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FF8 - The Adventures of Zell Dincht, SeeD, Hot Dog Lover and... Babysitter
Title: The Adventures of Zell Dincht, SeeD, Hot Dog Lover and... Babysitter
For: Chocobo Down
Medium: Story
Request(s): FF8: "Any character + the concept of responsibility"
Fandom(s): FFVIII
Characters: Zell, Squall, Xu, Quistis
Rating: I believe it to be PG
Warnings: Zell gets Kiddie-ized
Feedback: Only because it isn't a fandom I regularly write: mildly, please.
Spoilers: Not really, but it's set post game.
Word Count: 1569
Summary: Zell's hunt for the elusive hot dog seems to be cursed, as he is re-assigned for missing a mandatory meeting in order to hunt one down, to the dreaded elementary classes, nicknamed "The Kiddie Classes"- not as a student, but as an babysitter.
Notes: This is what happens when a bunny bites, and bites hard, for a carrot- it isn't even one of my fandoms!
"Zell!"
The blond boy winced, as he did every time he heard that voice, that voice, calling out his name. Usually, it meant trouble. Sometimes, it meant worse. Every time it meant he missed yet another hot dog window.
"Zell, can I talk to you for a bit?" It was Squall. As commander, he'd become a real pain in the ass since they'd gotten rid of Ultimecia, some would say even a prude, or a stick in the mud. It was like all his cadet days had been sucked out of him. He enjoyed torturing those under his command (at least, Zell thought it was torture having to scrub the bathrooms with a toothbrush), and his favorite person to pick on? You guessed, Zell.
"Zell, you missed another meeting." Squall had taken him off to a private corner to talk, and Zell scowled slightly.
"But I really wanted a hot dog! There was nothing else to do, so I figured if I hurried down I'd be here and be first in line for once... I was just about to get one, too!" Zell looked longingly over at the counter, where the lunch lady was just starting to serve the long awaited hot dogs.
Squall let out a long-suffering sigh - Why does HE sound long suffering? I'm the one that keeps missing hot dog days because of him! was Zell's angry thought. - and rolled his eyes. "The meeting was important, Zell. It was discussing future plans. You weren't there, so you missed out. You were supposed to be there because you're one of my lieutenants, remember?" He leaned forward slightly and rubbed his head. "You've got no concept of responsibility, Zell. That's what I'm demoting you... and putting you in charge of the kiddie classes."
Tattoo stood out stark black against pale skin, and Zell only got paler as Squall went on. "Y-you're not serious, are ya, man? Not the kiddie classes..."
Gravely, Squall nodded. "Until you can learn to be there on time, you're in charge. Good luck." Looking over at the lunch lady, he patted the blond one on the shoulder. "Looks like you just missed the hot dogs." Turning on a heel, Squall walked off, probably in search of more lives to ruin.
Zell, a kiddie classer? No way.
***
It was a lot, lot worse than Zell had feared. The first day he was there, the little beasts decided to throw a rebellion and climb up to the top of the playground obstacle course and throw various things down at the adults who tried to get them down. They demanded no more classes and to have ice cream every breakfast, and weren't being reasonable.
Zell's hair had some very interesting shapes that day.
The next crisis occurred when several of them decided Zell, himself, would be an excellent jungle gym and started hanging off every part of his body they could. He was buried in kids, and eventually Xu found him. It took her an hour getting them off the poor SeeD. It might have been her imagination, but his tattoo looked a little... off after that.
***
Zell was furious, pacing up and down Squall's office, waiting for the bastard - and what a bastard! - to come back. Quistis had accompanied him, when she'd heard about his "reassignment", and tried to talk him out of mashing Squall's face into the floor. She was there to try and keep things at least somewhat civil. It was unfortunate for her that Zell had no intention of being civil.
The girl sighed, as it looked like it was going to be a long day. "Zell, calm down a little."
Her answer received was only a low growl.
"At least talk like you're human? This isn't going to impress Squall at all. In fact, it's going to make him feel justified, you know." She was idly examining her whip, wondering how well it would hold a Zell tied up in it.
He snarled, grabbing his head. "I don't care! He's getting as bad as Seifer! So I was late to a meeting, I just wanted a hot dog, and he sends me to the kiddie classes." The last two words were said almost in a whisper, as if she knew the horrors inherent in even saying it.
Quistis had to smile a little. "It's not so bad, I think you'd do well with children. I used to work there before I got my instructor's license, you know."
Zell shook his head savagely. "No way! These ones... They're like little monsters! Did you see what they did to my tattoo?! They're... They're animals! Squall did this on purpose, I know it."
She had been about to say something when Xu ran in, breathless. "Zell! You've got to come, the kids! They're... They're completely destroying the classroom! They think you left and they said they don't behave again until you come back."
"...Behave?! That's behaving?!" Zell's jaw dropped open in shock.
Xu nodded. "They're so well behaved for you, it's amazing! They think you don't like them and want reassigned. Please, you've got to come and help! They're going to break into the training room!" Her voice was frantic.
For a long moment, Zell hesitated, looking back and forth between Xu and Quistis. He hung his head. "...let's go."
***
It was a lot worse than Xu had said. They had completely demolished one of the class rooms, only debris remained of the desks. Kiddie toys were strewn about the wreckage, and there they were, all sitting on top of it all, chanting "We want Zell! We want Zell!" They screamed in delight when they saw Zell, and ran toward him, burying him in little bodies.
"Zell! I thought you hated us!" One of them screamed into his ear.
Zell cringed, and cried, and tried his best to sooth the little animals. "Y-yeah... I wouldn't dream of that! You're crazy, right?" Inwardly, he was crying. "Hey, come on, get off. I'm here, all right?! Geez, you guys really can tear things apart, can't you?" He pointed at the wreckage, and several of the kids had the grace to blush.
"We just love you, Zell. Don't goo, please?" A little girl with big brown eyes and long eyelashes fluttered them at Zell, and he knew he was sunk.
"...Fine, I'll stay. But on some conditions."
"Yes, okay! What are they?" They chorused, bouncing on him, little bodies full of excitement.
Taking a deep breath, he let it go. "One. Don't bury the Zell! Two, you guys gotta clean up what you make." He tried waving an arm at the mountain of desk parts, but had a bit of trouble since a boy was clinging to it. "Three, don't cling to the Zell. Four, unless one of the instructors tells you, don't go into the training room!" Slowly, it started occur to Zell that maybe... just maybe... rules were needed once in a while. He never actually thought about it, but he'd tried his best to follow most (if not all) the rules in the Garden. That's why he was one of the best SeeDs. It was just when... you know, it came to meetings. "All right? Geez, you guys will be great SeeDs someday..."
The kids all hushed and looked at him, bright eyed. "You really think so?" One piped up. "The last instructor said we were horrible little monsters and would never make SeeD..."
Zell blinked, looking down at them. "Course you will! But... Eh, it takes a lot of training and following orders. Sometimes orders you don't really like..."
Xu and Quistis gave each other a glance. "Think he's finally getting the picture, Xu?"
"I don't know, let's watch."
The blond boxer blinked again. "Huh... Yeah, that's right. In SeeD, it's really important to follow orders, sometimes because if you don't and do something wrong, you could get in major trouble with it. There was a guy named Seifer in our class year..." He settled down on the floor, still buried and surrounded by the kids, but miracle of miracles, they were quiet and attentive.
It was a long time before Zell was finished, he told them everything about becoming a SeeD, his first mission, the Sorceress Crisis, Edea, and Squall... Slowly, Zell began to understand exactly where Squall was coming from. He'd been in charge of so many lives, always the leader, Zell had never really thought about it before. A slow admiration was building up. It's not that Zell hadn't admired Squall already, but it was a different kind. Looking at the kids, he suddenly understood why Squall had placed him with their care.
Now he was just feeling bad for shirking the meetings. They weren't so bad, really. Squall said he did value his input, so... Were hot dogs really that important?
Zell shook his head suddenly, confused. "And that's how we saved the world. You ready to go back?" The kids nodded, and got up, a solemn expression on their little faces.
As he was escorting them back to the Kiddie Rooms, he heard a slow clapping from behind him. "Great work, Zell. You really pulled through here." It was Squall, and he didn't sound angry.
Zell kind of smiled, and scratched his head in embarrassment. "Yeah... Well, it just took a little responsibility."
For: Chocobo Down
Medium: Story
Request(s): FF8: "Any character + the concept of responsibility"
Fandom(s): FFVIII
Characters: Zell, Squall, Xu, Quistis
Rating: I believe it to be PG
Warnings: Zell gets Kiddie-ized
Feedback: Only because it isn't a fandom I regularly write: mildly, please.
Spoilers: Not really, but it's set post game.
Word Count: 1569
Summary: Zell's hunt for the elusive hot dog seems to be cursed, as he is re-assigned for missing a mandatory meeting in order to hunt one down, to the dreaded elementary classes, nicknamed "The Kiddie Classes"- not as a student, but as an babysitter.
Notes: This is what happens when a bunny bites, and bites hard, for a carrot- it isn't even one of my fandoms!
"Zell!"
The blond boy winced, as he did every time he heard that voice, that voice, calling out his name. Usually, it meant trouble. Sometimes, it meant worse. Every time it meant he missed yet another hot dog window.
"Zell, can I talk to you for a bit?" It was Squall. As commander, he'd become a real pain in the ass since they'd gotten rid of Ultimecia, some would say even a prude, or a stick in the mud. It was like all his cadet days had been sucked out of him. He enjoyed torturing those under his command (at least, Zell thought it was torture having to scrub the bathrooms with a toothbrush), and his favorite person to pick on? You guessed, Zell.
"Zell, you missed another meeting." Squall had taken him off to a private corner to talk, and Zell scowled slightly.
"But I really wanted a hot dog! There was nothing else to do, so I figured if I hurried down I'd be here and be first in line for once... I was just about to get one, too!" Zell looked longingly over at the counter, where the lunch lady was just starting to serve the long awaited hot dogs.
Squall let out a long-suffering sigh - Why does HE sound long suffering? I'm the one that keeps missing hot dog days because of him! was Zell's angry thought. - and rolled his eyes. "The meeting was important, Zell. It was discussing future plans. You weren't there, so you missed out. You were supposed to be there because you're one of my lieutenants, remember?" He leaned forward slightly and rubbed his head. "You've got no concept of responsibility, Zell. That's what I'm demoting you... and putting you in charge of the kiddie classes."
Tattoo stood out stark black against pale skin, and Zell only got paler as Squall went on. "Y-you're not serious, are ya, man? Not the kiddie classes..."
Gravely, Squall nodded. "Until you can learn to be there on time, you're in charge. Good luck." Looking over at the lunch lady, he patted the blond one on the shoulder. "Looks like you just missed the hot dogs." Turning on a heel, Squall walked off, probably in search of more lives to ruin.
Zell, a kiddie classer? No way.
***
It was a lot, lot worse than Zell had feared. The first day he was there, the little beasts decided to throw a rebellion and climb up to the top of the playground obstacle course and throw various things down at the adults who tried to get them down. They demanded no more classes and to have ice cream every breakfast, and weren't being reasonable.
Zell's hair had some very interesting shapes that day.
The next crisis occurred when several of them decided Zell, himself, would be an excellent jungle gym and started hanging off every part of his body they could. He was buried in kids, and eventually Xu found him. It took her an hour getting them off the poor SeeD. It might have been her imagination, but his tattoo looked a little... off after that.
***
Zell was furious, pacing up and down Squall's office, waiting for the bastard - and what a bastard! - to come back. Quistis had accompanied him, when she'd heard about his "reassignment", and tried to talk him out of mashing Squall's face into the floor. She was there to try and keep things at least somewhat civil. It was unfortunate for her that Zell had no intention of being civil.
The girl sighed, as it looked like it was going to be a long day. "Zell, calm down a little."
Her answer received was only a low growl.
"At least talk like you're human? This isn't going to impress Squall at all. In fact, it's going to make him feel justified, you know." She was idly examining her whip, wondering how well it would hold a Zell tied up in it.
He snarled, grabbing his head. "I don't care! He's getting as bad as Seifer! So I was late to a meeting, I just wanted a hot dog, and he sends me to the kiddie classes." The last two words were said almost in a whisper, as if she knew the horrors inherent in even saying it.
Quistis had to smile a little. "It's not so bad, I think you'd do well with children. I used to work there before I got my instructor's license, you know."
Zell shook his head savagely. "No way! These ones... They're like little monsters! Did you see what they did to my tattoo?! They're... They're animals! Squall did this on purpose, I know it."
She had been about to say something when Xu ran in, breathless. "Zell! You've got to come, the kids! They're... They're completely destroying the classroom! They think you left and they said they don't behave again until you come back."
"...Behave?! That's behaving?!" Zell's jaw dropped open in shock.
Xu nodded. "They're so well behaved for you, it's amazing! They think you don't like them and want reassigned. Please, you've got to come and help! They're going to break into the training room!" Her voice was frantic.
For a long moment, Zell hesitated, looking back and forth between Xu and Quistis. He hung his head. "...let's go."
***
It was a lot worse than Xu had said. They had completely demolished one of the class rooms, only debris remained of the desks. Kiddie toys were strewn about the wreckage, and there they were, all sitting on top of it all, chanting "We want Zell! We want Zell!" They screamed in delight when they saw Zell, and ran toward him, burying him in little bodies.
"Zell! I thought you hated us!" One of them screamed into his ear.
Zell cringed, and cried, and tried his best to sooth the little animals. "Y-yeah... I wouldn't dream of that! You're crazy, right?" Inwardly, he was crying. "Hey, come on, get off. I'm here, all right?! Geez, you guys really can tear things apart, can't you?" He pointed at the wreckage, and several of the kids had the grace to blush.
"We just love you, Zell. Don't goo, please?" A little girl with big brown eyes and long eyelashes fluttered them at Zell, and he knew he was sunk.
"...Fine, I'll stay. But on some conditions."
"Yes, okay! What are they?" They chorused, bouncing on him, little bodies full of excitement.
Taking a deep breath, he let it go. "One. Don't bury the Zell! Two, you guys gotta clean up what you make." He tried waving an arm at the mountain of desk parts, but had a bit of trouble since a boy was clinging to it. "Three, don't cling to the Zell. Four, unless one of the instructors tells you, don't go into the training room!" Slowly, it started occur to Zell that maybe... just maybe... rules were needed once in a while. He never actually thought about it, but he'd tried his best to follow most (if not all) the rules in the Garden. That's why he was one of the best SeeDs. It was just when... you know, it came to meetings. "All right? Geez, you guys will be great SeeDs someday..."
The kids all hushed and looked at him, bright eyed. "You really think so?" One piped up. "The last instructor said we were horrible little monsters and would never make SeeD..."
Zell blinked, looking down at them. "Course you will! But... Eh, it takes a lot of training and following orders. Sometimes orders you don't really like..."
Xu and Quistis gave each other a glance. "Think he's finally getting the picture, Xu?"
"I don't know, let's watch."
The blond boxer blinked again. "Huh... Yeah, that's right. In SeeD, it's really important to follow orders, sometimes because if you don't and do something wrong, you could get in major trouble with it. There was a guy named Seifer in our class year..." He settled down on the floor, still buried and surrounded by the kids, but miracle of miracles, they were quiet and attentive.
It was a long time before Zell was finished, he told them everything about becoming a SeeD, his first mission, the Sorceress Crisis, Edea, and Squall... Slowly, Zell began to understand exactly where Squall was coming from. He'd been in charge of so many lives, always the leader, Zell had never really thought about it before. A slow admiration was building up. It's not that Zell hadn't admired Squall already, but it was a different kind. Looking at the kids, he suddenly understood why Squall had placed him with their care.
Now he was just feeling bad for shirking the meetings. They weren't so bad, really. Squall said he did value his input, so... Were hot dogs really that important?
Zell shook his head suddenly, confused. "And that's how we saved the world. You ready to go back?" The kids nodded, and got up, a solemn expression on their little faces.
As he was escorting them back to the Kiddie Rooms, he heard a slow clapping from behind him. "Great work, Zell. You really pulled through here." It was Squall, and he didn't sound angry.
Zell kind of smiled, and scratched his head in embarrassment. "Yeah... Well, it just took a little responsibility."