Disclaimer: Umm… I don't own any part of Final Fantasy 8, but I own this story, and you can't take that away from me… can you?
Alternate Fantasy
By Draic
Chapter Three: Lacking Support
The knife was gone.
What the hell is going on here!?
Someone had taken the blade from my locked drawer. Someone had access to my room, my possessions, and even if they didn't want to kill me - yet - they certainly weren't too pleased with me. None of this made me terribly happy. I had to do something about this. I was going to see the Headmaster.
I crossed the room, cursing as the door hesitated before sliding open. I made sure to lock the door behind me this time, and turned down the hallway only to bump into and bowl over one of the members of the library committee - those three seemed to turn up everywhere except the library. Unable to express my fury, I glared at them until their irritated pouts wiped right off their faces and they began to look nervous. I brushed past them and continued on my way.
Perhaps normally I would have apologised. But those three were definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time and I was in no mood to put up with any of their idiotic drivel. I should have given them a detention. I probably had the authority to do that. I wasn't sure. On the other hand, they wouldn't be, either. There was another thing I could ask Headmaster Cid.
I was inside the elevator, watching the doors close and mentally wreaking vengeance upon the Library Committee when I remembered…
Oh… He resigned. He wouldn't be up in his office anymore.
So I had to force the doors back open and storm back to my room. Feeling like a fool really didn't help my mood any and I began cursing Cid as well. What right does he have to just leave like that!? Where the hell has he gone? And why in Hyne's name did he leave all this to me?
And when I saw the Library committee still yapping mindlessly outside my door…
They shot off like frightened deer, fleeing in total panic. Momentarily pleased with myself, I watched them go with an evil smile. Then I remembered my privacy problem, growled at the startled passers-by and entered my room, muttering to myself. I wished I had a hinged door instead of this automatic piece of junk so I could slam it. But I made sure to lock the damn thing this time.
Not that it will help me any now, I thought sourly.
I threw myself onto my bed, but the sudden pressure on my pillow caused a small cloud of fluff to erupt from the hole in the casing with an insolent phut. I rolled my eyes, bemoaning my fate, then squeezed them shut in an effort to block out such injustice. What the hell am I supposed to do now? Tell everyone I meet that my room is off-limits? No-one is supposed to have a key to my room! Which automatically means it could be anyone. I suppose now I know it has to be someone in Garden. Who could want to kill me? And… why? Someone from Deling? Galbadia Garden students? Possibly. We could have been infiltrated ages ago. But…why now?
I awoke to the screeching of my alarm clock and assaulted it with my fist, not quite managing to smash it to bits. Then I opened my eyes.
Six thirty a.m.!? I can't have slept through the whole afternoon!
I pulled back the sheets and got out of bed with the intention of checking the view from the window, but I tripped over a pair of boots by my bed and ended up sprawled on the floor.
A soft snoring I hadn't noticed before suddenly broke off into a snort and a girl's voice yawned, gasped and said, "Oh, Squall! What happened? Are you hurt?"
I stood and brushed myself off.
"No, I just tripped over these--" I gave a start and spun around. "Who are you and what are you doing in my room!?"
I rubbed my sleep-clogged eyes and stared at the female figure leaning towards me.
"Oh, we're not going through this again, are we?" said the woman, clad in a swirl of green.
"Oh no," I moaned, "I don't like this dream."
"Hmph," said the non-red clothed blonde-haired woman with a distinct lack of spectacles and shoulder-length gloves, "What's not to like?" Quistis continued.
I started slapping my cheeks in a desperate attempt to wake up.
"I can help you there," the totally fake, made-up, not-real figment of my imagination said, then gave me a surprisingly painful full-armed slap across the face.
"AAARGH!"
Figments of your imagination definitely shouldn't be allowed to cause you physical pain.
"Quistis! What the hell was--"
Her lips were suddenly pressed hard against mine and her arms snaked around my waist.
Errr…
"Wow," I said, once I could breathe again.
"Not a dream?" Quistis asked, almost threateningly.
"Oh, definitely," I heard myself say, then caught sight of my dopey puppy-dog expression in a mirror. I cleared my throat hastily and held up a hand towards the blonde.
"Can you wait right there for a second? I have to do something."
I tore a piece of paper out of the notepad on the desk and scribbled onto it:
QUISTIS IS - WAS - MY INSTRUCTOR
SHE IS NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!
I underlined the 'NOT' a few times, stared at it, and added:
SHE WEARS GLASSESI stared nervously at the woman across the room, who blew a kiss at me. I swallowed hard, and added:
AND SHE'S ALWAYS DRESSED IN RED.
But even as I read and re-read the phrases I'd written only seconds ago, the words lost any of the meaning they had held when I had written them.
"Are you sure you're okay, Squall?" Quistis asked, pouting a little. I couldn't imagine her wearing glasses - what a weird thing to write. "What are you writing, anyway?"
"Oh, it's nothing. Don't worry about…" I hesitated and then asked, "Uh… when did you start wearing green? Don't you normally… haven't you ever… I thought I remembered you wearing red…"
Quistis peered at me. "No, I don't think so. What, you want a lady in red? Well, sorry, but I can't stand the colour. When do you think you saw me in red?"
I leaned back against the desk and wondered where this image had come from. "You know, I don't really remember. Maybe I imagined it."
"At least you remember me now, Mister Who-are-you-and-what-are-you-doing-in-my-room."
I laughed. "I couldn't possibly forget you, Quistis. What I don't recall is why your boots are lying next to my bed, and why I'm here instead of the Infirmary.
She laughed as well. "Don't blame the boots for your clumsiness, Squall! And I had you moved here when Dr. Dincht told me you were fine but for this amnesia, which can't be cured in a hospital bed any better than in your own."
"So… why are you here?" I asked.
She batted her eyelashes at me. "What, you don't want me here?"
"No, no, it's not that…" I protested.
She looked down at the floor, suddenly serious. "I just wanted to know that you were okay, Squall."
I smiled, pulled her close and said, "I couldn't be better."
She murmured something into my shoulder, laughing softly, then broke away abruptly, eyes wide.
"Oh no! We're late again!"
She dashed out of the room as I whirled to look at the clock. Class had started ten minutes ago. There was no time to change into casual wear; I'd have to go in the cadet uniform that I'd been sleeping in. I splashed my face, grabbed the jacket from the back of the chair and hopped around the room, pulling on my boots. I was just about to leave when I spotted Quistis' own footwear, still lying on the ground. I grabbed them and sprinted to her room. She wasn't there.
"Damn it," I cursed between breaths.
I took off for the elevator, heading for the 2F classroom, when I remembered…
Shit. We're in the Magic Training Area today.
With a curious feeling of déjà vu, I forced the doors open and sped to the southeast corner of Garden. Spotting Quistis, in her socks, peeking into the classroom, I called out, "Quistis!"
She jumped and spun to face me. Panting, I held out her boots.
"Quistis… I've… got your…"
A figure stepped into the hallway behind her. I stopped and stared.
"Kiros?" I asked in total disbelief.
The tall, dark man nodded at me. "Good to see you've recovered, Squall. It seems, however, that your memory is still playing up. Cadets like you refer to me as 'Instructor Segal'. Understand?"
I straightened up. "Yes, sir."
"Good. Now, I suggest you give Miss Miranh her boots, so she can join the class. You both have detention."
Quistis moaned, but when Kiros looked at her, she quickly bent down to pull on her shoes.
"Now we're just waiting on Miss Tilmitt and… well, here they are."
Seifer and Selphie had just joined us.
"Good to see you two. You will be joining Miss Trepe and Mister Leonhart for detention tomorrow."
Seifer just shook his head, but Selphie protested.
"But Instructor Segal, we--"
"You know the rules, Selphie."
"Yes, sir," she said through clenched teeth. She glared at the instructor's back as he left us.
Seifer turned to her. "You're not going to tell him?"
"Why should I?"
"Because it's important! Because--"
"Tell him what?" Quistis interrupted, straightening and stamping her foot into her boot.
Seifer opened his mouth, but Selphie spoke instead.
"It's not your concern."
"Come on, Sel, they'll all find out sooner or later."
"Then let it be later!" she yelled, and stormed into class.
Seifer rolled his eyes. "Sorry," he told us, but followed the brunette without explaining further.
I turned to Quistis. "What was that about?"
"I don't know, but did you see her eyes?"
"Her eyes?" I asked blankly.
"They were all red."
I considered this. "So?"
She kicked me in the shins.
"So, you thickheaded fool, she's been crying!"
I stopped rubbing my leg and stared at her. Selphie? Crying?
"Oooh, you're so insensitive, Squall!"
She whirled around and followed the other two.
For a moment, I had seen her hair turn dark, her clothes turn blue, and wings spread across her shoulders.
I shook my head, and the vision vanished. Weird, I thought, then hurried into the room.
"I hope you've all done your homework," Kiros' voice was saying as I joined the class, "because it is vital to today's lesson."
Several people groaned. Homework had been to collect various types of Support Magic. It had been sprung upon us at the end of last class, and we had been given no reasons, or even any clues as to which types we were supposed to get. I had spent my afternoon with Quistis in the Training Centre, drawing Sleep and Silence from Grats.
"Today's lesson," Kiros continued, "is training in the use of Reflect."
Panicked whispers started up immediately.
"Reflect? We were supposed to stock up on Reflect!?"
"How are we supposed to find Reflect spells in Balamb!?"
"No monsters here have that spell!"
"No Draw Points…"
"…supposed to refine…?"
"…don't have the GF to do that…"
Instructor Segal continued, forcing us to stop just to hear him. "You are to divide yourselves into pairs. The objective is to slip Support spells past your opponent's barrier, while keeping your own Reflect strong enough to withstand their attack. You must learn both your opponent's and your own magic skills in order to predict when a Reflect spell will wear off."
Ever since the word 'Reflect' had turned up again, the murmurs rose, eventually drowning the Instructor out entirely. He held up his hands for silence and in perfect unison, the class full of panicked expressions fell silent.
Kiros surveyed the class carefully, making sure everyone was paying attention. When every face was more or less calm and attentive, he threw the lifesaver:
"I will provide the Reflect spells."
He was almost drowned out again in an explosion of sighs of relief.
"Provided, of course, you have sufficient offensive Support Magic."
There were a few muffled groans, but most of the class looked happy - except Quistis. Scowling, she leant over and practically hissed in my ear, "How could they turn up with nothing!?"
I smiled. Despite her playfulness, Quistis was a demon about rules. She would make it personal every time someone forgot even one line of Garden code. Of course, she had taken to bending a few lately…
I replied in a whisper. "We were almost half an hour late this morning, Quistis."
She lost the scowl and started looking worried and sulky at the same time. An amusing combination.
We joined the line of students receiving the precious Reflect spells from the Instructor. While we waited, I tried to recall exactly how long Kiros had been here as an instructor. Maybe it was that voice in the back of my head again, but he seemed out of place here somehow. Like he was some creature from my dreams or something. I laughed to myself. Yeah, a demon instructor from my nightmares. How original.
I looked ahead at Quistis' back and suddenly a thought occurred to me.
"Hey, Quistis," I whispered, and tugged on one of her hair ribbons.
"Hey, quit it," she whispered back, and reached up to secure the ribbon in place.
"Have you ever wanted to be an instructor?" I asked.
Her hand paused at her head, and she turned her head to look back at me for a moment. I couldn't read her expression.
"It's a dream, Squall. It's just a dream."
I considered this for a moment. "You mean you do want to-?" I had to cut short my conversation as Instructor Segal took Quistis' hand and she closed her eyes. Then it was my turn to close my eyes and feel the energy moving into me from Kiros' hand.
He released my hand and I moved to one side, looking around. Spells were already flying around the room, hitting their targets or rebounding off their shields. As an added element of danger, whatever the walls were made of randomly absorbed or reflected any stray spells.
I caught sight of Quistis, enthralled in another pair's fight. I grinned and readied a Sleep spell as I sneaked up behind her.
"Silence!" she shouted.
"Sleep! Wha-?"
Quistis had been totally alert - or maybe she just knew me. Either way, she was now facing me, sending magical energy flying towards my face.
"Aaah! R- Reflect!" I shouted, not really expecting to make it in time. Instinctively, I shielded my face with my arms. There was a slight shaking sensation, then… nothing. I felt normal. I slowly brought my arms down.
Quistis was lying on the floor, asleep. I tried my voice, just in case. "H-Hello? Ahem. Esuna!" The spell moved towards Quistis, then rebounded, rewarding me with a tingling sensation. Damn. She must have cast Reflect a little too late. Well, Sleep wasn't exactly damaging… Hey, what happened to the Silence spell?
I looked around, and caught sight of Kiros rubbing Echo Screen about his throat and mouth. Grimacing at the taste, he also rubbed some on his tongue. He noticed me watching guiltily and crossed over to me. "Squ--ll? Much as I --njoy the t--ste of Ech-- Scr--en, I would appreci--te it if you would pay more att--ntion to where you're re--irecting your opponent's --pells."
"Sorry, sir."
"Other than that, I suppose you d--serve some praise for casting two spells in the time it took Miss Mira-- to cast one, especially when she had the element of surpr--se. Well done."
I was taken aback. "…Thank you, sir."
He nodded. "I suggest you help wake Miss Miranh. She will not wish to miss any more of class."
He moved to another couple - both behind Reflect shields and not daring to cast other spells, leaving me to shake my girlfriend awake.
"Ah… I… wha…"
She gave a familiar snort and jerked awake. She looked around blearily, then moaned, "Oh, Squall, I didn't lose again, did I?"
I laughed and helped her to her feet.
Half an hour later and with the foul taste of Echo Screen lingering in our mouths, we were called to stop.
"Now that you have all had practice," Kiros was saying, "I propose a tournament. I will provide every cadet with ten Reflects. I will pair you up, and the first to cause a change in status wins. The winners shall pair off and so on until there is only one ultimate champion."
"But we'll run out of Reflects!" someone shouted.
"Well when you do, you can come to me for more. But be aware that it is permitted to cast spells while your partner is restocking."
"Hey, that's not--"
"Fair?" Kiros' voice hardened. "In life, you can never be sure who will play buy the rules and who bend or break them if they see the need. In battle, you cannot stop to ask your enemy if they will abide by the rules - they will have killed you by then. You must always assume your enemy will do whatever it takes to win, and be prepared for a knife once your back is turned."
A knife… a knife in your back… in your… pillow…
"Squall! Are you okay?"
Quistis' voice broke the spell. I regained my senses in time to hear, "Squall! You're with Nida."
I muttered a reassurance to Quistis and jogged over to my first challenger, a fairly nondescript dark-haired guy I never really noticed before. I smiled uncertainly, trying to shake off stray thoughts about daggers, and he nodded back to me and rolled his eyes. Instructor Segal, meanwhile, had paired off the rest of the class and was retreating to a small platform on one side of the room. Except for the sounds of feet shuffling and soft murmurs, the room was silent.
Kiros raised one arm. "Go!" he shouted, and the room erupted.
"Reflect!" Nida yelled.
Damn. Gonna have to wait him out. But before then, he'll--
"Sleep!" called my opponent, pointing at me.
"Reflect!" I called back, concentrating firmly on his direction. The spell, already weakened by my shield, spluttered into nothing against his. But as it hit, I could momentarily see his shield. It wouldn't last five seconds.
Five… Four… Three… Two…
"Sleep!" I yelled, and watched as the spell slipped past his defences and hit the overconfident victim.
"Damn!" Nida cursed as it began affecting him. "Why ca--" He sank to the floor.
"Nida asleep!" Kiros called, and I realised he was keeping track of who was out. Another cadet who must have actually lost before Nida came to drag him over to the platform.
I dodged as a stray bolt of energy flew in my direction, and moved out of the line of fire.
"Squall and Junai!" Kiros called, and I had just enough time to wonder Who? before a spell hit me in the back, barely reflecting at all.
I whirled, scanning the room and found Junai: a tall, dark haired girl staring intently at me.
"Silence!" I cried, and my spell spluttered against her shield, rebounding towards me. I dived out of the way and the spell hit the wall, dissipating into nothing. The flickering of Junai's shield had told me she had only just cast it. Mine, however, had run out.
"Blind!" she shouted, and a bolt of darkness sped towards me.
"Reflect!"
The bolt rebounded, but missed Junai altogether, passing over her head.
She smirked at me and I returned the favor. My Reflect was fresh, hers slightly less so, forcing us to wait it out. Suddenly, Junai buckled, swinging her head dazedly from side to side.
"Hey! What the-?" she cried.
"Junai blinded!" Kiros called. "Squall and Luthier!"
As she was led off and I moved to face the next challenger, I realised what had happened to Junai. The reflected Blind had rebounded off the wall and struck her in the back, at the weak point of her barrier.
"Talk about dumb luck," I muttered, and leapt into the fight.
After a while I managed to reach the point where I'd be focusing so much on the duel that I'd barely notice who my opponent was. Even when each duel ended, I wouldn't have time to think about the body on the ground before Kiros called the next match. At least, not until…
"Selphie and Squall!"
I groaned as I searched around the few remaining cadets for the short brunette. Selphie was an absolute demon in every sense of the word, but especially in battle. It would come as no surprise when she won the tournament. But in the meantime, I had to face the girl I'd seen give some very nasty bruises to her friends – and she didn't even like me.
And there she was, smiling in anticipation. With a start, I realised my barrier had faded and what's more, I was out of Reflects! I had to make a move now, before Selphie could act.
I sent a Silence spell flying in her direction and ran for Kiros while she was distracted.
"Here." Kiros said, not looking down from his raised platform. He held out his hand and I grabbed it, closing my eyes as I felt the tingling energy pass into me. I opened my eyes and searched the room for Selphie, who seemed to be readying a spell. I spiraled in towards her, but she stayed facing me, eyes locked firmly on mine.
"Fira!" she hissed.
Did she just say…?
The flaming bolt sped towards me.
"Reflect!" I screamed, and cast with everything I had.
The bolt hit, and burrowed into my barrier. I could feel the heat, and the friction was making me shake visibly.
"AaaaaaaAAAAARRRGGHH!" I yelled, planting my feet and practically leaning into the fireball just to stay up. But finally the bolt eased off, rebounding and spinning off to one side.
I hunched over, hands on knees, panting. I felt the remnants of my shield dissipating, and wondered if I had the strength to use another Reflect. I looked up at Selphie. She smiled again.
"Sleep!" she called in a sweet, sing-song voice.
She can't be serious… not after that…
I pulled myself up and prepared to cast again.
"Quistis zombied!" Kiros shouted.
What? Quistis! I turned my head, trying to see if she was all right.
And it hit.
It was just a Sleep spell, but I could still feel… something… else…
As the hypnotic spell took over, I still tried to catch a glimpse of Quistis… a flash of green… anything… but all I could see… as the spell took over… was Selphie… laughing…
There was a pause, then through the darkness I heard a voice. Someone was talking… calling me… shaking me… but I couldn't…
I couldn't…
Hi everybody! Isn't this fun? Yay for psycho-bitch Selphie! J Thanks to everyone who reads this, and more thanks to everyone who reviewed, especially:
AUTHORS:
Ashbear (Why, thank you! You flatterer, you)
Vick330 (thanks very much. Great to hear from you)
Baby Rose (Yeah, I haven't seen many stories where Ellone is the bad guy…)
ZidanesNEWPrincess (Glad you're enjoying my twisted tales)
Phire Phoenix (mysterious? I like mysterious…)
Kia - Kawaii princess (yep, the only way to find out IS to read the next chapter.)
ANONYMITES:
Lissa
CT
Dpx (lol. Sure, keep the ravioli!)
Mia (hope you survived the confusion!)
Hwoarang/Xiaoyu
You guys rock! Remember everybodys, the three R's: Read, Review, and… what the hell is ravioli anyway?
Draic