THE ZELL DINCHT COLLECTION

WARNINGS

1) I do not own Zell, Squall, Rinoa, Irvine, Seifer, Selphie, Irvine, Quistis, or any other character I may mention from the FF8 series. I may add some more characters, which are mine. If you steal them, I probably won't find out about it. I also do not own most of the towns, monsters, etc… used in this story.

2) This was written cause Zell is the coolest character ever to be created in the FF series. It's rated NC-17 for mostly sex, but it also contains some language and violence.

3) This is a yaoi story. If you are offended by yaoi, or don't know what it is, I suggest you leave. You have been warned.

Ok think I got everything. Just read it and leave me some feedback. If you flame me I'll find it funny, so do whatever the hell makes you feel good.

CHAPTER 19: Decisions After a Brief Nap

(**********)

There were no victory dances when the brothers fell. They had the shit knocked out of them. For five minutes, the group collapsed on the floor silently. Zell and Squall had healed Selphie enough so she could stand, but she still couldn't walk. Puma knew he had a broken arm, as it throbbed in pain, but he ignored it. He had won, and that's all that mattered. Zoe's hip didn't break, but it was extremely sore. She knew it was going to be a rough walk back to the ships. Seifer had a couple broken ribs, but Puma's potion had stopped the bleeding. He sat against the back wall of the tomb, clutching his side, but saying nothing.

Zell still had a sore back from being thrown against the wall in the first battle against Sacred, but he was far better off then the others. Squall hadn't been touched all day, which he considered fairly disappointing, as he was only able to take on a Forbidden. Slowly, Zell and Squall made their ways around the room, and tried to heal the party as best as possible. Puma and Seifer wouldn't have too much difficulty walking back, but it would be hard for Zoe, and impossible for Selphie.

"We're going to have to go back to the boats as a group, or we'll never all make it," Squall noted, looking at his fallen comrades.

"It's 2:30," Zell muttered, looking at his watch. "We got an hour and a half to make a twenty minute trip."

Squall nodded and scooped up Selphie, throwing her over his shoulder. Zell followed his example, and picked up Zoe.

"You might have made it after all," the blonde laughed to Zoe, as they left the hut.

"I hate you…" Zoe sighed, but she was too tired to object to Zell carrying her.

Squall and Zell led the group across the wobbly bridge, and reluctantly back into the shadows. Puma, who was taking up the rear, watched the last rays of sunlight vanish from the floor beneath him. He sighed and once again was smothered with heavy clouds of darkness.

Seifer wasn't particularly glad either. He once again stepped too close to the wall, and soaked his shoe with water. "Damnit." Luckily it was only a short, straight walk, and the outside sunlight quickly became visible again. Zell and Squall walked much slower on the way out, allowing the limping Seifer and Puma to keep up. The entrance to the temple was now clearly visible, and soon the group found themselves on the outside of the rock structure. Feeling the full warmth of the sun on his face again, Puma was never happier to be outside. The group caught glances from the faculty member, but she said nothing.

"Four miles and then we can relax," Zell called back. His shoulder was starting to go numb, but he forced it out of his mind and trudged on. The wide-open plains stretched before them, as the afternoon sun was a little past right overhead.

"Zell, you see any monsters, take them out with magic," Squall commanded. "We don't have anyone healthy enough to perform physical attacks. The blonde nodded, and continued to stride westward. He felt Zoe's breathing slow, and then heard her light snores in his ear.

"I could use a nap myself," he thought to himself, but he knew he couldn't just lie down in the grass in front of him. They trudged onward. Puma and Seifer's pace became even slower after about the third mile, but Squall and Zell were in no great rush, so they loosened their stride as well. Luckily, the group didn't run into many foes. Zell had shot down a couple of Geezards, and Squall had even taken out a Thrustaevis with a Thundara spell, but other then that, the trip was uneventful.

"There it is!" Zell called back. The outline of the beach became apparent on the horizon, and the group knew they were minutes away from relaxation. These were some of the longest minutes of their lives. The hardest steps Puma ever took were the ones into the living area of the boat. Zell placed Zoe on one of the couches, and then collapsed himself beside her. Puma fell next to him and Seifer sat on the adjacent couch. Squall placed Selphie next to Seifer, and sat alone on the remaining one.

Zell felt two heads fall onto his shoulders, but he was too tired to push them away. Selphie was somehow able to nod off on Seifer's arm. To Zell's great surprise, Seifer didn't punch her in the face, but chose to more calmly move away slowly. Squall was the only one who didn't look tired, but then again, Zell never had seen Squall tired before.

Footsteps were heard coming into the boat, and Squall and Zell looked up to see who it was.

"Oh Hyne!" Xu squealed looking at the wrecked crew. "I'll get the medical crew." She ran off, and returned five minutes later with Dr. Kadowaki and some of her nurses. They took Seifer, Zoe, Puma, and Selphie away after inspecting their wounds and deciding they needed further treatment.

"I'm fine," Zell pleaded with a nurse, as she inspected his back.

"You have a pretty big bruise, are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Well at least drink this, it'll take down the swelling."

"Tch…fine!" She finally left the blonde alone, and made her way out of the room.

"You sure you're okay?" Dr Kadowaki asked, eyeing Squall. He nodded, and she took his word for it. She knew she wasn't going to get another answer out of him. She finally departed, leaving Squall, Zell, and Xu in the room. The blonde spread himself across the couch, and took a swig of the awful tasting liquid the nurse gave him.

"So what happened?" Xu asked, eyes aglow. She had been dying to get answers out of them for almost a half hour, and now was her opportunity.

"Nothing much," Zell teased, holding his nose and chugging the last of the liquid.

"Did you find it?"

"Find what?"

"Ugh…the GF!"

"I don't know, I'll make a report or something," the blonde muttered. Squall put his hand over his head.

"ZELL! Ugh…Squall what happened?" Xu continued to plead, looking at the lion.

"Whatever…" Squall replied, pestered by her constant questions. Zell laughed, as he saw Xu was extremely annoyed.

"I told you, we'll make a report or something."

"I give up," Xu cried going to leave. "I hate you both." Zell snickered as she walked out, and sat up to face Squall.

"Any idea how we're gonna fill these out?" he asked, pulling out his packet.

"Just take a couple of notes," Squall instructed. "Cid'll probably call a conference with me to get the full story."

"Can I come with?"

"Yeah, I'll need someone to verify it."

Zell nodded, and wrote down some small stuff. After a long silence, footsteps were heard, coming back into the ship. Puma and Seifer came back and sat down next to the two SeeD's.

"They didn't want Selphie or Zoe walking, so they just kept them on the medical boat," Puma explained. A few seconds later, the boat thrust off the beach, and the choppy, rocking motion once again returned.

"Four o' clock," Zell muttered looking down at his watch. "How's your arm?"

"Eh…they said nothing too serious, I didn't need a sling or a cast or anything." Puma replied looking down at it. "Still a bit sore though."

"It'll be fine in an hour or two. My back doesn't hurt anymore." The blonde then looked to Seifer. He had bandages wrapped around his stomach, but Zell decided against asking. Sure, without Seifer, they wouldn't have stood a chance against the Brothers, but they still weren't on buddy-buddy terms. The larger blonde spread himself across the couch, and fell asleep anyway, negating any chance of Zell questioning him. Puma soon nodded off too, using Zell's shoulder as a pillow. Squall stayed awake the entire trip, as did Zell because of the strong medicine he took. After about ten minutes, the boat came to a stop, signifying their arrival back to Balamb.

"Report immediately back to the Garden," Xu was yelling instructions, as they climbed out of the boat. "We are still on a mission. It will end as soon as you reach the garden."

"Let's go," Zell nodded to Puma, and led him back to the car. He looked inside Ma's house as he passed by, but she was too busy cleaning to notice the commotion. Starting the engine, Zell drove away from town, and was glad to see the garden again. He had only been away for about five hours, but it felt like an eternity. There were a million questions Puma wanted to ask the blonde, but he thought it best to wait until the mission was officially over. The smell of the garden returned to the two as they pulled into the parking lot.

"Congrats on completing your first SeeD mission," Zell smiled shaking Puma's hand.

"Thanks, how'd I do?"

"I don't know," Zell shrugged, and turned into the circular atrium.

"Come on, you can't leave me hanging." Puma begged.

"I can and will," Zell laughed.

"Coming?" said another voice from behind, which made Zell jump. He turned to find Squall.

"Yeah let's go." The two turned towards Cid's office, and left Puma standing alone in the middle of the hallway. "I'll catch up with ya later man," Zell yelled back.

"Kay…" Puma muttered disappointedly, and turned back towards his dorm.

"Cid called you already?" Zell asked, boarding the elevator. Squall shrugged, and felt the force of the elevator lift him up. After the "DING", they walked into Cid's office.

"Have a seat," Cid greeted. "Mr. Dincht, you also have some news for me?"

"Yes sir," Zell replied, and pulled up a stool beside Squall.

"I've been very interested in today's mission," Cid nodded. "From what I've heard, the GF was defeated and captured very early. Did you and Ms. Guthard do this Squall? Or did you and Mr. Crowings do it?"

"It was a team effort sir," Squall replied.

"I'm afraid I don't understand. Start from the beginning." So Squall told his half of the story until he met Zell, and then Zell told his half of the story until he met Squall, and then they finished with the final battle against the GF.

"So the temple contained two GF's?"

"No sir, they act as one, but are two separate creatures," Zell corrected.

"Ah, so Ms. Guthard and Mr. Crowings defeated them."

"Along with Seifer Almasy," Squall mentioned.

"Seifer Almasy," Cid grunted, his face flashing with anger remembering last year's mission. "So what you're suggesting I do is, make two first year members and Seifer Almasy SeeDs?"

"Um…I'd like to point out that Zoe and Puma are not junior classmen. They are seventeen and sixteen respectfully," Zell said softly, trying to cover for both of them.

"And your opinion of Seifer Almasy, Mr. Dincht?"

"He has a big head; he's rude, disrespectful, and obnoxious, but that's the way it played out today." Zell took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he was about to say. "As much as I hate to say it, I think it would be a loss to not have someone as powerful as Seifer in SeeD." Zell almost choked. After all the years of being called chicken wuss, bullied, and pushed around by Seifer, suddenly he was standing up for him.

"And you agree to this, Mr. Leonhart?"

"Yes sir."

"Thank you two," Cid nodded, signifying the meeting was over. "I'll hold a few more interviews, and post the results in an hour or two." Zell and Squall saluted, and then left the room.

"Did I just get Seifer into SeeD?" Zell asked, struck with disbelief. Squall shook his head and smirked.