I'm back! It's so hard to write a story without the proper motivation, no? (Hint, hint) Well, since Lucrecia is the only one who ever reads this I guess there's not much point in asking for reviews…(teardrop). My loyal Lucrecia… Good Lucrecia… Precioussssss…

Disclaimer: I don't own FFVIII copyrighted material and I am only writing this because I am confident I will not be sued.

o—o

Chapter Ten: Workers Unite!

"Wedge?" said Biggs, scrubbing a toilet in the dormitory restroom with a dirty brush while attempting with all his might not to touch it.

"Yes, sir?" replied Wedge. His brush wasn't doing so well. If anything, it seemed to be making the toilet dirtier.

"How long have we been doing this crap job?"

"Ah, two weeks, sir."

"Oh. I thought so."

They scrubbed in silence. Outside, the students were enjoying the fresh ocean air, the wind caressing their collective hair, while listening to the soothing cries of seagulls. Dolphins jumped out of the water and chirped happily as they played. Inside, Biggs and Wedge were hearing only the mundane, grating sound of toilet scrubbing and breathing the distinct scent of eau-de-excrément. Two hours of fruitless toilet cleaning finally got to Biggs.

"Argh! This is so stupid! We've been 'helping out' for two weeks now!"

"We did say we would help until they are well enough to return to their normal work."

"Well how long could it take to recover! And we didn't volunteer. We were forced!"

"Look on the bright side, sir. At least we have something to do."

"Yeah, but we used to get paid in Galbadia!"

"Well…Raijin did fall on me when we were getting him off that wall."

"Yeah, and in a very awkward position, too."

"Yes, yes. I know…" Wedge blushed.

"Very…suggestive. If I had just randomly caught the two of you like that, I'd think you were-"

"Okay, sir. That's enough."

"I was just saying-"

"Lalalalalalala I'm not lis-en-iiiing!"

o—o

The slayers of the great Sorceress Ultimecia were having their bimonthly meeting when the door to the Headmaster's office burst open. Six pairs of eyes turned to look, annoyed, at the intrusion. "Yo! We have a problem with our situation!" said Biggs. Wedge trailed hesitantly behind him, as usual.

"Really? And what, pray tell, might that be?" said Squall, one eyebrow raised. The others looked at him strangely.

"What?" he said.

"How long are you planning on keeping us here? We've been here for two goddam weeks! It's not like you even need our help anymore."

"That is not up to you."

Biggs froze in rage as he heard those words. "Excuse me?"

"We are on international waters. And since your crime was committed on Garden soil, Garden law dictates your fate. And what Garden laws say in this case is that you two are prisoners, which means we get to do with you as we please."

Biggs went red in the face. "You can't do that! That's prisoner abuse! At least they paid us in Galbadia. And we were treated a little bit better, even though Wedge had to work as a male stri-mmf!"

The rest of the words weren't words but muffled sounds. Wedge had sealed Biggs's mouth with a small, well-aimed Blizzard spell. "Sorry sir. What he means is that we have done our fair share of community service and should be allowed to regain our status as upstanding citizens."

"You beat us up!" protested Zell.

"Yes…well, you beat us up, too. Twice!"

"Mmf!"

"We were trying not to get killed!" said Quistis.

"Err…um…yeah, good point…"

"Mmf?"

"Good. Now that we have that worked out, please finish cleaning the toilets. Oh, and President Laguna is leaving for Esthar tomorrow and wants to say goodbye to everyone, including you two. I can't imagine why. You must have compatible types of idiocy. Anyway… You're dismissed."

"Mmf! Mmfmffmf fmmffm mmf!"

Wedge, with some difficulty, dragged Biggs out of the room.

"Good. Now, next topic of discussion…the woman in the pub in Dollet who seems to be interested in me for something…"

"Um, Squally, that was a man," said Rinoa.

"…Whatever. And I told you not to call me that in front of people."

o—o

Clink. Clink. Clink. FWOOM.

After five minutes of trying to free his mouth with an ice pick, Biggs got tired and decided to melt it off with a Fira spell.

"Argh! Finally! You know, Wedge, you didn't have to freeze me like that!" said Biggs angrily. Wedge's mind was somewhere else.

"Hmm…Well that didn't work…"

"Hell-o! I'm talking to you!"

Wedge was still deep in thought.

"What if…no, that still wouldn't work."

"Grr! Private Wedge! Stand to attention!"

"YES SIR! Wait…we're not in the army anymore!"

"I was trying to get attention!"

"I know! We'll sneak onto the Ragnarok with President Laguna!"

"You think he'll help us?"

"No, sir. That's why it's called sneaking."

o—o

Two days later, Laguna, Ward, and Kiros boarded the Gotterdammerung. Everyone, including his poker buddies Biggs and Wedge, had given them a fond farewell. Well…everyone except Squall, who was only ever fond relative to a cat. Still, he had fun. As they ascended the walkway, they did not notice a silvery gray feather being blown discreetly into the ship and up into the hangar. If they had noticed it, they would have thought that the way it flowed was suspiciously purposeful.

The dragon ship ascended gracefully and sailed away, leaving a powerful echo in its wake. The people of Balamb Garden watched it depart, then went back to their usual activities (walking around aimlessly and predictably, stopping only to talk to a hero who happens to approach them, or, if the hero says the word "Square!" challenge them to a card game). Up in the deck of the Gotterdammerung, Laguna slapped the pilot heavily on the back, saying "To Esthar, my good man!" causing the poor pilot to slam into the controls. The Gotterdammerung dived toward the ocean, recovered, lurched, gained altitude, and stabilized.

"For the fourteenth time, don't do that!" shouted the pilot, who was trying to piece together his shattered nerves.

"Sorry, heheh."

"…"

"Ward says you never grow up," translated Kiros.

o—o

In the hangar, the feather settled.

Gosh, Wedge. That was genius! What was it we did again? Said Biggs.

We let Griever junction us to himself so that even if someone saw us, they wouldn't notice anything suspicious. And it was Griever's idea, sir, said Wedge.

Aww, gee. It's no big deal. Ultimecia did it to me once. Anyway, don't think this isn't a one-time thing. You guys are crowding my mental space, said Griever.

Huh. So you're useful for more than just fighting and transportation…interesting, said Biggs.

Yeah… Hey, did you know that Quezacotl's junction item is Squall's feathered boa? said Griever.

The ship flew majestically over the waters towards Esthar.

o—o

"Hey, does it seem quieter here?" said Zell.

"Hey, yeah. Something seems missing," said Selphie.

"Less…complaining," said Quistis.

"Where're Biggs and Wedge?" said Rinoa.

"…" said Squall. I am going to kill those two, he thought.

o—o

Heheh. Sorry for not updating in so long. I kind of forgot. Also, Quetzalcoatl is known to the Aztecs as the feathered serpent. Feathered snake, feathered boa… I just thought you'd appreciate the joke. Uum… please review!