I lost my soul when I fell to earth
My planet's called me to the void of my birth
The time has come for me to kill this game
So open wide and say my name
--- Rob Zombie "Space Lord"
Chapter 9
Squall lay there, somewhat in a daze at everything that had happened. Rinoa lay asleep on his chest, her body and his having gone back to normal after a few moments, thankfully. She looked so peaceful in her slumber, that he could only smile as he watched her, despite the troubles that these growing feelings he had for her had wrought on him. Now he had a desicion to make. Would he make this the last time he ever saw her, and spare the pain that it would eventually bring them both? Should he try to explain to her why they could never be?
His thoughts were interrupted when he felt her shift slightly against him. His mind drifted back to her, and the sensations he had felt the night before. It was more incredible then anything he'd ever felt before, and it had been so much more than just physical. It was like she was setting his soul free.
".... Squall?" a small, tired voice reached his ears.
He looked down, to see her warm, gentle smile. She carefully reached up, then, and carresed his face. "So, I'm not dreaming this time."
"No," he replied, unsure of what else to say.
She yawned briefly before asking, "What happened last night?"
His face darkened with a frown. "You don't remember?"
She laughed, somewhat embarresed. "Yes, I remember THAT very well. I.... did you see it, too?"
"See what?"
"The visions."
He knew what she was talking about, then. "Yeah. I did."
"What were they?"
He shook his head. "I really don't know."
She sat up slowly, and stretched. Squall couldn't help but smile slightly as he watched her. She was so beautiful, and innocent. Everything he wasn't, and could never be. Everything he was supposed to despise.
Rinoa stood from the bed and smiled down at Squall. "I don't know about you, but I need a shower."
"Go ahead," he told her, pointing to the bathroom. "I've got some things I need to take care of."
She nodded, somewhat dissapointed, and gathered up the only clothes she had. Once she had dissapeared into the bathroom, he stood, dressed, and walked into the living room. He sank down on the couch and covered his face in his hands as his mind buzzed in thought. He was interrupted when the phone suddenly rang.
He snatched it off the hook, in no mood to talk, and said, "Whoever the hell this is, you better have a good fuckin' excuse for calling!"
"You think I don't know what you did last night?" a voice hissed from the other end of the line.
He let out a heavy sigh. "So what if you do?"
"You know what this means! You're putting the mission in danger!"
"You think I care?" he grumbled.
"You can never be with her. You know that! You have to follow through with your part. If you don't, my plan will fail, and we'll all die! Including me."
He didn't say anything for a long moment. When he did speak, he said, "When I was with her, I saw things that I never remember happening. Why?"
"I don't know! She was probably playing some kind of trick on you. I'm sure she knows by now."
"What makes you think that?"
"She's one of them. She hates our kind. It was the way she was born. I'm not saying this to hurt you, I promise. I just don't want you to get hurt. You're playing with fire, Squall. So do both of us a favor and end it now. Take her out before she causes anymore damage."
He heard the phone click, and then the dial tone buzzed loudly in his ear. He put the phone down, the words echoing in his head. It was true, he knew it. He had no other choice than to comply with what was requested from him.
At that moment, Rinoa walked back into the room, dripping wet, her clothes clinging to her skin. Damn! He wanted her again.
Upon seeing his look of pain and anger, she cocked her head to the side and asked him, in her sweetest voice, "What's wrong?"
He let loose another heavy sigh. He couldn't murder her, as he had been asked to do. No, he would have to warn her, and let her go. If his unnamed ally wanted her dead, they would have to take care of it themself.
"Sit down," he said, indicating to the empty space on the couch beside him.
She obeyed, despite the sinking feeling in her stomach. For a moment, the room echoed with an eerie silence, but it was soon penetrated by Squall's deep, smooth voice.
"Rinoa.... I don't know how to say this.... it's hard...." he took a deep breath and tried to calm his raging thoughts, and sort out his words. "You have to leave here. Now."
"What? Why?"
"I.... I can't tell you. You just have to leave."
She studied him for a moment, then said, "You're married, aren't you?"
He laughed bitterly. "No, I'm not. I just... I don't know what all this has meant to you, but-"
"It hasn't meant a thing to you," she interrupted coldly. "I took it to be something that it's obviously not."
He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling a lump start to rise in his throat. Why was this so hard? It didn't matter. He had to end this before it went too far.
(As if it hasn't already) he thought.
"Yes," he replied at last. "I'm afraid that's the truth. I was using you this entire time. I'm sorry."
She stood from the couch and glared down at him, rage and pain exploding in her tear-filled eyes. She took a deep breath, trying to keep those tears at bay, then slapped him as hard as she could across the face before storming out of his apartment. Squall closed his eyes as he heard the door slam.
In a flash, he saw the two of them together, both much younger than they were now, standing outside the white-washed church.
"It'll always be us, Squall," she was saying. "Just you and me."
And then, just as soon as it had come, it was gone.
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Rinoa banged on Selphie's door, hoping that she would be feeling better today. She desperately needed someone to talk to.
After a few moments, Rinoa was about to turn away, when a tall man dressed in a police uniform answered the door. "Can I help you, miss?"
"I-I don't know. Is this Selphie Tilmitt's apartment?"
"It sure is. What business do you have with her?"
"I'm a friend of hers. Is everything okay?"
"Ms. Tilmitt has been arrested for the murder of Edea Kramer," he answered. "Where were you yesterday?"
"I was staying with a friend of mine. Before that, I was staying with Selphie, but she said she was really sick last night, and that I should leave."
He nodded thoughtfully. "I'm afraid I'll need you to come in. We might have so questions for you. What did you say your name was?"
"Rinoa Heartilly," she answered. For a brief moment, she remembered what Squall had told her about the murders.
(He was probably lying about that, too) she decided.
The man nodded. "Alright. I'll talk with the other investigators. Just step inside for a moment, if you will."
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"Ms. Tilmitt, you have a visitor," the warden's voice boomed at the young girl through the bars.
She looked up at him, a scowl twisting her usually cheerful face into a devilish look that blackened her features. Her dark green eyes glittered at him, sparkeling with beautiful venom.
He opened the door to her cell and led her out to the visitation area. He seated her in front of a plastic window, and walked away, leaving her to her personal business.
Selphie stared at the person in front of her, almost untrusting of her eyes. She slowly picked up the phone and said, "What are you doing here?"
"I thought I might congratulate you on your fine job."
"If you're here to mock-"
"I'm serious! Don't question my intentions!" her visitor hissed.
Selphie hung her head in submission. "Very well. Why do you want to congratulate me?"
"You've done a fine job of disposing of Edea. Otherwise, that annoying pest Rinoa might have gotten the answers she wanted. Had that happened, no doubt she would have left town before we could get rid of her. Which Squall should be doing as we speak. So there is nothing to stop us now."
"So you'll be getting me out of here, now, right?"
Her visitor laughed. "Of course not. Why do you think you're in here in the first place? I wanted you in here. I can't risk having you out, free to overthrow me, now can I?"
"You bitch!" Selphie hissed.
"Say what you want. The biggest mistake you ever made was thinking you could trust me."
"I trusted you because we are the same! We are both creatures of hell!"
"That's where you're wrong, friend. We are not the same. You see, I am better than you. I planned this, didn't I? And everything is going according to plan."
With that, Selphie's "friend" stood an left, a wide smile gracing her features. The warden came then, and grabbed Selphie up from the chair.
(This plan of yours won't work for you) Selphie thought as she was led back to her cell. (It's my turn at power.)
Noticing that they were alone, Selphie turned abruptly to the warden with a smile on her face that dripped with burning sickness.
"What's the hold up here?" he questioned gruffly.
"It's been a little while since I fed," she replied. "I'm really quite hungry."
"Well, you're going to have to wait until-"
He was cut off by a sharp, burning sensation in his stomach as Selphie plunged her newly acquired, glittering black claws into his stomach.
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Rinoa stared coldly out the window, half-wondering what she'd done to deserve this kind of life. But then again, she already knew, didn't she?
(I should've seen what was there) she thought to herself. (I shouldn't turned a blind eye. I had the feeling something was wrong. Why did I overlook it? So many innocent people died because I refused to see the truth. And this.... this is my punishment.)
Her mind kept floating back to her time with Seifer. There had been so many warning signs, but she hadn't wanted to believe that someone she thought so highly of would do something like that.
Now, as she sat in the back of a police car, heading for the station, she could do nothing but curse herself. It was her own fault, after all.
After she'd answered a few questions, they identified her as the one under suspicion. Now, it seemed they intended to arrest Rinoa, since she'd been suspiciously involved with all the murders, and let Selphie go free.
They drove up into the parking lot, surprised to find it empty, and quiet. They helped her out of the car and escorted her inside.
Rinoa could still hear their souls screaming, even as their bodies lay sprawled out over the floor and desks. Blood smeared the floors, and dripped from the desks. It was soaked into the papers, and mingled with the overturned cups of coffee. Entrails lay, half torn and mangled in the shallow pool that had been ripped in the victims' stomachs. The corpses were still, silence having claimed them in their hellish death. Some stared out at her, their cold, lifeless eyes frozen with the pain they felt during the last few moments of their life.
Upon taking in this scene of pure horror, the cops drew their guns, and looked around, searching for the murderer. They had temporarily forgotten about Rinoa, but somehow she felt safer tagging along behind them than if she were to go off on her own.
They opened door after door, cautiously, hoping to see what attrocious group of human beings could have caused this mass destruction. They found their sole attacker in a crimson stained hall way, hunched over a body, as she dug into its stomach with her fangs.
This creature, as it could hardly be called human, had black, leathery wings growing from its back, and dark, scaley skin. Its spine stuck up from its back, and was multi-jointed. Sharp, thick spikes had grown out from the back ot its feet and what appeared to be its elbows. Atop its head, a thin bunch of slick, brown hair hung dankly against its neck.
Upon hearing the approaching footsteps, it turned its head, revealing an oddly human face, that was altered only by blakened lips, mud-colored scales, and blood encrusted fangs. Rinoa recognized her immediately. It was Selphie.
Selphie launched herself at the nearest police officer, tearing his throat out. The others took panicked shots at the creature, most of which missed, due to their trembling hands.
Rinoa took the oppurtunity to run to the only safe place she could think of. Squall's apartment.
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Squall leaned against the hood of his car which was parked in front of the run-down church. He took one last drag off his cigarette before throwing it to the ground and stomping it out. Smoking wasn't something he indulged in often. Only when he was seriously troubled.
He had drove out from the town, hoping to think things through, but had yet to find a solution. He wasn't sure there was a solution to be had. On one hand there were his feelings for Rinoa, and on the other hand....
He shook his head, unwilling to finish the thought. He picked up his pack of cigarettes from their place on the dash, and was about to pull another one out when he decided against it. Instead, he went on a walk through the grave yard, glancing down every now and then at the names of the long forgotten.
Just as he was growing tired of this, a familiar name caught his eye. On an old, worn tombstone, the name "Rinoa Caraway" was engraved with a worn off date, no longer visible at the bottom.
Squall kneeled down in front of it, studying it intently. Just as he did, he heard her voice whisper his name from above him. He looked up, but saw only a red rose petal floating on the wind.
"Squall," came the voice again. "Come find me."
He searched the air in front of him again, and thought he caught a glimpse of raven hair running into the trees. Something within told him to make chase.
As he ran after the voice of his sole infactuation, a pair of sparkeling blue eyes peaked out from one of the broken windows of the church and followed Squall as he went. A small mouth broke out into a grin before its owner ran for the door, silky brown curls flying out behind her.
Squall chased after the voice, not even sure why any more. Something inside him kept driving him forward, through the trees, a dried up ravine where a river used to run, a vast flower field, and finally, to the remains of a small, old-fashioned town.
When he finally reached his destination, he saw Rinoa there, standing before the ruins of a large stone mansion. She was dressed completely in white, and her skin seemed to glow, as it had the night before. She looked at him with great sadness in her eyes before suddenly dissapearing. In her place was a little girl, dressed in white, with long brown hair hanging over her shoulders, and gorgeous blue eyes. But the thing Squall noticed most about her, was her face, and how familiar it looked.
The little girl ran up to him, her smile still wide on her face, and said upon reaching him, "Good! I was worried you wouldn't come."
Squall arched an eyebrow at the little girl. "What do you mean?"
She looked up at him, profound admiration and love shining in her eyes, and said, "Come here."
Slowly, he got down on one knee so that he was eye to eye with her. "What do you want?"
She stared into his eyes intently, making him uncomfortable, before gently putting a hand to his forhead and saying, "You have to remember."
Before he could question, his mind was suddenly flooded with visions of a time long since passed.
***
"It'll always be us, Squall. Just you and me," she said, taking hold of his hand.
"How do you know that something won't come between us?" he asked.
She looked at him very seriously then, her deep chocolate eyes shimmering with raw emotion. "I guess it'll be a question then, of whether or not you'll let something come between us."
"But what if-" he began, but was silenced as she pressed a finger to his lips.
"Let's burn that bridge when we get there, okay?" she said.
He was silent for a moment, then said, "I won't let anything come between us."
She smiled then leaned in and kissed him. "This is the first place we ever kissed," she pointed out.
He nodded and grinned. "Yeah."
She jumped up suddenly, a mischevious grin spreading across her face. "Come on. I want to show you something."
She took his hand and they ran from the church, to a field of beautiful flowers.
"Rinoa, I've seen this before," he pointed out.
"I know," she said softly, tugging at her dress. "There was something else I wanted you to see. If you want to...."
The scene faded again, to an event that occured just a few days later.
Squall looked down on the newly dug grave, tears welling in his eyes, and his fist clutching a bouquet of roses. Beside him, stood a woman, just a few years older, her straight brown hair in a bun on top of her head as she stared down at the same grave with an inhuman coldness.
"You didn't say you were going to kill her," he said in a low, wounded voice.
"She would have stood in our way. And had she known what you were, she would have killed you just as quickly. She must have known, after what the two of you did in the flower field."
He turned to her, a tear slipping down his cheek as he fixed her with a murderous gaze. "I hate you!" he hissed, before gently placing the flowers against the tombstone and walking away.
She realized then that he would never be an ally of hers. Not in this life time. If anything, he would ruin everything she had worked so hard for, just to spite her. Well, she couldn't let that happen. She drew the dagger she kept hidden in her dress and stalked up behind him. Before he could turn around, she plunged it into his back, and laughed.
***
Squall opened his eyes slowly, and saw that the little girl still stood there, a look of deep sorrow rooted in her eyes.
"How....? What....?" Squall could barely speak.
She smiled sadly and said, "You walked away from her, and she was killed. You have a second chance."
"Second chance at what? Who are you?"
She threw her tiny arms around Squall's neck and hugged him tightly. "You have to hurry and make up your mind. Or you'll lose her again. Be careful, Daddy," she whispered and kissed him on the cheek before stepping back from him.
"What do you mean-" he started to ask, but lost his words as a look of pain came over the child and she began to fade into thin air.
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When Rinoa reached Squall's apartment, she was surprised to see that the door wasn't locked. She stepped inside, slowly, and called Squall's name. When she saw there was no reply, she decided she would just hide there until he returned. As she was walking into his living area, a lone figure standing by the window caught her eye.
It was a tall, slender woman with short brown hair piled on top of her head. She wore a dark red dress, that came down to her ankles and held a glass of wine in her hand.
"Ah, Rinoa," she said, with a hellish smile contorting her face. "I've been waiting."
Rinoa could only gasp at the person she saw before her. "Ellone?"
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My planet's called me to the void of my birth
The time has come for me to kill this game
So open wide and say my name
--- Rob Zombie "Space Lord"
Chapter 9
Squall lay there, somewhat in a daze at everything that had happened. Rinoa lay asleep on his chest, her body and his having gone back to normal after a few moments, thankfully. She looked so peaceful in her slumber, that he could only smile as he watched her, despite the troubles that these growing feelings he had for her had wrought on him. Now he had a desicion to make. Would he make this the last time he ever saw her, and spare the pain that it would eventually bring them both? Should he try to explain to her why they could never be?
His thoughts were interrupted when he felt her shift slightly against him. His mind drifted back to her, and the sensations he had felt the night before. It was more incredible then anything he'd ever felt before, and it had been so much more than just physical. It was like she was setting his soul free.
".... Squall?" a small, tired voice reached his ears.
He looked down, to see her warm, gentle smile. She carefully reached up, then, and carresed his face. "So, I'm not dreaming this time."
"No," he replied, unsure of what else to say.
She yawned briefly before asking, "What happened last night?"
His face darkened with a frown. "You don't remember?"
She laughed, somewhat embarresed. "Yes, I remember THAT very well. I.... did you see it, too?"
"See what?"
"The visions."
He knew what she was talking about, then. "Yeah. I did."
"What were they?"
He shook his head. "I really don't know."
She sat up slowly, and stretched. Squall couldn't help but smile slightly as he watched her. She was so beautiful, and innocent. Everything he wasn't, and could never be. Everything he was supposed to despise.
Rinoa stood from the bed and smiled down at Squall. "I don't know about you, but I need a shower."
"Go ahead," he told her, pointing to the bathroom. "I've got some things I need to take care of."
She nodded, somewhat dissapointed, and gathered up the only clothes she had. Once she had dissapeared into the bathroom, he stood, dressed, and walked into the living room. He sank down on the couch and covered his face in his hands as his mind buzzed in thought. He was interrupted when the phone suddenly rang.
He snatched it off the hook, in no mood to talk, and said, "Whoever the hell this is, you better have a good fuckin' excuse for calling!"
"You think I don't know what you did last night?" a voice hissed from the other end of the line.
He let out a heavy sigh. "So what if you do?"
"You know what this means! You're putting the mission in danger!"
"You think I care?" he grumbled.
"You can never be with her. You know that! You have to follow through with your part. If you don't, my plan will fail, and we'll all die! Including me."
He didn't say anything for a long moment. When he did speak, he said, "When I was with her, I saw things that I never remember happening. Why?"
"I don't know! She was probably playing some kind of trick on you. I'm sure she knows by now."
"What makes you think that?"
"She's one of them. She hates our kind. It was the way she was born. I'm not saying this to hurt you, I promise. I just don't want you to get hurt. You're playing with fire, Squall. So do both of us a favor and end it now. Take her out before she causes anymore damage."
He heard the phone click, and then the dial tone buzzed loudly in his ear. He put the phone down, the words echoing in his head. It was true, he knew it. He had no other choice than to comply with what was requested from him.
At that moment, Rinoa walked back into the room, dripping wet, her clothes clinging to her skin. Damn! He wanted her again.
Upon seeing his look of pain and anger, she cocked her head to the side and asked him, in her sweetest voice, "What's wrong?"
He let loose another heavy sigh. He couldn't murder her, as he had been asked to do. No, he would have to warn her, and let her go. If his unnamed ally wanted her dead, they would have to take care of it themself.
"Sit down," he said, indicating to the empty space on the couch beside him.
She obeyed, despite the sinking feeling in her stomach. For a moment, the room echoed with an eerie silence, but it was soon penetrated by Squall's deep, smooth voice.
"Rinoa.... I don't know how to say this.... it's hard...." he took a deep breath and tried to calm his raging thoughts, and sort out his words. "You have to leave here. Now."
"What? Why?"
"I.... I can't tell you. You just have to leave."
She studied him for a moment, then said, "You're married, aren't you?"
He laughed bitterly. "No, I'm not. I just... I don't know what all this has meant to you, but-"
"It hasn't meant a thing to you," she interrupted coldly. "I took it to be something that it's obviously not."
He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling a lump start to rise in his throat. Why was this so hard? It didn't matter. He had to end this before it went too far.
(As if it hasn't already) he thought.
"Yes," he replied at last. "I'm afraid that's the truth. I was using you this entire time. I'm sorry."
She stood from the couch and glared down at him, rage and pain exploding in her tear-filled eyes. She took a deep breath, trying to keep those tears at bay, then slapped him as hard as she could across the face before storming out of his apartment. Squall closed his eyes as he heard the door slam.
In a flash, he saw the two of them together, both much younger than they were now, standing outside the white-washed church.
"It'll always be us, Squall," she was saying. "Just you and me."
And then, just as soon as it had come, it was gone.
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Rinoa banged on Selphie's door, hoping that she would be feeling better today. She desperately needed someone to talk to.
After a few moments, Rinoa was about to turn away, when a tall man dressed in a police uniform answered the door. "Can I help you, miss?"
"I-I don't know. Is this Selphie Tilmitt's apartment?"
"It sure is. What business do you have with her?"
"I'm a friend of hers. Is everything okay?"
"Ms. Tilmitt has been arrested for the murder of Edea Kramer," he answered. "Where were you yesterday?"
"I was staying with a friend of mine. Before that, I was staying with Selphie, but she said she was really sick last night, and that I should leave."
He nodded thoughtfully. "I'm afraid I'll need you to come in. We might have so questions for you. What did you say your name was?"
"Rinoa Heartilly," she answered. For a brief moment, she remembered what Squall had told her about the murders.
(He was probably lying about that, too) she decided.
The man nodded. "Alright. I'll talk with the other investigators. Just step inside for a moment, if you will."
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"Ms. Tilmitt, you have a visitor," the warden's voice boomed at the young girl through the bars.
She looked up at him, a scowl twisting her usually cheerful face into a devilish look that blackened her features. Her dark green eyes glittered at him, sparkeling with beautiful venom.
He opened the door to her cell and led her out to the visitation area. He seated her in front of a plastic window, and walked away, leaving her to her personal business.
Selphie stared at the person in front of her, almost untrusting of her eyes. She slowly picked up the phone and said, "What are you doing here?"
"I thought I might congratulate you on your fine job."
"If you're here to mock-"
"I'm serious! Don't question my intentions!" her visitor hissed.
Selphie hung her head in submission. "Very well. Why do you want to congratulate me?"
"You've done a fine job of disposing of Edea. Otherwise, that annoying pest Rinoa might have gotten the answers she wanted. Had that happened, no doubt she would have left town before we could get rid of her. Which Squall should be doing as we speak. So there is nothing to stop us now."
"So you'll be getting me out of here, now, right?"
Her visitor laughed. "Of course not. Why do you think you're in here in the first place? I wanted you in here. I can't risk having you out, free to overthrow me, now can I?"
"You bitch!" Selphie hissed.
"Say what you want. The biggest mistake you ever made was thinking you could trust me."
"I trusted you because we are the same! We are both creatures of hell!"
"That's where you're wrong, friend. We are not the same. You see, I am better than you. I planned this, didn't I? And everything is going according to plan."
With that, Selphie's "friend" stood an left, a wide smile gracing her features. The warden came then, and grabbed Selphie up from the chair.
(This plan of yours won't work for you) Selphie thought as she was led back to her cell. (It's my turn at power.)
Noticing that they were alone, Selphie turned abruptly to the warden with a smile on her face that dripped with burning sickness.
"What's the hold up here?" he questioned gruffly.
"It's been a little while since I fed," she replied. "I'm really quite hungry."
"Well, you're going to have to wait until-"
He was cut off by a sharp, burning sensation in his stomach as Selphie plunged her newly acquired, glittering black claws into his stomach.
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Rinoa stared coldly out the window, half-wondering what she'd done to deserve this kind of life. But then again, she already knew, didn't she?
(I should've seen what was there) she thought to herself. (I shouldn't turned a blind eye. I had the feeling something was wrong. Why did I overlook it? So many innocent people died because I refused to see the truth. And this.... this is my punishment.)
Her mind kept floating back to her time with Seifer. There had been so many warning signs, but she hadn't wanted to believe that someone she thought so highly of would do something like that.
Now, as she sat in the back of a police car, heading for the station, she could do nothing but curse herself. It was her own fault, after all.
After she'd answered a few questions, they identified her as the one under suspicion. Now, it seemed they intended to arrest Rinoa, since she'd been suspiciously involved with all the murders, and let Selphie go free.
They drove up into the parking lot, surprised to find it empty, and quiet. They helped her out of the car and escorted her inside.
Rinoa could still hear their souls screaming, even as their bodies lay sprawled out over the floor and desks. Blood smeared the floors, and dripped from the desks. It was soaked into the papers, and mingled with the overturned cups of coffee. Entrails lay, half torn and mangled in the shallow pool that had been ripped in the victims' stomachs. The corpses were still, silence having claimed them in their hellish death. Some stared out at her, their cold, lifeless eyes frozen with the pain they felt during the last few moments of their life.
Upon taking in this scene of pure horror, the cops drew their guns, and looked around, searching for the murderer. They had temporarily forgotten about Rinoa, but somehow she felt safer tagging along behind them than if she were to go off on her own.
They opened door after door, cautiously, hoping to see what attrocious group of human beings could have caused this mass destruction. They found their sole attacker in a crimson stained hall way, hunched over a body, as she dug into its stomach with her fangs.
This creature, as it could hardly be called human, had black, leathery wings growing from its back, and dark, scaley skin. Its spine stuck up from its back, and was multi-jointed. Sharp, thick spikes had grown out from the back ot its feet and what appeared to be its elbows. Atop its head, a thin bunch of slick, brown hair hung dankly against its neck.
Upon hearing the approaching footsteps, it turned its head, revealing an oddly human face, that was altered only by blakened lips, mud-colored scales, and blood encrusted fangs. Rinoa recognized her immediately. It was Selphie.
Selphie launched herself at the nearest police officer, tearing his throat out. The others took panicked shots at the creature, most of which missed, due to their trembling hands.
Rinoa took the oppurtunity to run to the only safe place she could think of. Squall's apartment.
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Squall leaned against the hood of his car which was parked in front of the run-down church. He took one last drag off his cigarette before throwing it to the ground and stomping it out. Smoking wasn't something he indulged in often. Only when he was seriously troubled.
He had drove out from the town, hoping to think things through, but had yet to find a solution. He wasn't sure there was a solution to be had. On one hand there were his feelings for Rinoa, and on the other hand....
He shook his head, unwilling to finish the thought. He picked up his pack of cigarettes from their place on the dash, and was about to pull another one out when he decided against it. Instead, he went on a walk through the grave yard, glancing down every now and then at the names of the long forgotten.
Just as he was growing tired of this, a familiar name caught his eye. On an old, worn tombstone, the name "Rinoa Caraway" was engraved with a worn off date, no longer visible at the bottom.
Squall kneeled down in front of it, studying it intently. Just as he did, he heard her voice whisper his name from above him. He looked up, but saw only a red rose petal floating on the wind.
"Squall," came the voice again. "Come find me."
He searched the air in front of him again, and thought he caught a glimpse of raven hair running into the trees. Something within told him to make chase.
As he ran after the voice of his sole infactuation, a pair of sparkeling blue eyes peaked out from one of the broken windows of the church and followed Squall as he went. A small mouth broke out into a grin before its owner ran for the door, silky brown curls flying out behind her.
Squall chased after the voice, not even sure why any more. Something inside him kept driving him forward, through the trees, a dried up ravine where a river used to run, a vast flower field, and finally, to the remains of a small, old-fashioned town.
When he finally reached his destination, he saw Rinoa there, standing before the ruins of a large stone mansion. She was dressed completely in white, and her skin seemed to glow, as it had the night before. She looked at him with great sadness in her eyes before suddenly dissapearing. In her place was a little girl, dressed in white, with long brown hair hanging over her shoulders, and gorgeous blue eyes. But the thing Squall noticed most about her, was her face, and how familiar it looked.
The little girl ran up to him, her smile still wide on her face, and said upon reaching him, "Good! I was worried you wouldn't come."
Squall arched an eyebrow at the little girl. "What do you mean?"
She looked up at him, profound admiration and love shining in her eyes, and said, "Come here."
Slowly, he got down on one knee so that he was eye to eye with her. "What do you want?"
She stared into his eyes intently, making him uncomfortable, before gently putting a hand to his forhead and saying, "You have to remember."
Before he could question, his mind was suddenly flooded with visions of a time long since passed.
***
"It'll always be us, Squall. Just you and me," she said, taking hold of his hand.
"How do you know that something won't come between us?" he asked.
She looked at him very seriously then, her deep chocolate eyes shimmering with raw emotion. "I guess it'll be a question then, of whether or not you'll let something come between us."
"But what if-" he began, but was silenced as she pressed a finger to his lips.
"Let's burn that bridge when we get there, okay?" she said.
He was silent for a moment, then said, "I won't let anything come between us."
She smiled then leaned in and kissed him. "This is the first place we ever kissed," she pointed out.
He nodded and grinned. "Yeah."
She jumped up suddenly, a mischevious grin spreading across her face. "Come on. I want to show you something."
She took his hand and they ran from the church, to a field of beautiful flowers.
"Rinoa, I've seen this before," he pointed out.
"I know," she said softly, tugging at her dress. "There was something else I wanted you to see. If you want to...."
The scene faded again, to an event that occured just a few days later.
Squall looked down on the newly dug grave, tears welling in his eyes, and his fist clutching a bouquet of roses. Beside him, stood a woman, just a few years older, her straight brown hair in a bun on top of her head as she stared down at the same grave with an inhuman coldness.
"You didn't say you were going to kill her," he said in a low, wounded voice.
"She would have stood in our way. And had she known what you were, she would have killed you just as quickly. She must have known, after what the two of you did in the flower field."
He turned to her, a tear slipping down his cheek as he fixed her with a murderous gaze. "I hate you!" he hissed, before gently placing the flowers against the tombstone and walking away.
She realized then that he would never be an ally of hers. Not in this life time. If anything, he would ruin everything she had worked so hard for, just to spite her. Well, she couldn't let that happen. She drew the dagger she kept hidden in her dress and stalked up behind him. Before he could turn around, she plunged it into his back, and laughed.
***
Squall opened his eyes slowly, and saw that the little girl still stood there, a look of deep sorrow rooted in her eyes.
"How....? What....?" Squall could barely speak.
She smiled sadly and said, "You walked away from her, and she was killed. You have a second chance."
"Second chance at what? Who are you?"
She threw her tiny arms around Squall's neck and hugged him tightly. "You have to hurry and make up your mind. Or you'll lose her again. Be careful, Daddy," she whispered and kissed him on the cheek before stepping back from him.
"What do you mean-" he started to ask, but lost his words as a look of pain came over the child and she began to fade into thin air.
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When Rinoa reached Squall's apartment, she was surprised to see that the door wasn't locked. She stepped inside, slowly, and called Squall's name. When she saw there was no reply, she decided she would just hide there until he returned. As she was walking into his living area, a lone figure standing by the window caught her eye.
It was a tall, slender woman with short brown hair piled on top of her head. She wore a dark red dress, that came down to her ankles and held a glass of wine in her hand.
"Ah, Rinoa," she said, with a hellish smile contorting her face. "I've been waiting."
Rinoa could only gasp at the person she saw before her. "Ellone?"
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