A/N: The zombie stuff is just getting started, but it won't be back for awhile. These next few chapters will be mostly for plot and character development.
Gullwing Yunie: Yay, finally, a review. Thank you, thank you, thank you! And don't worry, I will continue this story, and it gets a lot more interesting. The FFVII element begins to take place in the next one or two chapters.
Chapter Eight:
The elevator doors closed before Tessa realized what she was doing. She had meant to go to the administration building, but for some unknown reason she had gotten on the elevator instead of going out onto the grounds and to the administration building.
She looked around and noticed a security camera in one of the elevator's corners. It had a beeping red light that Tessa had never really understood. She sighed and moved to the back of the elevator so that she would be out of the way of its other occupants when they were getting off on the second floor.
The bell dinged and the other passengers departed. Tessa gave a quick glance back to the camera before the doors started to close.
"Oh, do hold the elevator!" someone called out. Tessa stepped forward and pushed the "door open" button. A blonde SeeD wearing a whip at her side dashed into the elevator. "Thanks."
"You're welcome, Instructor," Tessa told Quistis Trepe, her favourite instructor. Then she looked away and ran her left hand through her frizzy red hair.
"Good work in class today, Antessence," Quistis told her pupil as she readjusted the glasses perched on her small nose. "It was clear you didn't know the answer, but you're a quick thinker, that'll definitely help when you become a SeeD."
"Thanks, Ma'am," Tessa said nervously. She still wouldn't look at Quistis.
"Shouldn't you be at the Headmaster's?" Quistis inquired. "I thought I heard him call you over the P.A."
"He did, Ma'am. I'm on my way there now," Tessa said as she fidgeted with her hands. After a few seconds of not knowing what to do with them she decided to clasp them behind her back.
"Okay then. Just don't forget to finish your assignment. I've seen with you can do with a simple Cure spell, and I'd hate to see such talent go to waste."
Tessa blushed, her face growing to a shade of red that matched her hair. Many of her Instructors praised her for prowess in the usage of Magic, with the obvious exception of Professor Aki.
"See you in class tomorrow, Antessence," Quistis said after the elevator doors dinged open. Both women stepped off of the elevator: Quistis turned left toward the library and Tessa headed straight.
She passed the directory where Aili was stooped, watching a Triple Triad game. When she saw Tessa her smile faltered and she stood up. "Where did you go? We waited in the library, but you never showed up."
"Sorry," Tessa said meekly as she stopped in her tracks. "I got held up in the infirmary. See, there was this patient who…"
"I don't care," Aili said angrily as she cut off Tessa. "I'm getting sick and tired of you blowing us off to work in the infirmary."
"Come on," Tessa pleaded. "You know I'm a Medical major and that I need all the practice I can get."
"Yeah, but there's more to life than your major," Aili said with a scoff. "I'm an artillery major, but you don't see me spending all my time going through the ammunitions cache."
"I'm really sorry," Tessa said as she backed away toward the doors that lead to the grounds. "I've got to go to the Headmaster, and I'm already late."
"Forget it," Aili said angrily as she stormed off in the direction of the library, kicking the cards of the girls playing Triple Triad.
"Hey!" one of them yelled. "Watch it!" Aili ignored her and continued on her way.
Tessa turned away with a heavy heart and pulled her keycard out of her back pocket. She handed it to the old man at the entrance booth and walked through the metal detector, which didn't go off.
"Very good," the man wheezed with a wrinkled grin as he handed Tessa her keycard.
She didn't say anything, but instead walked to the administration building. The sun was setting and it was starting to get cool out. She rubbed her arms and was glad that she wasn't wearing a skirt, because her legs would've been freezing.
She reached the administration building, its lights emanating a warm, inviting glow. The knob found itself in her hand and she turned it, opening the door. The receptionist's desk was as cluttered as she remembered.
"Can I help you?" the receptionist asked with a smile. Tessa wiped her sweaty palms on her pants.
"Um, yeah, the Headmaster sent for me," Tessa said, suddenly aware of her frizzy red hair in comparison to the beautiful brunette. She hated feeling inadequate because she had always claimed that looks shouldn't matter in life.
"Antessence Matleo?" she asked as she rifled through a large pile of papers on her desk. She pulled out a sheet and looked it over. "Headmaster Cid is in a meeting right now, but you can wait over there."
Tessa sat down on the uncomfortable bench that the receptionist had pointed out. She looked around the messy room and felt a need to speak up. "Why do you do it?"
"Do what?" the receptionist asked as she looked over at the bench from her console.
"This," Tessa said as she gestured around the little room. "Why do you conform to the belief that women have to be serve subservient roles to men? You could be so much more than a secretary."
"I'm happy being a secretary, and it was my choice," she told Tessa with a quizzical look. "Why do you care?"
"I just think that women should be no different from men, and men no different from women," Tessa explained. "I'm not lower than a man simply because I have a vagina."
The receptionist's eyes grew wide. "What did you say?"
"I said vagina," Tessa said simply. "I believe that using terms such as 'down there' or 'unmentionables' is merely to keep men from thinking about vaginas. Oh, come on, don't be like that" (the receptionist's eyes had grown wider with each word) "say it with me: vagina, vagina, vagina!"
"Ahem," a man said as he cleared his throat. Tessa looked over at the now-open door and saw Cid standing there.
"Sir," Tessa said as she stood up and saluted. "You requested me?"
"Erm, yes, I did," Cid said, his face growing a pale red. "I'm ready to see you now."
Cid stepped aside and Tessa walked into his office. She stood by a chair in front of his desk, and she saw Squall standing in one corner of the room, his gunblade resting in his hand.
"Have a seat," Cid said as he walked into the room and closed the door. He walked around Tessa and sat down at his desk. "Antessence, I have something I need you to do for me."
"Yes, Sir," Tessa said. She was worried because of the unusual circumstances. "What is it?"
"I need you to find that Catcherpillar body for me. Maybe it'll help us understand what is happening to Miss Sans," he said. "Squall will accompany you to the gate to the Garden's edge, but from there you'll be on your own."
"Why, Sir?" Tessa asked. "Why will I be alone?"
"Miss Matleo, it is a test of your abilities. You have an hour to get ready. That is all," Cid said with a wave. "I have an important meeting, if you don't mind."
"One question, Sir," Tessa said. Cid looked at her, impatiently tapping his fingers on his desk. "I need a GF, but haven't been assigned one yet. Where would I get one?"
"Fine, fine," Cid said as he continued to strum his fingers. He turned to the rooms other occupant. "Squall, you have plenty of GFs, would you loan one to Miss Matleo?"
Squall straightened up and reached inside his jacket pocket. He pulled something out and tossed it to Tessa. "Don't lose it," he said.
Tessa caught the object. It was a small, shiny pin of a mermaid on a rock. She was holding a harp in one hand and playing it with the other. "Siren?" Squall didn't say anything, so Tessa stood up. "Thank you, Mr. Leonhart, I appreciate it greatly."
"Dismissed," Cid said in an aggravated tone.
"Goodbye, Sir," Tessa said nervously. She hadn't meant to madden the Headmaster. Stupid old man should've known I'd have questions.
She stood up and walked to the door. She opened it and was met with the figure of a man. He was tall, dark-skinned, and bald. A pair of black sunglasses hid his eyes and he wore a dark blue suit over a white shirt.
"Excuse us, Mr Rude," Cid said as he stood up. "These two were just leaving." He ushered Squall and Tessa out of the room, stood back for Rude to enter. Tessa looked back and watched as Cid slammed the door.
"That was weird," Tessa told Squall as she turned around, but he was already walking out of the Administration building. The secretary laughed and Tessa glared at her. "Vagina!"