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At
an Arm's Length
A Final Fantasy VIII Story
by
Aligator
Chapter 15 - Not Quite Spelunking
“OW! Where’s the fire?” Selphie screeched, as Quistis just about plowed over her on her way out of the Ragnarok’s bathroom.
She looked at the speechless blonde incredulously. She looks as if she’s seen a ghost.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Selphie. I – I didn’t see you there,” Quistis practically stuttered and continued to mutter, “I don’t know what’s getting into me lately.”
“What was that?”
Blue eyes snapped to attention. “Nothing. I’m sorry.” And she continued down the hall to the changing room.
Selphie stared after her for a moment before she remembered that she had to keep an eye on Quistis at all costs. She stood outside the compartment where her friend had gone to change, took a deep breath and burst in like she always did.
Quistis was tucking her T-shirt into her jeans and looked up with a slightly annoyed expression, one unlike any the younger girl had seen before.
“Yes?”
“Oh. I was just thinking we could make some breakfa – Ooh? Is that new?”
Before Quistis could stop her, Selphie was insistently, but gently, grasping the chain and pendant around her neck.
“I guess you could say so. . .” Quistis replied softly. If you only knew.
“Well,” the petite girl remained undeterred, “About that breakfast. . .”
*****
“It’s around here somewhere,” Irvine muttered, half to himself, as he continued down the rocky stretch of beach with Ellone trailing behind him.
“How will you know for sure?”
“I marked where I found her.”
Elle giggled. “I always forget: SeeD training kicks in every time, doesn’t it?”
“Yup. AH! Here it is!”
She surveyed the land around her. It looks so familiar. “Wait a second! I’ve been here before.”
“When we were kids?”
“Yes, when we were children,” she replied and turned to face a very concerned young man. He frowned when he heard her next question. “What do you remember most about Quistis as a child?”
“She was a little bossy,” he smiled.
“That’s – not – quite what I was getting at, but continue.”
“It’s a hard question. I mean, I wasn’t the one closest to her. . .” his voice trailed off. “Seifer. . . was.”
Elle grinned triumphantly. “So you really do remember as much as I think you do!”
“Is that a good thing?”
“It will be. It helped me jog my memory a bit.” She swatted his cowboy hat over his eyes playfully. “Now let’s get back.”
“You’re not going to tell me what this is all about?”
“No. You’ll know your role when the time comes.”
He stared at the young woman who was now several paces ahead of him and yelled, “And what the HELL is that supposed mean?”
*****
The orphanage’s makeshift kitchen was bustling with activity by the time Irvine and Ellone returned.
Quistis looked up at the cowboy archly from where she was pouring juice for Matron. “Isn’t it always just like a boy to arrive in time to eat but not in time to help?”
“Hey! I’ve already gotten grief from you and Elle this morning.” Irvine continued his rant, “And I don’t see any food that you cooked, this is all Selphie’s doing!”
The former instructor burst out laughing. “Touché. My pancakes would be have to be considered ‘blackened.’” Regaining control, she said in her best calm, adult voice, “I’m sorry Irvine. I was just hazing you.”
The injured male ego of the group just “hmphed” to himself and went over to get food and attention from his girlfriend.
“Quistis Trepe. Since when did you ‘haze’ anyone?” Matron asked, feigning shock as she helped herself to some melon.
A quizzical look passed over the girl’s face briefly before she answered. “I don’t know. I guess I just saw an opening.”
“Matron! Elle!” Selphie shouted from across the room. “Be sure to make Quistis show you her new necklace.”
Damn. We really are like family, Quistis groaned inwardly.
“Necklace?” Matron and Elle chimed together.
Nothing stays secret for long.
Selphie nodded enthusiastically. “It’s soooo pretty!” she said to the two older women. And then she scolded Quistis in mock-serious voice, “You shouldn’t hold out on us with things like this.”
“What’s the big deal? It’s just more jewelry. . . OW!” Irvine yelped as “his Selphie” swatted him on the back. “What’d you do that for?”
Ignoring the spat brewing on the other side of the room, Matron turned to Quistis with a mischievous glint in her eyes and said in a very business-like fashion. “Let’s see this necklace of yours.”
Quistis took a deep breath and carefully untucked it from beneath the neckline of her T-shirt.
Elle quietly gasped and thanked her lucky stars that the younger woman seemed to be paying more attention to Matron than to her at the moment. It gave her just enough time to cover her shock. I haven’t seen that necklace before, but I’ve sure heard about it.
To be continued.
. .
Next week: Chapter 16 – By the Light of the Moon
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AT AN ARM'S LENGTH © 2002-2004 A.L.
Roberts.
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