Alright guys, you might have noticed already but I have been going back and revising the story….i had left this thing to die three years ago and I checked up on it last month. I was shocked to find that people were still reading and reviewing this thing so I decided to finish it … I owe you guys that much. But when I went back to reread it…well I want things a little different. Don't worry all the major parts will still be the same, im just going to be adding more. Im thinking of adding an extra chapter I don't know. We'll see. Im thinking of getting Rinoa and Quistis's parents to play a role. We'll see. and im putting separations in the story. For some reason it didn't show up the way I did it last time. Im drawing a comic at the same time so its gonna be slow going but at least you know im going to finish it. : ) Enjoy. Chap 4 revised.
"I swear to god, Zell! Give me those keys or Ellone will have to get artificially inseminated to get pregnant!"
"What does that m-"
"I'm going to kick your balls off!"
"Listen, how was I supposed to know HE was the one who hit you with the car?" he asked innocently. "He seems like such a great guy."
Zell gasped and ripped away from Rinoa's death grip while Quistis was re-ringing the doorbell to have someone else open the door Squall had slammed shut. How embarrassing to be standing outside while your sister gave chase to your cousin out in the front yard.
"Wow, you've gotten fast!" Zell huffed as he slid around a corner.
"I've been practicing!" screamed Rinoa finally finding at least one pro to the exercise she had been enduring. "Give me the keys Zell!"
The door was suddenly opened by Laguna.
"Hello. I thought Squall had gotten the door, I apologize. How can I-OH MY GOD! Some crazy person is chasing Zell! Is… that a woman? She's fast!"
Before Laguna could run to Zell to help him Quistis grabbed his arm gently.
"No, she's not a crazy person," Quistis said, but then stopped after a second thought. "Well, not to the point to which you think. My name's Quistis, Zell's cousin, and that's my sister Rinoa. You see, there has been … a complication."
Before Quistis could explain any further, Squall came marching out with suitcase in hand, struggling to put on his over shirt. Laguna looked at his brother startled.
"Squall? What's going on? Where are you going?" he asked confused.
"I'm leaving." He said darkly.
Rino stopped her chase and turned to see Squall walking to his car, carrying a suitcase, and pulling keys out of his pocket. She glowered at him.
"Oh, no need to get your panties in a knot!" she stomped up to him and shut the car door he'd jerked open. "I'll go. I want to."
Squall tugged on the door hard opening it again and making Rinoa stumble back.
"You have no way of getting home. You came with Zell. I have a car. So I'm going to leave."
"Fine." She said in a voice dripping with loathing.
"Squall?" said a light voice behind them. They both turned around, and there stood a woman with such beauty that even the ladies held their breath. She was about the same height as Rinoa, with light brown hair that came down to her elbows. Her skin was light and soft, her eyes large and light almost childlike. As cliché as the comparison is, Rinoa hadn't known it to be more true. This woman looked like an angel.
"Are you going somewhere?" she asked softly, looking so sad that Rinoa could feel herself choking up just looking at her. Hearing the sigh behind her Rinoa turned to see Squall looking down at the ground, as if not having the strength to look this beautiful woman in the eye. How curious.
"Ellone, I…" he said concentrating on the grass. "Something important came up."
"I see." said Ellone. "I understand. Well, asking you to stay would be selfish. It's only a wedding anyways. They happen all the time."
Several gears switched in Rinoa's mind for this seeming angelic woman was not as innocent as she seemed. That was…manipulation she just saw.
Ellone suddenly smiled and walked towards the house without saying another word. She stopped at the door where Quistis was standing, said hello, and invited her in. Quistis then picked up her suitcase, and Laguna went to help her and with that they all shuffled into the gigantic house. Zell, being more uncomfortable now then when he was in Rinoa's clutches, cleared his throat.
"I'm, just gonna go, and … help with the suitcases. And, yeah."
Guilt being a stranger to Rinoa left an unfamiliar burning sensation in her lower gut as she saw Zell enter the house with all the other guests. Squall had a hand on his hip, his other hand clutching keys in front of his forehead as he rested the arm on the top of the car while he continued to stare at the grass with unwavering conviction. A stranger to the situation would have guessed that Squall was determined to actually see the grass grow.
"The house is huge." Rinoa said suddenly.
Squall looked up angrily.
"I'm aware."
Rinoa began placing her bags on top of each other. She grabbed the bottom one and began dragging it to the house.
"Well we can make it work to where … umph….where we barely see each other. You stay …huff….on one side of the palace … and I'll stay on the other. Mmmm….if we work it right, we'll rarely see each other"
Squall watched Rinoa inch her way to her house as his mind chewed the situation over. The house was in fact large and if he and his family didn't make a point of meeting up then there would be days were they would never cross each other. Avoiding someone would be cake. On top of all that, the look Ellone shot at him was still tearing little holes in his chest. And he knew that there wouldn't be a day in the next decade that she would let him live it down. Damn…
"Fine." He said pulling his suitcase out of the car and walking towards the house. He almost passed Rinoa but as he did Rinoa's feet slipped from right under her making a loud crunch on the gravel as she landed on her butt. Embarrassed she got up quickly without making a sound, with the flush in her cheeks as the only sign of the pain both to her ego and behind. Squall sighed again and put down his suitcase turned around and went up to her. Without saying a word he picked up two of the larger cases and took them in.
"I can handle it!" Rinoa called after him, half-heartedly however. He ignored her as he stepped inside. Rinoa looked at the one suitcase left to carry then walked towards the house. Halfway, she stopped, ran back, picked up Squall's suitcase, weighed it, decided it was manageable, and started towards the house again.
Rinoa was pretty sure that her entire level at the apartment complex was the same size as the foyer of this house. The gape of mouth was so dramatic that Quistis tried sending silent signals to recover some for of composure. Before she could walk over and slap her little sister, Laguna walked up to Rinoa.
"Oh Rinoa," he said smiling warmly holding his hand out to her cases. "Let me help you with those."
Rinoa pulled Squall's suitcase away.
"I'll carry this one."
Laguna tried insisting, but Rinoa didn't give in so he let it go.
"Squall is putting your suitcases in your room." Laguna said. He nodded his head towards the stairs to the upper floor. "Why don't we hike our way there?"
Rinoa couldn't help but notice what an appropriate term "hike" was.
As they climbed the carpeted stairs Rinoa cleared her throat.
"I wanted to thank you for allowing me to stay here Mr. Leonhart." She said softly, "I'm sorry about the little fiasco in the front yard just a minute ago."
"Ah, don't mention it. It provided the entertainment for the evening," Laguna said lightly. "Your room will be next to your sister's. Such a charming girl."
"Who?"
"…Your sister."
Ha. Charming. That's one Rinoa hadn't heard before.
After what seemed like miles of walking they bumped into Squall in one of the many hallways. He nodded in acknowledgement and walked on without saying a word. Rinoa turned around suddenly.
"Oh, this is yours," she said holding out the suitcase.
Squall turned around and looked at the suitcase and then at Rinoa while raising an eyebrow.
"You brought up my suitcases. Just returning the favor." She added quickly
Squall took the suitcase, mumbled "thanks" and walked down the hall towards what Rinoa assumed would be his room.
"Well, this is the door. And the one on the left is your sisters." Said Laguna, farther down the hall. He obviously hadn't paid attention to the exchange between the two. "If you need anything, just go straight down the hall to the end of the other side. My room is the last door on the right."
Rinoa smiled.
"Thank you again Mr. Leonhart."
"Please don't call me that. It makes me feel so old! My name's Laguna."
Rinoa nodded and smiled again. Laguna returned the smile and then headed down the hall.
Rinoa opened the door to her room, spent thirty minutes freaking out about the size, set down her stuff, and went out to go to her sister. Her sister was in her room, laying on her back with arms outstretched on the gigantic king-sized, silk covered, bed. Quistis groaned.
"I'm so happy." She said in a fake sob, stretching on the bed. "Rinoa, they have an inside pool in the basement. A pool Rinoa. But you know what?" she said smiling while shutting her eyes. "We're not going to use that pool. We're going to use our pool."
Rinoa looked at her sister questioningly.
"Our what?"
Quistis suddenly got up, ran to Rinoa grabbed her arm, and led her out into the hall. Quistis then opened the door on the right of Rinoa's Room. And sure enough, right there, next to their rooms was a large, indoor pool. Rinoa screamed.
"HOLY SHIT! This is AWESOME!"
The tile was a light turquoise and the floor of the pool bed was a thick glass to where you could see what looked to be a music room below. The idea of an indoor pool on an upper level was so fantastic that the girls were becoming so overwhelmed that they were on the verge of fainting. Their little happy parade was interrupted however by Zell. He walked in wearily, carefully staying an arm distance away from Rinoa.
"We're going to have dinner downstairs in thirty minutes." He said cautiously. "So if you're hungry, just come downstairs."
Rinoa grabbed her cousin's head, Zell tried to pull away, but then quickly Rinoa gave him a big kiss.
"I SO forgive you!" she squealed as she skipped to her room. Confused by the sudden change in mood, Zell turned to Quistis.
"She's not pregnant is she?"
Quistis snorted.
"Not unless sperm is now airborne."
Quistis wearing a yellow summerdress, and Rinoa wearing one of light blue, excitedly walked down the stairs to join the rest of the party for dinner. The ambience of the house made them feel it necessary to dress up for the meal. When they managed to find their way towards the kitchen (guided by Rinoa's more than able nose) they gasped at what they saw. A huge round table was covered in food prepared to perfection in such quantity that a third world country could be fed. Quistis smiled curiously at Laguna who was setting the table with Zell and Squall.
"Round table? Where would you like us to sit, Arthur?"
Laguna chuckled.
"I like seeing all my guests, that's all." Laguna said in defense. "I hate square or rectangular tables, because you can only see the people sitting beside you. This is nicer."
Rinoa smiled thinking what a dear man Laguna was. He couldn't be Squall's brother.
"That makes sense I suppose." Quistis said smiling.
"Yeah, but it has its draw backs." Laguna said. "I'm glad Zell brought you and your sister, because when it's just us, we sit so far apart."
When Ellone brought the last of the food, she pointed her hands towards the table.
"Please, please sit." She said warmly.
They all took their seats, Rinoa sat between Quistis and Zell. She looked with an appreciating eye at the food, and rested a hand on her grumbling stomach.
"Well?" said Ellone laughing. "Dig in."
They all sat there smiling at their empty plates as the food coma was setting in, and they had one by one started yawning. Laguna cleared his throat.
"Now, before we all depart for the evening," he said smirking. "I must rudely ask, what the commotion was about upon the arrival of Ms. Quistis and Rinoa Heartilly. I think I know, but dear Ellone, I think she is unaware."
Squall coughed softly into his napkin and tried to give an unnoticed kick in the shin to his deserving brother. Zell gave a groan and Quistis shifted uneasily in her chair while Rinoa began picking at invisible food on her plate. Ellone gave her younger brother a silent stare forcing Squall to look at her and fess up.
"Remember the bump on the front of my car?" Squall started trying to brave through the eye contact from his now slightly intimidating sister. "Well it wasn't from a wild boar coming across the road on my way down here."
Ellone frowned.
"But why would you lie about that?" she asked confused. "I don't-"
"A wild boar?" Rinoa asked getting angry.
"Well," Squall continued ignoring Rinoa's interjection. "I was driving, trying to avoid traffic so I drove through a neighborhood..."
"He said a boar?" she asked, her voice rising. "Why not deer?"
"...and I was paying attention and everything you know how cautious I am on the road. Clearly not my fault..."
"Or an Amish Cart."
"...And out of no where, Rinoa jumps into the street..."
"A BOAR! THE NERVE!"
"...I tried stopping, and nearly did."
"NERVE!"
Quistis jabbed Rinoa's ribs with her elbow before her sister got to an octave that would force neighbors to alert the police.
"Anyway, I tapped her. Very very lightly to where it just left a bruise." Squall said finally.
"A large bruise," Rinoa said grabbing her ribs.
Quistis coughed and signaled Rinoa to stop.
"No harm done Ms. Leonhart." She said assuringly. "It was all an accident." Seeing the look of horror on Ellone's face, and Squall's embarrassed one, she decided that the only way to save the night was a quick change of subject."But I can't call you that for long can I? For you will be Mrs. Dincht pretty soon."
The change of facial expression into elated joy was almost instantaneous.
"Yes! I am so glad that I'm finally getting married." Ellone said richly. "You have no idea how long I've waited for Zell to finally ask me.
"Well dear," he said smiling. "I wanted to ask you the day I met you. It just took two years to muster up the courage to do it."
Laguna smiled and got up.
"Well, let's all go to bed before we get jealous of the love birds." He said. After all, excluding Zell and Ellone, they were all single. Very single it seemed. So the others nodded their agreement, got up and separated towards their rooms. Rinoa quickly glanced at Squall who was saying something to Laguna. She sighed as she made her way to her room to go to bed. One down, 29 days to go.
