Inauguration

Updated: 2009.11.08

Disclaimer: Sue if you want, you'll waste more money on the lawyer than you can get from me.

Story Summary: AU, Rinoa never joined forces with the Children of Fate to bring down Ultimecia. Now the world is recovering. How will the fated couple find each other in the mayhem? Squinoa Seftis Selvine ZellxLibraryGirl(literally)

Chapter Summary: Inauguration day. Oh what does our president have to say?

Tidbit: There are 4 references, name the 4 and what they’re from. HINT it’s an event in US Pop Culture.

Author Note: Okay any feedback would be nice, good, bad, stupid, pointless, whatever. I might stop doing the references since nobody seems to be trying at them. Either way I’ll keep writing the story, I just might stop publishing them to this thing if nobody reads em.

“And now, I present to you our new president, President Rinoa Heartily Caraway!”

Rinoa stepped onto the stage and gasped at all the flashing lights. She couldn’t make out a single person’s face.

“Um, Hi everyone!”

‘God she sounds like a little school girl!’

“Thank you for voting for me!”

‘Great, I think the next thing I said when I won the 6th grade presidency was ‘I promise to be a good president’.’

“I promise to be a good president!”

‘Wow did I call that or what?’

“Um, I hope I do well!”

‘I pray for that too.’

“Um, I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me!”

‘You already said that.’

“And, um, everyone who voted for my dad too!”

‘…’

“And, um, my dad too!”

‘…’

“And, um, all the nice people who helped my dad’s campaign!”

‘…’

“And, I’d like to thank my mommy up in heaven!”

‘What is this? The VMA? Hmm, that’s a good idea, will someone be like Mr. West and steal her microphone?’

“Um, I promise to do my best!”

‘You pretty much said that already too.’

“Um, I promise to make Galbadia a better place!”

‘Okay that means the same thing.’

“Um, I promise to… uh… to help the poor people!”

‘Well aren’t you nice, however I think to be politically correct it’s ‘less fortunate’.’

“Um, and the rich people!”

‘Well that’s definitely different. Who would have thought people like Mrs. Knowles needed help.’

“And, um, the… middle people?”

‘Middle people? What?’

“We’ll be a good country!”

‘With you as president we won’t even be a country.’

“Um, I promise to… to feed the poor doggies!”

‘Right, you can’t even feed your own.’

“Doggies… Oh no! I forgot to feed Angelo!” With that Rinoa ran off the stage.

A man besides the stage lowered his face into his palm as Rinoa ran by. He didn’t look up until someone called his name.

“Caraway, nice daughter you got there.”

‘What a waste of time. Why was I dragged to watch that? That country is doomed for failure. Stupid citizens. How could they vote her into office?’

Squall was broken from his musings by the loud obnoxious laugh of Irvine.

“Man! I was so right. Her popularity is going through the roof!”

The other occupants of the room stared at Irvine.

Quistis spoke up, “How is that going to raise her popularity? If I were a citizen of Galbadia I would demand a revote. That girl has no political potential. Hell she doesn’t even have living potential! She’s complete dead weight!”

“Oh is Quisty worried she’ll lose her Trepies?” Irvine mocked.

“What? No! She can have the Trepies!”

“Well, I guess they’d be the Caraways… Carawees? Carawise? Hmm her name isn’t that great to do that with.” Irvine was stumped.

“Are we done?” An annoyed Squall asked. When nobody answered Squall stormed back to his office.

“What’s biting his ass?” Irvine asked.

“You know, same old Squall.” Zell answered, “I’m gonna get some hot dogs, who else is coming?”

Zell didn’t wait for responses as he headed towards the elevator. Everyone except Helen and Quistis joined him.

Quistis looked at the 6th member of the Children of Fate. She was the outcast. Helen was never part of the orphanage gang yet she managed to obtain one of the most important roles of the group. She became the sorceress when Matron passed her powers on. The girl was older than the rest of them, yet seemed to depend on the rest more than the others. Maybe it was due to her lack of needing to rely on herself from an early age like the rest had needed to do at the orphanage.

“Instructor,” Helen started, “May I have a word with you?”

Quistis was snapped out of her thoughts, “Of course, what is it Helen?”

“Well, you know what it’s like to have a huge responsibility, you made SeeD when you were 15 and instructor soon after. Does the burden ever get easier to bear?”

Quistis knew what the poor girl was referring to. Matron told them that the sorceress would forever feel their soul being torn from their bodies until they find their knight. If the soul is torn first, they become an empty husk, bent on destruction like Ultimecia and Adel, if they have a knight though, they could be the light to the world, like Edea before Ultimecia possessed her. Quistis didn’t envy the girl. Yes she was probably the most powerful person in the world, well maybe besides Squall. Squall was after all the one who brought down both Griever and Ultimecia.

“It helps, Helen, if you find someone to share your burden with.” Quistis finally replied.

Helen looked as if she were about to cry, “I don’t want this. Quistis, will you take it from me?”

Quistis’ eyes went wide. She had never been particularly close to Helen, none of them had, in fact, if it wasn’t for the fact that she was sent with Squall to help liberate Timber, the Orphanage Gang would never have met her. Of course, now she was known worldwide. All 6 of them were. Squall was idolized the most, but they all had problems taking strolls through towns.

“Helen, I don’t know of any way for you to pass on the power without killing you. Maybe you should be talking to Matron, she’s the only one that passed the power on without dying.”

It wasn’t a lie. Helen had received Edea and Adel’s powers. Squall reported Ultimecia walked through time to give Edea hers. Both Adel and Ultimecia only gave theirs up because they were dying; Edea gave hers up when she was close to dying.

“Okay,” Helen simply said before turning towards the elevator, likely in search of Matron.

Quistis watched as Helen’s long brown hair disappeared in the elevator doors. Quistis sighed; it was hard supporting people you hardly knew. Quistis shook the odd feeling away, she had to discuss the Galbadia problem with Squall. Then again, Squall probably didn’t see it as a problem. She made it to his office door; Xu was on a lunch break.

Quistis knocked.

“Come in.” Quistis heard Squall from inside. He sounded annoyed. Then again, when did he not?

Quistis entered. “How are you Squall?”

Squall just stared at her.

“Right, you just saw us 10 minutes ago.” Quistis looked down at herself in embarrassment, she was in her SeeD uniform. Ever since Squall was given near complete control of all three Gardens he had made SeeD uniforms mandatory for everyone on duty.

Squall continued to stare at Quistis.

“Um,” Squall’s glare wasn’t a huge confidence boost, “Squall, we need to discuss the Galbadia problem.”

Squall momentarily looked confused before he covered it with his usual mask of indifference, “What problem?”

“Well it’s obvious to me that the new president will be a push over. The Galbadia Councilmen will be able to do whatever they want with the government. That could lead to massive loss in life.”

Squall glared at Quistis, ‘And that’s different than a single corrupt president how?’ he thought.

“Look, Squall, I just think we need to watch Galbadia’s moves. They may still be mad at us for the whole assassination incident or the Galbadia Garden one.”

Squall shrugged, “Whatever, you’re dismissed.”

Quistis sighed and turned to leave.

“Wait.”

Quistis turned around, ‘Is Squall going to thank me for bringing this to his attention? Or maybe, praise me for my vigilance in world affairs?’

“Why do you want Seifer, Rajin, and Fujin to return?”

‘Not quite what I wanted to hear,’ Quistis thought to herself. “Rajin and Fujin were only following Seifer to make sure he didn’t get hurt, they shouldn’t be penalized for their loyalty to a friend. Seifer was being manipulated by Ultimecia, he deserves a second chance.” She answered as civilly as possible.

Squall thought for a moment. “I’ll accept them…”

“Oh thank you so much Squall! This will mean so much to the three of them!” Quistis exclaimed.

“On a few conditions.”

Quistis fell silent. ‘Uh oh, this can’t be good.’

“First, you will be the three’s chaperone. If they step out of line, I’m coming after you.”

Quistis nodded with a gulp, she half expected that when she added their applications to the pile. To be honest, Quistis didn’t even think their applications would get this far.

“Second, all three of them must retake every test to determine what they actually know about SeeD. Any test they fail they must retake the class.”

Quistis nodded, she hadn’t thought of that condition but it sounded reasonable. Hell, Squall was forcing all the current SeeD to retake the magic course now that GF use was being phased out. Without GFs, very few SeeDs were left that could wield magic. Squall was among the majority that couldn’t. It only made him work harder to perfect his combat skills.

“Finally, if he so much as attempts to resurrect the Disciplinary Committee, he is out. Garden will be establishing a real form of internal policing, I just need to flesh out the rest of the details.”

Quistis nodded again, ‘Wow, I never knew Squall could talk so much.’

“Dismissed.”

Quistis nodded again before exiting. Now she just had to convince Seifer that it was worth it to return. He wouldn’t be that happy about having to retake classes, but at least he wouldn’t have to sit through the infamous Quistis Trepe Junction and GF lectures. Since SeeD no longer used GFs or junctioned magic, there was no point in her course. Quistis frowned; it had been her favorite class.

Rinoa greeted her father when he returned home late that night. Caraway looked like he had a very long day. He handed his coat to the maid. ‘What was her name?’ Caraway wasn’t sure he had it in him to remember it. It was only going to get longer.

“Hi Taylor!” A cheerful voice called down the stairs to the maid as she passed.”

‘Oh no.’

“Hi Daddy! Did you like my speech?”