Chapter 8 up! It is all Seifer can do to not say something...
Chapter 8 – The Morning After The Night Before
Birds sang as the sun rose and shone into Squall's room. His life was perfect. He had a beautiful fiancée and for the first time in a long time he didn't have an enemy to worry about.
There was only one problem – he had the worst hangover.
Hugging his pillows for comfort, he thought about the forthcoming wedding. He knew that he'd have to tell everybody eventually and he only hoped they'd all be pleased.
He started to get a funny feeling inside. At first, he didn't realise what the feeling was, but then he realised. He needed to get to the bathroom and quick!
When Squall entered the male bathroom, he was greeted by a horrible retching sound coming from the third cubicle down. He neared the cubicle quietly to try to hear who was behind the door. He knocked on the door and a sick sounding voice came from the other side of it.
"What!" the voice said, heaving. It was Zell.
"Did you have a rough night?" Squall asked, half smiling.
"What do you think?" Zell retorted, emerging from the cubicle. His eyes were puffy and red, his hair all over the place and he had very pale skin.
"Your face says yes!" Squall laughed. Even though he didn't show it, he felt sorry for Zell.
"I drank too much!" Zell exclaimed, before another retching session. Squall listened to Zell being sick before he came out and spoke again, "How did it-" that was as far as Zell got before Squall himself had to throw up.
"You were saying?" Squall asked, a little colour gone from his cheeks.
"Before Zell could answer, Headmaster Cid's voice boomed over the tannoy, "First of all, I hope you all had a great time last night. BUT! The festivities are over! Our first mission is upon us! Can Zell, Irvine, Squall and Rinoa please report to the top deck as soon as possible? I will explain to the rest of you your parts in the mission in due time. That is all!"
"So, what were you saying?" Squall asked Zell again.
"How did it go with Rinoa?"
"Well…" Squall stopped. Should he say anything yet? No, he thought, maybe later, "I'll tell you another time."
"Where have you two been?" Irvine asked Squall and Zell as they arrived at the top deck, "We've been waiting for ages!" he concluded, pointing to Rinoa.
"Bathroom…" Zell said weakly.
"You don't look so good." Rinoa noted.
"Where's Headmaster Cid?" Squall asked.
"Here I am!" Cid exclaimed, walking through from behind Squall and Zell. He then noticed how ill Zell looked, "Oh, Zell! You look terrible! Are you sure you're well enough for this?"
"Yeah…ergh." Zell coughed heavily, looking at Headmaster Cid through his puffy eyes.
"Mmm," Cid said in thought, "No, Zell. I can't let you participate in this mission. Why don't you go and rest up in the Infirmary for a while?"
Everyone else watched as Zell walked onto the lift and descended.
"Who's gonna replace Zell?" Irvine asked, concerned.
"You know, Irvine" Cid began, smiling, "I have the perfect idea for that," Headmaster Cid turned away from the group, flicked on the tannoy mic and said, "Seifer Almasy, could you please come to the top deck right away? That will be all."
Seifer had just laced his boots when he heard the announcement. Good timing. He had better get going. Finally, he would be able to prove his worth as a SeeD. He placed his sword in his belt and his gloves on his hands. He looked at the small mirror on his bedside table and smiled. He was Seifer Almasy. A sorcerer. A SeeD. And he was ready for action.
"You asked for me?" Seifer said as he arrived at the top deck.
"Yes Seifer," Cid began, "Zell is feeling very ill at the moment. I would be very grateful if you could take his place in the mission."
"I was hoping you'd say that."
"Well," Cid said, "I think it's time I explained your mission.
"Last night, I received a phone call from someone in Winhill. Now as you know, Winhill has been expanding over the last year, but there is someone who is less than happy about this. SeeD has been hired to deal with the interference of Winhill's development."
"Man, I thought this would be challenging." Irvine complained.
"It will be challenging," Cid assured, "A man named Diego Reinar is causing this interference. He is in charge of a powerful army of soldiers and is the founder and ruler of Diega City.
"Irvine and Rinoa, you will be going to Esthar via FH. An Esthar official who you will meet at the Presidential Palace will then take you to Diega. You will then try to find Diego and discover the truth behind the rumours. You are also to eliminate any Diegan soldiers who cross your path.
"Squall and Seifer! You will go to Winhill where you'll meet with our clients. There, you will eliminate all Diegan soldiers in the area.
"I will say my next piece over the tannoy," Cid began, switching the tannoy back on, "Hello, students! Garden's destination has been decided! At ten hundred hours, Garden will head to Fisherman's Horizon. There, Rinoa and Irvine will had to Esthar on train. From there, they will go to Diega, which is near Esthar, to find the Diegan President.
"Squall and Seifer will then go to Winhill and flush out any Diegan soldiers.
"Garden will then pick up both parties at seventeen hundred hours.
"Here's the good part! After all of that, we will head back to Balamb, where we will be stationed. I bet you'll all enjoy going back home!
"Could those of you who are not participating in the mission please defend Garden if there is an invasion? That will be all!" Headmaster Cid finished, turning off the tannoy.
"I guess we'd better get ready" Squall began, looking at his gunblade, "Only I already am."
"Me too." Seifer said.
"Well then," Cid said, "Rinoa and Irvine, you two go and get ready. Seifer and Squall, do whatever you want until we arrive in Winhill. Now GO!" he finished cheerfully as everyone descended on the lift platform.
"I think we're nearly there." Irvine said to Rinoa as they, Squall and Seifer waited at the second floor deck. As Garden grew closer to FH, Rinoa and Irvine checked that they were fully ready.
"We'd better go." Rinoa said to Squall, giving him a hug. She looked over his shoulder at Seifer and mouthed 'goodbye' to him.
"Irvine," Squall said, deadly serious, "Take care of her, won't you?"
"Of course I will!" Irvine laughed, then turning to Rinoa, "C'mon, let's go." Seifer and Squall watched as the other pair departed.As he and Squall walked aimlessly around Garden, Seifer said asked his former enemy, "You really love her, don't you?"
"Do I need to answer that?" Squall smiled.
Seifer frowned to himself, making sure Squall couldn't see that he was upset, "I guess not…"
Hope you likesdont forget to r'n'r. Sorry if the paragraphas are all outta whack, it should still make sense though. :)