DISCLAIMER- Who am I kidding. You guys know I don't own FF8.
Author's notes- I want to say thank you for the amount of reviews I recieved for the last chapter. I also would like to apologize because I don't know if it sounded like I was complaining about getting only a few reviews. I promise I wasn't complaining, although I do enjoy reviews, I was honestly trying to see if anyone else was getting author alerts.
MadHattess- I appreciate the reviews I do get. They all mean a lot to me.
JadeAlmasy- Thanks for the long review. HaHaHa! Vengeful treppies. lol. Don't worry I'll keep Nida safe. But the treppies are definitely watching him.
Rune- Thanks. I tried to keep the updates coming quickly, but this chapter was a little tricky to write...
tenshi no ai- I appreciate your reply. It was very well thought out and meant a lot. As for the whole cutting issue, I too have noticed a lot of those kinds of stories. I usually don't read them because the characters doing the cutting are smothering in their own self pity. That being said, I've tried very hard to make him interact well with the people around him. The interactions and camaraderie between characters often creates the best stories. As far as Squall's agreeing with the other characters so willingly, never fear I've thought about it. You're about two chapters ahead of me. Yes Nida does need to learn to close his door. And lastly, I'm so glad someone finally caught my title's double meaning. THANK YOU! And I've also noticed artistry and emotional problems being an interesting combination. I don't know how to answer that one. I would like to someday be an artist of some kind and now that I think about it, I did go through a pretty dark phase but I pulled myself out of it. I don't know. Again, thanks for the review.
Mie- Thanks for the review.
Dreams
The air inside the training center was hot and heavy. Inside, Zell drew his last sleep spell and then fell back a step. He licked his lips and watched as Nida swiftly stepped forward and began drawing magic from the sleeping grat. Sweat beaded up and ran slowly down his forehead and temples. He shook his head at the faint tickling sensation it caused. Nida finished his draw and then deftly leapt foreword and delivered the final blow to the low level monster. Zell leaned back against a downed tree trunk and took a deep breath. He let his shoulders fall as he looked up at the trees above. The remnants of one of his spikes fell into his face. He blew at the wet strand of hair and then brushed it back with his soiled hands.
Nida fell down into a sitting position that ended up with him lying on his back, staring up at the center's ceiling. He looked over to Zell and grinned at the blonde's limp blonde hair.
"What?" Zell asked.
"Nothing."
"Yeah well you don't look that good either," Zell crossed his arms. "You're filthy."
Nida laughed. "So are you."
"But I'm not the one lying in the dirt," Zell countered.
"I don't care," He said as he stretched his arms out to his side and closed his eyes.
"It only takes a few little grats to wear you out?"
"A few?" Nida laughed. "More like a few dozen. How many have we gone through?"
Zell shrugged. "Like thirty or so...I think. I wonder how many Squall keeps stocked in here."
"Don't know," Nida said as he rose to a sitting position. "Now that we're warmed up I say we go find a T-Rexaur."
"A normal tired person wouldn't just go look for the strongest monster in the training center. Its just crazy and suicidal. Even with our GFs equipped it'd still be..." Zell quit talking at the sound of a high pitched ring. He looked at Nida curiously. "You brought a phone in the training center?"
"It never rings," Nida said in disbelief as he pulled the phone from his pocket.
------
At the center's entrance, Quistis and Irvine led a group of candidates through the training center.
"Remember. This session is to just get you used to fighting non-human adversaries with your new weapons. In battles with stronger monsters you need to use GFs. For today's exercise GFs aren't necessary so long as you stay close and only fight the grats," Quistis looked over to where Irvine stood some twenty feet away. "Mark, Adam, you two stay with Instructor Kinneas. He'll take you in a little deeper and teach you how to handle your GFs." Both blonde boys nodded and then walked over to where Irvine waited.
Irvine led them no farther than a few feet before he heard a phone ring. He stopped and listened carefully. Both Mark and Adam knelt with him.
"Bringin' phones in here's not a real smart idea. Not only does it distract ya in a place that can be potentially dangerous, but it can draw the attention of some of the monsters and make ya a target," Irvine whispered. Irvine immediately recognized Nida's voice and waved Quistis over. She came as quietly as she could and then knelt down beside him.
"What?" She asked. "Someone needs to be with those students."
"Ssh," Irvine whispered. "You boys go watch the younger students and get 'em outta the way should a stronger monster come up."
"Ok," Adam answered as he and Mark went back and rejoined the younger group.
"What are we doing?" Quistis whispered.
"Listenin," Irvine answered.
--------
A fence and fallen tree away from Quistis and Irvine, Nida stayed down to hide from any surrounding monsters. He flipped the phone open and held it up to his ear.
"Hello?" He asked as he swatted at the leaves of some vine hanging over his head. "Sarah? I'm not really in a good spot to be taking this call." He listened quietly. "I'm In the middle of a monster infested training center. Did you need something?"
A few feet away, Zell paced around in a circle, hands clasped lightly at the small of his back. He paused and then climbed up on a fallen tree trunk. Nida watched him as he peered out over the overgrown fence. Zell then bounded down the trunk and lazily collapsed on the ground next to him.
"Ami asked me if I would mind paying for her to attend another school," He answered. "I-I don't know. I didn't ask probably for the same reason she didn't talk to you first."
"There's a class a few dozen feet off," Zell gestured over his shoulder. Nida tried unsuccessfully to look through the vegetation on the fence. "Yes Sarah, I'm listening."
Zell looked at him curiously. "Who is that?" He mouthed. Nida held up a finger.
"Look Sarah. I didn't tell you because I knew you'd try and stop it," He waited for a response. "Hello?" He asked. Sarah's voice became loud enough that Zell could hear her. Nida couldn't help but to shake his head at Zell's wince. "I'm not trying to act like her father!" Nida defended himself. "She just came to me because there's no talking to you....I'm talking about your attitude. You have no patience nor consideration for anyone."
Sarah's voice grew louder, causing Nida to pull the phone away from his ear. He and Zell both sat in silence as they listened to her all to audible rant. "Ever since your father died I tried to care for you two as best as I could but you didn't make it easy. Every thing I tried to do was somehow some part of an evil plan to erase your father from our lives," Sarah shouted. "I could never get a new job, or move us out of this house because it was changing the way things used to be when your father was alive. I could never go out and meet anyone without you throwing fits about them. I sent you off because you were uncontrollable. Now, thanks to you, I'm loosing control of the only family I have left."
Zell looked up at Nida with a bewildered expression on his face. Nida just shook his head.
"You never wanted a family Sarah," Nida said as he pulled the phone back up to his ear. "No. You had Ami and then sent me away."
"I sent you off because I couldn't control you!" She began shouting once again. Nida dropped the phone at the shrillness of her voice. Once he'd shaken the ringing from his ears, he quickly scooped the phone back up.
"You sent me off because I wasn't yours," Nida he shouted.
"These are the lies you've been telling your sister aren't they," Her voice was still audible to Zell who still sat just a few feet away.
"Its the truth."
"Nida. I'll only tell you this one more time. Don't you interfere with how I'm raising Amira. Its bad enough she's starting to act like you." Nida pulled the phone away from his ear as she kept talking. "If I have to take legal action I will..."
Nida snorted and then put the phone back up to his ear. "What are you going to do Sarah? Try and make me pay child support for my baby sister? You always did want men to financially support your lifestyle. Or, better yet! Why don't you just ship Ami off, sign her custody over to someone else and start anew!" Nida shouted. "Are you just calling me because you two have been fighting again? I try to be the peacemaker and tell her to get along with you. Leave me out of your problems. Please."
"You're my biggest problem!"
"I'm not even a part of your life anymore," Nida regained his composure and tried to calm down. Beside him, Zell watched him worriedly. Sarah grew silent. Nida waited for some kind of response. "What?" Nida asked. "I couldn't hear you," He paled and then quickly stood up and began pacing. "What are you going to do with Ami?" Nida stared off past Zell to where he could hear the shouts of students training nearby. "Galbadian Garden's been shut down until it can get a qualified headmaster, and Trabian Garden isn't accepting new students until its recovered from the damage it sustained in the past war."
"You know what?" Sarah's voice once again picked up enough volume that Nida could pull the phone from his ear and hear her fine. "You be here before noon on your birthday and I'll sign her over to you. If not, I'll find somewhere to put her."
"I get full custody," He spoke as he stopped pacing. "You get nothing. No weekends or holidays. No visitation unless I allow it."
"...You really do hate me don't you," She started.
"I don't hate anyone Sarah," He professed as he kicked at a pebble on the ground. "Sarah?"
"Be here before noon."
"I'll be there at dawn."
Sarah hung up on him. Carefully closing the phone, Nida looked over at Zell.
"Sorry about that," He apologized. "It was my step mom."
"Don't worry about it," Zell stood and slapped him lightly on the shoulder. "We can train some other time. It sounds like you got a lot going on anyway."
"I'm good," Nida assured him.
"You sure?"
"Yeah," Nida tucked the phone back in his pocket. "Nothing's gonna happen 'til I'm eighteen anyway."
"When will that be?"
"Five days."
"You should talk to Cid," Zell offered.
"Why?"
"Aren't you taking custody of your sister?" Nida nodded. "He and his wife used to run an orphanage. He's good at that kind of stuff."
-----
Quistis and Irvine remained silent as they sat on the otherside of the brush that separated them from Nida and Zell. Neither of them spoke as they listened for the other two to leave. Out in front of them, four of Irvine's students fought a lower level grat. Quistis watched their akward attacks stoicly.
"What are we doing?" She asked as she watched Adam charge the grat with his katana.
"What do ya mean?" Irvine whispered. "We're watchin' the younger students."
"We're teaching them to fight and to kill," She looked troubled. "Most of them aren't even fourteen and they know every weak point of the human body. They're just hitting puberty and we've already shaped them into lethal fighters."
"Don't talk like that," Irvine argued. "You're starting to sound like Dobe." Quistis glared at him. "I mean there may not be a sorceress to fight anymore, but the world's already found a job for SeeDs. We've become full-time international peace keepers. Most of these kids are here because they want ta be. They want to make a difference and be heroes. We're just teachin' them how to do it," He insisted. "Sure we teach them how ta fight, but they'll have ta be able ta protect themselves."
"What about the students that don't want to be here," She whispered. Irvine winced at her reference to Nida's phone call.
"Look Quisty, all I know is this. The manor in which we teach these kids is gonna determine what kinds of people they grow into. We aren't doin' a bad thing. So long as we set good examples and don't teach 'em to be ruthless they'll be alright."
"You'd make a great headmaster."
"I know," Irvine grinned as he helped her to her feet. She shook her head and began to walk off. "Hey Quisty. I kinda need to tell ya somethin' about Nida."
Quistis stopped and waited for him to speak. She knew exactly what he was about to say.
------
Quistis walked through the hoard of students trying to get to their classes and was relieved when she finally made it out to the ledge of the fountain in the main hall. Carefully brushing the back of her skirt down against her legs she sat down and opted to just let the crowd of candidates pass. A few of her students cast her a second glance as they walked by and a few more gawked at her and walked into the person in front of them.
'Gee, do I look that bad?' She wondered as the last few students passes by. A few strands of hair fell down into her face. She blew at it and watched as it seemed to almost float on the air. Turning on her seat, she looked down into the water below and stared at her faint reflection. 'My hair is going to drive me crazy. He'd better appreciate this.' A pair footsteps approached her and then stopped.
"Its past nine. You better hope you have your credentials on hand," Seifer's voice caused her to jump and almost fall into the fountain. She turned and glared at him angrily.
"You almost made me fall in there!" She exclaimed.
Seifer's eyes widened at the realization of who was sitting before him.
"Whoa!" Raijin cried out in surprise.
Quistis stood up and walked around Seifer. "Yes I have my credentials and no you can't see them."
"I honestly thought you were someone else," Seifer defended himself. Quistis stopped and shot him a skeptical look. "Seriously Instructor. Wearing your hair down makes you look totally different." She placed her hands on her hips.
"I'm late for a date. I don't have time to mess with you."
Seifer shook his head and began walking off. "Whatever Instructor. Just blow me off the one time I decide to be nice and compliment you."
"Ya look really pretty ya know," Raijin added as he took a few steps back and then followed after Seifer.
"You were going to compliment me?" Quistis asked.
Seifer stopped walking and turned to face her. "You're late for your date Instructor." Quistis just shook her head as she continued on her way to the quad. As she approached the double doors she noticed Nida sitting up against the wall, looking silently at the ground. He was clad in what looked like a pair of black denim pants and the dress shirt he'd worn to the ball. Her eyes immediately fell to where his sleeves were partly rolled back. With his bare feet planted on the floor and his wrists lightly resting on his bent knees, he resembled an artist's model more than a guy waiting for his date to arrive. Just as she reached him, he looked up and smiled at her. She couldn't help but smile back. 'Bare feet,' She smiled to herself. 'When he says casual he means it.'
Nida quickly stood and wrapped his arms around her. She was taken by surprise by his action but didn't object as she rested her head on his shoulder. She let him hold her there for a few moments longer and then felt a little let down that he broke off the hug and took a step back.
"What?" She asked.
He looked to the ground. "I was afraid you'd decided not to come," He admitted.
"No I'm here," She replied. "The mob of students slowed me down a bit."
He grinned as he pushed the door open with his palm. "Y-You look beautiful tonight."
"Thanks," She looked away.
"Come on," He said as he grabbed her hand and led her through the doorway. She followed him down the first and second flight of steps and then stopped between the second and third. He stepped aside and let her see what lay before them.
Her jaw dropped as she looked at the dinner sat out ontop of a quilt. Around it a few candles flickered in the warm night air. She slowly sat down looked around at the landscaping his candles illuminated. She ran her fingers along the quilt and then paused.
"How did you get my quilt?"
"Xu," Nida sat clumsily beside her and grinned.
"Xu!" Quistis laughed. "She told me she wanted to borrow a purse!"
"She lied," Nida laughed. Quistis swatted him playfully on the arm.
"Where did you get these candles?" She asked as she looked out over the entire setup. "And this food."
"The candles came from Zell." She looked up at his face in surprise. "And he got them from Fujin's room," Nida's voice cracked as he tried not to laugh.
"You had Zell steal candles from Fujin?"
"No no, its not like that," Nida grinned. "That's all she has in her room. Candles everywhere; on the dresser, the bookshelf, the desk, in boxes under her bed. Its an obsession. She'll never know they're missing." Quistis raised an eyebrow. "It was Zell's idea."
"What was?"
"To raid her room."
Quistis laughed as she brushed her hair behind her ears. "You didn't steal the food did you?"
Nida grinned. "Oh no. The food came from the refrigerator in my closet. I cooked it in my room on an electric grill."
"You cook?" She grinned.
"I try...occasionally."
"I'm impressed." She said as she picked up the plate nearest her and watched as he did the same. She tried to steal a glance at him as he ate. Her gaze fell down to where his sleeves were rolled back. Once she realized what her eyes were searching for she looked away. Beside her, Nida sat down his fork and plate.
"Is something wrong?" He asked.
"No," Quistis answered as she turned to face him. The intensity of his ebony eyes caught her off guard.
"You sure?"
She paused. "I have been wondering something."
"What?" He asked as he picked up his plate.
"I came from an orphanage. My parents died, or at least I guess they died when I was very small. I was placed in a home but things didn't work out so I ended up here. I grew up not knowing anyone in my family. I don't even know their names. I imagine that if I had a family somewhere I'd talk about them a lot." Nida quietly sliced up his fish fillet, knowing very well where the conversation was heading. "I guess I've been wondering about yours," She finished speaking and then started eating.
"My family...I guess I don't really have one." Quistis stopped chewing her food and gave him a quizzical look.
"I-I mean I have a sister but that's it. There are no traditional mother-father figures."
"Oh."
He sat his plate aside and leaned forward. "I can't remember my mother. She got real sick and died when I was two. My father married Sarah when I was four. Not long after that Amira was born. Everything was fine until my Dad got caught in the middle of a Galbadian conflict in Fisherman's Horizon," He paused. "His co-workers said he was trying to take up for some fisherman when the soldiers opened fire on him. I don't really know what happened....The people in our neighborhood were really nice and kept saying that things would get better. Truth is, things never got better after his funeral. After he died, Sarah kinda fell out of her motherly role and started changing everything. As time went on, nothing could ever be done to suit her, and me and Ami became burdens. We didn't get along anymore and so she sent me here. She used to always say that I wasn't her child because no child of hers would never act like I did. I know I was unruly, but she hated me and I knew it. I wasn't hers. I guess she though I'd make her look bad or something. I don't know. But that's pretty much my family synopsis and the foundation of my dream."
"Your dream?" Quistis asked. Nida looked down quickly. "Come on tell me."
"Its kinda silly."
"Can't be sillier than mine."
"What's yours?"
Quistis took a deep breath. "I don't plan on being here the rest of my life. Cid and Squall have no idea, but in a few years I'm leaving. I don't want my life to revolve around SeeD. I want to leave and go someplace remote. Maybe a small little place where my pictures weren't on every other tabloid after the sorceress war. I want to go some place overlooked, like Winhill or something," She grinned. "Where I could teach real classes, like language and reading. My dream would have to be to have a little house, a flower garden, a few kids and no attachment to SeeD." She began laughing. "That sounded so silly. Not even Xu knows that."
Nida smiled. "That's a nice dream," He paused. "Ever since my father died I've tried to do something to make Sarah happy. I knew I wasn't hers but she kept me around so I always tried to do something to make her proud or justified in her actions. At first I used my art. She always loved Dad's paintings, but mine were always too childish," He laughed. "I guess considering I was eight they would be. But when she sent me here, I became determined to become an officer for her. She's really big on that kind of stuff. You know, aristocracy and higher ranking military officials. The whole royalty of it all. I figured that if I made an officer she would have something that she could brag about. After that swimming incident that I told you about, she pretty much disowned me for good....It gets really lonely here. I realized that when I could never visit home on the holiday's like the other students. She wouldn't allow me. So then I decided to shoot for an officer's position so that maybe she might think better of me."
"Your dream is to impress her," Quistis looked troubled.
"Pretty much. If I can do something worthy of her praise just once she might let me back in," He paused. "Its one thing to never know your family, or to have them die and leave you behind. Its a completely different feeling when they look down on you and hate you." He played with his fork absently. Quistis watched him silently. "Have you ever been close enough to your dreams that you could just reach out and touch them?"
"When I was little my dream was to have parents. A traditional family as you called it," Quistis spoke. "I had that dream and I held it dear. But some things aren't meant to be."
"I know what you mean."
Quistis narrowed her eyes. "What?"
"I know we picked up some engineers from Esthar," He shrugged as he offered her some tea. She took it gratefully. "I guess my dream isn't so important anymore because I'm getting custody of Ami and here pretty soon, Sarah won't even be in the picture."
"But its your dream."
"Its a dream for lack of a better dream."
"What do you mean? There has to be something else you want in life."
Nida covered his mouth and nodded. "Yeah. I want to be happy." Quistis stared at him. "I didn't want to say anything and come off as a needy or emotionally distraught boyfriend, but I want to be able to laugh and enjoy the company of my friends without silently worrying about my stepmother."
"Almost every person in this place is needing something." Nida remained silent as Quistis leaned her head against his chest. "You're not alone." She heard him smile as she closed her eyes.
He slowly wrapped his arm around her waist and gazed out at the flickering flame of the candles before them.
DISCLAIMER
Author's notes
MadHattess-
JadeAlmasy- Thanks for the long review. HaHaHa! Vengeful treppies. lol. Don't worry I'll keep Nida safe. But the treppies are definitely watching him.
Rune- Thanks. I tried to keep the updates coming quickly, but this chapter was a little tricky to write...
tenshi no ai- I appreciate your reply. It was very well thought out and meant a lot. As for the whole cutting issue, I too have noticed a lot of those kinds of stories. I usually don't read them because the characters doing the cutting are smothering in their own self pity. That being said, I've tried very hard to make him interact well with the people around him. The interactions and camaraderie between characters often creates the best stories. As far as Squall's agreeing with the other characters so willingly, never fear I've thought about it. You're about two chapters ahead of me. Yes Nida does need to learn to close his door. And lastly, I'm so glad someone finally caught my title's double meaning. THANK YOU! And I've also noticed artistry and emotional problems being an interesting combination. I don't know how to answer that one. I would like to someday be an artist of some kind and now that I think about it, I did go through a pretty dark phase but I pulled myself out of it. I don't know. Again, thanks for the review.
Mie- Thanks for the review.
The air inside the training center was hot and heavy. Inside, Zell drew his last sleep spell and then fell back a step. He licked his lips and watched as Nida swiftly stepped forward and began drawing magic from the sleeping grat. Sweat beaded up and ran slowly down his forehead and temples. He shook his head at the faint tickling sensation it caused. Nida finished his draw and then deftly leapt foreword and delivered the final blow to the low level monster. Zell leaned back against a downed tree trunk and took a deep breath. He let his shoulders fall as he looked up at the trees above. The remnants of one of his spikes fell into his face. He blew at the wet strand of hair and then brushed it back with his soiled hands.
Nida fell down into a sitting position that ended up with him lying on his back, staring up at the center's ceiling. He looked over to Zell and grinned at the blonde's limp blonde hair.
"What?" Zell asked.
"Nothing."
"Yeah well you don't look that good either," Zell crossed his arms. "You're filthy."
Nida laughed. "So are you."
"But I'm not the one lying in the dirt," Zell countered.
"I don't care," He said as he stretched his arms out to his side and closed his eyes.
"It only takes a few little grats to wear you out?"
"A few?" Nida laughed. "More like a few dozen. How many have we gone through?"
Zell shrugged. "Like thirty or so...I think. I wonder how many Squall keeps stocked in here."
"Don't know," Nida said as he rose to a sitting position. "Now that we're warmed up I say we go find a T-Rexaur."
"A normal tired person wouldn't just go look for the strongest monster in the training center. Its just crazy and suicidal. Even with our GFs equipped it'd still be..." Zell quit talking at the sound of a high pitched ring. He looked at Nida curiously. "You brought a phone in the training center?"
"It never rings," Nida said in disbelief as he pulled the phone from his pocket.
------
At the center's entrance, Quistis and Irvine led a group of candidates through the training center.
"Remember. This session is to just get you used to fighting non-human adversaries with your new weapons. In battles with stronger monsters you need to use GFs. For today's exercise GFs aren't necessary so long as you stay close and only fight the grats," Quistis looked over to where Irvine stood some twenty feet away. "Mark, Adam, you two stay with Instructor Kinneas. He'll take you in a little deeper and teach you how to handle your GFs." Both blonde boys nodded and then walked over to where Irvine waited.
Irvine led them no farther than a few feet before he heard a phone ring. He stopped and listened carefully. Both Mark and Adam knelt with him.
"Bringin' phones in here's not a real smart idea. Not only does it distract ya in a place that can be potentially dangerous, but it can draw the attention of some of the monsters and make ya a target," Irvine whispered. Irvine immediately recognized Nida's voice and waved Quistis over. She came as quietly as she could and then knelt down beside him.
"What?" She asked. "Someone needs to be with those students."
"Ssh," Irvine whispered. "You boys go watch the younger students and get 'em outta the way should a stronger monster come up."
"Ok," Adam answered as he and Mark went back and rejoined the younger group.
"What are we doing?" Quistis whispered.
"Listenin," Irvine answered.
--------
A fence and fallen tree away from Quistis and Irvine, Nida stayed down to hide from any surrounding monsters. He flipped the phone open and held it up to his ear.
"Hello?" He asked as he swatted at the leaves of some vine hanging over his head. "Sarah? I'm not really in a good spot to be taking this call." He listened quietly. "I'm In the middle of a monster infested training center. Did you need something?"
A few feet away, Zell paced around in a circle, hands clasped lightly at the small of his back. He paused and then climbed up on a fallen tree trunk. Nida watched him as he peered out over the overgrown fence. Zell then bounded down the trunk and lazily collapsed on the ground next to him.
"Ami asked me if I would mind paying for her to attend another school," He answered. "I-I don't know. I didn't ask probably for the same reason she didn't talk to you first."
"There's a class a few dozen feet off," Zell gestured over his shoulder. Nida tried unsuccessfully to look through the vegetation on the fence. "Yes Sarah, I'm listening."
Zell looked at him curiously. "Who is that?" He mouthed. Nida held up a finger.
"Look Sarah. I didn't tell you because I knew you'd try and stop it," He waited for a response. "Hello?" He asked. Sarah's voice became loud enough that Zell could hear her. Nida couldn't help but to shake his head at Zell's wince. "I'm not trying to act like her father!" Nida defended himself. "She just came to me because there's no talking to you....I'm talking about your attitude. You have no patience nor consideration for anyone."
Sarah's voice grew louder, causing Nida to pull the phone away from his ear. He and Zell both sat in silence as they listened to her all to audible rant. "Ever since your father died I tried to care for you two as best as I could but you didn't make it easy. Every thing I tried to do was somehow some part of an evil plan to erase your father from our lives," Sarah shouted. "I could never get a new job, or move us out of this house because it was changing the way things used to be when your father was alive. I could never go out and meet anyone without you throwing fits about them. I sent you off because you were uncontrollable. Now, thanks to you, I'm loosing control of the only family I have left."
Zell looked up at Nida with a bewildered expression on his face. Nida just shook his head.
"You never wanted a family Sarah," Nida said as he pulled the phone back up to his ear. "No. You had Ami and then sent me away."
"I sent you off because I couldn't control you!" She began shouting once again. Nida dropped the phone at the shrillness of her voice. Once he'd shaken the ringing from his ears, he quickly scooped the phone back up.
"You sent me off because I wasn't yours," Nida he shouted.
"These are the lies you've been telling your sister aren't they," Her voice was still audible to Zell who still sat just a few feet away.
"Its the truth."
"Nida. I'll only tell you this one more time. Don't you interfere with how I'm raising Amira. Its bad enough she's starting to act like you." Nida pulled the phone away from his ear as she kept talking. "If I have to take legal action I will..."
Nida snorted and then put the phone back up to his ear. "What are you going to do Sarah? Try and make me pay child support for my baby sister? You always did want men to financially support your lifestyle. Or, better yet! Why don't you just ship Ami off, sign her custody over to someone else and start anew!" Nida shouted. "Are you just calling me because you two have been fighting again? I try to be the peacemaker and tell her to get along with you. Leave me out of your problems. Please."
"You're my biggest problem!"
"I'm not even a part of your life anymore," Nida regained his composure and tried to calm down. Beside him, Zell watched him worriedly. Sarah grew silent. Nida waited for some kind of response. "What?" Nida asked. "I couldn't hear you," He paled and then quickly stood up and began pacing. "What are you going to do with Ami?" Nida stared off past Zell to where he could hear the shouts of students training nearby. "Galbadian Garden's been shut down until it can get a qualified headmaster, and Trabian Garden isn't accepting new students until its recovered from the damage it sustained in the past war."
"You know what?" Sarah's voice once again picked up enough volume that Nida could pull the phone from his ear and hear her fine. "You be here before noon on your birthday and I'll sign her over to you. If not, I'll find somewhere to put her."
"I get full custody," He spoke as he stopped pacing. "You get nothing. No weekends or holidays. No visitation unless I allow it."
"...You really do hate me don't you," She started.
"I don't hate anyone Sarah," He professed as he kicked at a pebble on the ground. "Sarah?"
"Be here before noon."
"I'll be there at dawn."
Sarah hung up on him. Carefully closing the phone, Nida looked over at Zell.
"Sorry about that," He apologized. "It was my step mom."
"Don't worry about it," Zell stood and slapped him lightly on the shoulder. "We can train some other time. It sounds like you got a lot going on anyway."
"I'm good," Nida assured him.
"You sure?"
"Yeah," Nida tucked the phone back in his pocket. "Nothing's gonna happen 'til I'm eighteen anyway."
"When will that be?"
"Five days."
"You should talk to Cid," Zell offered.
"Why?"
"Aren't you taking custody of your sister?" Nida nodded. "He and his wife used to run an orphanage. He's good at that kind of stuff."
-----
Quistis and Irvine remained silent as they sat on the otherside of the brush that separated them from Nida and Zell. Neither of them spoke as they listened for the other two to leave. Out in front of them, four of Irvine's students fought a lower level grat. Quistis watched their awkward attacks stoicly.
"What are we doing?" She asked as she watched Adam charge the grat with his katana.
"What do ya mean?" Irvine whispered. "We're watchin' the younger students."
"We're teaching them to fight and to kill," She looked troubled. "Most of them aren't even fourteen and they know every weak point of the human body. They're just hitting puberty and we've already shaped them into lethal fighters."
"Don't talk like that," Irvine argued. "You're starting to sound like Dobe." Quistis glared at him. "I mean there may not be a sorceress to fight anymore, but the world's already found a job for SeeDs. We've become full-time international peace keepers. Most of these kids are here because they want ta be. They want to make a difference and be heroes. We're just teachin' them how to do it," He insisted. "Sure we teach them how ta fight, but they'll have ta be able ta protect themselves."
"What about the students that don't want to be here," She whispered. Irvine winced at her reference to Nida's phone call.
"Look Quisty, all I know is this. The manor in which we teach these kids is gonna determine what kinds of people they grow into. We aren't doin' a bad thing. So long as we set good examples and don't teach 'em to be ruthless they'll be alright."
"You'd make a great headmaster."
"I know," Irvine grinned as he helped her to her feet. She shook her head and began to walk off. "Hey Quisty. I kinda need to tell ya somethin' about Nida."
Quistis stopped and waited for him to speak. She knew exactly what he was about to say.
------
Quistis walked through the hoard of students trying to get to their classes and was relieved when she finally made it out to the ledge of the fountain in the main hall. Carefully brushing the back of her skirt down against her legs she sat down and opted to just let the crowd of candidates pass. A few of her students cast her a second glance as they walked by and a few more gawked at her and walked into the person in front of them.
'Gee, do I look that bad?' She wondered as the last few students passes by. A few strands of hair fell down into her face. She blew at it and watched as it seemed to almost float on the air. Turning on her seat, she looked down into the water below and stared at her faint reflection. 'My hair is going to drive me crazy. He'd better appreciate this.' A pair footsteps approached her and then stopped.
"Its past nine. You better hope you have your credentials on hand," Seifer's voice caused her to jump and almost fall into the fountain. She turned and glared at him angrily.
"You almost made me fall in there!" She exclaimed.
Seifer's eyes widened at the realization of who was sitting before him.
"Whoa!" Raijin cried out in surprise.
Quistis stood up and walked around Seifer. "Yes I have my credentials and no you can't see them."
"I honestly thought you were someone else," Seifer defended himself. Quistis stopped and shot him a skeptical look. "Seriously Instructor. Wearing your hair down makes you look totally different." She placed her hands on her hips.
"I'm late for a date. I don't have time to mess with you."
Seifer shook his head and began walking off. "Whatever Instructor. Just blow me off the one time I decide to be nice and compliment you."
"Ya look really pretty ya know," Raijin added as he took a few steps back and then followed after Seifer.
"You were going to compliment me?" Quistis asked.
Seifer stopped walking and turned to face her. "You're late for your date Instructor." Quistis just shook her head as she continued on her way to the quad. As she approached the double doors she noticed Nida sitting up against the wall, looking silently at the ground. He was clad in what looked like a pair of black denim pants and the dress shirt he'd worn to the ball. Her eyes immediately fell to where his sleeves were partly rolled back. With his bare feet planted on the floor and his wrists lightly resting on his bent knees, he resembled an artist's model more than a guy waiting for his date to arrive. Just as she reached him, he looked up and smiled at her. She couldn't help but smile back. 'Bare feet,' She smiled to herself. 'When he says casual he means it.'
Nida quickly stood and wrapped his arms around her. She was taken by surprise by his action but didn't object as she rested her head on his shoulder. She let him hold her there for a few moments longer and then felt a little let down that he broke off the hug and took a step back.
"What?" She asked.
He looked to the ground. "I was afraid you'd decided not to come," He admitted.
"No I'm here," She replied. "The mob of students slowed me down a bit."
He grinned as he pushed the door open with his palm. "Y-You look beautiful tonight."
"Thanks," She looked away.
"Come on," He said as he grabbed her hand and led her through the doorway. She followed him down the first and second flight of steps and then stopped between the second and third. He stepped aside and let her see what lay before them.
Her jaw dropped as she looked at the dinner sat out ontop of a quilt. Around it a few candles flickered in the warm night air. She slowly sat down looked around at the landscaping his candles illuminated. She ran her fingers along the quilt and then paused.
"How did you get my quilt?"
"Xu," Nida sat clumsily beside her and grinned.
"Xu!" Quistis laughed. "She told me she wanted to borrow a purse!"
"She lied," Nida laughed. Quistis swatted him playfully on the arm.
"Where did you get these candles?" She asked as she looked out over the entire setup. "And this food."
"The candles came from Zell." She looked up at his face in surprise. "And he got them from Fujin's room," Nida's voice cracked as he tried not to laugh.
"You had Zell steal candles from Fujin?"
"No no, its not like that," Nida grinned. "That's all she has in her room. Candles everywhere; on the dresser, the bookshelf, the desk, in boxes under her bed. Its an obsession. She'll never know they're missing." Quistis raised an eyebrow. "It was Zell's idea."
"What was?"
"To raid her room."
Quistis laughed as she brushed her hair behind her ears. "You didn't steal the food did you?"
Nida grinned. "Oh no. The food came from the refrigerator in my closet. I cooked it in my room on an electric grill."
"You cook?" She grinned.
"I try...occasionally."
"I'm impressed." She said as she picked up the plate nearest her and watched as he did the same. She tried to steal a glance at him as he ate. Her gaze fell down to where his sleeves were rolled back. Once she realized what her eyes were searching for she looked away. Beside her, Nida sat down his fork and plate.
"Is something wrong?" He asked.
"No," Quistis answered as she turned to face him. The intensity of his ebony eyes caught her off guard.
"You sure?"
She paused. "I have been wondering something."
"What?" He asked as he picked up his plate.
"I came from an orphanage. My parents died, or at least I guess they died when I was very small. I was placed in a home but things didn't work out so I ended up here. I grew up not knowing anyone in my family. I don't even know their names. I imagine that if I had a family somewhere I'd talk about them a lot." Nida quietly sliced up his fish fillet, knowing very well where the conversation was heading. "I guess I've been wondering about yours," She finished speaking and then started eating.
"My family...I guess I don't really have one." Quistis stopped chewing her food and gave him a quizzical look.
"I-I mean I have a sister but that's it. There are no traditional mother-father figures."
"Oh."
He sat his plate aside and leaned forward. "I can't remember my mother. She got real sick and died when I was two. My father married Sarah when I was four. Not long after that Amira was born. Everything was fine until my Dad got caught in the middle of a Galbadian conflict in Fisherman's Horizon," He paused. "His co-workers said he was trying to take up for some fisherman when the soldiers opened fire on him. I don't really know what happened....The people in our neighborhood were really nice and kept saying that things would get better. Truth is, things never got better after his funeral. After he died, Sarah kinda fell out of her motherly role and started changing everything. As time went on, nothing could ever be done to suit her, and me and Ami became burdens. We didn't get along anymore and so she sent me here. She used to always say that I wasn't her child because no child of hers would never act like I did. I know I was unruly, but she hated me and I knew it. I wasn't hers. I guess she though I'd make her look bad or something. I don't know. But that's pretty much my family synopsis and the foundation of my dream."
"Your dream?" Quistis asked. Nida looked down quickly. "Come on tell me."
"Its kinda silly."
"Can't be sillier than mine."
"What's yours?"
Quistis took a deep breath. "I don't plan on being here the rest of my life. Cid and Squall have no idea, but in a few years I'm leaving. I don't want my life to revolve around SeeD. I want to leave and go someplace remote. Maybe a small little place where my pictures weren't on every other tabloid after the sorceress war. I want to go some place overlooked, like Winhill or something," She grinned. "Where I could teach real classes, like language and reading. My dream would have to be to have a little house, a flower garden, a few kids and no attachment to SeeD." She began laughing. "That sounded so silly. Not even Xu knows that."
Nida smiled. "That's a nice dream," He paused. "Ever since my father died I've tried to do something to make Sarah happy. I knew I wasn't hers but she kept me around so I always tried to do something to make her proud or justified in her actions. At first I used my art. She always loved Dad's paintings, but mine were always too childish," He laughed. "I guess considering I was eight they would be. But when she sent me here, I became determined to become an officer for her. She's really big on that kind of stuff. You know, aristocracy and higher ranking military officials. The whole royalty of it all. I figured that if I made an officer she would have something that she could brag about. After that swimming incident that I told you about, she pretty much disowned me for good....It gets really lonely here. I realized that when I could never visit home on the holiday's like the other students. She wouldn't allow me. So then I decided to shoot for an officer's position so that maybe she might think better of me."
"Your dream is to impress her," Quistis looked troubled.
"Pretty much. If I can do something worthy of her praise just once she might let me back in," He paused. "Its one thing to never know your family, or to have them die and leave you behind. Its a completely different feeling when they look down on you and hate you." He played with his fork absently. Quistis watched him silently. "Have you ever been close enough to your dreams that you could just reach out and touch them?"
"When I was little my dream was to have parents. A traditional family as you called it," Quistis spoke. "I had that dream and I held it dear. But some things aren't meant to be."
"I know what you mean."
Quistis narrowed her eyes. "What?"
"I know we picked up some engineers from Esthar," He shrugged as he offered her some tea. She took it gratefully. "I guess my dream isn't so important anymore because I'm getting custody of Ami and here pretty soon, Sarah won't even be in the picture."
"But its your dream."
"Its a dream for lack of a better dream."
"What do you mean? There has to be something else you want in life."
Nida covered his mouth and nodded. "Yeah. I want to be happy." Quistis stared at him. "I didn't want to say anything and come off as a needy or emotionally distraught boyfriend, but I want to be able to laugh and enjoy the company of my friends without silently worrying about my stepmother."
"Almost every person in this place is needing something." Nida remained silent as Quistis leaned her head against his chest. "You're not alone." She heard him smile as she closed her eyes.
He slowly wrapped his arm around her waist and gazed out at the flickering flame of the candles before them.