Day 3
The next morning, Marle's eyes fluttered open. She saw Duo laying next to her. Shit… did we…? Then, she realized she had her original clothes still on. Phew. She was about to sit up, but a pounding headache stopped her. The last thing she remembered was downing piña coladas like any expert boozehound, and Duo pleading with her not to. She must have gotten completely smashed, and Duo must have stayed with her… why was the guy so sweet, and so…. Taken? He loved Hilde with all his heart, he just saw her as a friend. She sighed, and hoisted herself up off the bed.
~
The hostesses were dressed differently today; Alandra was wearing white jean shorts that left almost nothing to the imagination with a brightly-colored tank top and the same white high-heeled sandals. Her glossy blue hair was up in a ponytail. Amica appeared to be unable to go a day without sparkling somehow; her shorts were normal short jean shorts, but dusted with glitter. With them she wore an equally tawdry tube top covered in brightly colored flowers that were accentuated with fake gems. The top showed off a good portion of her toned stomach. She, too, wore her white high-heeled sandals, along with her usual myriad of jewellery, and the many earrings encrusted in her ears. Her hair was pulled back with sunglasses with lenses tinted pale rose. She was missing her usual happy aura, perhaps because it was so early in the morning.
"Alright," Amica ran a hand through her silken hair, stifling a yawn. "You are the girls, right?" She squinted off into the distance, then nodded as if to reaffirm her declaration.
Alandra looked a little more alert, but not much. "We'll give you the video camera, and you say your message. It can be as long as you like, but if you babble on and on we will cut you off. Got it?"
The others nodded.
"Ok… who goes first?" Amica yawned.
Selphie timidly raised her hand.
"Ok, go." Alandra waved a dainty hand.
Selphie stared into the camera as if it had eyes, a mouth, and a cowboy hat. "I loved you. You knew that, didn't you? Of course you did. And yet… you hurt me. You hurt me in ways unimaginable. It makes me want to cry, but I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of that. Irvine Kinneas, change or else…. Or else… it's over." She ran out of the view of the camera, where Zell enveloped her into his embrace.
~
"Oh man…" Irvine felt sick at seeing that on the TV screen.
"Next one," Alandra said, playing the tape again. Noin was on the screen.
"Zechs, I trust you, and I don't really have anything to say other that I love you, and I miss you… and someone else needs this chance to say something more than I do." She reached off screen and pushed a trembling figure into the view of the camera. Marle felt her heart plummet as she saw Crono.
"I'm so sorry, Marle… I know that doesn't fix what I did." He gulped. "But what I did, I would never have done while I was in the right frame of mind. I swear…. I would never hurt you. I'm so sorry, Marle… I love you…" He looked right at the camera, and Marle felt so affected that she had to look away. "Please, princess…" Marle flushed at his nickname for her, "Forgive me… please…"
Marle felt tears flood her eyes, and Duo hugged her. They were still friends even after he had seen her at her worst, and for that she was grateful. And now she was just confused.
Alandra looked starry-eyed, but resumed the tape. It was Rinoa.
"Turn it off." Squall growled. Quistis was next to him, and she put an arm around him in a supportive way.
Alandra glanced at him.
"I said, turn it off."
"Give her a chance, Squall." Quistis whispered.
"Fine."
Rinoa sighed. "Squally, I have nothing to say."
Everyone rolled their eyes, and the tape resumed as Hilde came on.
"I love you, Shinigami, and I miss you!" Duo smiled broadly, and Marle felt her fists clench.
The tape resumed, and Terra was on the screen.
"I can't believe I trusted you. Never in my life have I been so let down. General Leo would never have done this to me. I can't believe you… I hate you!" She ran off the screen. Edgar was stunned, and felt quite nauseous.
Alandra was motionless for a little, then put the tape back on.
Celes was standing there. "Locke, you were a little too comfy with Rachel for my taste. I'm not mad, but I'm warning you…" She got that glint in her eye that reminded him of that war-hardened general, and he gulped. She glared once more and stalked off the camera.
"Hey, Wufei!" Sally sounded as if she were meeting him by a chance encounter instead of on a video camera when it was next turned on. "I kind of miss your insane ranting about justice and Nataku, you know! Don't scare the other women too much!"
She casually strolled off, grinning. Wufei rolled his eyes. "The woman isn't even the least bit jealous."
~
Meanwhile, the girls were just starting the messages from the guys.
Amica had woken up during the rest of the day, and was radiating happiness. She pressed play on the VCR.
It was Zechs. "I miss you, Lu. Stay faithful, I trust you." He walked off, looking very dignified. Noin was glowing.
The next one was Squall. Rinoa didn't look very good, everyone noted.
"Rinoa, I swore to be your knight. But little did I know you'd end up stabbing me in the back like this. At this point, there's no chance in hell I'll stay with you. I can't believe I trusted you in the first place." He walked off, and Rinoa trembled.
Duo came on next. "I miss you, Hilde, and I want you to know that whatever you may see at the next bonfire is not what you think… Marle and I are just friends, nothing has happened between us. I love you, and Marle wants to say something to Crono." He led a quivering figure on, her hair hanging loosely amidst her tear-stained cheeks, and Crono felt his heart wrench. He buried his face in his hands.
"Crono, I tried my hardest… but I just can't hate you. … I can't help it. I will eventually forgive you, but… not yet. I need time, or something…" She broke off, about to cry. Her voice kept breaking as she continued: "You hurt me so much… even if you were drunk, it still hurt like hell… and even when I do forgive you, nothing will ever be the same again." She looked like she was about to run off, but kept her dignity and walked off with her head held high.
Crono wished someone would stab him right then and there.
Irvine was next. "Sefie, there's no condoning what I did. I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I'll change, I promise. Please give me one chance… I can do it, with your love and guidance… just don't give up on me. I need you, I'm lost without you…" He left the view of the camera. Selphie's eyes filled with tears.
Edgar appeared after Irvine. "I'm sorry, Terra…. If you want me to be a one-woman man, I'll do it. For you, I could do anything." Terra sighed, looking torn.
Locke appeared. "Celes, I love you and I miss you. You're the light of my life, and I don't know what I'd do without you." Celes beamed, smiling from ear to ear.
Next was Wufei.
"Woman, what are you playing at? 'He's spoken for.' What the hell is that supposed to mean? This is such injustice! Stay faithful to me, woman, or else! Oh, and someone has a message for someone else."
Fuujin appeared on the camera, and Seifer looked up. "Seifer… just seeing you with that slut-" "HEY!" interrupted Rinoa"- "Tore my heart out. I miss you… and I want you back. I don't even remember what we broke up over, but whatever it was I'm sorry. I just… I need you back."
The TV turned off. "Alright," Amica said, "The first date is tomorrow. Be on your best behavior, I'd suggest. The heat is on enough as it is!"
~
Duo took a swig of his old fashioned whiskey sour, and looked around. He hadn't seen Marle at all ever since last night at the video showing. Then, he heard female voices talking:
"Poor girl… she's been as pale as a statue ever since seeing Crono."
"Hasn't moved from that corner she likes to sit in… odd for a princess, huh?"
"She's torn on the inside…. Apparently she doesn't know what to think anymore."
Duo walked over to the source of the voices. "Where is she?"
Margie pointed to a corner, where Marle's huddled form was hidden by the darkness.
Duo thanked her and walked over to Marle. "Marle?"
Marle turned around and faced Duo, her back wedged into the corner. "Hi…"
"Come on, princess…" Duo whispered, offering her his hand, "Let's go get some ice cream."
"Okay…" Marle agreed, grabbing Duo's hand and pulling herself up.
~
"He sounded mad at you." Sephiroth said, handing Sally a drink and sitting down beside her.
"He always sounds like that." Sally casually replied.
Sephiroth laughed. "You deserve much better than that."
Sally turned and looked at Sephiroth seriously for a moment. She didn't say anything, stood up and walked away.
"Oh crap." Sephiroth muttered.
Sally sat down, as far from Sephiroth as she could manage. After saving him from Rinoa, he had the nerve to suggestion that Wufei wasn't good enough for her. That was certainly insulting. She cared for Wufei and wouldn't stand for him being insulted.
"Problems?"
Sally looked to the direction of the voice. It was Cloud. "Minor."
"What's wrong?" Cloud asked, concerned.
Sally smiled. "Nothing too important. Just a bad comment."
"Don't take comments too seriously. At least not from Sephiroth." Cloud advised, then changing the topic, "So, how are you liking the island so far?"
"It's a nice vacation."
"And your boyfriend? He looked pretty pissed off."
"I'm sure he's enjoying himself too. The island has lots of quiet spots he can meditate."
"And you don't care that he invited some girl to meditate with him? Isn't there some ulterior meaning there?"
Sally shook her head. "When he says meditation, he means meditation. And I trust him."
Cloud nodded, not sure if he would be as trusting, and returned to his silent state.
~
Edgar sat at a patio table, all by himself, moping and sipping a Coke. He had decided upon no more talking to women and no more alcohol. Because alcohol lowered inhibitions, lowered inhibitions meant flirting with other women, and flirting with other women meant losing Terra. He cared too much for Terra to lose her just because he was drunk. The entire island learned what could happen when someone is drunk. He was too into his own thoughts to notice someone sit down across from him.
"So, King Edgar Figaro." Dorothy started.
Edgar's head shot up, surprised at the unnoticed company.
Dorothy grinned. "A king must fight to defend his country, right? Tell me, have you ever fought any interesting battles?"
Edgar grinned, his ego momentarily overtaking his vow of no more women. "Well, I did fight a few glorious battles."
"Oh, do share." Dorothy encouraged.
1.1 Authors' Note: SporkGoddess here! So, there's day 3. It was rather short, but the best part's coming up! ^_^
The next morning, Marle's eyes fluttered open. She saw Duo laying next to her. Shit… did we…? Then, she realized she had her original clothes still on. Phew. She was about to sit up, but a pounding headache stopped her. The last thing she remembered was downing piña coladas like any expert boozehound, and Duo pleading with her not to. She must have gotten completely smashed, and Duo must have stayed with her… why was the guy so sweet, and so…. Taken? He loved Hilde with all his heart, he just saw her as a friend. She sighed, and hoisted herself up off the bed.
~
The hostesses were dressed differently today; Alandra was wearing white jean shorts that left almost nothing to the imagination with a brightly-colored tank top and the same white high-heeled sandals. Her glossy blue hair was up in a ponytail. Amica appeared to be unable to go a day without sparkling somehow; her shorts were normal short jean shorts, but dusted with glitter. With them she wore an equally tawdry tube top covered in brightly colored flowers that were accentuated with fake gems. The top showed off a good portion of her toned stomach. She, too, wore her white high-heeled sandals, along with her usual myriad of jewellery, and the many earrings encrusted in her ears. Her hair was pulled back with sunglasses with lenses tinted pale rose. She was missing her usual happy aura, perhaps because it was so early in the morning.
"Alright," Amica ran a hand through her silken hair, stifling a yawn. "You are the girls, right?" She squinted off into the distance, then nodded as if to reaffirm her declaration.
Alandra looked a little more alert, but not much. "We'll give you the video camera, and you say your message. It can be as long as you like, but if you babble on and on we will cut you off. Got it?"
The others nodded.
"Ok… who goes first?" Amica yawned.
Selphie timidly raised her hand.
"Ok, go." Alandra waved a dainty hand.
Selphie stared into the camera as if it had eyes, a mouth, and a cowboy hat. "I loved you. You knew that, didn't you? Of course you did. And yet… you hurt me. You hurt me in ways unimaginable. It makes me want to cry, but I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of that. Irvine Kinneas, change or else…. Or else… it's over." She ran out of the view of the camera, where Zell enveloped her into his embrace.
~
"Oh man…" Irvine felt sick at seeing that on the TV screen.
"Next one," Alandra said, playing the tape again. Noin was on the screen.
"Zechs, I trust you, and I don't really have anything to say other that I love you, and I miss you… and someone else needs this chance to say something more than I do." She reached off screen and pushed a trembling figure into the view of the camera. Marle felt her heart plummet as she saw Crono.
"I'm so sorry, Marle… I know that doesn't fix what I did." He gulped. "But what I did, I would never have done while I was in the right frame of mind. I swear…. I would never hurt you. I'm so sorry, Marle… I love you…" He looked right at the camera, and Marle felt so affected that she had to look away. "Please, princess…" Marle flushed at his nickname for her, "Forgive me… please…"
Marle felt tears flood her eyes, and Duo hugged her. They were still friends even after he had seen her at her worst, and for that she was grateful. And now she was just confused.
Alandra looked starry-eyed, but resumed the tape. It was Rinoa.
"Turn it off." Squall growled. Quistis was next to him, and she put an arm around him in a supportive way.
Alandra glanced at him.
"I said, turn it off."
"Give her a chance, Squall." Quistis whispered.
"Fine."
Rinoa sighed. "Squally, I have nothing to say."
Everyone rolled their eyes, and the tape resumed as Hilde came on.
"I love you, Shinigami, and I miss you!" Duo smiled broadly, and Marle felt her fists clench.
The tape resumed, and Terra was on the screen.
"I can't believe I trusted you. Never in my life have I been so let down. General Leo would never have done this to me. I can't believe you… I hate you!" She ran off the screen. Edgar was stunned, and felt quite nauseous.
Alandra was motionless for a little, then put the tape back on.
Celes was standing there. "Locke, you were a little too comfy with Rachel for my taste. I'm not mad, but I'm warning you…" She got that glint in her eye that reminded him of that war-hardened general, and he gulped. She glared once more and stalked off the camera.
"Hey, Wufei!" Sally sounded as if she were meeting him by a chance encounter instead of on a video camera when it was next turned on. "I kind of miss your insane ranting about justice and Nataku, you know! Don't scare the other women too much!"
She casually strolled off, grinning. Wufei rolled his eyes. "The woman isn't even the least bit jealous."
~
Meanwhile, the girls were just starting the messages from the guys.
Amica had woken up during the rest of the day, and was radiating happiness. She pressed play on the VCR.
It was Zechs. "I miss you, Lu. Stay faithful, I trust you." He walked off, looking very dignified. Noin was glowing.
The next one was Squall. Rinoa didn't look very good, everyone noted.
"Rinoa, I swore to be your knight. But little did I know you'd end up stabbing me in the back like this. At this point, there's no chance in hell I'll stay with you. I can't believe I trusted you in the first place." He walked off, and Rinoa trembled.
Duo came on next. "I miss you, Hilde, and I want you to know that whatever you may see at the next bonfire is not what you think… Marle and I are just friends, nothing has happened between us. I love you, and Marle wants to say something to Crono." He led a quivering figure on, her hair hanging loosely amidst her tear-stained cheeks, and Crono felt his heart wrench. He buried his face in his hands.
"Crono, I tried my hardest… but I just can't hate you. … I can't help it. I will eventually forgive you, but… not yet. I need time, or something…" She broke off, about to cry. Her voice kept breaking as she continued: "You hurt me so much… even if you were drunk, it still hurt like hell… and even when I do forgive you, nothing will ever be the same again." She looked like she was about to run off, but kept her dignity and walked off with her head held high.
Crono wished someone would stab him right then and there.
Irvine was next. "Sefie, there's no condoning what I did. I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I'll change, I promise. Please give me one chance… I can do it, with your love and guidance… just don't give up on me. I need you, I'm lost without you…" He left the view of the camera. Selphie's eyes filled with tears.
Edgar appeared after Irvine. "I'm sorry, Terra…. If you want me to be a one-woman man, I'll do it. For you, I could do anything." Terra sighed, looking torn.
Locke appeared. "Celes, I love you and I miss you. You're the light of my life, and I don't know what I'd do without you." Celes beamed, smiling from ear to ear.
Next was Wufei.
"Woman, what are you playing at? 'He's spoken for.' What the hell is that supposed to mean? This is such injustice! Stay faithful to me, woman, or else! Oh, and someone has a message for someone else."
Fuujin appeared on the camera, and Seifer looked up. "Seifer… just seeing you with that slut-" "HEY!" interrupted Rinoa"- "Tore my heart out. I miss you… and I want you back. I don't even remember what we broke up over, but whatever it was I'm sorry. I just… I need you back."
The TV turned off. "Alright," Amica said, "The first date is tomorrow. Be on your best behavior, I'd suggest. The heat is on enough as it is!"
~
Duo took a swig of his old fashioned whiskey sour, and looked around. He hadn't seen Marle at all ever since last night at the video showing. Then, he heard female voices talking:
"Poor girl… she's been as pale as a statue ever since seeing Crono."
"Hasn't moved from that corner she likes to sit in… odd for a princess, huh?"
"She's torn on the inside…. Apparently she doesn't know what to think anymore."
Duo walked over to the source of the voices. "Where is she?"
Margie pointed to a corner, where Marle's huddled form was hidden by the darkness.
Duo thanked her and walked over to Marle. "Marle?"
Marle turned around and faced Duo, her back wedged into the corner. "Hi…"
"Come on, princess…" Duo whispered, offering her his hand, "Let's go get some ice cream."
"Okay…" Marle agreed, grabbing Duo's hand and pulling herself up.
~
"He sounded mad at you." Sephiroth said, handing Sally a drink and sitting down beside her.
"He always sounds like that." Sally casually replied.
Sephiroth laughed. "You deserve much better than that."
Sally turned and looked at Sephiroth seriously for a moment. She didn't say anything, stood up and walked away.
"Oh crap." Sephiroth muttered.
Sally sat down, as far from Sephiroth as she could manage. After saving him from Rinoa, he had the nerve to suggestion that Wufei wasn't good enough for her. That was certainly insulting. She cared for Wufei and wouldn't stand for him being insulted.
"Problems?"
Sally looked to the direction of the voice. It was Cloud. "Minor."
"What's wrong?" Cloud asked, concerned.
Sally smiled. "Nothing too important. Just a bad comment."
"Don't take comments too seriously. At least not from Sephiroth." Cloud advised, then changing the topic, "So, how are you liking the island so far?"
"It's a nice vacation."
"And your boyfriend? He looked pretty pissed off."
"I'm sure he's enjoying himself too. The island has lots of quiet spots he can meditate."
"And you don't care that he invited some girl to meditate with him? Isn't there some ulterior meaning there?"
Sally shook her head. "When he says meditation, he means meditation. And I trust him."
Cloud nodded, not sure if he would be as trusting, and returned to his silent state.
~
Edgar sat at a patio table, all by himself, moping and sipping a Coke. He had decided upon no more talking to women and no more alcohol. Because alcohol lowered inhibitions, lowered inhibitions meant flirting with other women, and flirting with other women meant losing Terra. He cared too much for Terra to lose her just because he was drunk. The entire island learned what could happen when someone is drunk. He was too into his own thoughts to notice someone sit down across from him.
"So, King Edgar Figaro." Dorothy started.
Edgar's head shot up, surprised at the unnoticed company.
Dorothy grinned. "A king must fight to defend his country, right? Tell me, have you ever fought any interesting battles?"
Edgar grinned, his ego momentarily overtaking his vow of no more women. "Well, I did fight a few glorious battles."
"Oh, do share." Dorothy encouraged.
1.1 Authors' Note: SporkGoddess here! So, there's day 3. It was rather short, but the best part's coming up! ^_^