Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Like a Bracelet ❯ It's my party ( Chapter 11 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

"And that's when I shot it up with a Thundaga." Selphie stated.

She and Quistis and Rinoa are at a gym in Balamb for the yoga class.

"And downward dog." Says the instructor.

The trio, and the rest of the class, leaned forward touching the floor with their hands; their legs parted a bit.

"I still don't see how you guys do it," Rinoa was saying with a bit of a strain in her voice due to the angle. "The war went on for six months, and I never got used to the fighting and the adrenaline, the snap decisions."

"Warrior pose."

A few groans went up as the class shifted position.

"I'm more used to planning than taking action right away." She extended her reach. "And I am so glad the need for magic is gone. If it wasn't for that Odine bangle and being possessed - twice - I would have been one of those people suffering from magic poisoning."

"You might have, some people take to it well." Quistis mentioned.

"Maybe. I'm just lucky I first used Carbuncle."

The teacher shushed them before saying. "Wide Pyramid then we'll close with a cool down."

Selphie whispered. "How are things with Bailey?"

"Great. He's always texting me compliments or telling me about some new things he's doing."

Rinoa's brows furrowed. "Has he still not found a job?"

"Not yet, but I'm making enough; I don't mind sending him a little something until he finds a job."

Selphie cocked an eyebrow to that. "Oh? He's fine with taking your gil?"

"Only because I practically had to hide it on him when we saw each other." Quistis gave the instructor an apologetic expression. "He insists that he'll only take it if he pays me back every scent."

"That's good. I wonder what he'll do?" Rinoa got up from the resting pose. She stretched her limbs over her head. "Finally! Who's up for saltwater taffy from the pier?"

"Me!" Selphie's hand shot up.

"Taffy?" Quistis.

The ex-sorceress scoffed. "We did yoga, not cardio. I say eat up."

"I'll pass."

"More mint for me." Selphie untied her hair from the ponytail.

"Double that, because ew." Rinoa chuckled. Who likes mint flavor?

The trio changed their clothes and then left the small business. Quistis followed the pair to the candy shop and looked around with no intention to buy anything. She's not really a sweets fan when it comes to candy. Cakes she'll definitely indulge in, but not candies.

Quistis's gaze went over the shelves when seeing movement from a vehicle outside of the large window. 'That looks like Bailey's car.' She thought. For some reason she felt a tingle in her spine.

Lately he's been… secretive. He'd hide papers from her, or he'd change the subject when she'd bring up job offers he's gotten or applications he's applied for. What if he can't find a job? She supposed that wouldn't hurt them since she could just split her paycheck and give some to him so he can pay his bills and eat. But, that's not what concerns her. His behavior.. It's almost manic at times, as if he's paranoid or frightened of something. She tried to bring it up numerous times, but he always changed the subject.

She's starting to get a nagging intuition that he might have gotten addicted to drugs. That would break her heart. It's not only impossible to help those types of people as someone who doesn't know what addiction is like. That would mean rehab. Therapy to stop whatever is causing his need to use them. Meltdowns, withdrawals. Would she have time for that?

"Let's go." Selphie said, pulling Quistis from her worries.

"Bye you guys." Rinoa waved.

"You're going back to the hotel?" Selphie asked before Rinoa could walk too far away from them.

"I don't have to."

Seeing the worn expression Selphie backed down. "Naah, go ahead. Have a good rest."

Rinoa smiled a thank you then walked to the hotel. She's staying over for a couple of days.

The SeeDs climbed onto their bikes and returned to Balamb Garden.

Seifer chuckled into a laugh. He's been seated on a bench for several minutes watching the new Garden staff. Zell, who was changing classes, stopped in his tracks when seeing the ex-knight. Confusion won over the possibility of harassment from his nemesis.

"What's so funny?" He inwardly winced, feeling that the insult of "his face" following the question. However he was surprised to simply receive a response.

"A bird got in," Seifer laughed again before pointing. "They've been trying to catch it since the first class alarm."

Zell looked to where Seifer was pointing and joined in the laughter. Two of the staff were holding the sides of a rather long ladder, while another with his robe tucked here and knotted there climbed it on shaking legs.

"They gotta know there's a faster way to do that." The martial artist mused.

"Yeah, Fira."

Appalled, he replied. "No. Slow - even stop, if it moves up too high."

"Heads-or-tails, it might end up on the lunch menu once caught." He picked mock strands of stringy chicken from his teeth with his pinky finger.

So much for kindly bonding. "I'm gonna help them."

Seifer inhaled audibly. There goes his entertainment. He turned his head when movement caught his peripheral by the entrance. He expected to see the resident 10k trainer but instead he saw something, or rather someone, unexpected.

'What is spare change doing here?' He craned his neck because he could be mistaken. 'Nope. Same stupid undercut, bad perm, and gravy-colored dishwater-brown hair.' Seifer sneered. He just can not fathom why Quistis likes the guy. He's a loser.

Every time he hears about him it's something pathetic. He quit his job. He still doesn't have one. He likes giving the tackiest gifts because he's broke. Who gives a woman a keychain? Who is she, his mother? Stuffed animals that are cheaper than crap you get at town fairs. He even gave her chapstick! Quistis Trepe has set her bar much too low, in his opinion. But seeing how her first crush in life was Squall Leonhart, he supposed they all look bad in comparison. He's part of the Golden Six who stopped time compression.

"I got it!" He heard Zell declare.

He turned his attention away from the intruder just in time to see the helpful martial artist grab the falling bird from the sky and fall along with it into the cold waters below.

Seifer laughed heartily at the antics.

"It's still breathing." Announced the bird's savior.

"Ahahaha!" Classic Zell.

Seifer stood from the bench and walked over to the indoor moat. He would have offered to help him out but the three staff members were already on it, extending the ladder out to him, pulling him back up when he grabbed on.

"I was not expecting the water to be that cold." He tugged his hair back in an attempt to redirect the water from running down his face. "Here. Set it free outside."

The slow spell was about to wear-off, but they had it under control - now that the hard part was dealt with.

Zell grabbed a handful of his shirt and squeezed out a good amount of water. "Shower time. Who knows when, or if, that water's been changed."

Seifer's neutral expression scrunched. "How exactly would they change it, Dinky?"

"Maybe there's a stopper somewhere." He replied as if it was such a "Duh".

Seifer figured just by circumference that it would be a tremendous amount of water for the building to piss out, and then how would they refill it? He was about to ask if the water was salty, but a sudden female voice cut him off.

"Is this a new method of training?" Selphie asked. She took in Zell's soaked state and put one and two together to make sense of something that made no sense without context.

"No. I was helping the staff catch a bird that flew in."

"Sorry I missed that." She smiled.

"Quistis, mister I-smell-eggs-and-cabbage-boiling is here." Seifer informed her.

Quistis was glad for Selphie, because she was not about to say "Who" just to have Seifer spew out more insults to her boyfriend. She can't figure out what his problem is. They get along just fine, as far as she's seen. True, Bailey hasn't hung around with them as a group as much as he does with her alone. But, the few times they have in the five months they've been together, it's been semi peaceful.

Sometimes Seifer would take jabs at Bailey. But as long as she's known him, she assumed that was his way of showing that he liked someone, or at least he doesn't mind them. It was more effort than Squall, who simply ignored her boyfriend or spoke to him indirectly. Same old Squall. Speaks when spoken to and clipped conversation when he's not. He at least opened up more to them.

She turned from the Quad intending to go to the dorm but Seifer's words stopped her. "He went to the elevator. Probably thought you were here working."

"Thanks."

"Ohhh, Bailey." Said Selphie, deciphering the person from Seifer's nickname.

Zell's sneakers squelched along the way to the dorms.

Seifer used the opportunity to ask. "Selphie, what do you think of Bailey?"

Selphie gave him an exhausted look. "Do you have to say it like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you're vomiting it out."

He shrugged his shoulder, or possibly just popped his neck in response.

"I think he's alright." She tapped her finger to her chin. "I mean, I don't like that he's getting money from Quistis to pay for his apartment, but he said he'd pay her back."

"I doubt he will."

"He will." She said quickly defending the absent male. "He seems pretty standup." She sighed. "Judging by your expression you don't agree."

"I don't. He could be a con artist milking Trepe for her money."

"Or… and here me out, or he could just be down on his luck with finding a new job at the moment."

"Uh-huh. And all those dumb trinkets are just so reassuring to his spending habits. He could give her back the leftover change instead of throwing it away on crap."

"Seifer Almasy, you sly-dog," she smirked. "You have a crush on Quistis."

"Nice, Selphie. You do know it's possible to die from laughter - lucky for you I suppressed it."

She rolled her eyes. "Well wherever the dislike for him is coming from, it's unnecessary. Watch, he'll get a job and Quistis will be getting installments to get her money back."

"Nevermind that, what do you think of him as a person?"

"Apart from acting kinda skittish around us - no fault of yours I'm sure - he seems pretty average."

"Ok. I trust your pintsized radar for pinheads."

She smiled with a nod. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He heard the bell and wandered off to class.

On the third floor. Quistis walked into Cid's office; she heard the tail end of the conversation between her boyfriend and the headmaster.

"You'll need to find your size. Call the number to order it once you've looked through the catalog."

"Thanks. This really helps. Um," he followed the headmaster to the door. "When do I get my first paycheck?"

"New cadets get paid every Friday. You won't be making as much as regulars who are going out on jobs, however the amount for attending cadets is a fine amount to buy needed supplies and meals." He looked at the ID on the sheet of paper in his hand. "You're 22, so you'll be paying for the dorm. We usually have older cadets live in the barracks unless they'd like to get an apartment in town."

"No, no. Dorming in here is fine."

Quistis's eyebrow rose. There was no way she's hearing what she's hearing. "Bailey, hi." She wanted to say more but that was the most she could get out.

"Quistis, perfect." The headmaster sped up his pace to meet his secretary. "Can you file these papers away for me? Then show our new cadet to the dorm, please."

"New cadet?" Her gaze went from Cid to Bailey. Surely he didn't mean Bailey? She absently took the paperwork that was handed to her.

"Thank you." He smiled warmly. "Yes. Eldron here has been taking tests for a month to register to become a cadet here. Do you know him?"

"He's… He's my boyfriend."

This surprised Cid. "The one who's had you so distracted? I had no idea. Well, this should cut the chatter over the phone." He snickered. "I hope you don't expect any special treatment from our dear Quistis."

"Not at all. She's an ex-instructor."

Cid nodded. "But, she's a busy young woman. You could benefit from her fine tutoring, however, she has a job to do as well as being on call at any time."

"Of course! I won't be a bother." He smiled at his girlfriend.

"Wonderful. Now, you go get situated and learn the chimes and what they mean. You're in good hands." He patted Quistis on the shoulder before returning to his office.

Bailey waited for the door to close before locking eyes with his girlfriend, a big grin on his face. "Surprise!"

Indeed. It was a very big surprise.

X x X

Commentary: Sorry to tell you, reader, but I don't like Squall and Rinoa together at all. I think it was the one thing that ruined FFVIII from being a perfect game. I prefer Squall and Quistis together if he has to be with any of the girls. She makes more sense if anyone would give it half a second to the way he reacted and the things he said and need to fulfill a role of an important person he missed. I don't care about the parallel with him and Laguna and Julia, I think that's a dumb excuse the writers made to have Rinoa be more important than her character actually was. And Laguna isn't dead, so this whole reincarnation of love is really just odd. But, that's just me. Short version, the only thing that will happen is mention they were trying for anything simply because I'm trying to keep it towards the game at its core. But not entirely. Sorry.

Thanks for reading. I appreciate it. If you miss my SquallxIrvine and ZellxSeifer stories, sorry but I can't do those anymore. But thanks for reading if you are. Have a good May.