There was a short flash of light as she turned on her bedside lamp, but fumbled in her dizziness with the switch and sent it crashing to the floor. She tried to blink away the drowsiness that painted a startled man that looked much like Seifer in her chair, formerly asleep. When Quistis heard her hallucination jolt upright she called out to it tentatively. Her voice cracked and sounded desiccated and rough, barely above a whisper. "Seifer? Is that you?" There was a soft rustling of clothing as he rose and seated himself at the side of her bed. Instantly she folded her legs up to her chest and hugged them, feeling vulnerable in an alien way that she couldn't describe nor explain. Probably wrought from the actual defenselessness that her current state placed her in. It was an almost instinctual, unconscious reaction that led her to wonder why she was fully dressed and atop her comforter.

"It's all right Quistis. It's just me." The voice of Seifer had never sounded so devoid of confidence, so unsure, and perhaps full of unguent. A tone of comforting was a further denotation of something vaguely bizarre about the whole situation. "How do you feel?"

Although she knew quite instantly just what she was feeling, she thought about it for a while before answering, wondering just why she did feel so poorly. "I-I feel dizzy." She swallowed and placed her head back down on her pillow. "And my stomach hurts." Truthfully her stomach was swimming and twisting upon itself while her head swam in the same contemptible liquid. Her eyes were squeezed shut because the frail glow of moonlight on her curtains was blinding. Quistis jerked upright at once, "I think I need to…"

Seifer knew what she would have finished with and appropriately guided her stumbling form to the bathroom, noting the excessive flow of sweat over her body. The instructor fell away from his touch, but he held firm according to his instincts, but against his growing suspicions. When she was safely inside he could hear the sickening retching through the shut door from his seat against the outside wall. His phone rung.

"'Evenin' Bruce?" He answered.

"Rubber Ducky? This is Poppa Bear, ya know. How is the situation down there?"

He massaged his temples while hearing another loud heave. "She's been better. Anything in the toxicology report?" Shortly after the incident the coffee Quistis was drinking was sent away to Kadowaki's lab for testing, suspicions of poison or drugs used in the attempted rape were high. A simple scan spell at the time told security and health personnel that Quistis was only blacked out by the substance, if it existed, and would only be mildly physiologically ill.

Raijin sighed. "We got nothin', ya know. No trace of anything but coffee." Seifer sighed before his friend continued. "It's strange, ya know? What are her symptoms?"

"Dizziness, stomach pains, apparent memory loss, drowsiness, and flatulence." He continued. "I'd also say that her blood pressure is down and she's sweating profusely. Just a guess on the first part." The communicator crackled and he could hear the sigh on the other end.

It was silent for almost a minute. "Sounds like it could be clonazepam. Same symptoms, undetectable in liquids. You should get her to the doc pretty soon."

"Yeah. She's in the bathroom right now; should I be telling her not to piss?" The important question almost came as an afterthought.

"I wouldn't worry about it. Urinary retention is another common side effect in these types of drugs, ya know. Besides, if she still has the symptoms, the substance can probably still be detected in a sample." Raijin was always quite keen on the forensic and medical sides of crime cases and sometimes his way of speech belied his true level of knowledge.

"Alright. Send down Rinoa and Selphie to come and be with her." He closed the phone and leaned heavily against the wall, not far from the small crater he created with the delinquent cadet's body. Noting the silence, he knocked on the bathroom door. "Quistis? Are you okay?" He heard a flush. Then the door opened and she staggered out and onto her inviting bed.

She squinted, head wobbling slightly. "I'll be all right eventually. I'm still tired…" Quistis looked around in the dark. "But what happened? Why…" Her voice cracked and he interrupted her.

"Shhhh… Just lay back down Quistis. You'll know in time…" His suggestion so perfect and his voice so soothing, she did just what he asked, too ill to be so curious. Blinking red numbers told him that the time was 0318 and he didn't really expect that Rinoa and Selphie would be able to come here quickly so he settled back into the chair. To his surprise, in only a few minutes a quiet knock came to the door. After checking to see that Quistis was asleep he moved to the door and peered out the peephole. It was Selphie and Rinoa.

He stepped outside and left the door slightly ajar to speak with them. Glaring in the brighter light he observed the puffiness in their eyes. Perhaps they had stayed awake in worry. Selphie looked up at him with an unnatural sadness and suddenly flew into his chest, embracing him without abandon. Rinoa shortly followed and he did what he could to comfort them physically.

"Thank you Seifer…" Selphie whispered. "We're all so glad you were watching over her." After awhile they let go, sniffling. It was a very traumatic experience that their friend had gone through, but not all of the trauma belonged to her, the uncertainty and spontaneity had taken most everyone aback in a terrible way. "Is she okay?"

"She'll be fine. I don't think she remembers anything." He rubbed his eyes before continuing. "I need you two to take care of her, because she should be with her closest friends, and far away from any guys right now. So I'm telling you to literally keep all men at least five feet from her at all times, period. Physically restrain them if you need to. Soon you'll need to take her to Kadowaki. Make certain that she takes a urinalysis. Don't tell her about what happened no matter how much she persists; we'll leave the decisions about her to the Doctor. What are the rumors around, does anyone know what really happened?"

"We didn't really hear any rumors yesterday." Rinoa stated. "Fujin told everyone that the student had an accident training and that Quistis tried to help him but fell ill of some monster poison."

He nodded. "Good. Take care of her." With those final words he walked away. Seifer walked wearily toward the infirmary and found Squall waiting there in quiet anticipation. They nodded to each other outside the facility.

"Seifer."

"Squall."

"Is she..?"

"Yes, but…"

"Then she can't..?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Well, that's…"

"True. Still…"

"I see. So..?"

"Soon… Soon."

They nodded again as Seifer prepared to speak with the Doctor inside. The plump physician was seated at her desk and stood up when she saw Seifer approach, indicating for him to take a seat at one of the waiting room's chairs. Both of them sat across from each other and plotted themselves down on the seats ponderously. Kadowaki was the first to speak. "When will she be brought in?" She asked.

"Anytime now. Rinoa and Selphie are taking care of her." He paused and cast his gaze around the sterile room. "Raijin and I still think it was a drug, so we're asking you to conduct a urinalysis first off." The doctor nodded knowingly, as if she could not have imagined another cause for the incapacitation. He gave her a note listing all of the previous symptoms that he could recall.

She took it gratefully and studied the words carefully. "Your cadet is holding on, but barely. You certainly did a number on him." Seifer shrugged indifferently. "He won't be ready for questioning for a couple of days at least." He nodded solemnly. "I was thinking that in light of this incident we should ask Cid to postpone your recommendation."

This time he shook his head gravely. "If anything I think this incident requires a recommendation as soon as possible. We'll meet later today as scheduled, but I'll need your help when you aren't busy to finally piece this thing together."

"Well, let's start now." Immediately he traveled to his office to retrieve his notes and materials on the Trepie case and started back, stopping to pick up a six-pack of Raijin's so-called 'energy drinks.' By the time he had returned to the infirmary Quistis had been delivered and the Doctor was already conducting her examination. Thus, he began his review alone, carefully going over the personal records of each and every student under Quistis' tutelage.

While recent events may have seemed to completely seal shut the case, he couldn't help but feel that something small in detail but nonetheless very important, had been overlooked. Especially he wondered why so many female students were failing as well. Of course he shortly remembered why: emulation. Back to square one, he just continued to pour himself over the information until nothing more could be gained of it. Kadowaki joined him after some time to inform him that the primary tests were completed, including the urinalysis, the results of which would be available in about an hour.

She broached the important subject that he couldn't seem to ask about in a blunt, yet professional fashion. "There was no penetration." He sighed inwardly from relief. "Small traces of semen were on her clothing and body." Now she sighed outwardly. "She doesn't seem to remember anything, but depending on the other results, I suspect the memory loss may only be temporary. I'm asking that no one broach the subject with her until we know for certain and can make a better judgment." His nodding had become an almost robotic impulse. "I prefer not to think about how long the psychological effects might last, so let's just get what we can done, all right?"

"Sure Doctor."

It seemed all too soon that the nurse walked in with the lab results and the two looked to her expectantly.

"We found enough flunitrazepam to denote a four or five milligram dosage. This is at least twice the highest recommended intake." Taking a steadying breath, she continued. "It's a sedative narcotic that…"

Kadowaki cut her off. "Yes, thank you nurse. We're both well aware of what it is."

A 'date-rape' drug. I wonder where the bastard bought it. The doctor decided to leave him alone with his thoughts as she returned to check on her patients again. He smirked at the perhaps inappropriate, but certainly welcome thought, of deriving pleasure from old habits. Seifer took out his phone and dialed Xu's personal number. After several rings she answered groggily.

"Yes? This is Xu." Seifer smiled widely not exactly sure if she would pick up so early.

"Xu darling, how is Balamb's favorite secretary?" He asked with as much sweetness as his voice could muster, knowing full well that she preferred to be called by her official title of 'administrative assistant.'

"You'd better have a good reason for waking me up, 'Chief.'"

"Why so hostile babe? Was it something I did? Or maybe several things I've said?"

"I'm going to hang up now."

"Wait, wait." Now he spoke very seriously. "Those student records only go back about three months. I need some that go back one year or as far as they go for those who haven't been here that long. Please, can you do this for me?"

"Fine, meet me in my office in ten."

"Thanks, Xu."

"…Whatever."

"Why, I do believe that our beloved Squallykins has been rubbing off on you…" He could only hear a sharp clicking noise. Cracking his knuckles, he started to head to the third floor.