Chapter 6
Squall was true to his word. He always ensured that Yannie was never alone. A fully qualified SeeD was always with her. They were under strict conditions to speak in quiet tones and not scare her at all. She was never to go out of their sight. She was also allowed free access of garden, except for the training centre, which Squall did more for the safety of the monsters there rather than for her.
Squall was in the library looking for a book on weapon maintenance when Rinoa found him.
"Squall, I want a word."
"Sure." He went to kiss her, but she flinched away. "What's the matter?"
"Let's go outside." She walked out. Squall, puzzled, followed. '
"Rinoa, what is this about?"
"I think you know what this is about." She turned and looked down at the pool that circled the inner area of Garden. "Yannie." Squall sighed.
"Haven't we already been over this? You are the only one who has a problem with her."
"I know, but I just don't like her." She turned to face Squall.
"You heard what she had to say. You know that deep down she is a good person. If I can forgive her for what she did, surely you can too? You got to give her a chance. She's not the evil girl you make her out to be."
"Maybe not." She ran her fingers through her hair. "But there is just something about her. I don't know what it is, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Something, not quite right."
"You're being paranoid" Rinoa was silent for a moment. Then she said
"I don't know." She looked away. "I don't know what to believe anymore. Ever since I was taken over by the sorceress power, I doubt myself."
"I don't doubt you." He took her hand. "I don't care what happens in the future. I'm here now."
"Then do one thing for me."
"What?" He honestly believed that he would do anything for her.
"Send her away." She said. "I don't care where, but away from me. I bet Odine labs would have a field day with her. Just send her away. Please. For me?" Squall was amazed. He had never seen Rinoa act this way. He thought she would have more compassion, especially considering that her and Yannie both shared the same traits, uncontrollable power.
"I don't believe you!" Squall said, trying not to shout. "I can't send her to Odine, to be tested on like a lab rat. You of all people should know how that feels." He wiped his brow. "I'm sorry, no, I can't do it. Rinoa, you know I'd do anything for you, but not this. You understand don't you?"
"Fine, it's a simple choice then!" she shouted, not bothering to lower her voice. "Me or her?"
"Rinoa..." Squall said nothing for a moment. "Please don't make me choose..." He could feel her eyes boring right through his head.
"You shouldn't have to think about it." She stamped her foot on the ground. "Why are you being like this. Just get rid of her!"
"Rinoa, what has got into you?" even when she was possessed, he never saw her act like this.
"Do it!" she wasn't even bothering to lower her voice. Squall said nothing. He could almost swear he saw her eyes flicker with gold. "Fine, that's it. We are through!" she stormed of in the direction of the entrance.
"No! Rinoa..." he stood there dumbfounded. Crowds of people had gathered around and were watching in anticipation. "What are you all looking at?! Group dismissed!" He sat down on a bench head held in hands. The people were still stood there. "Did you hear me? I said GO!" The crowd dispersed, and Squall was left alone. All alone.
*******************************
Yannie had been at Garden for about a week. She had put on a few desperately needed pounds, and her general appearance was more tame, and clean. Squall and the team had looked after her well. She was never alone, which she thought could be a pain sometimes, but generally, she didn't mind. The only thing that had not been tamed was the power that she held within. She sometimes felt it building when she became stressed, and had to often sit alone as to not let the volcano erupt. The kind Doctor, what was her name, Kado... something? had checked her over, and try to determine the cause of her problem. But she was just a general practitioner, not nearly trained enough to deal with this type of disorder.
Earlier in the week, Squall had taken her to the Quad. There was lots of space here, and he assumed that she couldn't do too much damage. He made sure that no one was around. Then he asked her to do her worst magically to a mannequin he had made. She had tried and tried, but she couldn't even get a spark of electricity. She was about to give up when two younger classmen walked by.
"Hey look, there's that freak girl!" shouted one of them, loud enough that she could hear them.
"Yeah, she is such a loser!" sniggered one of them. "I bet you she can't do magic. I bet it's a lie."
"I don't know why she is here." Replied the other. "This place is for REAL magic users." Yannie could feel her anger rising, and also her power. She turned and focused on the dummy.
"What a chicken wuss!" She could feel the energy rising, sending wave upon wave of heat through her body.
"I hope that she 'magics' herself to death." She shut her eyes and tried to focus the power on the dummy.
"Loser!" Bolts of pure energy shot out from her fingers. Try as she may though, it ran wild. Fire, lightning, ice, wind, randomly spreading everywhere. She tried to get it to attack the dummy, but failed. Once the storm had subsided, she fell to the floor.
"Its no good." She mumbled. "I can't control it." Squall did not hear her. He was in a state of shock. He walked over to the two boys. She couldn't hear what he said, but saw him hand over some coins of Gil. So, it was a set-up. She didn't know whether to feel betrayed or whatever. Squall took her by the hand and led her to her room. Afterwards she became very depressed.
Yannie was close to despair and had almost given of hope of a cure when she received a small parcel.
The door knocked.
"Come in." she answered. In walked a young SeeD by the name of Gered. He had been assigned to 'Yannie Duty' as they had now duped it.
"Miss Ocaspe," he began, "I'm sorry to disturb you, but I had a parcel for you."
"Huh?" Yannie was confused. She had never in her life received even a letter and now someone had sent her a parcel. "Who is it off?" Gered looked at the medium sized box he held in his hand.
"Don't say." He handed it to her. On the top of the box were written her name and the address of Garden in gothic pointy handwriting. She sat and looked at it on her lap. "You gonna open it?"
"Could you leave me alone please." Gered looked disappointed. He sighed and walked to the door of Yannie's dorm. Before he left, Yannie said, "Thank you."
"Anytime." was the reply as the young blonde haired man walked out and shut the door. Yannie did nothing for a few minutes. All the possible scenarios ran through her head. What if it was a bomb? She knew very well that there were a lot of people out there who wanted her dead. But they wouldn't send it here. Not with all these other people. Would they?
She decided to take her chances and opened the box. What was inside was a surprise.
It was a large silver bangle. It was Six inches long, and looked as if it would cover most of the forearm. On second thoughts, perhaps it is some sort of armour. It had small circles of clear glass in it. She just looked at it, debating weather to try it on. She had come this far, she thought. Why not go for it.
She was about to put it on, when she noticed a note at the bottom of the box. It was written in the same hand as the address.
"Everyone has a purpose. Find yours."
Everyone has a purpose? Find yours? What did that mean? Well thinking about it won't get answers. She opened the clasps and slid her arm into the metal bangle. Immediately, the clasps shut with a 'click'. She panicked and tried to get it off. But it wouldn't budge. The whole of her left forearm was now covered in metal. The small clear circles of crystals were now glowing different shades. Some were blues, some red, orange, pink, purple, yellow, green, every colour in the spectrum was contained in these crystals.
Surprisingly, it felt very comfortable. It fit her arm exactly. As if it had been made for her. She felt different too. Somehow calmer, once the panic had worn off. In a way she felt in control. She needed to see someone, preferably Squall, and soon.
Squall was true to his word. He always ensured that Yannie was never alone. A fully qualified SeeD was always with her. They were under strict conditions to speak in quiet tones and not scare her at all. She was never to go out of their sight. She was also allowed free access of garden, except for the training centre, which Squall did more for the safety of the monsters there rather than for her.
Squall was in the library looking for a book on weapon maintenance when Rinoa found him.
"Squall, I want a word."
"Sure." He went to kiss her, but she flinched away. "What's the matter?"
"Let's go outside." She walked out. Squall, puzzled, followed. '
"Rinoa, what is this about?"
"I think you know what this is about." She turned and looked down at the pool that circled the inner area of Garden. "Yannie." Squall sighed.
"Haven't we already been over this? You are the only one who has a problem with her."
"I know, but I just don't like her." She turned to face Squall.
"You heard what she had to say. You know that deep down she is a good person. If I can forgive her for what she did, surely you can too? You got to give her a chance. She's not the evil girl you make her out to be."
"Maybe not." She ran her fingers through her hair. "But there is just something about her. I don't know what it is, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Something, not quite right."
"You're being paranoid" Rinoa was silent for a moment. Then she said
"I don't know." She looked away. "I don't know what to believe anymore. Ever since I was taken over by the sorceress power, I doubt myself."
"I don't doubt you." He took her hand. "I don't care what happens in the future. I'm here now."
"Then do one thing for me."
"What?" He honestly believed that he would do anything for her.
"Send her away." She said. "I don't care where, but away from me. I bet Odine labs would have a field day with her. Just send her away. Please. For me?" Squall was amazed. He had never seen Rinoa act this way. He thought she would have more compassion, especially considering that her and Yannie both shared the same traits, uncontrollable power.
"I don't believe you!" Squall said, trying not to shout. "I can't send her to Odine, to be tested on like a lab rat. You of all people should know how that feels." He wiped his brow. "I'm sorry, no, I can't do it. Rinoa, you know I'd do anything for you, but not this. You understand don't you?"
"Fine, it's a simple choice then!" she shouted, not bothering to lower her voice. "Me or her?"
"Rinoa..." Squall said nothing for a moment. "Please don't make me choose..." He could feel her eyes boring right through his head.
"You shouldn't have to think about it." She stamped her foot on the ground. "Why are you being like this. Just get rid of her!"
"Rinoa, what has got into you?" even when she was possessed, he never saw her act like this.
"Do it!" she wasn't even bothering to lower her voice. Squall said nothing. He could almost swear he saw her eyes flicker with gold. "Fine, that's it. We are through!" she stormed of in the direction of the entrance.
"No! Rinoa..." he stood there dumbfounded. Crowds of people had gathered around and were watching in anticipation. "What are you all looking at?! Group dismissed!" He sat down on a bench head held in hands. The people were still stood there. "Did you hear me? I said GO!" The crowd dispersed, and Squall was left alone. All alone.
*******************************
Yannie had been at Garden for about a week. She had put on a few desperately needed pounds, and her general appearance was more tame, and clean. Squall and the team had looked after her well. She was never alone, which she thought could be a pain sometimes, but generally, she didn't mind. The only thing that had not been tamed was the power that she held within. She sometimes felt it building when she became stressed, and had to often sit alone as to not let the volcano erupt. The kind Doctor, what was her name, Kado... something? had checked her over, and try to determine the cause of her problem. But she was just a general practitioner, not nearly trained enough to deal with this type of disorder.
Earlier in the week, Squall had taken her to the Quad. There was lots of space here, and he assumed that she couldn't do too much damage. He made sure that no one was around. Then he asked her to do her worst magically to a mannequin he had made. She had tried and tried, but she couldn't even get a spark of electricity. She was about to give up when two younger classmen walked by.
"Hey look, there's that freak girl!" shouted one of them, loud enough that she could hear them.
"Yeah, she is such a loser!" sniggered one of them. "I bet you she can't do magic. I bet it's a lie."
"I don't know why she is here." Replied the other. "This place is for REAL magic users." Yannie could feel her anger rising, and also her power. She turned and focused on the dummy.
"What a chicken wuss!" She could feel the energy rising, sending wave upon wave of heat through her body.
"I hope that she 'magics' herself to death." She shut her eyes and tried to focus the power on the dummy.
"Loser!" Bolts of pure energy shot out from her fingers. Try as she may though, it ran wild. Fire, lightning, ice, wind, randomly spreading everywhere. She tried to get it to attack the dummy, but failed. Once the storm had subsided, she fell to the floor.
"Its no good." She mumbled. "I can't control it." Squall did not hear her. He was in a state of shock. He walked over to the two boys. She couldn't hear what he said, but saw him hand over some coins of Gil. So, it was a set-up. She didn't know whether to feel betrayed or whatever. Squall took her by the hand and led her to her room. Afterwards she became very depressed.
Yannie was close to despair and had almost given of hope of a cure when she received a small parcel.
The door knocked.
"Come in." she answered. In walked a young SeeD by the name of Gered. He had been assigned to 'Yannie Duty' as they had now duped it.
"Miss Ocaspe," he began, "I'm sorry to disturb you, but I had a parcel for you."
"Huh?" Yannie was confused. She had never in her life received even a letter and now someone had sent her a parcel. "Who is it off?" Gered looked at the medium sized box he held in his hand.
"Don't say." He handed it to her. On the top of the box were written her name and the address of Garden in gothic pointy handwriting. She sat and looked at it on her lap. "You gonna open it?"
"Could you leave me alone please." Gered looked disappointed. He sighed and walked to the door of Yannie's dorm. Before he left, Yannie said, "Thank you."
"Anytime." was the reply as the young blonde haired man walked out and shut the door. Yannie did nothing for a few minutes. All the possible scenarios ran through her head. What if it was a bomb? She knew very well that there were a lot of people out there who wanted her dead. But they wouldn't send it here. Not with all these other people. Would they?
She decided to take her chances and opened the box. What was inside was a surprise.
It was a large silver bangle. It was Six inches long, and looked as if it would cover most of the forearm. On second thoughts, perhaps it is some sort of armour. It had small circles of clear glass in it. She just looked at it, debating weather to try it on. She had come this far, she thought. Why not go for it.
She was about to put it on, when she noticed a note at the bottom of the box. It was written in the same hand as the address.
"Everyone has a purpose. Find yours."
Everyone has a purpose? Find yours? What did that mean? Well thinking about it won't get answers. She opened the clasps and slid her arm into the metal bangle. Immediately, the clasps shut with a 'click'. She panicked and tried to get it off. But it wouldn't budge. The whole of her left forearm was now covered in metal. The small clear circles of crystals were now glowing different shades. Some were blues, some red, orange, pink, purple, yellow, green, every colour in the spectrum was contained in these crystals.
Surprisingly, it felt very comfortable. It fit her arm exactly. As if it had been made for her. She felt different too. Somehow calmer, once the panic had worn off. In a way she felt in control. She needed to see someone, preferably Squall, and soon.