Story: The New Life (all chapters)

The New Life: A Final Fantasy Crossover / Shoujo-ai

A lonely blonde looked out across a sandy beach, looking to the waves for answers that she would never receive. Quistis Trepe took a deep breath and looked for the next fight. The young instructor was blowing off steam. She wasn’t angry; she was frustrated at being alone. She was getting tired, but the feeling didn’t go away. Her grip on her whip tightened as she heard a roar signaling that a new challenger had come to fall before her. It was large, yellow and had two tentacles. ‘Oh God…it’s an ochu!’ She realized she might be in over her head.

--

Another lonely blonde was looking out at the ocean. She was searching for somewhere to hide. ‘Some way to thank us for saving the world… I’m so sorry, Terra.’ Ex-general Celes Chere gripped her sword tightly. She felt like a failure. She had let the person closest to her… She had to keep herself from collapsing in grief. This was no time to cry.

“She mustn’t get away! There she is!” a pitchfork-wielding villager yelled. Celes looked toward the voice. Next to him was a crazy-eyed old man in elaborate robes, obviously a leftover Cult of Kefka zealot. She quickly cast Vanish on herself and began to make a run for it.

“No, you don’t, you witch!” the zealot yelled. He began to chant a familiar incantation. She didn’t have time to consider the hypocritical accusation as he finished. “X-zone!”

Celes’s breath caught in her throat as he cast the spell. She wasn’t counting on the mad-eyed zealot being able to cast spells. She was vulnerable to spells while she was invisible, with X-zone being especially bad. As she was sucked into the void, she had a strange thought: “I guess I’ll find out where all those monsters ended up…”

--

Quistis was definitely in serious trouble. True, she had fought against the Sorceress Ultimecia, but she was not alone then. Now, she had been fighting over an hour straight with barely a minute’s break. She lashed out with Save the Queen at the big yellow monster. It growled and responded with Ochu Dance. Toxic fumes filled the air. Quistis suddenly felt dizzy and nauseous. ‘Oh no, poison!’ It was the one thing she was not immune to. Her struggling was brought to a halt as a tentacle slammed into her stomach. She flew through the air and skidded across the sand. ‘I don’t want to die…’

--

Celes felt her sense of up and down invert. Her body floated through an abyss of light and dark, sound and silence. She was terrified at the thought of spending the rest of her existence in limbo; all alone with those fresh, horrible memories. For an indeterminate amount of time, there was nothing - just darkness.

Her thoughts traced over her short life. She remembered her adoptive father Cid. He had always tried to make things easier for her in the most difficult circumstances, especially during the magic infusion experiments. She forced the painful memories of the experiments out of her mind. She had spent months recovering and never known what a normal life was. She remembered ‘joining’ the Empire’s Military as a young teen. ‘Not like I had any choice…’ She thought about the ambitious Emperor Gestahl. He had ordered her to commit so many heinous deeds in his name. Her hands never felt clean after that. She remembered the courageous General Leo. She had always looked up to him and learned from him how to keep sane while serving a cruel purpose.

Lastly, she thought of Terra. Sureshe wasn’t the onewho saved her from that basement in South Figaro, but she had saved a part of her heart and soul. The young woman had become a very special friend, if not something more. A pang of regret hit Celes as she thought of the lovely green-haired girl. She never got to admit her true feelings.

“I don’t want to die…” a desperate voice called into the abyss. Celes awoke from her revelry and searched for the source of the plea, but couldn’t find it. She couldn’t just float around if someone was in trouble! Out of desperation, she closed her eyes and concentrated on the voice. She focused harder and felt a pull. It started as a tug and turned into a horizontal fall. She felt her consciousness slipping and blacked out.

--

When Celes managed to open her eyes, she noticed the blue sky. Before she could notice anything else, she heard a roar. She struggled to her feet and drew her sword. A huge yellow plant was attacking a blonde girl, who was lashing out with a whip from her knees. Celes ran towards the girl as she was thrown by a tenticle. The general let out a yell to call attention away from the victim. The monster turned towards her and roared.

Her battle instincts kicked in instantly. It lashed out at her. She dodged and counter-attacked. As a result, green blood spurted out at her, but none hit her considering she was still on the move. 'No point in making myself a target.' It continued to swing at her as she swiftly added a dozen slashes to the first. The plant-thing growled and Celes felt a familiar tingle on the back of her neck. ‘This thing can cast magic?’ Celes was tired of surprises but instinctively held her sword in front of her. A fireball shot out at her. As it reached her sword, it fizzled and was absorbed by her sword. The monster looked a little frustrated from the look on its hideous face. It tried to toast her again, which she also absorbed. She responded with Ice 3. It howled as it began to wither.

When she was sure it was dead, she turned to regard the young woman. The blonde woman was trying to push herself to her feet with gloved hands. Her pink skirt and blouse were covered with sand. Celes offered her hand to the woman, who looked at it before gratefully grabbing it.

“Thanks,” Quistis said, exhausted. She looked up and her eyes widened.

“What?” Celes asked. “Is there something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing.” Quistis legs buckled and Celes caught her. Their eyes met; blue to green. “Thanks again. By the way, I’m Quistis. Might I ask who my white knight is?”

Celes reddened at the implied title: “Celes.”

“I would love to tell you how beautiful your name is, but I don’t think I’ll be conscious for much longer… Head to the road and follow it to the Garden.” Quistis managed to point vaguely east, then, her body went limp. Celes had no trouble picking up the young woman in her arms, but her body was starting to ache from her flight and the battle. She used her remaining magic energy to heal herself and Quistis. She smiled as she looked in the young woman’s peaceful face.

‘She’s beautiful.’ A pang of guilt and shame went through her. ‘Terra’s been gone only a couple of days and I’m already checking out someone else.’ She shook her head sadly as she trudged towards the indicated direction. Sand turned to grassy fields. The road was easy to find and smooth. Celes kept walking down the road and a question entered her mind. ‘“Follow it to the garden?” Does she live in a farming village? I hope they have some healers and a spare bed.’ She had not slept in a couple of days and the exhaustion was returning now that the adrenaline was drying up.

Celes looked up and saw a strange structure. It looked like a big blue bubble with a halo. ‘Am I hallucinating?’ As she closed in, she noticed people were moving around. Her legs became weaker the closer she got. ‘Just a little farther…’

As she reached the first set of stairs, a brunette in a yellow dress ran up to them. In a panicked tone, she said: “Oh my god, Quisty!”

‘Well, I guess I’m in the right place.’Celes’s vision blurred as the exhaustion caught up with her. She fell to her knees as everything went black.

--

The first thing Quistis saw was Selphie’s smiling face hovering over her. Quistis was glad to see someone cared about her well-being, but she was curious about the young woman who had saved her from a painful death. The last thing she remembered was looking into those green eyes and spouting some corny pick-up lines and passing out. She hoped she didn’t blow it. ‘Or was she some sort of illusion?’ Nah, she was lonely, but not mentally unstable.

“How do you feel?” Selphie said, concerned by her distracted friend. ‘I wonder if it has something to do with the woman who was carrying her.’

“Fine, Selphie,” Quistis said, almost casually. “I feel like I got sat on by a T-Rexuar, but other than that I’m fine.” She stretched carefully. “By the way, where is the blonde woman who brought me here?”

“She’s resting in the other room.” Selphie grinned. She knew she was right about why Quistis wasn’t paying enough attention to her. “Poor dear’s exhausted. She must’ve had a rough couple of days or something.” Quistis attempted to get up, but Selphie gently pushed her down. “You’ve had it rough too. What’s wrong, Quisty?”

The blonde instructor sighed and closed her eyes. “Ever since…I gave up on Rinoa…I’ve felt lonely…like I’m not capable of being loved.”

Selphie quickly took offense and cut in saying: “We all love you! Maybe not that way…but we all really care! You’re the only person I know with a fan club as fanatical as yours.” Quistis placed her hand on top of Selphie’s, who was gripping her arm. Selphie’s rant halted.

“But I’m looking for my ‘special one’,” Quistis looked pleadingly into Selphie’s eyes. “I just lost faith that I’ll ever meet ‘the one.’ I just took a walk and had to release some stress.”

“I understand. Sometimes I think Irvine will never grow up and ask me out. Just promise me that you won’t go out alone like that. You’ve trusted me with everything so far and you trust me to watch you back, so promise me now…”

It was all true. Quistis had trusted her with her crush on Rinoa. She had fought beside the brunette in many battles and trusted her implicitly, despite her hyperactive demeanor. Quistis nodded. “You’ve never given me a reason not to trust you. I promise to let you baby sit me.” She added a bit of a smile at the second sentence. Both girls laughed. “Now will you let me visit my rescuer?”

“Are you sure you can contain yourself? She’s awfully pretty. Kinda reminds me of sleeping beauty, right now…” She gave Quistis a suspicious look as she helped her friend stand.

Quistis assumed a mock-offended look. “Are you accusing me of something?”

“Well, there was that time Rinoa woke up with you just inches in front of her face…”

Quistis turned bright red. “She nearly drowned that day! Okay, I’ll behave. I want to see her and I’ll let you chaperone, okay?” Together, they limped into the next room. A white cape was hanging off a coat rack. Underneath the covers, the young woman was resting somewhat peacefully. Her long blond hair was spilled over her shoulders in waves. Her face looked troubled and her eyes showed evidence of crying. Selphie led Quistis to a chair next to her bed, which she sat down in heavily. She leaned over and reached out with her hand. She let her fingertips caress the sleeper’s cheek. In response, a peaceful sigh emerged.

“Careful, you don’t wanna wake her,” Selphie whispered harshly. Quistis pulled back her hand and leaned back in the chair. However, green eyes slowly opened.

--

Celes woke up when she felt a gentle touch. Her eyes slowly responded. Next to her bed were the blond and the person she collapsed in front of. From the white walls and windows, she was in a hospital. She hated hospitals. They reminded her of laboratories. The seated blond smiled happily at her. ‘Quistis, wasn’t it?’ The brunette standing behind her jumped up and down with a larger grin. “Are you all right, Quistis?”

‘She remembered my name! Hallelujah!’ Her heart managed to skip a beat.“Yes, I’m fine, minus a few aches. What about you?”

Celes pulled herself into a seated position. “I feel like I’ve been out for a while. Did I take us to the right place?”

“Right to Selphie here. She was looking for me.” Quistis motioned to the brunette who shook Celes’s hand excitedly.

“Nice to meet ya! I’m Selphie Tilmitt. Would you like to join the festival committee?”

“Selphie… She just got here and I don’t think she’s from around here.” Quistis scolded the ecstatic girl, before returning to the issue at hand. “By the way, where are you from?”

“Well, I really didn’t have a home. I lived most of my life in the Imperial capital of Vector, but most recently I lived in an orphanage at Mobliz.” Celes explained. She only received confused blank looks back. “What? Is something wrong?”

“I’ve never heard of Vector or Mobliz… I’m sorry.” Quistis apologized. “We’re in Balamb Garden next to the town of Balamb. Maybe we can look it up.”

“That’s all right. I left nothing behind.” Celes frowned as she knew that it was true. “I’m pretty sure that I must have warped here after that spell hit me. No, I got here after I heard a call for help and tried to find someone.”

“That was me.” Quistis blushed. “Thank you for saving me. You were amazing fighting off that Ochu.”

Selphie rolled her eyes.‘She’s not even fully conscious yet and Quisty’s hitting on her.’ “Yeah, I bet Quisty woulda bit the big one if you’d not come along.”

“It was nothing. I would do anything in my power to save a lady in trouble.” Celes said modestly. She had not been complemented like that in a while.

Quistis shifted in her seat uncomfortably. ‘Maybe she really is some sort of white knight.’ Celes moved her legs over to the edge of the bed as she prepared to get up. Quistis stood up to help her. Celes pushed herself up and wobbled slightly. Then, fell down on top of Quistis, who fell to the floor. Quistis groaned. Celes groaned. Then, they noticed the awkward positioning. Quistis had one hand out, as if to catch herself, while the other was wrapped around Celes’s shoulders. Celes’s arms were around Quistis with her face in the woman’s collar. She looked up straight into a pair of blue eyes. Celes slowly got up and helped Quistis to her feet.

“Sorry, maybe I shouldn’t have gotten up yet.” Her face was a little red, but not from strain.

“It’s all right. I probably shouldn’t be up yet either.” They both kind of laughed it off and sat back down to recuperate more.

Selphie just sighed and shook her head and thought, ‘Obviously I’m a third wheel.’

Quistis continued. “Well, we need to go explain the situation to Headmaster Cid, but first I’d like to hear your story first…”

“Okay. How far back do I need to go?” Celes looked uncertain.

“Far enough back to at least tell us who you are,” Quistis said, trying not to push her.

“Well, I used to be a general for the Empire. I trained soldiers and fought in numerous campaigns before I was 18. Then, one day, I went against orders to burn down South Figaro.” Celes went on about being rescued by the ‘treasure hunter,’ Locke, and the resistance against the Empire and Kefka. She purposely left out the couple of months afterwards. “Then, a mob was stirred up by one of Kefka’s followers and I was pursued until a dangerous spell reaction transported me into another dimension. I heard your cry for help and ended up here.” They were seated on the edge of the bed. Quistis had a thoughtful look on her face. Celes pondered that look temporarily, before Quistis got up and they made their way to Cid’s office.

--

After receiving numerous curious looks, they navigated their way through a crowd of Trepies, who looked quite jealous of the blonde standing protectively next to their favorite instructor. One audacious member reached out to tell the new girl to watch her step. She responded with a swift trip and shove.

“Now, now, Celes,” Quistis chided, softly, “We don’t want to injure my students, even if they are somewhat fanatically protective of me.” Celes sighed and shot the man a dirty look as the two of them entered the elevator. Selphie had left them claiming something about ‘checking on Irvine.’ Once the cramped elevator came to a stop, they went through a set of wooden double doors. Behind the desk sat a round man with glasses and a dark red vest with a serious look of concentration on his face.

He was muttering to himself. Quistis swore she heard him say: “I can’t believe it! Zell keeps eating more and more of those hot dogs. Why if I were young again…I’d challenge him myself.” Quistis coughed politely. “Oh, hi, Quistis! I’m glad to see you’re all right. Ah, I take it this is our special guest.” He stuck out his hand politely, and Celes responded with a firm grasp and shake.

“I’m Celes Chere, former general and enemy of the Empire,” She said with a smile.

“Well, a general… We’ve also had experience in fighting with ‘rebels.’ Well, are you with the Timber Resistance or the Galbadian Scorpions or...”

Quistis politely interrupted. “Sir, she’s not exactly from around here.” Cid had a curious look on his face.

Celes touched Quistis’s arm signaling she was going to tell her story. It sent an electric jolt that made the instructor twitch. “Well, it’s a long story. Why don’t we sit down?” Celes went into her previous story. Cid couldn’t hide his amazement.

“Well, that is an interesting story… Since you have nowhere to go, we’ll be glad to have another warrior on board, if you want.” Cid said, as he stretched his arms over his head.

“I’d be happy to earn my keep.” Celes nodded her approval.

Quistis leaned forward in her chair and looked to Celes. “I was wondering, with your permission Headmaster, if you would be interested in becoming my assistant instructor. Your experience would be a valuable asset in the classroom.” She waited for the other woman’s approval. The pair of green eyes looked to the floor in deep thought.

The instructor and the headmaster waited patiently as they saw the ex-general’s expression darken followed by a look of determination.

Celes looked to Quistis with a curious expression. “Would it be all right if I observed first? I haven’t trained troops in a while and I’m not sure if I want to be involved in any unnecessary fighting, right now.”

Quistis gave the woman a comforting touch on her arm. “I understand. I have a class tomorrow. It’s a group of younger students, but it’ll give you a good idea of what we’re doing here.” Celes nodded and smiled. She turned back to the headmaster who was observing the exchange. “Have you made any arrangements for her stay, sir?” Cid shook his head. “Might I request she stay with me?” Celes blushed slightly at the sly smile on the instructor’s face.

Cid pondered it for a moment and said: “Sure. I know you’ve got the extra room.” Quistis smiled, but inside her heart was doing cartwheels. Celes’s stomach decided to interrupt with a slight growl. Celes covered it as if to mute it. “Well, you shouldn’t let her starve any longer. Dismissed.” Quistis stood and saluted while Celes just nodded politely and they left in search of nourishment.

--

The two blondes were seated at a round table in the cafeteria of Balamb. Quistis was eating her salad when she noticed an interesting look on her companion’s face. “Is something wrong?”

Celes barely looked up as she examined her plate. There was a strange pink thing mostly wrapped in bread. “What kind of food is this? I’ve never encountered anything like this in any of my journeys.”

“It’s a hot dog. They’re kind of popular around here.” There was a loud groan of disappointment behind them. They both turned to look over at a young man at the counter. He had spiky blonde hair and had his face in his hands.

“I can’t believe they’re already out of hot dogs!” He dusted his hands off on his shorts and grabbed a tray of the alternative, a salad. He picked up a glass of soda and sighed heavily. He brightened up as he spotted Quistis. He sat in a chair next to her and settled in heavily. He noticed the new girl and reached across the table to shake her hand, nearly knocking over a ketchup bottle. “Hi, I’m Zell! Nice to meet ya.”

Celes politely shook his hand and returned: “I’m Celes. Nice to meet you.”

Zell looked down at her plate. “Wow, you might’ve gotten the last hot dog. Congrats.” Celes looked down at her plate and handed it to him. “Oh, I couldn’t just take it... Well, how about a trade?” He handed her the salad, which she tore into like a rabid rabbit. “Hungry, ain’t ya?”

Quistis overcame her initial shock and shot the martial artist a dirty look. “She spent a couple of days in the infirmary after rescuing me, so she has every right to be half-starved...” Quistis was surprised again as she noticed Celes returning to her seat with another tray of food. ‘I didn’t notice her leave…’ She gave the instructor a piece of cake and handed a cookie to a satisfied Zell. “Thanks.” Celes just nodded absent mindedly and devoured another batch of food, this time something that looked like meatloaf.

--

They were heading towards Quistis’s room after saying goodbye to Zell. He went off to go work out, as they left to orient Celes to her new place of residence. Selphie ran into them and said, “hi,” before running off giggling. The two confused blondes looked at each other, wondering if they had missed something. They heard the thumping of heavy boots and a squeek as someone skidded around the corner. A trench coat swayed with his momentum as he came to a stop. He put his hand on his hat to keep it on his head. He looked at Quistis and smiled, slyly.

“Hey, Quisty,” he drawled out smoothly. “You see which way Selphie went? She stole my favorite girlie mag.” He quickly noticed the woman standing next to her. A visible change went over him. Celes went on the defensive. She was familiar with that suspicious look. She had seen it far too often from a certain blonde prince. Quistis also went into action. As Irvine went to wrap an arm around Celes’s shoulders for a flirty introduction, Quistis quickly placed an arm around the other blond possessively. Irvine quirked an eyebrow and went into a neutral handshake. “Hi, I’m Irvine.”

“I’m Celes.” The general was still quite cautious.

“That’s such a lovely name…” This received a threatening look from Quistis. He leaned over conspiratorily and whispered: “I can see why she likes you…” He stood back straight and smiled. Then, his faced screwed up. “Dang it, she’s gettin’ away!” He took off again.

Celes looked at Quistis who had apparently forgotten her arm was still around the general’s. “Sorry,” the instructor began with a slight blush. “If you haven’t been claimed, Irvine will bug with you until eternity.”

“He reminds me of a sly prince I used to know…” They shared a laugh and headed to Quistis’s place.

End of Chapter one

Not too rushed on romance? Just throwing around some attraction for now. I’ll make it deeper later. I just wanted to test the waters with this one… I didn't want to make Quistis just the damsel in distress, so I made her the really exhausted heroine. Work for you?

I also wanted to throw in a comparison or two between the two games (Irvine-Edgar), so expect more in the future (if there’s a positive response.)

This one’s different, so feedback would be appreciated. Review, please!

Chapter 2: A New Home

“You’ve really got a nice place here,” Celes mentioned as they entered Quistis’s room. ‘It’s better than most of the inns that I’ve stayed in.’

“Well, it’s a perk of being an instructor.” Quistis said, with a charming smile. They took off their footwear at the door and enjoyed the plush carpet tickling their feet.

Celes enjoyed the feeling. Very few had the privilege of a large rug in her world. Not even the richest people of Jidoor had wall-to-wall carpeting. She wiggled her toes. Quistis just enjoyed the warm smile of simple enjoyment on the woman’s face. Then, when their eyes met, she realized she had been staring at the other blonde. Her mind immediately sought out a reasonable excuse. “I bet you’d like to take a shower…”

Celes’s smile grew. “That would be lovely.”

Quistis blushed. “I’ll get you something to wear.” They went to a dresser and the instructor scanned through various things. She pulled out a pair of shorts and a tank top, along with the necessary underwear. Embarrassingly, a pair of Quistis’s more risqué underwear stuck to the shorts. Selphie had bought it for her in case she found “the one.” Celes tried to block the mental image, but failed miserably.

Celes enjoyed the warm water. It had been two days since she had taken a warm bath. She also enjoyed the scented shampoos, especially the vanilla.

After Celes was finished and dressed, she rested on the plush couch, while she waited for Quistis.

--

Selphie had lost Irvine ages ago. She dumped his girly magazine into Quistis’s mail box. ‘I wonder if that’ll give Celes a hint, if she hasn’t figured it out by now. She’d have to be pretty thick.’

She was currently working in the Quad on Festival Preparations. There was a nice celebration after everyone got back from defeating Ultimecia, but the traditional festival event was only a few months away. It never hurt to start early.

Selphie wasn’t sure what to think of Irvine. No matter how much he flirted with her, she kept thinking of him as a big brother. ‘Maybe, he’s not my ‘special one.’ He’s definitely not giving enough effort. Otherwise, he’d quit flirting with every girl with legs.’

She sighed. The box that she had been lifting up onto a shelf slipped. She braced for a nasty bump on the head. It never came.

A pale hand had stopped the box. Selphie looked into Fujin’s eye. “HELP?”

The brunette smiled. “Sure!” She felt something nice and warm inside her heart. It was confusing. “Thanks Fujin. I thought I was gonna be a Tilmitt pancake! By the way, what are you doing in the quad?”

Fujin pondered for a moment, looking slightly embarrassed. “CONCERN… SELPHIE… ALONE…” The pale woman said, with her halting voice. She had once explained that anything above a whisper came out too loud. She could whisper easier and in complete sentences, but rarely felt comfortable enough around anyone to get close enough.

“You were watching over me? How sweet!” Selphie felt safe with the tough girl around. She felt a huge amount of relief when Fujin had returned to the Garden.

Fujin looked sheepish. “WORK?” She said, trying to distract the brunette. It didn’t work.

“Nah! We’ve got to celebrate you saving me from certain doom!” Sure she was being a bit melodramatic, but she rarely got to enjoy the silver-haired woman’s company and she was going to take advantage of it. “Let me buy you something from the snack machine and we’ll go sit on the courtyard and look at the stars.” The energetic girl realized how much this sounded like a date. “Would that be okay?”

Fujin pondered it for a second. “OKAY.”

The response was instant. “Booya!”

--

Quistis smiled as she came out of the bathroom. ‘I’m so glad to get clean.’ She threw their dirty clothes into a hamper, before she admired her ‘white knight’ who was comfortably reclining on the couch. She realized that she should offer the woman something to drink. “Celes,” she loved saying the name. “Would you like some tea?”

“Sure, I would love some, Quistis,” Celes said watching as her new ‘friend’ went into her small kitchen. She heard clinking of dishes in preparation.

A minute later, there was a chime signaling that there was someone present at the door. Both blondes responded. As Celes neared the door, Quistis’s foot caught on a rug and sent her sprawling on top of Celes.

Impatient, their guest opened the door. As they struggled to get up, Rinoa smiled down at them. “Sorry, I just figured I’d let myself in.” A sly look crossed her brown eyes, as she noticed Quistis’s face was cushioned by the mysterious blonde’s chest. Both were fiercely blushing. “Did I interrupt something?” Rinoa’s grin was indicating something less than innocent was in progress.

Quistis recovered first. “We bumped into each other as we went to answer the door.”

“Sure,” Rinoa replied. “So you’re the one who saved Quistis?” She held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Rinoa Heartilly.”

“Celes Chere. Nice to meet you.” She was surprised when she was pulled into a tight hug.

“Thank you for saving her. I’d hate to imagine what would have happened…”

“It was nothing…” Celes swore she saw a jealous look on the other blonde’s face. Quistis noticed her looking and blushed. Rinoa let go and backed off. “Beautiful and humble… Quistis is really lucky.”

Quistis nearly choked on her tea. “Rinoa! We just met!” The instructor didn’t try to sound too offended. It sounded more like a mild scolding.

Rinoa grinned. She noticed the obvious attraction both ways. Celes was a bit more subtle about it. Quistis was acting like a school girl. It was really cute.

--

Rinoa had a cup of tea and left to take Squall a snack before she went back to her and Selphie's room. This left the girls alone to chat about their favorite things. They discussed ice cream flavors, colors, and spells. Celes let out a yawn and Quistis immediately followed. Neither woman wanted to go to sleep because they were enjoying each others’ company.

“I hate to cut this off, but class comes early in the morning.” Quistis stretched, while her shirt exposed her midriff. Celes’s eyes immediately went to the smooth skin. She quickly turned her eyes before the other woman noticed. Quistis noticed the gesture, which obviously gave away where her eyes had been. ‘She was looking at me! She’s interested, I think.’ Her mind returned to her previous thoughts. “So which class do you want to observe?”

Celes looked into the ice blue eyes. “All of them. I need to see every group present in the Garden if I’m to be involved. If I am to be your assistant.”

“But you could probably teach your own class…”

“No.” Celes blushed at her interruption. “I would rather be with you…” Her blush went full red. She walked over to the door of her new room. “Good night.”

“Wait,” Quistis stopped her. She got up and crossed over to Celes. “Good night. I’ll wake you at 7.” She leaned over and kissed the general on the cheek. Then, she giggled and went to her room.

Celes just stood there frozen. The grief from losing Terra was starting to heal, but guilt seeped in. ‘Am I just trying to replace her?’ A warmth in her heart spoke otherwise. ‘Am I ready to move on? I still love Terra, but I know I’m attracted to Quistis in every way. Terra was kind and loving. Quistis is intelligent and fun.’ Her mind kept thinking about the two women. She drifted off to sleep.

--

Celes had a dream about Terra that night. She remembered the fight with Kefka at the top of the Tower. The crazed clown thought he was God. Terra was transformed into her Esper form. She was still shy about it. She thought she was a monster. Celes told her that she was beautiful no matter what she looked like. Terra had blushed when Celes hugged her in her transformed state.

Kefka mentioned something about not allowing such “unnatural relations” in his kingdom. The women responded with a ferocious counter-attack that caught the freak off-guard. The look of shock on his face was priceless as his life disappeared. Terra and Celes ran to the airship hand-in-hand.

Afterwards, they went back to Mobliz together. They had watched over the orphans over the nextcouple of months. As the town was rebuilt, they spent more and more time together. They were almost inseparable. However, neither got the courage to admit their feelings. They weren’t worried. They were together and they had all the time in the world. Or so they thought…

--

Celes woke up with a gentle shake from Quistis. She looked into the beautiful blues eyes that were concerned. “Were you crying?”

“It’s all right, I was remembering my friend…”

“Was she special?”

“She was kind and strong. She loved children and took care of many orphans. She’s gone though.” Celes decided that this was not a good way to start the day. “But I’m okay. I know she wouldn’t want me to stop living. I won’t forget her, but I must keep living for her and myself.” She rose to her feet and received a comforting hug from Quistis. It warmed her heart. It was a sign, but she still wanted to take it slow. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” The instructor smiled. “Now how about breakfast?”

“Sound great.”

--

The first class of the day was fairly young by Celes’s standards. There couldn’t have been anyone older than 13. Quistis was talking about the basics of ‘junctioning.’ Celes felt a lance go through her heart when she heard about the similarities between Guardian Forces and Espers. ‘Terra.’ She was only half, but it made her look differently at those who gave their lives to become Magicite. What was the story with these Guardian Forces… ‘Did they have to make a sacrifice too?’

Quistis noticed the thoughtful look in her crush’s face. She laid a comforting hand on the woman’s shoulder as she turned to the class. “I’m sorry for not explaining my guest’s presence earlier.” The class had been having some difficulty paying attention to Quistis, an uncommon problem. A few girls were openly swooning and had their pencils eager to write down the name of the quiet, elegant woman. Quistis looked at Celes. “Would you like to do the honors, or should I?”

Celes uncrossed her legs and stood. She shifted the borrowed SeeD uniform and cleared her throat. Her military history was obvious from her posture. “I am Celes Chere. I am a former general.” That set off some whispers. “I’m considering becoming Quistis’s assistant teacher.” One girl promptly squealed setting off a chain reaction of cheers. The Trepies looked somewhat skeptically. They did not like the blush on their favorite instructor's face.

Quistis immediately reestablished control. “Okay, settle down class. You don’t want to scare her off.” There was immediate silence fromthe rowdy classroom. Quistis smiled before continuing the lesson.

--

The rest of the classes went on with continuing enthusiasm. The students noticed the extra pep in their instructor’s lessons. They also noticed the careful glances toward their potential teacher’s aide.

--

The two blondes were enjoying lunch in the cafeteria. Celes had actually tried one of the hot dogs that Zell had placed onto her plate. She said it was alright, but preferred the chicken sandwich that Quistis had recommended. ‘Maybe there’s another reason for that…’ Celes’s inner voice teased. She noticed Selphie entering hanging on the arm of someone who wasn’t the cowboy from the previous day. “Quistis, who is that with Selphie?”

“You mean, Irv…” She looked over. What was Selphie doing with Fujin? She had nothing against Fujin, even though they had been on opposite side of the battle field once. She knew it was out of loyalty to a friend. She then realized that she was ignoring Celes’s question. “That’s Fujin. She’s really quiet, even moreso than Squall. I’m sorry. I just didn’t expect those two to be hanging out.”

“Who’s Squall?” Celes followed up. She felt like the new kid, which she technically was.

“He’s Rinoa’s boyfriend. Not to mention the battle commander of the Garden.”

“Really.” The mention of Rinoa made her think of the events of the previous night, ending with the kiss. On the cheek. ‘Relax.’ She didn’t want to blush. ‘Too late.’

“Is something wrong?” Quistis looked mildly confused. She noticed that some of the Trepies were looking on with jealousy. “Is it my fan club? I’ll take care of them if they are threatening you.”

Celes caught her as she was trying to stand. She also noticed the hand going for the whip. “No I was just thinking about something.”

Quistis relaxed and sipped her iced tea. “Is it too early to ask if you’ve considered becoming a teacher?”

“No, it’s not too early. I can see what kind of advantages my experience would bring. I was fighting since I was around the age of your youngest students. I know what kind of fears they’ll have to overcome. I may not be very technical with the ‘junctioning’ skill, but I do understand magic. It’s in my blood, literally.” Celes felt like she had killed the friendly atmosphere. However, the happy look on Quistis’s face couldn’t be dissuaded.

“Well, that means we need to inform Headmaster Cid.” Quistis had to resist the urge to drag the woman all the way to the Headmaster’s office right now. They hadn’t even had dessert yet. The warm cinnamon rolls looked delightful.

Celes jumped slightly as hands covered her eyes. “Guess who!” An obviously cheery voice chirped.

“Let me see… Is it a cute brunette named Selphie?” She heard a nearby grunt that insinuated she had slightly jealous company. ‘What a good way to make friends…’ She thought sarcastically.

“Correct!” Selphie yelled. She removes the hands and waved vigorously at Quistis, who was only three feet away. “I was just about to ask if Quisty and you wanted to "double" with me and Fujin when we go to Balamb tonight.” The silver-haired woman blushed brightly. Her eye went looking around the room for something to focus on besides the brunette.

“Well, actually, Celes is accepting the assistant teaching position and we’re probably going to be busy in a meeting the Headmaster.” Quistis said with a sigh. ‘I’ll show her around Balamb some time later.’

Selphie looked disappointed…for about two seconds. Then, she resumed her usually bright smile. “That’s okay, I guess it’ll be more romantic with just the two of us.”

“NOT…DATE…” Fujin interrupted, trying to be convincing.

“Yeah, right. You know you’re sweet on me!” Selphie said confidently. Fujin just blushed. “I’ll make sure to wear something really cute for you!”

“SELPHIE…STOP…” Fujin, still trying to hide her embarrassment, turned her head.

“Sorry, it’s just so much fun!” Selphie looked apologetic. “Pick you up at your room at six?”

“OKAY.” Fujin said before leaving.

Selphie sighed longing as she left. Quistis laughed softly. “I never figured that you and her would go out…”

Selphie giggled. “Me either. She saved me from getting squished by a box last night. I thought it was really sweet, so I bought her a cupcake from the snack machine and we looked at the stars and talked and stuff. She’s really sweet.”

“But what about Irvine?” Celes asked. ‘I know Quistis is thinking the same thing.’

“It’s not like we were ever going out. He never got serious and I got tired of waiting. It’s not like he’ll stop flirting. Besides, I really wanted to get to know the real Fujin.” Selphie looked contemplative. She shook her head. “Well, I’d better go get ready!”

Selphie sprinted off. Quistis said: “She’s really cute, isn’t she?”

Celes nodded. ‘And you’re really beautiful.’ She smiled.

--

They arrived at the Headmaster’s office, slightly anxious. Celes wasn’t sure what he would expect fromher tohelp Quistis. Would there be a test? She’d have to study, because she definitely didn’t understand the magic principles of junctioning.

“Hello, Quistis, Celes,” he nodded politely. “What can I do for you ladies?”

Quistis indicated to Celes that it was her time to speak. She stood up and saluted. “Sir, I would like to undertake the task of assisting Instructor Quistis in educating the cadets of Balamb Garden!”

Cid was surprised at the formality. “Yes, I’m glad you are interested.” He stood up and paced. “Would you be willing to be tested for this position? These positions normally go to fully-instated SeeDs.”

“I understand fully, sir. In what manner will I be tested?” Celes was hoping the written test wouldn’t be difficult, so she wouldn’t be a burden on Quistis.

“A battle exam to test your experience. As you are probably aware, there is a training grounds on campus. I would like for you to duel with one of my better SeeDs.” Cid said with some pride.

“Who would that be, Headmaster?” Quistis asked, concerned. She knew the lady general was tough; it was just aknee-jerk reaction.

Cid smiled. “Squall Leonhart.”

End

So is this story still worth reading? I sure hope so. I’m ready for the next chapter and psyched. I’ve got the duel taken care of. However, I would like to hear if anyone else has a few small ideas. Funny cameos, or what not. I’m not familiar with everyone in the game, but I could definitely have fun with some major characters. No guarantees, but I’d like to have some fun with my readers.

Please read and review. Be gentle, but honest. Thanks!

Chapter Three: A New Battle

“Squall?” Quistis said with some measure of shock. She had spent a lot of time fighting with their silent leader. She hadn’t seen Celes in action. How would she stack up?

Headmaster Cid spoke. “It’s not a life or death struggle Quistis; it’s just a test. Besides, I’m sure Squall will know not to push himself too hard.”

‘So Cid’s voting on Celes to win.’ Quistis felt some measure of comfort. Cid may have been out of the fight for a while, but he was known for being an excellent observer.

Celes smiled at the voted of confidence. “I will do my best to display my skills. When will the exercise take place?”

“Would after dinner be okay?” Cid was politely offering to work with her schedule.

“That would be fine.”

--

The training grounds were surprisingly clear at 6 o’clock. The monsters had apparently taken a cue after Zell, Fujin, and Selphie had taken down 2 T-Rexuars. They were promptly assigned to keep students out, which lead to a curious group gathering outside. The Trepies had instantly set off the gossip chain. They were quite concerned with the happenings of their favorite instructor and “that woman,” as they had begun to call her with frustration. It was so difficult to catch Ms. Trepe’s attention these days.

Cid, Rinoa and Quistis stood at the entrance, leaving Squall and Celes the full range of the training grounds. It would probably be required.

Squall was checking his gunblade over carefully. The Lionhart gleamed with its usual light blue haze. He had elected to wear his leather jacket and pants to the battle, mentioning in his usual deadpan: “It’s more comfortable.” A familiar ring dangled from a silver chain around his neck. Every few moments he would glance at his opposition.

‘So she’s a general… How come I’ve never heard of her?’ He recalled his earlier conversation with Headmaster Cid.

--

“Squall, I’ve called you in for a request,” Cid said with some trepidation.

“Sir?” Squall raised an eyebrow.

“There’s a promising young woman I need to test. I want you to duel with her.”

“Excuse me?” He had lost all sense of military discipline, replaced with open shock. “Why would you want to me to test a recruit? And a woman? Wouldn’t that place her in danger?”

Cid shook his head. “Squall, I thought you’d learned not to underestimate women…” His tone was mildly scolding. “This isn’t a cadet. She’s a woman with battlefield experience. A general, to be precise.”

“How long has she been out of battle?” Squall figured a general wouldn’t see much action.

“Actually, she was the one who fought off the Ochu who nearly killed Quistis. Not to mention, she carried her back to Garden even though she was completely exhausted herself.”

Squall felt the realization sink in. “So I shouldn’t hold back?”

“I think not. This will also be to test your skills. It’s been too peaceful. I know you’ve tried to keep strong, but you need a real opponent.” Cid stopped and looked him directly in the eye. “You’re going to have to give it your all. Look into her eyes. She’s not an amateur by a long shot.” He waited until the young commander looked as if he fully understood. “Dismissed.”

Squall saluted and left.

--

Squall noticed the look in the woman’s green eyes. There was an absolute sense of confidence in them, as if there was nothing she couldn’t face… as if she had already faced everything. She had only taken only one look at him and he felt like she knew everything about him. There was a definitive grace in her movements that spoke of long experience and confidence. ‘This should be interesting.’

--

Celes calmly waited for her opponent to get ready. She had already sized up his physical strength. Quistis had talked about Squall’s ‘gunblade’ to some detail. It was a curious weapon. It was obviously heavy and slightly unwieldy. However, Squall had spent many hours training with the difficult weapon. ‘That shows he’s dedicated, or at least stubborn.’

Celes had returned to wearing her green bodysuit. It left her with far more mobility than pants or a skirt. It exposed all of her legs, but she had gotten used to that. Few had managed to get away with lewd comments and gotten away unharmed. She could tell Quistis took a few glances at her. She didn’t mind. She had also taken the time to shine her shoulder guards, which gleamed nicely. Her ivory cape settled comfortably on her neck and shoulders. Illumina was sheathed at her waist, resting gently on her hip. Her headband held her long golden strands out of her face.

Her last important thought was a prayer. ‘Terra, if you’re watching me… This battle’s for you. Give me the strength to protect those around me.’ She thought of Selphie, Rinoa, Irvine, and, lastly, Quistis. A mild amount of adrenaline entered her system. ‘I love you, always and forever. Would it be alright to share that love with someone else?’ There was a warm feeling from Illumina. The magic flowing through her veins… warmed and then cooled. ‘Thank you for being so obvious. You always did understand me so well…’ She thought of Terra laughing and smiling at her. Her anxiety flew away. All that was left was peace.

--

Quistis anxiously looked on. She was mildly distracted by Celes’s choice of clothing. ‘How did I not notice how much it revealed before?’ She blushed. Rinoa giggled. “How can you be so relaxed?” She said to the brunette.

“Because I have faith that they won’t get hurt… They know their limits. Or at least I know I can tell Squall’s limits.” She laid a comforting hand on Quistis’s shoulders. “Besides, worrying won’t solve anything. I’m just going to be ready in case someone needs healing.” Rinoa wasn’t nervous about Squall’s health. Secretly, she was more worried about her growing sorceress powers.

All concerns left their minds as Squall stood at ready. Celes responded drawing her sword. Illumina shone a bright white,radiating power, as did the Lionheart. Celes brought her sword in front of her face in an old salute. Squall merely nodded.

Quistis observed a change come over Celes. The warm green eyes changed. They hardened. The temperature of the room dropped several degrees. She remembered that Celes had mentioned literally having magicin her blood. Now, she fully appeared to be a general, a woman to be feared.

Squall decided that he might as well begin. He charged and went with a strong start. Celes barely put any effort into the dodge. ‘It’s too slow.’

Squall was re-assessing things. ‘She’s fast. Gotta focus on speed.’ His swipes became shorter and swifter. The general still dodged. Then, finally, their swords collided. There was some energy expelled from the two magical weapons.

Squall inwardly cursed. ‘I’ve got to get an advantage quickly. She’s going to out pace me.’ He quickly attempted a blind spell.

‘Magic, already? He’s trying to disable me somehow.’ Celes just smiled. ‘You’re only going to make me stronger, but you don’t need to know that…’

The spell was cast and instantly absorbed. Squall was already charging before he realized that the spell didn’t work. He redirected his charge with a retreating swipe. ‘What happened? Blind almost always works for me.’ He instantly decided to use Blizzaga. ‘Might as well do some damage.’

Celes noticed the ice spell. She felt a familiar tingle in her veins. ‘He’s using ice on me? I wonder when he’ll figure it out.’ The spell was absorbed and she felt stronger, more than one-hundred percent. It was a perk of being unnatural.

‘What the hell? She’s not even phased. Does she have a barrier?’ Squall decided that perhaps physical assaults would be a more certain alternative, with some difference. Squall promptly re-junctioned for speed and agility. ‘Maybe this will close the gap.’

Celes watched the brunette charge again. ‘He must have altered his abilities. Interesting.’ She blocked his first attack. ‘He’s still not as fast, but I can’t dodge this speed. However, he’s lost some of his strength. Too bad.’

Their swords met and she shoved him back. She unleashed one of her fastest combos. Squall felt a sting on his arm and neck. ‘How did she get by my defenses?’ He noticed a faint aura around the woman. ‘Haste? But Cid didn’t mention a GF…’ He cast his own haste spell and the battle became slightly blurry to their observers.

Quistis stood in awe. ‘She’s that strong?’ She watched the lady general’s grace and was amazed. ‘She’s beautiful.’

Rinoa had originally cheered Squall on, however she didn’t want to distract him once things got serious. ‘I’ve never seen him lose. Well, except hand-to-hand against Zell, but that’s a pretty good exception.’

Squall was starting to get worn down. The gunblade wasn’t meant for long, high-energy battle like this. Not to mention, the general’s defense was impenetrable. And she never ceased to amaze him with an encyclopedia of rhythms and techniques. ‘I’ve got to do something drastic.’

He jumped back and began to summon Bahumat, hoping the King of the Dragons would lend his support. Magical energy swirled and gathered in the form of clouds. There was an earthshaking rumble that could be identified as a growl. Then, suddenly, the Dragon King swooped in.

Celes observed with some awe. ‘So that’s a Guardian Force. It feels different from the Espers.’ She noticed him charging up. ‘No time to compare notes. Let’s see how strong it is.’

Quistis saw Celes just standing there. “Run! Don’t just stand there!”

She started to run forward, but Rinoa caught her. “Don’t. She’ll be fine.”

Quistis looked at her oddly. ‘I suppose I should have faith. Apparently she does.’

Bahumat unleashed a devastating blast upon the spot where Celes stood. Dust and debris flew up. Squall coughed while looking for a sign of his opponent. Then, he saw it. There was a bright line of light. It was Celes’s sword. The dust settled once again. She was covered in dust, but completely unharmed. ‘How in the… There’s no way!’

Celes smiled. It had been a while since she had absorbed so much magical energy. She was practically glowing. She noticed an outraged growl from the dragon. He reared back for another attack. She didn’t need any more of his energy.

“Avalanche of the Heavens… Meteor Storm!” She yelled out, unleashing her spell. A rock hit Bahumat on the side of the head. Then, more stones pounded into him, knocking him to the ground. They pelted him until he disappeared.

Squall grunted as he clutched his head. It wasn’t often that Bahumat could be repelled. Having him beaten hurt, physically. He quickly refocused on his opponent, but she was gone. He heard movement to the side. Before he could respond he felt a blunt pain in his gut. He dropped to his knees. The next instant there was a sword at his throat.

“Do you yield?” Celes asked, coldly.

“Whatever…” Squall replied instinctively, caught off guard. The flat of the glowing blade tapped his chin sharply. “Fine, I yield.”

The blade left his throat. He was surprised by warmth flooding his body, healing him.Then, a strong, but tender hand helped him to his feet. “Nice battle. It’s been so long since I’ve fought an opponent with an actual brain. Nice job with the re-junctioning. It shows adaptability.”

Squall felt like he was being lectured. He tried to be polite and shook her offered hand. “Thanks.”

Quistis was at Celes’s side swiftly, checking for injuries. Celes grabbed Quistis’s wandering hand. “I’m all right. I’m unharmed.” Quistis blushed at the affectionate tone.

Squall was fighting off Rinoa’s attempt to heal him. “She hit you pretty hard… Are you all right?” He attempted to stop her with one of his blank stares, but she kept poking him.

He looked over at Celes and Quistis, who was blushing slightly. He sighed. “So I guess this means you’re the new commander.”

Celes looked almost repulsed. “No, I lost the ability to send other people to their deaths. I still know how to fight and I know that my experience can benefit the cadets here.” She stretched slightly. “Besides, I’m out of shape. Too much soft living with…” A sad feeling arose at the thought of who she had been living with. Quistis hugged her.

Squall’s knees balked. ‘What the Hell? She’s out of shape?’ Squall mind instantly began pondering a new training regiment.

Cid was applauding. “Excellent work.”

--

Seifer and Raijin were standing in a hallway “monitoring” the students passing by.

“Hey, Seifer,” Raijin said, trying to sound casual. “You know Fujin hasn’t been hanging out with us much, ya know?”

“Don’t put too much thought into it. She’s probably found something important to take care of…” Seifer waved it off nonchalantly. He knew exactly what was going on. ‘Find something good to hang onto and don’t let go, Fujin.’

--

A short time later, Quistis, Celes, Selphie, and Fujin were seated in the school cafeteria enjoying ice cream. Due to the sudden nature of the test, Selphie had been saddened that she couldn’t come up with a better celebration for Celes’s victory.

“Well, we can always double date later…” Selphie said with glee. She promptly squeezed Fujin next to her, making the pale woman miss her mouth and smearing vanilla on her cheek. “Ooo! I’ll get that!” She began to lick the blushing woman’s face. Celes and Quistis tried to occupy themselves with some other view. They ended up looking straight into each others’ eyes.

Quistis coughed, as she noticed Selphie going back to her own bowl of chocolate. “You know Selphie, I wish you would have discovered that you were a lesbian earlier... I would have loved to go out with you before, if I had known…” She looked over at a Celes. “…and I weren’t currently seeing someone.” Celes blushed.

Selphie grinned broadly. “Well, I didn’t really know until Fu saved me.” She snuggled into Fujin’s arm, causing another embarrassing miss. This resulted in Selphie having a little more vanilla. She turned back to the two blondes. “Besides, you’ve got your white knight and I've got my silver knight.”

Quistis couldn’t argue with that. Celes next to her groaned. “Is something wrong? Are you hurt from the strain of battle?”

“Oh, my head…” The general said with discomfort.

Selphie nodded in sympathy. “Ice cream headache.”

Fujin winced. “EAT...SLOWER…”

Quistis began to laugh. She could see them all hanging out like this for a long time. The very thought made her so happy that she hugged Celes. The woman leaned her head on the instructor’s shoulder. “Why won't it stop?”

Quistis handed her some water. She liked taking care of the general. ‘We really need to start planning for classes.’ She glanced at a recovering general and a laughing Selphie. Even Fujin looked in better humor. ‘That can wait.’

End Chapter 3

I hope I didn’t upset any Squall fans with that battle. I’d hate to take it logically step-by-step to explain my reasons for Celes’s clear victory. Let’s just say she has more experience and Squall’s doesn’t have much field experience. However, we don’t know the extent of Quistis’s training and battle experience. Besides, she got all the way to the rank of general.

I’m going to spend some time working on the villains soon. A real first for me. I hope it works well.

Please, review! It'll keep me warm and fuzzy!

Chapter 4: A New Day

Quistis watched the former general sleep. She had entered planning on waking her up, but did not enjoy the troubled dreams the other woman was having. She pondered shaking her gently, but wanted to wait. She softly padded forward and sat at the foot of the bed. Apparently, it did the trick as Celes roused slowly.

“Good morning.” Quistis said with a smile. She liked the sleepy look on the general’s face. Oddly, her hair fell into place as she sat up.

“Morning,” was the yawned reply. “How long before we have class?” She noticed that the instructor was all ready in uniform and freshly showered.

“Long enough for you to take a shower and to eat breakfast with me in the cafeteria.” Quistis stood up and went for the door. She paused. “Oh, I brought you a uniform for today. Your usual attire distracts the boys…and some of the girls.” She let out a chuckle as Celes blushed. She went to her desk to go over her lesson plans for the day and wait, before muttering, “…and me.”

The Returner grabbed the uniform, which was a duplicate of Quistis’s, and headed off to the bathroom mumbling. “Well, I can’t help if it’s functional and comfortable… and makes me irresistible.”

-----

“Lookin’ good, Celes!” Irvine declared as she approached the cafeteria table.

Quistis shot him a look as sharp as the crack of her whip. Irvine flinched and resumed enjoying his biscuits and gravy (yum).

Celes gave Quistis a mocking look of offense. “Are you assuming that I can’t defend myself from this ruffian?” She smiled at the thought that the cowboy resembled a certain king she knew.

Quistis decided to play along. “No, my lady. But it was my honor to defend yours.” She even threw in a curtsy. The blondes burst out laughing at Irvine’s confused look. “Chill out cowboy. We’re just pulling your chain. I think she looks great too.” The instructor laid a hand on the blonde’s shoulder.

Irvine snapped his fingers and sighed. “I lost another one to lesbianism…”

The blondes both took the time to give him questioning looks. Zell plopped down next to him. “Don’t go there, Irv-man!” He laughed. “They might fry you if you’re not careful.”

“Yes, I do believe you’re walking on thin ice. There was a certain magazine left in my mailbox with your name on it.” Quistis said with a hint of trouble.

“So where is Selphie and Fujin?” Celes asked, trying to defuse the situation, after putting the pieces together mentally.

Surprisingly, Irvine answered. “Selphie’s walking with Fujin to class to learn each others’ schedule.” At their looks, “Hey, we’re still friends!” He replied with indignity.

-----

“So class, what should you do if you’re outnumbered or facing a stronger opponent?” Quistis asked her class. It was one of the younger groups that were old enough not to be considered a form of daycare.

An eager young man stuck his hand in the air. When prompted, he still managed to sound meek as he supplied: “Fight to the death?”

Quistis shook her head. “I’m afraid not. It’s bad not to complete a mission; it’s far worse not to be able to go on any missions ever again.”

Another young man near him gave it a try. “Smoke bombs?”

“Good idea. What else?” Quistis nodded and paced, her boots clunking softly. The class remained silent. She turned to her assistant. “Celes?”

Celes came out of her revelry. “You have several options after retreat: first, you could lure them into a prepared or improvised ambush. You could also keep retreating until reinforcements arrive. Another, more difficult option is to draw them out individually…”

Quistis put a hand on her arm. “We might not want to get into advanced tactics with them yet.”

“Sorry,” she said with some embarrassment.

“Oh, no. It was fine.” The students didn’t fail to notice the looks between the two women.

-----

“Hey! Stop running in the halls!” Seifer yelled out to a student who seemed intent on pissing him off.

“You don’t want to fall on your face, ya know!” Raijin burst out laughing at his own joke. Then, he suddenly flinched at a phantom pain in his leg. “I’m starting to miss Fujin, ya know.”

Seifer let out a sad grunt. “I do too. She always had a way of threatening a miscreant that I couldn’t match…” The duo sighed. “I don’t know though. If we wanted Fujin back, we’d probably have to recruit Selphie as well…” That sent a shiver down his spine.

“Now that would be scary, ya know!” Raijin laughed. He felt the twinge in leg again.

-----

Selphie had always been an average student grade-wise, but felt the need to learn new things. This was a quality that Fujin began to appreciate, especially considering that the brunette drew Fujin into many of these activities.

Currently, they were sitting on one of the decks star gazing. It was a stereotypical date for most, but for these two, it was extraordinary. They were sharing a large quilt, yet size wasn’t an issue. Selphie rested her head on Fujin’s shoulder.

She smiled at Fujin’s happy expression. “You know, I used to be really shy a few years back.” Fujin gave her an “are you crazy?” look, which caused the brunette to laugh. “Yeah, I know it’s odd. I wasn’t shy around Squall, Zell and the others, but after I got separated from them I was afraid… I was afraid that everyone would think I was weird or something.”

“NOT…THAT…WEIRD,” Fujin said with a small smirk.

Selphie hit her on the shoulder playful, “You meanie.” Fujin reacted with one of her roguish smiles, which she knew would instantly melt Selphie’s false anger. Selphie pouted childishly, “I can’t believe you know that works on me…” She grinned evilly. “How does it work on your fan club?”

Fujin’s eyes widened in surprise and blushed, “FAN…CLUB?” She looked at Selphie’s face. “LYING…”

Selphie shook her head and laughed. “Nope. Yours is almost as large as Quistis’s! Celes has one too. Of course, hers and Quistis’s are starting to overlap for obvious reasons.”

“KNOW…TOO…MUCH…”

“Nope, I just pay attention to the students. The girls talk a lot.”

“JUST…YOU…” She had a thought. “ARE…YOU…IN…MY…CLUB?”

Selphie blushed. In a quiet voice, she replied, “I started it…”

-----

Squall looked up from behind the piles of paper work. ‘Why won’t it go away?’ He inwardly whined. He coughed to get Cid’s attention. “Sir, isn’t paperwork in your area of expertise?”

Cid laughed inwardly. ‘The kid’s got talent. Part of being in charge is being able to push off your work on others. I wonder how long it’s going to take him to figure out to hire an assistant. What does he think Xu and Nida do?’ Outwardly, he took on his instructor’s voice. “Squall, I do believe this is a part of learning how to be in charge of Garden. I also think it is prudent that you learn this while we’re not in a combat situation.” Squall slumped in defeat. ‘A thousand years too soon, kid.’

“You’re right, sir.” Squall sighed and went back to work. ‘Mean old man.’

-----

Rinoa felt a cold chill decend her spine. ‘What was that about?’ She re-focused her mind on paying attention to her professor. It was hard when it wasn’t Quistis. In her classes, she felt like she was just hanging out with a friend. ‘Probably why I keep asking her to tutor me.’

She grimaced as she noticed her mind drifting off again. ‘What is wrong with me?’

Things got weird when she heard an anguished voice say: “Don’t let them free me!”

‘What was that?’ Her concentration was gone for the rest of the day.

-----

Celes looked out from the balcony at the stars. It reminded her of her time at the opera. It was fun being the center of attention and not wiping out a whole town. She sighed at the dark memories of Miranda.

Her thoughts brought her back to happier times as she looked back to the stars. She remembered late nights at the orphanage, where after the children had gone to sleep, her and Terra would sneak outside and lay out under the stars.

They would lie there and talk for half the night. Celes would shyly hint at them staying together after all the orphans had been adopted. Terra smiled at her and said that it would be wonderful. They even joked about taking up the offer to look after Relm if Strago needed to retire from that full-time position.

Celes smiled as she thought about the young artist. The last time they had spoken was truly interesting.

-----

“I used to get irritated when girls would ask me to paint them. Now that I’m famous, I think I like the idea that girls love artists.” Relm said with an explosive grin.

“What about boys?” Celes asked.

The young teen make a noise of disgust. “They made fun of my art and gramps. I’ll get back at them when I have a cuter girlfriend than them!” The surprise on Celes’s face set her into giggles.

-----

As Celes laughed by herself, she felt the gloom slowly creep back in. ‘How did Cyan do it? How did he deal with losing everything he had ever known?’

A voice from her memory spoke: “I met new people and made myself a new life with you and the others.” She nodded to herself, knowing that he was right. The samurai had spent many hours training her during their journey and she had learned much from him. Locke had been so surprised to see that she was not the helpless girl that she appeared to be.

Quistis came out and looked concerned. “Couldn’t sleep?”

“No, just wanted to see the stars. I was comparing them to the stars I’m used to...that and reminiscing.”

“Might I ask what about?”

“Old friends and what I used to think my future would be like.”

“Really? Would you mind telling me about them?” Quistis said with a combination of enthusiasm and sincerity.

Celes smiled, “Sure.”

-----

A lone woman walked the streets of Dollet with purpose. Her expression was grim, grim enough to make even the toughest street rabble steer clear of her. A part of it might have been her reputation. She was known for her bar, but she was also known for performing bouncing duties herself with rowdier customers.

She had always been known as a friendly, lively young woman. But recently, something had changed. Something had been lost, or more aptly, taken from her.

She had lost hope; even closing down the bar. Her pain had created a void, leading her to despair.

A week ago, she had received a message of hope. In return, all she would need to do is fight.

She approached a large mansion on the outskirts of Dollet. The owner of the house had a plan. And Tifa Lockheart was going to take any chance available to get her back.

End

Omake: Thanks for the Break

Once again in the Garden cafeteria, a majority of the cast had gathered for snacks.

“That was nice of the author to give us the holidays off.” Celes said, sipping her first cappuccino

“Almost all of them! If I had a student take this many days on an assignment, they would have failed twice over by now!” Quistis huffed.

Irvine laughed. “I’m sure you’re just ready to get to the part where you and Celes start kissing!” Selphie whacked him over the head with her nunchucks.

Squall shifted in his seat. “At least, we get a break from all those yaoi stories.”

All of the males in the room squirmed, except for Zell who was about to take a large bite out of a hotdog. He then noticed Seifer watching him lecherously. The fighter put it down and sighed.

Omake end