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 Eleven ll Dashing Through The Snow
"Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh, over the hills we go, laughing all the way, HA-HA- ARGGHH!"
"Oh, my heavenly goodness, stay still Seifer!" Quistis cried, clinging onto the middle of the T-bar chairlift while the crisp snow, some few feet below them, sloped past gently.
"Don't act so light, Quisty, I'm gonna slide off," Seifer said tranquilly, as the teetering seat lowered on his side like a seesaw.
"Act light? What is that supposed to be mean?" demanded an infuriated Quistis, struggling to push down on the seat so that it would balance again. She gave a yelp when she was thrown upwards, "You're the one jumping up and down on it - stop it!"
Behind them on the next chairlift were Selphie and Irvine, watching with their faces aglow with delight and excitement. Selphie was wearing a white tracksuit with a bright yellow beanie and her bandana tied around her upper arm, while Irvine's was still wrapped around his head, ninja-style. It was lovely to be travelling at this mere height, up the towering, white mountain where the occasional pine tree passed underneath swiftly.
"What's the probability of them both falling off?" Irvine wondered vaguely as Seifer hugged the pole even tighter, half-dangling off the seat, and Quistis started shrieking in fear and panic as she was suspended up in the air.
"Seifer, get back on the seat! Please, I'm going to fall off - ahhh!"
"Oh, shoot - "
Selphie smiled benignly, turning her head to see a screaming Quistis land on Seifer, and responded affirmatively, "A hundred!"
The yellow team laughed and waved merrily at the fallen figures as their chairlift carried them still further up the snowy hill.
"Look, now we have to walk all the way up," Quistis said grievously, shaking snow out of her golden hair and marching up the slope, "Why couldn't you just stay still, Seifer? Honestly, sometimes, you're exactly like a child."
"Only because I like seeing you vexed," Seifer informed her deviously, grinning slyly when she shot him a venomous look, "You know, it's probably why I annoy you so much, Quisty."
She didn't answer. They trudged up the hill, keeping the top in sight.
"You know what my first thought was when I found out you lost your instructor licence?"
Quistis' lip curled, "What?"
"I hope my new one is as hot as her," Seifer laughed uproariously at the half-appalled, half-disgusted look on her face, then cried out when she slapped him smartly on the arm.
"I would've thought it would be something like, 'Finally, I succeeded'," Quistis said dryly, hoping her tone sounded cool and unconcerned. The sting of failing as an instructor still hurt, even though she knew she had redeemed herself since then.
Seifer shook his head, "I never wanted you to be fired," she winced slightly at his harsh wording, "It was just fun needling you. You're always so cool, composed, as if nothing can shake you. Like Shiva. I just wanted... just wanted to see what was beneath your cold exterior."
"So you tried to be a pain in the neck as much as possible?" Quistis asked disbelievingly, staring at him. It was hard to think that all the incomplete assignments, failed class tests and deliberate disruption was because of his wanting to shake off her professional image.
"Yup."
Quistis just stared at him perplexedly as they continued trekking through the ice.
Seifer glanced sideways at her, "What?"
That boy was absolutely insufferable.
"You're insufferable, Seifer."
His grin widened cockily, making him more handsome than ever, "Maybe." Quistis gave him up to a dismayed silence and side-by-side they went further up the side of the mountain, clutching onto their skis. Seifer looked over at the shorter young woman a couple of times with a vague smirk, until she returned the look defiantly.
"What?" she asked, feeling uneasy. She still wasn't used to this more serious side of Seifer Almasy she had just began to discover. Most of the race had been spent bickering and quarrelling pertly over absurd matters, and she felt much more comfortable with that. When Seifer was actually being rational it was as if being in the company of something unnatural. It wasn't unpleasant, exactly, just foreign, and Quistis Trepe never liked being out of her comfort zone. It threatened her guard and made her anxious and nervous.
Maybe she was like Shiva.
"You and Puberty-Boy are so alike," Seifer remarked scrutinisingly, "But whereas you intrigue me he just disgusts me - well, at least he used to."
Quistis quirked an eyebrow in disapproval, "You're more like Squall than you realise, Seifer. Trust me. I've watched you both for a very long time. It wasn't what you call enjoyable."
"Like torturing you is," he finished complacently, "What?" he added slightly defensively when the blonde narrowed her eyes at him, "It is. Seemingly emotionless people are fun to poke at. The satisfaction comes when they break." She shook her head and Seifer pursued, "I don't know why you seem so repulsed, you spent years trying to get Commander Puberty to stop being such a cold prat."
His sudden tense tone might have suggested some bitterness over her attention on Squall. Quistis did not notice, though.
"Well, that didn't work, did it?" she said lightly, a benign smile across her red lips as she looked at something in the far distance. Seifer followed her gaze and his green eyes rested on Rinoa and Squall, sitting side by side under a tree and Rinoa trying in vain to grab something off him that he was reading with great pleasure.
"They're so sweet together."
Seifer snorted scornfully, despite the fact that he did feel rather proud and envious of the couple, "They should learn to get a room. Lucky I was there to knock some sense into his head yesterday."
He then turned back to Quistis intently with the glimmerings of a smile. Once again this unnerved her. She lifted her eyes to him courageously, her heart beating quicker as usual when she met those emerald pools.
"What is it, Seifer?" she asked rather impatiently due to her discomfort.
"Do you remember a moment we had together, Quisty?" Seifer asked teasingly, his voice sing-song like.
She frowned, her mind quickly retracing her recent memories, "No, unless your 'moment' meant me kicking you off the bed last night."
"No, no, this was years ago," he said gleefully, still in that annoyingly musical tone, "I didn't remember it until after I met Matron again. Let me refresh your memory. We were both five years old..."
Quistis didn't think she liked where this was heading, yet she felt curious and somehow comforted as Seifer spoke, as though he were filling the gaps in her mind.
"I remember Sis had just left a week ago. You were trying your hardest to replace her but everybody still called you 'Quisty' and you got upset about it. Your biggest problem was Squall, because replacing Sis meant you had to be with him all the time."
He paused, and Quistis felt familiar sadness rolling over her as the memory sunk in.
"Selphie wanted to play war and everyone had ran off with her. But Squall crept away and you followed him, trying to persuade him to play with the others," Seifer said quietly, his teasing voice having ceased, "He kept saying no, that he had to find Sis, and then in the end you grabbed his arm but he flung you away.
"You fell back and hit your head on a pillar. He was scared and ran away while you sunk down, crying. And then, I, who had been in the corner skulking around, entered the scene."
Quistis couldn't help but smile at his grand introduction, but then her memory began to piece things together. The scene of the stone pillars, green vines climbing over them, and the side of her head hurting... and, quite clearly, a young boy with blonde hair walking up to her.
"Wait," she almost whispered. She had stopped walking and he also stood still, looking at her carefully.
"You... you made me feel better," Quistis said slowly, almost as if to herself, "I remember now..." she gulped and forced away the growing lump in her throat, "Because I asked you why you were being so nice for once, and you said - "
" 'I don't like seeing anyone cry'," Seifer completed with a half-shrug.
She just looked at him with oddly bright eyes as the memory seeped through her head, like a warm, oozing liquid. The memory of that moment made her feel unexplainably sad; all she knew as she looked at the young blonde man standing in front of her was that she was very sorry she had ever forgotten it.
"You... comforted me?" Quistis asked weakly, looking at Seifer for an answer, "Yes, you did... You sat next to me and talked to me about Squall... about Sis... about who I really was... You also said I could never be Sis and I didn't have to be... because I was bossy Quisty."
Her voice trailed off to a whisper, her blue eyes cloudy with reminiscence. Seifer studied her closely, sensing the story had gotten to her.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is," he said quietly, "Don't be afraid of showing who you really are, because we all love you anyway. I know part of your character is to have a deflective shield around you, but don't erect it against your friends all the time... and don't use it to avoid people who really want to get close to you."
Quistis was speechless at his words, partly because of who it was coming from, but mostly because what he said was true... Was she really that obvious? If she really did have a shield wrapped around her very soul, then how come Seifer had been able to see through it so clearly? She didn't like the feeling at all, she felt so exposed and vulnerable... yet she was half-glad it was Seifer who had penetrated it, because for some reason she really trusted him. Trusted him more than anyone else, in fact.
Their eyes locked for a minute or two, she searching for sincerity and finding it, and he looking at her truthfully with some other emotion behind it.
Finally, she managed a tiny, grateful smile that graced her exquisite, beautiful features. "Thank you, Seifer," she said quietly, casting her eyes down to the pure white snow.
Seifer was a little surprised at her response, but smiled back leniently, free once of smugness, "Ahh... you're welcome?"
And so they resumed their slow amble up the hill towards their destination in a more amiable way. Selphie and Irvine were already skiing down the slope, yahooing in exhilaration. Selphie appeared to be very good while Irvine was wobbling to and fro, though still felt confident enough to send them a fleeting thumbs-up.
"You two should hurry yourselves, this is great!"
"Irvy, watch that tree!"
"ARGH!"
Seifer raised an eyebrow while Quistis chuckled, diverting his attention back to her.
"Is that all you remember?" he asked seriously, a touch of hurt in his tone, as Selphie tugged Irvine up, only to trip over him, sending them both sprawling back onto the snow.
Tucking a loose strand behind her ear, Quistis thought a little harder before nodding.
Seifer heaved a sigh as if a heavy burden had rested on his shoulders. He looked at her in a mixture of theatrical disappointment, "You're telling me you forgot the most important part of that moment?"
"You were nice to me," Quistis said, puzzled, "That was quite significant."
They both stopped walking again. The area was deserted, the yellow team having slid the rest of the way down. The air was so crisp and chilly with a refreshing, frosty bite to it. Somehow, Quistis felt as if something important was going to happen, right here, right now. She returned Seifer's deep, soulful look
"Your head hurt," he said, and his voice was suddenly much deeper, much more mature. He took a step closer towards her and Quistis felt paralysed, trapped in his green-grey eyes, "So I kissed your bruise... right here."
With a boyish grin, he lowered his head to softly kiss the side of her temple.
Quistis Trepe felt that long lost memory flit into her mind like a hundred butterflies and she remembered every little feeling and emotion that it had imprinted in her heart.
"The food is great here. Why didn't you ever take us out to eat in Trabia, Selphie?"
Selphie beamed, "You never asked, Zelly! You refused to believe there was anything equal to Balamb's hot dogs."
"A hot dog is a hot dog," Seifer said flatly, staring as Zell enthusiastically scoffed down his meal, "I don't see the difference. For Hyne's sake, Chicken-Wuss, eat slower."
Lunch time had arrived and, as usual when they got together, their diverse meals were interrupted by leisurely offences directed at another's favoured food. It felt like months since their last meal in the cafeteria at Garden.
"It's obvious we're going to win," Seifer was saying obstinately later in the meal, pointing his fork at all of them, "Quisty and I finished that skiing challenge in like, five seconds."
"He's lying."
"I can just feel the team spirit emanating from her."
Everyone snickered into their lunches.
"Five minutes," Squall spoke up unexpectedly.
"Huh?"
"Rinoa and I got it done in five minutes," he elaborated smoothly with the hint of a triumphant smile, "The skiing challenge. Up and down the slope twice, wasn't it?"
Seifer looked highly shocked, "As if."
Twenty minutes later.
"Ready... set... GO!"
The two tall figures immediately dropped off the side of the mountain, gathering speed by viciously pushing back with their skis. Through the rush of wind their yells at each other could be choppily heard.
"Are they always this competitive?" Shizuka wondered aloud as the rest of the group stood back, watching Squall and Seifer both fly further down.
Rinoa smiled against her own will, "Yup."
"So, like," Irvine started off in a sort of drawl, "Why are we just watching them? Who says we can't ski as well?" He looked over at Zell and the blonde nodded in confirmation.
"Well, see ya later," Zell waved buoyantly as he and Irvine positioned their skis.
"Yeah, don't miss us too much, ladies."
"Where are you - ?"
"GEROMINOOOO!"
The girls were left behind, looking after them warily.
"Who wants to go after them?" Shizuka asked flatly, her brown eyes following their shrinking figures. Near the bottom they saw Squall and Seifer trying to knock each other off course with their sticks. Zell and Irvine, both for some reason flapping their arms wildly, were closing in on them fast.
Rinoa and Quistis shook their heads, "Skiing's not really my thing."
"That's why we go tobogganing!" Selphie's exuberant voice exclaimed from behind. They all whirled around to see her dragging two sleds, her face lit up as usual, "C'mon, my friend and I used to do this all the time! It's really fun and easier than skiing, guaranteed!"
Quistis looked a bit hesitant, "Are you sure this is safe?"
"Of course," Selphie said briskly as they helped her with the toboggans, "Quisty and I will verse Rini and Zuka! First one down to the bottom. Are you ready?"
"Oh my goodness, are you quite sure this is - AHHH!" Shizuka screamed as they began to descend down increasingly fast.
"BOOYAKA!"
"This is crazy!"
The wintry afternoon slipped by pleasantly, giving way to a purply twilight. None of them could decide which was the highlight of the day - the girls knocking the guys over when their toboggans crashed into them at the bottom of the hill, or the boys skiing in a chain by holding hands and falling halfway down the mountain, or the blue and red team tied for first place in a toboggan race, or, indeed, the countless races Seifer and Squall had for which they claimed equal victories, or Selphie and Irvine playing a game of "human bowling" where they whipped down very quickly and made the alarmed group scatter, yelling at the top of their lungs.
"This isn't over, Leonhart," Seifer called mock-threateningly over his shoulder as they went their separate ways, "You just wait... that Amazing Race trophy is gonna have my name emblazoned on it - and Quisty's."
Squall smirked, "Yeah... whatever."
The girls exchanged half-exasperated glances before they waved to each other and parted with their male companions. Squall and Rinoa went back to their hotel, Rinoa admiring the pretty purply-blue sky and making him give her discreet, affectionate smiles.
Their hotel room looked so welcoming and hospitable as they walked in. Rinoa immediately made a beeline for the phone to order in room service as she was starving, and Squall limped pathetically to the bathroom, groaning at the pains that rocketed up and down his body with every movement. Listening to Rinoa rattle off a long order of food, Squall made his way to the bathroom to see if there was any ointment for his many bruises.
He frowned as he drew closer to the bathroom door. He could hear water running and wondered if it was the next room, although it sounded as though it were coming from inside. But that was odd... Rinoa was still talking on the phone.
Squall opened the door and cautiously looked around, just in time to behold a young man with spiked blonde hair stick his head out from the fogged-up shower door, about to walk out.
"AAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
"AAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
Still yelling in horrified shock, Squall leapt backwards and crashed onto the floor. Scrambling to his feet, Squall stumbled into the living room, still panicking. Rinoa immediately ran in, the phone still in her hand.
"Squall - what's wrong?" she gasped, staring at him avidly.
"There's a - there's a - there's someone using our shower!" poor Squall spluttered, trying hard to forget that he had been a very slight niche away from seeing another man unclothed.
Rinoa's eyes went wide, "What? Are you sure?"
Before Squall could very assuredly confirm the fact, a young woman with long, dark brown hair darted out from the bedroom, looking flustered. Rinoa and Squall stared at her and she stared back. They felt very confused and a little paranoid.
"I - I'm sorry, just hold on a sec," she apologised, striding towards the bathroom door. It flung open at that moment to reveal the blonde man, who had evidently very hastily dressed himself.
"Cloud! I told you not to come here, now look what's happened!" the girl burst out, her hands on her hips. Judging by the cowering look on the man's face, she must have beheld a very deadly glower.
"But I need hot water, Teef," he replied timidly, lifting a hand to scratch the back of his head, "It's so frickin' cold out here, they can't expect us to shower in icy water. You guys don't mind me borrowing your shower, do you?" he added imploringly, looking over his companion's head at Squall and Rinoa.
"Yeah, we do," Squall said at once.
"Squall!" Rinoa exclaimed in consternation. She looked back at the two strangers and cleared her throat, "Not to be rude or anything... but who are you? And what are you doing in here?"
They both glanced at each other. The girl seemed to give him an exasperated, "this-is-your-fault" look before she smiled warmly at Squall and Rinoa, "I'm Tifa. Tifa Lockheart. And he's Cloud Strife."
"We're following you," the spiky blonde named Cloud added placatory.
Squall frowned and drew Rinoa closer to him instinctively, "Following us?"
"We were given the job by the Kramers," Tifa hastened to explain, shooting Cloud a furtive look, "There are eight of us tailing all of you for the duration of the race. You're supposed to be oblivious about us, but..." she looked pointedly at Cloud again, who smiled at all of them sheepishly.
"Raijin! Fujin! What are you guys doing here?"
"...EXPLAIN."
"Uh oh, we're not supposed to be seen, ya know."
"You mean you're following us to make sure we don't cheat?" Rinoa asked incredulously. She motioned for everyone to sit down on the crimson sofas and they all obeyed.
"Well, yeah," Tifa said slowly, "But mostly just to record everything on camera. Edea wants a whole document of the race and there have been heaps of moments we captured that you haven't been able to."
"Yeah, like all the times you stacked it on the ice rink," Cloud snickered at Squall. He took out a small digital camera and Squall saw himself tripping all over the ice. He flushed, and the girls both giggled.
"Wait, wait, this is my favourite," Cloud said with a straight face. He played with the buttons a bit and then the screen came up.
"...Balamb Garden, we're proud of you, and through our lives we'll try..." Squall's digitalised voice warbled out from the camera. Squall flushed even darker and glared up at Cloud, who was struggling to maintain a straight face while the girls laughed.
"Charming, isn't it?"
Suddenly, Squall lunged at him.
"GIVE ME THAT CAMERA!"
"What the - NOO!"
Cloud yelped and toppled backwards off the sofa, and Tifa and Rinoa both shook their heads as the boys wrestled with one another.
Tifa smiled sympathetically at the younger girl, "It's the snow... they can bring out the immaturity in some people." She gestured at them, still fighting on the floor like two-year-olds.
"Delete that one!"
"Nooo, it's my most prized capture - HELP ME, TIFA!"
"Rinoa, get the camera off him!"
"I'll say," Rinoa murmured in agreement.
A/N: AHH! Sorry it took me a prolonged period of time to update. (cowers) I guess I've been busy! Hehe, but my glorious study-filled holidays are beginning, so I should be able to update quicker. Thanks for all your feedback! x) Hehe, this chapter featured one of my favourite couples of all time, Cloud and Tifa! xD Anywho, I have to leave soon - karaoke! xD Haha, it's my first time, hope it's good. xD Much love! - msq.