Life's Lessons on Stress

  ~*~

  I smelled the strong coffee moments before I heard the footsteps. When I looked up, I watched in mild surprise as a tall woman with short, spiked black hair and a coffee-stained uniform strode down the hall toward the main security office holding Seifer's mug. She didn't stop to ask for directions. She just turned right, continuing past my desk and down the aisle toward Seifer’s office, brown eyes looking very determined.

  I turned in my chair and watched. I think everyone else did, too.

  CLUNK

  Seifer looked up and then leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. Then he gestured to his mug with a slight lift of his chin. "Forget something?"

  "No." She leaned slightly forward. "Will it be painful?" Seifer remained silent. "Death," she prompted. "Now that I've said 'no', will it be painful?"

  I covered my mouth, knowing full well she quoted his favorite saying from his coffee mug, and I heard a few whispers around the office. Oh my goodness.

  "Pain is the life of a SeeD," Seifer responded. "If you can't take it, run home to mommy."

  "Oh brother," she scoffed. "'Pain is the life--' Hell. Even my baby brother could come up with something better than that."

  My eyes widened. She reminded me of Fujin the way she stood up to him.

  Seifer stood and picked up the mug. He presented it to her again. "Great. Bring him in. In the meantime, I like it hot."

  "You probably like it wet, too." She turned and walked casually out.

  There was a wave of rustling and shuffling as people went back to work. A few moments later, I heard the woman walk past followed quickly by Seifer. I peeked at them from the corner of my vision.

  He caught up to her in the hall outside Fujin's office, catching the black-haired SeeD by the arm to turn her to face him.

  "Name. Rank. Position," he ordered stiffly.

  She was obviously unimpressed. "Janine Larabie. Rank 20. Instructor of Battle Theory." She pulled her arm free. "Female. Human. Anything else?"

  My jaw dropped. Oh my gosh.

  "Disrespectful. Smart-ass."

  Janine crossed her arms. "You really shouldn’t label yourself that way in front of your grunts. It’s not healthy for morale."

  I covered my mouth again, but this time I didn't know if I was trying to keep back the laughter or the gasp of shock.

  Seifer minutely scoffed. "I.D."

  "That's your job, not mine." Janine presented him what looked like a Trabia I.D.. "Quistis just hired me to fill in for her. I need an I.D., a passcode, and quarters."

  So that's who she is. And Seifer seemed to think the same thing as he slowly took the I.D., tapping it lightly against the palm of his hand as he continued to regard her with his usual hard stare. She held it without a problem. Wow. I wish I could do that.

  Then he turned back for his office. "This way."

  Janine followed.

  Seifer waited by his office door for her to pass. Then he ordered her to "Sit" and closed the door.

  Everyone in the office must have released a deep breath as the door clicked shut, me included. Wow. A new Instructor that takes on Seifer? I shook my head and turned back to my desk. I had to tell Zell. Only I didn't get the chance. Because Janine Larabie was new, it was my job to finalize the set-up of her passcode onto the Network, to prepare her new Balamb Garden I.D., and to make sure that her Trabia information was transferred correctly to Balamb. There was a lot of more intricate things I had to do, too, so it took me longer than I wanted.

  Then Seifer ordered me to deliver the packet of new information to her dorm room; secure delivery of things like this was a must. I was nervous and anxious at meeting her, because what if she was as scary as Fujin? But there was also something about her that made me not as scared as I usually was at meeting new people.

  But hanging out with Zell the past five months had made it easier.

  Zell. I crinkled my eyes at the corners and slightly smiled. Warm fuzzies! Sally! Job!

  I cleared my throat and knocked, and I had to look up once Janine Larabie opened the door. She smiled, and her brown eyes twinkled. Relief made my world much brighter.

  "Let me guess: Passcode and I.D. delivery?"

  I smiled and offered forward the sealed package. "You might want to check it. I'll change it if it's wrong." I hope it's not wrong. I mean, sheesh, I had all morning to work on it! And what kind of first impression would that be?

  "Sure." Janine took the package and presented her other hand. "Janine Larabie."

  I accepted the hand with a deeper feeling of relief. "Sally Regal. Welcome to Balamb."

  "Thank you." Janine stepped back and motioned into the room. "Come on in. I'll check everything and activate it now. That way you don't have to come back."

  Wow. She's nice. And yet she stood up to Seifer? It almost seemed a contradiction. "It's not a problem," I assured her as I stepped in. "If you're busy."

  Janine made her way to her computer and sat as I looked around. She hadn't had a chance to set up much of her personal effects, most of the boxes were barely opened, but I could see pictures of her with her friends from Trabia set on top of boxes that had been opened. She was popular, just like Zell.

  "Just getting se--"

  My eyes widened as they focused on a case open on her bed. "You use a gunblade?"

  Janine swiveled around in her chair. "Nice, huh?"

  The gunblade wasn't as big as Commander Squall's that I had seen displayed in his office. But wow! Etched into the frosted charcoal metal were flames climbing from the base of the blade near the pommel to the tip. "It's gorgeous," I exclaimed.

  "Thank you. Designed it myself. I call it ‘Vengeance’."

  I looked at her with slack jaw and wide eyes.

  "Took a year. Built it, too. Now that was a damn fun thing to do." Janine pulled the gunblade from the case. "I've upgraded it here and there, but I'm really hooked on the style. I've seen pictures of all Commander Squall's, but I think I like the idea of sticking with one. Why change if it works?"

  Janine put the blade away and shut the case, sending me a sidelong examination as she asked "What's your specialty?"

  I flushed and looked back down at the case. "Duel." It still sounded so unreal. I mean, little me was a scrapper!

  "Huh. Never woulda thought. No offense."

  I shook my head and sent Janine a smile. "No offense. I didn't even know until Zell told me." And I still remembered the thrill at having the same ability as my hero and sweetie. Warm fuzzies!

  "Dincht? Damn. He's the best--" Her eyes widened a bit as she stared at me and said "Sally Regal?" Then she pointed. "'Quicksilver' and 'Hell Strike'! Of course!" Janine smiled wide, laughing as she reached out and gave my hand another shake. "Damn! Those moves in Combat King were righteous!"

  I flushed red. Zell would have grinned and said 'Meg kicks ass all the way around.' "Thanks."

  Janine released my hand and gestured at me as she picked up the package again. Her gaze never seemed to leave my face, which I thought was a little odd.

  "You think you and Dincht could help me come up with a sweet move for my gunblade?" she asked. "I've been wanting to learn another Limit Break but can't come up with anything. It's annoying the hell out of me." Janine retrieved the I.D. from the package and continued to send me occasional glances.

  All I could think about, though, was the fact she wanted me to help her design a Limit Break. Wow. "I could ask, but you should probably talk to Commander Squall or Sub-Lt. Commander Seifer for that. Shouldn't you?" I mean, I hadn't ever done anything like that for someone other than myself.

  Janine shrugged. "They're probably busy." She finished checking the information on the I.D. and then looked fully up. "Thanks, Sally. This looks fine. I'll try the passcode, activate it, and let you know if I have problems."

  "Okay." And while I hoped she didn't have any problems, I really wanted an excuse to talk to her again. She was fun, like Zell. You know? Out-going--I paused at the door when I noticed a piece of techn
ology affixed to the outside of it. I pointed. "Isn't that a motion detector?"

  Janine nodded as she came to stand beside me. "Sure is. Damn. You know your stuff."

  I looked over at her. "Was that approved?" I did not want to report unapproved surveillance equipment to Fujin or Seifer. And I nearly shuddered at the prospect.

  Janine nodded. "Sure was. Commander Squall. I brought it with me from Trabia. Modified it myself."

  I released a long and silent breath of relief. Thank goodness--Commander Squall? But, how come? And my mind worked hard. "Additional security?"

  Janine chuckled. "Nah. Security in the Network is tighter than my favorite leather skirt. This is so I know someone's knocking."

  I am so confused, and I gave her what must have been a blank look as I admitted, "I don't understand."

  "Oh. Right."

  Janine reached up to the area behind her right ear. She loosened something and then held it out. It was a piece of technology smaller than her smallest fingernail. I hadn't ever seen anything like it before. Majorly high-tech.

  "This helps, too." I looked up at her as she said "I'm deaf."

  I blinked. "Deaf? Really?"

  Janine smirked and re-affixed the equipment.

  I felt like an idiot. Of course 'really', Sally! "Sorry. That was stupid."

  Janine waved it aside. "Hey. Don't worry about it. Believe it or not I've had really moronic questions thrown at me. Don't ask. Wouldn't want to embarrass the human race."

  I smiled. "I've probably helped."

  Janine laughed. "Not any more than the rest of us. We all have our moments of less-than-greatness. Just this morning I had my head so far up my ass I couldn't see straight."

  I giggled.

  "It was a bit of fun to see the Head of Network Security disheveled and rumpled, though. Damn. Wish I'd had a camera. Could've sold that picture and retired early."

  I covered my mouth to stifle the giggle. "That's mean," I said through my hand.

  Janine shrugged. "Nah. He probably would've done the same damn thing."

  And she was right. He probably would have.

  Janine motioned to me, brown eyes still twinkling with laughter. "Nice meeting you, Sally, but I have a feeling you better get back before good 'ole HOS"--and she pronounced it 'hoss'--"busts your ass for slacking."

  I nodded, still smiling--I couldn't help it-as I started backing more out the door. "Nice meeting you, Janine, and I hope everything works for you. Just call me if it doesn't. I'll fix it."

  "Thanks." She leaned against the doorjamb and crossed her arms. "Maybe I'll come down and bother you so you get in trouble?"

  I halted and my eyes widened. Then she laughed and I relaxed. She was an intriguing twist of Zell, Fujin, and Quistis. "Can you warn me first, so I can make up a good excuse?"

  Janine laughed a little harder as she nodded. "Sure, sure."

  I smiled. "Okay, then sure." I turned and walked back toward the main corridor. I had a feeling Janine Larabie was going to be the hand that rocked the cradle. I silently giggled. Hold on to your butt, Garden. We're going for a ride!