King's Heart (part 19 of 31)

What Happens in this Room, Stays in this Room

Quistis sat down, not exactly happy to be reunited with her “fiancé.” It had all been a little too much for her fragile lifestyle to handle.

“So, you two know Seer?”

“Actually, his name is Arik.” Selphie corrected, not feeling as joyous as she thought she would be in this position.

“So you people know who I am?” Seer/Arik grinned widely. Quistis was finally beginning to understand but she needed confirmation.

“So, Seer, you don’t remember anything?” She asked.

“No, nothing at all. Heck, couldn’t even remember my name. They just called me Seer.” He laughed. “So, my name is Arik…hey, cool. You guys know anything else about me?” Selphie took out a small ID card and presented it to him.

“You used to be an instructor at Balamb Garden. That was your Instructor’s ID.” She said. Quistis, even though she was distracted by her thoughts of Xu, still explained in the business-like tone that she normally used around “strangers.” He was a stranger now, he had no memory of what happened between the two of them, no memory of Balamb or anything. He was Seer, not Arik.

“The last Balamb heard from you was when you were dispatched to the Island of Hell. Now tell me, do you remember anything at all, your squad, and the mission, anything that happened? A monster attack?” Seer scratched his head, thinking.

“No, I don’t remember anything. I just remember waking up in one of these rooms. That’s as far back as I can remember, that was a year or two ago.” Quistis cleared her throat and stood up.

“Well, I will go inform the commander of the situation and let him decide what to do.” She bowed respectfully and shook their hands. Before she could walk out the door though, Seer stopped her.

“Hey, do I know you?” He asked. Selphie’s breath caught in her throat. Perhaps now they’d get back together. Maybe, just maybe Quistis was frightened because he couldn’t remember. Quistis, on the other hand, bristled.

“I was once your student.” She said before exiting through the front door and closing it with a resounding click. Seer sat down and sighed. Selphie smiled weakly at him.

“She’s kinda on edge.” She tried to explain.

“I guess so.” Seer replied. “But I just can’t shake the feeling that I know her from somewhere. I guess it’s like she said, she was my student.” Selphie chose to stay silent about their relationship.

-

-

Quistis’s mind was on Xu. All she wanted to do was to hold Xu and tell her that she didn’t love Arik. She wanted to kiss her and cuddle up next to her. She just wanted to love her more than anyone else. But it was hard to convince herself when the man she was practically going to marry had returned from the dead and with him, feelings of intense degree.

“Hey there, lil’ lady.” Irvine said, tipping his hat to her. Quistis didn’t reply. She didn’t even see him and she brushed on buy. Irvine raised an eyebrow, wondering what in the world could be troubling her. She must be dazed. He thought. Coming out of nowhere like that…He walked into the bar that she came out of where “Arik” was sitting at the table, taking a sip of scotch. Selphie was pouting.

“Hey.” He said, sitting down. Selphie stood up, feeling the need to apologize to Quistis. She walked out the door as well. Irvine took off his hat and scratched his head. Were all the girls just avoiding him today? Maybe it was the new cologne. He shouldn’t have bought it at that old cowboy store when he saw it. It probably smelled like cow manure. He smiled at the two men. “Howdy, the name's Irvine.” They shook hands with each other. “So…I guess you’re that Seer guy, right?”

“Yeah.” Seer replied. Heely took out a pack of cigarettes.

“You guys don’t mind if I go out for a smoke, do you?” He asked. The two shook his head and he walked out the back. Seer sighed.

“Can I ask you something?” He asked Irvine. Irvine blinked.

“We just met each other…you sure you want to confide in me so soon?” The cowboy asked.

“I’m just wondering, do you believe in love at first sight?” Irvine was taken aback by the question.

“How you figure?” He replied

“That girl, the blonde…when I saw her I was just floored. And I feel like I know her really well. I just don’t remember anything.” Seer sighed. Irvine laughed.

“Well of course you love her. You were her fiancé!” Seer’s stopped breathing altogether. “Yeah, it’s true. You two had a bit of a scandalous relationship from what she told us. Teacher and student…pretty bad situation if you got caught but you didn’t.” Seer thought back. Maybe it was true. He could remember someone’s lips on his, someone young and beautiful. He remembered embracing a young girl that made his heart pound until he thought that it would burst. That love, that same feeling was the feeling that he had when he “first” saw Quistis.

“Really?” Was all he could manage. He couldn’t believe his luck. She was such a beautiful and refined, if a bit cold, woman.

“Yep. You’d better go get her.” Irvine grinned. Boy would Quistis be happy.

-

-

Quistis walked through the hallways, not even realizing that she was in the hallway where Xu’s room was situated. She didn’t noticed until she stopped right outside Xu’s door. When she looked up, she jumped. I guess I feel guilty. She raised her hand up to knock on the door but only brought it to rest without a sound on the solid wood. She rested her head against it and sighed. What could she say? What could she do?

“Quistis?” Her head shot up and to the right where she saw Xu walking up the hall.

“Xu!” She exclaimed, glancing at the door and then backing away.

“Hi…what are you doing here?” Xu asked skeptically.

“Oh, well, we didn’t get much information from Seer. He doesn’t remember anything and…” She trailed off. “Xu I just wanted see you.” Xu stood with her mouth agape. “Look, things are, well, really bad right now. I mean, I don’t even know what to think about his return. I don’t know what to do or say. And you leaving me, that’s too much to bear.” She took a step forward. “This relationship has been turbulent since the very beginning. But I just can’t get through without you. I-I’m not sure whether I love him or not, I mean, I used to but I…”

“There you are!” Seer ran towards her before stopping next to Xu and placing his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. “I…just…wanted…to thank you…for coming to see me.” He stood straight and smiled. Xu felt all the blood leave her face and she turned around.

“Xu-!” Quisits began.

“Look, I’m sorry if I’m troubling you.” Arik moved in front of her, almost oblivious to the fact that Quistis had been talking and very seriously, to her girlfriend. He was too giddy to find out if it was true, that they had been an item.

“No…it’s no problem.” Quistis lied, looking through his arms. Xu had just turned the corner and disappeared. Xu…She thought sadly. Don’t go…

“Um…hey, you wanna maybe go for a walk?” Quistis’s head jerked up sharply. Does he…remember? “I mean, I’m sure no one’s properly given you a tour of Fisherman’s Horizon, right?”

“No…but…”

“Hey, let’s go! Before it get too dark, not that it’s any less beautiful when the lights are all on. But I kinda wanna show you the sunset cuz it’s simply amazing!” His grin was akin to a little boy’s. Quistis smiled weakly.

“Ok.” He grabbed her hand and led her away. The way he held her hand, the way his hand felt, it was the same exact as what Quistis remembered it to be, warm and firm, but strangely, this time it wasn’t comforting. As they walked out, Xu watched them from above and felt tears run down her cheeks. She leaned against the railing, crying. It was her place, no one else would find her there, heart broken as she was. No one, apparently, except for Ayane. Almost the minute Xu started crying, Aya stepped through the door and saw her.

“Xu?” She asked. Xu quickly wiped the tears away. The girl seemed to know exactly when to pop up.

“What do you want?” She asked crankily.

“I heard from Rinoa…” Aya walked over to the brunette and sat down beside her. Xu couldn’t help it. She was supposed to be stronger that this. “It doesn’t have to mean anything, you know. I mean, Quistis…”

“She told me that she still loved him. She said that she loved the both of us but…I’m just the newcomer. He’s…he’s her first true love. How can she give that up?” Xu sobbed. Aya could tell that this was really hurting Xu. She had never seen the girl so broken up before.

“But he’s not the same person. I mean, he is physically but mentally…”

“If she fell in love with him once, she can do it again.” Xu whispered.

“Ok, now you’re being too pessimistic.” Aya said. “Look, sure, she loves him. But you’re the one who is giving her up. Your words mean something. But by saying nothing, you’re just handing her to Arik on a plate, saying, ‘go ahead, take her.’ You’re a SeeD! Do what SeeDs to best! FIGHT!” She threw her hands up, nearly toppling over the edge but Xu grabbed her just in time.

“Haha, do what? Punch him in the face?” The words were not bitter, they were light, a definite sign that Xu was feeling a little better. “Maybe you’re right, maybe I should chase after her.” But the feeling of doubt echoed in the lackluster expression that she held on her face.

“Just go and tell her you love her.” Xu stood up and nodded. Aya had a point. If she didn’t do something about it, she would really lose Quistis once and for all. How could she just sit around moping. Even if Quistis loved him more, Xu needed to show her where she stood on the issue, and that was, she was fully in love with the Instructor.

“Thanks Aya.” She said and walked through the door.

-

-

“Anyway, so Heely was pretty much down for the count and guess who saves him at the last minute?” Seer asked.

“You?” Quistis guessed.

“His cat! His cat just goes berserk and attacks the drunk full on the face. It was the funniest thing I had seen in my life! I mean, this drunk guy about the size of one of our tables was smashing into things with a cat in his hair!” Seer laughed and Quistis gave a weak smile. He noticed it right away. “I’m boring you, aren’t I?”

“No, no, it’s not that.” Seer rubbed the back of his head.

“I know, I’m talking too much. Um…tell me about yourself then.” Quistis looked over at the small pond and saw her reflection. What am I doing? She wondered to herself. Xu’s suffered so much at my expense…

“Quistis?” He interrupted her thoughts.

“Well, I’m an Instructor at Balamb Garden.” What else do I say? She wondered. “It’s kinda difficult, I’m not really used to describing myself. I’m not a people person really.”

“I think you’re wonderful.” He took one of her hands and grasped it gently. Quistis felt her face flush with embarrassment. “I…um…I’ve been attracted to you since we met and I’m not sure whether or not it’s new or it’s maybe something from the past but…I can’t really reacall." He smiled. "Um...I met one of your friends, Irvine. He told me the funniest thing and I'm wondering if it's true." Quistis felt the blood drain from her face. What had Irvine said?

"Uh...go ahead." She replied.

"He said that we were an item. That we were, engaged." She swallowed with difficulty. Of all the things to tell him. Of all the stupid things to say, Irvine had to go and say that. But she couldn't lie.

"It's true...we were engaged." She sighed. "But..." He cut her off by leaning towards her.

"I knew it, I just knew these feelings weren't new." Quistis’s mind was going berserk and yet she couldn't move.

Xu reached the top of the hill and saw what Arik was doing. Without thinking, she raced towards them.

“QUISTIS!” She yelled. She threw caution to the wind. She had to fight for Quistis’s love and no matter what, she had to win. The two turned to her and she saw Quistis’s eyes widen. Xu’s eyes started to water, whether it was from the wind or from the love surfacing once again. She didn’t care anymore. For the longest time, since Becca died, she had locked away the ability to love and slowly, with Quistis’s help, that lock was slowly melting away.

“Xu…?” When Xu reached her, even breathless, she kissed Quistis, not caring that Arik or other people were probably watching. She hugged the Instructor close, wanting never to let go because if she did, Quistis might just go to Arik. She could taste her tears and she was sure Quistis could taste them too. I’ll be selfish. I don’t care anymore. I’ll be selfish because I want you all for myself. I want you Quistis…And to her surprise, she felt Quistis’s arms surrounding hers. Whatever we have to go through, I just want you.