[A/N ^^ Okay new chapter. Sorry took so long to get posted. This story is nearly coming to an end. =)]

It was the day of the SeeD examination. Quistis was getting dressed and ready in her room. She began to walk to the Front Gate where she was supposed to meet the others.

Well, it's the day. I wonder if I'll have to see Seifer today.

"Quistis, over here!" Rinoa called her. Quistis turned around and saw her other friends calling her over by the directory.

"Hi." She said as she approached them.

"We've got the list here." Squall said and held up a piece of paper. "Some of us, even though not instructors, will handle students. I guess Cid figured we'd handle that well."

"Cool. Who got me?" Rinoa asked excitedly.

"And me?" Irvine jumped in.

"Well... let's see... Here's your name, Rinoa... Selphie got you. Quistis you got Irvine. Uh... both Irvine and Rinny... I mean Rinoa are Squad leaders."

I wonder who got Seifer... It may be mean but I hope he's not in my group.

Squall glanced at her and then as if reading her thoughts checked the list again.

"In case you're wondering, Xu got Seifer." He told her. Quistis just nodded but couldn't help being relieved.

"Who are the others in my group?" She asked him.

"Um... you got Irvine... a Jamie and... an Aikka." He informed her.

Quistis shook her head. Those names were familiar. "Both Trepies. Oh, well I guess it will be fine."

Irvine on the other hand yelled, "Alright! Girls!" and grinned mischievously.

"Irvy!" Selphie shrieked and grabbed his hat and ran away from him as he chased her.

"My hat! Okay, Sefie... I get the picture!" He yelled to her and she handed him back his precious hat.

"Well, we better go now." Squall folded the piece of paper and tucked it into his pocket. "Quistis and Selphie, you're both supposed to meet your Squad in the parking lot. Rinoa and Irvine, go with them since you're both taking the exam. Zell and I will take the Ragnarok there since we're just SeeDs not Instructors."

"Cool! Am I considered an Instructor?" Selphie squealed.

"For now." Squall nodded. "Enjoy it while it lasts." He motioned for Zell to follow him and they left.

"Wow. Instructor Tilmitt." Selphie said out loud. "Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

Quistis couldn't help but grin. "It's not all that cracked up to be."

"Maybe for you!" Selphie ran ahead of the group and reached the parking lot way before them. By the time Quistis, Irvine and Rinoa got there she was already chatting away with her other two members.

"Good luck. I've got to go to Instructor Tilmitt." Rinoa made a face, giggled, then ran to Selphie.

"Okay..." Irvine said. "So instruct me."

Quistis laughed even though she didn't find anything funny. It felt good to laugh a little.

"Come on, Irvine. I think I see Aikka and Jamie." She led him to his group mates and they set off in their car for Balamb.

"This mission is in Dollet, right, Instructor Trepe?" Jamie said Quistis' name like she was a famous person or something.

But Quistis just smiled politely and answered her. "Yes, Jamie. We'll hear about it on the vessel." Irvine coughed and Quistis figured he was trying to hide his laughter.

Finally, after a while of the Trepies staring awed at Quistis, asking her questions and Irvine trying to hide his smiles, the car stopped and they all climbed outside.

Of course, the Trepies still stared at Quistis, the admired one.
"Aww... Quistis has admirers." Irvine teased her when Jamie and Aikka weren't looking. "Poor girls... Still so young... they don't know any better. Forgive them, Quistis."

"Kinneas, when this is over you are dead." She said and gave him her ice queen look.

"Yikes." He laughed and then climbed onto the vessel.

Quistis turned around only to see a familiar gray jacket flapping in the wind. She looked and watched Fujin and Raijin wish him luck. He turned around and caught Quistis looking at him. She turned away and tried to pretend that she didn't see him but it she knew that the expression on her face gave away everything.

She quickly put her attention on her students and put a smile on her face. Or at least she tried to.

The trepies obviously noticed something since they hung on to Quistis' every word and admired her every action. Irvine knew because he saw her staring at Seifer.

"Okay." She tried to make her smile convincing. "Our mission today is going to be in Dollet or at least in the outskirts of it. Some people have spotted a larger number than monsters than usual in the forests, just outside of Dollet. Also quite a lot of Galbadian Soldiers have been seen. We suspect that have something to do with this and if they do it could mean only trouble." She paused. "Your job is to defeat these monsters, and Galbadian Soldiers if any are seen, and prevent them from releasing havoc into the town. Keep them from entering at all costs. Got it?"

Jamie and Aikka both nodded enthusiastically and Irvine grinned and adjusted his shotgun.

"Good." She looked outside. "It seems we've arrived. Let's go! You are to secure the north of the forests. I'll probably tag along but as a SeeD I'll have more things to do than just follow you so I'll leave things in the hands of your Squad Leader, Irvine."

"Alrighty. Come on, ladies!" Irvine called them and smiled. The two trepies giggled and followed him outside.

Quistis followed them for awhile. Just to make sure they reached the right place. When they began battling she left to secure some other area.

She battled a few monsters then heard someone yelling, "Squad Leader take over! Seifer, you're in charge!" It was Xu. Seifer began to lead his squad somewhere else when he caught Quistis' eye. She couldn't look away this time because he saw her looking and for some reason she couldn't.

Seifer's teammate waved his hand in front of his face and Seifer turned to his group.

Quistis ran to some other place. Far away. She barely saw the others already.

I shouldn't be here... this is a mission! My job is to be there. I can't let my feelings make me do stupid things when I'm supposed to be doing my job.

She began to walk back when she heard a roar behind her. She turned quickly and came face to face with a Ruby Dragon.

A ruby dragon... I wasn't prepared for this!  I can't battle it alone!

She looked around for anyone else but found she had no choice. Everyone else was far away and they were too far for her to call for them.

Swiftly, the monster blasted Quistis with it's flame and she shrieked. She pulled out Save The Queen and began to attack.

"Blizzaga!" She yelled. The strong ice magic was barely noticed by the dragon.

It was no use. She hit it with three more Blizzaga and it only took little effect. The dragon hit her with its tail and she fell to the ground. She felt something warm on her cheek. Blood. A deep wound was found on her left cheek.

She had one last chance. As the monster began to prepare for another attack, Quistis used her limit break.

"Degenerator!" She attacked him with all that was left of her energy. It worked. The dragon died. Quistis was weakened though and she collapsed on the ground, blood trickling down from her wounds and burns.

And so she lay there, no one by her side.