Disclaimer: No I don't own FF8 or its characters
Author's Notes:
Thanks to all my readers! This chapter took me a bit longer than
usual to get out, but I'm really getting into the grit of things
coming up so it may take a bit longer for each chapter to be
released.
Also, thanks to my awesome beta-reader Ms. Starlight.
You can find her on my fave author's so read her fics too ;)
Chapter 12: Let me keep these moments
"I'm a little curious of you in crowded scenes
And
how serene your friends and fiends
We
flew and strolled as two eliminated gently
Why
don't you close your eyes and reinvent me"
Mezzanine- Massive Attack
The crowds on were on the streets in full throng by the time they made their way to the center of the city and located a place to eat. The restaurant that billed itself as "Esthar's Four Star Dining" was tucked in between a nightclub and a hopping coffee shop. Quistis pushed open the door and the soft sounds of a piano filtered through the air over the hush of diners talking and the clink of silverware.
The bar just ahead of them was long and made of dark frosted glass punctuated by shiny metal horizontal strips. The sleek steel and leather stools that lined it were packed with patrons, all of whom were clothed in different styles of robes, even the men, Seifer noted with some disdain.
The hostess manning the seating chart was garbed in a black and red satin robe with a wide collar that bared her fair shoulders. The thick belt at her waist was clasped with a strange metal buckle that resembled a Chimera. She glanced up as they approached, seeming to view their clothing with the same apprehension Seifer held for hers.
"Table for two please." Quistis craned her head to try and see where the music was coming from.
They were lead to a small booth near a window that gave them a view of the tiny garden that was sandwiched between the restaurant and the neighboring coffee bar. It was meticulously maintained with exotic flowers bursting up in a variety of colors. A tiny robotic creature darted through the leaves and plants, plucking up weeds along its path. Seifer watched it for a moment before turning his attention back to the table, which had a scrolling screen built into the metal top at both his and Quistis' seats. He touched the screen and was rewarded with a menu choice for drinks, appetizers, entrees and desserts. He hit the "drink" button and let his eyes drift over the other occupants of the establishment.
The restaurant seemed busy though not packed, and the aroma from the kitchen was not unappetizing. A sleek, black piano sat across the room, though it was smaller and the design was slightly more minimalist than anything he was familiar with. The musician bent over the keys was female, judging from her delicate hands; however, she was concealed in a light blue robe complete with a hood that drooped low over her face.
"Is it just me or does that song sound vaguely familiar to you?" Quistis asked suddenly, motioning to the pianist.
Seifer looked over at her, then down at the menu screen to select the rest of his meal. "Doesn't sound familiar to me. Not really my kind of music."
Quistis shrugged and listened to the tune as she slid her fingertips over the cool metal surface of the table. There was a tall tube in the center that was lit from within by a blue light, casting a soft glow around them. The effect might have been romantic if she'd been there with someone else.
Across the table Seifer slouched back in his seat, his order placed. Amongst the Estharian citizens he looked out of placebut obviously didn't care. The robes the people here wore seemed impractical to her, and as she admired the stretch of his t-shirt across the muscles in his chest she was secretly glad to know he'd never subscribe to Esthar's sense of style.
Their food was just being delivered by a waitress in a sleek black robe that bunched around her neck when the music trailed to a stop. Quistis briefly wondered how the woman moved in the creation, thanking her as her plate was set before her. She glanced up to see that Seifer had abandoned his examination of the strangely complex salt and pepper machine in favor of the drink that was already leaving a frosty ring of condensation on the glass table-top.
She felt someone at her arm and looked up expecting to see the waitress still hovering beside the table, but instead found a figure wrapped in a pale cerulean robe, hood drooping low over her face, and Quistis recognized the pianist from before. She opened her mouth to greet the woman but didn't have a chance before she pressed a slip of paper into her hand. Quistis curled her fingers around the small note, and then the woman was slipping away, turning with a rustle of silk and the familiar scent of wildflowers.
Seifer was staring at her over the rim of his glass. "Who was that?"
Without reply she hurriedly unfolded the paper, pulling her glasses out to examine the loopy, feminine script.
Quisty,
I'm so relieved you've come. There are things you must know. Please meet me in the Park by the Presidential Statue in two hours.
Sis
She blinked, reading it again, before sliding it across the smooth surface of the table to her companion. He snatched it up, reading it as he took a long sip of his drink. He grimaced at the strong burn of alcohol down his throat, eyes flickering over the scrap of paper. He passed it back and she stuffed it into her pocket with her glasses before picking up her utensils.
"If she's so eager to meet with us, something really must be going on around here." She said
He nodded, apparently unconcerned as he dug into his meal with relish. She picked at her own plate, her hunger having abated at the idea Ellone needed their help.
oooOOOOOooo
An hour later, they headed towards the meeting place. As they drew closer to the park the city lights dimmed to a soft violet hue, clinging close to the clear walkways and leaving the private homes shadowed under the night sky. Their footsteps echoed in the otherwise silent stillness that had fallen with a hush over this part of the city. It was quite a contrast from the brightly-lit, crowded streets they had been on only a short time before.
They passed under a woven metal archway and into the park. Suddenly the air filled with the sounds of insects and the rustle of leaves caught in the wind, marking their entrance into another world separate from that of the city around them. The directory ahead flashed a greeting across its large touch-screen and Quistis tapped at the dot marked "Presidential Statue". The helpful map highlighted the trail that would get them there quickest and Seifer rolled his eyes as he started down the path.
"People in this place must be pretty fucking lazy if they can't even read a map on their own."
She said nothing, but the small smile flickering over her lips told him she didn't completely disagree. They walked in silence for a time, Seifer swinging lazy circles through the air with Hyperion as Quistis scanned the darkened clumps of foliage along their path.
This time of night, no one else was around; unlike other cities there was not even a bum sleeping on a bench, nor a drunk relieving himself on a nearby tree. The only other sounds aside from nature around them were the occasional whirrs of small robots passing by, searching futilely for trash to collect.
Ahead of them the statue thrust out of the groundatop a shining pedestal of polished stone. It was illuminated by four large flood lights positioned at each corner. Wrought out of dull metal, it stood at about two times Seifer's height -- a replica of the man they'd met earlier that day. He stood in a slightly clichéd heroic pose, a gun at his hip, and his other arm raised victoriously. The caption below announced: In honor of President Laguna Liore, whose brave actions liberated the people of Esthar from the Sorceress Adel
Seifer took a cursory look aroundand found they were the only ones there.
"You and your damn need to be everywhere early." He cast an irritated look in Quistis' direction. "We could have spent more time at the bar. I could be on my way to drunk right now."
"That only makes me relieved I did decide to head here early." Her remark was dry and she didn't even look at him.
He let out a brief snort and crossed his arms, leaning back against the stone pedestal. "You're just worried that if I get too much alcohol in me, I'll do something stupid like kiss you again."
She was startled by the comment, but made no show of it, relieved the dim light hid the blush that lifted to her cheeks.
"I'd have to think about it in order to worry about it, and as a matter of fact I'd completely forgotten the incident."
"Bullshit," he murmured, and she could feel the heat of his body radiating against her back as he moved into her personal space.
He fingered a lock of her hair and she tensed, her spine going straight as a rod. However, her pride kept her from stepping away. She could feel the rough brush of his knuckles over the back of her neck and an involuntary shiver arched through her.
"You can't tell me you haven't thought about it." His voice was low, and seemed to be drowned out by the beating of her heart. "I'll just bet you want me to do it again."
Her tongue darted out to wet her lower lip as she struggled to make her voice sound normal. "I'd rein in that ego a bit Seifer. You're flattering yourself."
"I didn't hear a denial."
Quistis turned her head to look up at him and he was close enough that she could smell the subtle hint of cologne. She took a step backso that she wouldn't need to tilt her head at an awkward angle to keep his gaze. Nervous anticipation coiled in her belly as he stared back at her and she found herself wondering if she really did want him to kiss her again. The man was insufferable, arrogant, caustic, and tactless. But right now he was like an anchor in the storm that had become her life. Familiar and real, his presence engulfed her and she found her judgment slipping away like the mists in a strong wind when she was around him. There were a million reasons why she shouldn't want nor allow him to kiss her again, but he crowded against her body, one strong arm sliding around her waist, palm spread wide against her lower back, and those reasons fizzled out. She felt delicate and feminine with his large frame pressed to hers, and her breath caught in her throat as he lowered his head.
For a long moment neither one of them moved, heads close their breaths mingled. Then Quistis' eyes fluttered shut as his lips brushed against hers. The breath she didn't realize she'd been holding released as his mouth closed hungrily over hers. Seifer's hand slid up against the back of her neck, curling there as his fingers tangled in her hair. Her own hands bunched at the hem of his shirt, her fingers pressing into his sides as her lips parted against his in an involuntary moan. She could feel his self-satisfied smirk against her mouth and closed her teeth over his lower lip, tugging, and was rewarded with his hand fisting in her hair.
Her fingertips curled under the hem of his t-shirt, tugging it up just enough to graze along the skin there. Goosebumps rose over his flesh and the hand on her back slid lower, cupping the curve of her ass.
Then someone cleared their throat, loud and deliberate. They jerked apart like guilty teenagers and Quistis could feel the heat rising in her cheeks as they stood dumbly catching their breaths under the long shadow of the statue.
Ellone was before them smiling, not even bothering to conceal her amusement. She was still wearing the robe from earlier but had pushed the hood away to reveal her familiar face. She cocked her head, hair falling across her cheek as she watched them. Seifer seemed unconcerned, though perhaps a bit annoyed.
Ellone couldn't help herself: "I didn't interrupt anything did I?"
He grinned at her in that way she knew he wouldand shrugged. "Probably a good thing you arrived when you did. Any later and you might have gotten a show."
Quistis turned a glare on him that would have cut steel, swinging one limb out to elbow him in the gut. He wheezed out a breath of surprise and discomfort, folding his arms protectively over his stomach.
"What the hell was that for!?"
"Shut up, Seifer."
Ellone stifled her laughter valiantly, all too reminded of her short time at the orphanage with the two people before her. It seemed they really hadn't changed all that much.
Quistis seemed tense and Ellone sobered immediately, sensing the other woman's embarrassment. She smiled, stepping further into the light so that it shone against her hair and the silk of her dress.
"I'm sorry to have kept you both waiting, but thank you for coming to meet me here. It's important that no one knows of this."
They exchanged glances before nodding at her.
"I suppose I ought to explain why I asked for you to come here." She brushed her hands over the long skirts of the robe, smoothing away imaginary wrinkles. "It's been impossible to reach anyone outside of the city. I've tried to contact Balamb Garden but there's some sort of shield in place that blocks transmissions. I also have my doubt about the regular mail system, but I sent a letter out anyway."
She let out a long sigh, leaning back against the pedestal of the statue and her companions watched her, their own expressions serious.
"Several days ago when my Uncle left for the trial with Kiros and Ward I stayed behind at the Presidential Palace to oversee basic things until their return. The board of advisors always handles all important decisions though." She waved a hand, returning to the topic. "We got word that Uncle's airship had gone down that evening. I assumed they'd send out a search party at once... but nothing happened. They told the people of Esthar that they were looking for him, but it was a lie. I didn't understand why nothing was being done. I tried to meet with the advisors. They kept giving me excuses, and it was only a few days after that Uncle reappeared. I don't know how he came back, or what happened to Kiros and Ward. I haven't been alone with him at all. But I saw enough to know that it wasn't Laguna who came back to us. He looks like him, but it's not him. I can tell."
Quistis' eyes widened and she nodded. "Of course, something did seem off about him when he met us earlier today."
"You should know that you're probably in danger here. After I realized it wasn't my Uncle who had returned I started snooping around. I'm too conspicuous so I couldn't find much. But Dr. Odine came by several times within a short span of time, and I heard that there was some construction going on which Laguna had authorized a large budget for. If Odine Labs is involved, it could be anything."
"That could be what Jittery came to tell you about." Seifer spoke up from where he was sitting across the top of a nearby bench.
Quistis nodded and met Ellone's questioning look. "A scientist from Odine Labs came to negotiate with Balamb Garden. We didn't learn much from him before he was killed. There's no hard evidence and Cid's being accused. That's why we came here."
"If it does have something to do with whatever is going on with the false Laguna, they won't let you find out anything important. For now, you can't let on you know anything. We have to try and figure out what their plan is and get word to Squall."
Both women failed to notice the scowl that passed over Seifer's face at the mention of the Commander.
"Ellone… you need to be careful as well. Until we figure out what's going on you could be danger." Quistis tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, blinking through weary eyes. "You should try and keep a low profile. As you said earlier, you're conspicuous. We don't want you getting hurt, and we won't be able to keep enough of an eye on you while we're investigating."
The brunette nodded, slipping her hood back into place. "I'm completely anonymous. A friend of mine working for the records offices got me a false identity for now. I can work at the restaurant playing piano and as long as I keep this up…" She indicated the hood, "I'm safe."
"I never knew you played…" Quistis checked the time on her comm. device, regretful that their meeting was under such circumstances.
Ellone shrugged, a brief smile passing over her lips from beneath the shadow of the low hood. "Uncle had a toy piano at his home in Winhill… I sort of played around on it. I'm alright." She let out a soft sigh, clearly thinking back on the man she loved like a father, one who was most likely gone for good. "You two watch out for one another, promise me. I don't want to lose anyone else."
Uncomfortable with the emotions hanging in the air, Seifer pushed off from the bench, hooking his gunblade at his belt. "You bet I'll keep my eye on Trepe here. Wouldn't want her to get hurt."
Quistis shot him a scowl, folding her arms over her chest. "You should watch your own ass Seifer. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself."
He smirked back at her, a knowing glint in his eyes and she made a low sound of exasperation before turning back to Ellone. "We'll let you know if we find anything. Are you okay heading home alone?"
"Of course. I'm renting a small place not far from here. Be safe."
She raised one hand in a brief wave, before turning and walking away, becoming little more than a dim silhouette against the low lights before she completely disappeared from view.