TODO: Another day of training passed, Acma and Raddie leveled up. At night, Quistis invited Seifer to come over her tent and talked #2.
"You should try splitting the ground before throwing Firaga. I. Seifer suggested.
"How so? 1, Acma asked.
"Earth enhances Fire. It's not well documented be cause almost very few could split Earth and cast magic at the same time.. It's a combo common among sorceress and knight.
"Wait... Isn't it your Blood Rust move? n
"Yeah. But your Fire will be much more powerful."
Acma was won during if Ultimecia backed Seifer more during the war, this pair could have been invincible. But fortunately, Ultimecia was not a team player.
"How do I split Earth then? My telekenesis is not strong enough."
"Not strong. That should be enough. You got to get a bit lucky at the terrain though. Come."
Seifer released a Fire spell to clear the icy and snowy ground.
"Put on your thermal tense. I can just tell by looking on the ground and maybe nearby tree's big roots pattern. But it should be more accurate with your device. You see the line?
"Um... Sort of… where exactly though?
"Midway..." Seifer threw his Hyperion to a few feet away, pointy the sword deep into the ground. the surrounding terrain around the sword already split. "Clear?"
"Um. Probably. Then what?..
"Your turn. Put your horn on the Midway of my Hyperion and that tree. Do it."
Acma used Telekinesis to dig her Mesmerize worn onto the point but nothing happened.
"Too far?"
"No, on spot. But too weak. Maybe spin it a bit?"
Han a retried, adding a spin this time, but the horn kept hitting the same spot like before.
"Oh come on. A little more force, more spin. Almost there. Concentrate, you hit like a girl..."
"I am a girl. And I surely can hit hard! she raged at Seifer's mock, this time, the horn moved at much higher speed and tore the ground, creating a huge crack between the Hyperion and the target tree.
Seifer gasped at the huge crack, and almost lost his Hyperion on the abyss. "Hyne! Mad women!" He looked at Acma who was also in shock to see her damage.
"It worked?" "You're welcome! Put that's not all. You also need to cast Firaga at the right moment. See the thermal signal has changed with this crack? Imagine that tree being your opponent. Most of the living was more like that tree, made out of fibre and fluid. From here you can cast magic and the thermal flow would deliver that to your opponent. Come to think of it, you can try Thundaga. I just never tried it for obvious reason. But it may just work. I've Seen Raif in with a similar move.
"Thank you, Senior Seifer... This is eye opening. Really, thank you for leading me."
"Not done yet. work your ass off. We can't lose to that loser team. Now keep going. I'll go prep lunch. Can't trust your only-good-at-theory instructor for that."
"Where's Acma?" Raddie asked as he and Quistis walked by Seifer's fire.
"Cracking holes. She surely will be at your ace this time. n
"Not after I taught him how to disable lasso. We will keep the rule, no high level magic on field, yeah?"
"Oh be live me, one Fire and the bacon boy will be roasted this time. 11
"Can't wait to see the face off. Don't forget our bet, Seifer."
"Talk with too much confidence, Trepe!"
As they continued tossing threats when working on lunch. Acha ran 1 towards them.
"Let's go. I've found it.
"You've found what? n "the entrance! to Evalescent. It#not a mountain. More precisely, it is an underground mountain. I've detected more thermal activity as I cracked the ground per Senior Seifer's training, and I accidentally found it.
"Iet's go then." Seifer said, stood up with his Hyperion waving in the air.
"We should stick to the protocol, split and do some observation first. This is an unknown terrain We don't have any backup. Once in, we don't know if we can get out. Quistis crossed her arms.
"Seifer?" Quistis whispered and poked their tents again, certain that Acma and Raddie had gone to sleep.
"Wall time?"
"Yeah. Up for it?"
"What do you want to talk about?" Seifer asked.
"It's your turn last night, remember?"
"Drop it." He sighed.
"Okay, fine. I can lead one more time tonight. But next time, it's your turn." Quistis negotiated.
"No."
"How is that fair?"
"Tch... Unlike you, I don't have the need to dump," Seifer replied, not hiding his annoyance.
"That's why you always scowl. It's not good for your health, you know? I used to be like that until Rinoa and Selphie came into the picture. It's therapeutic, it truly is. Talking."
"…"
"Okay... sorry. Go back to your reading. Forget what I said," Quistis gave up, but somehow she was certain that Seifer would come back once she stopped begging. "Good night, Seifer!"
"Wait."
"Yeah?" Quistis smiled internally.
Seifer tried to think of a topic; it was too late to retreat now.
"Do you and the princess have happy talks? After she stole your prince charming?"
"I told you last night, I'm done with Squall. Sure, it's awkward at first, but we all have pasts. Wait... you're not asking about me, you care about Rinoa? She told us you two had a history."
I don't care about Rinoa. I care about you.
"She did?" Seifer asked, disbelief in his voice. "I guess she liked my performance."
Sensing this interesting topic could slip away, Quistis suggested an idea.
"Would it be weird if I asked you to come over here? You know, for privacy. It might be easier to share knowing the little Trepies can't listen in."
"Wow. To be honest, I can hardly hear you over the bacon boy's hammering snores..."
"I take it as an yes, then?" she interrupted him just before any rude remark came out.
"Instructor Trepe…" Seifer chuckled.
"For God's sake, Seifer. Bring your sleeping bag. We're bros. Why does everything have to be sexual to you?"
Seifer gasped at her accusation. He was busy formulating a clever retort at her invitation, but Quistis managed to snap before him.
"Fine… though keep your dick in your… tube dress? Whatever weird thing you're covering your ass with right now."
Quistis chuckled. "I promise, just a talk. Come over here."
She served him chamomile tea as he settled his sleeping bag two feet away from hers.
"I'm going to turn off the light, if you don't mind?" Quistis asked as Seifer sipped half of the tea.
"Sure... so we'll lie down in the dark and talk?"
"That's what we do during girls' nights." Quistis turned off the light as she finished her sentence, catching Seifer's retorted face when he heard "girls' night."
"So... where were we?" Quistis asked as she settled under the warm sheets.
"Squall. Rinoa and you. What do you guys talk about?"
"No, we're going to talk about you and Rinoa first. I shared too much yesterday. You start tonight."
Just that moment Seifer realized he had fallen miserably into Quistis' trap, being interrogated in her tent. He reluctantly began to disclose his story after letting out a sigh.
"We met a couple of times over the summer the year before 'that event.' She approached me to ask about hiring SeeDs. I wasn't a SeeD, but I knew we were short-staffed and unable to support her crazy idea of liberating Timber from Galbadia anyway. But I guess it's free now? Nevertheless, the plan sounded crazy back then. Futile, suicidal. That's why I reacted angrily when we were in the disciplinary room, knowing our new SeeDs were being dispatched. You know the rest," Seifer recalled.
Quistis remembered facing Seifer in the disciplinary room - his holy shrine - where he was disciplined for leaving his teammates behind in Dollet Dukedom. As she told him Squall and the squad was being dispatched to Timber, Seifer flipped and ran all the way to capture Vinzer Delling himself. Quistis regretted until this day for failing to stop him, marking the spiral downturn of the knight.
"I remember. You were worried about Squall and the team?"
"No. I just disagreed with Cid's stupid decision to send new SeeDs on a suicidal mission."
"Not legit. That's what we're trained for. Besides, Edea and Cid knew a gunblade user would fight against the sorceress. That's why Cid sent Squall as soon as he passed his SeeD exam," Quistis explained.
Seifer paused, contemplating. A gunblade user? It could have been him, who unfortunately turned out to be on the opposite side.
"But that's too heavy for a girls' night," Quistis lightened the mood. "I was asking more about you and Rinoa. She said... you were her boyfriend? How did that happen?"
"She said I was her boyfriend?" Seifer asked, showing a hint of confusion. "Wow, I didn't know I was that important to her after I took her to the SeeD celebration party and introduce her to Cid."
"You said you two spent the whole summer together, right?"
"We made out maybe twice, and that's about it. I was a normal teenager, Quistis. What would you do if a hottie threw herself at you? She was calculating, though, and I didn't mind the benefits."
"That makes sense." Quistis slowly nodded.
"Are you judging? Me or Rinoa?" Seifer sensed a judgmental hint in her voice.
"No one! I meant it. I'm 22, not 12 anymore."
"Good. It's always weird to talk to a prude about that kind of stuff."
Silence.
Seifer rolled his eyes, a hint of exasperation in his voice. "Really? No contest? You're seriously... a prude?"
"That's none of your business!" Quistis retorted.
"Wow, Instructor Trepe..." Seifer raised his hands in the air and began clapping slowly. "22 years and counting… You should be in a museum."
"Anyway, it's my turn. Rinoa, Squall, and I... well, I had the honor of witnessing Squall risking his life to save the princess," Quistis quickly changed the subject, recounting the moment when Rinoa was left adrift in space after Ultimecia used her to free Adel. Squall had refused to return to Earth with Quistis and Ellone, instead choosing to jump out into space to catch Rinoa. Thankfully, they landed on Ragnarok and survived.
"That's the most romantic thing one can do, risking their life for someone they love," Quistis sighed, sounding slightly jealous of Rinoa.
That I can't disagree. Seifer nodded internally.
"Seifer, do you hug your friends? Like Fujin and Raijin kind of friends, not romantic partners?"
"Sometimes… Not initiated by me, though, for the record. I saved their asses a couple times. How is that relevant to the story?"
"Well... Rinoa told me that on Ragnarok, she helped Squall realize how much he had missed physical contact, like his mother's touch, especially since Ellone had left. Rinoa wanted him to hug her, to experience that personal touch as if it were from his mother. But Squall was so cute; he told Rinoa she wasn't his mother." Quistis laughed. "One, I found it funny. And two, when she told me that, I realized that, like Squall, I was also an orphan. I never understood the significance of something as simple as personal touch. Matron was kind and nice, but maybe she had too many orphans to care for. I don't remember being hugged by her much. Anyway, that's one of the many reasons why I lost to Rinoa. She was loved and knew what love was, how it should feel. We orphans were just a bunch of broken weirdos seeking approval through battles, bumping into each others, and sometimes mistaking any interaction for love."
Say who? Seifer wondered who Quistis was referring to as mistaking love, but he chose to remain silent, contemplating her words.
"Would it be weird if I lay down next to you for a hug?" she asked, turning to Seifer.
"Quistis... rest assured, it can't get any weirder. None of this girls' nights thingy have been normal, and you know it. Just do it; I won't tell anyone. Just remember to keep your D off me, prude."
Quistis chuckled. "Okay, I promise you this is the last request. I'll behave."
She slipped into Seifer's sleeping bag, finding it pleasantly warm.
"Geez… why are your hands so cold, Icy Queen?"
"I junctioned with Shiva. What do you expect?"
Seifer held his breath to calm himself as he made space for Quistis. Odin's horns. Marlboro's tentacles. Bomb's lips.
"Do you miss your parents?" she asked, gently resting her arm over Seifer's chest.
"..."
"I don't know mine. Maybe it's better that way," Quistis said, understanding that Seifer didn't want to answer.
"Your foster parents don't count?" Seifer inquired.
Silence.
Seifer began to regret asking her. He knew she had willingly junctioned with Shiva on her first day back at Garden. There were rumors circulating about a blond girl collapsing at the Garden's entrance, whispering Cid and Edea's names after spending the night in heavy rain. Then, with cold, emotionless eyes, she stared into the void, not even acknowledging him when he called out her name, recognizing his long-lost friend.
"It was fine until I hit puberty at ten, and my foster mom started having frequent visitors. I wish… after I stopped junctioning, I remembered more… and suddenly everything made sense. Like why I cringe whenever someone compliments me as a pretty girl… I even hated myself for wearing slightly revealing clothes that accentuate my curves. I feel like a…"
Her words trailed off, replaced by tears soaking through his shirt. Seifer's heart felt as if it had been pierced, imagining the pain on the face of the young Quistis. He quickly wrapped his arms around her shoulders, squeezing her for comfort and protection.
"It's okay now, Quistis. You're safe now. You're one of the strongest. It's… not your fault. None of these was our fault. Cry it out, don't hold back. I'm here."
Seifer felt her nod. They drifted through the night, internalizing their pain and gradually finding peace.
Next morning.
"Thanks for staying."
"No problem. Well... I'm leaving, before your nosy Trepies wake up and observe my hall of shame."
"I don't mind if you want to stay for coffee…
"Really? You are not afraid of being seen with me at this hour? That's very bold of you,..- 11
Quistis realized Seifer was holding back on the word "prude". She crossed her arms and chuckled.
"One, I'm 22, not 12. And, two, Seifer, just be yourself, you don't have to be extra nice to me after I've opened up to you. Just be yourself, I know we are good... Whatever we are.
"Great to hear. Well, asshole mode reactivated. Anyway, I'll go find some birds for breakfast. Save me some coffee, will you?
"Okay. See you, Seifer. "I
As Seifer left Quists' tent, he couldn't believe his departure could be that smooth. Being with her felt so natural, he wouldn't have to try hard and just be himself, unlike when he was dating Rinia, whatever that was.
"Senior Seifer... You and Miss Trepe... well. good morning!" Acma looked at Seifer from head to toe, and seemed to figure out the answer to her own question and about to walk away.
"Nothing... Whatever!" He snapped, then back to his tent for hunting tools.
