Pins & Needles Chapter 10
Mislead
By Asyria
The arrangement was cramped and not very secure. One room for Seifer, one for Fujin, and one for the four caretakers. Come midnight, Raijin and Irvine were sleeping uncomfortably on the cots the doctor and Edea had made up for them. Dr. Kadowaki and Cid had returned to their respective rooms. Edea was storing Fujin and Seifer belongings and weapons in a cabinet. Zell and Quistis sat in the infirmary office, drinking coffee.
"During the day, we'll be sleeping in there, right?" Zell asked.
"Yes." Quistis replied.
"But, during the day, Raijin and Irvine can't sit out here cause of all the students coming in, right?"
"They'll have to say in the rooms with Seifer and Fujin."
Edea joined them at the table they were seated at. "I was thinking about that myself. I think we should have Seifer and Fujin up during the night, and sleeping during the day."
Zell nodded. "Makes sense. Less chance of people finding out if they're sleeping and not making noise."
"I don't think we'll have that problem with Fujin." Quistis noted. "It's Seifer I'm worried about."
"My sleep spell should be wearing off soon." Edea added.
Quistis sighed heavily. "I'll be the one to explain things to Seifer. You should be in there with me, Matron."
Matron agreed, Zell bit his lip. "I should probably stay out here for now, huh?"
"Yes, that would be best." She said. This is not going to be fun.
"Matron?"
Edea's head snapped up at the sound of her name being called. "Quisty, we'd better get in there."
Quistis nodded, standing up. "Zell, I want you to go in there with Fujin. Just incase she wakes. And remember what the doctor said."
"No excitement. I got it!" Zell replied and went off to the room.
Quistis waited as Edea stepped in the room first. She watched as Matron went to Seifer's side.
"Seifer?" Edea spoke.
Seifer blinked a few times and looked at her. "Edea?" He said, his voice harsh and low. He was looking around the room when his eyes saw his former instructor. "Trepe!? What the fuck!?"
"Seifer! Calm down, please." Edea spoke firmly.
Quistis came closer to him. She saw that Seifer made no move to attack or back away, he just stared. "Seifer, do you know where you are?"
He looked around again. The sudden realization hit him and he groaned. "The Garden."
"The Infirmary." Quistis told him.
"How?" He asked.
"Dr. Kadowaki and I brought you here."
Seifer sat up in the bed, pushing his long hair back away from his face. "Raijin?"
Quistis nodded. "He came to us for help. Don't be angry with him."
Seifer glared at her. "Don't tell me what to do."
Matron put her arm on his shoulder. "Seifer, please."
He pushed her away, getting up off the bed. He tried to walk to the other side of the room, but ended up falling on his knees. His mind and body still weak from the heroin. "Get away from me!" He demanded angrily.
"Please," Edea begged, staying near him, but far enough away, "we're here to help you."
Seifer tried to pick himself up, but failed. "I didn't ask for your fucking help!" He yelled.
Oh Hyne! This isn't going to work! We're gonna get caught! Quistis' mind screamed in panic. Stay calm, woman! Stay cool! She bit her lip and kneeled down in front of Seifer, who glared at her with a murderous look in his eyes. "You have to keep quiet! Nobody knows you're here! If we get caught, we'll all go to prison, or worse. And…"
Seifer interrupted her with his trademark smirk. "Fuck you, Trepe."
Quistis did not hesitate to slap him across his face. The strike came as such a surprise to him, that it knocked him on his side. "Now you listen to me, Almasy!" She began in her instructor's 'don't mess with me' tone. "You also have to be quiet because of Fujin."
That got Seifer's full attention. He stopped rubbing his cheek and looked at her suspiciously. "What about Fujin?"
"Are you ready to calm down and talk with me?" She asked. Seifer hesitated, his jade eyes narrowing. Reluctantly, he nodded. Quistis stood, holding out her hand to him. He took it, and with her help, got off the floor and back on the bed. "Fujin is here as well. She's in the next room."
"She awake?" He asked.
Quistis paused, wondering how he would take her news. "No. That's also why we need you quiet. Dr. Kadowaki said not to excite Fujin."
"Why?"
"It could give her a heart attack."
Seifer jumped on his feet. "What!?" He shouted, losing his balance again. Plopping back down on the bed hard. "Heart attack?"
"She…she was barely alive when we found her." Quistis said, more softly. She tired to lighten it as much as she could. She didn't want to imagine having to tell Raijin this. "She might not make it…"
Seifer face was full of confusion. "She might die?" He asked, trying to hide the worry in his voice. Quistis could only nod. Seifer shook his head. "No…I…I'm dreaming again. This is just another nightmare…"
Quistis placed her hands on his shoulders, looking him directly in the eyes. "No, this isn't a dream. This is reality. You are Seifer Almasy. You're here in the Garden. All of this is happening."
To anyone not standing right in front of Seifer, it would seem as if he showed no emotion at all at that particular moment. But from Quistis' viewpoint, staring right in his eyes, she could see it all. Those pair of emerald eyes held more pain, more guilt, more agony than any pair of eyes should. Regardless of past infractions. Isn't evil not supposed to care? Aren't they without remorse? Quistis could see Seifer's guilt, his remorse.
"You're not evil…" She said aloud.
"Just mislead…" Matron spoke from her silent observation.
Seifer closed his eyes, parted his lips, and spoke two almost inaudible words. "…..I'm sorry."
Matron came to his side again. "I'm sorry too."
But just as Seifer seemed settled down and calm, he rose up unsteadily again. Bracing himself against the corner, he refused to face them. "Let me out of here." He said, his voice firm and harsh again.
Quistis bit her lip again. "No. We can't do that."
"You can't…" He paused, his tone shaking, "You can't fucking keep me here!"
Matron rose from the bed. "Seifer, we care about you."
"No! No you don't!" He stated, his voice rising.
Shit! He's flipping out! "Seifer," Quistis said softly, "we do care. But you have to calm down."
They both could see Seifer's legs becoming unsteady. "No…no…no…" His voice became mumbled. But he quickly turned around, slamming his back against the wall. His hands gripped his head. "SHUT UP!!!"
Behind the women, the door opened quickly. Irvine and Raijin quickly dashed in the room. Raijin went to Seifer, restraining him with his arms. Irvine handed Edea a syringe. Edea nodded and took it, then sticking it in Seifer's arm. As the injected sedative coursed through Seifer's body, he stopped struggling and began to lose consciousness again. Irvine helped Raijin carry him back to the bed. Zell entered the room shortly after.
"What happened?" He asked.
An exasperated Irvine wiped his brow. "Seifer fuckin' lost it, that's what happened."
Matron shook her head. "It was the voices."
Quistis agreed. "It had to have been. We had him talking to us normally, then all of a sudden..."
"How's Fujin?" Edea asked.
"She's still out. That rant didn't even disturb her." Zell assured her.
"Is he gonna be like this the whole time?" Irvine asked.
"I don't know." Matron told him.
"What if," Zell spoke, "Seifer is really crazy? I mean, he's hearing voices and shit. What if the whole Ultimecia thing drove him mad?"
Edea sighed sadly. "It's very possible…even likely."
"Well that's just fuckin' great!" Irvine exclaimed, irritated. "We've got a drug addict schizo to baby-sit."
"Irvine!" Quistis scolded, pointing at the larger dark man by Seifer's side.
Raijin was looking at the floor. "I'm sorry…" The hurt was etched into the man's face.
Irvine rubbed the back of his neck. "Raijin, don't be sorry. It ain't your fault. I…I'm sorry. I'm just…tired, that's all. I get cranky when I'm tired."
Raijin took some comfort in Irvine's words. "Let's get back to sleep then, ya know."
"Good idea." Irvine replied, and followed him back to the cots.
"The sedative should last for a few hours." Edea mentioned.
Quistis just groaned in response, exiting the room. Zell followed behind her. "What now?"
"Well, I shall go into Fujin's room and write." Matron told them. "I'm going to document this time, leaving out names of course. I want to use this as an example for children not to use drugs."
Zell nodded. "That's a great idea Matron."
Edea smiled back and entered Fujin's room. The infirmary grew quiet once more, as Quistis and Zell continued to sip their now cold cups of coffee. Quistis was quickly getting bored, deciding to strike up a conversation with Zell.
"So…What were you reading earlier?" She asked.
"Huh?"
Notes: These chapters are taking me too long to do. Sorry about that. Having problems at the homefront. Should be straightened out soon. Also, from now on, I'm not going to make any predictions or notes about where the story is going to go. Because I have discovered myself to be a compulsive liar when it comes to writing. All I know is how it's going to end. Review and enjoy! ^_^
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