Balamb Syndicate 5600 : Rinoa, Squall, Seifer, Edea, Selphie, Quistis, Irvine, Zell, Tifa, Aerith, Yuffie, Rikku, Yuna, Lulu.
Author's Note: This is my first story on here, so please regard me kindly. As you can read I've mixed characters from Final Fantasies 7, 8, 10, and 10-2 (5600 equals10x10x8x7) and this adventure sets place in Balamb. It's rated M for later chapters, and the couples are Squall/Rinoa, Seifer/Rinoa, Irvine/Selphie, and Zell/Rikku. Expect more of these in the future!!
Balamb Syndicate 5600
Chapter 1: An Unusual Situation
Irvine Kinneas stood off to the side of Balamb Garden's ballroom, studying the shapeliness of the female students, from the side and the back. So far, he was dully impressed, but none of them had the air of sexy mystique that surrounded Quistis or the cleavage Rinoa had. None of them even came close to Selphie though.
Irvine sighed and tipped his hat down to the tip of his nose, only to have it jerked entirely off his head. He groaned in exasperation and opened his eyes to face Zell Dincht in his See-D uniform.
"Irv, you shouldn't wear your hat inside. At least take it off tonight. You look better without it." Zell reprimanded, his ice colored eyes showing little sternness.
"Shove it up your ass, Zell." Complained Irvine, "There's no one here worth impressing any-- Well, hello there!" Zell threw his hands up in the air. Now that Irvine had his eye on a new girl, he would be impossible to lecture. Zell turned to look at the girl and felt his jaw drop.
She had such gentle, innocent brown eyes and sweet features, they didn't seem to match up with the rest of her. She was perhaps the sexiest woman Zell had ever seen in his life. Her skin was creamy and smooth and she showed, sadly, little of it. She curved beautifully, like an hourglass, and her legs were slender, but strong; her dark hair reaching down to her butt. Irvine whistled,
"What's your name, sweet thing?" The voice did not come from her,
"Her name is Tifa Lockhart."
Zell was sure that if his eyes weren't attached to anything in his head, they would have fallen out. A woman followed the first, with the exact same jaw-dropping figure (only she flaunted hers), and cold features. She had cold, purple eyes and lips, chalky skin, long wavy black hair, and an aura of darkness,
"My name is Lulu." Irvine grinned broadly,
"Guess my luck has changed!" Lulu glared at him icily and her next line made him go pale with shock,
"Selphie's going to kill you, Irvine Kinneas."
Tifa smiled at Zell, his heart pounding out of his chest, she was so damn pretty.
"I assume you are Zell Dincht? Yes. You don't resemble Cloud at all and it seems women aren't the only things on your mind. Nice to meet you!" Zell blushed to his blond roots,
"N-nice t-t-to meet you t-too!!" Irvine was still in shock and Tifa giggled,
"He is Irvine, yes? He truly is like Selphie described. Unfaithful and charming." Irvine allowed himself a sheepish smile, which Lulu returned with ice.
"Lu, be nice!" Chastised another girl. Her body wasn't much to brag about, especially compared to Lulu and Tifa, but her face was even more gentle and serene than Tifa's. She had wavy brown hair, past her butt, and eyes so huge and green, they didn't seem to be real,
"My name is Aerith. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." She bowed low giving Zell and Irvine a good look down her pink dress, although it didn't seem to bother her. She bounced up on her toes,
"So! When can we meet Squall?"
Squall leaned against a pillar on the inside of the ballroom, watching two girls who reminded him of Selphie. One was blonde and tan wearing an orange juice-colored dress, the other inky-haired and pale and bouncing around like a human gas molecule. His lip twitched in an almost-smile as recalled Selphie's over-the-top perkiness and how much he missed it.
Almost as if answering his thoughts, Selphie came bouncing out of the throng of people, her reddish-blonde curls bouncing in time with her dress and her breasts. She waved at him, the two other girls skipping along beside her, and all three of them jumped on him, almost knocking him to the ground.
"You're Squall!!" The blonde shouted in happiness, "I'm Rikku!"
"He's precisely like Cloud!!" Affirmed the pale one, her arms choking him, "Their eyes are even similar!! I'm Yuffie!!"
"Nice…to…meet you!!" Squall gasped, "Get off…of…me!!" All three girls dropped to the ground, and Squall massaged his neck,
"So you are the girls from the other worlds. You don't look any different from other people."
"Obviously!" Exclaimed Yuffie, "Other worlds are no different from this one." Squall nodded, instantly regretting asking such a stupid question, and then it dawned on him,
"Wh-where is she?" Selphie smiled sweetly but it was Rikku who answered,
"She's with Yuna in the garden. She'll be happy to see you." Only embarrassment was enough to keep Squall from sprinting to Rinoa.
The garden was beautiful under the stars and the moon, Squall dully noted as he quickened his pace. There was a girl standing alone in the garden, but Squall was positive she wasn't Rinoa.
She had a brown bob and a backless dress that matched the moon and only came down a little past her pale thighs. She seemed meek as a mouse and as he walked up beside her he stopped in his tracks. Her lovely, wide eyes were different colors: one was the color of the sea the other was the color of jungle leaves. She noticed him and bowed hastily,
"A-are you Squall Leonhart?" He nodded, unable to look away from her pretty eyes.
"Then I assume you're looking for Rinoa. My name is Yuna. I'm from Spira."
"Another world." Whispered Squall, "So then you--."
"P-please…Please help her." Moaned Yuna, her eyes flooding.
"What?" Squall asked, tensing up. Blood trickled out of Yuna's sweet pink lips and Squall felt his pockets for a potion,
"Hang on! I have one somewhere, know it!!" Yuna shook her head and Squall froze as he saw the extent of her damage. Her cheek was an angry red, probably from a swift punch, and Yuna winced and trembled as the salty tears hit her split lip. Not thinking twice, Squall scooped her up as if she weighed nothing at all, and ran out of the garden trying to find a healer. Yuna pressed her gloved hands against his chest,
"Rinoa. You were looking for her…I hope…he doesn't hurt her…" Squall gritted his teeth.
Irvine and Zell started as Squall screeched to a halt beside them, panting like he had run at full speed.
"Hell!" Swore Irvine, seeing Yuna's face full on, "It should be against the law to mar a face like that!"
"Who is she?" Asked Zell, gingerly stroking her shiner.
"YUNA!!" Cried Aerith, her green eyes filled with shock. Tifa examined the wound as well,
"Punch to the face, definitely. He must have been really strong and heartless to boot."
"Aerith. Heal her." Whispered Lulu, her composed mask broken slightly. Aerith nodded, shaking, and began to whisper in Cetra, a green ball of light forming in her open palms. She pushed it to Yuna's face and new skin blossomed over the wounds on her face and lip, much to the boys' surprise.
Yuna felt her face, still trembling, and sighed as no blood came back with her pale fingers. Squall set her on her feet, steadying her with his arm in case she was still too shaken to stand. She wasn't; her white boots stayed firmly planted on the marble floors.
"What happened?" Lulu asked Yuna, putting a white hand on her trembling shoulder. Yuna swallowed before speaking,
"Rinoa, Quistis and I were outside and Quistis had to leave because of something to do with the Headmaster. And Rinoa…she was nervous about…seeing Squall again. She wondered what if he didn't like her anymore…"
"Ridiculous." He murmured in reply, scarlet flush creeping to his hairline. Yuna's hands trembled again, and Lulu leaned Yuna against her, just in case,
"He came up out of nowhere. Literally. And…he talked to her like…like they knew each other…" Irvine cleared his throat trying to hide his grin. "Sh-she seemed…uncomfortable around him…so I asked her if she wanted to go inside…" Yuna's eyes began to tear up as she continued, "And…th-that's when he…punched me…I fell down and hit my head…and when I woke up…" Tears rolled down Yuna's cheeks and everyone was completely engrossed with her story by now, "Sh-she wasn't there!"
"Did you see who he was?" Asked Zell, concerned. Yuna nodded,
"He didn't have one of your uniforms…and his hair was yellow…"
"Anything else?" Asked Irvine, knowing there were about a thousand people who matched that description. Yuna nodded,
"Yeah…he had a scar…like yours…" Squall was seething with anger by this time.
"Dammit Seifer…" muttered Zell.
Aerith and Lulu had moved into the hubbub of the ballroom, getting Yuna away from potential danger and a drink, while Tifa, Zell, Irvine, and Squall fanned out across the building. This was how Zell met Rikku.
He was assigned with the Eastern Part of the building, including the garden and the terrace. As he set foot outside, he heard the recognizable sound of a fist hitting someone's face, and he halfway dashed to the scene. Nothing in the world could prepare him for what he saw.
A girl, as small as Selphie, smashed her tiny tanned fist into a man's face, almost tripping over another man she had apparently downed. Her green eyes were glinting with both anger and exhilaration, and Zell's heart skipped beats as he kind of found himself turned on by her. There was another girl watching and laughing off to the side, looking like a porcelain doll, but Zell only had eyes for the blonde. He started walking to the fight, unable to look away. He started to run when several things began to happen.
The first man the girl had punched grabbed her ankle, she tripped, and then he pulled her toward him. She shouted a slew of curses and threats, and then screams of anger as he started pulling her by her dress, her brown beads slipping off the top of her head. Rikku kicked to try and get away, but that was not necessary, as a black sneaker stomped down on the mans' arm.
Rikku was hoisted to her feet by her arms, her elbows almost touching behind her back.
"Hey baby." Whispered a voice she didn't recognize, "I've been looking everywhere for you. Here. Your beads." Rikku felt the beads hit her breasts, and the boys' fingers linger on her neck, but she decided to play along,
"I've been waiting for you out here. Be happy I haven't left." He let go of her arms, and she went over to stand by Yuffie. The boy who had helped her looked down at the man on the ground,
"Find someone else to play with. She's mine." The boy came over to Yuffie and Rikku, trying to suppress laughter, as he put both his arms around them.
"Thanks." Giggled Rikku, "I could've handled them though. I'm Rikku, by the way."
"Zell Dincht." He replied, "You know Rinoa?" Rikku nodded and noted how attractive Zell was, especially when he was grinning devilishly.
"Someone's kidnapped her. We need to find her. You--."
"Yuffie." Said Yuffie, intense now.
"Tifa headed off to the North Wing to find Quistis, do you think you could go help her?" Asked Zell, part of him sincerely just wanting to be alone with Rikku. Yuffie nodded and sprinted off.
"Will you assist me?" Asked Zell to Rikku, delighted when she nodded in assent.
"Selphie went to look for Irvine, so he's probably explaining to her what's happened." Rikku explained, Zell only half listening as he basked in the sweet sound of her voice. Rikku noticed this and her cheeks tinged red
"Are you listening to me?" Zell smiled at her and nodded,
" Slightly…"
Squall was alone as he entered the abandoned control room and it freaked him out a bit.
"Rinoa…?" He whispered, although she clearly wasn't there. Squall sighed in frustration; he needed to see her face again or even just to hear her call his name would be enough.
"Seifer." He cursed under his breath, "Where did you take her?!" It more than bothered Squall that Rinoa had dated his rival, and although Rinoa had been vague about the extent of their relationship, Squall was quite positive (taking Seifer's personality into account) that he wanted no further details. Just thinking of Seifer with Rinoa made Squall so angry, he smashed his fist against a computer desk, causing something to clatter to the floor.
He gasped as he saw what he had knocked down. It was Rinoa's necklace with the two rings around it and, with shaking fingers, he reached for it. As soon as his hands grasped the metal of the rings, fatigue claimed Squall, to such an extent that he simply collapsed on the floor and surrendered to his dreams.
Squall dreamed of a flower field.
He stood alone, or so he thought, for as he turned, he saw Rinoa, smiling serenely at him. He reached a hand toward her,
'Say my name…Please…I need to hear your voice…' She seemed to say his name, her mouth formed the words, but no sound came out. Then, as soon as she had been there, she was gone in a whirl of white feathers. Squall began running toward her, but the feathers whirled around him, making him dizzy.
In the midst of the white fluff, he saw memories of himself and Rinoa flashing by. Her pointing at the shooting star… her delicate smile as they danced…screaming as lizard demons leapt toward her…her waiting for him in the Fisherman's village wearing her white dress…her waving to him so he could save her…
All the memories began to disappear as she had, joining the swirl of feathers, until Squall lay on the barren, flower-less ground, his head splitting and his heart, icy.
His blue eyes opened to face several more pairs of worried eyes, and he sat up slowly, his ears ringing.
"Are you all right Squall?" Asked a familiar, crisp voice.
"Instructor…Trepe?" He asked, holding his head.
"Squall? Why are you calling me that? You can…you can call me Quistis…" For some reason Squall was repulsed by the idea. Such intimacy. He then noticed several other people in the room, many of whom he did not recognize. He remembered Selphie, her heart-shaped face oozing with relief, and Zell, with his arm around a pretty tan girl, but everyone else was a stranger to him.
One stranger, a man with wavy auburn hair and a pretty face, waved at Squall,
"Hey. Squall, you okay? You gave us a scare, man."
"Wh-who are you?" Asked Squall, shocked that the man was being so familiar with him. The man looked stunned and then grinned worriedly,
"It's me! Irvine? Aw, you must've hit your head pretty hard. But I'm sure you'll remember her." 'Irvine' motioned to a girl standing a bit behind him, fresh tears soaking her smiling face. Without warning she ran up and embraced him,
"Oh!! Squall!! I was so worried!! I'm sorry you had to look for me!! I was fine, really!! I'm so…happy you're okay." Squall's breathing increased rapidly, before he pried her off of him, throwing her to the floor in anger.
"Who are you!! How dare you embrace me, as if you know me!! I don't even know who you are!! Get away from me!! Don't touch me again or I'll break your arms!!" Everyone in the room looked to a downed Rinoa. Her expression was worse than anger, sorrow, or confusion; it was as if someone took her heart and soul and crushed them into dust so fine, no one could ever hope of putting them back together again.
Everyone stood in shocked silence as Rinoa sat limply on the ground, her eyes flat and lifeless, while Squall regarded her with the same disgust as he usually did with bug guts.
Aerith and Yuna moved first, helping Rinoa up, Aerith staring at Squall,
"You're…nothing like Cloud…" Irvine moved next, slapping Squall across the face,
"HOW DARE YOU, YOU IDIOTIC BASTARD!! SHE'S LOST SLEEP OVER YOU, CRYING AS IF YOU WERE DEAD, AND THIS, DAMMIT, IS HOW YOU GREET HER!? YOU PUSH HER AWAY AS IF YOU DON'T LOVE HER??" Squall glared at Irvine,
"I don't love her. I don't even know who she is. Or who you are. Now get out of my face." It was Tifa who spoke next,
"So…she was right. You were like this before you met her. A cold, lonely being. Like a doll or a robot. Like you have no heart, or it's encased in ice."
"This is worse than amnesia." Whispered Selphie, "It's as if…it's as if he's lost all his memories of after he met Rinoa, and he's gone back to being the way he was…"
"Well." Said Zell, his eyes hard, "Welcome back Squall." Squall didn't even acknowledge them.
"C'mon Irvine. Yuffie. Rikku. Let's go check on Rinnie." Suggested Selphie, Zell following the group as well, so only Lulu, Tifa, and Quistis were left in the room with Squall.
"Squall…" Quistis almost pleaded, "What happened? Why are you so…different?" He narrowed his eyes,
"It's you all who are being odd. Acting like I'm some sort of socialite. I'm a loner, you know that!" Quistis looked at the ground, biting her lip,
"Well, I used to think that was the case…" Tifa looked at him intensely,
"Squall, do you really not remember Rinoa?" He looked at her with his icy eyes, dead serious,
"And who the hell is Rinoa?"