Author's Note:

I do not own Final Fantasy...

...It owns me...


Chapter Five: The Path I Chose

Quistis smiled. "'Mama' seems really nice. Have you known her for long?"

Seifer nodded. "I met her the first day I came here."

They both began to nod slowly and look from side to side, each trying to think of something to keep the conversation going without an awkward pause. Finally, Seifer broke the silence.

"So... what brings you out here, Instru- ..er... Quistis?"

"Heh... Would you believe I'm on vacation?"

"Wow! You? Stop working for more than a few minutes? What... Did hell freeze over or something?" He added with a smirk.

Quistis rolled her eyes. "I would have done it sooner... I just didn't have a good excuse to."

Seifer raised an eyebrow as he took a sip of soda. "So what's your good excuse?"

Quistis shrugged. "It was either that or have a total meltdown and shove Squall's extra paperwork..." She stopped. "Heh... sorry, I didn't mean to rant like that..."

"No, no, continue. Shove that paperwork where?" His smirk was growing wider by the second.

Quistis shook her head. Same old Seifer.

"But anyway, why are you doing Puberty Boy's paperwork? Don't tell me he's regressed to the point he can't even write anymore."

Quistis snickered at the thought. "No... He's got the chicken pox."

Seifer almost spat out his soda. "Seriously?! ...Oh yeah... That's right... He ran away screaming when I got vaccinated. Tch... Didn't even hurt, either. Serves him right." He began to snicker... then chuckle... then it was all he could do to keep himself from laughing hysterically. Quistis looked at him with a confused expression. "Sorry," he said between laughs. "I... I just pictured Mr. Serious covered in spots... Oh Hyne... AHAHAHAHA!"

It seemed to be contagious, because Quistis began laughing as well. Luckily, Mama came with their orders and they fell silent.

"Well, it certainly sounds like you two are enjoying yourselves. My, my... I haven't seen Alexander smile like that in a long time. Keep up the good work, Quistis. And Alexander.. you make sure she comes with you more often." She winked at Seifer and then left for the kitchen again.

Seifer groaned. "Don't mind her. She gets nosy like that sometimes."

"Awww... She just worries about you." Quistis replied with a smirk of her own. "Now eat up so you can get some meat on those bones."

"Yes, Instructor." Seifer replied with an even larger smirk as he took a bite of his steak. Quistis shook her head at him and took a bite of her lasagna. Seifer watched her for a moment. "Y'know... You should laugh more often." Quistis looked up with a semi-surprised look on her face. "'Cause then you don't look like you eat little children." He added with a smug grin.

"Well you should smile more often." Replied Quistis after finishing another bite. "Then people won't be able to tell you're eternally constipated."

"Oooh... touché."

-Meanwhile...-

"Yoo hoo! Squall! We've come to cheer you up!" Selphie called as she knocked on Squall's door.

"Just a sec," Rinoa called from the other side. She opened the door only to be glomped by Selphie.

"RINNY! I haven't seen you in SUCH a long time!"

"It's good to see you, too." Rinoa said. She peered over her shorter friend's head. It's... the outside! OUTSIDE! MUST. GET. OUTSIDE!!! "Hey... Selphie... Would you mind doing me a really big favor?"

"Sure, anything!"

"Could you watch- errr... keep Squall company for a couple hours? I uh... promised Cid I'd help out with some paperwork."

"Noooo problemo!" Selphie replied with a jump. "Leave everything to us."

"THANK YOU!!!" Rinoa glomped Selphie, then dashed out the door. YES! YES! OUTSIDE! FREEDOM!!! AHAHAHAHA!!!

"...R...Rinny?" Squall asked as he sat up in bed and sleepily rubbed an eye.

"Rinny had to go run an errand, but don't worry, WE'LL keep you entertained!" Selphie said gleefully.

"That's right, buddy!" Zell added. "It's just you and us for the next couple hours."

Squall's eye began to twitch violently. "RRRIIINNNOOOAAA!!!"

"Wow... he's whipped, huh?" Zell whispered to Selphie.

"Seriously..." She replied.

-Back in Dollet...-

"Thanks for lunch." Seifer said as they walked out of the restaurant. "...You sure I can't repay you?"

"I told you, it was my treat." Quistis replied.

"Tch, okay, okay." Hmm... so now what?... Seifer thought, never knowing Quistis was thinking the very same thing.

I guess I could just say goodbye to him here...

I kinda... don't want to leave her yet, though...

"Well, I-"Quistis began.

"Hey!" Seifer quickly interjected. "I don't really have any plans for the rest of the day. How about if I give you the grand tour?" ...What the fuck was that? I sounded like such a moron just now...

"Uh... sure!" Quistis replied. "Saves me the trouble of looking on a map." ...Wow... So people really do lose some of their intelligence while on vacation.

"This way." Said Seifer as he led Quistis down the street.

-Meanwhile...-

"Okay! It's story time!" Selphie cried.

"...I'm not two..." Squall replied with a scowl.

"You're never too old for stories!" She retorted. "Now shush!" She cleared her throat. "Once upon a time, there was a little, fluffy chocobo."

"Oh, Hyne, not this one!" Zell said, groaning.

"Aww, but 'Fluffy the Fluffy Chocobo' is one of my all time favorite stories!"

"Isn't that the one written by that singer?" Irvine asked.

"No... it's some actor... right?" Zell said.

"You're both wrong. It's written by a former porn star." Squall replied. Zell and Irvine's mouths dropped.

"You guys are impossible!" Selphie cried.

Zell grinned. "Hey, I've got a good body. I could be an author, right?"

Irvine tossed a pillow at his head. "Once again, you're an embarrassment to mankind."

"WHAT?!"

Rinny... WHY did you leave me with THEM?!

-Meanwhile...-

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Quistis asked. They had been walking for what seemed like an eternity along a narrow stone path.

"Just a little farther." Seifer replied. "I could carry you if you're getting too tired."

"I'm in better shape than you," Quistis replied.

"So what's your secret? Running away from all those Treppies?"

"What? Jealous?"

"Oh yeah, I've always wanted a group of freaks praising me." He began to snicker. "Y'know... Once, when I was still in your class, one of them tried to send me a death threat. Something about 'leave dear, sweet Quistis alone or... or else I'll cream you with my weakling little muscles!'" He threw a flabby punch at the air.

"So did he?"

"Tch, of course not." Finally they reached the top of the path. "We're here."

Quistis looked down at what looked like a run down, tall building. "What's that?"

"That is the best kept secret in all of Dollet. It used to be a communication tower."

"OOoohh... Isn't this where you ran off to during your field exam?"

"Tch, don't look at me like that. It was a good idea, admit it." Seifer replied.

"It would have been, except that you were in the middle of an exam and you deliberately disobeyed orders."

"Yeah, yeah... C'mon, we didn't come all this way just to gawk at it." Seifer led Quistis down the curved path to the entrance of the tower. "This way," he said as he opened the creaky door. They stepped onto the elevator and went up a couple flights. "All right... Over here." They walked down a narrow hallway until they came to a door marked "Emergency Exit." "Right this way," said Seifer as he pushed the door open. Just outside was a dirt road that was probably once used as a service access. It led all the way to the shore.

"Wow..." breathed Quistis as she looked out along the horizon.

"It's even better up close. C'mon."

Before long, they had reached the shore. Quistis kicked off her sandals and walked towards the sand's edge, squishing her toes into the sand as she walked. She breathed in the warm, salty air. "This is incredible!"

Seifer followed suit. "Told ya. It's like my own private beach. People still think there are monsters over here, which of course there haven't been for awhile now. Works out well for me, though." He sat down in the sand and gazed out across the waves.

Quistis sat down beside him. "So where are Fujin and Rajin? I'm surprised I haven't seen them this whole time, knowing how inseparable you three usually are."

"They're in Winhill."

"Oh, really? I would've thought-"

"No, they're there and I'm here. It's no big deal."

Hmmm... Yeah right... I could always tell when you lied about your homework, and I can tell that you're lying now. Quistis thought. However, she decided it was best just to drop the subject.

"So... how's the 'Orphanage Gang plus One'?" asked Seifer.

"Same as always... well... except poor Squall..."

Seifer snickered. "Hyne, I've still got that image in my head."

"Squall won't forget so easily, either. Especially since Rinoa took a few pictures of him like that."

"Seriously?!"

Quistis nodded. "She even made him hold a sign. It's hilarious... I'm sure he didn't mind as much as he let on, though. As long as it's for Rinoa..." Her voice trailed off.

"...You still like him, huh?" Seifer said softly.

Quistis shook her head. "No... But I do sort of envy Rinoa. Those two are absolutely perfect for each other. She's quite lucky."

Seifer shrugged his shoulders. "Eh, don't worry, Quis. I'm sure someday some poor loser will take pity and marry you."

Quistis glanced over at him. "Gee, thanks a lot. I feel better already." She said sarcastically.

"Tch, can't get to you." Seifer replied shaking his head. "Seriously, though. You just happen to be around a bunch of puberty boys and freaks. If you get out of Balamb more often, you'll find people who can actually use that little bit of gray matter in between their ears and who knows? Maybe more."

"I don't know..." Said Quistis, smirking. "So far all I've found outside of Balamb is you. Are you sure there are people with brains left in the world?"

"Oooohhh... my poor broken heart." Replied Seifer in a monotone voice as he clutched his chest. He returned his gaze to the horizon line.

"So, why did you come to Dollet?"

"Uh... Well, I couldn't exactly come back to Balamb, so I just decided to come here."

Quistis turned to look at him. "You could have come back to Balamb. You could've at any time. Matron's there. She received a full pardon. You could, too."

Yeah, right. And be hated for the rest of my life. No one will ever forgive me for what I've done. I learned that the hard way... "Well... It's just as well, really. I like my life here."

"Oh I'm sure it's lovely... Checking every so often to make sure your scar is still covered, being called by a different name..."

"Hey! I never said it was perfect!" Said Seifer as he began to rise to his feet. "But y'know what? For once in my life, I'm not looked down upon. People actually like and respect me!"

"Of course they do! You don't act like a jerk here! All of Balamb would have liked and respected you had you not acted so poorly to them!" Quistis shouted as she stood up.

"I know, okay?! I screwed up! I can't take it back, now! That's why I've tried to start over and do things right! Isn't that enough?!"

"I just think you're capable of a lot more, Seifer. You were my brightest student – when you actually cared enough to apply yourself." Seifer's emerald eyes widened a little at this. "The way you picked up on things so quickly was amazing. Had you decided to stick it out, you would have easily excelled Squall in mastery of the gunblade. And I'm not the only one who thinks so. So fine, enjoy your new life and I wish you great happiness with women's clothing!" With that, Quistis stormed off back the way they'd come.

Oh no you don't, Trepe. Seifer began to chase after her. "Yeah! That's right! I will be happy with women's clothing! And I hope you enjoy all your little Treppies, because that's as close as you'll ever get to having a real relationship! Everyone else is afraid of frostbite!"

Save the Queen whipped through the air and sent a loud CRACK echoing across the landscape. "Thanks, I'll remember that." She replied with an icy glare. Although, Seifer could still make out a little bit of pain flashing beneath.

Shit...I'll never learn... Seifer watched as Quistis disappeared into the tower. He glanced up at the sky. I didn't realize it was so late... I should follow her just in case...