.:IV:.
Seifer blinked, staring at her through his emerald green eyes. Why the heck does she want to know about me? No one ever wants to know, everyone only knows I was the Sorceress' Knight...So because of that stupid dream, no one will even talk to me. What's the difference with her? Why does she CARE? ...And now there's a new Sorceress? She tempted me with power...why the heck is this happening to me?! His thoughts were scattered, and at this point, after moments of silence, his voice caught slightly in this throat.
Lucrea clasped her hands in her lap. "Let me explain to you why we need your help." She attempted to clear her mind, taking a deep breath. It was a long story indeed.
"After the time compression, when Ultimecia was destroyed...Her powers didn't merely go away. A sorceress' powers never do. They choose to pass them on to someone else. Since the time compression was still in effect, she could pass them on to any sorceress she chose, though she probably loathed the task. She passed them to Trithonia, who is the sorceress you met today."
Seifer frowned, his arms crossed over his chest. "How do I know that was even real? I woke up like nothing had happened and..."He started.
Lucrea shook her head. "Trithonia was there. There are witnesses in the bar, including the bartender. She's the new leader of Galbadia." She answered, rubbing her temples.
He fell silent, staring at the floor a moment, before lifting his head, and replying. "
She nodded, going back into it. "Trithonia plans to kill any other sorceresses or potentials in the world. But first she wants to assume enough power, so she doesn't have to go out and look for them herself."
Seifer uncrossed his arms. "So that's why she took over Galbadia. In order to establish a presence, and gain control possibly. But it still isn't the most powerful nation in the world." He stated, flatly again.
"Well..."Lucrea thought about this momentarily. "Laguna Loire is still President of Esthar. He's not just going to relinquish that to some evil witch. And it still remains that Esthar cut themselves off again once Ultimecia was dead."
He stood up, rather wobbly. "She's going to overthrow Esthar! But why does she want me?! Why did she want me involved? You still haven't explained that."
Her eyes slipped to the floor. "She thinks you're weak Seifer. She knows, a lot, a lot that I don't know. She thinks if she makes you her knight, then she's won. Even though Ultimecia fell, with you at her side, it made her infinitely stronger because you were her knight, because she had support."
Seifer narrowed his eyes at the thought, turning his gaze to the window. "I'm not weak. I'm not a BOY anymore...I'm...just..." He wrapped his arms around his abdomen and sides. "...Over ambitious. Is that a crime?"
Lucrea looked up at him. "No. It's not." Her sharp eyes turned to his clothes, which were a bit stained with blood. "She left you a parting gift I see." She stood up, walking over, up close. "Let me see. I am half decent at healing you know."
He looked away. "I need no one's help."
"You need no one's help, yet you allow yourself to get drunk every night in a bar." She sighed, now with her arms crossed, waiting for him to stop being a stubborn bloody fool.
He glanced at her. His stomach and sides really did hurt. Since no one was there...
"Fine." He responded, dropping his arms. He removed his trench coat, very ragged by now, and stiffly pulled off his shirt. The marks looked very familiar, in fact, similar to the scar that continued to mark his face from Squall's retaliation, to this day.
"I think she wounded you with your own gunblade." Lucrea whispered softly, cleaning up some of the blood. "You have it back, right?"
"Yes..."He hissed slightly. This was painful, and he shifted slightly.
"Please Seifer, do not move." She made him sit down, and continued to clean him up, using Cure on his wounds. It was good that she had quite a bit stocked, or else he would have still been in pain.
Seifer looked at her, hesitantly. "...Don't tell anyone at Garden." He told her, firmly, before staring straight forward again.
Lucrea chuckled, trying to stifle her laughing, but continued to heal him, still chuckling. "...It'll scar. Probably white, given it's not too deep."
He breathed in deeply, staring at his clothes in disgust. "I cannot believe I let myself wear rags like that." He said, mostly to himself, before turning his attention back to Lucrea's comment.
"I have many scars." He added, almost to show her he didn't care about pain.
"I know." She answered, brushing her dark hair out of her eyes, before finishing up. "And as for your clothes, don't worry about it. We can get it tailored tomorrow before you leave. Garden is being generous and coming to pick us up."
Seifer nodded, curious. "...Alright, now that I've spilled my guts out for you, it's your turn. What do YOU have to do with all of this?"
She glanced up at him. "I hardly call that spilling your guts but I'll tell you when I'm ready."
He coughed. "That's it? No interesting story? Nothing?"
She stood up. "You should sleep again. On your back mind you. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow."
We all do. A long day, and beyond that, an even longer battle is all that awaits us. I pity the man who lives this day...
