Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Legend of the Final Materia ❯ Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Selphie led Shukera out of the Dormitory to the main hall of the Garden. She smiled as she bounced up and down. "Consider this to be the start of your official tour of Balamb Garden!! You better pay attention because I might give you a quiz later on." Laughing Selphie pointed to the different sections. "The lower level is separated into sections which are distinguished by colors. You have the Quad, Infirmary, Cafeteria, Dormitory, Parking Lot, Training Center, and Library. So, let's start with the Library."

Selphie guided Shukera to the Library where a girl with a ponytail looked up and smiled at them. Shukera nodded at her as they passed then scanned the area. The Library held many students scattered about poured over books in intense studying.

Selphie led her to a large table where a spiky headed guy with a tattoo on his face sat looking frustrated and annoyed. Many books and papers surrounded him. Selphie snuck up behind him and peered over his shoulder. "Hey Zell! I see you are at it again!" She chimed as Shukera stood behind her.

Zell scratched his head in confusion. "I HATE THIS SHIT!" His shouting made several students to lift their heads from their books and look his way. The girl at the front desk shot him a threatening look.

"Well, our guest is here and she wants to meet you." Selphie snickered, enjoying every minute of Zell's frustration. It served him right for sleeping in class.

Zell shook his head without looking away from the book. "Unless she's a mathematician, I'm not interested."

Shukera carefully leaned over his shoulder and looked at the paper he was scribbling on. She smiled as she pointed, "This isn't right. You have to move this number here, reduce this number, and use the reciprocal of this entire section. That will give you your answer."

Zell sat forward as he stared at the paper blankly. Slowly he did what Shukera suggested and when he was finished, he checked the answer. Zell stared at it once again, looking confused. Suddenly he exclaimed, "HEY!! I GET IT NOW!!"

The girl behind the counter looked at them once again as she narrowed her eyes. Selphie snickered, "You are going to get it if you don't quiet down."

For the first time Zell turned around and looked at Shukera. "Name's Zell! I'm glad to meet you! Otherwise, I would be still sitting here trying to figure this crap out." He stood up, rubbed his hand on his pants, and held it out for her to shake. She laughed and shook his hand.

"Zell Dincht, the martial arts specialist??" She remembered him from the report they were given during the briefing.

Zell nodded and made a fist, "Yep! That's me! In the flesh!"

Shukera nodded, "Good, cause I have a few moves I would like to teach you, that is, if you are interested."

Zell jumped back a bit surprised. "You know the arts too?!?!"

"Yes, I have been studying the arts since I was four years old. My master's dying wish was for me to pass his art on to every arts expert I meet that I think is worthy of learning it in order to keep his art alive."

Zell suddenly became serious, surprising Selphie and the girl with the ponytail behind the counter who had been watching them. He bowed to Shukera, "I would be honored to learn them." Shukera bowed to him. "Thank you, it means a lot to me that you have accepted."

They both stood straight up and smiled. Selphie chimed, "You better get used to seeing her around! Headmaster Cid gave her the OK to train as a See D with us, as if she was one of us." Zell smiled deviously, "Great! Then you can help me some more in math. This crap is killing me!! I'm supposed to be learning how to use me fists!!"

Selphie looked up towards the entrance to the library and smiled. "Would you guys excuse me a minute, Irvine's looking for me." She ran off happily. Shukera looked up to see a tall guy wearing a cowboy hat and a long coat. She snickered when she saw how much taller he was compared to her.

Zell sighed deeply, and sat back down in his chair. "Can you show me one more problem??" Shukera nodded and leaned over, resting her hand on the back of the chair. She noted how the girl behind the counter watched them the whole time.

When they were done, Zell collected his books and stood up. "Hey thanks!!" Shukera motioned to the girl behind the counter. "I think you should go and talk to the girl. She's been watching us the whole time I have been over here."

Zell turned red faced and laughed it off. "Uh…yeah, ok." He walked off still red faced. He stopped to converse with her for a moment and walked out the door smiling widely.

Selphie bounced up to Shukera wearing the cowboy hat on her head as the tall guy following behind her. "Hi Shukera!! I hope Zell didn't give you a hard time!" She smiled as she rested a hand on Irvine's chest. "This is my boyfriend, Irvine. This is our guest Shukera."

Irvine reached out and grabbed her hand, brought it up to his lips, and kissed it. "Pleased to meet you, beautiful one."

Shukera narrowed her eyes and snatched her hand away. He laughed as he draped his arm around Selphie's shoulder. Selphie leaned against him, enjoying every minute. He replied as he stood behind Selphie, "They told us so much about you, that I feel as though I know you already."

Selphie giggled, "She is going to be training with us!!"

Shukera shook her head, "Yes, your leader allowed me to train with you so I can learn about how See D works."

"I think I can speak for all of us when I say we are very glad to have you here. It's a shame you were not training to join us for good. We could use some good fighters on our side." Irvine laughed as he added, "I heard you could probably beat all of us together at one time. Now maybe we will have someone who can but that asshole Seifer Almassy in his place!!"

Selphie laughed, "Guess who her training partner is?!?!"

Irvine smirked, "Good, I hope you beat the crap out of him!! That would be something to see! You could even charge admission; everyone would pay to see that happen!! Him and Quistis both need their asses kicked! They have been acting ass-a-non lately!"

Shukera remembered Selphie telling her the same thing earlier. This seemed to be something that everyone was concern about. She felt an urgency to find out what was going on. Perhaps, Shin Ra had gotten to Quistis also…but how??

Irvine's voice brought Shukera out of her thoughts. "I know Quistis is surely glad you guys are here. She has been walking around with some white headed dude. I couldn't believe his hair is longer than mine!! Man the chicks are digging him!! They are all talking about this guy!"

Shukera rolled her eyes, "That's Sephiroth, the one who trained me. Believe me, he's no big deal."

Irvine laughed, "Well, he sure does have quite a following! The girls here don't know what hit them!" He looked up to see Quistis and Sephiroth in the doorway. "Speaking of the devil and he shows up!"

They started walking towards them and Irvine whispered, "Oh great, here they come."