Andr�s Lou wrote:

Hello! I'm basically a lurker who de-lurks every couple of solar
eclipses. I would apreciate every comment I could receive
about this story, since English is not my native language.
Thanks in advance!

A Fated Child: Pages in the life of Quistis

A Final Fantasy VIII fic
by Andr�s aka Faethin

A year later...

As Quistis finished the welcoming speech a thunderous
applause filled the hall. The new students were all
divided into three groups and led to the dance hall by
the graduated SeeDs. One by one, they left the
auditorium until the only remaining people were the
high-ranking SeeDs and Headmaster Cid.

She was again instructor No. 18, Quistis Trepe, and
she was in charge of the first and seventh years of
the Garden. "Because you look a lot like the big
sister we all need" had said Headmaster Cid when she
had asked why she had been chosen to instruct the
young cadets, and "Because you are by far our most
talented SeeD apt for teaching in the final levels
of the training" he had said when she had asked why
she had been given the last year as well. True though
it was, it was also very tiring for her, and she
was not yet too sure about being fit for the job.

"Great work, as usual," said Xu approaching her, some hours
later, when the ceremony was over. "Let's just hope they
don't forget everything you said about honour and courtesy
the first time they get to try the cafeteria's hot dogs".

Oh right.  In the English version one of the character has an obsession 
with hot dogs, doesn't he?

"Let's hope so," said Quistis, laughing. "It's too bad not
even the rank allows for privileges in the cafeteria. At
least for someone I know." She smiled as she saw Zell just
entering the hall along with the Pig-tailed Girl.

"Hey, Quistis! I mean, Instructor Trepe, uh, yeah," he
said blushing a little and looking at the Pig-tailed
Girl. "D'you hear the latest? Rinoa is gonna be made
honorary Instructor!"

"Yes, I had heard," said Quistis, noding. "Honorary Instructor
No. 20, Rinoa Heartilly, in charge of Magical Training."

"Yeah, that's it!" he said. "'Course, I'd forgotten that
you are the unofficial Garden Intelligence officer!" The Pig-
tailed Girl burst into giggles. "Anyway, I was looking
for Squall. Rinoa told me that he's supposed to meet
her at the Secret Place tonight at eleven."

"But that's technically not allowed..." said Xu.

"Indeed, it isn't," said Quistis with a sigh. "But since
when does Rinoa care about rules? And I think she's
sticking the habit to Squall too."

And I think she's infecting Squall with that attitude.

"Well, she *is* an Instructor." Zell said, scratching his
the back of his head.

"Have you ever seen me or Quistis sneaking around the
garden almost at midnight at will?" inquired Xu, raising an
eyebrow.

"No, least not you," said Zell, but as he was about to add
something else, Quistis narrowed her eyes at him.

"Anyway!" he said, quickly. "We gotta go! Catch up with
you later!"

He left speedily, the Pig-tailed Girl following behind.

"Sometimes I wonder..." Xu started.

"How can he be graduated SeeDs?"

"How can I really feel no remorse in breaking some rules
just because."

I don't get it.  I don't understand the meaning of that sentence at all.

"Ah! Ladies!" Headmaster Cid said loudly, seemingly coming out of
nowhere. "Wonderful job! I'm so proud of my students right
now I could burst! And, just between you and me, I sure feel
relieved that I did manage to pick up the right choices of
Instructors to handle the ceremony."

I don't think you should capitalise "Instructor", here.

"Thank you, sir," both girls answered.

"Seriously, a truly wonderful job! Edea as well thought of
it great. 

thought it was great.


I especially liked your speech, Quistis, the whole

part of the pride and will to fight along you fellow soldiers

part about pride and the will to fight along your

 It almost made me want to enlist myself in the program."

"Is Matron here?" asked Quistis.

"Yes, well, I mean, she was. She felt a bit tired and left
early. You'll find her up at first our in the morning on
monday, though. I heard she wanted to remind all students
about the true meaning of SeeD and how they should always
behave properly, in accordance to the rules, for that is truly
the role of SeeD: to maintain peace and order, and all that
stuff... She's probably going to stop at every classroom to
tell them that. You know, the Edea way.

"The Edea way," repeated Xu, laughing.

"I wish she hadn't left so early," Quistis said, looking away.
"I wished to have a few words with her."

"You'll get your chance soon enough, Instructor. And now, one
last congratulations isn't out of order, I suppose. And with
that, I'd send everybody off to bed. I feel as if the
ceremony had been going on for days now. Guess it's the age,
you know. Or maybe I had a little too much champagne?
Nah, it's not that, maybe I *am* getting old..."

"Or maybe it's just that it's already half past two," Quistis
said."

"Yes, of course. Now, then! Everybody back to the dorms! Great
work, you two, and everybody else involved! Quistis, make
sure the hall does remain locked up. I've heard rumours that
some of the older students have been sneaking around at night
and using this same hall along with the training center as
some kind of nightly rendezvous point. Must be that CC group again."

Quistis smiled and dropped her sight. "Yes, it must be them
again."

Headmaster Cid let out a yawn. "I'm almost in the need of
a Full-life. Good night, ladies. I'll see you again tomorrow."

"So, the CC group?" said Xu, raising her brow again but smiling,
when the Headmaster had left.

"I could tell them to meet at night right here and make
the rumour true, you know," Quistis said.

"Or you could simply tell the Trepies to make them do so."

"Oh, don't say things like that! Sometimes, I just don't know
what to make of them. Did I tell you about that poem I found
on my desk?"

"The one about the Gold that flows like a River from your

gold that flows like a river

forehead?" said Xu with a giggle.

"No, the one written with permanent ink on my datapad. It
took me forever to clean it up. And I didn't make it before
Irvine came and claimed the authorship."

"Whatever."

Why did it not occur to her? Why did she not think that...?

As she was about step in and say hi she noticed something lying

"Hi"

on the floor.

A single white feather.

She stared at it. She understood it all now. She felt quite
ashamed, even stupid. Before her eyes could get used to the dim
light, she turned away, not really angry. She just did not want
to hear anything anymore.

To be continued, I guess. ^_^

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