Disclaimer: All characters from FFVIII belong to Squaresoft. No attempt is being made to profit from their use.
Author's Note: This isn't the true chapter, in case anyone stumbles upon this accidentally. I've only placed it because of ff.net's new policy to no longer allow a chapter that includes messages or notes or the like. I suggest ignoring this for now.
NIGHT HUNTERS
Part Four
Beast Unbound
The blood-stained bones fell away with a clatter as Rinoa scrambled to get out of bed. Her body protested the rapid movements that strained her muscles, but the horror of the situation overcame the pain.
They were all that remained of the students she'd dreamt of, she knew with a dread certainty. The students had been mutilated by not one, but two werewolves…
Rinoa stumbled backwards, away from her bed and the pile of picked-clean bones, until her hunched back was against the wall. No… Hyne, not this! Please! The gorge rose in her throat, and she vomited blood and chunks of meat and bone. I didn't! I only dreamt it! It was a dream!
She had to tell Quistis, there was no question of that. Here was the proof she needed. Even though it would mean imprisonment for her – or death – she had to tell the commander. She would willingly end her own life if it meant an end to all this.
Tears flowed down her cheeks. Her worst fears were being realized, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Despite her determination to report this to Quistis right away, Rinoa found herself sliding down the wall, pulling her body into a painful fetal position. She couldn't stop the sobs that racked her body, nor rid herself of the nauseating taste of flesh in her mouth. Not this way. I want death, but not this way! Not this way!
* * *
"You don't look so well," Zell told Hannah when they went to breakfast that morning. Garen was eating with them as well, though he was so withdrawn it was as if he weren't there.
"It's just a headache. I didn't sleep so well." Hannah eyed the hot dogs on her plate, and her ashen face twisted into a frown. "I guess I'm nauseous, too. This just doesn't look appetizing at the moment."
Garen was eating slowly, as if he, too, wasn't hungry. Neither had had a good night, apparently. "Eat up," Garen advised. "You need your strength."
"Right," Hannah said listlessly. She took a bite of one limp hot dog, and Zell suddenly felt guilty for scarfing down his own only moments before. Probably didn't do much to help her appetite, watching me make a pig out of myself!
Garen grunted and said nothing else. Hannah poked at her food a few more minutes, then said apologetically, "Maybe I should just go to bed. I'm not feeling well, and if classes are canceled, I want to get a nap." She pushed back her plate and stood up. Garen mirrored her movements.
"See ya!" Zell said as they walked away. He eyed the two vacated plates, then shrugged. "More for me," Zell mumbled, enthusiastically digging in to Hannah's food.
They'd only been gone for a moment before Irvine and Selphie took their vacated seats. Irvine eyed the rapidly emptying plates in front of Zell and arched a sardonic brow. "Damn," he said. "No wonder there weren't any left. Trying to break your old record?"
Zell ignored his friend's teasing. He set down the hot dog he'd been devouring and met his friends' gazes. "What do you think of all this?" he asked bluntly.
Irvine frowned. "What do you mean?"
Zell waved his hands irritably. "I mean what Quistis is doing to Rinoa. She's been through too much already; I think Quistis is overdoing it."
Selphie's normally vibrant face was serious. "I don't think it's right… but what if Quistis is correct, and Rinoa is going mad? She's been through a lot, you know."
"She hasn't been herself since… well, since before those kids of hers were even born," Irvine added.
"So you think she's a danger?" Zell bristled. "Irvine, Selphie, she's our friend! She deserves the benefit of the doubt!"
"Are you sure? Zell, when was the last time you were around her for more than a few minutes? She's been acting very strangely lately, and the students are terrified of her," Irvine said flatly.
Zell opened his mouth to argue, then thought over what Irvine had just said. He hadn't spent much time with Rinoa lately; he'd been too preoccupied with Hannah. Was there more to Rinoa's attitude that was making the others wary of her that he'd been to oblivious to notice?
Was she mad, after all?
Or worse?
"What if she hurts someone?" Irvine continued.
"I don't think she would," Selphie said hurriedly. "I think she's the one who'll get hurt. She needs to be protected."
Protected? Zell knew Rinoa well enough to know she would hate that. And he didn't think she'd see it that way, either. But before he could protest, the intercom in the cafeteria chimed.
"Would Irvine, Selphie, and Zell please report to the commander's office right away?" Quistis's voice came. "Repeat: Would Irvine, Selphie, and Zell please report to the commander's office right away?"
"Wonder what that's about?" Irvine said as he rose to his feet, Selphie moments behind him. Zell stood, pushing aside the final plate of hot dogs. He'd lost his appetite, anyway.
* * *
* * *
It padded forward on silent feet, its keen eyes following the patrols before creeping down the vacated hallways. This is easy... too easy. Garden doesn't have a chance. It arched its tail and its steps quickened as it recognized the wing that housed the officers' quarters.
The door it sought was closed, but a quick application of its weight was enough to pry the locked door open. The metal groaned in protest, and the creature froze, ears turning sharply to pick up the slightest sound.
Nothing. Teeth glinted as the creature's jaw gaped in a smile. So the occupant was sound asleep... It crept inside, passing the main room and into the small bedroom, where a dark form was softly snoring on the bed.
Soundlessly, the creature turned its head toward the cradle at the foot of the bed. Delicately, it grasped the infant in its jaws, then whirled and fled the room.
By the time the baby screamed, the creature was already far from the commander's room.