Uncertain Memory: With You
Part Eight - One year later
DISCLAIMER: Okay I want to say this now and get it over with. I got the story structure for this story from a book called Magic’s Pawn by Mercedes Lackey. She is my goddess author and I love her to death. While I was reading it one night, I got the idea for a prequel to the game and decided to write it because I wanted to give props to my fav author. There were 4 specific scenes that I needed from the book to make this story work.
The scenes are:
1. Savil teaching Tylendel about shielding and their conversation before he leaves.
2. Vanyel overhearing about Tylendel (if you read it you know what I’m talking about).
3. Vanyel seeing Tylendel read a book through the window.
4. Tylendel comforting Vanyel after his nightmare.
I’m really REALLY nervous about posting this because I don’t want flames about me ‘stealing’ Misty’s work. It’s hers, not mine! NEVER MINE! I just own the books and read them over and over cause I love them so much. I’m only doing this because they gave me an idea. All of the aforementioned scenes are hers that I have changed to fit the FF8 world, the rest is my own crappy writing ^_^ I hope you enjoy it all the same because it’s a fic, and I don’t get paid for this anyway. ^_~
Uncertain Memory: With You
Part Eight - One year later
“I can’t believe it’s been a year already. Quistis is going to kill us for the stunt this time.”
“We told her we were going to have a huge mock fight.”
“Yeah, but if we get hurt…”
“I’m going to do something that you might not like. You might hate me for it.” Seifer donned his gray coat.
“And I wont know what it is until you do it right?” Squall pulled Revolver out of its case and turned to the blonde. “This wont scar me for life, will it?” He smirked but it faded as Seifer’s gazed turned to him. It scared him.
“Quite possibly.”
“You’re kidding… right?”
Seifer shook his head. Squall frowned at him. Seifer had obviously thought this through. So why did he chose something dangerous?
“Just—trust me okay?”
“Well we’ve planned this fight for so long, it’s not like we can go back.” Squall nodded. “Alright.”
Quistis wandered through the halls wondering where the boys had gone off to. Seifer had told her they were planning on doing their fight today, but he hadn’t said where or when. She bit her lip nervously and scanned the lunchroom. Not there.
“Miss Trepe!” A cadet ran up to the blonde out of breath.
“Yes? What is it?” she asked with a feeling this had to do with the boys.
“Seifer and Squall ma’am. They're fighting out on the bluff south of the Garden.” The cadet stood straight once she caught her breath. “It looks like they're going to kill each other!”
“Thank you, Lucy.” Quistis nodded. “Take me out to them!”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Pick the spot.” Seifer stopped and extended his arm to indicate the area he’d chosen, a rocky bluff just far enough away from the garden so that the students could see their silhouettes. Hopefully, they would get curious and wander over to see who was fighting.
“Me?” Squall asked and received a nod. He shrugged and threw his gunblade into the air. The two watched as it stabbed into the center of the rock outcropping. “There.” He pointed with a smirk.
Seifer sauntered down to the spot and Squall retrieved his blade, pulling it out of the ground dramatically and looking at the blonde with a blank but confident look. They saluted each other with their blades, and then it began.
The two men rushed forward, a smile on the blonde's face, a sense of worry on the brunette's. Seifer spun around and swung his gunblade as Squall raised his and to block it. Seifer pulled away for a second before continuing to try and knock the other boy's weapon away. The whole time Squall wondered what in the world his rival had in store.
The brunette swung at his lover but missed. Seifer stepped back for a moment as people began to peek over the rocks, interested in who was fighting. He put on a sly smile and beckoned Squall to come at him with a hand. Sparks flew from their blades as the fight ensued.
As the adrenaline pumped through him, Squall found renewed strength and attacked his opponent more wildly than before. Seifer blocked all of his four hits, but the blonde was still knocked back a bit. On the fifth swing, Squall underestimated the amount of power in Seifer’s counter and was knocked off balance and backward.
Squall coolly collected himself and charged the blonde with his hand out. Seifer mirrored him, but the sparks of magic only surrounded the blonde’s hand. His gray eyes widened as he pulled his arms up to block the magic with his blade. The fire the blonde had conjured knocked him back and off of his feet.
As Squall sat up his eyes burned and he coughed from breathing in the smoke from the fire—Seifer’s usual magical attack. When he got to his knees, Squall looked up to see Seifer lining up a swing. He was far too close. He was going to hit Squall before he had a chance to block. The brunette froze in a heavy recognition and watched as the blade descended upon his stationary from.
The force behind the blow whipped his skull to the side as a searing pain entered his forehead. Squall watched the blood drip down from his face onto the rocks. He focused his anger and used it to ignore his pain and return the honor. He charged forward and ripped his blade through Seifer’s statuesque form before falling to his knees in front of the blonde.
Squall tired to look up through blurred vision for a moment. “Do unto others…” he murmured before he succumbed to the pain and fell into a dead faint.
Flowers—they were everywhere. Pink and red petals filled the air as they rode on the wind. A girl appeared in the flower field—her black hair waving with the breeze. The back of her long, sky blue sweater had white wings imprinted on it.
I’ll be here, a male voice said.
Why—a younger voice.
I’ll be ‘waiting’ …here…
The girl put out a hand as the petals swirled around her.
For what?
I’ll be waiting…for you…so…
A petal landed in the girl’s hand and she closed it.
If you come here…
She opened her hand—the petal had turned into a white feather.
You’ll find me.
The feather joined the petals and engulfed everything in view as they rushed toward the sky…
The beginning:
A distasteful feeling passed through Squall as he began to wake up, remembering previous events of the day, not to mention the weird dream he’d just had. The exam just had to land on the day of Quistis’s birthday—when Seifer decided to plan the fight. His gray eyes squinted against the light and he recognized Dr. Kadowaki’s form in her bright white uniform. He used his arm to block the evil afternoon light that reflected off of her.
“How are you feeling?” she asked as he sat up.
“…My forehead hurts.” He rubbed the bandage on his forehead.
“No kidding,” she put in.
Squall rolled his eyes. Seifer was right—he was Mr. Obvious.
“Looks like your eyes are focusing.” Dr. Kadowaki bent over to get a better look at him. “You should be fine. Say your name for me.”
“Squall Leonhart.”
“Why don't you take it easy in morning training? Next time you might not be so lucky.”
“Tell that to Seifer,” Squall grumbled. The asshole had claimed him. He’d show that jerk claiming… after the SeeD exam. Damn.
“That Seifer...Won't listen to anyone.” She shook her head, distracted by the thought of the other young man. “Why don't you ignore him?”
“I can’t just runaway,” he replied, saying something to please the way she saw Seifer. He saw the blonde for who he really was. And later, that blonde had better run—and fast!
“You wanna be cool, huh? Well, don't get hurt in the process.” Dr. Kadowaki shook her head as he rolled his eyes again. “Let's see, your instructor is...” she thought for a moment, “Quistis! I'll call her now. Just wait here a minute.”
Squall lay back on the mattress when the doctor walked out of the room to call Quistis. Thank Hyne. Quistis would get him out and want an explanation. Seifer did say he had something spectacular planned for her 18th birthday. Something told him she would be expecting shit like this from Seifer. Hell, he’d gotten used to it—he loved the bastard.
The brunette rested an arm over his eyes to block the light as he began to doze. As he drifted, he barely heard someone walk into the room.
"Squall...so we meet again,” a young lady whispered.
He turned away, figuring it was one of his admirers. He didn’t want to deal with another giggling girl right now. Squall drifted off comfortably after he heard her leave. The sound of the infirmary door opening woke him minutes later. Squall squinted out from under his hand to see Quistis smirk at him.
“I knew it'd be either you or Seifer!” She turned and looked back at him. “Come on, let's go. Today's the field exam.”
He rolled his eyes and swallowed the dwindling pain in his forehead to follow her out of the infirmary.
“You gonna kill him?”
“I’ll torture him,” Squall replied quietly, with a hint of humor.
“Squall, is there something on your mind?” Quistis asked as they passed a few groups of cadets.
“…Not really.” They said at the same time and she began to giggle.
He narrowed his eyes—she was flirting again. Well no time like the present to pretend to brush her off. “What’s so funny?”
“Funny? No, no, it's not that! I'm just happy.” She chuckled amused with herself. “I feel like I'm beginning to understand my student a little. That's all.”
Squall scoffed at the big hint she’d let everyone hear. “I’m more complex than you think.”
“Then tell me.” She waved a hand. “Tell me more about yourself.”
“It’s none of your—”
“—Business!” She laughed as he shook his head and followed him back to the dorms.
“You’re hopeless, you know that?” Squall muttered as he punch the code to his room. “But a good actress.” He smirked at her as the door opened.
“Why, thank you,” she replied and followed him in. They found Seifer curled up on the bed snoozing with a faint snore. Quistis put her hands together and turned to the brunette. As if she had to ask. Squall shrugged and she grinned evilly. She tiptoed over to the bed…
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” A jade eye opened and focused on her.
“What?” Quistis asked innocently. “I was going to cuddle with you!”
“Uh-huh. Sure.” Seifer sat up and rubbed his freshly scarred forehead. “Only Squall has cuddle rights,” he said and patted his lap.
The brunette strolled over and sat on his knees. “You seem to be doing well.”
“Nothing that a drug can’t get rid of,” Seifer mumbled and gestured to his head. “Will you be my drug?”
“You’re as incorrigible as her!” Squall muttered indignantly and stood. He crossed the room to a mirror on the wall and balked at his reflection. “I look like a moron with this thing on.” He bent his head over to unwrap the gauze from his head. Quistis began to help him and in no time it was all resting in a heap on the floor. Squall looked up at his reflection to see a deep scar set into the right side of his forehead, running across the bridge of his nose to his left cheek. He put a finger to it to make sure it was real. He didn’t know what to think of it.
“I want you to remember us if we get parted.” Seifer’s arms snaked around his torso. “Remember why we fight and why we make love. If not for the love of the rush, for the love of each other.”
Squall stared at the blonde’s reflection. “Really, where do you come up with this shit?”
Seifer shrugged. “It’s a gift.”
“I’ll say,” Quistis agreed. “You could write greeting cards with that talent.” She giggled. “Speaking of greeting cards, how about my birthday?”
“How about her birthday?” Squall asked the blonde behind him.
“It’s her birthday, how about that?” Seifer grinned when Quistis rolled her eyes frustrated. He pulled a box out of his jacket and handed it to her.
She ripped it open and giggled again. “Chocolate covered cherries.” She smiled. “I think you’re trying to fatten me up so the other boys wont find me attractive.”
“Then I can have you all to myself.” The blonde boy grinned. “Tell them Squall gave it to you.”
“Oh I will,” she replied before munching on one of the candies. “I’ll shee you chwo in crash,” she mumbled before leaving the room. “Try to be on time…” the door closed behind her.
“We can try, but not guarantee it.” Seifer grinned at the shorter boy.
“Well if at first we don’t succeed, we can always try, try, try again.” Squall kissed the blonde’s forehead.
“Kiss it better again?”
“I’ll try.”