10


"Let me get this straight Instructor: you were all attacked, drugged into unconsciousness, and deposited back here at Balamb garden. There is nothing else to report?"

"No sir." Yep, that was it. We were attacked while on the road, then brought and dropped off at Balamb Garden which had been our destination anyway. When we had shown up and told what had happened, we had been subjected to a barrage of tests both magical and medical. Nobody could believe nothing had happened between the attack and our subsequent waking up, and I couldn't blame them; I didn't believe it either. Several hours later, according to Dr. Kadowaki no one had any tracking devices, mechanical inserts, curses, or other spells attached to them. It hadn't been fun; Zell had been particularly vocal when Dr. Kadowaki had pulled out what looked to be a very long probe of some sort and told him to lie on his stomach on the table. It was difficult to keep from breaking out in a grin at the memory; I doubted Irvine was going to let him live it down. None of us would.

"And Dr. Kadowaki cleared you all half an hour ago," he murmured, shuffling through the papers on his desk. It sounded more like a rhetorical question, as if Cid was thinking out loud so I remained silent. He read the report again, as if looking for anything that was amiss, then let out a sigh. "I don't have to tell you how irregular I find this, Quistis," he murmured, running his hand through his hair.

"No sir, I feel exactly the same way." There was something we were missing, I was dead sure of it. Nobody, absolutely nobody, attacked a transport of SeeDs and didn't do anything but let them off at their final locations. Something had happened to us while we'd been unconscious, but it was impossible to tell what.

Obviously reluctant to put that train of thought aside, Cid sighed and sat back in his chair. "Did Martine seem normal to you? Could he have been controlled?"

The same question had been going around in my head, and I replied, "I don't know. He seemed to recognize us, even named me and hinted at past relations but... I just don't know. He wasn't the Martine I was used to seeing; it was as if any friendship we might have had in the past, any good business relations, had been erased."

Cid just nodded, looking troubled. I knew what he was thinking about - heck, it was all I'd been wondering. Had Martine finally snapped after Galbadia's original downfall? When we had found him at Fisherman's Horizon he'd been babbling, very obviously a broken man; that had been one of the reasons he hadn't been asked to take up the Headmaster position with the refurbished Galbadia. He had been anything *but* broken on the road to Balamb.

"Okay then, thank you for the briefing Instructor. Dismissed."

Giving him a quick salute, I headed out of the office of the Headmaster down the elevator. What I needed right now was a good, long shower and then perhaps a quick trip to the training grounds. Rests and relaxation were probably more what the doctor ordered but that wasn't my style; I hated not having something to do.

"Instructor! Instructor Trepe!"

I turned sharply and barely kept from being bowled over by three of my students. With a sinking feeling I realized I'd been ambushed by my three most ardent Trepies. Marcus Derlini, Sandra Martel, and Myla Rayburn had, long before our little adventure, duly appointed themselves president, vice-president, and secretary, respectively, of the Quistis Trepe fanclub. From then on, there had been no escaping them.

"Instructor Trepe, I'm SO happy you're back!" Myla fairly squealed, staring adoringly up at me. Come to think of it, they all were staring at me like that, as if whatever I said next would be the greatest thing since the invention of steel.

I was feeling particularly annoyed right at the moment and was going to tell them to leave me alone, but when I opened my mouth what came out was, "Nice to see you all too." Damn, I'm too nice for my own good sometimes, I thought bitterly, watching as their adoring expressions only grew happier. Had Seifer been right, did I really like this attention? It annoyed me to no end, but I just couldn't find it in my heart to tell them to leave me alone...

"Ooh, did I come at a bad time Quistis?" a sarcastic voice asked behind me. "Should I come back after your little flock of followers has dispersed to spread your gospel?"

Now, here was someone who I could tell off with no qualms. I turned, ignoring the group of students around me, and squared off with Seifer. "In Balamb Garden you will address me as Instructor Trepe, or I will take points from your record."

He smirked, causing the younger students to fall back behind me. "You honestly think I care about SeeD points Quistis," he drawled, emphasizing my first name yet again. "And from an instructor who's had her license revoked before..."

"Don't you insult Instructor Trepe!" Sandra exclaimed, coming around to my left and standing up to Seifer.

"Y--yeah, you big meany," Myla piped up, peeking around my other side.

Only Seifer saw me roll my eyes as I turned to shut up my fan club, as I could take care of myself perfectly well, but then Marcus added angrily, "You don't have any room to talk, murderer. You shouldn't even have been allowed to come back."

My eyes snapped to Marcus in disbelief then over to Seifer. The blond man had gone rigid, the hand clasped over the gunblade handle tightening. His face was decidedly neutral, the smirk completely wiped away now as he surveyed the four of us in front of him. "So, Instructor," he said slowly, his voice as devoid of emotion as his face, "this is what you teach those who look up to you." He seemed to want to say more, but a muscle ticked in his cheek and he turned away, marching down the main staircase and out of the main Garden quad.

Beside me Marcus snorted. "Serves him ri--"

"Ten points from your record Marcus Derlini," I snapped, rounding on the boy. "And if I ever, ever catch you bad-mouthing him again, I will take twenty points off your record and have you called up in front of the Headmaster."

Marcus' mouth open and shut repeatedly but no sounds came out. Myla and Sandra were also staring at me like I had suddenly grown horns.

I lowered my voice, incensed beyond belief. "The same goes for any SeeD cadet I hear badmouthing another member of this Garden. The first rule you must learn above all others is that, in team missions, your comrades are what keeps you on this side of the living. They watch your back, protect you if necessary, save you from impossible situations. If there is any disunity, anything in the way of your team's cohesive bond, you will all die. Do - you - understand - me?"

"Bu..but Instructor Trepe," Myla stammered, her lower lip quivering, "he... he doesn't deserve..."

"Ms. Rayburn," I grit out, "don't make me have to detract another twenty points from your record as well. I mean it, anybody I hear badmouthing Seifer will have demerits stacked against them so fast they'll have to retake their seventh year." Three shocked and extremely disillusioned faces stared back at me, and I relented somewhat. "Listen," I said in a softer voice, "someday you all will be sent out on missions like the rest of us officers. The people with you in school now will be those who accompany you on these missions. If there is no trust, if you believe that another SeeD will kill you when your back is turned, it'll be a bullet from the a real enemy that will get your unprotected back. Every mission requires, first and foremost, trust in those you end up with. If there is no trust, then the mission is doomed to fail. Think about it," I added, ruffling Marcus' hair affectionately, "while I go do some damage control."

Their faces didn't lose the disillusioned look as I turned and jogged in the direction Seifer took, and I wondered if I'd lost my fanclub. At the moment, though, I had bigger worries - Seifer had again disappeared. Muttering a curse, I looked all around, hoping to spot him but saw nothing. Muttering a curse I think everyone would be surprised I even knew I took off at a jog, determined to find Seifer and...well, I'd think about that when the time came.

* * * * * * *

Forty-five minutes later I finally found him. So much for the pleasant bath, I thought sourly, walking down the long corridor to the training center. I don't know why I didn't think to look here first - possibly because he'd taken off in the opposite direction initially. He must have snuck around me while I was searching the south area; indeed I would have taken much longer finding him if someone hadn't pointed me in the right direction.

I let the west side doors slide open and nearly tripped over the body of a very dispatched monster. Another lay beside it in similar fashion, ripped to shreds by a very sharp weapon, and the next by a large explosion.

It didn't take a genius to figure out who has a weapon with both a cutting edge and ammo.

Seifer was near the middle of the training grounds, finishing off a huge T-rexaur. I unslung Save The Queen in case he needed help but stayed back, allowing him to finish this battle. He seemed to be holding his own, to say the least; it took him only two more rounds from when I arrived on the scene to finish off the huge beast.

I reattached the whip to my belt and clapped appreciatively, but Seifer ignored me. He cast a simple Heal on himself, wiped off his gunblade on the thin grass, and started the other way.

Rolling my eyes yet again, I jogged after the retreating figure, calling, "Seifer, wait up will you?"

He didn't break his stride in the slightest but didn't speed up either. I guess he didn't want to give the impression that he was running from me. Exasperated, I ran up and placed myself in front of him only to have him move around me. I moved in front of him again, and again, and again, until finally he turned to me in agitation and said, "Can't you watch where you're going?"

I just shrugged, then stepped back in his way yet again when he tried to go around me. Instead of blowing up at me like I'd been hoping for, he started off the other way instead, heading towards the other end of the arena.

Grumbling about best laid plans, I hurried back up to him. "Seifer wait, I need to talk to you."

"About what, Instructor?" he answered in a cold voice.

Oh dear, back to being 'Instructor,' which meant he was still angry at me. Well, no duh. "Listen, I want to apologize for what was said back there..."

"Afraid I'll go off and beat up your little fanclub, Instructor?" he interrupted cooly, still not looking at me. "You needn't worry, I don't fight opponents who don't stand a chance like your little Trepies."

"No, that isn't it," I said, although I was happy to know they'd be okay. "I just wanted to tell you that I never told them any of that stuff, even before you were reaccepted. They must have gotten it elsewhere but I'm going to put a stop to it from now on."

"Ooh, my hero," Seifer said in a mocking voice, twirling his gunblade lazily. "Imagine that, Instructor Trepe going out of her way to bring justice for little old me."

Irritation boiling over, I snapped, "Well if you'd stop feeling sorry for yourself you might consider changing your own attitude a bit. Hyne knows, it couldn't hurt matters."

He glanced at me, then burst out laughing. "Sorry Instructor, but if they can't take me as I am then that's their loss." Still chuckling he continued away, leaving me standing there.

Seething, my own fists clenching and unclenching, I watched him walk off. What an arrogant prick! For the love of Hyne, here I was trying to help him out and he laughs in my face. It was no wonder nobody had ever wanted to help him, he wouldn't accept or allow it. He really was an insensitive, boorish, arrogant, bullheaded, meanspirited...

My thoughts trailed off as I noticed something. The hand around his gunblade was pure white, as if he had a deathgrip on the weapon. He happened to turn sideways so I saw his profile and, far from being amused, his face had a determined look as his eyes darted to and fro, looking for more prey to vent on.

I could never deign to call myself an authority on Seifer. The man was more unpredictable than a ruby dragon during mating season, but I thought I knew where he came from. The past few days at least had given me something of an insight into his life up until now, at least the more recent parts of it. He had, like me, come to the training grounds to let off some steam in the only way he knew how to do: fighting. But when you're pissed off at the world, fighting a few monsters meant for younger cadets didn't do the trick. Perhaps a T-rexaur or two was nice once in a while, but they were getting fewer and farther between, difficult to find in this training area. Sometimes it took a one-on-one match-up with somebody, some person who was at your level to really get it out of your system. Perhaps that was the reason he and Squall had gotten into the battle which had resulted in each of their mirroring scars; they'd never told me the real reason why, I'd always assumed it was male machisimo.

"Hey Seifer," I called, jogging up again to meet him. He still ignored me but I ignored that in turn. "How about you and me sparring a bit?"

That got his attention and he turned cold eyes on me. He eyed me up and down as if appraising me, which made me feel slightly uncomfortable, and smirked. "No thanks, I don't deal in such one-sided fights."

I'd seen that one coming from a mile away but it still stung. "What's the matter Seifer," I taunted, "afraid that my iddy-biddy whip will take out your big manly gunblade?"

I think my sinking into kiddy jargon surprised him because he gave me another appraising look, this time genuine amusement behind the usual smirk. "Okay, fine instructor, I'll meet you in the sparring room in half an hour. Don't forget to show up."

"On one condition!" I blurted out, surprising even myself. I definitely surprised Seifer this time, because he blinked a couple times in my direction.

"A condition? My dear Quistis Trepe, you were the one who begged me to spar with you and as such are in no position to impose conditions..."

"Fine then, a challenge. Every time I win a session, you will answer one question."

Seifer frowned. "That's not much of a challenge, what's in it for me?"

I just shrugged. "Same case if you win, I'll answer one question. Deal?"

Seifer stroked the side of his jaw with one thumb, debating the rules. "The thing is, Instructor, I already know all I want to know about you. Whereas I'm sure you have a bit of an advantage because you don't know as much about me."

"Take it or leave it Seifer," I stated smugly, crossing my arms over my chest.

He seemed to debate a bit more, than a wicked grin came over his face. "I have a better option Instructor. How about if you win you get one question, and if I win I get a kiss."

Holy shi... That wiped the grin off my face. "What?!"

"You heard me," he replied, imitating my earlier stance by crossing his arms and smiling smugly. "One question or one kiss, depending on the winner. Still up to it Instructor?"

Oh Hyne, oh Hyne, what had I gotten myself into? He was so certain he had me there, that I'd say no and leave him be for the rest of the day. I could tell there would be no budging from his position either; he had the upper hand and knew it, and there was no way he would be relinquishing it without a fight. Oh Hyne...

Trying to bolster my courage I glanced at Hyperion and back to Save The Queen, gauging the strengths of each weapon. Both were advaned weapons and extremely powerful in their own ways but, well, talk about distraction! I suppose having the possibility of kissing Seifer hanging over your head if you lose a battle is one heck of a motivation.

Seifer's smirk widened as I stood there debating. "Time's up Instructor, I guess I'll be seeing you in class later..."

"Yes!"

"Huh?"

Huh?! Oh no, I'd accepted! I could tell by Seifer's look that, once again this afternoon, I'd surprised him. Trying to tamp down the sick feeling in my stomach I nodded hard to get the point across more. "Thirty minutes from now, sparring room. Got that Seifer?" If my stomach hadn't had millions of butterflies suddenly hatch and take flight, I might have found Seifer's expression priceless. Knowing my poker face would slip at any instant I turned around quickly and, on unsteady legs, made my way out of the training yard. I could feel the weight of Seifer's eyes on me all the way out of the facility.

Oh, Hyne, what had I just done?




*NOTE: Special thanks to the FF8 NPC Project for some of the minor names.