[action]

[burntglory.livejournal.com]

["...if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact myself or a SeeD."]

[Seifer isn't pleased after he skims his letter and rereads everything twice. Was this a joke? This had to be the worst joke ever. Considering where he had just been and what he had done? And now he was back here of all places?

Something wasn't right, something was definitely not right. And it was in the form of "Unfortunately you have been transported to our time via Time Compression by the work of a powerful Sorceress...".

Fuck. His. Life.

What is his life? Setting himself up to be fucked over by sorceresses, that's what.

So before the Faculty can find him and snatch him up to escort him to the Headmaster's office, Seifer's going there on his own free will... even if he can't access 3F himself.]

[ooc: wednesday: sorry replies are slow! it's inventory @ work today&tomorrow so we're kind of busting tail on getting everything marked and counted. it's really not fun but thank you for your patience ♥;; ]

Comments

[whiplashings.livejournal.com]

[Patiently, Quistis stares ahead as she waits for the elevator doors to slide open. Upon doing so, she silently enters the compartment and presses the 3F button, swiping her keycard for authorization to enter. She waits for Seifer to enter as well before she presses for the doors to close.

The silence between them is stiff, completely uncomfortable, but she has no plans to make small talk with him.]

[burntglory.livejournal.com]

[Nor does he.

Instead Seifer stands off to the side with Hyperion's tip rested on the ground, his jaw tightly set and his eyes set and glaring at the blurred reflection of himself in the metal doors.

There are no words for how uncomfortable it is to stand next to her in that boxcar as it rides upwards to the 3F. Seifer's ready to hit the Emergency Stop button and somehow force the damn elevator back down to the 1F. But he keeps himself at bay, his posture rigid, hardly proud.]

[whiplashings.livejournal.com]

[Quistis tries to simply stare ahead-- but she can't help but peer at him through the corner of her eye, taking in his appearance, the obvious tension in his shoulders as he stands next to her. This wasn't exactly the most pleasant experience for her, either; her posture was stiffer than usual, hands curled around the stack of papers she had been holding. When the elevator finally lets out a light 'ding!' to signal their arrival, it takes everything for Quistis to refrain from letting out a sigh of relief as the doors slide open to let them out.

Without looking back, she makes the first move to step out of the box car, already heading towards Cid's office.]

[burntglory.livejournal.com]

[Seifer finds himself hesitating for a split second once she moves out of the elevator onto the floor. Reflexively his fingers squeeze his gunblade's grip and he forces himself to move one foot in front of the other, forces himself to move after her. Seifer glares at the back of her head the entire time, unconsciously noting how she's still wearing that ridiculous clip in her blond hair to keep it pinned up in an elegant style.

Why is he noticing this? Something as useless and pointless as her hair clip, what the fuck. No, Seifer should be noticing that nothing's changed about the 3F, and that they're drawing nearer and nearer to the Headmaster's office.

Even the Faculty members standing nearby snap to attention at the sight of Quistis and the man who silently follows, his glare fixing on them.

This is it-- just on the other side of those doors is the Headmaster, the one and only father figure in his entire life. The man he'd gone and betrayed.]

[whiplashings.livejournal.com]

[When they finally arrive to Cid's door, Quistis turns to finally address Seifer.]

Wait here. I'll talk to him first.

[Her hand reaches forward to knock on the wooden door gently.]

[burntglory.livejournal.com]

Why bother? He already knows I'm here, says so on the letter.

[Impatiently he waves the paper at her.]

[whiplashings.livejournal.com]

Just because he's aware of your presence in the school doesn't mean you have the right to barge into his office.

[burntglory.livejournal.com]

Says who? You?

[whiplashings.livejournal.com]

Yes, me. Now stay here and wait.

[burntglory.livejournal.com]

[Seifer bares his teeth in a sneer but doesn't press the matter. Again the papers crumple a little more.]

Fine. But make it quick, Lieutenant Commander.

[whiplashings.livejournal.com]

[Glad that Seifer was actually following her orders for once, Quistis knocked on the door once again, waiting for Cid to call her in.]

[wrnpcs]

[There's a moment of pause between her knock and when the Headmaster calls out for her to enter. He looks busy once the doors open, but that's the norm these days!]

Ah! And what brings you up here to my office, Lieutenant Commander Trepe?

[Cid's smiling warmly at her in spite of the unconscious feeling of already knowing why.]

[whiplashings.livejournal.com]

[Quistis was still quite not use to such a formal title, but she gives Cid a small smile.]

Please, Headmaster, there's no need to use such a long title to address me. Quistis is just fine.

[But she adopts a rather stiff and formal stance now, clearly meaning business.]

... Cadet Almasy would like to speak to you. I don't think he recalls anything from his past months here in Garden.

[wrnpcs]

[As much as Cid would like to continue teasing her on the matter of her new title, he can't help but sigh. Seifer - so rash, so impulsive, so loud. Impatient!

Cid should be used to it; he's had to deal with the troubled youth for quite some time now, since ever Cid can remember.]

Of course. But such is a given, Quistis, with the world and situation we live in today.

[He nods towards the door.]

Let him know that I'll speak with him then, thank you.

[whiplashings.livejournal.com]

Yes, sir. [Out of habit, Quistis does a quick SeeD salute before turning to head back out into the hallway.

Once she's finally out there, she addresses Seifer:]

The Headmaster will speak with you now.

[burntglory.livejournal.com]

'Bout damn time.

[Not that Seifer's actually LOOKING FORWARD to it... He's now beginning to dread confronting the old man, and has a feeling of what they'll be discussing.

The tall blond male, however, pauses at the open door.]

[wrnpcs]

[Cid sits at his desk, patiently waiting for Seifer to enter. He can make out his body just at the door, and can sense his hesitation from across the room.]

Please, Seifer-- come in.

[burntglory.livejournal.com]

[Still the hesitation remains and Seifer barely catches himself glancing at Quistis before forcing one foot in front of the other to step into the Headmaster's office.

For someone who's been around twenty long years since the supposed end of Ultimecia, Cid looks surprisingly good for someone who's sixty something. Or that's what Seifer thinks his age is now...]

[wrnpcs]

Ah, Seifer-- please, sit down. [ Cid makes a sweeping gesture of his hand to the seat before his desk, giving Seifer an encouraging smile. ]

[burntglory.livejournal.com]

[Automatically Seifer approaches the chair, pauses at its side to stare down at it and then lowers himself down very slowly. He glances across at the Headmaster and waits.]

[wrnpcs]

[ Cid folds his hands over his desk, and peers at Seifer over his glasses. His eyes give the male a quick assessment, before he clears his throat. ]

Now, Seifer-- I assume you wanted to see me to discuss your current situation, am I right?

[burntglory.livejournal.com]

...That's right.

[If he looks a little stiff sitting there, it's because he's feeling now a bit uncomfortable seated in front of this man. He may have run his mouth earlier but now that he was facing him...]

[wrnpcs]

Are there any questions I could answer for you?

[burntglory.livejournal.com]

Few of 'em, yeah.

[He frowns to himself and shifts in his chair.]

I get you're a pretty forgivin' man, you've been that way since you took me in. So why now?

[wrnpcs]

[ Cid's expression is rather troubled as he considers how to answer that. ]

A lot has happened over the past twenty years, but one thing that the rest of the world isn't quite pleased about is the fact that you have yet to be tried for war crimes due to your participation in the second Sorceress Wars. I believe that Balamb Garden is currently the safest place for you, at least until everything is sorted out. We have no doubts that Trabia and maybe even Galbadia may want to try you in court.