Chapter Ten: Vial of Death
Thaaly, the one worshipped as a 'God', was admiring the picture of Quistis Trepe holding the dying Rinoa Heartilly. Rinoa was covered in blood, as well as Quistis. The pained look on Quistis' face was something that nobody would soon forget. Thaaly was admiring the handiwork she had done. Yes, underneath the swirl of the heavy black cloak lay a powerful female. She turned and faced the one she had kidnapped. Chained against the wall, he was slipping between the world of awarness and unconiousness. At the very moment his eyes were open and wide but he seemed to be having trouble recognizing his surroundings. He was weak and thin; having been locked up there for over a month and being fed once a day, if even that.
"Zell," she whispered as she set the picture aside.
He raised his head to look at her, his tousled blonde hair hanging lazily in his eyes.
Thaaly took a large step towards him. "I am releasing you today."
Zell did not answer, just kept staring.
"I told you before that I would not kill you," she said. Then added with a chuckle, "Not yet, anyways. I have something I need you to do for me."
Silence was her only answer.
"Find Irvine Kinneas," she said in a wicked tone. "And kill him."
Zell let out a slight whimper. Perhaps he understood her words after all. Thaaly watched as a single tear slid down his left cheek.
"Kill him, Zell," Thaaly commanded.
With that, Thaaly spun around and walked quickly to her table in the underground cove. She picked up a picture of Irvine and tossed it in a nearby candle. "Kill him, Zell." she continued to chant.
And at that moment, Zell was under Thaaly's spell.
* * * *
Quistis Trepe smiled as she raised the cup of coffee to her perked lips. She sat at the table with several of her friends. Selphie sat in front of her, talking about how well Quistis' party had gone. The topic was making Quistis feel incredibly happy for some reason. Maybe it was because she had gotten her first kiss on that day.
Now that she had come to her senses, she was able to analyze the entire situation better. And she was able to recognize the envy that was held in Squall's eyes. Why did Squall seem envies of Seifer kissing Quistis?
Mataji, a newer friend of hers, sat to her right, eating a helluva lot of food. Two bagels with creamcheese sat on a plate before her, along with a bowl of cereal, a cherry dumpling, and a glass of orange juice.
"I say we make a bet," said Selphie in her normal, excited voice. "Who bets Mataji will be able to eat everything she has there?"
Quistis glanced down at Mataji's belly, noting how thin she was. That girl ate a lot and never gained any weight.
The blonde reached into her pocket and pulled out 100 gil and set it on the table. "I am willing to accept the bet. She'll eat it all."
Irvine grinned. "Why, Miss. Trepe is actually gambling. I never thought I'd see the day..." His grin widened. "Quistis, I have you trained well."
A slight curve of a smile formed on Quistis' pretty face. "Are you in the bet, Kinneas? Or are you too chicken?"
Irvine raised an eyebrow. "Kinneas? So like, why such formalities? I'm in the bet, Quis, and I'm gonna win. Mataji will not eat all the food."
He threw his hundred gil onto the table. All three of them turned to watch Mataji as she ate.
"Hey, babe," Irvine said to her. "If you stop now, I'll take you out this Friday."
"Humf fump." Mataji said as she ate, looking at the annoyed Selphie.
"Eh?" Irvine leaned closer. "Was that a yes? Of course it was. Nobody would turn ME down!"
Mataji started to laugh. Hard. Obviously she found what Irvine said hilarious. She put her hand up to her mouth, but it was too late. A large glob of chewed bagel flew from her mouth and hit Irvine smack in the face. Irvine sat back quickly, frantically trying to wipe the stuff from his face.
Selphie began to laugh loudly, tossing her head back in glee. Giggles even escaped Quistis' mouth. Irvine looked so grossed out.
"I lost," Quistis said with a pout. "She didn't eat it all. It went on your face!"
Irvine glared at Quistis and quickly took all two hundred gil. All three girls continued to laugh loudly.
Just then, in the midst of their happiness, Zell Dincht walked into the cafeteria.
Quistis was the first to see him. She leapt to her feet, nearly knocking over the table. Her chair fell backwards and clattered to the floor. Her friends stopped laughing as she ran across the cafeteria to her frail-looking friend.
"Zell!" she heard Selphie cry out from behind her.
Quistis reached him way before the others. He looked her up and down, a tired expression on his weary face.
"You'll do." he said dryly.
"Come again?"
"Follow me," Zell said quickly and turned away. He walked quickly from the cafeteria.
"Zell, wait!" Quistis cried out, not following him.
He half turned, half looked back and screamed, "I SAID FOLLOW ME!!"
He sounded so maniacal when he spoke and it chilled Quistis to the bone. She hurried after him.
* * * *
Inside of Zell's dorm room, with the door locked by his doing, Quistis demanded some answers. He ignored all of her needed questions, and replied with chilling responses.
"Quistis," he said, sounding painfully urgent. "I know who cast spells on all of us!"
Quistis was instantly alert, forgetting of his recent kidnapping. "Who!?"
Zell was pulling something out of his bad he had placed on his bed. He paused for a moment's time. He looked at the tall blonde, a dark shadow on his face.
"Irvine," he said gloomily.
Quistis took a step back, her right hand flying to her slightly open mouth. She had trouble getting the word out, "w-what??"
Zell finished pulling out whatever was in his bag. It was a glass vial, strangely shaped and colored so one could not see its contents. He walked across the room and handed her the vial. Quistis didn't know what it was, but she knew she didn't want it.
"It is him, Quisty," Zell told her gently. "He made Squall kill Rinoa."
"How?" Was all she could ask. "How? Why?"
I need proof, Quistis thought.
Zell walked back over to his bed, his hands back into the bag. He returned to her with pictures in his hand. It was if he had read her mind. He showed her the pictures.
The first picture showed Irvine dressed in all black, his surroundings black and unknown to Quistis. Flash, Zell tossed the picture aside. The next portrayed him holding a long dagger in his hand. Flash. Irvine was now drawing the blade across the palm of his hand, bringing blood to the surface of his skin. Flash. Irvine was suddenly in Rinoa's bedroom in the next picture, gently smearing blood on the sleeping beauty's face. Flash. Irvine, in the last picture, was drawing a scene. The scene showed Quistis tied to a chair and Squall killing Rinoa.
Quistis clutched the vial tightly in her hands, pain and fear consuming her.
"We gotta kill him, Quisty," Zell said. Now he sounded frightened. "He was our enemy to begin with, I bet. Quistis--!! We gotta kill him!"
"H-how?" she was still at a loss for words.
"That vial holds a certain type of poison," Zell explained to her, motioning to the bottle in her hands. "Once taken, the person can't be saved. It works on any creature."
"I can't kill Irvine!" Quistis cried out, finally finding her voice and thoughts. "He's my friend!"
Zell regarded her sadly. "He's nobody's friend."
"I want to see his hand," Quistis said. "If he has a cut across his palm, I'll destroy him."
Zell nodded. "Go look right now."
Quistis placed the small vial in her pocket and quickly exited the room.
* * * *
As soon as Zell exited the room after Quistis Trepe, he switched into turbo-mode. He took all the shortcuts possible. He knew right where Irvine was... and Quistis did not. In his hand he clutched a petite yet sharp knife. He was dressed in a black hooded robe so he would not be recognized.
"Find the cowboy."
Zell followed the command in his head, under Thaaly's spell.
"Kill the disgusting human."
Zell knocked on Irvine's dorm room door. Irvine answered quickly. Before Irvine could respond, Zell slashed the blade across Irvine's open palm.
"What the fuck!?" Irvine cursed, stumbling back into his room. He clutched his hand tightly and looked for his attacker.
But Zell was gone.
And the cut on Irvine's hand had already stopped bleeding... it looked as if it had already begun to heal...
* * * *
Another knock on Irvine's door. Irvine stood from his desk and walked to his door, but held his Exterior tight in his hands. He didn't want to face his attacker again and not be armed. He slid his non wounded hand over the doorknob and opened the door.
Quistis stood there, looking as pretty as ever.
Irvine smiled and set the gun aside. He raised his cut hand to give her a short, spunky wave. "Whats up, baby doll?"
Quistis' azure eyes momentarily flickered onto his hand, and then was back on his face.
"Hey Irvine," Quistis said with a small, crooked smile. "Cid asked me to have you take this..."
Irvine watched as Quistis pulled a strange looking vial from her pocket. He accepted it from her, wondering what ever it could be.
"He wants you to take it now," Quistis told him.
"What is it?" Irvine asked, rolling the bottle around in his hands.
"I'm not sure, but it tastes like strawberries," Quistis said with a slight chuckle. "He's making everyone take it. I'm delivering it out to all the students."
Then where is all the other vials for the other students? Irvine briefly wondered.
"I'm not leaving until you take it," Quistis said cheerfully. "Just like a stubborn doctor."
Irvine shrugged. He didn't suspect anything. Quistis was his friend. He would tell her of his attacker as soon as he took it.
He opened the vial and raised it to his lips. He drank it all without another thought.
AN: **gasp** NO!! IRVINE NO! Don't drink it!!! *gulp* Too late.... =(
Thaaly, the one worshipped as a 'God', was admiring the picture of Quistis Trepe holding the dying Rinoa Heartilly. Rinoa was covered in blood, as well as Quistis. The pained look on Quistis' face was something that nobody would soon forget. Thaaly was admiring the handiwork she had done. Yes, underneath the swirl of the heavy black cloak lay a powerful female. She turned and faced the one she had kidnapped. Chained against the wall, he was slipping between the world of awarness and unconiousness. At the very moment his eyes were open and wide but he seemed to be having trouble recognizing his surroundings. He was weak and thin; having been locked up there for over a month and being fed once a day, if even that.
"Zell," she whispered as she set the picture aside.
He raised his head to look at her, his tousled blonde hair hanging lazily in his eyes.
Thaaly took a large step towards him. "I am releasing you today."
Zell did not answer, just kept staring.
"I told you before that I would not kill you," she said. Then added with a chuckle, "Not yet, anyways. I have something I need you to do for me."
Silence was her only answer.
"Find Irvine Kinneas," she said in a wicked tone. "And kill him."
Zell let out a slight whimper. Perhaps he understood her words after all. Thaaly watched as a single tear slid down his left cheek.
"Kill him, Zell," Thaaly commanded.
With that, Thaaly spun around and walked quickly to her table in the underground cove. She picked up a picture of Irvine and tossed it in a nearby candle. "Kill him, Zell." she continued to chant.
And at that moment, Zell was under Thaaly's spell.
* * * *
Quistis Trepe smiled as she raised the cup of coffee to her perked lips. She sat at the table with several of her friends. Selphie sat in front of her, talking about how well Quistis' party had gone. The topic was making Quistis feel incredibly happy for some reason. Maybe it was because she had gotten her first kiss on that day.
Now that she had come to her senses, she was able to analyze the entire situation better. And she was able to recognize the envy that was held in Squall's eyes. Why did Squall seem envies of Seifer kissing Quistis?
Mataji, a newer friend of hers, sat to her right, eating a helluva lot of food. Two bagels with creamcheese sat on a plate before her, along with a bowl of cereal, a cherry dumpling, and a glass of orange juice.
"I say we make a bet," said Selphie in her normal, excited voice. "Who bets Mataji will be able to eat everything she has there?"
Quistis glanced down at Mataji's belly, noting how thin she was. That girl ate a lot and never gained any weight.
The blonde reached into her pocket and pulled out 100 gil and set it on the table. "I am willing to accept the bet. She'll eat it all."
Irvine grinned. "Why, Miss. Trepe is actually gambling. I never thought I'd see the day..." His grin widened. "Quistis, I have you trained well."
A slight curve of a smile formed on Quistis' pretty face. "Are you in the bet, Kinneas? Or are you too chicken?"
Irvine raised an eyebrow. "Kinneas? So like, why such formalities? I'm in the bet, Quis, and I'm gonna win. Mataji will not eat all the food."
He threw his hundred gil onto the table. All three of them turned to watch Mataji as she ate.
"Hey, babe," Irvine said to her. "If you stop now, I'll take you out this Friday."
"Humf fump." Mataji said as she ate, looking at the annoyed Selphie.
"Eh?" Irvine leaned closer. "Was that a yes? Of course it was. Nobody would turn ME down!"
Mataji started to laugh. Hard. Obviously she found what Irvine said hilarious. She put her hand up to her mouth, but it was too late. A large glob of chewed bagel flew from her mouth and hit Irvine smack in the face. Irvine sat back quickly, frantically trying to wipe the stuff from his face.
Selphie began to laugh loudly, tossing her head back in glee. Giggles even escaped Quistis' mouth. Irvine looked so grossed out.
"I lost," Quistis said with a pout. "She didn't eat it all. It went on your face!"
Irvine glared at Quistis and quickly took all two hundred gil. All three girls continued to laugh loudly.
Just then, in the midst of their happiness, Zell Dincht walked into the cafeteria.
Quistis was the first to see him. She leapt to her feet, nearly knocking over the table. Her chair fell backwards and clattered to the floor. Her friends stopped laughing as she ran across the cafeteria to her frail-looking friend.
"Zell!" she heard Selphie cry out from behind her.
Quistis reached him way before the others. He looked her up and down, a tired expression on his weary face.
"You'll do." he said dryly.
"Come again?"
"Follow me," Zell said quickly and turned away. He walked quickly from the cafeteria.
"Zell, wait!" Quistis cried out, not following him.
He half turned, half looked back and screamed, "I SAID FOLLOW ME!!"
He sounded so maniacal when he spoke and it chilled Quistis to the bone. She hurried after him.
* * * *
Inside of Zell's dorm room, with the door locked by his doing, Quistis demanded some answers. He ignored all of her needed questions, and replied with chilling responses.
"Quistis," he said, sounding painfully urgent. "I know who cast spells on all of us!"
Quistis was instantly alert, forgetting of his recent kidnapping. "Who!?"
Zell was pulling something out of his bad he had placed on his bed. He paused for a moment's time. He looked at the tall blonde, a dark shadow on his face.
"Irvine," he said gloomily.
Quistis took a step back, her right hand flying to her slightly open mouth. She had trouble getting the word out, "w-what??"
Zell finished pulling out whatever was in his bag. It was a glass vial, strangely shaped and colored so one could not see its contents. He walked across the room and handed her the vial. Quistis didn't know what it was, but she knew she didn't want it.
"It is him, Quisty," Zell told her gently. "He made Squall kill Rinoa."
"How?" Was all she could ask. "How? Why?"
I need proof, Quistis thought.
Zell walked back over to his bed, his hands back into the bag. He returned to her with pictures in his hand. It was if he had read her mind. He showed her the pictures.
The first picture showed Irvine dressed in all black, his surroundings black and unknown to Quistis. Flash, Zell tossed the picture aside. The next portrayed him holding a long dagger in his hand. Flash. Irvine was now drawing the blade across the palm of his hand, bringing blood to the surface of his skin. Flash. Irvine was suddenly in Rinoa's bedroom in the next picture, gently smearing blood on the sleeping beauty's face. Flash. Irvine, in the last picture, was drawing a scene. The scene showed Quistis tied to a chair and Squall killing Rinoa.
Quistis clutched the vial tightly in her hands, pain and fear consuming her.
"We gotta kill him, Quisty," Zell said. Now he sounded frightened. "He was our enemy to begin with, I bet. Quistis--!! We gotta kill him!"
"H-how?" she was still at a loss for words.
"That vial holds a certain type of poison," Zell explained to her, motioning to the bottle in her hands. "Once taken, the person can't be saved. It works on any creature."
"I can't kill Irvine!" Quistis cried out, finally finding her voice and thoughts. "He's my friend!"
Zell regarded her sadly. "He's nobody's friend."
"I want to see his hand," Quistis said. "If he has a cut across his palm, I'll destroy him."
Zell nodded. "Go look right now."
Quistis placed the small vial in her pocket and quickly exited the room.
* * * *
As soon as Zell exited the room after Quistis Trepe, he switched into turbo-mode. He took all the shortcuts possible. He knew right where Irvine was... and Quistis did not. In his hand he clutched a petite yet sharp knife. He was dressed in a black hooded robe so he would not be recognized.
"Find the cowboy."
Zell followed the command in his head, under Thaaly's spell.
"Kill the disgusting human."
Zell knocked on Irvine's dorm room door. Irvine answered quickly. Before Irvine could respond, Zell slashed the blade across Irvine's open palm.
"What the fuck!?" Irvine cursed, stumbling back into his room. He clutched his hand tightly and looked for his attacker.
But Zell was gone.
And the cut on Irvine's hand had already stopped bleeding... it looked as if it had already begun to heal...
* * * *
Another knock on Irvine's door. Irvine stood from his desk and walked to his door, but held his Exterior tight in his hands. He didn't want to face his attacker again and not be armed. He slid his non wounded hand over the doorknob and opened the door.
Quistis stood there, looking as pretty as ever.
Irvine smiled and set the gun aside. He raised his cut hand to give her a short, spunky wave. "Whats up, baby doll?"
Quistis' azure eyes momentarily flickered onto his hand, and then was back on his face.
"Hey Irvine," Quistis said with a small, crooked smile. "Cid asked me to have you take this..."
Irvine watched as Quistis pulled a strange looking vial from her pocket. He accepted it from her, wondering what ever it could be.
"He wants you to take it now," Quistis told him.
"What is it?" Irvine asked, rolling the bottle around in his hands.
"I'm not sure, but it tastes like strawberries," Quistis said with a slight chuckle. "He's making everyone take it. I'm delivering it out to all the students."
Then where is all the other vials for the other students? Irvine briefly wondered.
"I'm not leaving until you take it," Quistis said cheerfully. "Just like a stubborn doctor."
Irvine shrugged. He didn't suspect anything. Quistis was his friend. He would tell her of his attacker as soon as he took it.
He opened the vial and raised it to his lips. He drank it all without another thought.
AN: **gasp** NO!! IRVINE NO! Don't drink it!!! *gulp* Too late.... =(