Once Again

A Final Fantasy VIII Fan Fic

Characters and Locations from said game belong to SquareSoft.

By Robertdogwood

Once Again

Chapter Ten

‘Selphie’s Treat’

‘Dead Reckoning’

‘Rinoa Goes For More Than a Swim’

‘Nida Again’

The moon was high in the night sky as Zell, Kasumi and Mishima trudged along the railroad tracks. They had walked all the long day, except for two quick breaks for meals that consisted of dried fruits and nuts. Zell, noticing that Kasumi appeared to be slightly weaving as she walked along, suggested, “Maybe we better stop for the night?”

Kasumi glanced gratefully at him and responded, “I second that emotion.”

Mishima suggested, “We better look for an appropriate place.”

“How about over there?” Mishima asked pointing to one of the many small clumps of forest still remaining in the Vaulny Canyon.

“Sounds good,” Zell agreed, taking the lead of the two women and trudging into the forest.

As they collapsed gratefully onto the forest floor, Kasumi asked, “Are there monsters in these woods?”

“Yeah,” answered Zell, standing up. “I’ll go gather some firewood. A fire will help keep them at bay. Plus someone will have to stand guard.”

“Oh, no,” moaned Kasumi. “Someone’s going to have to stay up all night?”

Mishima shook her head no. “We’ll stand watches. I’ll take the first watch for three hours.”

Zell volunteered for the second watch for three hours and they allowed Kasumi the third watch for two hours, because she appeared to be the one most exhausted.

Kasumi whined, “I can’t believe I have to walk sixteen hours a day and then stay up half the night.”

Mishima retorted, “No one ever said being a SeeD was going to be easy.”

As Zell was kneeling and placing the wood he had gathered in preparation of starting a fire, Kasumi pointed to some distant lights and asked, “Is that Dollet?”

“No, that’s East Aacademy,” Mishima answered, “We’re about half way to Dollet. We have, at least, another day or maybe more to go.”

Kasumi groaned and fell instantly asleep.

Zell finished starting the fire, winked at Mishima and lay down on the ground.

“Sleep sweet, Zell,” she said.

After waking up at the crack of dawn and, having their usual meal of dried fruits and nuts, Zell, Kasumi, and Mishima set off once again on their long trek to Dollet. The initial enthusiasm they first experienced when leaving Timber had worn off completely and they walked quickly mile after mile in complete silence unless communication was dictated by their immediate situation.

The closer they drew to East Academy, the more east they walked because they recognized the danger of traveling too close to the Galbadian authority at East Academy. They had, as a matter of caution, continued to travel off road as much as possible.

………………..

Rinoa, Akane, and the pigtail girl were already seated around their early morning coffee shop table, when Irvine walked up. Pulling up a chair and sitting down, he asked, “How are you feeling, Rinoa?”

Rinoa, glancing up from her battle tactics textbook, answered, “Hello, Irvine. I’m fine, thank you.”

“I was really worried about you yesterday.”

“I took care of everything, Irvine!” exclaimed Akane. “There was no need for you to worry your pretty little head about it.”

Rinoa smiled at the excitable teenager from across the table.

The pigtail girl interjected, “Not to change the subject, but we have a little mystery in the library. The picture of the Legendary SeeD has disappeared!”

“Oh, that is weird,” responded Irvine.

“Who’s the Legendary SeeD?” Akane naturally asked.

Rinoa glanced around the table and, observing no one appeared as if they were going to respond, answered, “The way I understand it is the Legendary SeeD was the very first SeeD graduate a number of years ago. His fighting skills were supposed to be unmatched, but he disappeared on a mission and nobody has seen him since. But the person to ask is Cid. He seems to be the only person who knows anything about it for certain.”

“Oh no,” protested Akane. “I’m too shy to go anywhere around Headmaster Cid. He doesn’t even know who I am and, besides, I hear his sorceress wife is back.”

Rinoa contradicted, “Edea is no longer a sorceress and there is absolutely no way anything could happen again. You’re just being silly, Akane.”

“That may be, but I say better safe than sorry.”

Attempting to change the subject, Rinoa asked, “Where is Arnaz this morning?”

“I don’t know,” Akane pouted. “I haven’t seen him since yesterday. Maybe he got a bad sunburn on the beach and is laid up sick in his room.”

It had become obvious to everyone at that table Akane hadn’t appreciated being informed she was acting ‘silly.’

Rinoa, continuing to ignore Akane’s body language, replied, “No, I don’t remember him looking particularly red yesterday.”

“Oh, who cares Rinoa?” Irvine asked while arising from the table. “He’ll turn up. Come on ladies. Let’s go to breakfast.”

………………..

Nearing the end of the morning staff meeting, Xu reported “At the present rate of speed we’re traveling, we should be approaching Trabia by the end of the day tomorrow. I hope we find they’re alright.”

Cid replied, “I’m sure we will. By the way, have we made any progress on ascertaining if there is a spy loose in the Garden?”

“I’m sorry to report that we’ve discovered nothing so far.”

“NOTHING” echoed Fujin.

Cid ordered, “Well, keep after it Xu. Anything else? Good, then the meeting is adjourned.”

Everyone arose from the table and Fujin crossed to her desk and sat down. As Xu began to move toward the elevator, Cid stopped her by saying, “Xu.”

As she turned, he spoke in a soft voice, “I just wanted to thank you for what you did for Edea and myself.”

“My pleasure, sir,” responded Xu with a smile and entered the elevator.

Cid thought to himself, ‘She should smile a little more often. It looked good on her.’

………………..

When Selphie finally rolled over and woke up, the initial thing she noticed was sunlight pouring through the window in a manner that immediately informed her it was not early morning. She yawned and stretched her youthful body in a position of a drawn bow and then placed her feet on the floor. She couldn’t remember the last time she had slept this late. Of course it was impossible to sleep late at the Garden what with early breakfast and classes or duties.

After she and Brian returned to Sayoko’s house, they had remained up late conversing concerning his adventures with Watts and what their immediate plans might include, if Zell did not return in a reasonable time. Selphie glanced over at the slumbering Brian and realized he wouldn’t be awake for hours, possibly not before nightfall due to his being so exhausted from his and Watt’s travels or was it travails, Selphie giggled.

She arose from her bed and padded to the bedroom door and peered out. Not observing anyone, she dashed into the bathroom and locked the door and proceeded to take another long, hot, luxurious shower. She hoped Sayoko had a good hot water heater.

Stepping out of the shower, Selphie toweled herself off as best she could and wrapped the towel around her as she stepped back out into the hall and traveled directly to her bedroom. Dropping the towel on the floor, she retrieved her makeup kit and hairbrush and retreated once more to the bathroom locking the door behind her.

After fifteen minutes of applying makeup and brushing her hair and, after peeking out of the door, she again dashed to her bedroom shutting the door softly behind her. It certainly wouldn’t do to wake Brian at this point with her standing there totally nude.

She crossed the room and retrieved a pair of clean panties from her knapsack – she must remember to do some laundry today – and stepped into them. She quickly stepped into her yellow dress and slipped it up over her shoulders and pulled the front zipper up. After putting on her boots and checking the heels individually, she was ready to go. Coming down the steps, she perceived all of her dashing was an exercise in futility, because apparently no was was home.

Selphie stepped out of the front door making sure to lock it behind her and, after glancing around and discerning the usual gaggle of Galbadian soldiers lurking about, she set off down the street to locate Zone and Watts.

Selphie discovered Zone in his favorite spot by the staircase. He appeared happy to see her, as he came equipped with a large smile on his face. He clasped her by the elbow and escorted her to a far corner where they could converse in private.

“You look positively radiant today, Selphie.”

“Uh, thank you,” Selphie responded slowly, although actually wanting to say, “Cut the crap and let’s talk business,” but didn’t because she realized how sensitive his stomach was.

“So what’s up, Zone? Did you and Watts formulate any plans for today?”

“Actually,” Zone explained, “Watts is out trying to find as many of our former comrades as he can and I’m just kicking around Timber.”

“Oh,” Selphie said vaguely disappointed. She had thought she was going to travel with Watts and Zone today.

“But,” Zone went on, “I have a special treat planned for us today.”

“And what might that be?” Selphie asked sardonically.

“How you’d like to spend the afternoon relaxing at the Amphor Pub?”

“Zone! I can’t drink there. I’m not old enough.”

“It doesn’t matter, Selphie. Those people owe me big time. I’ve kept that place from being burned down by the Galbadian Army so many times I’ve lost track.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I don’t really drink much.”

“Come on Selphie,” Zone insisted “It’ll be fun or are you chicken?”

Not many things rile Selphie as much as someone accusing her of cowardice, so she responded, “Okay, let’s go.”

The Amphor Pub had a long bar a person could drink at or individual tables with chairs. When they entered the pub, Selphie indicated that she would prefer a table.

“Then a table it shall be,” laughed Zone with a false hilarity.

“All of the sudden this guy is reminding me of Irvine,” thought Selphie.

After they were seated, a waitress approached and asked, “What’ll be?”

Zone looked expectently at Selphie and, when she didn’t respond, he said, “Bring us a couple of jars of Sake, please.”

“Coming right up,” the waitress answered, she being a master of clichés.

The waitress brought over the two jars and two moderate sized bowls to drink from.

“Arigato,” Zone replied. The waitress bowed and said, “Call me if you need anything further,” and then she retreated to the bar area.

Zone filled up both bowls and handed one over to Selphie. “Now you have to drink this slow because if you don’t, it has a habit of sneaking up and kicking you in the behind,” warned Zone.

As if to answer him, Selphie tipped up her bowl and drank the entire contents and held it out for Zone to refill. It was then she felt the incredible warmth spreading instantaneously throughout her entire body causing her to flush and perspire immediately. And she began to cough.

Zone leaned over to clap Selphie on the back until she shot up a warning hand to him. He immediately sat back having learned the night before Selphie’s blows could be swift and deadly. Selphie finally finished coughing. “Wow!” she exclaimed, “that was awesome. Give me some more.”

“Now Selphie,” Zone warned, “you shouldn’t go so fast. I’m telling you.”

“Oh, ho! So who’s the chicken now?” she almost cackled.

“Okay, it’s your funeral,” Zone replied prophetically.

Selphie downed two more quick bowls and that was the last thing she remembered for several hours.

Selphie awoke in the Timber Hotel with the worst headache she had ever experienced and the muted sunlight coming through the heavy curtains actually seemed to be sending knives of pain into her brain.

She thought, ‘What am I doing in the hotel? I don’t remember coming here.’

Sitting up too suddenly, Selphie felt as though she was going to vomit. As she moved to arise from the bed, the sheet dropped off her bare breasts. Even in the condition Selphie was in, she was able to comprehend she wasn’t wearing her dress. Almost too frightened to look, she picked up the sheet and glanced down at the rest of her body.

‘Nope’ she thought, ‘Not a stitch!’

Feeling totally disoriented and trying hard not to panic, she began glancing around the room for her clothes. Selphie wrapped the top sheet around her and attempted to stand up, but immediately felt too dizzy to stand.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Selphie mumbled aloud, “Where are my clothes?”
Suddenly Selphie remembered enough to think, 'Where’s that damn Zone?' and finally when full consciousness struck her, she stood up, dropped the sheet on the floor at her feet and began to minutely check every inch of her body.

When she had finished, she reseated herself on the bed and thought, 'Well, at least I don’t have to worry about that,' because everything appeared to be undisturbed and intact.

A knock came gently upon the door. “Selphie, are you awake yet?”

Recognizing Zone’s voice, Selphie jumped up, rewrapped the top sheet around her and screamed, “Zone! You get in here and give me my clothes,” while attempting to charge the door.

Zone quickly entered the room, hoping to forestall any more screaming on Selphie’s part, because of his anxiety she would cause enough of a scene the Galbadian Army soldiers, who were in the lobby, would become involved.

Selphie, perceiving the object of her immediate anger, continued screaming as she attempted to launch herself at him, “Give me back my clothes, you pervert!”

“Selphie, please. Try to remember. You got sick.”

As Selphie launched herself through the air at Zone, her sheet unraveled and fell to the floor revealing her naked body. Selphie had remained so upset she didn’t even notice it, although Zone certainly did.

“I’ll tell you where your clothes are” he gulped. "Don’t you remember? You got sick!”

Suddenly Selphie did experience a glimmer of a memory of drinking so much she began to vomit all over herself and the pub and her and Zone being ejected from the bar.

“Okay,” Selphie replied slightly calmer, “I do remember being sick. But how did I get here and why did you take my clothes off, you sick pervert?”

“Selphie, I couldn’t very well take you to Sayoko’s in that condition, so I brought you here. Your clothes are out being cleaned.”

Selphie, feeling somewhat mollified, still insisted, “What gave the the right to take my clothes off when I was passed out, you filthy pervert?”

“Selphie, it wasn’t me. The desk clerk helped you. She was very understanding and I wasn’t even in the room. I haven’t been in the room one time until just now.”

As if on cue, a knock came at the door and when Zone opened it, the desk clerk, an attractive dark haired, middle age woman entered the room. She handed Selphie her outfit with her precious boots on top and said, “Here you go – good as new.” The clerk did wonder why Selphie was standing there completely nude, apparently unconcerned, beside the completely dressed Zone.

‘They must be lovers’, she thought. ‘Although you’d think they’d use a little discretion about it.’

“We are so grateful, Madame,” Zone bowed from the waist.

“My pleasure, I was young once. Now if you will excuse me, I have to return to my duties,” the desk clerk explained and exited the room.

Zone couldn’t help but continue to stare at Selphie’s completely bare body, who responded, “Okay, Zone. I’m sorry I called you a pervert, but you can hardly blame me.”

Zone smiled. “Apology accepted,” he answered, while he continued to stare at Selphie.

“Oh my God!” Selphie screamed when she discovered what Zell had been staring at all this time. She began to batter him all around his shoulders and head.

“What are you waiting for, Zone? Get out of here so I can get dressed!”

Zone scurried from the room quickly.
………………..

Zell, Kasumi, and Mishima stopped and had their noon meal a short while after high noon and then took a short rest.

Kasumi asked Mishima, “How much longer to Dollet?”

“At least another day,” was the answer.

“Oh” Kasumi moaned, “I can’t believe it. My feet are killing me.”

There was little Zell and Mishima could offer to that, because they didn’t feel much differently.

After fifteen minutes had passed, they arose and started again. When they reached the other side of East Academy, Zell breathed a sigh of relief that they had apparently skirted the Galbadian forces.

A few minutes later, it became obvious his relief had been premature as a Galbadian Army vehicle suddenly appeared around the side of one of the many rocky mountains in the area. It happened so quickly the three young SeeDs were afforded no opportunity to hide or even avoid confrontation.

Mishima quickly directed, “Let me do the talking since I’m from Dollet.” Zell and Kasumi quickly agreed, although Zell thought Mishima volunteered because she was the one who had the best chance of ‘sweet talking’ the soldiers.

When the driver finally observed them, he screeched the vehicle to a halt and he and another soldier leaped out. Mishima began stepping forward to speak; when it became obvious the Galbadian soldiers had no intention of asking questions or even taking prisoners as they opened fire.

Being closest, Mishima had no opportunity to do anything but throw herself flat on the ground to avoid their fire. Kasumi immediately threw her ‘Rising Sun’ and hit one of the two soldiers killing him outright and Zell threw himmself at the other one doing a combination of Punch Rush and finishing with Heel Drop which broke the soldier’s neck. Zell could hear the neck snap and then immediately became aware the dead soldier’s bodily functions had been released.

Mishima, sitting up, turned and thanked Zell for saving her. Zell, meanwhile, had spun around to check on Kasumi and was startled to perceive her on her knees sobbing.

Zell quickly ran to her and knelt down by her side. “Are you injured?”

Kasumi appeared so overcome she was unable to stop weeping, but managed to shake her head in an indication she wasn’t hurt.

Mishima quickly knelt down and began to hug Kasumi and gently rock her, while whispering in her ear. Mishima glanced up at Zell and with a quick flip of her head was able to communicate to him they needed some personal space. Zell regained his feet and wandered a few feet away.

Finally Kasumi appeared to be under more control of herself and she and Mishima both stood up also. Mishima approached Zell and spoke quietly, “She’s never killed anyone before. She’s never seen death this close up.”

Zell understood immediately having been there, once upon a time, himself, although it now seemed as if it was light years ago. Zell approached Kasumi and told her to hang in there.

Turning to Mishima, Zell explained, “We have to bury these soldiers. See if there are any shovels or something we can use for digging located in their truck.”

As Mishima began to open the truck door, Kasumi asked, “Shouldn’t we just get out of here?”

“No, we have to hide the evidence of what happened here as long as possible,” answered Zell. “If another Army vehicle came by this afternoon and discovered this, the entire area would soon be blanketed by Army personnel searching for us.”

“What about just dragging them into the forest and leaving them?”

“Vultures,” Zell answered tersely.

Mishima called out, “We’re in luck! I found some shovels.”

Zell began dragging one of the soldiers toward the forest and directed, “Let’s start digging.”
………………..

Rinoa’s class on advanced diplomacy let out an hour early, due to the instructor having a meeting scheduled with Headmaster Cid. She realized that Akane would still be in class, so having nothing better to do she returned to her room.

Once she reached her room, she felt as though she was a cat on a hot tin roof. She didn’t feel as though she wanted to immediately launch into studying, as she and Akane had already made a date to study in the evening, and she didn’t have any other friends to spend time with.

Rinoa attempted to lie down to nap, but wasn’t tired and soon became bored with just laying there. She began to brood about Squall’s continued absence and feeling the worry and fear well up in herself, she thought, ‘This is no good! Obsessing isn’t going to help anything.’

“I know,” she spoke aloud. “I’ll go for a swim in the pool.”

Reaching into her bureau, she pulled out her bikini, grabbed a towel and left her room and began the long trek down to the swimming pool.

The swimming pool was located on the sub-floor at the end of a corridor that also connected with the gym and a locker room. The pool was extremely large, overly chlorinated to a deep blue and often too cold in the winter and too warm in the summer.

Having reached the swimming pool area, Rinoa entered the locker room that was connected to both the gym and the pool. There were six rows of lockers with benches and a large shower room. There were strict rules regarding the time of the week the facilities could be used by the men and women upper-classmen and SeeDs, as there was no way to separate the facilities for the different sexes.

Since this was Saturday of the second week, Rinoa knew she was within the rules. The days alternated on an every other day basis. After quickly stripping off her uniform and underwear and placing all of her clothing in a locker, she pulled on her bikini, grabbed her towel and entered the swimming pool area. She crossed to the bleachers that were built for swim meets and placed her towel down. She then turned and, with a running start, jumped off the edge of the pool and did a giant cannon ball into it. After a few minutes of vigorous swimming, she felt much calmer and knew she had made the right decision to get out of her room.

Since it was now so close to dinnertime, Rinoa realized it would be unlikely that anyone would enter the pool this late in the day, se dee decided it would be more fun swimming in the nude. Swimming close by the wall, she paused and removed her bikini and placed it up on the floor outside of the pool. Swimming up and down the pool, Rinoa decided it did feel much more liberating and, besides, she thought with a grin, it was a bit 'risqué.'

After thirty minutes, she began to tire and pulled herself out of the pool. She sat on the side of the pool dangling her legs in the water and happened to glance down at her slightly open labia. She began to gently tease her beautiful pubes and then suddenly glanced around the pool area just to make double sure she was safe. She eased herself into the water and pushed her middle finger of her right hand into her labia and began moving it back and forth.

Now she really did feel much calmer. Locating her clitoris, she began to imagine a favorite fantasy of hers, in which she and Squall are making love on a table in the cafeteria during dinner hour. People were crowding around their table and commenting how beautiful she appeared and what great sexual finesse she was displaying and were expressing their extreme envy of both she and Squall and wishing aloud they could make love to her.

Suddenly moving her finger faster and faster, she began to experience her orgasm. “Ah” she moaned, “That’s better” as the orgasm washed out of her. When she had finished, she decided to go and shower and then get ready for dinner.

Retrieving her towel and bikini, she crossed the tile flooring and entered the locker room. Placing her bikini and towel on a bench, she entered the shower room and began to luxuriate under a hot shower.

‘Darn it!’ she thought, ‘I forgot to bring my shampoo.’

It was then she heard what sent shivers of terror straight down her spine. It was an unmistakable male voice! And then two of them and then three of them!

‘Oh no!’ Rinoa thought, ‘It is Saturday, isn’t it?’

Rinoa quickly turned the water off, so as to not be heard in the locker room. She crept along the wall of the shower room toward the entrance listening to hear if the voices were growing louder. She was hoping to possibly run out into the locker room and go down one row of lockers and stay hidden until either the male visitors left completely or went into the shower room and then quickly get to her clothes and get dressed and out of there.

Not hearing any voices at all, Rinoa hoped they had either entered the pool area or the gym and she stepped out of the shower room and was immediately confronted by a nude Nida and two naked male upper-classmen standing right in front of her! Rinoa couldn’t help but notice they developed instant erections as they stared at her totally nude body.

Rinoa screamed and lowered her body in an effort to hide her breasts and pubic area and dashed through them and to her locker.

“What the hell?” someone exclaimed.

Rinoa seized her bikini and uniform and sprinted out of the locker room and into the corridor. Fortunately no one was coming down the corridor at the moment and Rinoa quickly pulled on her skirt and blouse and began running back to her room. As she moved along, she realized with a start that it was Sunday!