Something struck the back of her head, and she staggered. She spun around and with a lightning flick of her whip sent the huge tortoise to sleep.

"Stop!" she roared, before Sim and Jax could apologize. "Everyone to me, now!" Nineteen young men and women stopped what they were doing and gathered around her, dropping nets as they moved in close to her. Two days left before the field trial.

"Up the beach, everyone. Just leave that stuff there." She turned on her heel and marched, slipping, up the sandy beach north of Dollet. She stopped on the grass line and turned to look at her class. They looked back uncomfortably. Jax and Sim both wore sheepish expressions. It was pouring, and rain plastered hair to heads smoothly.

"You've all fought in adverse weather conditions. You've fought in mud, rain, and snow. You've fought in the desert when it was so hot that sweat dried before it even dampened your clothing. Yes, we're not really fighting, and yes, capture can be a lot more difficult than annihilation. Especially with smart monsters like these." She waved at the tortoises milling on the beach. "But you're all acting strange today. What's the problem? I know it's not just the rain." She pushed her sodden hair out of her face and waited.

Jax spoke up. "Ah, well, maybe it's just me, but...I've been thinking about the field exam. I hate to admit it, but...I'm worried. The Island Closest to Hell, nobody sane goes there."

"That's what it is? Anyone else feel the same way?" She looked around. Everyone was nodding, even the SeeDs. Except for Seifer. He never got nervous about anything.

"I see." She sighed. "You're right, not many people dare step foot around there. The monsters are absolutely vicious, and incredibly strong. But people do go there. There's magic. Strong magic that makes it well worth the risk. Didn't you know that we trained on that island when we were preparing to meet Ultimecia?" They looked surprised.

"Okay, you didn't know. Let me tell you something else. All of you are stronger than we were the first time we set foot there. A few of you have reached your full potential. That is, you're as strong as we were when we left the island. When we faced Ultimecia. You have nothing to worry about. Besides, we're taking a full med-team with us. We aren't taking any risks with untried SeeD candidates."

Seifer spoke up. "You trained there? How?"

She rubbed the back of her head. She could feel a bump. "We camped there for a week. Fought all day, every day. We slept in the Ragnorak."

He looked thoughtful. Just a few days after they left the island, they had faced Seifer for the final time. And trounced him.

"You fought in groups of three, though, didn't you?"

"Yes. Why?"

His gaze wandered off over the beach. "You said we were doing this in pairs."

She wasn't in a good mood. Both the cadets and the SeeDs had been acting nervous all day, making stupid mistakes and trying her patience. Why did he have to pick now to criticize her? "Scared, Seifer?"

He stiffened immediately, and she knew that had been the wrong thing to say.

"Tch, forget I said that. You don't need to bristle at me, Almasy. Everyone knows you aren't afraid of anything." She did her best to say that without a mocking tone. She hoped she had pulled it off. "And you're correct. We did fight in threes. It's traditional to have just a candidate and a supporting SeeD for the field trial, but I think you're right. It's too risky, so we'll do it in groups of three. There are twenty of us, so we can easily do that with just one incomplete team. That'll be you and I, Seifer." He didn't respond; didn't look at her at all.

"Reassured, everyone? Good. Don't worry about it, really. Now get back down there and do it right. Ten tortoises."

 

The next day she gave the final written exam. She cancelled afternoon practice so they could relax.

"Go to the infirmary if you have the slightest injury. Tomorrow you need to be in top shape. And make sure to turn in early. We'll be meeting at the front gate at 0700 hours. Don't be late." And she retired to her quarters.

She had just finished grading their exams- they had all passed- when there was a knock at her door. She opened it, and Rinoa fairly flew into her arms. She held the younger girl, wondering what had happened. She started when Rinoa let out an explosive sob against her shoulder.

"Rin? What's wrong?" If Squall had done something...

Rinoa finally pulled away, wiping her eyes. Suddenly a beatific smile appeared on her face. "Oh, I'm all crazy. Don't worry. Nothing's wrong, nothing at all! I'm just so happy, I don't know whether to laugh or cry with joy. So I've been doing both." Quistis grinned.

"But what happened?" she asked, leading Rinoa to a chair. She sat down, and immediately stood up again.

"Oh, Quistis." She covered her face with her hands and sobbed. Finally, Quistis noticed the ring.

 

Ah, she was tired. She hadn't followed her own advice about turning in early, and now she regretted it. She had hosted another impromptu party in her quarters last night. The whole Team, with the exception of Squall, had made an exuberant addition to her normally quiet quarters. She had been on the phone, dialing Squall's number, when Rinoa had laid a hand on her arm and stopped her.

"He needs to be alone, I think." Quistis had nodded, and dropped the receiver in the handle. Squall could be strange sometimes.

She had only managed to snatch a couple of hours of sleep. Now she stood in the shower and let the hot water sluice off her body. She was going to fall asleep. Gah, she thought, and twisted the knobs until the stream hitting her head was ice cold. That's better. She shivered suddenly and jumped out, grabbing her towel and wrapping it around her body as quickly as possible.

Just a few minutes later she had donned her gear and was striding to the front gate. It was 0654 by her watch, and all were present.

"All right, everyone. Here is your objective. Five monsters. T-Rexaur, Ruby Dragon, Hexadragon, Marlboro, Blue Dragon. Bag one of each. If you run into one you've already gotten, retreat. That's an order. There are also these other little ones, Grendels. Don't worry about them. Fight them if you want to, but I wouldn't recommend wasting your strength. These aren't required. Not really a challenge. When you finish your set, return to the skimmer immediately. All right. Ready?" She looked over nineteen faces. Their faces shone with anticipation. They were ready.

"Let's move out."

"Damned things. Hiding from us." Seifer wiped his forehead on his sleeve.

Quistis tugged at her uniform. She'd worn the full combat uniform today, heavy dark green pants belted over a long sleeved shirt of the same rough material. She hadn't felt like messing around with a skirt. She itched. The uniform was a close fit, meant to prevent snags, but it was uncomfortably scratchy. At least she was warm. It was chilly out, though the sun promised to warm the forlorn island more as it rose.

"They're scared silly," she smiled. They had conquered all the required monsters in good time except for T-Rexaur. The familiar red giant was now proving elusive.

"Wouldn't you know it would be the big T," he said disgustedly. "Always causing trouble."

"Mmm," she agreed. She peered at the horizon and spied a red shape, far off. "What about him? Is that T-Rex?"

His eyes narrowed, looking off in the direction she pointed. "May as well check it out. Let's go."

It was indeed. They snuck up on him quietly from behind and began. Quistis had Sleep junctioned to Save the Queen, and obligingly knocked him out for Seifer's attack. They took turns leisurely, confidently. We fight well together, mused Quistis.

She never saw it coming.

She felt her feet leave the ground. A sharp ache rode savagely down her neck as she was picked up bodily and shaken. Time slowed to a crawl. The T-Rexaur who had snuck up on her dropped her, and she counterattacked reflexively. It wasn't much of a counterattack. Her wrist twitched weakly, and she did not hear the happy snap that accompanied any normal use of her whip. Instead she watched as it slithered slowly, so slowly, down the scaled snout of the enraged monster. It was enough. The savage head bowed before her, eyes sliding shut obediently. Fire kindled in her side, and she heard Seifer snarl, "Sleep!" at his own opponent before the ground rose up to embrace her.

Her eyes were open, she realized suddenly. She couldn't see anything. No, she could. Hyperion, dropped in the grass. She blinked. A kidskin glove, close enough to touch. She was fascinated. More than anything, she wanted to touch that glove. The soft leather. She could see every wrinkle. In a daze, she reached for it.

"Quit wriggling."

She turned her head the other way. Time was still not running in its proper track. She couldn't move her head very far at all. What was this? She frowned, trying to place the weird conglomeration of color immediately before her eyes. Vest. Seifer. He was holding her still, her cheek pressed tight against his chest with a grip of steel. She tilted her chin and looked at his face. She could see everything. His blink as sweat ran into his eyes. A comma shaped smudge of dirt on one cheekbone. A thin slice of golden stubble where he had missed with the razor. He was frowning in concentration, an almost invisible vertical crease between his brows.

Frowning. His face was made for it.

Ice sheeted down her body. She gasped, and physical sensation returned to her in a single moment, in a rush so intense that she shuddered. His response was to swing his free leg over hers, pinning her more effectively. She ripped her gaze from his face and peered down at her body.

Seifer's left arm was wrapped around her tightly, holding her stable. She looked at his hand, gripping her ribcage. She'd never seen his hands bare before. Long elegant fingers. Why did he always wear gloves? He had exquisite hands. Is the other one like it? She wondered, and managed to look around again. Her gaze was caught this time by her own body.

Her shirt was in tatters on the left side. She suddenly realized that she had found Seifer's other hand. It was covered in blood and clamped on her left side, right where the soft flesh of her waist began. A bad place to be bitten, she thought.

"One more."

The ice ran through her again, and she finally understood. He was healing her. That accounted for the waves of cold and the extreme detail that assaulted her eyes. She felt bones knitting as well as flesh. She sighed as the pain left her. The feeling of extraordinary perception did not though. It wouldn't, not for a few moments. She sighed again and went limp.

He released his iron grip and shifted her to a more comfortable position. Her eyes slid shut.

She felt his fingers then, tucking her hair behind her ear, leaving trails of fire where they touched her skin. Enhanced senses, she thought muggily. Never mind. She pushed herself away from him and managed to sit on her own. She shook her head and opened her eyes. Time resumed its normal pace. She shook her head once more and looked around.

The T-Rexaurs were exactly where they had been left, slumbering deeply. Good thing, she thought. That could have been big trouble.

She heard Seifer working his way to a standing position behind her.

She staggered, but managed the same. She stooped to pick up his glove and his gunblade. Turning, she offered them to him.

"Thanks," she said. "Let's finish these guys off and get back to the skimmer." He nodded, and bent to scoop up his other glove.

He swiped his face absentmindedly with his hand before replacing his gloves, smearing a crimson wedge of her blood across his forehead.

"Any time."

She stopped them in front of the Balamb Garden gate, midafternoon. She glanced at each of the SeeDs in turn, looking for a nod or a shake from each. She smiled.

"Congratulations. With the exception of me, you all passed the field trial." She waved at her tattered shirt. Everyone broke into grins, and Sim let out a whoop. "Well, you're almost there. Just the mission trial left. Don't listen to too many rumors." She winked at them and passed through the gate, intent on finding a shower and a new set of clothes.