Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII or its beautiful characters .. but I will one day ! x) It all belongs to SquareSoft. :salutes: -.-;;
Balamb Garden Amazing Race
Chapter Five ll Hunt For The Skies
"Ouch! ...That hurts."
"You were pierced by an icicle before, stop being such a baby!"
"I am not..." a very disgruntled Squall mumbled, then bit hard on his tongue as Rinoa pressed the ice harder onto his swollen hand. He was sitting gingerly on the neatly-made bed while she crouched at his knee. The brightly lit room was clean and tidy, furnished comfortably and in a breezy set of colours.
"Ow, Rinoa!" he cried when she unexpectedly slammed the frozen peas onto his wound, "Was that necessary?"
The cheeky young woman smiled as she got to her feet and replied airily, "No." He grimaced as she left for the shower, carrying her towel and toiletries. Squall was left sitting on the bed, looking very unhappy and feeling sorry for himself.
To say they'd had a long day was a bit of an understatement. They'd spent most of it running up, down, left, right, south-east and north-west, in circles and zigzags, across the Balamb continent, looking for and doing absolutely pointless things.
But that, he had learnt the hard way, was the point of the Amazing Race.
Squall made a face before his exhausted body collapsed back onto the comfortingly soft bed, letting his weary mind rest. So far he and Rinoa had attempted to juggle four eggs, been forced to eat an apple in under sixty seconds, asked strangers to help them make a human pyramid, sprinted up a flight of concrete steps four times, made a necklace out of dandelions and had a desperate flight through the Fire Cavern, not allowed to stop when encountered by a monster. (The result of which was a mob of Bombs and Buels chasing after them.)
And that had only been half of it.
He shifted the frozen peas slightly and winced when his right hand throbbed at the icy sting. One of the challenges had been to search for a particularly rare type of butterfly that only flitted about at the top of a steep and tall grassy hill. Getting up the hill had been tiring in itself, but trying to take a photo of the fluttering insect had been the most time-consuming task they'd attempted all day.
Unfortunately for Squall, he'd tripped as he flung his arms to cast Stop on the wretched creature, and went tumbling halfway down the grassy hill. When he came to an ungraceful stop, slowed down by the long grass, his hand landed forcefully on a pollen-hunting bee.
The bee became angry. Its sting hurt very much.
Night had fallen on Balamb, a beautiful, velvet blue night of evening warmth and twinkling stars. Squall and Rinoa had dragged themselves to Zell's mother's house, in the hope of lodging there as it meant no cost, only to be met with the merciless blonde fighter who informed them soberly, "No space for you, slowpokes."
It did nothing to raise Squall's morale.
Stupid race... he thought vindictively as his breathing slowed and fatigue took over his mind, Stupid bee... stupid butterfly that wouldn't stop moving for one stupid second... ugh... Selphie's games...
Rinoa came out of the shower, her hair damp around her shoulders, to find Squall sound asleep on the bed. An affectionate smile curved her lips as she moved towards his slumbering form, where a faint frown was upon his face. Pulling the covers over him slightly, Rinoa gently eased the frozen peas from his hand, accidentally bumping it on his wound. Squall immediately stirred and moaned, his frown growing more pronounced.
Shaking her head, Rinoa murmured pityingly to herself, "Men can be such babies..." before leaning down to kiss him gently on the cheek, effectively soothing any pain as his frown melted into a look of peace.
B.G. Amazing Race
Challenge
17. One member piggy-back the other to Balamb station. Catch a train to Timber.
"Woman, lose some weight - ouch, I'm kidding, I'm kidding!"
It was back to normal the next day, and the red team had spent half an hour of their precious race time sleeping.
"Hi," Quistis greeted the incredulous-looking station master contritely, "Could we please have two tickets to Timber?" Seifer made a groaning, impatient noise as he carried her on his back.
When they finally made it onto the full train, Quistis and Seifer squeezed into a seat together, him complaining about his sore back.
"Oh, quit your whining," she told him irritably as she unfolded a newspaper, "We're so behind all the others because of your useless alarm clock."
"I told you, I must've forgotten to turn it on," Seifer replied with dignity, rubbing his back. He frowned slightly at her massive newspaper, the corners of which were half an inch from his nose, "We wouldn't be so late if you didn't have to buy that. Why do you read it, anyway?"
"Because some people like to know what's happening in the world," she said without looking at him.
Seifer looked glum. While Quistis read her paper he craned his head to the window.
"Quisty, change places with me."
"Why?"
"I want the window seat."
With a sigh they swapped seats. Seifer sat down with flourish and looked out of the window, where the underwater scenery flashed past amazingly quickly. After a little while his eyes began to blur.
"Remember the last time we caught the train to Timber together?"
Quistis lowered her newspaper and said in a low voice, "Yes. That was the day you broke out of the disciplinary room and I had to pursue you."
He didn't seem perturbed, "It was also the day I met Matron again." Seifer looked rather reminiscent and she studied him closely as he continued, "The day I became her knight."
She didn't know what to say. After a moment's silence she asked him quietly, "Why'd you do that?"
An incomprehensible look was on his face. With a half-shrug, Seifer answered shiftily, "It seemed fun, I guess. Hey, look, an advert for designer sunglasses!" He suddenly made to grab at her newspaper.
"Hey - what?"
"Sunglasses!"
"Noo - "
Rrrip!
"SHH!" hissed several passengers around them. With a furious look at Seifer who was clutching onto his ripped advertisement with satisfaction, Quistis flattened her newspaper, at the same time realising that there was a lot more to the perplexing boy underneath his cocky demeanor.
"Alright, Timber!" Selphie punched the air euphorically as the train doors slid shut behind her and started chuffing down the tracks to its next destination, "I haven't been here in awhile." Her beauty-loving eyes drank in the familiar greenish sidewalks and walls, its calm atmosphere and bustling people, ever so intelligent and determined in their little resistance cliques.
"I hear they've got a major magazine publishing industry here," Irvine said rather interestedly.
"Yeah, I think they did," Selphie said absently, putting her bag down onto the top stair and making people grumble as they had to detour around her. She rummaged through her backpack before straightening up.
"Irvy, the challenge!"
Both teenagers craned their necks to read.
B.G. Amazing Race
Challenge
18. TIMBER SCAVENGER HUNT.
Find the following items and take a picture with it. Items marked with an 'x' are ones you have to take with you.
Irvine's eyes almost popped out as they travelled down the foot-long list. Then he yelped as he was jerked towards the ground; Selphie had leapt onto his back without so much as a warning.
"I want another piggy-back!" she cried valiantly, her yellow bandana waving around wildly in the air, "Irvy, let's go find the - what's that first item on the list?"
"Uhh - " a grinning Irvine consulted the paper again, "An egg timer. An egg timer?" he repeated in a dumbfounded voice.
"We're off to find an egg-timer, a wonderful egg-timer we'll find, because, because, because, because, becau-ause, because!" Selphie began singing off-key in the tune to "We're Off To See The Wizard."
Irvine tried not to cringe. It's going to be a long day...
They were able to locate one in somebody's house, then proceeded to find an item with the Galbadian flag on it. This was all done while Irvine piggy-backed Selphie, the petite girl singing out orders and directions.
"Zell, what are you doing?"
"I just wanna get up on his head - " Zell steadied himself on the leg of the statue and looked up at the broad stone shoulders perplexedly, contemplating how he could hoist himself up.
"You know he was killed by a sorceress, you might want to show some respect - oh!" Shizuka gasped as Zell jumped spectacularly and swung his entire body up onto the shoulders of the very solid Vinzer Deling. It was a poorly constructed statue and looked weatherworn, as though people had purposely scratched and damaged it as they passed.
Zell grinned at the height he was at and then looked down at Shizuka with his hands outstretched.
"C'mon, come up here! We'll take a picture together," he said brightly as Timber citizens glanced up warily as though they found him impertinent . She looked a little dubious.
"Zell..." she trailed off as he looked at her expectantly, his arms still out.
"Don't worry, I'll hold you," he told her reassuringly with a smile that promptly drove her doubts away. Giving in, Shizuka placed a foot onto the cement platform, grabbed onto the stone arm and pulled herself up.
"Okay, now hold my hand," Zell instructed, reaching out. She grabbed his hand, smiling at the pink bandana tied around his wrist, and he held on tightly as she stepped up onto the statue's legs.
"Zell, I don't think there's enough room for us both," the hesitant brunette said, both of her hands now clasped tightly onto his.
"There's plenty!" was his dismissive reply, "Alright, I'm gonna pull you up now."
"What, are you sure?" Shizuka said in a panicked voice, but it was too late. With stupendous strength Zell almost threw her up the length of Vinzer Deling and she unexpectedly swayed to the side. For a split second she was suspended in mid-air, the world upside down, and Shizuka let out a scream as she dangled dangerously.
"Oh, man - " she heard him curse before he swung her upright and with a gasp she crashed down onto his lap.
Shizuka grabbed onto him quickly for dear life, her brown eyes wide with terror.
"Zell," she cried reproachfully and breathlessly, "You almost killed me!"
"No, no, I had you. I never drop my target," Zell said hastily, looking rather abashed. Then his complexion changed, "Isn't it great up here?"
Still clutching onto him, Shizuka peered down apprehensively. They were not very high up on the shoulders of the statue, but it was high enough to make her feel faintly dizzy.
"Can we just take our picture and go down?" she said timidly.
"Why, are you afraid you're gonna fall off?"
Shizuka managed a tiny nod. She drew a sharp intake of breath when she felt his strong arm curl around her waist.
"How about now?"
"Better..."
"Look, it's Commander Puberty and Rinoa," Seifer commented coolly, stopping for a moment to look at the blue team wander around aimlessly. It was almost midday and most of them were nearing the end of their scavenger hunt challenge. The teams had met each other several times during the day, and these little run-ins were usually accompanied with malicious taunts and proclamations that the opposition were going to come last.
"Keep your eyes peeled for anyone with red hair," was Quistis' rejoinder.
He looked nonplussed, "Why?"
She pointed at the list.
A strand of red hair.
"What?" Seifer said incredulously, "We have to go up to somebody and ask them if we can pluck out one of their hairs?"
Quistis shrugged wordlessly, her attention completely focused on the race.
"You know what?" the gunbladist said casually after keeping a close eye on her for five minutes as they looked for a redhead, "You're too serious, Quisty. Just like Puberty Boy. You need to lighten up."
Her blue eyes were narrowed icily as she glanced at him. Seifer didn't flinch nor did he look away; he kept his gaze on her innocently and after a moment she was the one who broke the eye contact.
"Maybe some of us need to shoulder on some responsibility," she replied sedately, but with an edge to her tone, "To compensate for those who don't."
"I'm responsible!" Seifer said earnestly. Her silence was plain enough to mean she did not quite agree, and he gave her up to a sulky silence. Ten minutes later they had passed only brunettes and blondes, but no redheads.
"This is insanity!" he burst out ill-temperedly, "Why couldn't someone have been born with red hair? Quisty, why didn't your parents pass down any red-haired genes?"
It was such a ridiculous question that Quistis retorted sharply, "Why didn't your parents give you red hair, then?"
That shut him up.
Five minutes later...
"Alright, we all know this isn't going to happen," Seifer growled, halting to a stop in the middle of the green street, "There's only one solution to this."
"And what's that?" Quistis inquired with forced politeness.
"We will just have to dye a red streak in your hair."
"What?"
Seifer suddenly grinned and he looked decidedly handsome, "I think it'd look rather cute, actually."
Egg timer... Galbadian flag... spatula, stuffed chocobo, map of Timber, strand of red hair, chocolate egg, blue hairties, dog biscuits, Battle Series magazine...
Those were just some of the things they'd had to look for.
Squall moaned inwardly as Rinoa trailed behind him spiritedly, humming the Balamb Garden academy song. Not so surprisingly it had been composed by Selphie Tilmitt. The shocking thing was when Headmaster Cid agreed to adapt it as the school song, and students and Garden faculty since could not escape the annoying, dreaded tune and cringe-worthy lyrics.
"Rinoa," he said hopelessly, "Can you please not sing that?"
"Oh, you know you love it," she said cheekily, then burst out raptly, "Oh, Balamb Garden, we're proud of you, and through our lives we'll try... to live with the honour and integrity, we learnt at Balamb Garden!" At this Squall groaned even louder and pressed his hands on his ears. Passer-bys looked round at them in slight concern as Rinoa cracked up laughing in her childish, bubbly way.
"Only one more item to go," she announced after she'd calmed down, "A red pebble..." Then with a shiver she looked up at the darkening sky apprehensively, "It's so cold... d'you think it's going to rain?"
As soon as she said that the first few droplets began to fall. Within seconds people were running around, ducking for cover, as the downpour began.
"Yes," Squall said dully, not budging as the rain fell heavily onto him, soaking his hair and clothes.
"Hey, hey, let me under!" Rinoa cried, running to him and ducking under his leather jacket. With a sort of half-irritated, half-endearing sigh Squall lifted it up so that it covered her as she snuggled up against him.
"Oh, my goodness," Squall said plaintively, sounding odd.
"What?"
"I see a humongous yellow parasol," he said flatly, his blue eyes locked onto something in the distance through the white rain, "And I hear Selphie singing."
"...we're proud of you, and through our lives we'll try! To live with the honour and integrity, we learnt at Balamb Garden!" Two blended voices could be heard through the constant pitter and pattering.
"...with Irvine."
Rinoa giggled, at the same time pulling him forward, "Hey, I see a red pebble! Come on, Squall!"
They went forward together under the jacket, and Selphie and Irvine continued to belt out the words loudly. It was obvious neither of them minded the rain. They probably only despaired that they didn't have rubber boots with them.
Presently, Zell and Shizuka shot out from one of the empty streets. Both looked like drenched rats.
"Oi, Irvine, let us under your umbrella!" Zell shouted desperately, his usually spiked-up blonde hair now plastered down onto his forehead.
"Oh, no!" Irvine said firmly, jumping back as he tried to get under the shelter, "Sorry, but we don't forge alliances with anyone. Too much betrayal going on around here."
"What the - just let us under the frickin' thing!"
"NO!"
"I'M GONNA GET SICK!"
"SHOULDA THOUGHT OF THAT BEFORE YOU ENTERED THE RACE, BLONDIE!"
"...Give me that umbrella!"
"Hey, a red pebble!" Selphie suddenly cried delightedly, effectively stopping the two boys from tearing apart her large yellow umbrella. She stooped down and picked it up as though it were extremely fragile.
"Was that the last item?" Irvine said in a hushed voice. As Zell looked up in anticipation, Shizuka also bent down to pick up a red pebble.
"Yes!"
"This was where all the red pebbles are?" Shizuka questioned in a confused tone.
Before anyone could answer her and Selphie could start her victory dance, there was a great splashing noise going past them and the unmistakable sound of hurried footsteps.
"OI - achoo!" Zell groaned as he sneezed, then yelled after Rinoa and Squall again, "Where are you guys going?"
"Winhill!" Squall yelled back as they sloshed down the wet street toward the town gate.
The four left behind glanced at each other.
"Let's go!" Irvine suddenly cried, and the yellow team darted off, their signature coloured umbrella bobbing vividly. After another sneeze Zell grabbed Shizuka's hand and both ran after them.
"OI, WAIT FOR US! LET US BORROW THE UMBRELLA!" he bellowed.
"Yelloowww pride!"
"WE'RE COMING FIRST!" Rinoa shouted gaily, and she did a few careefree twirls in the rain and almost slipped. A disapproving Squall caught her and brought her underneath his jacket again. The six teenagers were running purposefully through the downpour of rain, and whilst it may look comical to others, it was quite a serious and desperate race for some.
Like Zell, who just wanted shelter under an umbrella to protect what was left of his gravity-defying hair.
And, of course, Squall, the ever-so-determined one that would go to great lengths to ensure his now-leading position out of the humble, still-un-independent town of Timber.
Meanwhile, the now-coming-rock-bottom-last red combo of Quistis and Seifer were sitting in a fancy cafe, drinking hot chocolate as they waited for the rain to stop.
Some things are just meant to be.
And others just make it too easy.
A/N: Whee! There's not nearly enough Selphie/Irvine present! (angry face) They're just the hardest couple to write, followed by Zell and Shizuka. Hmm .. they'll be included more in the future. xD Anywho, hope you found that chapter interesting. THANK YOU MY DEAR REVIEWERS! x) Reviews motivate me! So feedback is definitely encouraged (hint) and that button down there should be pressed! x) I would really love for everyone who reads to drop a comment, just to share with me your opinion/likes/dislikes/what you did today/your most embarrassing moment and etc; xD I have ears for all! - msq.