Note: - If you haven't
read Hidden Pasts yet, then I wouldn't recommend you read this story, as it
will only confuse you!
Redemption
By Katie Herdman
Prologue
The wind whipped up leaves and rubbish lying on the pavement. The stars twinkled
in the eternal night sky of Deling City.
No one was outside at this
late hour; it was a time for all things of evil to make their rounds, taking
the foolish traveller who dared to wander their streets.
A vampire suddenly flew out of a nearby alley, its landing made it explode into
dust, the ashes scattered in the wind. A shadow moved from the alley, dressed
entirely in black, so to hide better. The face was last to show in the glare of
the nearby street lamp, the only light source.
Ling picked up her fallen
crossbow from the fight and disappeared back into the shadows of the city, a
figment of the imagination for anyone who had seen her.
From an alcove across the
street, someone watched her leave, knowing she was real, knowing it was soon
time.
**********
Quistis Trepe walked the lonely beaches of Balamb, the walk she took was the
only comfort she got now. Everyone was busy getting on with his or her own
lives, new missions. Squall and Rinoa had gotten back together about eight
weeks ago, but they were still timid around each other. Squall was quieter than
ever, he never wanted to open up at all. Rinoa also seemed hidden inside a
shell.
Quistis knew that he went
the Andria's grave sometimes, he still had feelings for her that only Quistis
saw, and he would never admit it.
Zell was going out with a
girl; she was called Alisha or something like that. Irvine was still after
Selphie, although he still hadn't told her how he felt, it was sort of an on,
off relationship, nothing serious had happened. Somewhere in this life, Quistis
had been left behind.
Now walking up the hill,
Quistis came to Andria's memorial plaque and sat down beside it. It had been a
year since she had died, and two months since Seifer, his gang and Vincent, Sia
and Ling had gone. They had left during the night sometime. They had not been
seen at all afterwards, it was like they had vanished, but no one could do
that.
"At least it's easy for
you now," she whispered to the wind, hoping Andria would hear her. Andria, who
had sacrificed her life for them all.
Quistis wished she could
go back and say sorry, even after it had all come out about her and Squall. If
she could willingly give up her life for them, after all that had been said,
then she was okay.
Quistis stood up and
turned to go. It was time to get back to Garden; they would be wondering where
she was.
Chapter One
"Hey Quisty, Where have you been."
Selphie ran up to Quistis.
They were outside the entrance, "We were gonna go look for you. Are you still
coming tonight?"
"Yes," Quistis replied
wearily.
They were going to have a
big graduation party for some new SeeD's. Quistis didn't want to go, she was
still thinking of a way to get out of it.
"See you round eight
then." Selphie ran off, probably looking for Irvine.
"Everyone's got something
to do but me."
She then wondered if she
should look for Squall; see if anything had happened lately. No, if he wanted
her, he could find her.
Sighing, Quistis walked
slowly to her dormitory; perhaps she could sleep and pretend she had forgotten
about the party.
**********
Quistis did oversleep. She woke up at eight thirty to Zell hammering on
the door, asking if she was ready yet. She threw on her uniform and tidied
herself up as much as possible before she emerged.
"What took you so long,"
Zell asked, "they sent me here to find what you were doing."
Dammit Zell, she thought,
why couldn't you just let me sleep.
**********
Squall didn't understand why he had to come to this party, so what if he was
the commander, it was really boring. Rinoa had disappeared with Selphie
somewhere and everyone apart from him and Quistis was having a good time.
Quistis was at the other end of the ballroom, sulking in a corner, trying to
pretend the world wasn't turning.
Squall felt depressed when
he looked at the party going on, Andria had been at his graduation party, but
no matter how hard he pretended, she wasn't here; she was gone, dead, flown on
the wind, like Raine his mother.
Over the dancing floor
Squall saw Quistis get up from her corner and walk out of the hall, she must
have had enough.
**********
That's it, thought
Quistis, I've had enough moping here, it's not like I'm needed. "Quistis,"
Rinoa called over, "where're you going?"
"I need some air," Quistis
called back.
Rather than going to the
balcony or to the Quad, Quistis decided to go right outside, all of a sudden
the whole Garden seemed wrong to be in.
Stepping outside, the cool
air hit her; it felt wonderful. She stayed there for a few minutes, feeling
better.
The truth was, she was
bored now, with SeeD. Since the trouble with Andria and her brother, the
regular missions had been different. Everyone had been changed last year.
Seifer had commented on
the same thing, just before he had left. She desperately wanted to know where
he had gone, if he was up to his old tricks or if he was with Vincent. Nothing,
though, he had vanished.
Quistis was getting cold
now. A breeze had sprung up and the night had turned from cool to chilly. She
decided that maybe it was time to call it a night. She could answer their
questions about why she had left, in the morning.
Walking past the library,
there seemed to be a noise coming from there. Quistis didn't have her Save The
Queen with her, she was completely defenceless, and if what was in there should
attack her. It wouldn't matter if it did kill her, it would only save her the
trouble of something else, or if she died of boredom.
Walking up the corridor,
she saw the light was on, but there was silence now. Advancing further Quistis
stepped inside the library.
On the floor lay a strange
thing, a demon, but it was dead, something had killed it. Before she could run
and get Squall, something was clamped over her mouth, she couldn't breathe.
Within moments she was unconscious.
**********
"Why did you do that?" Fujin stepped out from the shadows behind Seifer.
"I had no choice, she
might have got away and informed puberty boy about us."
Fujin shook her head and
knelt down next to Quistis, "What are we gonna do with her."
"I was thinking we could
take her back, she has a boring life here in the Garden, it might be more
interesting if she joined us."
"Why do you think she'd
join us?"
Seifer smirked and picked
up Quistis. "I know."
With that
they left the library, the demon still lying on the floor.