemed to take a deep breath before he headed into the crowd.
Fujin shook her head and stood by the doorway, ready to catch Seifer and steer him towards the table with the others the moment he stepped through the door. Her eye scanned the area. Quistis was already sitting at the table with Selphie, plates of food in front of them.
Further behind them, Zell was piling food on to his plate and Irvine was standing next to him, seemingly alternating between scolding him and smiling at girls who passed. Even Raijin was walking along the bar, holding up a white plate.
"Out of my way!" a familiar voice grumbled to her right. She turned around and smirked. Her prey had arrived.
"Seifer!" she said as she waved her hand.
"Yo! Fujin," Seifer said as he walked over. Sharply dressed in a pure black suit with a dar colored, open collared hunter green shirt and black tie, he suddenly attracted a lot of attention. "Where's Raijin?"
"Eating!" Fujin said. "To table!"
"Huh? Yeah, sure," The blond nodded and followed the white haired woman to the table. Immediately, his eyes landed on the slim blond sitting next to the petite brunette. *Well...coming here is officially worth it.*
"Arrived!" Fujin stated as she stood by the table.
Selphie and Quistis turned around. Selphie nearly choked on the piece of bread she was eating as she saw Seifer standing there. "Who are you trying to impress!?" she choked out as she reached for water.
"Obviously not you," Seifer grumbled. He looked over at Quistis, who seemed to be desperately avoiding eye contact. "Quistis."
"Seifer." she replied casually.
Selphie and Fujin exchanged looks. *Okay...* Selphie's green eyes scanned the crowd. Rinoa was walking across the room from them. *Okay, they're both here.*
"Whoa, Seifer actually came?" a mocking voice said as Irvine and Zell returned to the table, food piled on their plates.
"We have to actually sit with these idiots?" Seifer snorted arrogantly. "No way."
"Seifer, stop complaining and sit down." Quistis snapped, annoyed.
The other blond merely smiled and looked down at her. "Is that an invitation?"
"It's an order from your instructor."
"If I remember correctly, you're not my instructor."
"Just sit down." Quistis said sharply as she returned to her food. Selphie couldn't help but smile as she noticed the blue eyed blonde's blush as the green eyed blond sat to her right.
Selphie looked at Fujin, who nodded and headed towards the buffet table to get herself something to eat. She looked over her shoulder casually to make sure no one at the table was looking. Quickly, she scanned the area for Rinoa and caught her walking towards the band.
The brunette turned her head and saw Fujin. As their eyes met, Fujin gave her a subtle nod and Rinoa nodded as well. The white haired woman watched as the sorceress marched towards the band. A few steps behind her was a seemingly frustrated SeeD Commander.
Squall had seen Rinoa walking and immediately went after her. She was just a few feet away from him. Merely a few steps. She had even paused for a moment before continuing. Squall was pushed up against the wall by the crowd of guests and frowned as he ended up rubbing up against the side of the wall.
Suddenly, he felt himself behind held back. He stopped and turned around, noticing that his sleeve had been caught on an exposed nail. He looked up and saw that the nail had been placed their to hold down the large banner that said 'Congratulations Cid and Edea'.
Grumbling, he tugged at his sleeve. He took a step back to try to untangle it from his sleeve and frowned. *Could this GET any worse...?* he thought to himself. He let out a low growl and tugged on his shirt.
As Rinoa reached the band, the large banner that had been hanging with the words 'Congratulations Cid and Edea', fell. As a few people out gasps, she turned around, but shrugged, assuming it was nothing. "Okay...do you guys think you can play the song now?" Rinoa asked.
"Of course, Miss Heartilly!" the band leader said. He looked over at his companions and raised his baton.
As the slow dance started, Rinoa looked over to the lighting crew and raised her arms. The head guy nodded and smiled as he dimmed the lights. Everyone let out gasps of pleased surprise as soft colors swirled around the dance floor.
"Irvine!" Selphie said, realizing the cue. "Let's dance!"
"Huh?" Irvine asked, confused as Selphie grabbed his hand and was dragged off in the crowd.
"Dance!" Fujin insisted. Raijin looked slightly confused. "NOW." Fujin threatened in a low voice. Immediately, the man dropped what he was doing and headed to the dance floor with Fujin.
Zell was the only one left at the table with Seifer and Quistis when a familiar pig tailed girl tapped his shoulder. "Hi, Zell...I'm sorry I'm late." she said with a disappointed frown.
"No! No! It's fine! I'm just glad you made it!" Zell said with a warm smile. He took her hand as he stood up. "C'mon...let's dance!"
"Okay!" the brunette smiled as Zell took her hand and lead her to the group in the center of the ball room.
Quistis mentally swore. *Great...I'm alone with Seifer...If I didn't know any better, I could've sworn this was planned...* She narrowed her eyes slightly as she looked around. *Where IS Rinoa, anyway?*
"Hyne, what a waste of time..." Seifer grumbled. He leaned back against his chair and crossed his arms. "How long is this going to last?"
"Just shut up and enjoy it." Quistis sighed. She looked over at him just as he turned to look at her. Immediately, she flushed and turned her head away.
Seifer smirked. The light shone from something that was hanging on her neck and a warmer, amused smile caressed his lips. He raised his hand and caressed the chain on her neck, sending fire through Quistis' body.
"Like it?"
"It goes with the dress." she stated casually.
Seifer smiled, amused. He looked back on to the dance floor. "So...why aren't you dancing?"
"I'm not dancing with you."
"I didn't ask you." He replied coolly.
"..." Quistis blushed more. "Good."
Seifer turned his head away from her. Rinoa frowned as she watched them from where she was hiding behind the column next to the punch bowl. *This is going no where fast...* she thought to herself. *Okay...well...time to put in the wild card!*
She scurried forward and tripped over her feet slightly. She let out a quiet yelp as she lunged forward and grabbed the edge of the table to keep her steady. Unfortunately, that also knocked down the punch bowl. Mentally swearing, Rinoa pretended she didn't do it and ran off.
Squall had been just a few feet behind her, his hair a complete mess from when the cloth banner fell on him. He saw her about to fall and ran forward. She had caught herself in time, but he hadn't. He didn't see the spilled punch in the dim lighting and slipped.
"Instructor!" Rinoa said, waving to the short, balding man she knew had a crush on Quistis. She paused in her step as she could've sworn she heard Squall's voice. She shook it off and smiled. "Hello!"
Back at the table, Seifer turned his head just in time to see the instructor he hated walking towards them. Behind thick glasses, the instructor was eyeing innocent little Quistis with an almost predatory gaze.
*Hell fucking no!* Seifer thought to himself. He stood up quickly, gaining Quistis' attention.
"Seifer...?" she asked, questioningly. "Are you all right?"
"Let's practice that dance scene," Seifer said, obviously lying. "Right now!"
Quistis looked surprised. "Are you sure?"
He offered his hand and nodded. "Let's go...before the song's over." She looked at his hand unsurely and slowly nodded. She lifted her blue gloved hand and placed it in his warm, larger out. He helped her up and pulled her close to him as he looked over his shoulder and sent a taunting smirk at the other instructor.
Deviously, the dark haired sorceress smirked. *Excellent...* she said. "Now...the final step to end this beautiful, PERFECTLY EXECUTED evening!"
She walked towards the balcony to send the final signal. She had taken money out of her own pocket for this specific moment. Making sure no one was behind her, she couldn't help but smile. Selphie looked past Irvine and smiled from ear to ear as she saw Seifer put his arms around Quistis, seeming completely confident, but still nervous. Quistis, even under the dim lighting, could be seen as blushing as she put her arms casually around Seifer's neck.
The music seemed to pick up again, to stay at the music that they were playing in order to give the couples a longer time to dance. *I swear...it's like it's planned...* Quistis continued to think to herself.
"You look good in blue," Seifer told her. "Better than Rinoa."
Quistis smiled slightly. "Is that a compliment?"
"Take it as it is," Seifer shrugged. "But you look nice."
"Just nice?" she prodded, expecting him to scowl. Seifer merely rolled his eyes.
"You look beautiful. There. I said it," Seifer told her. Quistis blushed furiously and diverted her eyes. He looked down at her. "You look like a real princess..." he added softly.
He bent his head lower and pressed it against hers. Quistis closed her eyes and leaned against his body. "You look like a real knight." she replied quietly.
"Only for you..." he assured her softly as his warm breath brushed against ear. "Princess..."
They were dancing in a slow, small circle, amongst crowds of guests. But at that moment, it was like they were the only people there. *Thank HYNE Seifer knows how to slow dance...*
*Thank HYNE I remembered how to slow dance...* Seifer thought to himself as he caught the scent of Quistis' subtle perfume. His arms tightened around her and he closed his eyes.
In the balcony, Rinoa smiled as she watched them. She walked over to the corners of the balcony, where she had hidden a flare to act as a signal to the fire works people she had hired. She reached behind a large potted plant and pulled out a flare. She lit it with a fire spell and waved it in the air.
In the distance, she saw another flare reply and she blew out her flare. She smiled as she tossed the now useless object behind her. Squall, at that moment, was walking on to the balcony, got hit in the eye with the object. "Rinoa!" he gasped loudly.
Unfortunately for him, the fire works choose to go off at that moment and his shout was drowned out by the sound of loud booms in the distance. Rinoa stepped back and admired her work. "I wish Squall were here..." she sighed. She frowned sadly. "I haven't seen him all night..."
She took another step back and ran into the large potted plant. It fell backwards, unnoticed by the sorceress. Squall turned around and blinked his injured eye open just as the large vase toppled over him. "AH!"
Rinoa sighed as she turned around and headed back into the ball room, completely unaware of the fallen vase. "I could almost hear him now..."
Quistis looked up and paused in her dancing as the lights grew even dimmer. Beautiful flashes of colored light burst above them. Through the glass ball room ceiling, the brilliant lights glowed against her pale skin as she turned her head to look at him.
Seifer studied her profile as the colors danced in her eyes. He smiled slightly as he caught the smile on her lips. Behind them, the music was drowned out by the continuous sound of fire works outside the Garden.
To their right, Cid and Edea were gushing about how beautiful the fire works were and Cid said that the children must've planned it as a present. Selphie jumped up and down in Irvine's arms as she pointed to the colored lights as Zell swept down for a quick kiss on his girlfriend's lips.
"I have a mission coming up," Seifer said as turned his head and looked up at the sky. "It's my final project."
Quistis' eyes went wide as she turned to look at him. "You're going for SeeD?"
He shrugged out a nod. "Wish me luck?"
She nodded slowly. "Of course," she said. "Congratulations."
He chuckled and turned to look at her. "For what?" he asked casually.
"In advance," Quistis said. She looked around warily, making sure that everyone else was watching the fire works. She leaned up wards so that her lips were by his hears. "I know you'll make it." She whispered quietly as she gave him a quick peck on the cheeks.
Seifer felt himself turning red, but quickly tried to suppress it. He looked down at her and Quistis had resumed watching the fire works. He stroked her hair back gently. "Thanks," he said. Slowly, the lights began to brighten again and they instinctively took a step back from each other. Seifer stretched his arms back and yawned. "Well...I got what I came for!" he said.
Quistis raised an eyebrow and slowly narrowed her eyes as couples began to dance a more formal dance around them. Seifer let her go and stepped away from her, turning his back towards her and heading to the door. "What exactly did you come for?" she asked, slightly disappointed.
He turned around and threw her a smirk. "I think you know." he said. Quistis let out a slight scoff as he turned back around and waltzed out the door.
*Idiot...* she thought to herself as she watched him leave. *Even I know that there isn't a dance scene in the play.*
"Thank you everyone for coming!" Rinoa said as she stood on a little platform in front of the Garden's entrance. "My name is Rinoa Heartilly and I'm the director and writer of Balamb Garden's first ever benefit play, 'My Knight'."
A large crowd had gathered as the final leg of publicity had started. Selphie, Zell, and Irvine were running through the crowds handing out fliers to the play. They featured a large group picture of the cast, with Quistis and Seifer in their costumes, standing with their backs against each other.
"This is so exciting!" Selphie piped joyfully. "I can't believe we're THIS close to the play!"
"I know! Isn't it exciting!?" Zell added.
Rinoa was finishing up her speech on the podium. "Now, we'd like to extend a whole hearted invitation to Balamb to come watch 'My Knight'! A play by R. Heartilly!" She raised her hand and Raijin nodded. He tugged on a rope and behind her the heavy black cloth fell and revealed a massive sign.
"Oh my HYNE!" Someone screamed.
Immediately, shouts and cheers could be heard as the large poster was revealed. Standing by some of the other main casts members to the side, Seifer and Quistis' eyes went wide as they saw representations of themselves.
Standing against a black back ground was a upper body shot of Seifer and Quistis, holding hands and looking longingly into each other's eyes while behind them, shadows of other characters loomed over, as if threatening to break them apart. The title was in large white letters at the top while a small sentence was below it, describing the play.
"The only thing stronger than a knight's duty to his country is his love." Irvine said as he read the sign.
"And now! We'll have an early autograph session featuring our two lead actors, Mr. Seifer Almasy and Miss Quistis Trepe!" Rinoa said. She began to clap her hands as she looked over at where Quistis and Seifer stood up. Seifer seemed confident and soaked up all the attention as Quistis smiled weakly at the group.
"Buy them now!" Zell's girlfriend shouted from a small stand by where Raijin was standing. "Promotional pictures as well as tickets!!"
As if called magically, a horde of Balamb Garden students rushed forward to buy the tickets. Almost overwhelming Zell's girlfriend had Fujin not been there to control the mob. Rinoa smiled and went to speak to some influential members of the community.
"Here are your copies!" Selphie said as she handed Seifer and Quistis to large, dark envelopes. "Official copies and some originals of the photos! Let me get you guys some pens..."
"Zell!" Irvine shouted. "Help me get the autograph line straight!" He waved over the spiky haired blond who was about to go to his girlfriend. The two and Raijin began to help form the line in front of Quistis and Seifer.
"That's a good picture of me..." Seifer mused to himself as he flipped through the set he was given. "I'm pretty damn hot."
"Oh, you wish..." Quistis sighed. She looked through her own. She saw copies of her pictures with Seifer. *Okay...so he is...*
"Not bad yourself, Quisty," Seifer smirked as he glanced over at her pile. "Looking pretty good there."
"You're starting to sound like Irvine."
"I was trying to be nice," Seifer frowned. "No need to say such mean things." Quistis merely shook her head and put her pictures back into the envelope.
"Okay, are you guys ready?" Selphie said as she swept past them, tossing them some black markers as she headed towards the front of the line.
"Bring them forward!" Seifer shouted. "I'm always ready to face my adoring public!"
Rinoa sat on the small of Squall's back. Her small hands rubbed his tense shoulders soothingly as she smiled. "Squall...where did you get all these bruises? I though you weren't supposed to into the Training Room this week..."
*I got them chasing you around the other night...* he wanted to say. Instead he replied. "Don't worry about them. I'll be fine."
"Anyway, you'll be glad to know that we're already pulling a profit. The sale of tickets started today and we made quite a bit." she said as her hands moved down and traced the muscles along his shoulder blades.
"I'm glad," he admitted. "Are you sure a benefit dinner afterwards is necessary?"
"Those who sponsored us should be given thanks," Rinoa informed him as she leaned down and kissed a particularly large bruise. "Hyne, Squall...you have have to be more careful."
"I know..." he grumbled tiredly. His arms were tiredly at his sides as his head rested on his pillow. "Hey, Rinoa..."
"Yeah?" she said as she began to cast cure spells on larger bruises.
"How long do you plan on staying at the Garden?" he asked quietly.
Rinoa's hand movements slowed. "Why...?" she asked quietly. "Do you want me to help with another play?"
"No...no..." he mumbled. He began to roll over and Rinoa moved to the side of his bed. She looked down at him with worried eyes. "I'm just wondering...how long do you plan to stay at the Garden."
Her brown eyes looked away. "As long as you want me here..." she said softly. "If you don't want me here-"
"If I wanted you to stay here forever..." he trailed off. "Would you?"
Her head snapped up to look at him. "Of course," she said meaningfully as she took his hands. "Of course I would!"
Squall lifted her left hand to his lips and kissed her ring finger. "Good..." he said. He closed his eyes and kissed her finger once more. "Just...good..."
Quistis walked through the empty hallway from her office. She had just finished grading the day before's tests. *Today has been quite interesting...* she thought to herself with a smile.
She had no idea she had so many admirers in the garden until a pile of love notes had been placed next to her at the autograph session. Seifer didn't seem to happy about them, but tried to hide it quite well. He also had quite a following as several SeeD cadets began to gush about him.
She sighed. *They're just a bunch of admirerers...* she thought to herself. *I'm sure Seifer wouldn't...why am I even thinking about that? They're not a threat! They have nothing that I want that can be threatened!*
The tall blond stopped and shook her head. She clutched the note book she was holding to her chest tightly as she took a deep breath. Quistis continued to walk down the lighted hall way to her dorm room when she heard voices up ahead.
She instantly recognized the sounds of praise and smiled. Then she heard the voice of the one they were praising. "Of course, I'm good," a deep, all to familiar voice said. "I AM the lead, after all!"
A few people laughed and Quistis tilted her head to the side. She walked quickly and turned the corner.
The black haired SeeD Cadet, a random fan, rushed up to him as he was walking to Quistis' room to drop by for a visit. "I'm your biggest FAN, Mr. Almasy!" the cadet had told him.
He merely laughed and said that it was only natural. Before he knew it, she had reached up and kissed him. Her thin lips pressed against his as his heart stopped. Seifer's emerald eyes went wide in shock as he blinked helplessly. He honestly didn't know what he should do.
However, he did hear the note book drop. He looked over to his left and paled. Without a second thought, he shoved the dark haired SeeD Cadet away and reached out towards the blond instructor who had been standing there. "Quistis-"
She shook her head, horrified as her sapphire eyes filled with tears behind clear glasses. "You're such a good actor, aren't you?" she told him bitterly.
The words cut through him as he watched her turn and run down the hall. "Quistis, wait! I can explain!" Seifer winced at the cliched words he had just spoken.
In tears, Quistis ran down the hall towards the elevators. She pressed the button until the doors open and she got inside. Through the glass sides, she could see Seifer running towards her, frantically waving her note book the air to stop her. She merely turned her head away.
"How could you...?" Quistis frowned. "It was all an act...I'm so stupid..."
"Quistis!" Seifer was shouting. He watched her turn away and he stopped waving her note book. It fell to his side as his arms dropped. He closed his eyes tightly and put his head down. When he opened his eyes, he saw something peeking from inside the cover of her note book. He bent down slowly and pulled out the small promo picture. The rarest one where he and Quistis were kissing. "Quistis..." he whispered quietly. "It's not what you think..."
Next Time: ANGST? Of course not. This is supposed to be a comedy. Anyway, Quistis finds a new reason to up her acting a notch as bitterness fills her. Meanwhile, Seifer's acting goes down the drain and it's up to Rinoa and her fellow conspirators to find out what's going on.