Disclaimer:

"SQUARESOFT OWN"

"FFVIII"

"NOT"

"ME"

"RAAAAAAGE!"

kicks squaresoft in the shins

JadeAlmasy - I'm glad you liked Fujin's reflections on Seifer and Raijin. That was the hardest part of the whole chapter to write.

Alliances

Tires splashed through the still standing water as a large pickup truck pulled over to the curb. Its paint, a standard issue navy blue and gold, combined with the Balamb Garden seal on the door drew a lot of attention. Onlookers watched as the driver applied the emergency break and kicked open the door. Those expecting to see Zell to get out were surprised to see Seifer instead.

He paid them no mind as he pushed the door to and walked up to the steps in front of Zell's house. His stride stopped halfway down the staircase when he noticed the rain water pooled above the bottom two steps. Not particularly fond of getting his pants wet, Seifer scowled and looked around for another way into the house.

"S'up," Zell greeted him as he leaned out the front window.

Seifer turned and frowned at him. "Why has your phone been turned off? Garden's been trying to get a hold of you for the past seventeen hours."

Zell rolled his eyes. "Its good to see you too man." Seifer didn't look amused. "Look around Almasy. A big storm went through here last night. No one has a phone."

Seifer scowled. "Where's Fujin?"

"Inside," Zell answered as Seifer climbed in the window. "Whoa! Where do you think you're going?" He asked as he grabbed Seifer's arm.

Seifer stared down at his hand for a moment and then pushed him away. "Where does it look like I'm going?" Zell clenched his fists but let him in. He threw his damp towel over his shoulders and then shoved his fists in his pockets.

Fujin hastily came into the foyer just as Seifer slid completely in the window. His boots landed on the stone floor with a heavy thud that echoed through the room. She crossed her arms as she watched him walk towards her. His eyes fell on her and studied her disapprovingly. She narrowed her eyes and frowned in response. Out of habit, she looked down towards the ground and then froze. She was still wearing Zell's clothes.

"NOTHING," She dared him to make a remark.

"What you see in him," Seifer grumbled under his breath. She glared at him in response.

"PURPOSE?" She asked to change the subject.

"Yeah really," Zell added from where he stood behind Seifer. "This is my house!"

"Point being?" Seifer snapped at him. Zell jumped in response. Seifer smirked. "Chicken Wuss."

"Oh no! Not in my house!" Zell yelled. Fujin responded by promptly kicking Seifer in the shin. Zell grinned as Seifer recoiled and stumbled backwards, holding his injured leg off the ground. Seifer stared at Fujin in disbelief.

"What was that for?" He exclaimed.

"IMPOLITE," She stated flatly. Seifer stared at her as if he'd been betrayed. "PURPOSE?"

"Yeah man. What're you doing here?" Zell crossed his arms as he took a stand just slightly behind Fujin. Seifer glared at him for a moment and then stood up straight.

"I'm here on orders from Garden. You two are to report immediately to the parking garage. You are to bring only your field uniforms and weapons. All additional supplies will be provided," Seifer said sternly.

"Wow you almost sounded official," Zell laughed.

"Hey watch it Chicken W-"

"Can it Almasy!" Zell spat back.

"SILENCE!" Fujin yelled. At her command, they both crossed their arms and looked opposite directions. Rolling her eyes, Fujin walked out of the room.

Two hours and three feuds later, Zell and Seifer sat staring at one another in the back of an unmarked transport. Fujin cast Raijin and Xu a frustrated and annoyed look as she leaned back in her seat. Xu nodded in understanding as Raijin just watched the two fuming blondes in boredom.

Xu stood silently as she tapped a pencil against her palm. She watched the two aggravated SeeDs before her with disgust. "Whenever you two are ready." They both looked up at her. Zell sat back and looked down at the floor while Seifer leaned back and kicked his feet up in the seat across from him; the seat coincidentally next to Zell's. Xu frowned at the action but continued nonetheless. "In the past three months the transcontinental shipping lines have fallen victim to a series of attacks. They've lost seven employees and over three hundred thousand gil in shipments. While there seems to be no pattern in which trains are affected, there is one constant clue found in all of the cases." The SeeDs in the car watched silently as she knelt down and pulled a cloth sac from behind her seat. With just a little difficulty she hefted the bag up and carried it to where they sat. Carefully setting it on the floor she sat down beside it and pulled out its contents. Suddenly interested in the mission briefing before him, Seifer slid down from his seat and knelt in the floor too. The remaining SeeDs watched silently as the two pulled the heavy articles from the bag.

"I could see why they left all this behind. Its worthless scrap metal," Seifer said as he dropped the object in his hand and returned to his seat.

"Psh," Zell rolled his eyes as he leaned forward and picked up the piece that Seifer had discarded. "Shows what you know."

Seifer narrowed his eyes. "Watch it Chicken W-"

"SILENCE!" Fujin yelled, causing everyone in the truck to jump.

"Enough!" Xu added. "Act like the SeeDs you are and not the immature children you used to be!" Seifer and Zell turned to her in unison. "When you put those uniforms on you become a member of an elite force! You will act accordingly. I will not tolerate any other such outbursts." After finishing her statement, Xu closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Alright. What where you saying Zell?"

"I was saying that if Almasy here paid any attention to his beloved Hyperion he'd have noticed that the hunk of worthless scrap metal here is of the same compounds used in its handle and barrel." Seifer pretended not to be interested in Zell's explanation. "This isn't scraps. You can tell here by the way its pressed. This stuff was ready to go into a mold of some kind. More than likely to be used as an attachment for some piece of highly accurate and expensive weaponry. Obviously it was part of a much larger shipment."

"You can tell that by the way its pressed?" Seifer raised an eyebrow.

"It'll fit into most standard production machines," Zell spat back. "But judging by its thickness I'd say if this piece wasn't going into a mold it'd be hand shaped. I can tell its going to be used for weaponry because of the quality of it...and the fact that there's a 'W' and 'S' stamped on the edges."

Xu narrowed her eyes. "Where?"

"Its right there," Zell pointed.

"W S? What's that mean?" Everyone in the truck shot Xu a surprised look.

"You did not just ask that," Seifer's jaw dropped.

"WESTMAN'S STILLER," Fujin answered Xu's question.

"Yup!" Zell agreed with her. "World renownd for creating some of the world's most expensive and efficient blades and firearms."

"Know it all Zell," Seifer mumbled.

"That's what they call me."

"Shut up."

"Hey you're just pi-" Zell's words died before they passed his lips when he noticed the glare Xu was sending him.

"So the common clue in all the train heists is this metal?" Raijin asked uncertainly.

"Not entirely," Xu answered. "This is just one of the articles taken. But for the most part, everything stolen appears to have some part in making weaponry."

"So some band of thieves are hijacking trains, stealing not the passengers' valuables but piles of steel, making off with their loot on another train and managing to disappear without a trace?" Seifer asked aloud. "Hope you guys have fun." He stood and opened the back door to the vehicle.

"Whoa wait!" Raijin jumped up. "I thought you were coming with us ya know..."

"Not my mission man. I'm just the driver," He paused to see if Zell was going to say anything. Zell raised an eyebrow but said nothing in response.

"Seifer, take us to Balamb Station," Xu ordered as she turned to the three remaining SeeDs before her.

"Look after Fuu and Xu," Seifer spoke as he pulled the door to himself. Raijin nodded in understanding and Seifer shut and secured the back door. A brief period of silence ensued his departure as everyone waited to hear him climb in the cab and start the engine. Once he had, Zell was the first to speak.

"So what exactly are we doing?" Zell asked.

"Yeah. I don't like just stumblin' into a mission, ya know?" Raijin agreed.

"Well you and I are going to pose as passengers on the train while they patrol all the cars. We'll all have these to communicate with," Xu pulled four small packages from a storage bin behind her. Opening one, she showed them the two small pieces. "This little piece you should know goes in your ear. This second piece may feel a bit uncomfortable at first, but its your transmitter. There's a film on the flat side. You peel that off and press that side up against the roof of your mouth." She nonchalantly put both pieces of her set on and started unbuttoning her uniform. Fujin narrowed her eyes and looked around uncertainly. Zell didn't even notice. He was still too busy staring at the mouth piece in his hand. Beside Xu, Raijin began removing his uniform too. Fujin stared at the SeeDs before her in disbelief.

"This is sooo gross," Zell grimaced, oblivious to the scene before him. "Its all pasty," He poked at it with his finger. Fujin slapped him. "What?" He looked up quickly and jumped in surprise. "Whoa!" Xu looked up at him, her hair falling into her face as she worked her way out of her pants. Zell turned slowly to Raijin, who was already out of uniform. "We weren't told to wear extra clothing under our uniforms."

"That's because you're not changing out of yours," Xu answered. "Now put your mouth piece in." Zell frowned as he looked to his palm and found it empty.

"What the?" He leaned forward in hi seat and groaned. "I dropped mine." Fujin and Xu rolled their eyes in unison.

"Eww. Ya have to put that in your mouth ya know," Raijin grinned as he pulled on a second shirt to finish his disguise. Zell turned to Xu with a look of disgust on his face.