It had been a rough day. At Quistis's absolute insistence, Rinoa had refrained from activating her sorceress powers and trying to return to Squall until the morning after she arrived in Spira. Quistis didn't want to make any more hasty decisions. She wanted to give everyone time to think, and Rinoa and Yuna time to rest.
First thing in the morning, Rinoa had walked out into the plaza and tried to activate her powers. It hadn't worked. After her first unsuccessful efforts, Rinoa had become frantic. She kept trying, seemingly harder and harder, but it was clear to anyone that it just wasn't working.
When she finally gave up, she'd needed an outlet for her emotion. Quistis had become her target. She blamed Quistis for making her wait, insisting that her powers would have worked fine the day before. Quistis knew Rinoa was just upset, or rather, heartbroken, devastated, afraid, helpless, and hopeless—Quistis knew, because she was feeling the same emotions—but still Rinoa's anger had hurt, more than it should have. It didn't make sense that Rinoa's powers would have worked yesterday but not today. It wasn't Quistis's fault, and even Rinoa must have known that in her heart, but still Quistis felt bruised by the accusations.
Seeing the disappointment in Yuna's eyes, even though the small, friendly smile had never left her lips, made Quistis feel even worse. She'd actively avoided Lulu and Wakka all day, knowing she couldn't take a conversation with them after she'd allowed Yuna so much hope that led to disappointment.
Knowing that she was the last person who could possibly comfort Rinoa, Quistis had gone for a walk alone. It had been a long day and it wasn't even midday yet. But perhaps some fresh air would allow a new perspective on things and the problems would seem smaller by evening.
Or, maybe there would be even more problems before the day was over.
"Instructor." Quistis froze when she heard the voice. She no longer worked as an instructor, but her career was not so long gone that the term felt out of place. No, it was not the word but the voice that made her feel unsettled. It was a strange thing, how difficult it could be to place something familiar when experienced out of context. Recognition was not quite within her grasp as she turned around. Which is why she must have looked so surprised when she finally faced him.
"What is it, Instructor? Have you forgotten me already?"
"What are you doing here?" She didn't know if she should be afraid or just annoyed. She didn't want to fight him, certainly not alone, but she doubted he was here to challenge her. That said, she didn't have a clue why he would be here. How he could be here.
"I'm injured. You don't think I'm concerned about the whereabouts of my good pal, Squall?" He laughed. "Actually, I'm here because I heard that there's a gunblade in need of a wielder." He drew his own gunblade and rested it against his shoulder. "Care to show me the way, or do I have to find it myself?"
Anger washed over Quistis, cleansing away any lingering confusion or fear. "You're here to steal Squall's gunblade? That's low, even for you, Seifer."
Seifer smiled. "Well, I'm not here just for the gunblade." He turned to walk away, so his final words were muffled, though Quistis could still make them out. "I heard there's also an angel here with broken wings."
He's going to die. Looking at Squall, unconscious and bleeding, Tidus was filled with dread. He's going to die, and I'm going to have to tell Rinoa.
No, explaining to Rinoa that he'd watched Squall bleed to death was not an option. Tidus was not a healer himself, but that didn't mean he couldn't do anything to help Squall. This place was much different from where they were. There were fiends here, and water. Maybe there were other people here too. Perhaps healers, or at least someone who would know what to do. If Tidus couldn't heal Squall himself, he'd just have to find someone who could.
Tidus emptied the most powerful potion he had onto Squall's wounded back, then he set off to find help.
Quistis found the others gathered in the outdoor meeting area where they had first spoken with Yuna.
"We have a problem," she said breathlessly.
Zell, Irvine, and Selphie exchanged confused looks. "Yeah…"
"I mean we have a new problem." Quistis glanced around the area. "Where's Rinoa?"
"I think she's with Yuna. Just give her a little time, she'll come around!" Selphie sounded as cheerful as ever.
"She's just upset about Squall. She didn't mean what she said." Irvine adjusted his hat on his head. "I think usually when she feels sad or worried Squall comforts her. Since he's what she's upset about—"
"I get it, Irvine. I really do." Quistis's tone was sharper than she intended. "But that's not the problem." She pointed to the far end of the village, where a figure was just emerging from the trees. "That's our problem."
"SEIFER?!" Zell leapt to his feet, hands balled into fists. "What's he doing here?!"
Quistis shook her head. "Apparently he wants Lionheart."
"WHAT?!"
Irvine stood and drew his rifle. He pointed it at Seifer and sighted down the barrel as he spoke. "He came here for Squall's gunblade? How'd he even get here?"
He lowered the gun and looked to Quistis.
"I don't know." As Quistis watched, Seifer approached Yuna's tent. Lionheart, Brotherhood, and Yuna's staff were gathered together, stuck in the ground outside the tent.
Quistis and the others hurried down the cobblestone walkway to intercept Seifer.
"DON'T YOU DARE!" Zell screeched as Seifer pulled Lionheart from the ground.
"You think you're gonna stop me, chicken-wuss?"
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Zell rushed at Seifer. Seifer, a gunblade in each hand, opened his arms, welcoming the challenge.
"Seifer?!" Rinoa emerged from the tent, Yuna right behind her. Seifer lowered his weapons and turned toward her. She took a step backwards, pressing into Yuna. "What's going on?"
"Hey, 'Noa." Seifer's voice was soft, almost…friendly. It was not a tone Quistis had ever heard from him before. "Are you alright?" Quistis noticed Seifer's eyes fell to the pendant—Squall's pendant—that Rinoa wore around her neck, but then refocused on her face.
"Are you serious?!" Zell stepped between Seifer and Rinoa, his fists raised. "After you tried to kill her, after you tried to kill all of us, you think you can talk to her like that?"
Seifer ignored Zell and reached a hand toward Rinoa. "I never wanted to hurt you, 'Noa."
Rinoa stepped further behind Zell, evading Seifer's touch. "Why are you here, Seifer?"
"I was worried about you. I heard what these guys dragged you into. Where Squall took you. I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"I thought you were here for Lionheart," Quistis said.
Seifer scowled and tossed Lionheart aside. "I'm here for you, Rinoa."
Rinoa, tucked between Zell and Yuna, clutched at the pendant around her neck. "Go away, Seifer."
"You heard her. Now get outta here!" Zell took a step toward Seifer.
"Fine." Seifer's eyes flicked to where Selphie was retrieving Lionheart. He gave a small shrug and began to walk out of the village. "I'll just go back home then."
He had taken a few steps when Selphie quietly asked, "Do you think he really has a way home?"
Seifer spun back around. "Of course I know how to get home. Only an idiot would go to a strange world without a plan for getting back." He looked around at the others in turn, his gaze coming to rest on Quistis last, a sickeningly smug grin on his face.
"I'm shocked, Instructor. You came here without having a way to get back? That sounds reckless. Irresponsible. Maybe even troubled."
The adjectives, of course, were carefully chosen. They were the words she'd used very often to describe Seifer when she was his instructor at Balamb Garden. On the one hand, it wasn't at all unexpected that he would take any and every opportunity to make his onetime allies and more recent enemies feel foolish. On the other hand, it had been a long time since Seifer was a SeeD cadet. Maybe it really wasn't so long if you looked on the calendar, but with all that had happened recently, it seemed like a lifetime since Quistis had filled out a student evaluation. Even more than that, despite his poor evaluations and even after his fifth failed field exam, Seifer had never been forced out of Garden. He'd turned away from Garden to follow his dream of being a Sorceress Knight. Yet he was clearly full of resentment toward her. Perhaps his stint as Sorceress Knight was not as satisfying as he had hoped.
"How are you going to get back?" Rinoa asked.
Seifer walked up to Rinoa and took her hand in his. "The same way I came, of course. You can come with me, 'Noa. I know you didn't come here of your own accord."
"What about everyone else?"
"Fine. Whatever. If they got themselves stranded, I guess I can rescue them." Seifer turned toward Quistis, looking far too proud of himself. " 'Cause I'm just that nice a guy."