Chapter 7

Just as she was afraid of. The Ragnarok airlifted, headed for Balamb, along with Laguna, the sports car and, not to mention, Seifer. Little did her friends know that they were carrying excess baggage.

Her headache, Quistis learned, never really went away. It just dulled. Her feet seemed to have inched of it's own accord towards the engine room, because she could have sworn that she was just standing beside Irvine when he made his announcement. Now she appeared to be standing at least six feet away. She silently prayed that there was a hole leading straight to hell right behind her that she could dive into, because whatever chance of heaven she's got, she'll definitely never find it since her plan at a normal day was already spoiled in the first place.

Thankfully, none of them noticed her discomfort. She was good at that, in remaining impassive under the worst scenarios. She'll be damned if she let herself go crazy now.

"Quistis! We missed you last night. Were did you go off to?" Laguna appeared ahead of her as his eyes crinkled at his smile and enclosed her in a warm hug. "How are ya? You know you've left a lot of men asking for you. Most of them aren't such a bad sort, and if you want to learn their names, you know who to look for," he winked. Man, did he get on with age.

"Um…thanks, Mr. Loire." Quistis' looked around at their faces. Good. They can't tell if she was uncomfortable over Laguna's statement or something else that needed suspicion.

"You can drop the 'mister' and just call me, Uncle Laguna."

Her eyes darted to Squall. Was he laughing? She can't really tell, but she turned to Laguna and said, "Thank you. Although I'm really flattered that you'd consider me somewhat of a relation, I don't think we've even begun to actually be on familiar terms with each other." Why don't you start with your son first, her mind barked. Now she was just being mentally rude.

"Oh I don't mind. Heck! I'd like it if all of you call me 'Uncle'. Actually, if I had it my way, I'd have all of Esthar call me 'Uncle'. I just got so used to Ellone calling me that."

Zell leaned towards Irvine and murmured, "I can't imagine Kiros or Cid calling him 'Uncle'."

"I could almost hear them. 'Uncle Laguna, your new intern has arrived'," Irvine sniggered.

Zell made an imitation of Kiros as he whispered, "Uncle Laguna requests your presence under his desk." Now Irvine just bowled over.

"Zell, I always thought you had it in you," Irvine began trying to control his laughter.

"What are you guys laughing about?" Laguna queried curiously.

"Noth-thi-hi-hi-hing. Uncle Laguna," Zell managed to say in between breaths.

"Don't mind them, they're being idiots." Quistis heard their whole exchange, and even as she reproved them, she was laughing inwardly. As much as she liked Laguna, he could be so clueless sometimes.

"Anyway Laguna, what did you threaten Squall with this time?" This came from Irvine who had calmed down briefly.

"Oh, for the car you mean?"

Irvine nodded.

"I told him that if he didn't accept my gifts then I'll just resign and appoint him as the new President of Esthar." Laguna waved off.

"Reeeaally?" Irvine smiled up at him confidently. "You know, I'd take you up on it."

"Sorry, but I have to leave the position open for Squall."

Quistis noticed Squall getting agitated from the topic and shifted from foot to foot. It wasn't puzzling why he would rather take the car instead of the presidency, given that aside from a shoulder of responsibilities, it wasn't really Squall's style to make dozens of speeches a day. Even the Ulti episode hadn't really developed his liking for leadership. As much as Laguna liked rambling in public, his son couldn't even begin to share his opinion in the Balamb Bulletin Board. It makes one wonder if they're actually related. Not that their relationship is openly known. Without question, he would've returned the car and declined the position at the same time anyway. It was only that Squall had a strict sense of honor that he would not publicly shame Laguna if indeed he resigned and gave him the presidency. Perhaps he was just better off being a knight than being a president.

"We're landing in thirty seconds, everyone!" Selphie bellowed from the pilot seat.

That brought Quistis back to her crisis.

"I have to change," she blurted. She made her way to her bags and grasped whatever clothing she could get a hold of.

"Right. We forgot you're still in your dress. You don't want your peers thinking you were that late for the wedding." Irvine snipped.

As she stood over the lift, she heard his faded laughter. Someday, she thought, Irvine will find someone who can leave him speechless.

His head, Seifer decided, hadn't received so much beating in one lifetime. Let alone in one day. But God, did he feel like hell. What on earth did he get himself into? Better yet, why is it so damn dark and loud?

Seifer batted his eyelids. Slowly.

If it was possible for eyeballs to suffer pain, then he took great care in moving them around his eye sockets. Aside from his eyes, his head insisted on being excruciatingly painful as well. Perhaps if he went back to sleep, since he was comfortably lying anyway, his body will be recharged back its energy.

His eyes suddenly flared open.

What was he doing lying down?

Seifer bolted upright quicker than he could blink again.

"Aaargh! Shit," Maybe he should have stayed down. That single movement alone seem to have prompted every muscle and nerve in his body to produce an aching throb. But pain or no pain, he wanted to know where on earth was he.

His hands reached around and struggled to feel any telltale signs of the place. The moment his fingers touched the familiar texture of his gun-blade case, Seifer felt for the latch and drew Hyperion out of its confines. There haven't been many occasions when he considered using it, but now was definitely an exception. Hell, he doesn't even know where he is, and heavens forbid if there wasn't anything else that he should be alarmed about.

In a while, his eyes adjusted to the darkness and began to distinguish shapes and forms. His gaze sweeped the area and tried to locate a light switch. None. But at least he finally determined his location. From the noise the place was making, Seifer was convinced that he was surrounded by machinery.

An engine room.

Of what?

Seifer, in all his discomfort, walked unsteadily towards a small streak of light under a door. If he could run towards it, he would. Perhaps he was being too hopeful that somehow, he was allowed an exit from this god-forsaken darkness, but nevertheless it didn't cross his mind that on his way, he would trip over and fall flat on his face.

Seifer decided that kissing the ground one too many times has to end. It seems he'd been doing that since Deling. Maybe he's still in Deling. Whatever the case, he wondered if he'd been cursed with a clumsy hex by that odious bar-innkeeper.

When he got himself to his feet, he picked up the object that caused his collapse. Seifer held the item in one hand when he finally identified what it was.

A shoe.

It was definitely a woman's shoe. There isn't a sane man who would wear something that felt remarkably painful. Or expensive.

It must be some very careless, if not rich, woman who would mindlessly misplace diamond-studded shoes. Now that he reflected on it, maybe it was good that whoever she is, lost this particular possession that he can definitely pawn it for something he can use. It wouldn't be stealing. Not really. Seifer would call it as, sparing that woman of sore feet. He'd be doing her a favor, indeed.

He almost pocketed his new treasure when a barefoot woman, obviously the shoe-owner, barged into the room, filling the darkness with blinding fluorescence that he had to shield his eyes, forgot to notice the engines stopped running and missed her frantic expression on her face.

Seifer heard the door shut behind her and the flicker of a light switch. When he finally opened his eyes, the engine room became more visible and so did the woman clutching a bundle of clothing.

He turned a corner of his lips up and said, "Well, well. If it isn't Cinderella."

Why that irked her so much, she didn't know. Maybe it's because he was holding one of the missing shoes that added to her distress a while ago. Maybe because he was able to reduce her intelligence to that of a bird with that offhand remark and a beguiling grin. Or maybe it's because she found him, smirking, standing upright on his two feet and looking terribly striking, when he should be on his back still sleeping peacefully like a log.

"Oh God!"

It was amazing how Seifer managed to keep his temper in check as he pointed, "Sorry to disappoint you but I'm just Seifer."

Quistis made a frenzied flailing with her arms and dropped her bundle. "You're awake!"

"Yes, I'm that too."

"But you're supposed to be down there." Her finger pointed towards the floor.

"Why should you think so?" Seifer held himself because he could feel his control on the brink of cracking. Didn't he just decide that he didn't want to see any of them?

Quistis fidgeted. She can't remember the last time she did. "I slammed the door over your head then you were out cold and of course I made sure you're alright, now – "

"You mean you tried to kill me? And then make sure I live?" Seifer asked incredulously.

"No! I didn't even know you were there. It was an accident! I swear! I couldn't find my shoes so I kicked the door down," she cried.

"Then explain what I'm doing here," he glared. God was he angry, added to hurting, hungry and smelling.

"I-I-I-I – " Her story couldn't have begun more smoothly.

Seifer was running out of patience and thought it was about time he unleashed his fury. "Awww, hell Trepe! You're certainly dressed for the part. Why don't you just get on with it."

That reined her in. He thinks she's lying? "I beg your pardon!" It was Quistis' turn to fume. "You should be thankful that I didn't leave you to die. But obviously between your head and the steel door, I doubt the door would've stood a chance!"

"Why should I be thanking you for hitting me in the head? Maybe you thought that was so wonderful, you decided to kidnap me too!" Any moment now, his head was going to explode with all this yelling.

"Kidnap you? Why on earth do I want to kidnap you?"

Seifer made a mock gesture of a thinking pose and said, "Oh I'm not sure. Maybe it's because for all I know you could be a psycho woman!"

"Psycho – " If only the clothes she dropped on the floor were a bit harder and heavier, she wouldn't hesitate to hurl them at him. She liked him better when he was unconscious.

"If you're going to talk about psychotics, between the two of us you're most likely to qualify, since you can't recognize good intentions for what they really are!" Quistis grabbed her shoe from his clutches in three strides.

This isn't going anywhere he thought. He needed to get out of there, but it seems this woman, this unbelievably, unbearably, arresting figure of a woman, somehow has the means of getting him out of this predicament. And he couldn't likely leave if he keeps her riled. Seifer had to bridle his irritability for his own benefit, and probably hers as well. She looks about ready to detonate.

"Alright, I'll level with you. I will put all of this behind me and you will show me the exit so we can go on our own way. Now that seems fair, don't you think?"

"No."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing makes anything fair." She mumbled. Oh, how that statement had proven itself since yesterday.

Seifer made a small space between his thumb and forefinger and warned, "I'm this close from strangling you."

"The Ragnarok already took off," She bit her lip. Quistis didn't want to make it worse by telling him, if he hadn't noticed, that they've already landed. In Balamb.

That was his cue to go a little insane. "Show me the exit anyway so I can at least plunge to my death."

And that was her cue to be honest. "It won't be much of a death if you're going to be jumping at three feet high."

"What!?!?"

"We've already landed," she whispered sheepishly.

Seifer was suddenly shaking with fury. He turned his back to her and began a breathing routine he learned when completely, and highly enraged. Another trick he learned to subside his rage was speaking soothingly to himself.

"Relax Seifer," he told himself. "That's it. Calm down. She probably tried her best. She's blonde after all."

"Aren't you blonde too?" Her brows slammed indignantly together.

He ignored her retort, unwilling to let her irritate him further. "She listens well too," he heard himself say.

"QUISTIS!!!" There was a bang at the door. "Are you in there?"

Probably his body was still too weak or maybe his reflexes were too slow, but the moment he realized it, a feminine hand found its way over his mouth, concealing any sound he might produce, and he nearly went deaf when Quistis yelled over his ears.

"Yes! But don't come in! I'm…uhhh…still undressed!!!!"

Seifer effortlessly yanked her hand from his face, but made no attempt of making a sound and instead, made a thrashing gesture with his hand towards the closed door as he mouthed the words 'who's that'

Apparently, he didn't recognize the voice when it came again from the other side of the door. "Oh! Okay! Well, we're going now. We're having dinner at my house! Ma's cooking!" Zell hollered.

"I'm kind of busy, Zell! I'll visit you on the weekend!" her voice rang.

"Okay! I'll see you around!" Zell rapped the door twice indicating his departure, while Quistis pressed her ears at the door to hear fading footfalls making certain he was completely gone.

"That's Chicken-wuss?" Seifer hissed behind her.

She motioned rather rudely for him to move back. "Don't call him that! He's one of the greatest people I've come to know and love and I'll thank you not to disrespect him."

"It's not disrespect if he isn't here. And if you really respect him as you said, then why aren't you naked like you told him, instead of going through all this trouble to conceal my presence?"

Quistis fell silent and drew back a little. Seifer had the sinking suspicion that he'd just said something very, very wrong. But he wasn't certain about it until he saw her eyes began to have a far away look. How strange, that in the first five seconds of their meeting, she had managed to inflame his temper, yet she brought him down with a look that left him feeling like the biggest idiot. Hell! Didn't he just tell himself that he didn't want to see any of them? But why does the idea of seeing Quistis Trepe didn't bother him as much as the thought of seeing the rest of them would? Perhaps it's alright to confront just one living reminder of his shady past. And if he'd given it a deeper thought, Quistis would have been doing him a favor if she kept his presence a secret. He won't likely see any of them after her, because this is certainly the last time he'll be in the same room, if not an island, with Quistis Trepe.

AN: Chapter 8, coming on Tuesday, July 23, 2002. Stay tuned! Thank you for all the kind reviews.