Battle of Egos

Author: Qevna

I don't own the characters. They are property of Square Enix Co, LTD.

Chapter 6 Paying Back

Still no news about Zell. Everyone in the Garden where starting to worry, teachers because he had missed a couple of major exams, his friends because they didn't know if he was alive or not and Seifer because he didn't have anyone to pick on anymore. A hotdog sales had come down drastically, not suprising because Zell was the major fan of those.

Squall and Irvine sat on the cafeteria and looked exhausted.

"The training isn't same without Zell", Squall murmured scratching his bruises.

"You said it", the gunner nodded resting his head to the table.

"He's the one taking all the hits while we beat the hell out of the fiends." he continued as he took his hat off and rubbed his head.

"Those bruises won't do good for your image, you know." Squall chuckled and patted gunner's head a bit and chipped his coke.

"I know. The chicks are scared now... Scars are good, but bruises are no-no..." Irvine sighed.
Seifer walked in to the cafeteria and walked past the pair's table ignoring them like they had done to him. Irvine felt regret and yelled after him.

"Hey pal, come sit with us and hear the news."

Seifer turned around slowly and gazed to Irvine's direction.

"What news?" He asked puzzled but also tiredness in his eyes.

"Come sit on the bench and you'll hear." Irvine winked and tapped the place next to him.
Squall watched the scene interested waiting to see what Irvine was up to. He knew that there wasn't any news that would interest Seifer, but he wasn't going to reveal Irvine's bluff to Seifer.

The knight sat on the bench and smacked his Hyperion on the table.
"This better good."

"With that attitute of yours, I might not reveal what I know about Zell's wereabouts." Irvine stayed mysterious as he focused on his lunch rather than the knight which of course made Seifer more irritated.

"Fine, don't tell, like I care." He snorted and was ready to take his leave but Irvine was quicker.

"He's alive, you know. And in Timber."
With that Seifer freezed on his tracks and thought of what was said.
"You sure about this?"

"Pretty much, I saw him by my two own eyes." Irvine said and took a sip of his coffee.

"If I was you, I would hurry before he leaves again." But Seifer was already running towards cafeteria's entrance leaving his Hyperion behind him. Squall took it and glanzed to Irvine.

"Are you sure it's safe to lie to Seifer? He comes back pretty angry when he finds out." He reminded the gunner and polished the Hyperion's blade.

"Who said that I'm lying?" Irvine shrugged and smiled mysteriously.

"So... Zell's back, huh?"

"Well... I saw him crossing the bridge from the Fisherman's Horizon last night while I was on an assignment, so I assume that he went to Timber for a night. He's a big boy, a couple of fiends can't kill him that easily." Irvine summed up his thoughts.

"Wow.. Why didn't you tell us?" Squall said with a hurted voice because he had been really worried about his friend and Irvine had known that the Zell was okay after all but hadn't told about it.

For a moment the gunner stayed quiet but finally decided to confess "Let's just say that this was also my fault so I want to pay back to Seifer and help him make up his mistake."

Squall stayed quiet and the two of them finished up their lunches and parted to the classes in silence Squall still carrying Seifer's gunblade.

Meanwhile Seifer was already half way to the Timber as he noticed that his favorite weapon wasn't with him at all.

"Fuck... this isn't good... " He thought but the boat was already getting close to the Timber's shore so he couldn't turn back.

"I hope my fists are strong enough to kick some butt" He said aloud measuring his fists while the shore grew larger in front of him. Soon enough he would know because Timber's forests were famous of rebels and fiercy fiends that attacked unprepared travellers with pleasure.