Once Again

A Final Fantasy VIII Fan Fic

Characters and Locations from said game belong to SquareSoft.

By Robertdogwood

Once Again

Chapter Four

'Irvine’s Watch'

'Quistis Strikes a Pose'

Selphie and Irvine strolled into the lobby of the Balamb Hotel.

Selphie asked, “Why did you choose this place to eat when there’s that nice place down by the water at the end of the dock?”

Irvine explained, “I heard the weather was going to be a little rough tonight and I thought this would be less dangerous.”

“That’s strange. I didn’t hear anything about that,” Selphie replied.

After they were seated at their table and ordered their dinner, Selphie leaned forward and said, “Irvy, you should have seen Rinoa when I left the room. She was wearing pajamas with little bunny rabbits on them. And she was waiting for her little friend, Akane, to come visit, so they could study together. It was so sweet.”

Irvine questioned, “I wonder if Squall is going to think it’s so 'sweet' when he comes back?”

“Now what’s that supposed to mean, exactly?”

“Selphie,” Irvine said distinctly, “if you can’t read between the lines, I’m not going to explain it to you.”

Selphie, choosing to ignore that particular line of conversation changed the subject saying, “Isn’t that Akane so cute?”

“Yeah, she’s really sexy,” Irvine agreed. When Selphie glared at him, Irvine attempted to correct himself. “I mean, for someone who is young, I mean for a fifteen year old little girl.”

Selphie retorted, “Oh, just shut up and eat, Irvine!” as the waiter had just arrived with their food.

After they had finished eating, Irvine pushed himself away from the table and said, “Now that was good!”

“I don’t know, Irvine,” said Selphie shaking her head. “Didn’t you think those clams were a little funny?”

“Yeah, they were a laugh riot,” snickered Irvine.

“Oh, very funny. Har! Har! Irvine,” snapped Selphie.

“Well, what are we going to do now?” questioned Selphie, as they stood up and left the restaurant and entered the lobby area of the hotel.

“I thought we might take a walk down by the beach,” Irvine suggested.

Selphie smiled to herself. 'That Irvine,' she thought. 'He never stops trying.'

Just to hassle him, Selphie remarked, “I thought you said there was going to be bad weather. I kinda wanted to go to the Balamb Theatre and see that new movie 'Loveless',” Selphie continued.

Irvine made a large production out of peering through the huge window behind the hotel reception desk and then spinning around and glancing out of the open hotel doors.

“No,” he finally said. “It looks as though those reports were mistaken. But first I have to do something.”

“What’s that?” Selphie queried.

“The last time I stayed overnight at Balamb, I must have lost my grandfather’s heirloom pocket watch. I didn’t realize it until a couple of days later. I haven’t been down here since. I want to go and look for it in room 115.”

“Grandfather’s watch? I don’t remember anything about you having your grandfather’s watch,” Selphie said suspiciously.

“Oh, sure,” Irvine said blithely. “You’ve seen it a million times and just don’t remember it. It’s a big pocket watch.”

Selphie continued to look dubiously at Irvine. “And when were you here by yourself?”

Irvine glibly explained, “I came down to get some supplies for the Garden and a unexpected storm came up leaving me stranded.”

“Hang on a minute, Selphie,” said Irvine, as he strode up to the reception desk leaving Selphie back by the hotel entrance. Selphie was continuing to appear dubious about this entire scenario.

Irvine positioned himself in such a way that Selphie could not see money exchanging hands between Irvine and the hotel owner’s wife, who worked behind the reception desk. Irvine came back with a large smile on his face and a room key held high in his hand.

“I’m in luck! There’s nobody staying in that room today, so I can go search it. Coming Selphie?” Irvine asked.

Selphie, who still thought there was some shenanigans going on, but realized it would be rude of her and also very boring to not go with him, said, “Okay, Irvy.”

Room 115 was on the next floor up from the lobby. Selphie and Irvine walked up the slightly curving staircase and went down a hallway to the left until they were standing in front of the door of room 115.

“We’re here,” Irvine said, making a large production out of holding up the room key and inserting it into the lock.

Selphie continued to eye Irvine suspiciously.

Irvine opened the door and bowed from the waist. “Mademoiselle,” he said indicating that Selphie should go in first.

As Selphie crossed the threshold of the room, she protested, “Irvine! Knock it off. You are so corny.”

Irvine, following Selphie into the room, stopped and stretched his arms straight out.

“Whew,” he said, “Might as well get comfortable,” and took off his long cattleman’s coat and cowboy hat and lay them on the desk against the far wall across from the three beds in the room.

He looked expectantly at Selphie, who rebuked him saying, “Irvine! I hope you don’t think I’m taking my dress off to get comfortable. I’m not wearing a coat in case you haven’t noticed.”

“Aw, Sefie,” Irvine complained, while walking over to the large window at the end of the room. “Sefie, come here and look at this view,” Irvine requested.

Selphie walked over to the window. She had to admit that it was a breathtaking view of the mountains that surrounded the town of Balamb under a beautiful starlit night. Irvine slipped his arm around Selphie and bent down and ever so softly began kissing Selphie’s neck. It took her breath away.

Irvine looked Selphie closely in the face and asked, “Sefie?”

Selphie cooed, “What, Irvy?”

Irvine suddenly reached down and pulled the zipper on the front of her yellow dress all the way down fully exposing her abundant breasts and sheer panties! As Selphie stood momentarily stunned by Irvine’s latest treachery, he pulled her dress off her shoulders and down to the floor. It wasn’t until Irvine had wrestled her panties down to her knees and then completely off her body leaving her standing stark naked except for her boots that Selphie was able to leap into action.

While Irvine stood and stared mouth agape at her naked beauty, Selphie screamed, “Irvine!” and began striking him wherever she could reach until she was able to push him away. “I should have known better. Grandfather’s watch! What a crock!”

“I’m going back to the Garden – with or without you!” Selphie declared, being so angry she temporarily forgot she was bereft of clothing, and angrily marched out of the hotel room.

“Sefie, wait up and put your clothes on!” called Irvine carrying her clothing, and hurriedly retrieving his hat and coat.
……….

A few hours later, Squall dashed into Quistis’s bedroom out of breath.

“Squall! Get out of here! I’m not dressed,” Quistis shouted, as she was standing totally nude. Despite what had occurred between them earlier on the train, it could hardly be said they shared the common familiarity of long time lovers. Quistis felt genuinely embarrassed to be stark naked in the same room with the completely dressed Squall in a non-sexual situation.

Squall, who had his eye pressed up to a crack between the frame and the door that entered the hallway, said urgently, “Keep your voice down.”

“Okay,” Quistis replied in a lower tone. “But you get out of here. I don’t have anything on.”

Squall explained, “A few minutes ago, I was down in General Caraway’s office replacing the note behind Rinoa’s picture, when suddenly I realized there was a group of soldiers making a room by room sweep of the mansion. I ran straight back here. They’re on the third floor now!”

In her anxiety, Quistis forgot to keep her labia covered and she moved her right hand up to her mouth, as she exclaimed, “Oh my God! What are we going to do?”

Squall, who was still looking out of the doorway, explained, “You’re not being dressed is a Godsend.”

“Oh, great,” Quistis replied. “What do you want me to do? Stand naked in front of the door? Why would that cause them to not check the room? Don’t you think they might find it a bit suspicious?”

“If you would slow down for a minute, I’ll tell you what I’m thinking,” answered Squall.

“Please do,” retorted Quistis.

“When they open the door, just hold that scanty schoolgirl uniform up in front of yourself and scream. I guarantee you they will become so flustered they’ll leave,” explained Squall.

“Okay” Quistis agreed. “That sounds as if it might work, but where are you going to be?”

“Under the bed, of course,” said Squall with a grin.

A few moments later, the door opened and three Galbadian soldiers walked in. Quistis let out the loudest shriek possible and held the schoolgirl uniform up in front of her nudity.

“Rape! Rape!” Quistis started shouting.

The Galbadian soldiers immediately started to back up. “We’re sorry, little girl. We didn’t mean to frighten you,” one of the solders said, as they closed the door.

Squall crawled out from underneath the bed. “Worked like a charm,” he said grinning at her, fully enjoying his view. “That was a nice touch yelling rape like that.”

“Squall!” Quistis said sternly. “I’m still not dressed. At least turn your back or better still go to your room!”

“Yes, instructor,” said Squall, while he turned around and headed toward his bedroom. Before returning to his bedroom, he turned and mouthed the words, “You're beautiful when you’re angry.”

Despite herself, she had to smile at him.

The last thing he heard was Quistis snorting, “Little girl! I’ll show them their little girl!”


……..……..

Around midnight, Squall and Quistis sat quietly talking on her bed, when there came a very soft knock on the door. Squall cautioned Quistis to remain still and then he very quietly, but quickly covered the area to the door, pressed his face to the door and cracked the door open ever so slightly to see General Caraway standing there holding a tray of hot steaming food. Squall threw the door open quickly, as he and Quistis had not eaten since early morning before leaving the youth hostel and that seemed a long time ago.

The General entered the room and Squall shut the door behind him and locked it. Squall liberated the dinner tray from General Caraway and placed it on the bed, where he had been sitting by Quistis.

“Thank you very much,” Squall said. “It is much appreciated.”

The General nodded. “I assumed that things would still be too hot in the kitchen for you to come down and get your own meal,” causing Squall to understand the soldiers were still searching the lower floors. “Oh, by the way,” the General said turning toward Quistis and smiling ever so slightly. “Three soldiers were very upset they had walked in on my 'niece' when she was changing.”

Quistis offered a small smile in return.

General Caraway turned to Squall and stated, “You two did very well to escape that dragnet tonight.”

“What’s going on, General?” Squall asked. “Who are they looking for?”

“They’re looking for you,” was the General’s startling reply.

“What?” Quistis was shocked to learn that their cover had apparently been blown so quickly. “They’re looking for us? They’re specifically looking for us?”

“Yes,” the General nodded. “They have your names and your descriptions, but they don’t know why you’re here. Your disguise saved you from capture tonight.”

“But how?” Quistis was incredulous.

Squall quietly answered, “There must be a spy back at Garden.”

The General nodded approvingly at Squall. “Yes, I believe they’ve planted a mole at your facility.”

“But who?” Quistis wondered.

Squall answered, “We have no way of knowing from here. There’s nothing we can do about that until we get back to Garden.”

Squall turned to General Caraway and asked point blank, “Who is Mamoru?”

General Caraway remained silent for several minutes, as Quistis felt the tension rise palpably in the room. Finally he answered, “You two are very good. But then why should I be surprised considering the things you have accomplished in the past? Okay, you asked me direct. I’ll answer you the same way. He is the President of Galbadia.”

Squall continued probing. “How did he accomplish this? Where did he come from? Who is he?”

The General said softly, “Slow down, son. I’ll answer all of your questions,” and he pulled up a straight back chair and sat down.

Squall continued to stand near the bed. General Caraway explained, “He appeared in Deling City about a year and a half ago. I don’t where he came from, but he had a great deal of money and was not averse to throwing it around in the right areas, if you catch my drift.”

“What did he do for a living?” Squall asked.

“No one knows,” was the General’s reply.

“Squall, please,” Quistis said from her seat on the bed, reaching out and placing her hand on Squall’s arm. “Let General Caraway tell it in his own way.”

“He began to become very influential in politics,” the General continued. “He didn’t do anything hands on, but he bought others. He bought a lot of 'others' and then moved into the military,” the General said somewhat bitterly. “He had some big-shot politician award him a high commission and he became involved in the war. I will say this for him,” the General admitted. “He’s a brilliant tactician and he doesn’t know the meaning of fear. I don’t know where he received his training, but I know it was someplace good,” General Caraway explained.

Squall thought to himself, 'I know where he received it and he’s supposed to be the best there ever was.'

“After you defeated Sorceress Adel and destroyed Lunatic Pandora, everything was complete chaos here. That’s when he moved in and took over,” the General said. “He had enough political power in his back pocket and he had the support of the military. What else did he need?” General Caraway asked rhetorically. “Plus he was completely unknown to the general public and he still is to this very day.”

“Why is he coming to see you, General?” asked Quistis.

“I’m not sure,” was the General’s response. “I only know it isn’t about my reassignment.”

“General,” Squall asked, “do you know anything about the status of your missile base?”

General Caraway stiffened. The question had obviously struck a nerve. “I know nothing about it,” he said formally. “The new President strictly operates on a need to know basis and I have no jurisdiction in that area.”

General Caraway stood up. “If that’s all of your questions for now, I’d like to retire and I’m sure you’ve had a long day also.”

When the General reached the door, he cautioned with a small smile, “Make sure you keep this door locked. You don’t want anybody walking in on my 'niece' again.”

Quistis said, “Thanks again for the food.”

Squall asked, “General, is there a message you’d like us to give Rinoa?”

General Caraway looked sadly at them and replied, “Tell her I love her very much and badly miss her. Good night,” he said, leaving the room.

As Squall was crossing to the door to lock it, Quistis commented, “That’s really sad.”

“Hey Squall, did you notice he called you son? I think he was giving his consent for you to marry Rinoa,” teased Quistis.

Squall blushed and snapped, “It’s just an expression, damn it!”

“Ooh, touchy,” Quistis laughed.

Squall returned to the bed, where Quistis was already digging into the food.

“I wonder why the President is visiting General Caraway,” Quistis said.

“I don’t know,” said Squall, stuffing food into his mouth. “But I do know when he gets here tomorrow, I’m gonna be in that room somehow. I want to see what this guy looks like!”

……….

Selphie, Zell, Akane, the pigtail girl, Irvine and Rinoa were seated around an early morning table in the coffee shop.

Selphie was talking about the new Garden Festival she was planning. “It’s going to be the bomb!” Selphie said. “What about you, Akane? Are you going to help us?”

“Oh, sure,” Akane said excitedly. “I’d love to, but what do you have planned?”

Zell spoke up, “She’s probably going to try and make us play music again.”

Selphie fought back. “Cut me some slack, Zell. You loved it!”

The pigtail girl leaned over and gave Zell a peck on the cheek, stood up and said, “I have to get to class.”

As she walked away, Zell shouted out “Have a good day, Na-.”

“Rinoa!” Selphie exclaimed in a loud tone drowning out Zell. Rinoa’s head snapped up. She had been nodding over her notes on the 'Articles of Garden.'

Selphie said, “I see someone went to 'cram school' last night. Which course is the test in?”

When Rinoa responded it was an Articles of Garden test, everyone except Irvine and Akane began groaning, each of them remembering how difficult the class had been and what a backbreaker the tests were.

Zell advised, “You should let it go now. Don’t study up ‘til the last second. You’ll end up just psyching yourself out. If you don’t know it by now, chances are fifteen to twenty more minutes of cramming isn’t going to help a bit.”

Selphie agreed, “Zell’s right. It’s time to just let it go and do the best you can.”

Rinoa, deciding their feedback was sound, closed her notebook and said, “Thank you everybody. It’s just so hard. I haven’t been in school for four years. Actually I wasn’t in school then either. That man always had tutors for me. It was really easy.”

Zell changed the subject saying, “Can anybody help me today? I need to go down to Balamb in one of the trucks to pick up some supplies.”

Selphie and Irvine both knew that Zell always volunteered for this duty because he liked to spend a couple of hours with his family before returning and it became very boring quickly for anyone who traveled with him. They quickly thought of excuses for why they couldn’t go.

“What about you, Rinoa? Could you go with me?” Zell asked.

“Me?” asked Rinoa, feeling secretly flattered that somebody had asked her for assistance. “Sure, I can go, but you’ll have to wait until I get out of my Articles of Garden class.”

“Hey, no prob!” exclaimed Zell.

………………..

When Cid entered his office, he was surprised to see Xu leaning over Fujin, who was sitting at his secretary’s desk. Xu looked up and greeted him “Good Morning, Cid.” Fujin echoed “MORNING.”

Cid asked, “What’s going on here? Where’s Catherine?”

Xu asked him, “Don’t you mean Pamela?”

“Uh, right,” admitted Cid. “That’s what I meant.”

Xu explained, “Pamela was assigned to different duties. Fujin is going to be your new secretary. You’re okay with that, aren’t you?”

Cid, who appeared more than a little perplexed, answered, “Of course I am.”

At the end of a rather uneventful morning staff meeting, Cid stood and asked, “Have we heard anything from Squall and Quistis?”

When Xu answered in the negative, Cid looked vaguely disturbed and said wistfully, “I hope they’re alright.”

“I’m sure they are, Cid,” Xu said emphatically. “You couldn’t have sent anyone better equipped to do the job.”

“I hope you’re right,” Cid replied.

“Well, if you’ll excuse me,” Xu said while offering a slight bow. “I have the rest of my duties to attend to,” and then left the office heading toward the elevator.

………………..

Quistis was in the bathroom completing her morning grooming, while Squall sat on her bed waiting impatiently for her to finish.

“What’s our first move today?” Quistis asked through the bathroom door.

“Getting you out of the bathroom,” Squall muttered.

"What?” Quistis asked. “I can’t hear you. You need to speak up.”

“I said getting something to eat,” lied Squall.

Quistis said from the bathroom, “I was thinking more in terms of our mission, Squall.”

The bathroom door opened and Quistis exited wearing her schoolgirl uniform.

“Good Morning, little schoolgirl!” Squall said. “Can I come home with you?”

“Stop it!” Quistis demanded. “Will you get serious? And anyway, I suppose you think your outfit looks attractive.”

Squall grinned and then replied seriously, “We need to discover a method to get word back to the Garden about everything – the probability of a spy, the new Galbadian front being formed in the Grandidi Forest, who the President is, and the possibility of his being the Legendary SeeD. Only Cid will know for certain, if it could be true. I wish I already knew what he looked like.”

Quistis asked, “I suppose attempting to get back to the Garden with the information ourselves is out of the question?”

Squall agreed, “Very much out of the question! They’re looking for us. If we try to leave now, we’ll be under much closer scrutiny than when we arrived. We’re just going to have to lay low until this thing blows over a little.”

………………..

Squall and Quistis were standing by the hidden entry to the sewers in General Caraway’s den after literally creeping down from the bedrooms. Quistis said, “That was certainly nerve wracking, but we didn’t see a soul.”

Squall joked, “Maybe it’s maid’s day off.” Quistis pushed him. “Will you please get serious?”

“Okay,” he said, “But try to not be daydreaming this time through the sewers.” It was Quistis’s turn to feel chagrined. “Okay,” she said tersely.

An hour later they emerged from the sewers and were back up in Deling City.