Legacy

Second story in the Sands of Time series.
by scribblemoose

Chapter 6

Irvine straightened his hat and pressed the buzzer on Xu's office door. He had a feeling he was about to make her day.

But when the door slid open to reveal Xu, sitting at her desk behind a pile of papers, he was in for a surprise. Her eyes were bloodshot, her cheeks flushed. Something wasn't right.

"Irvine. What can I do for you?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, fine, thanks. Come in."

Irvine strode into the room and stood in front of Xu's desk.

"I expect you've seen Selphie," said Xu.

"Actually, no. I thought after yesterday she'd be wiped out. How is she?"

Xu gave him a long look, as if making sure he wasn't taking the piss. "You haven't stopped by the ballroom, then?"

"No, I thought after yesterday..."

"Yeah, right, me too. But apparently it doesn't matter what I think any more."

Irvine raised an eyebrow. "It doesn't?"

"Never mind. It doesn't matter. What was it you wanted?"

"I..." Irvine frowned. Xu wouldn't meet his eye. "Is she okay? Is something wrong between you guys?"

"That's none of your business," Xu said tersely.

"Okay, right. Sorry. Only she is my friend and..."

"Then ask her about it."

"Oh. Okay, then."

"Fine. Now, what was it you wanted?"

Irvine tossed a large envelope onto the desk in front of her. "Transfer papers. I filled in the form. It needs you or Squall to sign and I thought if you didn't mind..."

"I'll sign it."

"Thanks. I would ask Squall but it's a busy day and he doesn't need me bothering him with stuff like this."

Xu gave him a knowing look. "You're too scared to tell him."

"Well, yeah, I guess."

"That's okay. I'll tell him when you're gone. Tomorrow?" Xu opened the envelope and slid out the papers.

"Yup. If you can put the paperwork through fast enough. I don't have any more missions scheduled here, so... now I've decided I'd like to get it over with."

She scanned the forms, probably not trusting Irvine to fill them out right. He had a bad reputation when it came to paperwork. "I'll call Martine later today and tell him to roster you from Wednesday."

"Thanks."

"You've made the right decision," said Xu, signing the form with a flourish. "I'm sure you'll be much happier in Galbadia.

"Take care of her," said Irvine.

There was a moment; their eyes met, hers steely-hard and hiding everything for all that they were wet with tears.

"Dismissed, Captain Kinneas," she said.

She'd gone back to her paperwork before he'd left the room.

*******

Frila opened her eyes to the immediate sting of water. She blinked, and choked, and spluttered. She was alive.

She gulped in huge lungfuls of air and looked around her. For some reason the water-creature had let her go. Tenta's still form lay at her side, and Seifer was looking down at her. He actually looked concerned.

"Get up," he said gruffly. "We've got to fight this thing. It's regrouping."

She took his offered hand and let him help her to her feet. "You hit it?"

"Didn't have to. It didn't like the taste of you for some reason. Probably because you changed shape into something that looked a lot like a red dragon breathing fire."

"Oh, that would be Vector. You've done a scan?"

Seifer's eyes narrowed. "I can't. No magic, remember?"

"Oh. Sorry, I... not really... hang on, let me." ~Vector?~

~Shield.~

~Thanks for the camouflage. Scan, please?~

Six sleeping guards and... Sulis.

"Get a Phoenix Down into Tenta. It's a Guardian." Frila squared her shoulders, gunblade at the ready. Water Guardian. It picked Tenta for its first victim. Water. Opposed to Fire. They needed Ifrit.

"She's very weak."

Water swirled in front of Frila. The mere thought of calling Ifrit made her skin crawl. Fire magic. She just knew it would be fucking fire magic.

~Shield.~

A voice like waterfalls. Not Vector. It knew her name.

Something calm kicked in deep inside of Frila and her mind cleared.

Without fire magic they stood next to no chance of subduing it, and no Guardian would let itself be junctioned without some impressive show of strength. She could sense it gathering its power for its next attack, for all that it was purring her name like it was trying to seduce her.

"Seifer, take Ifrit."

He stared at her in disbelief. "I'm not allowed, remember?"

"Take him! Now! And cast a firaga on this thing!"

Seifer didn't hesitate any further, which might have bothered Frila if she'd had time to think about it. But she didn't. Sulis was approaching fast. Frila changed the mix of power through her gunblade from water to fire and charged. Slashed and shot. Neither gun nor blade made an impact but the fiery trail they left behind won a searing cry from the Guardian. She pulled back and charged again.

"Firaga!" Seifer roared, and flame shot from his fingertips. Sulis screamed and splashed back against the wall. It looked smaller. The room filled with steam.

"Again!" Frila shouted.

This time Seifer cast silently. His eyes were wild, his body shaking as power coursed through it. Again the fire flowed across the room to strike the creature clean through its centre.

A shape was forming, like a spout, springing from the wall.

~Sulis,~ Frila announced, keeping her voice as steady and as authoritative as she could. Keeping the memories at bay because this was nothing like, ~nothing like, and anyway that way lay weakness. ~You feel our power. Be with me!~

~Ifrit,~ Sulis growled, a noise like a river rushing over gravel.

~We defeated Ifrit long ago. See our power? Join us.~

Seifer drew back his arm. "Would you rather I summon the demon himself? Want another fireball? He has plenty."

~We will not,~ said Frila pointedly, ~if you will join us.~

There was a long pause. Sulis was still, water flowing through its shape as if it were a fountain in a plaza somewhere.

~I will join my power with yours, and together we will be great!~

It came at Frila as a slap of water and a sudden, near-consuming awareness in her mind. An acutely, painfully familiar awareness. The lapping of waves like the rustle of scales and the rush of water over stones.

~Shield! Be with me!~

She wanted to. She wanted to junction this thing right now, to see, to search, in the strange and painful hope that it might somehow fill the ache that had been inside her from the moment Oceanus had given his life for hers.

No. Not yet.

~Be still. Wait.~

Sulis settled into the back of Frila's mind, subdued but unjunctioned.

Frila slumped back against the wall and took a few deep, eyes-closed breaths.

Vector shifted about, prodding curiously at the new Guardian, testing out images of Sulis' various forms. There was no opposition there, at least. Frila opened her eyes and tried to focus. Best to keep moving.

Seifer was standing in front of her, staring at his hands. He was shaking.

"Tenta," said Frila, forcing her legs to move, crossing to the crumpled form at Seifer's side. "Phoenix Down, Seifer."

He blinked at her.

"Potion. Come on, we don't have long. Give me the potion."

Slowly, too slowly, as if he'd never heard of such a thing, he pulled a vial from his pocket and handed it to Frila. She snatched it from him, tilted Tenta's head back and poured it down her throat. Snapped the girl's jaw shut and watched her swallow. Counted to ten.

At eight, Tenta's eyes shot open; on ten she choked and spluttered.

~Curaga~

~Curaga~ Frila looked up in surprise to see Seifer's healing magic blend with her own.

Tenta gasped in breath, still coughing. Faint tinges of blue magic flickered through her skin.

"Here." Seifer cupped Tenta's skull in one hand and shut his eyes. "Junction."

Tenta looked for a moment as though she didn't know what he meant, but then her eyes closed and she focused. Power flowed to her from Seifer as Ifrit was returned.

Seifer moved away then, leaving Frila to help Tenta to her feet.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," Tenta said. "What was that?"

"Guardian. Looks like Intelligence didn't pick up everything about the mission."

"Sorry I let it get to me. I guess that's a fail, huh?"

"For all of us," said Seifer, weakly. "If she tells the truth."

"You don't fail just for getting knocked out," Frila said. She glared at Seifer, even though she was shocked by how pale and shaken he looked. "And as far as anything else goes, I stand by my actions. It's up to you to stand by yours."

"Steady," said Seifer. "You sound almost like a Team Leader."

"Let's just get the fucking safe open," said Frila.

"Did I miss something?" said Tenta, curiously.

Frila ignored her and crossed to the safe. She considered blowing the thing up with a thundara spell, but in the end decided it was as well to use Vector's skills instead. The Guardian directed its energy at the metal door for a moment, and then pronounced it to be untrapped and locked with a combination.

"Tenta? This is your department. Crack the combination."

Tenta produced a neatly folded tool pack and set to work.

Seifer was leaning against the wall next to the door where the guards had come out. "Is that room secure?" Frila said.

"You think I'd be standing here if it wasn't?"

"Just checking." He looked exhausted, and his hands were still shaking. Frila hoped to Hell they weren't going to get attacked again, because she wasn't sure he could wield a gunblade in that state.

"Shhh," Tenta complained. "I can't hear myself click."

Frila took herself off to the other end of the room and took up watch on the dark corridor beyond. She squeezed water out of her hair, which was bound to go horribly frizzy, and wrung out whatever bits of clothing she could reach. She shivered. Tenta, of course, was completely dry, thanks to the magic. Frila briefly considered a swift cure herself, but she was remarkably uninjured, and SeeD were just petty enough to mark someone down for using magic to dry clothing.

It probably didn't matter. She'd probably doomed them all to failure when she told Seifer to junction Ifrit. But all the same. Better to fail for something dramatic than a few measly points lost on a technicality.

"There!" Tenta gave a little squeal of triumph. "Open!"

"Good," said Frila. "Grab the gizmo and let's get the fuck out of here."

"I'm not putting my hand in there. It might be trapped."

"Oh, for Hyne's sake...." Frila stomped across the room. "I scanned it. No traps."

"I already passed out once," Tenta pouted. "It'll look really bad if I get blown up by a trap as well."

Frila rolled her eyes and reached inside the safe. There was the device, just like it was in the picture they'd been given. She picked it up and popped it in her pocket, switching it for the non-working dummy. She was about to shut the safe when something else caught her eye. A folder. A little black folder with documents inside.

"Make sure the Guards are still asleep," she said. "Then move out. Seifer, take the lead, I'll bring up the rear in a sec."

No harm in looking, after all.

*******

Squall walked at the edge of the surf at Balamb beach, letting only the rarest of waves tickle his boots. It was warm, the sun was bright and the light glanced off the ocean in sparkles. He let the sound of the tide and the smell of salt water calm him as he made his daily patrol of the cave.

Nida was on duty with Quistis for the field trials today, leaving two young SeeDs guarding the seal. Squall nodded to them and received their salute as he made his routine inspection.

"Everything alright?"

"Yes, Sir," said one of the SeeDs. They were both alert and attentive, even though it might have seemed to some to be a pointless duty. Squall felt a sudden rush of pride. SeeD was ready, as ready as they had ever been, to protect the world from evil forces at a moment's notice. If it wasn't for SeeD Ultimecia would rule time itself; monsters would run riot over towns and cities.... and yet to talk to all these fucking diplomats and politicians you wouldn't think it.

How quickly people forget.

"Good," said Squall. "At ease."

He checked the seal for himself, the subtle fusion of magic, steel and lead, running his fingers around the edge where it met and meshed with the rock of the cliff itself. All in order.

"Will you be going to the party tonight?" Squall asked.

"Yes, Sir," the SeeDs chorused.

"Have a good time," said Squall. "Thank you."

They thanked and saluted him in turn, and Squall left the cave and set about returning to Garden.

He decided for once to take his time. All that waited for him there was a pile of reports and deputations, after all. He wasn't sure he could take any more of that today. He found himself looking forward to the party.

And that was most definitely a first.

*******

Quistis chivvied the last team up the ramp to the transport, safe and sound for all that Frila seemed a little damp and Tenta distinctly subdued. She led them back to their assigned benches and informed them that she'd be debriefing them first.

"Thanks. I have a Guardian find to report," said Frila, tapping the side of her head.

"Junctioned?" said Quistis, startled.

"No. Just subdued."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I can cope. Unless you want it?"

"Correct protocol states-"

"-that the subduer should draw but not junction, proceed to the nearest Garden or other suitable facility and notify the Guardian Clearing Centre immediately. I presume we're going back to Garden?"

"Of course."

"Then I can manage," said Frila, sullenly.

Quistis gave her a stern look over the top of her glasses, but decided not to push it. The expression on their faces told her that something had happened back there, and subduing Guardians was never easy. "Well done," she said. "Good capture. Did you complete the mission?"

Frila reached into her pocket and produced the device they'd been sent to retrieve. "Yes. As stated."

Quistis took the little black object from Frila and made a few notes on her clipboard. "I'll take verbal reports from each of you. Seifer, you first. Then Frila, then Tenta. Commander Nida will supervise you in the meanwhile. Seifer, please come with me?"

All three saluted her, Seifer more ironically than respectfully but then she expected no better. She led Seifer into the tiny room at the front of the transporter that Quistis had set up as an interview room.

Its bare grey walls gave it an air of interrogation that she somewhat regretted, but this was, after all, supposed to be a test.

*******

It seemed to take forever for Seifer to come back. When he did return it was as his usual arrogant self. He told Frila it was her turn and took his place on the bench in front of the aloof Nida.

Frila made her way to the interview room and stuck her head around the door. Quistis looked up and indicated for her to come in.

"Please sit down, Cadet Alfyrd."

Frila sat, feeling the chill of damp leather on metal chair. She longed for a hot bath and some peace and quiet in which to contemplate her failure. But instead she faced Quistis across a cold metal table, in a cold metal room.

She suppressed a shiver.

"Is the Guardian still alright?"

"Yes. Seems to be resting. It's called Sulis. Elemental Guardian, water."

Quistis wrote that down. "Thank you. In case you were wondering, Guardian capture wasn't an intended part of the mission. Intelligence hadn't picked up a Guardian presence during surveillance."

"Guess it came along later."

"That seems likely. Now, I need your report. A full account of the mission, please, from the time you left the transport until the moment you returned."

"Okay." Frila took a deep breath and told her story as succinctly as she could, up to the point where Sulis had attacked. "Tenta was down," Frila said. "I left Seifer to subdue the guards and went to her defence."

"You did that rather than send Seifer because...." Quistis gave her a long look. Frila got the distinct impression there was a right and a wrong answer to that question.

"He was underpowered compared to me. He had no Guardian."

"Right. Good. And then...?"

"Before I could summon an attack Sulis went for me. I was knocked out for a sec, but apparently Vector shielded me and she spat me out. Made sense that a water Guardian would be opposed to fire, so we needed fire magic and Ifrit to combat it."

"So you drew Ifrit from Tenta?"

Frila took a breath, and hesitated. She found herself reluctant to tell the truth. Seifer was an arrogant, heartless bastard, but he'd done something almost decent back there. She remembered how he'd looked when Ifrit had gone again, pale almost to translucent, weak and trembling. Had he known it would feel like that? Why exactly was he denied even the puniest, least offensive of Guardians? It wasn't just to protect the world from Seifer, she was sure of that much.

"No," she said. "I told Seifer to draw Ifrit. Sulis wouldn't submit to me if I was carrying a fire elemental, it would just want a fight. The priority is to subdue so I did what I thought best to bring that about."

Quistis gave her a long, hard look. "You were given clear orders that Seifer should not junction with a Guardian. Under any circumstances."

"I had a strategy," Frila said softly. "If he didn't give Ifrit back I would have fought him."

"And jeopardised the mission."

"No. Not then. Later, I.... Later." Frila sighed. "Look, Quisty, can we cut the crap? We both know I failed the minute I asked him to junction. I knew it at the time. It was just the best way I could think of getting us out of there alive. I'm sorry. But it didn't feel like I had a choice. Don't be hard on Seifer, it's not his fault. Let's put it down to experience and I'll take Sanke back to Esthar, okay?"

"He didn't lie for you," Quistis said. "Seifer already told me he junctioned Ifrit."

"So what? I didn't do it out of some noble purpose or as a personal favour. I did it to save our lives and bag a Guardian."

Quistis sighed, disapproval all over her face. "Nothing is ever straightforward with you, is it Frila Alfyrd?"

"It will be from now on. If you'll just let me go. Please?"

"It's not for me to pass or fail you. I just take the reports and make my recommendations to Squall and Xu."

"Oh, Quisty, come on. You know neither of them are going to forgive me for giving Seifer a bit of fiery mojo. Do I really have to go through the humiliation of failing in front of everyone?"

"No. If that's your fate, you should face up to it with dignity and consider the consequences and your next steps carefully. Storming off in a sulk isn't going to help anyone." Quistis paused, holding Frila's gaze. "Especially Sanke."

That hurt.

Frila bowed her head. "What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to complete your report. You decided to take on Sulis, and you told Seifer to draw Tenta's Guardian."

"Yes."

"Why did you tell Seifer to take Ifrit rather than junctioning Ifrit yourself and telling Seifer to take Sulis?"

"Because Ifrit's an old hand. He wouldn't take any shit from Seifer and as Guardians go his power's pretty damn straightforward. It would be stupid to give a potential enemy powers of stealth or something completely unknown."

"Is that how you saw Seifer? As a potential enemy?"

Frila raised her head and looked Quistis in the eye. "Yes. Don't you?"

Quistis pressed her lips together in a disapproving line, but Frila knew she'd hit home.

"I gave him the benefit of the doubt," Frila said. "Look, for what it's worth, and I don't know why I'm saying it because the bastard doesn't deserve to have me sticking up for him, but it's the truth, so," she shrugged, "he wasn't happy about it. He didn't leap at the chance. I think he did it for the same reason I asked him to, to save Tenta and our own necks the best way we knew how."

"But couldn't you have done that by drawing Ifrit and attacking Sulis yourself?"

"Me, take on a Guardian all by myself and actually kill it? Don't forget, Almasy had no magic and this thing wasn't touched by gunblade alone. I wouldn't have stood a chance!"

A smile spread across Quistis' face.

"What?" said Frila.

"That was the right answer," Quistis said.

"Really?"

"Continue your report, please."

"Well... okay. Seifer drew Ifrit and we attacked Sulis, fire magic and gunblade. She fell quickly and I subdued her. Then we cured Tenta, Seifer gave Ifrit back to Tenta and we resumed the mission. Tenta opened the safe, we retrieved the thingie, left the dummy in its place, relocked the safe, slept the guards again and returned without incident."

"And that's all?"

"Um, yeah? Mission completed. End of story."

"You were over an hour late."

"There was more fighting than we expected. You know how it is, battles always take longer than you think. Tenta was a little nervous on the way back. Held us up a bit."

"Nothing else to report?"

Frila looked her in the eye. "No."

Quistis gave a little nod, and scribbled on her clipboard. "Thank you. You can go."

Frila pulled herself to her feet, wincing at the sound of wet leather peeling off the metal chair. "What happens now?"

"You can rejoin the others. When we arrive back in Balamb you'll have half an hour to change before you meet with Squall and Xu in the upstairs classroom to receive your results. Dismissed, Cadet."

Frila gave Quistis a miserable salute, and left.

*******

"There you are! Irvine Kinneas, come down from that ladder immediately!"

Irvine jumped so hard at the sound of Rinoa's voice that he nearly fell down the ladder. He tipped his hat back and peered down. "Rin?"

"I've been looking for you all day. Have you been avoiding me?"

Irvine's heart sank. "Hang on. I can't hear you. I'll be right down."

He slotted the gel back into the stage light he'd been working on, tightened up the screws and then made his way down the ladder.

Rinoa was waiting for him at the bottom, hands on hips and a twinkle in her eye. Sanke was with her in an identical pose.

"Hey," he said. "What's up?"

"You're far too elusive," Rinoa complained. "I've been all over trying to find you."

"It's true!" said Sanke. "We've been everywhere!"

"Well, you found me now." Irvine pulled out a handkerchief and set about wiping dust and grease from his hands. "What can I do for you?"

"You weren't here earlier," said Rinoa.

"A man has certain needs," said Irvine with a wink.

Rinoa snorted.

"So, is it Squall?" Irvine said. "What's he done? Forgotten your anniversary? Pissed off the President of somewhere important?"

"Well, he's really pissed off my father, but that's nothing new. No, it's not Squall. I just thought you'd like to know the teams are back from their field exam. We were going to go see how they got on. You want to come with?"

"Sure."

"Oh good!" Sanke clapped her hands together.

"Selphie!" Irvine yelled.

Selphie looked over from the stage, where she appeared to be winning an argument with a drummer who was about six times her size. He was looking positively scared. "Hey, Irvy!" She waved.

"Just gonna take a break for a sec, 'kay? I'll fix the rest of the lights when I get back."

"You better had, or I'll break both your legs!" She called back cheerfully.

The drummer went quite pale.

Irvine followed Rinoa out of the ballroom with Sanke skipping along behind. "They're upstairs," Rinoa said. "Let's wait in the corridor outside the classroom."

"Why, Heartilly, you wouldn't be using your privilege to find out who passed before anyone else, would you?"

"What on earth gives you that idea?" said Rinoa with a grin.

"I could have sworn that the area around the upstairs classrooms is out of bounds right now. I seem to remember a notice somewhere that results will be announced officially downstairs by the directory in the entrance hall."

"Really?" said Rinoa. "Must have slipped my mind."

Sanke giggled.

The upstairs corridors were quiet and deserted except for one SeeD stationed by the elevator. He nodded to them as they swept through.

"I'm nervous," said Sanke. "Are you?"

"I have butterflies," said Rinoa.

"Me too." Irvine tugged Sanke close to him and gave her a hug. "Worse than my own stupid field test."

"Or mine?" asked Rinoa.

"I'm not sure about that. As I recall we were all terrified that you'd beaten Squall to death."

Rinoa grinned. "Hardly."

Irvine grinned back, and winked.

"Oh, look!" said Sanke. "There's Squall!"

"Of course, Frila might have beaten Seifer to death," said Rinoa, mildly.

Squall strode towards them. There was a hum of voices and footsteps in the background as the classroom emptied and the candidates and instructors poured out in his wake.

"I'm sure you're not supposed to be here," said Squall, smiling. "Don't blame me if Quistis puts you on report."

Sanke swallowed hard and stared at Squall in awe.

"Fuck that," said Irvine. "Come on, man, did she pass?"

But before Squall could open his mouth to answer there was a blur of red hair and black leather and Frila shot down the corridor, past Squall, and snatched Sanke from Irvine's arms, spinning her around. Sanke let out a little squeak.

"I passed," Frila said, mostly into Sanke's hair. "I fuckin' passed. It's okay."

Sanke squealed, and wrapped her arms around Frila's neck. "I knew you would," she said, and looked up, beaming, at Irvine. "She passed!"

"Well done," said Irvine. "Not that anyone's surprised."

Frila blinked up at him, as if she was noticing him for the first time. "You wouldn't believe how close it was," she said.

Irvine exchanged glances with Squall. Squall shrugged. "She passed," he said. "Only two fails this year. Good class."

Irvine grinned. "It doesn't take a genius to work out who one of the failures was, eh? Gonna have to put the age limit up again, Squall?"

Then Irvine noticed Seifer, who was leaning against the opposite wall with the sort of grin on his face that Irvine would dearly like to wipe off with his fist.

"Tell them, Squally-boy," said Seifer.

Irvine's stomach sank.

"The cadets who failed were Kellon Findel and Tenta Foley," said Squall. "Almasy passed."

"Fuck me," said Irvine.

"I knew you'd be pleased," said Seifer.

"Kellon?" said Sanke. "That's a shame."

"Yeah," said Frila, still holding Sanke close enough that she could smell the ocean in her hair. "I don't know what happened."

"She can take it again next year," said Rinoa. "It's a tough test; usually the pass rate is much lower. Congratulations, Frila."

"Thanks."

Irvine stopped glaring at Seifer for long enough to ruffle Frila's hair. "Fuck knows how you kept this idiot in line long enough to drag him with you, but kudos for succeeding where so many before you have-"

"He passed in his own right," Frila snapped. "It's nothing to do with me."

Irvine opened his mouth to answer, and closed it again. "Okay," he said, softly. "Tough mission?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," murmured Frila. "Look, I'm sorry... I don't want to bring everyone down, but I just want to go back to our room and get a bath."

"Then go."

"Aren't I supposed to be rushing around looking pleased and being sociable?"

Irvine shook his head. "As a fully qualified gunblader you're expected to be a moody, bad-tempered loner. Look at our glorious leader here."

"Hey," said Squall mildly. "Little respect here, please?"

"Irvine's got a point," said Rinoa with a grin.

"And Seifer's already sloped off," Irvine observed. "Take Sanke back to your quarters and give her the blow by blow account of your astonishing victory. Oh, and work it up a bit, you'll need some stunningly exaggerated stories to break hearts with at the party tonight."

"That would just be you, Sniper," said Squall.

Frila finally let go of Sanke and pulled herself to her feet. "Okay. Thanks. I mean it." She looked around, from Sanke to Rinoa to Squall to Irvine, and finally let herself smile. "Thanks a lot. And I have to tell my father. He's gonna be over the fucking moon!"

They watched her go, rejoining the throng of SeeDs on their way downstairs to spread their good news with friends and family. By the time Quistis and Xu joined Irvine and the others the corridor was silent and still again. Quistis leaned back against the wall with a little sigh of relief.

"Seifer really passed?" Irvine asked Squall.

"Yes."

"How come?"

"He kept his nose clean for once."

"Mostly," Quistis added. "There was the small matter of junctioning Ifrit."

"What?!" exclaimed Rinoa. "He's not supposed to junction! Edea said..."

"Alfyrd ordered him to," Squall said.

"It was the right decision, with the information she had," Quistis added. "And Seifer handled it by the book."

"I never thought I'd hear you say that," said Irvine.

"Neither did I," said Quistis.

"So what are you going to do with him now, Squall?" said Rinoa.

Squall shrugged. "Put him to work, I suppose."

"I don't suppose there's any chance you'd transfer him to another Garden?" asked Quistis, wistfully.

"Sorry, Quisty." Squall gave her a little smile. "I need him where I can keep an eye on him."

"Thought you'd say that." Quistis gave a long-suffering sigh. "Ah well, at least Matron will be pleased."

The elevator stopped with a ping and Zell bounded out. "Only two fails!!" he yelled, and flick-flacked down the corridor to land just in front of Quistis. He held up one gloved hand and she high-fived him with a girlish giggle that Irvine hadn't heard in a very long time. "Best instructors ever!"

"We did a good job," Quistis agreed. "But we should really give the cadets some credit too."

"Eventually," said Zell, happily. "Sorry about Seifer, though. Man, I really never thought he'd pass. Still. Anyone for hot dogs?"

The others groaned at Zell's predictability but nonetheless agreed.

"Let's go quick," said Zell. "Avoid the rush after the official announcement."

That seemed to make sense, so they piled in the elevator and down to the first floor.

They had just reached the cafeteria when Irvine paused.

"Whassup, Man?" said Zell.

"We forgot Selphie. I'll go get her."

"I asked her, she said she's too busy. Come on, they'll run out!"

"But she's had a hard day, she's so stressed, she should really stop..."

Rinoa gave Irvine's arm a quick squeeze. "Yes, but I don't think she will, not until everything's just perfect for the party. You know how tetchy she gets around these big events. We'll get her some take out, 'kay?"

"Tetchy?" Irvine found himself following the others into the noisy cafeteria anyway, but he couldn't really relax and was quite happy to donate his hot-dog to Zell.

He wasn't sure he was ready for a world where Seifer was a SeeD, where Selphie was tetchy about parties and nobody seemed to care.

Maybe Xu really had been right about Galbadia all along.

*******

Squall looked up guiltily from his paperwork as the door slid open, expecting to see a reproachful Rinoa come to drag him off to the party. But it wasn't Rinoa. Frila stood in the doorway.

"Alfyrd?"

"Commander? I'm sorry to interrupt, is this a bad time?"

"No, that's fine. And call me Squall. You usually do," he said with a wry grin.

"Oh, okay. I wondered if it was different..." she approached his desk and smiled at him. "Sorry."

"You're off duty."

"Right. Um, there was something I thought you should know." She put a neatly-bound report on his desk in front of him. "I found something today when we regained the thingie, it's nothing to do with the mission, but I thought you should know."

Squall raised an eyebrow and picked up the report.

"I just.... It's from memory, I couldn't stop to take notes, but... I think I got the important stuff. I didn't tell anyone else, and I won't, unless... I just thought you should know. Um."

"Thank you."

"Okay. Well, I've got a party to go to."

"Have a good time."

Squall watched Frila leave his office and was about to settle down to read when the door opened again.

This time it was Rinoa.

She looked beautiful, dressed in a blue cocktail dress with fringes that whispered over her thighs in an hypnotic sort of way that left Squall staring and, quite possibly, drooling.

Squall let Rinoa drag him from his solitude, and the report rested silently on his desk, unread.

*******

Irvine left his silent and mostly-packed room and headed to the party. He was late; the first band were well into their set and the ballroom was full of newly-qualified cadets and SeeDs.

He leaned against the bar and got himself a beer, content for now to watch the room.

"Sometimes I miss the old formal inauguration balls, don't you?"

Irvine turned to find Quistis smiling at him. She was wearing a stunning red dress that clung to her like water, and her hair fell around her face in little ringlets. Most of all, the smile looked happy and sexy and everything a Quistis should be.

Irvine took some comfort in the thought that at least someone was happy.

"They had a certain charm. Can I get you a drink?"

"White wine spritzer, please. I think I must be getting old, it's the noise that gets to me. This is about as close as I can get to the stage without thinking my eardrums must be about to explode."

"Whatever you're getting, Quisty, it's not old." Irvine caught the bartender's eye and ordered her drink. "You look absolutely stunning, you know."

"Yes," said Quistis, still smiling. "I think I do, thank you."

"It's good to see," said Irvine softly.

"It was a good day. Even if Seifer did get through."

"He was bound to eventually. I'm sure Squall will enjoy sending him on many tedious and dangerous missions."

"That's a comforting thought."

"My speciality."

"You must be pleased about Frila."

Irvine took a swig of beer. "Yeah. I didn't doubt she'd pass, though."

"I did. She's one of the best gunbladers we've ever seen but she's been cut off from Garden for so long."

"Is that why you put her with Seif? Or were you secretly hoping she'd whoop his ass?"

"I needed to be sure she could handle leading a team that didn't want to be led. She may not know it but she's a bit of a star around here. Any gunblader gets their share of groupies, but she's fought with the best, been personally trained by Squall, she's been in Esthar for all this time... she's an exotic figure to a lot of impressionable young minds."

"I hadn't thought of it that way."

"I don't think she has, either. She'll find out, especially now she's made SeeD. And, you know, she did well today. She made some tough decisions, and although they might not have been the decisions I would have made, she followed through and it worked out fine."

"She's a good kid."

Quistis gave him a long, thoughtful look, the kind that left him feeling a little uncomfortable without really knowing why.

The band struck their final power chord to be met by enthusiastic applause. It was a safe audience; the crowd was here to celebrate and have a good time whatever.

Irvine spotted Frila then; she was passing the table where Squall and Rinoa were sitting with Zell and Ness. On her way to the bar.

"Tell her how proud you are," said Quistis, picking up her drink.

"What?" Irvine hesitated. "You don't have to go!"

"Look, there's Laguna, all on his own. I'd better keep him company, you talk to Frila."

"You really don't have to go," Irvine said plaintively, but Quistis just smiled.

"I never thought I'd see the day when the great Irvine Kinneas was shy of talking to a girl," she murmured, and greeted Laguna with a chaste kiss to his cheek.

*******

Meanwhile Squall was trying his best to be sociable.

It wasn't easy. On the whole he found things easier when the bands were on; he wasn't expected to make conversation then, just smile and nod, which was fine because he just picked up the cues from Rinoa.

It also meant he wasn't expected to really understand what people were saying. Seeing as he couldn't make much sense of Ness at the best of times, this was a distinct advantage.

Fortunately at the moment Rinoa was talking to her about clothes, which left him with only Zell to deal with, albeit a very excited and animated Zell.

"Cool band!" he enthused.

Squall shrugged. "They were okay."

"You remember when we played that gig for you out at FH?"

"How could I forget?"

"Man, that seems like a long time ago. We've all come a long way since then, huh? Who'd have thought we'd end up like this, you in charge of garden, all but married to Rin, and that I'd meet someone as amazing as Ness-" that earned him an approving glance from his girlfriend, which she somehow managed without breaking stride in her conversation with Rinoa. "And me an instructor... yep, we've come a long, long way."

"Yep," Squall agreed.

He noticed Irvine at the bar and his heart lifted for a moment: Irvine always knew what to say and how to save him from his own antisocial tendencies. If he could just attract his attention, or maybe find an excuse to join him at the bar... but Irvine seemed distracted, talking to someone Squall couldn't quite see through the crowd.

Zell mouthed "Frila" and winked.

Well, Irvine on the prowl on graduation night made sense, at least.

"Ness was just telling me that Zell's planning to take her away on a holiday," Rinoa said.

"That's nice," Squall managed.

"With your permission, of course," said Ness with a little laugh that grated on Squall's nerves.

"I'm not in charge of leave arrangements," Squall said. "I'm sure Xu would clear it though."

"Where are you going?" asked Rinoa.

"The beach near Winhill, we think."

"Oh, how romantic!"

Zell and Ness exchanged a look. Ness giggled, and squeezed Zell's hand. "Shall we tell them, babe?"

Zell smiled at her. "I was going to wait until tomorrow, when the whole gang are together, but... ah, Hell, why not?"

"What?" said Rinoa, bouncing in her seat a little.

"Well, promise not to tell anyone else," said Zell. "I haven't asked... done something I need to do before we can make it official, but..."

"I'm sure you can be trusted," beamed Ness.

Squall rankled a little at that.

"Of course, silly!" said Rinoa. "Come on, what is it?"

"Well..." Ness held her breath and looked at Zell. "You say, Zelly-babe, they're your friends."

"We're getting married," said Zell, the news bursting out of him like a small explosion. "Isn't it amazing?!!"

Squall blinked. He heard Rinoa squeal and there was hugging, but he still wasn't quite sure he'd heard right. "Married?"

"Shhh!" said Zell. "Secret, remember?" He was whispering, or as close as Zell ever got to it. "I only asked her yesterday. And she said yes! Isn't it cool?" He looked proudly at Ness and she beamed back at him.

"Have you set a date yet?" said Rinoa.

"Not exactly. Zelly-babe has to ask my Daddy's permission, because of, you know, his standing," Ness tossed her hair a little as she usually did when talking about her father's high-ranking status in the Deling diplomatic core. "But I'm sure he'll say yes."

"And then we'll get married straight away," said Zell.

"Well, practically," Ness added, with another annoying little laugh. "Poor boy, he has no idea how much work there is organising a wedding."

Squall swallowed hard, and wished the next band would start.

"I'm so pleased for you," Rinoa said. "We should have champagne!"

"No, really," said Ness. "That's very kind of you, dear, but we don't want to attract attention. If word were to get back to Daddy before Zelly-babe asked him... Well, you'll understand, I know, with your father being who he is."

"Of course," said Rinoa. "You must let us know as soon as it's official, and we'll organise a party. We'll set Selphie on it, her parties are always amazing."

"Oh, that would be delightful! Wouldn't it, Zelly-babe?"

Zell just beamed happily, and punched Squall lightly on the arm. "You should ask Rinoa, man," he said in another of his stage-whispers. "We could have a double wedding!"

Squall swallowed hard and snuck a quick glance at Rinoa. She smiled at him, and then must have read something in his eyes because she looked away, and there was something like disappointment or maybe worse, and all Squall could do was panic.

"I'd love for you to be a bridesmaid," Ness was telling Rinoa. "Do you think that would be okay?"

"Oh, that's sweet of you! It would be a pleasure. But don't you have lots of your friends from Galbadia you'd like to ask?"

"Well, there are a few, but none of them is the, um, escort of the Commander of Balamb Garden! Besides, Zelly-babe's told me so much about you all, I honestly feel like we're old friends."

"The trip to Winhill will be our honeymoon," Zell said. "Man, just think of it. Zell Dincht, a married man."

"Yeah," said Squall, with the best smile he could muster, and then, helplessly, "I wonder when the next band's coming on?"

*******

Frila watched Irvine order more drinks with a flutter of butterflies in her stomach that she wasn't sure she should allow. His hair was wound into a loose braid that fell down his back; he wore dark jeans and a purple sleeveless t-shirt that was snug enough to hint at the shift of muscle beneath. That, and the crooked grin on his face that was aimed squarely at her, accounted for the butterflies.

For the first time in a long, long while Frila really wanted something that was nothing to do with Sanke or common sense. Something real and dangerous and hers.

It felt remarkably good.

"Here you go."

"Hey," she managed to squeak out, accepting the bottle of beer he offered with a smile.

"You look incredible. You know, I've never seen you in a skirt before."

"Really?" His eyes were incredibly blue. Purple. Blue-purple, maybe. Dark blue-purple, with little flecks in them...

"Really. You have great legs."

Frila looked down at the short denim skirt which clung snugly to her hips, topped off by a wide leather belt, and wished she didn't blush so easily. "It's the heels," she said. "And you can stop with the chat-up lines now."

Irvine laughed. "You can't blame a man for trying."

"Maybe you should try someone else. There's a whole room full of overexcited new SeeDs here for you to pick from. I'll bet over half the room's got the hots for you."

"Only half?"

"You should leave some for Squall. And Quistis. Quistis always has a respectable showing on the 'top 10 most fuckable', you know."

Irvine's eyes went wide. "There's a top 10?"

"Oh yes. Didn't you know? It gets posted up in the secret area every Friday."

"I'm shocked and appalled," grinned Irvine. "The secret area?"

"Yep."

"SeeDs?"

She nodded.

"I'm in trouble then." Irvine leaned in a little closer. "Now you've made SeeD I've got real competition."

Suddenly she was breathing hard, she could feel her heart thumping in her chest and it all came rushing back, the heat of his body, his touch on her skin, his eyes burning into her. She licked her lips.

She wanted to run. But she didn't.

"How's it feel?" he asked. "Making SeeD?"

"Good. Um... good."

"Is Kellon okay?"

"I haven't seen her."

He must have seen the conflict in her eyes; he was searching her face, still smiling that easy, crooked smile.

"I missed you," she said, all in a rush.

"Missed you too, Hotshot."

"No, I mean..."

He touched her lips with his fingertips. "I know."

For a moment they just looked at each other. Her heart was racing and suddenly anything seemed possible. Anything.

"But now you're going again," she murmured.

"Kind of."

"Have you told Squall yet?"

A little shiver of guilt crossed his face. "Not yet."

"That's okay. I'd be scared too."

"It's not that, it's..." He grinned helplessly. "Okay, it is. He's got a lot on right now, and...." He shrugged.

Then why leave? "He's not easy to talk to." She glanced over at Squall at the nearby table. "And he seems really pissed off tonight."

"He doesn't like social functions."

"I can relate."

"See, you really are a gunblader at heart."

"Guess it's official."

"Funny, when you think of it," Irvine said. "The night we met you were just about to leave, as I remember."

"Yeah. And now look at me."

She waited for the obvious response, could see it in his eyes 'oh yeah, I'm looking,' but he hesitated.

"I...." he tried.

She tipped her head to one side, raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

He leaned in again, and this time...

... he kissed her.

Frila's heart pounded in her chest, a heady burst of lust exploding in her head, his lips every bit as soft and warm as she'd remembered, and if it was wrong that just made it feel so much better, just like always, and there was a tingle, Ether, he's junctioned Ether, and she could only think, as the world span and his fingers threaded through her hair, that there were people, this was public and they'd never, not, and it was... it was...

It was just the lightest touch, just a moment, the barest brush of lips but still...

Her eyes fluttered open.

He was smiling, just a little, and she would have smiled back but she caught the moment when his eyes darted to the side. She followed his gaze to the steps leading up to the stage; Selphie was there, with Xu. It looked as if they were arguing.

"Are they okay?" She heard herself say.

Irvine frowned. "I don't think so. They're having a tough time at the moment."

Xu turned away from Selphie and fled in tears, leaving Selphie to slump onto the steps, face in her hands.

"Shit," said Frila.

"Look, I'm sorry, would you just wait here for a minute? I just need to go and..."

"Yeah. Sure. I hope she's okay. I'll, um, see you...."

He was already gone.

Frila drained her beer and ordered another. Stupid. Stupid to think... she should know better. After all this time, she should know better. She watched Irvine put his arm around Selphie and lead her backstage, and felt ten times the idiot she would have felt if Seifer had proved her wrong about that junction.

Some risks were worth taking. Some were just asking for trouble.

And anything to do with Irvine Kinneas was always trouble.

*******

Rinoa stirred her drink with her cherry-on-a-stick - Ness had insisted on cocktails - and looked around the room. Ness had gone to the bathroom and Zell was at the bar.

"Quistis looks gorgeous," she said to Squall.

He looked up, squinted at Quistis across the room and nodded. "Nice colour thing. Um. Dress."

Rinoa hid a smile. "I worry about her sometimes, though."

"Isn't she happy?" said Squall, with a touching look of concern.

"Well, she seems okay, but.... she hasn't had a boyfriend for years, not even a date that I know of. Lots of men have tried to talk to her tonight, you know, and she's sent them all packing."

"Maybe she doesn't want anybody," said Squall.

Ness returned and slid back into her seat opposite them. "Who doesn't want anybody?"

"Quistis," said Rinoa. "I was just saying-"

"That's silly," said Ness. "Everyone wants somebody. It's just a matter of what they'll settle for. Although, oh, dear, I'm sorry if I've spoken out of turn. I don't know Quistis very well, of course."

"She's always been very focused on her career," said Squall. "She's probably not looking."

"You don't wear a dress like that if you're not looking," said Ness, with a giggle.

"True," said Rinoa. "And yet she's just been standing there at the bar with Laguna all night, turning everyone down."

"Poor Quisty," said Squall, quietly. "Maybe she's just being kind."

"Perhaps she doesn't like men," said Ness. "Or maybe..." She leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially to Rinoa. "Maybe she has a secret lover."

Rinoa giggled. "I wonder who it could be?"

Squall stared disconsolately at his beer bottle.

"How long is it exactly?" said Ness.

"She had a one night stand a couple of years ago," Rinoa said. "I don't think there's been anyone since then."

"That's a long time," said Ness. "There must be someone. Oh, perhaps she was hurt, really badly, maybe dumped by someone she really really loved, and now she's doomed never to love again. Or maybe it wasn't a one night stand at all. What was he like?"

"Mr Firearm? Oh, he was nothing special. In fact, he left Garden not long after that, didn't he Squall? I think there was a disciplinary or something."

"Whatever," said Squall. "Shouldn't the next band be on?"

"See?" said Ness. "I bet that's it. She's been going out with him all this time and she doesn't dare tell anyone, afraid you'd disapprove."

Rinoa giggled again. "Yes!! I bet that's it. Quisty and Mr Firearm!"

Squall got up, scraping his chair back on a loud sigh.

"I'm going for a piss," he said.

*******

Irvine managed to get Selphie to one of the small rooms behind the stage and persuaded her to have a drink of water, into which he'd snuck a healthy dose of elixir. After a few minutes she stopped shaking enough to speak.

"I might as well give up," she wailed. "I know when I'm beaten."

"You're not beaten, 'Elf. See, I'm here. Now, are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

"Where do you want me to start?"

Irvine had just opened his mouth to answer when Xian stuck her head around the door.

"Is everything alright?" she said. "Shouldn't there be a band on? No-one seems to know what's happening."

Selphie blinked. "Chocobo Rustlers should be on. Aren't they?"

Xian shook her head. "In fact I think I just saw their drummer passed out drunk in the corridor. And the crowd's getting restless."

Selphie's shoulders slumped. "This has to be the worst graduation celebration ever."

"Just ask the next band to go on," said Irvine.

"The lighting cues will be all wrong," said Selphie, with a sob. "And the sound desk, the mic and the balances..."

"It's a heavy metal band," said Irvine gently, slipping an arm around her shoulders. "I really don't think it matters."

"I'll sort it out," said Xian kindly, with a concerned look at Selphie. "Why don't you take a break? You've worked so hard."

Selphie managed a weak smile.

"I think she's right," said Irvine. "In fact I think I'm going to insist. Let's go out onto the balcony and get some fresh air."

Selphie hesitated, looking worriedly at Xian, but Xian nodded and Irvine smiled, and eventually she got to her feet and followed him.

*******

"Did you ever meet Ebrenen?" said Ness.

"Yes!" squealed Rinoa, who was on her fourth cocktail. "His trousers are always too short and he wears his hair in that stupid little topknot!"

It had transpired that Ness and Rinoa shared an intimate knowledge of the apparently endless roll of the Deling diplomatic service. Zell was listening admiringly, hanging on to Ness' every word, much to Squall's disgust.

"Well, you know Yenin's mother?"

"Tall woman, big tits?"

Squall raised an eyebrow and gave Rinoa's half-empty glass a suspicious glare.

"Yes, her."

Rinoa blinked. "What about her?"

Ness gave Rinoa a meaningful look. "Topknot."

"No!!" Rinoa squealed. "You're bullshitting me!!"

Ness shook her head. "I swear, it's true."

"But she must be old enough to be his mother!"

"At least. It's disgusting."

Rinoa wrinkled her nose. "Yeah. And isn't she married?"

"Well, if you can call it a marriage. My mother says her husband's been playing the field for years. Picking up trash in Dollet while he's supposed to be on diplomatic missions."

"Doesn't surprise me," said Rinoa. "Fargi said to me last weekend, it's a big scandal, what goes on in Dollet. And you know what they say about fucking diplomats."

Ness giggled. "Like rabbits!"

The were reduced to a fit of inexplicable, hysterical giggling. Just then the lights went down and there was a deafening peal of power chords.

"Thank fuck for that," said Squall.

*******

" You've broken up with Xu."

Selphie leaned over the balcony, the cool breeze ruffling her hair.

"Selphie..."

"It's hard to talk about," Selphie said.

"She really cares for you." Irvine stood next to her and looked out to the night sky. The moon seemed huge, tinged with blue and outshining the stars. "Never thought I'd say this, but you're good together."

"Once, maybe. Not any more. Not for a while, actually."

Irvine waited for her to go on, but she didn't say anything.

"What happened?" he asked, gently.

Selphie just shook her head.

~Sniper...~ Ether shifted uncertainly in Irvine's head. His Guardian had been a lot happier inside, excited by the prospect of that kiss with Frila. But more than ever, Irvine knew he needed a clear head for this.

~Sorry, old friend. This is important.~

Irvine slipped Ether quietly out of junction. Selphie frowned slightly, and looked up. "Thanks."

"What for?"

"I can still feel him. Ether. It's okay, but...." Selphie gave a little shiver. "Better without."

"It's still me," said Irvine. "Just the same old me."

Selphie smiled, and reached up her hand. Her fingers trembled against his cheek. "What would I do without you?"

Irvine's heart raced. He clasped her other hand in his. "You don't have to worry about that. I'll always be here for you. Always, 'Elf."

He looked into her eyes, a confusion of pain and misery and a sadness so deep he wasn't sure he'd ever reach it.

But he meant to try. If she'd let him, he'd try.

"Thank you, Irvy," she whispered. "I know you'll, you'll, I know..."

Her lips fluttered soft against his; she stroked his face.

"It doesn't have to mean," he breathed, "I know you don't, I..."

"Shhh."

He pulled her close and kissed her. She didn't hesitate to kiss him back, her arms winding around him, her little body nestling into his.

It felt like a dream.

*******

Rinoa squinted at herself in the mirror. Her reflection looked vaguely blurred and a long way away, as if she was looking at a picture of someone else.

"Are you alright, Rin?" said Quistis.

"Cocktails," said Rinoa with a foolish grin.

"Ah."

The bathroom door swung open and Ness swept in. "Rin!! Rin, you'll never guess what I just heard!"

"Oooh, what?" Rinoa clutched Ness' hands as if she were a long-lost friend. "Tell me, tell me!"

"Well, I was just talking to one of the new SeeDs, what's her name, Konia, Matodo's niece, you know the one who and her friend came over, I don't know who she is but she'd just been out on the balcony for a breath of air, it's awfully hot in there you know, and you'll never guess what she saw."

"What?" said Rinoa anxiously. "What?"

"Selphie and Irvine. And what do you think they were doing?"

"I don't think-" Quistis started, but Ness plunged on regardless.

"Making out," said Ness, triumphantly. "In broad daylight!"

"No!!" Rinoa squealed.

"Really," said Quistis. "For one thing, it's night time. And I very much doubt-"

"You can't trust Galbadians at all," said Ness, with a knowledgeable air. "Really, you can't."

"But what about Xu?" said Rinoa. "I mean.. Irvine? Really?"

"Come on, Rinoa," said Quistis. "Time to get back to Squall."

"What?"

"Come along. He'll be wondering where you are." She gave Ness a pointed look.

"Yes, of course," said Ness. "Let's go."

Squall heard their voices approaching, Ness and Rinoa's squeaky tones punctuated by Quistis' calm murmuring. Zell was asking him impossible questions about how wedding ceremonies were conducted in Deling and suddenly the urge to escape was overwhelming.

"I have to, uh..." Squall shoved to his feet, chair scraping along the floor and would have tipped over if he hadn't just caught it with a deft flick of the wrist. Leaving Zell nonplussed and still talking, Squall strode off.

He wasn't sure where he was going until he found himself in the hall outside. Left to the training centre for solitude and killing things, or right to the quad and... Irvine. It was then he realised he was looking for Irvine.

Irvine was the only person upon whom Squall could rely to make the world make sense again at times like this. There was a good chance he'd be out here if he wasn't inside, and if not at least Squall could grab ten minutes peace.

He half-ran down the steps, sucking cool air into his lungs. Almost giddy with the sudden rush of space and solitude.

Squall headed for a bench under one of the bigger trees and sat down, letting himself relax at last, staring up at the stars.

He spotted movement across the quad, somewhere beyond the hedge that divided this terrace from the next. In the corner by the window, shrouded in darkness.

Probably nothing.

Then he heard a noise, somewhere between a howl and a cry of pain, it sounded like, it was.... Frila? .... and Squall had drawn his gunblade and crossed the quad in an instant.

Blond hair, long grey coat... Seifer.

He might have guessed.

"Almasy, what the fuck do you think you're...."

But Squall's voice tailed off as the part of his mind that wasn't raging made sense of what he saw. Seifer. And Frila.

Not fighting.

Her back was pressed against the glass, her face was flushed, her legs were all but bare and wrapped around Seifer's waist.

Squall backed away, the expression on Seifer's face burned into his memory forever.

It looked far too much like victory.

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