BLACK RAIN

Chapter 6 – A Sorceress Instruction Manual

The Ragnarok lands at FH, where the Garden is already docked. Selphie, Irvine and Rinoa are already waiting to be picked up. Quistis stands at the ramp entryway into the Ragnarok to say hello to her friends. As she does so, she senses something, a power, unnatural, inside the ship. She wraps a hand sround her whip, ready to defend herself. She senses nothing out of the ordinary.

Sense? When was I able to do that? She thinks to herself.

As she gets the lift up to the cockpit, that 'power' sensation comes over her again. It isn't until she is in the cockpit itself that she realises where it's coming from.

It's coming from Rinoa. She is sitting in the seat where the main gun is operated, but there is something different, very different about her. Rinoa is softly radiating power, a gentle glow is surrounding her. The others, and especially, Rinoa, are acting as though it isn't there. She has a small feeling that she's the only one, besides Rinoa herself, who can feel it. Quistis takes a step back.

"What's wrong Quistis?" asks Selphie form the pilots seat.

"Oh? N..nothing, really" she replies as she sits down into the co-pilots seat. Irvine is snoozing away in the corner, hat over head. They can't feel or see what's coming from Rinoa, she thinks. Why? She casts a glance back at Rinoa. Rinoa looks at her and smiles. A small jolt runs through Quistis' body, as though something has just been 'unlocked'. Rinoa's smile falters a little.

She felt it too thinks Quistis. I'll try to talk to her later.

(4 hours later)

Selphie is quietly piloting the ship, which is now way over the ocean, following the horizon bridge to Esthar. Irvine is snoring quietly under his hat.

"Will you be OK, Selphie? I need to talk a walk" Quistis asks.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, go ahead, you know me" she smiles.

"Thanks." She gives Selphie a small hug and gets out of the seat. She walks up to Rinoa, who is looking out of the window, lost in her thoughts.

"Rinoa?" she asks quietly, a little too quiet perhaps but nonetheless, Rinoa looks up and smiles. Again… that…feeling…

"What's up? We there already?"

"No, ot's not that, do you want to go for a walk? I'm a bit bored, plus I want to ask you something."

"Umm sure." Rinoa somehow knew that Quistis was going to ask her a strange question on their walk. Rather than eading her mind and try to find out what it could be, she decided to wait. She got up and follows Quistis to the lift. As the lift descends, she speaks up.

"What's up?" she repeats.

Quistis stares at her. Her voice… seems different she thinks. It's like it's echoing, but I'm right next to her, Maybe not.

"Is it? Oh, I'm sorry" says Rinoa, reverting her voice to normal. But it's already normal. The lift stops. They walk on down the staris to the lower level. Quistis takes her arm.

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"I can read peoples minds. It's a sorceress' gift."

"Wow. Wish I could" Quistis giggles "then maybe I can see if the guy I go on a date with next time is 'up to scratch'"

Rinoa laughs. "hmm never thought of that. Remind me to try that next time Squall gets lost in his thoughts again."

Quistis laughs louder. Suddenly she stops. She faces Rinoa

"Have you been having any nightmares, ar strange visions, ar dreams lately?"

…She screams…

…The room shakes slightly…

…Rinoa!! Calm down!!!…

…Black…

…Eyes…Colour…

"No… not really. I did have this one dream where I was marrying Squall, but I forgor my dress." She laughs, trying to conceal her blushes.

Quistis also laughs. "Anything else?"

"No." Rinoa shakes her head.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Why? What's going on?"

Quistis is silent. Why isn't Rinoa gettting them? Is it just me, Squall and Zell? Or are Irvine and Selphie getting them too? I'd better explain everything to her.

Rinoa listens as Qusitis tells her everything, from the dreams to the mission concerning Odine. Rinoa nods her head.

"Something inside me tells me that what you're experiencing is going to happen quite soon. She says.

Quistis' eyes widen. "Are you sure?"

"Yes". Rinoa cocks her head to one side, as if listening. "I don't know if it's just these powers, but you seem… different somehow. Are you the same? Are you OK?"

"What? What are you talking about? Speak for yourself.

"Don't worry about me"She smiles and holds her hands up. "Edea just gave me a few… ideas. That's all."

"Ideas? Like what?" Quistis was genuinely interested.

"Watch this. Oh, by the way, you may want to get right back."

Quistis took no time in doing what Rinoa just asked, and for good reason.

Rinoa goes and positions herself in the middle of the floor, and crosses her arms over her chest. Suddenly she throws thwm open, so they are outstretched at either side of her. There is a flash, and a pair of brilliant white wings appears behind her, sprouting from her back.

"Wh.." Quistis is speechless as she gazes at Rinoa, now hovering about a fot in the air. She radiates power, giving it off like intense heat from a fire. Wow, thinks Quistis, she could destroy the world if she wanted.

"I could" Rinoa replied, reading her mind again. At least, she thought it was Rinoa. Her mouth did move with the words, but her voice was now so distorted to an event that Quistis had to really listen to hear Rinoas' voice' in amongst the others. "But Edea showed me to handle my power. As long as I don't unleash it when I'm emotionally unstable, it is mine to command." Pure blue sparks of energy crackle around her. Her hair is moving outward slightly, and is also a shade of blue. A strange white haze surrounds her. Rinoa lets her power drop, and she returns to normal. All Quistis can do is stare.

"I must admit, I was impressed myself." Rinoa smiles.

"Edea taught you that?"

"Uh-huh, and boy was it tough."

Quistis coughs nervously, "didn't look tough to me"

"Yeah? You think so?"

Rinoa explains what happened.

(Balamb Garden – Cid's office – Some time in the afternoon)

Rinoa is sitting crossed-legged on the floor. Her eyes closed, her hands clenched into fists, sitting on her knees.

Edea walks around her, a hand just over her head. Edea has changed, and energy flows around her. Her voice is still pleasant, despite the echo.

"You are a sorceress, child. A sorceress is both blessed and cursed. Blessed because of the power she has at her displsal. Cursed because she is basically no longer allowed to live a normal life."

Rinoa begins to float in mid-air. A white haze surrounds her. A set of white wings materialises from her back. The elder sorceress smiles.

"I see you have found it. The source."

Yes, Rinoa thinks, into Edea's mind. It was difficult, but now I have found it.

Good. She replies, also telepathically. Now you will always have this gift. Like I have, even though I lost the majoritory of my powers. Even if I lost them completely, I would still be able to do this. Use it well, along with all of you r other powers. But remember, always remember. Your emotions are the deciding factor. Your 'battery' so to speak.

Rinoa opens her eyes, now levitating without effort, her wings are transparent, but still noticeable. She let's them recede into her back, and stands up. She looks at edea, now also back to normal.

"Thank you Edea. May I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"It's something I'm just curious about." Sayas Rinoa. "And it's this: has there ever been a 'sorcerer'? or has it always been women? I have Ultimecia's powers, who she herself inherited from those sorceresses of past and future, thanks to time compression. But from what I've 'established', a few of the past sorceress' spirits are telling me that Hyne was male. Is this true?"

Edea was surprised at her question. "Such a difficult question! I do not know myself, but legend has it that if you die abruptly, i.e get killed unjustly, the Great Hyne is supposed to be a 'watcher' of sorts. Someone who tells you what your situation is for dying. But he also decides wether to let you go back to the living to right that wrong, but at the same time, he is supposed to leave you the choice of wether you want to go back or not."

Rinoa is staring at the floor. Edea is watching her. Then she looks up, directly at Edea. Suddenly her eyes flash. They change colour, from her normal brown to a bluish-yellow, then they turn pure yellow.

Edea smiles. She is finished she thinks inwardly.

"Welcome to the world of sorcery, child."

Rinoa smiles, listening perfectly to everything Edea tells her next, and also begins to teach her the various spells, techniques and enchantments that only sorceresses know.

(Back on Ragnarok)

"Very impressive" Quistis simply says.

"Like I said, it was tough" Rinoa grimaces "but now I'm used to it."

Quistis is silent. Lost in her thoughts.

"But anyway" Rinoa breaks her from them. "I'm going to say something to you Quistis, I don't know if it's true, but I just have a… gut feeling about this, so please don't laugh."

"I won't, unless it's something silly again. Let me guess, I'm a sorceress too, right? I wish." She starts to laugh, but the eerie silence from Rinoa quietens her fast. She looks at her. She looks very troubled.

"Rinoa? What's.."

"Hey! Watcha doing?" calls a voice from above. Irvine is standing on the upper railing.

"Not a lot" Rinoa calls back "Just talking you know, girls talk."

"So can I listen in then?" Irvine grinned stupidly.

"Go away Irvine" laughs Quistis shakily.

"So.. you don't want me to tell you we'll be landing in 30 minutes time then?"

"Oh! Really? Sorry, Irvine! Thanks a lot!" Quistis replies.

"See ya" Irvine tips his hat at them and leaves.

"Let's go Rinoa, we'll talk later." Quistis walks off, and goes up the stairs.

Rinoa stands alone for a minute. You seem different, Quistis she thinks. I don't know what, but I've never felt it before, and it only seems to be you. Selphie and Irvine are the same. Why are you…?

Rinoa's eyes widen slightly.

No, it can't be, surely she would know? Or does she?