------'-----,--- Cracked ------'-----,---
Quistis looked around the hut now filled with her personal belongings. She only had one box left to unpack and it rested at her side on a footstool. The first object she unwrapped had stopped all productivity, leading her on a journey through memories.
It was the silver framed picture that always sat on her shelf back home. She was standing next to Squall. Seifer lingering in the background. Her and her two most promising students. She sighed setting the picture on a shelf, brushing off some dust. Now both of them were dead. She had failed them both.
She closed her eyes trying not to think of the last time she that had seen Seifer. It was three years ago, almost to the day. The memories came unwillingly, she was unable to stop them from haunting her. Quistis collapsed on the bed with a sigh and rode the tide of memories as they came.
They had come in on an emergency call from Esthar, they were trying to capture a wanted felon and needed SeeD back-up. She had been the chosen as squad leader and had two rather in experienced SeeD placed under her command.
Much to the gardens surprise, this felon was none other then Seifer Almasy. Their childhood friend had gone mad, ravaging though the city. His gunblade slicing through the innocent, setting fires to the hearts of the living.
She and her two companions had confronted him in the street. He killed them, both of them with out even blinking an eye. There was so much blood, everywhere. It tainted him, the street, and her.
SeeD back up had helped take him down, and took him to Esthar. It was there that he was sentenced to death, on the Accusation of Conspiring with a Known Sorceress, and Murder. Quistis could still remember the guards dragging him away.
He had screamed out for Matron, his eyes feverish. Seifer had fought against them, reaching for his group of childhood friends. They could only watch as the Esthar authorities dragged him away to commit the execution.
Quistis realized in shock that there were silent unchecked tears rolling down her face. She let them fall, splattering softly on the bed.
Esthar, with help from SeeD took out most of the Galbadia army, leaving all cities free of their tyranny. It had been a bloody year.
After that Esthar shut its doors to the public once again. Even Laguna stopped communicating with Garden. Esthar no longer wanted to be involved in world affairs, and refused any passage through their borders.
The United Council was formed then, a government to rule all governments. Every city was involved Deling, Dollet, and even Shumi. That is with the exception of Esthar and SeeD.
It was strange how much could change in the course of three years.
Quistis sighed and pulled herself out of the bed, setting her feet firmly on the floor. She placed the picture on the nightstand, running her fingers over Squall's image. She shook her head and walked out of the hut, onto the street of Shumi village.
"Quistis" she heard Baker say as he walked up from behind her, his face lit up with a warm smile. She returned the smile almost unwillingly, her eyes glowing in response. It was always that way with her, reacting to others around her.
"Baker" She said his name shaking his hand softly.
"So are you ready to get dirty today?" He asked with a grin as they walked towards the excavation site. Quistis rolled her eyes and followed the tall man. She still resented Xu for sending her here to this place. Why couldn't she have gone to Dollet, where there was a nice clean sandy beach.
"What do you want me to do" Quistis asked Baker as they stopped in front of a long table that was covered in tools. Tiny chisels and picks, brushes and combs. All of them looked well used, and very dirty.
"Some of our students, discovered some objects within the house today. I was thinking you could help them recover some of the items" Baker said handing her some of the objects, tucked into an apron. She tied the apron around her waist and followed him to the edge of the pit, where a rope ladder was hanging.
"Go on down, they are expecting you Ms. Trepe" Baker said with a smile. Her lips turned up in response as she started to make her way down the fragile rope ladder.
The bottom of the pit was loosely packed dirt, which shifted slightly with each footstep. The broken structure loomed before her, its double windows like black eyes staring down at her. She walked in through the gaping hole inside. It was a dark place with lights strung up along the walls.
There was a grid laid out across the floor made of bright red strings. Three men were kneeled upon the floor working solely on a huge statue they were unearthing. It was of a woman, draped provocatively with a long sash. It was a beautiful piece of art, the white marble still striking amongst all the dirt.
"Well start digging" One of the men said motioning to a part of the grid in the corner of the building. Quistis sighed softly and dropped to her knees.
The cool blue hallways of Balamb never changed. Simple and serene with their different colored strips running up the center. The constant bubbling of fountains the constant backdrop of noise. The white lights with their blue filters, painting everything the same drab color.
It was meant to be peaceful, and tranquil. It was indeed not for the man striding down the long hallways to the outdoor quad. He was tall, his stature broad and thick with muscle. The light grey trench coat trailed behind him, swirling around his legs.
He paused at the archway to the quad the cool night air biting at his skin. She was there, wrapped in a tiny yellow dress as usual. She was hanging up decorations on the stage, probably preparing for the next festival. The brunette would lead him to the blond.
He swooped down the stairs, readying his gunblade easily. He stealthily moved up the stage, weaving in and out of the shadows like he could control them.
His hand wrapped around her thin arm shoving her hard against the pole. He then clamped his hand over her mouth their green eyes meeting. First her eyes registered shock, then fear as she realized who he was.
"That's right, Seifer Almasy is back from the grave" he hissed smirk spreading slowly across his face. She tried to shake her head against his hand, trying to fight against him. She was too light, he was able to press his weight hard against her.
"Selphie, you are going to tell me where she is. If you scream, I will kill you" he said letting his hand up slightly. She gasped in a breath of air.
"Seifer, how did you.." she started to ask before a quick cuff to the cheek stopped her words. Selphie shook her head and her eyes met him again.
"Where who is?" Selphie asked softly.
"You know who, our favorite blond instructor" Seifer growled. Tears sprang to her eyes and she shook her head again, furiously.
"Seifer, what do you want from her?" Selphie asked.
"Just tell me" Seifer hissed again touching the blade of his Hyperion to her skin. She yelled in pain torrents of emotion running through her.
"She's in Shumi" Selphie stammered at last right before he dropped her to the floor. He leaned down and helped her to her feet, carefully. Then he slowly brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently.
"Thank you, Selphie" Seifer said softly his voice a coating of velvet. Then he turned and was gone from the quad, his trench coat only a flicker in the night.
Selphie fell forward to her knees her body shaking. After she sobbed a bit she hopped to her feet and bolted towards the commander's dorm.
A/N: Hey everyone if you haven't checked out the fic I am writing with Sharpedge, please do.
It's called Echoes of Dissolved Eternity.
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1022130
Thank you! :)