One Can Hope
By Raine Ishida and RobertDogwood@aol.com
Chapter Five
Zell didn't know which was worse. Shopping with Mina, or sharing a room with Mina. Not only did she lock the door when she was in the bathroom, but she was always fully dressed for night or day when she came out.
At least the hotel had screwed up and they'd gotten a room with one bed. However, Zell respected her, and knew that if he let his hands get out of control, he'd taste a bit of her fist. And that was a fist that packed a powerful chomp.
Out of habit, he'd always sleep on the wrong side. However, to him, it was the right side of the bed. To Mina, it was the wrong side.
That night in Deling, when she exited the bathroom, fully prepared to sleep the night away, (Damn, Zell thought) the first thing she did was leap atop Zell and shake him out of his zone of thought.
"Ack! What the hell? What are you doing?" he cried, snapping out of his trance.
"I'm getting you off my side," Mina replied with a grin, sitting on top of his chest. "Or do I have to use force?"
Zell gave a snide grin. "Force? Sounds kinky. Try that."
That resulted in a slap from Mina, and he cried out, "Okay, okay! I'll move! Sheesh."
At last, the light was out, Mina was content, as was Zell. For it wasn't often he got to sleep in the same bed with his girlfriend.
"Night Mimi," he whispered, planting a gentle kiss on the side of her face. She was already half asleep and could only muster up a smile in return.
Draping his arm over her waist, Zell fell asleep to the sound of Mina's soft breathing.
………………..
Selphie finally decided she and Irvine should just travel on the Balamb train to Timber, since the Ragnarok was busy flying different groups hither and yon and back again. Unfortunately she didn't reach this decision until most of the day had passed, consequently she and Irvine didn't arrive in Timber until long past dark.
Stepping down from the train in the center of Timber, Selphie directed Irvine left and they walked quickly along until pausing in front of the building next to the Timber Maniacs building. Knocking gently on the door, they waited patiently for someone to come to the door. Selphie distinguished from a tiny circle of light that was momentarily visible from the house that someone was peering at them through a peep hole.
The door opened and Selphie immediately recognized the rotund figure of Rinoa's friend, Sayoko, the erstwhile leader of the presently defunct Forest Foxes.
"Why, Selphie!" Sayoko exclaimed, "What a surprise! Is Rinoa with you?" she asked, while peering past Selphie into the street.
"No," Selphie explained, "Rinoa's needed back at the Garden. We have a bit of a problem. May we come in?"
"Of course, of course," Sayoko responded. "How rude of me to leave you all standing outside. I was just so surprised to see you after all this time."
Stepping first into the downstairs living area, Selphie, followed closely by Irvine, noticed that everything still looked the same, including the glowering expression of Sayoko's seventeen year old daughter, Kyoko. Selphie figured it was safe to assume that Kyoko remembered Selphie's cutting remark that her mother's beauty must surely be a legend.
Sayoko invited them to sit around the table and served them something to eat, despite Selphie and Irvine's protestations to the contrary. After eating with them, Sayoko pushed back slightly from the table, smiled and asked, "Just what seems to be the trouble?"
Selphie quickly explained the mysterious disappearance of Ellone and their quest to locate her as quickly as possible.
"No, I haven't heard a thing," Sayoko replied, shaking her head. Glancing at her watch and perceiving it was already past eleven at night, Sayoko continued, "Since it's already so late, you're more than welcome to spend the night. Take the first bedroom on the left."
Standing up from the table, Sayoko stifled a yawn, excused herself and stated, "I don't even know if Zone and Watts are in town. I haven't seen them in over a week. If you can find them, maybe they'll know something."
Sayoko then excused herself and went upstairs to her bedroom.
Irvine sat with a large grin on his vacuous appearing face looking forward to the long night to be spent together with Selphie in the same bedroom.
Selphie suddenly demanded, "Irvine! Wipe that silly look off your face and let's go!"
"Go?" Irvine echoed, "Go where?"
"Why out to look for Zone and Watts, of course!" Selphie explained, while arising from the table and then pulling Irvine to his feet.
"But Selphie," Irvine complained, "I was thinking of going to bed. I'm tired."
"Yeah, I know what you were thinking," Selphie retorted in a sarcastic tone. "You were thinking of going to bed alright, but it had nothing to do with sleep!"
"Now come on!" she directed while pulling him outside the house, making sure to glance around first for anything suspicious.
They walked from one end of Timber to the other, not passing a solitary soul on their journey. The houses were all darkened and it was unnaturally quiet for a town of this size.
Selphie declared, "I know it's late, but it's not that late. There's something odd going on around here."
Irvine suggested, "Why don't we go see if anything's happening at the pub?"
Selphie was agreeable to this suggestion, having no other options at this point and they briskly set off down the street back to where they had began their nocturnal journey. Immediately upon beginning to step down the staircase that led to the Amphor Pub, they both realized there was still some life to the town, as loud raucous rock and roll was emanating from inside the pub.
Irvine held the pub door open for Selphie, and as she stepped inside she couldn't believe her own eyes. Selphie had never seen the pub like this before. It was completely jam packed with people from one end of the pub to the other.
Following quickly upon Selphie's heels, Irvine noticed that the crowd consisted mainly of rough looking men of all varieties, including a number of burly bikers and some army officers wearing uniforms unfamiliar to Irvine, plus several well known ladies of the evening.
There were so many people crammed into such a small space, Selphie and Irvine's sudden appearance appeared to go completely unnoticed by the inhabitants of the pub.
The jukebox was turned up so loud that Selphie had to scream to be heard by Irvine, who was standing beside her. "What are we going to do now?" Selphie shouted. "If Zone and Watts are here, we'd never be able to find them!"
Irvine screamed in return. "Let's just wait until it clears out a little! I'll get us some drinks! Why don't you squeeze yourself in that corner over there and wait for me?!"
Selphie nodded in agreement to save her already slightly damaged vocal cords. A few minutes later, Irvine reappeared through the crowd holding two large sized glasses in his hands. Giving one to Selphie, he took a sip out of his.
"What is this?!" Selphie shouted to be heard.
"Sake!" replied Irvine.
"Sake?!" Selphie hollered. "I never saw Sake served like this!"
Irvine explained in a loud tone, "I asked for it like that! So I wouldn't have to go back through that crowd to the bar anytime soon!"
Selphie tentatively took a sip. Yeah, it's Sake alright, she thought, as she immediately felt the warmth from the drink spread throughout her body. Discovering it to be to her liking, Selphie took another sip and then another. She felt the alcohol spreading through her body, soothing her jangled nerves and causing her to feel less impatient.
As the din from the crowd and the extremely loud music precluded any idle chit-chat from occurring between she and Irvine, Selphie sipped her drink while keeping a constant eye out for Zone and Watts. She scarcely noticed when she finished her first glass and immediately had another one placed in her hand by the ever enterprising Irvine.
Taking another sip, Selphie recognized she was already enveloped in the warm, hazy, comfortable stage of intoxication, but presently didn't care. I can use a break, she thought indignantly as though someone was arguing with her.
Selphie took a large gulp and coughed for a second and then tugged on the sleeve of Irvine's long cattleman's coat to get his attention. "What, Selphie?" Irvine asked, leaning down in her face in order to hear her.
Selphie thought Irvine appeared a little green and giggled. "Irvy," Selphie slightly slurred. "Maybe we should be heading back. I feel a little lightheaded."
As though he was offering her his answer, Irvine began to kiss her, slipping his tongue into her mouth at the first opportunity. Selphie moaned lowly and returned his kiss in earnest, while thinking, What is going on here? It was her last conscious thought for the next several hours.
………………..
It was three o'clock in the morning. In her bedroom, she tossed her head back and forth on the plush pillow viciously. The room was swirling in purple and black, trying to swallow her, it seemed. A giant Ultima, or maybe even the dreaded Apocalypse…
Was it so? No, it couldn't be. She wouldn't know about Apocalypse…how could she? She'd never heard of such a spell…only sorceresses used such spells…
A cackle. She grabbed at her head, her eyes shut tight as she held her hands on her head, tugging at her short brown hair.
"I will not let you take me!" she cried into the night, now aware of the darkness that swirled closer around her.
Ellone threw her covers from her sweaty body and ran to the window. She attempted to open it, one hand on her forehead to keep herself calm. The window wouldn't budge.
Another cackle. Who was laughing at her? Who was there?
"Is there someone there? Help me!" Elle cried, scampering from corner to corner. Her bare feet smacked the hard wood of the floor and finally, she retired her whining and squatted in a corner, her hands covering her face to muffle her sobs.
"Somebody help me…I don't know what's going on!" she cried between sobs. "Squall…brother, save me!" she screamed, as fear and pain took over as the darkness surrounding her overwhelmed her.
Without so much as another cry of agony, Ellone passed out on the cold floor.
………………..
Squall was laying on his stomach with his elbows, knees and boots dug as deeply as possible into the ground several hundred yards outside of Seifer's camp, which lay on the plains just outside of the Sollet Mountains near Esthar, with a pair of high powered binoculars held up to his eyes constantly scanning the camp area. He had been here since just before dawn. It didn't even appear that anyone was up yet, except for a few sleepy and forlorn appearing sentries posted in very direction on the outer fringes of the camp.
Squall had spent the night sleeping fitfully in a fifteen gil a night hole in the wall in Underground Esthar. He seriously hoped he didn't bring home any unwanted little visitors for Rinoa, but he purposely stayed at the scummiest place he could find, in order to keep a low profile. The tenants at the place he chose to stay were so drunk, they didn't know who they were anymore, much less pay any attention to him.
Squall had arisen at four o'clock in the morning, traveled topside and rented an automobile and drove to a mile away from Seifer's camp. He then set off on foot and arrived just before the sun came up for the day. It was beginning to grow warm and Squall wiped the perspiration from his brow to keep it from running down into his eyes. He had no idea of what he was to do once Seifer arrived on the scene, but he continued to watch diligently for any sign of Ellone or a girl fitting the description he had of Laurie.
………………..
Laurie cried out in terror in her sleep. She didn't realize she was dreaming. It was all real time to her. Great swirling clouds of purple and black enveloped her. She had no idea where she was. Suddenly she heard a woman sobbing.
"Who's there?!" Laurie screamed.
A voice in return cried out, "Squall…brother, save me!"
The clouds cleared for a second. Laurie observed a young woman in a corner sobbing. Her clothing appeared so familiar to Laurie, but she just couldn't seem to recognize her in the hideous surroundings.
"Who are you?" Laurie shouted.
The woman turned and looked at her, fear and anguish written across her features.
Laurie sat straight up from a sound sleep, her heart pounding as adrenaline raced through her body. God, that was horrible, she thought, and who was that poor woman?
Suddenly Laurie was struck by a twofold realization; this was the nightmare she had begun to experience as far back as New Jersey and the woman was Ellone!
"Is this why I'm here?" Laurie questioned aloud.
Remembering that her feeling of dread back home had dictated that Raine also be present, Laurie quickly recognized it was why they were here…to save Ellone from something horrible!
Laurie lay back on the floor and wrapped her robe tightly around her, as she felt a sudden chill. But how were they to do that? And where was Raine?
Laurie fell back into an uneasy sleep, her mind filled with many unanswered questions.
………………..
Raine restlessly wandered around Mina's small dormitory room. She wondered how Mina and Zell were doing in Deling City and prayed they were safe. She found herself wishing Mina hadn't gone. She missed the fiery young woman tremendously and even though she had Rinoa to talk with, she wasn't comfortable sharing with Rinoa her present problem. That's why she purposely hadn't gone out to search for her and, in her present state of mind, she hoped that Rinoa didn't come searching for her. Someone had knocked on the door to Mina's room an hour earlier, and Raine had stood stock still, not even breathing, until she gratefully heard footsteps receding down the corridor. She felt more than slightly guilty, and would feel even more so if it turned out to have been Rinoa, because the ebony-haired woman had been truly wonderful to her, since her time-compression arrival from 2001.
Raine stepped from place to place, picking up Mina's personal items mindlessly and then setting them back. She even began to open drawers in her attempt to escape her agitation and suddenly found a journal laying under a neatly stacked pile of Mina's lingerie. Picking it up, Raine observed that Mina had written across the cover – Mina's Diary…Keep out under penalty of pain of death…This means you, Zell! Raine dropped it back in the drawer, as if it were on fire. I haven't stooped that low…yet, she thought.
Closing the drawer, Raine crossed the room and flopped down on Mina's bed. What am I to do? she thought forlornly. I love Kazuya so much. How could I choose to leave him? Love? How could I love him? I know nothing about him. Raine realized Kazuya was an enigma to her and his life a mystery.
Remembering the sweet taste of his lips upon hers and his soft embraces, Raine mused, Is that all I need to know? Am I overanalyzing like usual? But shouldn't love grow from a common ground? Isn't that what I've always been told? Love at first sight?…hogwash!
Rising up from the bed, Raine paced the small room, mired deep in confusion. Somebody help me please, she pleaded inside her mind. Am I supposed to never see my family again because of him? Yes!" her body cried out to her. "Please," her soul entreated.
But what about my novels that I'm to write? Am I to give that up also?
"Intellectual vanity" her mind answered. "Can you build your happiness with books? Can you cuddle up to a dictionary on a cold winter's evening?"
And besides that, Raine admitted to herself, I don't want to leave the Garden! I wanna stay here and become a SeeD! I want to pass Squall down a corridor and nod at him and receive a slight smile in return. I want to hang out with Rinoa and laugh and talk. I want to go places with Mina and I want to look at Zell from across the cafeteria table every day at breakfast. And I love Kazuya!
Raine threw herself down again across Mina's bed and began to cry softly to herself.
Later…Raine stood up from the bed and crossed to Mina's small makeup table. Pulling a few tissues from the tissue box, she wiped her face dry of her tears. Considering and then rejecting using Mina's cosmetics, Raine crossed to the door. Flinging the door open and boldly stepping into the corridor as if into a brave new world, Raine thought desperately, I need a sign to tell me what to do.
And Raine immediately observed Kazuya standing patiently, at the end of the long dormitory hallway, waiting for her to emerge from her cocoon. Kazuya's face lit up in a glorious smile at the sight of her. "I thought you were in there," he cried out. "I would have waited all day."
………………..
Sunlight pouring through the open bedroom window is what initially awakened Selphie. Her head pounding with pain, Selphie groaned and sat up in bed, momentarily distracted by the sight of Irvine sleeping next to her, before she remembered where she was and why Irvine would be occupying a position he had never before obtained.
Suddenly the realization struck the shocked Selphie that she was currently bereft of any outer apparel and was wearing only underwear. Throwing the solitary sheet off the slumbering Irvine, she perceived that he also was in an extremely underdressed condition, wearing only the briefest of bikini underwear. Completely leaping to conclusions as was her wont, Selphie began to assault Irvine in his most sensitive area.
"OW!" Irvine began screaming. "Selphie, stop it!"
Continuing to batter him with her two fists, Selphie exclaimed, "What did you do, you pervert?! And where is my dress?"
Irvine managed to finally roll away from Selphie and sat up quickly, guarding Selphie's target with his hands.
"Calm down," he pleaded weakly, barely able to speak. "You got sick on the way home and threw up all over yourself and me. Sayoko took our clothes to be cleaned this morning."
Before Selphie could respond, a knock came at the door. "That's probably her now," explained Irvine, who was feeling a bit stronger.
Irvine began to wrap the top sheet around himself in order to journey to the bedroom door and admit Sayoko. "Oh no you don't!" Selphie protested clasping the other end of the sheet.
Thus ensured a bitterly contested tug of war over the sheet with Selphie finally emerging as the victor. As Selphie stood up from the bed and carefully wrapped herself in the sheet, Irvine retreated to the back part of the bedroom and stood with his face turned to the wall in order to save Sayoko from any nasty surprises as he had lost his bikini briefs in the scuffle.
Opening the bedroom door, Selphie was delighted to observe Sayoko standing with their clean clothes.
"Here you go, Selphie," Sayoko said while handing the clothes over. Noticing Irvine's ignominious position in the back of the room, Sayoko grinned to herself. That Selphie sure is a pistol, she thought.
"Oh, thank you so much," Selphie gushed. "I don't know what we would have done without you."
"My pleasure," Sayoko smiled. "Watts and Zone are waiting for you downstairs," she explained and then turned and headed back downstairs.
Closing the door, Selphie turned and observed Irvine facing her. No longer filled with rage, Selphie suddenly noticed that Irvine was totally bereft of clothing and, blushing furiously, she averted her eyes.
Picking up her Strange Vision which was conveniently laying near her on the floor, Selphie brandished it at Irvine and ordered him to turn his back until she had completed dressing. Irvine instantly complied, because he had felt the touch of that weapon more than once recently and wasn't in a hurry to experience that particular brand of pain again, any time soon.
Selphie quickly dressed while keeping a close eye on Irvine and, pausing at the door, ordered, "Now hurry up and get dressed and come downstairs."
Selphie left the bedroom and traveled down the stairs to the first floor. Observing Zone and Watts sitting at the dining table, Selphie crossed to them and made the necessary small talk before launching into the details of her and Irvine's mission, when Irvine stiffly walked down the staircase, as if he were an invalid. Selphie quickly explained their quest to Zone and Watts.
Zone replied, "Those hooligans who you saw at the pub last night have been arriving and leaving every few days for the past two weeks. The crew that was there last evening came in yesterday morning."
"Who are they and where do they come from?' Selphie asked.
Zone shook his head. "I'm sorry. I don't have any idea. But the bartender told me this morning that he overheard some of them talking last night and they said they were returning to Esthar today."
Selphie exclaimed with some surprise in her voice, "Esthar?! That's where Squall went to search for a girl, who was kidnapped from the Garden. I wonder if they're connected?"
Turning to Irvine, Selphie ordered, "Come on, we need to find a way to get to Esthar right away."
………………..
Rinoa crept silently along the dark wing of the Garden, unsure of what she'd find. She'd never explored that part of the Garden before, so she was curious.
It was when she saw the Headmaster that her heart jumped in fright. She was not only scared that she could get caught in his area of the Garden, but she was also scared because of what he was up to. He stood in his room, in front of a mirror. Yes, it was innocent enough. Then he twirled around somewhat. He was wearing a dress!
Cid. Headmaster Cid Kramer was wearing one of Edea's long gowns, and liking it. Rinoa shook her head in shock. Edea or the others would never guess it in a million years. Sure, Irvine might, but no one else.
Rinoa giggled as silently as possible, covering her mouth with her hands as she crept away from the room, dashing as fast as possible when she reached a safer spot she could run in.
She couldn't wait to tell Squall what she'd seen.
………………..
A woman wearing a vivid multi-colored outer wrap with a hood attached swept into Laurie's cell quickly followed by Seifer. Laurie, who had been awake since the dawn, glanced hopefully when she initially thought someone had brought breakfast, then sat disappointedly for a second when she observed there was none and then sat ever alert, when she espied Seifer and realized something important might be transpiring.
The woman spoke, "My name is Sorceress Kayano and I am the reason you were brought here."
Laurie's mind was reeling; all of this was certainly well beyond her ken, since she did not come from a world that held such things as Sorceresses. "What do you want with me?" she blurted out.
Sorceress Kayano replied, "It shames me to admit, but I am not sure. I only know that my success or failure depends on you in some way. Have you remembered your dream yet?" she questioned.
Laurie hesitated for a split second, and then shook her head, but it was too late. In that split second Kayano realized she was lying.
"Come! Come!" she exclaimed sternly. "We have been most gentle with you up until now. But that could change at any second on my say so."
"Seifer!" the Sorceress commanded.
The tall young man stepped from around Kayano and picked up Laurie and placed her on her feet in front of the Sorceress, as if she weighed no more than a rag doll. Laurie noticed the Sorceress only stood a inch or two taller than she.
Kayano swept back her hood, a stern countenance offered on her normally placid features. Laurie's eyes widened in surprise as she thought, Oh my God! What is going on here?! That's Ellone.
Seifer, watching closely, realized that Laurie recognized the Sorceress. He was pleased; all was going right for once.
The Sorceress also discerned that Laurie had had a sudden realization concerning something and demanded, "Tell me all you know this instant!"
When Laurie didn't comply, but instead stood silently, the Sorceress raged, "Seifer, keep her tied! Don't feed her, and don't let her sleep. Deprive her of the toilet. I will show her to defy me!"
As Kayano turned and swept from the room, Laurie felt total desolation when Seifer, closing the door behind him, didn't as much as glance at her on his way out.
………………..
"So then she told me that she'd speak to me after class!" she giggled happily.
The other Trepies around her giggled in response.
"Tamira, you're SOO lucky! I'd just die if she told me to wait after class!" another girl replied, emphasizing every possible syllable.
"Even eye contact with her is special, you know," a male Trepie said, blushing.
"Eye contact? Are you serious? You mean you don't even say hello to her? Mark, what's wrong with you? Have you lost your self-respect?" Tamira cried.
"Well…when I see her, I want to say hello…I just get so tongue tied…" Mark replied. Good save.
The other Trepies nodded in agreement. It was when they began to chatter amongst themselves that the little specks of green fell on the floor beside them.
On the wing above, Kazuya adjusted his aim. "I have to hit them…close isn't good enough."
Aiming his sling shot, he placed a tiny balloon filled with icky green mucous on the sling, and flung it at the head of a chattering Trepie.
She screamed loudly, resulting in a laugh from Kazuya.
"MALBORO SNOT FOREVER!" he cried, picking up two larger bombs and flinging them at the Trepies below. The bombs landed with a loud sploosh, and the other Trepies screamed in disgust.
"I AM THE SNOT BOMB KING!" Kazuya howled in triumph before dashing off with his sack of bombs to torture others with.
………………..
"Gross, gross, gross," Mina muttered as Zell led her through the tunnels. "Why do we have to take the sewers? Why can't we walk on the streets like NORMAL human beings?" she protested. Zell lifted a finger to his lips.
"I was here awhile ago, you know that. Someone might recognize me."
Mina snorted with laughter. "Not in that getup," she muttered.
Zell frowned, stopping and then turning to face her. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Mina giggled some more. "Nothing! It didn't mean anything! I just think that no one will recognize you with the sunglasses and stuff, you know."
Zell shook his head. "Let's just keep going."
"HALT!" Mina and Zell froze.
"Where do you kids think you're going?" A burly man walked up behind them, fastening his hand around Mina's small wrist.
Mina frowned. "Uh…"
The man, about forty in age, dressed in rather tardy clothes, looked Mina up and down, then gave Zell a look-over. "You kids coming down here to get your kicks? It's dangerous here. There are monsters," the man muttered.
Zell gritted his teeth and stepped forward, pulling Mina closer to him. "Get your hands off my girlfriend, buddy. Who are you, anyway?"
The man spat into the water, watching it flow downstream. He remained silent a moment, then grinned, his fat face lighting up immensely. "Name's Raome. Nice to meet ya," he insisted, holding out a grubby hand to Zell.
Zell shook his head. "No thanks, Mr. Raome…what are you doin' down here anyway?"
Raome scratched his head. "I'm lookin' for these two kids…I'm trying to find 'em so I can give 'em a message."
"What two kids?" Mina asked. Raome raised his eyebrows. "Two kids that kinda match your description, and are from Balamb Garden."
Mina's eyes lit up. "That's us! You have a message?"
Raome nodded happily. "Yes! General Caraway wishes to see you. He has some important information he wishes to share with you about some kidnapping. I'm not sure what's going on. But hey, don't shoot the messenger, as they say."
Mina nodded with a smile. "Can you take us to him?"
Zell sniffed. "I can get us there too, you know."
Mina grinned lightly and squeezed Zell's hand. "Yes, but this nice man will get us there faster, I'm sure of it. Besides, it's not like you know where you're going anyway. We've been walking in circles for hours."
Zell nodded in agreement. "Yeah…I guess we have."
………………..
"Dr. Kadowaki! Quick! Quick! It's an emergency! You'll never guess what I just saw!" Rinoa cried, entering through the two sliding doors as fast as they would open.
Kadowaki frowned and looked up to the harried Rinoa, stopping to catch her breath. Next to the chair Kadowaki sat in stood Nida.
They both stared at Rinoa until she began to speak again. She pushed her raven hair from her face and panted as she spoke. "I saw…Headmaster…Cid…wearing…a…dress!" she cried.
Kadowaki's eyes bulged from her head and she rose from her chair. "My dear, are you certain?"
Rinoa nodded vigorously. "He was! It was Edea's! I recognized it, you know the long purple one-."
"With the feathers at the top?" Nida interrupted.
Rinoa nodded. "Yeah, that one! He was twirling in the mirror, and augh, it was horrible!"
Kadowaki shook her head in disbelief. "I've no idea what to say…shall we keep it a secret?"
Nida and Rinoa shook their heads in unison, smiles alighting their features. "Heck no," Rinoa said. "Get on the intercom, now!" she ordered.
………………..
It was Raine who was the busiest, laughing obnoxiously as she squeezed the tube of all it's contents. Tossing the empty tube into the wastebasket, she turned and headed out the door, pleased with her accomplishment. Whoever the sucker was going to be, she was sorry for them already.
As she headed through the hallway, sure that no one was following her, she smiled faintly. She'd pulled a great prank, and she'd be remembered for it if anyone ever found out it had been her.
However, her feelings of happiness didn't linger in her heart for long. A sadness welled inside of her as she thought of her best friend. Laurie had been kidnapped in front of her, and she hadn't done anything. She'd been unsuccessful in locating her friend, and she didn't even know if Laurie was alive. To Raine's dismay, her eyes welled with tears and she slumped to the floor in the middle of the hallway. To be crying on a day like this, she thought as the hot tears trailed down her face.
"Laurie…" she whispered. "Please, be safe…"
………………..
The trap door opened, and light spilled through. Mina was allowed in first. As she stepped into the room, she was greeted by a middle-aged man dressed in black.
He smiled crookedly and nodded. "Are you Mina Charleston?" he asked. She nodded. He grinned. "I am General Caraway. Please, do come in."
Mina entered. Zell, following close behind. Raome completed the group, and the trap door shut behind them.
"Zell Dincht, what a pleasure to see you again." General Caraway's voice seemed to hold some loathing or dislike of some kind as he spoke.
"Yeah, sure," Zell muttered.
"Thank you, Raome. Now, Zell, Mina, I'm sure you're wondering why I've asked you here."
Mina nodded. "It has something to do with the kidnapping of Laurie from the past, right?"
"Somewhat. I'm merely telling what I've heard. Anyway, I've heard that there are strange characters hanging around downtown Deling City, and they have secret information about this new sorceress."
Zell's eyes widened. "New sorceress? I thought Rinoa was the last one!"
Caraway's eyes narrowed. "My daughter is a sorceress?" he asked.
Zell shook his head. "We'll get back to you on that one. What about this new one?"
"Rumors have it that there is a new sorceress, and she's behind this kidnapping. We're unsure why, all that is known is that these people know more about it. I advise you to speak to them if you want to find out more."
His voice was strained. Obviously, Zell's new information had startled him.
"I trust you will find the appropriate information," Caraway finished.
………………..
It was rather unfortunate, really. How she'd neglected to check the seat before she sat down. Rinoa held onto the toilet paper dispenser and the napkin box and tried to pry herself from the seat of the toilet. To no avail. She was stuck.
"Help me!" she screamed for the fourth time.
What a laugh someone was going to have if they walked in and saw her there. Stuck to the toilet like some helpless fly on sticky paper. She almost laughed at the image in her mind, then remembered her situation. Clasping her hands together, she sighed in frustration. Silky black hair fell over her eyes and she didn't mind. They covered her tears.
"Help me…anyone…" she whispered after a few minutes.
Why was she so upset? This wasn't something to cry over…..was it?
Hyne, I'm stuck to a toilet, she realized and began to laugh her tears away. She silenced as she heard the creak of a door opening and realized someone was entering the girl's washroom.
"Hello?" Rinoa called. The person stopped walking and remained silent.
"Hello?" Rinoa tried again.
"Yeah?" replied the person. It was an unfamiliar voice to Rinoa, but in appearance, Rinoa recognized her as a Trepie.
"Excuse me, I'm…well, I'm in a bit of a dilemma here, do you think you could help me out?"
The Trepie nodded through the crack between the door and the wall of the stall.
"What kind do you need?"
Rinoa paused and thought for a moment. "Oh! No, no. Not that kind of help..see, I'm kind of stuck to the toilet."
Rinoa heard the Trepie laugh and she angered. "It's not funny! Someone intentionally put glue on this seat! It could have been you stuck here, you know!"
The Trepie realized the truth behind the statement and nodded. Rinoa had a point.
"What do you need, then? A chisel?" Trepie joked.
Rinoa scowled. "I'll use the chisel to resculpt your face if you don't stop teasing me, you big meanie!" she cried.
Trepie silenced her giggles and sighed. "Who should I fetch for help? Commander Squall? Xu? Headmaster Cid?"
"You're not funny. Xu and Squall aren't even here," Rinoa replied darkly.
Trepie grinned. "Then I guess we've decided on Cid. I'll be right back."
"HEY!" Rinoa screamed.
Trepie giggled some more. "I'm just kidding! I'll go get the doctor. She'll know what to do. Is that okay, your highness?"
Rinoa sighed with relief. "Kadowaki is fine…please hurry.."
The Trepie nodded. "Can I at least go to the bathroom first? It's kind of what I came in here to do, you know."
Rinoa scowled some more. "Fine. It's not like I'm going to go anywhere."
………………..
"Zell, I really have a bad feeling about this…" Mina whispered, as Zell led her along Deling's darkest side streets.
"So do I, that's not stopping me from fulfilling this wish of Caraway's. We need to find out about the sorceress, Mimi. Laurie's in trouble."
Mina groaned quietly, and Zell covered her mouth with his hand quickly. "Shh!" he hissed. "There's someone there!"
Sure enough, just beyond the trees they hid behind, stood two suspicious looking people. One was dressed in a punk getup, with black hair streaked with large chunks of orange. He was dressed rather oddly, in high heels and leather, his black lipstick matching the purple eyeshadow he wore.
"Man, the crossdressers keep getting weirder and weirder…" Zell muttered.
"No kidding," Mina replied. "Welcome to Deling, home of the homos."
"Not funny."
"Since when?" Mina hissed. He clamped his hand over her mouth once again. "Shut up! They'll hear us!"
The other suspicious character was dressed much differently than the other she stood with. She was wearing a man's dark grey suit, with a tie. Her black shoes were freshly polished, and her short hair sat behind her ears.
"Cross dressing central," Zell muttered.
"…I heard that she's some woman from Esthar," the punk boy said.
The girl in the suit nodded slightly. "I've heard otherwise, Nikki. I heard she's some young kid who's the daughter of the president of Esthar, and she's been taken prisoner by some blond trench coat dude."
Zell gasped. Seifer. It had to be.
"…either way, Mariko, this sorceress has got to be strong. I also heard she can go back in time and change things around. Some wonky thing called Time Compression or whatever," Nikki explained to the girl, who was obviously Mariko.
"So, whatcha fine kids lookin' at?" came a burly voice from behind Mina and Zell.
Mina tensed with fear, and turned to face a rather large man, with a tremendous beer belly and a smelly leather jacket. His beard was greying, and he had a dark bandana on his greasy forehead. His hands were covered in fighter's gloves much like Zell's old ones, when he'd had the Mavericks.
"Nothing special," Mina choked out.
The man took hold of her chin and turned her head from side to side.
"Hey, she's kinda cute…mind if I take her for a ride on my bike?" he asked Zell.
Zell frowned and clenched his fists. Mina managed to catch his eye and tell him to calm down with her gaze.
"Get your hands off me, Smelly," she commanded.
The man, flabbergasted by her courage, dropped his hand from her face.
"You think you can talk to me like that? Well, let me tell you something, honey. I do things a little differently around here. You were spying on my friends, so we spied on you. Now, let's teach you a lesson. Boys, come out!"
From behind Smelly came four other burly men, nearly twice his size.
Mina raised her eyebrows. "Oh shit…" she heard Zell whisper.
"You guys want me? Come and get me," Mina taunted.
Backspringing on her hands, she grinned at the large men, and waved them to come get her. Smelly's henchman number one was the first to charge at her. With a simple lift of her leg, she managed to trip him and slam him into the ground, knocking him unconscious.
The others remained silent for a moment, in awe of this strong woman, but that didn't last for long.
"So, lil' miss, think you can handle ol' Iron Fist?" he asked in a gravelly voice. "Deal with 'ol swift kick first."
Another kick, and Iron Fist was down.
Smelly frowned. "You're good, woman. Seifer's going to want to see you alive."
Big mistake on Smelly's part. Zell's face lit up and he grinned. "Great! We have all the information we need. Thanks, Smelly. Mimi, you take that one, I'll take care of these losers."
Smelly charged at Zell, and Zell was able to get his Ehrgeiz up in time to knock the guy back a few steps with a blow to the nose. Blood poured from Smelly's left nostril, and he was obviously in pain, yet in a blind rage he charged Zell again. Another blow to the head and Smelly was down. Zell kicked him a few times until he lost consciousness.
Zell turned to see Mina finish the last guy by flying onto her toes and whirling around only to knock him over with an extended leg.
"Beautiful ballet kick, Mina. Let's go before Nikki and Mariko or whatever attack. I don't want to face crossdressers tonight. I get enough of that at Garden with Cid."
Taking Mina's hand, Zell ran in the direction of the parking lot where they'd left their car. It was time to go to Esthar.