Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ PeRFecT ❯ Chapter 2

PeRFecT

Written and © by Briar Eve aka Mr. McFrugalshtein

CHAPTER 2

Quistis didn't sleep that night…she hibernated. Instead of searching for the cafeteria for dinner, she stuffed her face with graham crackers and saltenes and washed it down with sick-brown Galbadia water from the tap. Then she curled into a cramped little ball and plummeted into a deep slumber. No dreams- nothing. She wasn't a creature of thought and free-will- she was a sub-evolved, feral monster with a one track mind-ESCAPE!

She woke abruptly. Not because of any external cause, but because her mental alarm clock read 'seven-oh-two a.m.' But she got up and began to don her perfect façade. Her routine: shower (eight minutes, thirty five seconds), brush teeth (one minute, forty three seconds) floss, (two minutes- even), blow-dry hair (eighteen minutes, twenty one seconds), put hair up (one minute thirty six seconds- plus fifty seconds to pull out bangs), get dressed (four minutes, ten seconds), clean glasses ( forty-eight seconds), make bed (three minutes, twelve seconds) and gather belongings (two seconds). She stopped her time watch.

'Hmmmm……forty-one minutes and 17 seconds':It takes me three minutes longer here than in Balamb. I'll have to adjust my mental alarm clock accordingly." Stepping out, she locked her door behind her and adjusted her skirt. Because of the tragic death of her favorite heels, she had been forced to wear her black-leather riding boots. They were still professional and classy, but the outfit she had planned for her first day had to be rethought. Instead, she wore her pink field outfit and hung her whip from her belt. Somehow, this outfit felt right…..

She had a meeting scheduled with Martine for eight this morning, which gave her just enough time to wander around lost for sixteen minutes and still be perfectly on time. Walking down the stairs, and turning to the right, she came up to the main desk and glanced in. The secretary glanced up at her and smirked. Quistis ignored it.

"Could you possibly direct me to Headmaster Martine's office, please?" Quistis asked as politely as humanly possible. The secretary looked back down at her file folder.

"Left, second staircase, up four flights, turn right, second door on your left."

Quistis repeated the directions in her head and murmured a thank you. This woman was so deliberately rude! Quistis hated conforming to prejudice, but the woman was a complete snob. Gazing up the stairwell, she was instantly elated that she had no baggage, save her brief case. Her riding boots were also significantly more comfortable than the high heels…..'hmmm.....practical shoes- what's the world coming to?'

The rookie instructor had a insurmountable memory, so when she turned up in the boys dormitory, she began to suspect foul play. Standing at the top of the stairs, she gaped in shock as the boys, her potential students, walked by her grinning, wearing towels, or wearing underwear, or wearing nothing, or wearing a towel turban on his head, or wearing textbooks, as one of them did upon noticing her arrival. Putting her hand to her head, she shook her head.

"Hey girlie- you're in the wrong place at the wrong time!" One lewd little man came up to her, wearing a pink and blue towel that just barely covered his private area. Quistis averted her eyes.

"I realize that- um…do you know where I could find Headmaster Martine?"

"Sure baby!" He grinned, his eyes widening in delight. "He's right here under my towel!" Suddenly, the boy pulled away his towel and displayed himself to the world. Howls and jibes erupted from the mouths of everyone who witnessed the display, save Quistis herself, who was mortified.

"Hey, hey hey- what the hell's going on? What the fuck do you think you're doing you…..Quistis?!?"

Quistis opened one tentative eye and, much to her relief, the offensive streaker had been extricated. Now, standing in his place, was a very bemused, half-naked Seifer Almasy. He crossed his arms over his broadly-muscled chest and grunted out a laugh. Quistis felt her face flush and her heart pound. She had totally forgotten that Seifer had planned to take summer courses at Galbadia Garden. It had been one of the reasons why Cid had suggested she do her placement at Galbadia instead of Trabia- so she could keep an eye on the rebellious student. Oh god….the situation had been second in humiliation only to the previous day. But because Seifer was here, it was now twelve point five times worse.

"Quistis......or, should I say, Instructor? Yeah- Well, "Instructor", what are you doing up here during happy hour? You lost or somethin'?" The way he said "or something" made Quistis shudder. He was so dominating and masculine- he really scared her sometimes. But she would never give in to that fear.

"I'm looking for Headmaster Martine's office, and I was told that this was the location but….yes- I guess I am lost, since this is obviously not the place…."

"You asked that bag of a secretary to direct you, didn't you?" Seifer asked. Quistis could only nod. He smirked. "Yeah- I hear she likes to mess with new Faculty. She thinks they're real cocky."

"Yeah, well- you'd be the authority on that." She murmured under her breath. He raised an eyebrow- obviously he understood the implication. But he shrugged it off.

"Well…..I could be a nice guy and show you where it is- I have been there a couple times myself….."

"Seifer- you've been here five days. I sincerely hope you haven't had to visit Martine too many times….."

"All of the times were for an act that was totally warranted, "Instructor". Anyway- let me get dressed and I'll take you there. I have something I have to do anyway…." Glancing around, Seifer nodded towards the door. "You…uh…might wanna wait for me outside. I can't be held responsible for what these guys might do to you. They don't have the same amount of respect for you that I do……" Waving, he disappeared into a room. Quistis decided to take his advice and waited for Seifer out in the hall.

He sauntered out a few minutes later (seven and a half to be precise- she only had five minutes to find Martine's office.) Wearing his cadet uniform and emblematic white trenchcoat, he ran a hand through his cropped hair and motioned for her to follow him. She did-wordlessly.

He took her back down the hall and two flights of stairs, then through another hall and up another flight of stairs. Then, entering a passcode, the elevator opened for Seifer and he ushered her in. They took it too the top floor. Typical. Just like Cid, only five times as elaborate and complicated. Typically Galbadian. The elevator chimed and opened into a waiting room, complete with receptionist and lounging area. Seven fifty nine and forty seconds. Twenty Seconds to spare.

"Martine gets a lot of visitors." Seifer explained as he took a seat near the set of huge double doors, most likely leading to the Headmaster's office. Quistis sat, leaving a seat between them.

"So……why are you here?"

"I……uh, just want to say hi. It'll just take a second." Seifer smirked and leaned back, placing his hands behind his head. Quistis sighed. He had done something wrong. He was checking in. It was like a parole meeting. Stealing a glance, she noticed for the first time that Seifer had stitches along his right brow line and a cut at the corner of his mouth. What in Hyne's name did the boys do around here? First that Cadet the night before, now Seifer- Cadets were bred to be warriors, but Garden did not promote non-sensical violence! Damn.

"How many stitches you got?"

"Five- no big deal. They'll be out soon…" Seifer bit his lip for a second, the veins forehead slightly protruding- he was fashioning a lie, Quistis had seen this before. "I smashed my head into a bathroom mirror, accidentally, of course, and broke the glass. Had some stuck in my head. Really painful. Fuckin' mirror."

"That was very clumsy of you, Seifer." She answered, trying to bait him. Seifer's pride would be hurt from that one. Sure enough, he growled.

"Someone else opened the medicine cabinet while I was spitting in the sink. Asshole."

"Are you sure someone else didn't slam your head into the mirror, as well?" She asked with a calculated tone. Seifer just smirked and laughed.

"You're so clever, aren't you, "Instructor"? I guess that's why you're an "Instructor". Well, why don't you just tell me why…..."

The opening of Martine's office door save Quistis from Seifer's rebuttal. Martine himself stepped out, mid conversation.

"…….Go to class. Complete your assignment, and report straight back to me. Understand?" Martine's order was greeted with a grumble. "Do you understand, Mr. Kinneas?"

"Hell'ya. Now let me go. I'm gonna be late." Quistis' ears perked up at the voice. It was familiar. And she realized just how familiar when the cadet…HER cadet….stepped through the door. 'Hyne, he looks good this morning. What's with the cowboy hat? Ah, who cares- it's a statement. A really sexy….stop it! What is wrong with you? Focus….Kinneas, eh?'

"Ahh, Mr. Almasy. How nice to see you this morning. Keeping your nose clean, I assume…."

"That's a gosh-danged nasty cut too- better keep that clean as well…." Kinneas beamed and lowered his cowboy hat over his eyes. Seifer nostrils flared and he turned on the other cadet.

"Yeah- that's a pretty sexy shiner, ya got there, ya fuckin' yokel. So embarrassed ya have to hide your face behind that gay hat, eh? Afraid ya'ain't gonna get lucky anymore? Try keepin' your dick in your pants for once……."

"At least I'm not to embarassed ta take it out." Kinneas threw out, glibly. Martine simply shook his head and stepped between the two.

"Irvine- go to class. Seifer- get to the training center. Quistis, is it? Please, follow me…."

Quistis watched as the two men entered the elevator chamber together. She was afraid for…… 'Irvine', was it? She knew Seifer's arrogance and ambition. It was obvious the two had gotten into a scrap, but over what? Seifer was a loaded pistol- but Irvine seemed so laid back. What had gotten to the Galbadian cadet?

"Instructor Trepe? Please come in."

She turned and entered the luxurious office, complete with bay-windows, cherrywood desks and hutch and……a big screen t.v.?!?! Well…….no wonder the kids came to visit him so much! Quistis glanced at Martine, the Galbadian Headmaster, and noticed how tired and gaunt he looked. Martine was at least ten years younger than Headmaster Cid, but Martine's cheeks were so sallow and the bags under his eyes were prominent and swelling. He was generally a fairly attractive man, but he looked......well, hideous.

But he smiled. "So, Quistis. I hear your first day was a little traumatizing….."

"Oh……It wasn't so bad. Just a little confusing, I supposed….." She laughed nervously.

"No…no…I'm sorry about the whole lot. Kinneas reported the event to me- I have the disciplinary society checking for the delinquents who attacked you, and I am sorry about giving you room fifty two and, most of all, leaving you without an escort. I realize you've never been here, and Galbadia Garden is massive, not to mention dangerous at times."

Quistis bristled at this. It was true that she had been taken by surprise, but she didn't need an escort. Proper directions and a trolley would have sufficed. She was a trained Seed. But……no use in making a scene. "Thank you for your concern, Headmaster. Now….when do I begin teaching?" This was what she really wanted- to get the experience before she joined the Balamb faculty in the fall. She wanted desperately to be a good teacher.

"Well- You can sit in on random classes today, then tomorrow you co-teach with Instructor Samah- he teaches a hand to hand combat class- Instructor Botchaskya- she teaches strategy- and finally, you will be heading three tutorials on Basic Battle Operations starting Friday. Here is your time table, and all the logistics concerning your placement here. I will come in to evaluate your tutorial every second week and I expect a detailed report on the progression of your students once a month. And well……do you have any questions, concerns or comments?" Martine leaned back in his high-backed, executive leather chair. Pausing, Quistis asked the question on her mind.

"As you know, my secondary reason for coming to Galbadia was to watch over Seifer Almasy. Now, I noticed that he had received some injuries, and I would like to question you about their nature……."

"My- you are observant aren't you? I'm sure he didn't tell you- less sure that Irvine Kinneas didn't offer the information- but you probably did notice. Certainly- since you are on Faculty and you are Seifer's babysitter, I see no reason to tell you." He cleared his throat and proceeded. " Almasy and Kinneas got in a scrap two days ago over an insipid little happening that resulted in overnight hospitalization for both of them. It's obvious there is still animosity between them, and there probably will be so for awhile. I'm not sure that they didn't beat the hell out of each other in the elevator. The truth is- Seifer's a tyrant and Irvine is a kind of…defender of the peace around here- tries to solve conflict. But his attitude obviously pisses off Seifer. So…….I'm just going to see how the situation plays out. I'll suspend them next time. They're both on probation and have to check on me morning and night, and have to visit the guidance counselor every day during their spare periods for the next two weeks. That's the situation….."

"How did the initial conflict start?"

"Seifer cut in the lunch line in front of one of Irvine's lady friends, who became angry and began to argue with Seifer. Irvine- who really does believe that he is chivalry incarnate- rushed in and tried solve the argument. But when Seifer pushed past the young woman, Irvine decked him. Then the two went at it something terrible. There was food all over the place. We had to close the cafeteria for half a day. The students were raising up in arms……."Martine smiled and sighed. "There are always problems when teaching gifted or talented children. Seifer's a smart, smart boy- too smart for Cid to handle, I think. And Irvine…….Well, he's an asset. I don't know what this garden would do without him……Anyway…..I should let you to your day- I'll be in Deling City most of the day, so if you need to speak to me, contact me via cell phone, I've listed it in your contacts section in your folder."

"Thank you, Martine- for everything. I won't let you down." Quistis murmured adamantly.

"You will be a fine addition to this faculty- how unfortunate it is for us that it is only temporary."

Quistis left Martine and flipped through her manila folder- lucky for her he had enclosed a map, detailing the classes and teachers and major sections of the school. This paper would be her bible. She clutched it to her chest and thanked Hyne for such an icon. She spent the day slipping in and out of classrooms, trying to get a feel for the school. And she did get a feeling- that everywhere she went all she could think about was how bad the water tasted and how good her Cadet looked in his cowboy hat. She was allowed to think. Thoughts don't have to be perfect.