**usual disclaimers apply**
-------------------------------------------------------------------
A MAGICIAN'S CURSE
by Yumemi
~Chapter 22~
For the following days, nothing of what Rinoa felt ever came about.
In fact, it was so peaceful that they momentarily forgot(even Zell)
what had happened before and with Selphie's jolly aura about, it was
impossible to break the joyous mood.... or so they thought.
While all were in happy land, Saehri had become more and more restless.
Wu had not made a move for several days now, and it fustrated her.
"what are you up to, Wu?" she asked, knowing that no one would bother
answer her.
Wu buised herself in her work, writing down things while observing
someone in her spy-globe. It was a certain female SeeD with black
hair streaked with brown here and there. She had brown eyes, and fair
skin. She had this free-spirited attitude and she often wore a black,
sleeveless, fitting shirt with matching black cycling shorts and boots
with a sleeveless wool coat that reached her ankles with a signature
mark of white angel wings printed at the back.
She passed a pale hand over the globe and the images from the spy-globe
disappeared.
"what I need is time." she told herself, "but that is the one thing I
do not have. If only I could find that spell book..." she stood up and
went over to a bookshelf and started running her fingers on the books
covers and started looking.
"hey! why don't we go on a picnic next week?" Shun told them, then
happily munched on his hotdog. They were in the canteen and he had
just bought, to his luck, the last piece that was left.
"picnic? That's a great idea! and next week is fine... since none of
us would have assignments by then!" Selphie said excitedly.
"we should assign ourselves then, to make sure that all would bring
something." Rinoa suggested.
Their table became a busy hive of activity and all were like bees
buzzing ideas every now and then except for Squall, who kept silent.
Just a few strides away from them, Saehri watched.
*I wish I could be as worry-free as they are...* she sighed.
~next week~
They were at Esthar's BioPark, where President Laguna had met an
accident. They were all there including Sakura, Ruriko, Yukino,
Shun, Laguna, Ward, Kiros and Ellone. At that day, many people
stopped by their picnic table because of Laguna's presence. They
placed themselves on two available tables under the shade of a
large oak tree.
"you should really enjoy the scenery guys," Laguna told his long-
time buddy Kiros, who was observing everything.
"I am." he replied.
Laguna gave him one of his goofy smiles, "NOT LIKE THAT!" he said.
"yeah Mr. Kiros, you really should lighten up a bit!" Selphie told
him in her cheery voice, then offered an apple.
Kiros smiled at her and settled down a bit, taking an apple that
Selphie offered him.
"you're really work wonders Selphie!" Laguna commented.
"aww shucks..." she said, digging her toes in the grass and putting
her hands behind her and swayed left to right.
"no, you really do!" Irvine added. Selphie blushed. *one point!* he
thought to himself.
Meanwhile, Sakura, Ruriko, Quistis and Yukino prepared the table while
Zell and Squall(much to everyone's surprise) volunteered to cook the
barbecue. Rinoa, Ellone and Ward on the other hand, took the remaining
picnic baskets out of the Laguna's old truck.
So the tables were set. Red and white checkered cloth covered the
tables, as to the usual tradition. Laguna and Squall seated themselves
on both ends of the first table(Squall to the left) and Rinoa seated
beside Squall to his right adn beside her, Quistis and Ellone. Opposite
them sat Ward and Kiros.
On the second table, Shun and Zell sat on the opposite ends. Selphie
sat with Irvine to Zell's left and opposite them sat Ruriko and Sakura,
with Yukino in the middle.
Each table had their own plate of country-style barbecue and hotdog
on buns and a jug of ice-cold lemonade. Each also had a bowl of mashed
potatoes and assorted fruits(most of which were apples, bananas and
oranges with a few grapes). All said their blessings and the food fest
began. Zell and Shun ate as fast as they could, trying to eat as much
hotdogs before the other finishes all of it. Selphie, Sakura and Ruriko
chatted away, with Irvine intejecteing often in an attempt to make a
"point" with Selphie. Yukino was as quiet as ever.
On the other table, Ward, Kiros and Laguna often argued making certain
corrections to Laguna's story as he told them to the others. Quistis,
Rinoa and Ellone couldn't help but laugh at the three. Squall was like
Yukino, silently watching and sometimes rolling his eyes skyward as he
watched his father babble stories of his adventures with Ward and Kiros.
As the three talked. Rinoa felt the call of nature. "umm...can you please
excuse me? all this laughing has made my gall bladder burst." she said.
All smiled and her and she left.
There was a small comfort room not far from where they were and she went
in. After a few seconds, Rinoa got out. As she was steadily walking her
way back she watched the other picnikers about, throwing frizbees and doing
stuff and eating their food. She was staring at a dog that reminded her of
Angelo when she suddenly bumped into someone.
"Oh! I'm sorry I..." she suddenly stopped. Before her stood a tall woman
all clad in black robes, her hood hiding her face well. Rinoa tried to
stand up but she couldn't. Something about this woman froze her with fear.
The woman touched Rinoa on the forehead with a pale finger and suddenly,
all of Rinoa's senses went numb and she fell on the grass with a soft thud.
The woman then snapped her fingers and Rinoa's body suddenly disappeared.
The robes then started to shift oddly. The figure became shorter and after
a few more minutes, the robes stopped shifting. The figure then raised a
hand, no longer pale but now fair in color. A blue cloth covered her wrists
up to her elbows. She deftly removed her cloak and smiled happily.
Rinoa then resumed walking back to the picnic table.
___________________________________________________________________
to be continued...
-------------------------------------------------------------------
A MAGICIAN'S CURSE
by Yumemi
~Chapter 22~
For the following days, nothing of what Rinoa felt ever came about.
In fact, it was so peaceful that they momentarily forgot(even Zell)
what had happened before and with Selphie's jolly aura about, it was
impossible to break the joyous mood.... or so they thought.
While all were in happy land, Saehri had become more and more restless.
Wu had not made a move for several days now, and it fustrated her.
"what are you up to, Wu?" she asked, knowing that no one would bother
answer her.
Wu buised herself in her work, writing down things while observing
someone in her spy-globe. It was a certain female SeeD with black
hair streaked with brown here and there. She had brown eyes, and fair
skin. She had this free-spirited attitude and she often wore a black,
sleeveless, fitting shirt with matching black cycling shorts and boots
with a sleeveless wool coat that reached her ankles with a signature
mark of white angel wings printed at the back.
She passed a pale hand over the globe and the images from the spy-globe
disappeared.
"what I need is time." she told herself, "but that is the one thing I
do not have. If only I could find that spell book..." she stood up and
went over to a bookshelf and started running her fingers on the books
covers and started looking.
"hey! why don't we go on a picnic next week?" Shun told them, then
happily munched on his hotdog. They were in the canteen and he had
just bought, to his luck, the last piece that was left.
"picnic? That's a great idea! and next week is fine... since none of
us would have assignments by then!" Selphie said excitedly.
"we should assign ourselves then, to make sure that all would bring
something." Rinoa suggested.
Their table became a busy hive of activity and all were like bees
buzzing ideas every now and then except for Squall, who kept silent.
Just a few strides away from them, Saehri watched.
*I wish I could be as worry-free as they are...* she sighed.
~next week~
They were at Esthar's BioPark, where President Laguna had met an
accident. They were all there including Sakura, Ruriko, Yukino,
Shun, Laguna, Ward, Kiros and Ellone. At that day, many people
stopped by their picnic table because of Laguna's presence. They
placed themselves on two available tables under the shade of a
large oak tree.
"you should really enjoy the scenery guys," Laguna told his long-
time buddy Kiros, who was observing everything.
"I am." he replied.
Laguna gave him one of his goofy smiles, "NOT LIKE THAT!" he said.
"yeah Mr. Kiros, you really should lighten up a bit!" Selphie told
him in her cheery voice, then offered an apple.
Kiros smiled at her and settled down a bit, taking an apple that
Selphie offered him.
"you're really work wonders Selphie!" Laguna commented.
"aww shucks..." she said, digging her toes in the grass and putting
her hands behind her and swayed left to right.
"no, you really do!" Irvine added. Selphie blushed. *one point!* he
thought to himself.
Meanwhile, Sakura, Ruriko, Quistis and Yukino prepared the table while
Zell and Squall(much to everyone's surprise) volunteered to cook the
barbecue. Rinoa, Ellone and Ward on the other hand, took the remaining
picnic baskets out of the Laguna's old truck.
So the tables were set. Red and white checkered cloth covered the
tables, as to the usual tradition. Laguna and Squall seated themselves
on both ends of the first table(Squall to the left) and Rinoa seated
beside Squall to his right adn beside her, Quistis and Ellone. Opposite
them sat Ward and Kiros.
On the second table, Shun and Zell sat on the opposite ends. Selphie
sat with Irvine to Zell's left and opposite them sat Ruriko and Sakura,
with Yukino in the middle.
Each table had their own plate of country-style barbecue and hotdog
on buns and a jug of ice-cold lemonade. Each also had a bowl of mashed
potatoes and assorted fruits(most of which were apples, bananas and
oranges with a few grapes). All said their blessings and the food fest
began. Zell and Shun ate as fast as they could, trying to eat as much
hotdogs before the other finishes all of it. Selphie, Sakura and Ruriko
chatted away, with Irvine intejecteing often in an attempt to make a
"point" with Selphie. Yukino was as quiet as ever.
On the other table, Ward, Kiros and Laguna often argued making certain
corrections to Laguna's story as he told them to the others. Quistis,
Rinoa and Ellone couldn't help but laugh at the three. Squall was like
Yukino, silently watching and sometimes rolling his eyes skyward as he
watched his father babble stories of his adventures with Ward and Kiros.
As the three talked. Rinoa felt the call of nature. "umm...can you please
excuse me? all this laughing has made my gall bladder burst." she said.
All smiled and her and she left.
There was a small comfort room not far from where they were and she went
in. After a few seconds, Rinoa got out. As she was steadily walking her
way back she watched the other picnikers about, throwing frizbees and doing
stuff and eating their food. She was staring at a dog that reminded her of
Angelo when she suddenly bumped into someone.
"Oh! I'm sorry I..." she suddenly stopped. Before her stood a tall woman
all clad in black robes, her hood hiding her face well. Rinoa tried to
stand up but she couldn't. Something about this woman froze her with fear.
The woman touched Rinoa on the forehead with a pale finger and suddenly,
all of Rinoa's senses went numb and she fell on the grass with a soft thud.
The woman then snapped her fingers and Rinoa's body suddenly disappeared.
The robes then started to shift oddly. The figure became shorter and after
a few more minutes, the robes stopped shifting. The figure then raised a
hand, no longer pale but now fair in color. A blue cloth covered her wrists
up to her elbows. She deftly removed her cloak and smiled happily.
Rinoa then resumed walking back to the picnic table.
___________________________________________________________________
to be continued...
