Disclaimer: I don't own FF8...
Author's Note: Thanks to everyone that reviewed: almasy919, Anon, exhile87, Railen, Dark Raion, Erina,
Rinny Leonheart, Rinoa.J, cordis, Th' h@bt MAn, Unknown, and computer-geekz. Your reviews mean SO much to me! I just wanted to let you all know that updates for this might take a while because I'm also working on another FF8 fic called Balamb Garden Song Week. Go check it out!
After the Dust Settles
Chapter 7- Break-In
Rinoa's POV...
"Rinoa...." I looked up...it was That Man. "This is for you." He thrust a gown into my hands.
"A wedding gown...?" I asked.
"What else do you expect to wear to your wedding?" He sneered at me. "I will leave you now, to get ready. Be quick about it...your wedding starts in 45 minutes."
"What?! Nida said it was going to be tomorrow morning!" I was outraged.
"Well, dear, we have decided to move it up. Nida doesn't want to wait until tomorrow, and to tell you the truth, I'd rather have you wed to him as soon as possible..."
"You know something, don't you?! You know where Squall is and he's coming to get me! That's why you're moving the wedding up, isn't it?!"
"I don't have to answer any of your questions. Here, this is Laticia. She will help you get ready. I will see you in 45 minutes." He left the room and Laticia entered.
"Please, help me. I have to get out of here!" I told her.
"I'm sorry Miss. Rinoa, but I follow the orders of General Caraway, and he told me to fix you up for your wedding."
"You don't understand! I can't marry Nida! I don't love him!" I shouted.
"Calm down, now. I've met Mr. Nida and he is a fine man. You should feel blessed to be marrying someone like him. A girl like you could never do any better..."
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
"I think you know what it means, dear... Now, get into this dress! Our time is limited and it's my job to make sure you're beautiful."
"I am not getting changed and I am NOT marrying Nida!"
"Nobody cares what you say, honey. Whether or not you want to doesn't make a difference. You ARE going to marry him. Besides, what other choice do you have? You don't actually think you can escape, do you?"
"Squall will come for me..."
"That SeeD boy? The General told me about him. You don't have to worry, The General has already made sure that he doesn't set a foot near you... Now, get changed, or else I'll have to call the General and he can find you a new bridesmaid..."
I couldn't let them hurt Quistis. "Fine...I'll get changed..."
Squall's POV...
I had entered the Mansion, along with everyone else. This place was huge...I didn't even know where to begin. "Alright, we're going to have to split up into teams of two. Selphie and Seifer, you take the right side. Irvine and Zell, you take the left. I'll take the center..."
"You're going alone?! Man, you don't know what's up there!" Zell told me.
"I'll be fine... I have three communicators with me. Selphie and Seifer, you take one, and Irvine and Zell, you take one. I'll take the other one. If anything happens, we can keep in touch with these. Let's go." We all split up.
I made my way up the center staircase. There were so many doors...which one should I try? I decided to try the last one to my right, and then work my way to the others. I opened the door and was surprised to find four guards waiting for me. They attacked, but I was able to kill them pretty easily. Great, this whole place must be armed with guards. I picked up my communicator and sent a message to everybody. "Guys, this is Squall. There are guards in most of the rooms, so be careful."
"Roger!" Selphie shouted.
"Got ya!" Zell replied.
I put my communicator back and tried the next door. Another group of guards attacked me. Shit, this could take a while...
Seifer's POV...
Of all the people to get paired up with, I get stuck with Messenger Girl. The only up side to this was that it wasn't Chicken-Wuss. Still, Selphie's bouncy and cheerful attitude was really starting to piss me off.
"Tee-hee, it's a door! Maybe Rinny's inside!" She shouted enthusiastically.
"Listen Selphie, could ya keep it down; someone could hear you. Also, do ya have to be so perky and happy all the time? This is a serious mission...be on your guard."
"I know it's serious and I am on my guard. I'm just so excited! Every door that we open could be the one that leads to Rinny or Quisty!"
"Alright, just keep it down..." I grumbled.
"Yes Sir!"
How does Squall deal with this? I guess you have to give the guy some credit, I mean, he being the Commander and all. He has to deal with this crap every day. I'd never be able to put up with it.
"Alright, let's open the door." I told Selphie.
"Okay!"
We opened the door and found ourselves in a long corridor. There were at least six doors in here...three on each side. "Shit, how the hell are we supposed to know which one to open?!"
"Tee-hee, we'll just have to try all of them!"
"Great..."
Irvine's POV...
"Hey Zell, what do ya think Seffie's doing right now?" I asked.
"Probably the same thing that we're doing right now." He replied.
"Yeah, but what if Seifer tries to pull something? I don't trust him..."
"Yeah well, I don't really like the guy, either, but I think Squall trusts him. We gotta listen to the Commander, right?"
"Yeah, I guess your right. I'm sure Seffie's fine, anyway. If Seifer tried to pull anything, she'd kick his ass!" I laughed.
"Yeah, those nunchukus of hers are pretty damn powerful."
"So, Zell, when are you gonna make your move on that Library girl?"
"Huh?! I don't know what your talking about!" He started turning red.
"Come one Zell, it's so obvious. Everyone knows you have a thing for her."
"Yeah, well, so what? Why do you care?"
"I can give you some pointers..."
"Listen Irvine, maybe some other time, but right now, we have to find Quistis and Rinoa. So, let's just focus on the mission, okay?"
"Okay, Zell, whatever you say..."
Rinoa's POV...
"Look at how beautiful you can be when you try." Laticia laughed.
"........." I turned Squall on her. Speaking of Squall...where was he? He must be close, I can feel him. What if That Man already got to him? Squall could take him down any day, but if he set the whole army against him... Squall, please be okay. I silently prayed.
"Thinking about that Squall of yours again?" Laticia's voice knocked me out of my thoughts.
Without even realizing who I was talking to, I said softly, "I miss him..."
"You really love this guy, don't you?
"Yes...more than life itself."
"Well, that's the way life goes...You can't always have what you want. Be happy to be getting married to a fine man like Nida."
"...NO! I will never be happy. You can tell me that he is a wonderful man, and that I will be happy. You can tell me he will treat me right, and that he loves me. Even if those things were true, I would not be happy. How can I possibly be happy marrying a man whom I despise, when I have the love of my life?"
"What if the so called 'love of your life' doesn't love you?"
"You just don't understand. Nobody can truly understand what Squall and me have. I can't even fully comprehend it sometimes. In my heart, I know that we are meant to be together. Squall and I are one, and the binds that tie us together so tightly will never be broken. So, you can tell me to love Nida as much as you like, but it will never happen...because I have my love, and he is the only thing that I need in this world. I would rather die than be unfaithful to him."
"How sweet." Laticia said sarcastically. There was a knock on the door and That Man entered.
"Ah, Rinoa, you look splendid, if I do say so myself. Laticia, you have worked wonders! You may go now." Beaming, Laticia left the room.
"Come now, Rinoa. Don't look so unhappy. Can't you make a father happy on his daughter's wedding day?"
"..............."
"I take it that you are going to be stubborn. Fine, I can deal with that." He grabbed my wrist. "Come, your groom awaits you at the altar..."
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