Selphie Kinneas

Roses

The Sniper's Rose

Chapter Two-Irvine Davinsen

Rinoa lead Selphie away from the elevator through the 2nd floor hallway.

"Xu is the Headmaster's sectary. Another helper is Instructor Quistis Trepe. She's the teacher for Training Skills of Fight. She's also one of my really good friends." The two passed the third door on the left.

"Okay, here's the study of G.F." Rinoa shoved Selphie into the room.

"You mean Guardian Force?"

"Yes! Yes! You know the basics, great." Rinoa spoke rapidly, "Don't-worry-the-instructor-is-okay-the-students- aren't-wonderful-but-don't-worry-I-know-someone-in-this-class-no-one-will-bother-you-if-you-know-him. DO-good-I'll-see-you-after-class-in-the-library-bye!" Rinoa held her books with one hand and used her fingers and showed a peace sign with the other.

Selphie watched Rinoa smile as the electronic doors slowly closed. She walked through the room. A few students sat at their desk with a computer opened. Others walked around the class gossiping. Selphie scanned the room for an empty seat. In the third row, a student worked on his computer quickly with his eyes glued to the computer monitor. Selphie spotted a free seat beside him. She slowly advanced towards him. As she drew closer she made out the teen. He had sleek brown hair swiftly swaying in the air produced by the students rushing about the room. His eyes, which were still occupied on the computer monitor, were a shade of a hurricane's sky. From across his nose, there was a long thin scar. He looked oddly familiar; she just couldn't put her finger on it.

"Uh…hi." She smiled, trying hard to make conversation without sounding too desperate. The person turned his head and grimaced.

"Hi there."

"Uh, is there anyone who sits by you?" Selphie asked rather slowly. He shook his head.

"Nah, help yourself."

Selphie smirked as she seated herself in the chair and switched her computer on. At the corner of her eye, she could see what her neighbor was working on so intensively. There were pictures of dead soldiers who were killed by guns open on the screen. With a few taps, the picture dissolved into a detailed skeleton of a bullet. Maps popped up with small indications of locations. Soon a large picture of a man with blue eyes and silky tan hair appeared on the screen. His hair streamed down his back held with a loosely tied ribbon. A world map opened and beeped once, small print appeared around the Galbadian area. "'IRVINE KINNEAS' last seen here." He smiled grimly. Selphie now pretty confused snapped to grab the person's attention.

"Wha? Oh yeah?" He asked trying to fit his scrambled mind together.

"Um, what's your name?" She replied asking the first question the popped into her head.

"Heh, sorry. My name's Squall, Squall Loire."

Selphie froze in place.

"Squa…Squa…!" Squall scratched the back of his head with his cheeks turning to a light pink.

"Please, I'm notin special." Selphie shook her head vigorously.

"Sorry. I just think the work of Esther…just so amazing!"

"I'm not apart of the government."

"Uh…I know."

"(Laughs) Okay, you have an name?"

"Huh!? Oh of course! Selphie, Selphie Tilmitt."

"………?"

"What?"

"Is your roommate Rinoa Caraway by any chance?"

"Yeah! I just remembered; you're her boyfriend right?"

"The one and only."

The classroom doors opened. A lady with long straight motionless brown hair and in a faculty uniform walked in holding her books. "Settle down class!"

The students rushed to their desks. Everyone pulled his or her book out.

"Turn to page 341. We will be studying Jumbo Cactuars today." The instructor sat at her desk. She flipped through her book. She lifted her eyes and saw Squall still attacking his computer keyboard as quickly as he could. "Mr. Loire."

Squall ignored the call and continued researching.

"MR. LOIRE!" Squall quickly closed his programs and saved his documents.

"Thank you. Now I was wondering if you will be joining class today, or is this all too easy for you?"

"Uh…NO! No Instructor Linra I was just waiting for class to begin."

"Well it has begun!"

Squall shifted his weight in his chair and stubbornly started typing notes. Selphie did the same.

"Class, we will start by studying the life of a normal cactaur. Young cactaurs grow to be under a foot tall and can have over 5,000 needles on their body. They can only throw 1,000 needles at a time, unlike the Jumbo Cactaur, which can throw over 9,999 at once…Any questions so far?"

An Hour Later

"And so, Jumbo Cactuars need strong attacks, or else it will runaway leaving your work useless." Instructor Linra passed everyone's desk making sure everyone took down notes. The bell rang and everyone began to pack his or her books and notes. "This discussion will continue next class, for homework, 530 word essay on the life of the Jumbo cactaur. Be sure to include how it can be used as a Guardian Force. Class dismissed."

Selphie followed Squall out the door.

"I'll see ya later." She waved. Squall lifted his arm and replied with a friendly wave.

Irvine sat in the Headmaster's office.

The plump man walked in with two ladies following.

"Hello Mr. Davinsen." Headmaster Cid greeted. Irvine clicked his tongue.

"It's Irvine."

"Well then, Irvine, I'd like to introduce you to my sectary Xu." The first lady from the headmaster's line walked up and bowed her head. She was a short brunet who didn't look much older than Irvine. "And, my good helper and Instructor, Quistis Trepe."

The second lady walked up, her golden hair was tightly wrapped in a large bun. She stood neatly in a SeeD uniform. "Hello Mr. Davinsen. I'm your Instructor for Training Skills of Fight."

"It's Irvine."

"Today I'll be showing you around Balamb, then you'll be assigned to a dorm mate who'll help you with the rest. Won't you please pick up your luggage and we'll see your new dorm."

Irvine snatched his suitcase and followed Quistis.

The two went down the elevator to the first floor. Quistis started to explain everything they passed.

"This blue aisle is the library, I don't think it'll be necessary for me to explain that. Next, this is the Training Center. It is open 24-hours a day. There is a small selection of monsters to fight. But, once your ready you're allowed to practice outside Garden."

"Goody." Irvine mumbled sarcastically.

Soon they made it to the gray aisle, the dormitory hall. Quistis walked over to dorm 259, "You'll be sharing this dorm with Zell Dintch." Irvine looked around the dorm. There was a small table in the middle, two doors in the back, and the rest was just a cramped mess.

"I don't know which room is yours…oh well. Come now we have lots to cover Mr. Davinsen."

"IT'S IRVINE!"

Selphie tapped her pen against the table a let out a frustrated groan.

She flipped through the pages of Kashkaban Kreactures.

"Cactaurs…cactaurs, where are the cactaurs?" A girl walked over to her. Her hair was collected into one pigtail.

"You're going about it all wrong." Selphie lifted her eyes.

"Can I help you?"

"Nope, but I do think I could help you." The girl threw a book on the table. Selphie leaned over to read the title.

"Unidentified Islands?"

"Yup, everyone knows Cactaurs only live on Cactaur Island!"

"Erm…"

"Maybe except idiots…like you."

"WHAT!?"

The librarian rushed over to them. "Keep it down! This is a library! That includes you Amy!" She hissed.

"Sorry ma'am. I think I can help." The three turned around. A person in a garden uniform and stiff blonde hair rushed over. "Gee Amy, calm down." The girl, whose name was Amy, apologized to the librarian.

"I'm so sorry ma'am, please keep me on the Library Committee!" She pleaded innocently.

Selphie snorted as she moved on to another table. She hummed as she continued to search for information on the life of a Cactaur.

"Now I know he's in the library."

Quistis tiredly showed Irvine down the blue hall. They had checked the whole school to find Zell, his new roommate. Quistis walked into the library.

"Zell!" She called. A blonde boy in a garden uniform turned around. Down the side of his face was a black spiky tattoo.

"Hey there Qui… Instructor Trepe." Zell walked up to them. "Instructor, is there something wrong?"

"No, not at all." Quistis pushed Irvine forward, "This is your new roommate. Irvine Davinsen."

"Hi." Irvine spat. He continued through the room ignoring Quistis and Zell.

Irvine observed each table aiming to find an empty seat. None. He went passed sets of shelves. An empty table sat alone in the corner. Irvine threw himself into the chair and sighed.

"Um, excuse me, that's my seat." Irvine raised his head. A spunky brunet with a book in her hand stood there.

"Sorry." Irvine slowly scrambled to his feet.

"No problem. You can sit here if you want." Irvine smiled.

"Thanks." The girl opened her book and started scribbling notes on a clean sheet of paper. She closed the book and stacked it on the table along with a few other books. She packed her papers together, and soon noticed Irvine still sitting there.

"What's your name?"

"Irvine Ki…"

"Irvine Kee?" The girl asked, rather puzzled.

"Irvine Davinsen."

"I'm Selphie Ti…Tilmitt." Said Selphie out of humor. The two laughed a little.

"Nice to meet ya." Irvine winked. He looked at the scattered books that covered the table. He picked them up and read their titles aloud, "Kashkabald Kreactures? 10,000 Needles, The book of monsters, and Green Minions: From Marlboros to Wendigos? Are you trying to find out something about something like a Cactaur or something?" Selphie shook her head quickly.

"YES! I have to write an essay about the life of a Cactaur." Irvine stood up.

"What class makes you do that?"

"Study of Guardian Forces."

"Uh huh." He slipped out his schedule, "I have that day after tomorrow." Selphie looked at him awkwardly. Doesn't he know his schedule yet?

"Are you new here?" Selphie asked. Irvine placed his schedule into his pocket.

"Yeah, just got here today." Irvine replied. Selphie spread a smile across her face.

"Really? Today is my first day…kinda, well my second day actually. I came here yesterday."

"Oh? Then I don't suppose you could help me around."

"No, I could help."

"How much about Balamb do you know?"
"My roommate showed me everywhere. I know everything I need to know. I could help ya out."

"Really?" Irvine lifted an eyebrow.

"Yeah, want to start now?"

"Sure, why not."

Selphie stood up and grabbed her notes. She went passed Zell and Quistis, who were arguing at the moment.

"When did I agree to get a roommate?!"

"Never."

"Then why do I have one?

"Cause you don't have one."

"&#$%&!"

"ZELL! That's detention for a week."

"What?!"

"Add another week."

"No!!!!!!!!!!!"

Selphie walked out of the library.

"So…what do you need to er, know?"

"All I know is this is the library and that's the training center." Irvine answered

"That's a start." Selphie said with her mind dozing off some other place.

"Want to try?" He asked.

"Try what?"

"To fight a monster in the TC."

"The TC?"

"The Training Center."

"Uh, sure why not."

The two walked down the green aisle into the jungle. Selphie took out her nunchuk, the Morning Star. Irvine, and Selphie, advanced quietly through green forest. A grat crawled out of the bushes.

"Ooo! I can do this!" Selphie smiled. She swung her nunchuk over its antennas. She quickly dodged its counter and threw blizzard magic at its back finishing it off. Irvine laughed.

"Not too shabby." He chuckled. Selphie pouted.

"Well?! Let's see you do one then. C'mon!" She shouted.

Irvine, still unequipped, walked calmly passed the small lake. Selphie stubbornly followed. She looked around quickly; Irvine was gone.

"Irvine!" No reply.

She took a step back. Her foot stepped over a rock; with a small thump Selphie fell to the floor. She breathed deeply as she stood on her feet again. She heard a vicious roar.

"W-who's there?!" She panicked. "Irvine! If that's you! It's not funny!"

Her eyes widened as the roaring grew closer. Selphie turned around slowly.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

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