Angel Wings
Chapter One
(I do not own Final Fantasy Eight, its characters, or have anything to do with Squaresoft, so don't sue me. Please. I'm just an obsessed fan that thinks that this theory is a sad but really cool one. Read and enjoy!)
It happened while I was taking a shower a month after my friends and I defeated Ultimecia. I had woken up with a sharpest back pain I had ever experienced, and even after taking a probably less than healthy dose of aspirin I decided that a shower might be the next best thing.
I had been granted the honor of becoming an official SeeD by helping the others in battle, and was highly decorated alongside my friends for bravery, valor, honor, and several other things, but that didn't matter to me. All I knew was that I was living amongst people I loved, in a place that I could truly call home; away from my father and the quiet halls that lacked the laughter my mother had once provided. Needless to say, the Garden was a vast improvement, and each day was nothing short of a dream come true.
My room was right in between Quistis's and Selphie's in the much grander dormitory than the students whom were still in training. The Timber Owls had in a way saved me from all of that, though every couple of days Selphie and I take an obstacle course through the Training Center, and on extra special days Squall comes with us. Squall and I became very close very fast over the months after Ultimecia's defeat, and it's been amazing to see him adapt so well to being headmaster here at Garden. I always knew that we would be perfect for the job, and he has Zell, Irvine, Quistis, Selphie, and myself to help him out every step of the way. Our friendships have helped us through so much, and this is no exception.
As it was a Saturday, Selphie and Quistis were still sleeping as I crept out of my room and down to the bathrooms. My shoulders were still blazing with pain as I gratefully shrugged off my pajamas and stepped into the steaming shower stall. The lack of fabric covering my back seemed to help relieve some of the pain, but it wasn't long before the pain attacked my back and shoulders all over again. I bit my lip hard and bowed my head under the faucet, letting it course its way down my dark brunette hair before dripping onto my feet. The pain was getting worse, and eventually I was sobbing and kneeling on the floor of the shower stall, hugging myself tightly. It seemed like the skin of my back was tearing itself apart, and there was no way to stop it. I could see blood dripping into the water that pooled at my feet, and I began to panic. I had no idea what was happening to me, and it was terrifying.
"Rinoa! Is that you?" I could hear Selphie's voice from outside the stall, and she sounded concerned. "Are you okay in there?"
"I...I don't know." I stuttered, feeling light-headed at the sight of the crimson waters that lapped around my pale feet. "Something is wrong with my back, Selphie...maybe you should go get a healer."
"I already told Quistis to go get one." Selphie's voice had a commanding bite behind it, and it sounded odd contrasted against her cheerful and light-hearted personality. "Put a towel on and open up so I can help get you back to your room."
"Okay...one second." I bit my lip and tried my best not to cry while grabbing a towel and unlocking the stall door so Selphie could come in. Her large emerald eyes grew wide when she saw me.
"Rinoa...What's happening to you?"
"I don't know...can you see my back? Did I cut myself or something?" I winced as some of my hair caressed my back, sending fiery pain up and down my spine. I quickly pushed it over my shoulders to keep it from happening again and turned my back to Selphie so she could look.
Selphie was quiet for what seemed like forever, and all that I could hear was my own sniffling and the shower faucet still running in front of me. "Well?" I croaked hoarsely as another spasm choked me.
"Rinoa...on your back...something is growing out of it...Two somethings." She had a tone of awe behind her voice now, and that irritated me for some reason. I didn't think that there was or could be anything awesome about something growing out of my back. In fact, I found it to be absolutely terrifying.
The bleeding continued to run down my back, soaking my towel before Quistis returned with a healer, and by that point the sight of all the blood and the pain were both too much for me to handle, and I passed out onto the floor.
(I do not own Final Fantasy Eight, its characters, or have anything to do with Squaresoft, so don't sue me. Please. I'm just an obsessed fan that thinks that this theory is a sad but really cool one. Read and enjoy!)
It happened while I was taking a shower a month after my friends and I defeated Ultimecia. I had woken up with a sharpest back pain I had ever experienced, and even after taking a probably less than healthy dose of aspirin I decided that a shower might be the next best thing.
I had been granted the honor of becoming an official SeeD by helping the others in battle, and was highly decorated alongside my friends for bravery, valor, honor, and several other things, but that didn't matter to me. All I knew was that I was living amongst people I loved, in a place that I could truly call home; away from my father and the quiet halls that lacked the laughter my mother had once provided. Needless to say, the Garden was a vast improvement, and each day was nothing short of a dream come true.
My room was right in between Quistis's and Selphie's in the much grander dormitory than the students whom were still in training. The Timber Owls had in a way saved me from all of that, though every couple of days Selphie and I take an obstacle course through the Training Center, and on extra special days Squall comes with us. Squall and I became very close very fast over the months after Ultimecia's defeat, and it's been amazing to see him adapt so well to being headmaster here at Garden. I always knew that we would be perfect for the job, and he has Zell, Irvine, Quistis, Selphie, and myself to help him out every step of the way. Our friendships have helped us through so much, and this is no exception.
As it was a Saturday, Selphie and Quistis were still sleeping as I crept out of my room and down to the bathrooms. My shoulders were still blazing with pain as I gratefully shrugged off my pajamas and stepped into the steaming shower stall. The lack of fabric covering my back seemed to help relieve some of the pain, but it wasn't long before the pain attacked my back and shoulders all over again. I bit my lip hard and bowed my head under the faucet, letting it course its way down my dark brunette hair before dripping onto my feet. The pain was getting worse, and eventually I was sobbing and kneeling on the floor of the shower stall, hugging myself tightly. It seemed like the skin of my back was tearing itself apart, and there was no way to stop it. I could see blood dripping into the water that pooled at my feet, and I began to panic. I had no idea what was happening to me, and it was terrifying.
"Rinoa! Is that you?" I could hear Selphie's voice from outside the stall, and she sounded concerned. "Are you okay in there?"
"I...I don't know." I stuttered, feeling light-headed at the sight of the crimson waters that lapped around my pale feet. "Something is wrong with my back, Selphie...maybe you should go get a healer."
"I already told Quistis to go get one." Selphie's voice had a commanding bite behind it, and it sounded odd contrasted against her cheerful and light-hearted personality. "Put a towel on and open up so I can help get you back to your room."
"Okay...one second." I bit my lip and tried my best not to cry while grabbing a towel and unlocking the stall door so Selphie could come in. Her large emerald eyes grew wide when she saw me.
"Rinoa...What's happening to you?"
"I don't know...can you see my back? Did I cut myself or something?" I winced as some of my hair caressed my back, sending fiery pain up and down my spine. I quickly pushed it over my shoulders to keep it from happening again and turned my back to Selphie so she could look.
Selphie was quiet for what seemed like forever, and all that I could hear was my own sniffling and the shower faucet still running in front of me. "Well?" I croaked hoarsely as another spasm choked me.
"Rinoa...on your back...something is growing out of it...Two somethings." She had a tone of awe behind her voice now, and that irritated me for some reason. I didn't think that there was or could be anything awesome about something growing out of my back. In fact, I found it to be absolutely terrifying.
The bleeding continued to run down my back, soaking my towel before Quistis returned with a healer, and by that point the sight of all the blood and the pain were both too much for me to handle, and I passed out onto the floor.