BLACK RAIN
Chapter 9 – Wheels in Motion
(Esthar – Palace bedroom)
Rinoa blinked, then opened her eyes fully, letting them adjust to the light in the room, which was not much. She turned her head to the window, and saw Squall, standing there, looking out towards the horizon. He watched the sun, as it crept over the other buildings in the city, washing everything with a soft gold light.
"Morning" she says to him lightly, "Its fun lying next to you. I hope you weren't embarrassed, and you didn't mind… because we've only been going out…"
"No, its OK, Rinoa, " he replies, not turning around.
"I don't think you are now, though" she says to him slowly "I know your usually 'lost in thought' but this time you seem more… lost."
"You know me too well" he says lightly, "you're right, I am… I'm… just thinking about the mission, that's all."
Rinoa was half listening, half thinking, if she should tell him what she 'read' in his mind last night. She opted to press him for it, in the hope he might tell her straight out, to save her asking.
"Do you know what to do?" she asks him, getting out of the bed, and slipping her clothes on. "How are you going to get inside? Take the ship?"
"Actually" he answered, still looking out of the window, "I was wondering if you can make a gate to take us there, as it's the fastest way. Also, I feel that if we took the Ragnarok, they might see us coming. Odine and his 'lady' have been in there some time now, who knows what they've done to the place. Don't worry, as soon as you've sent us you can go back to your own mission."
"Umm OK" she says, "though I must admit, it will be my first 'proper' time I've done it. The only other time was when Edea taught me, and even then, I didn't send anything through." She bit her lip "But I'll try my best, to, you know, not transport you in front of an oncoming train" she giggled nervously. "Also, I don't need to go 'with' you, all you have to do is think of the destination, and the gate will open at the other end for you."
Squall finally turned around, looking at her. "I trust you Rinoa, I always will." He was slightly red when he said this.
Rinoa couldn't help it, she smiled at him. It was this sentence that drove all thoughts of telling him what she saw last night from her mind, trusting herself that he would be OK.
"Come on" he said, taking her hand gently "I said to the others we'll meet in the cafeteria."
The two of them found the cafeteria without any effort already open. As they walked in, their attention was immediately drawn to a table sitting in the corner, where they saw a huge pile of hotdogs sitting on a plate. Rinoa laughed quietly.
"Now I wonder whom… ha ha" she sniggered, and walked off to look at the menu.
Squall walked over to the hotdogs, and sat down. All he could make out was a pair of arms, and a tuft of blonde spiky hair above the pile.
"Hot dogs, for breakfast?" he asked half-heartedly.
Zell looked up, "Its goodm for mmee" he said, his mouth full of hot dog. He took a drink. "I said it's…"
"I heard you" he interrupted, as Rinoa walked over with 2 mugs of tea. Selphie and Irvine walked in, and walked over to where the others sat.
"Hi everyone" said Selphie. Irvine didn't say anything, as he was promptly being swatted away by Zell for trying to steal a hot dog.
"Where's Quistis?" asked Selphie. She barely finished answering her question, when Quistis appeared
"Right here" she answers, seating herself. She looks around at the table of faces; all of them are expressing different emotions. Even Selphie has fallen silent, her usual cheery demeanour replaced by a stern look.
"You guys OK?" she asks. No one answers for a full 2 minutes. She repeats the question.
"Were fine, Quistis" Squall replies "Just thinking again, that's all. You know what to do, right?" he asks of Irvine, turning to him. "Because you're the captain of the squad, just be careful."
Irvine tips his hat at Squall. "Will do"
Squall stands up. "OK people, let's go."
As the group made their way to the elevator to take them out of the palace, a familiar voice calls them from behind.
"Hey" Wait up!" yells Laguna, Kiros and Ward flanking him.
"You all set?" he asks Squall. Kiros and Ward are a distance back from him, looking everywhere but at the group.
"Yes" answers Squall. "Were ready"
"Good. Now remember what we said, you get Odine, well do the rest."
"We will." Squall replies, then turns and walks away.
Laguna watches them go. "Good luck Squall" he says under his breath
Kiros walks up to him "I take it you didn't tell him, the truth? About who you?"
"No" replies Laguna, shaking his head "But I will, even if he comes back dead, I will."
Squall motions for the group to stop, once they are off the elevator.
"It's time," he says, turning around "Irvine Selphie, Rinoa, good luck" he smiles at Rinoa, so only she would see. "Rinoa, if you please…"
"If you please? You don't have to be so polite" she giggles "and only a smile? Now, that wont do" she smiles, walking up to him and kissing him. Squall tries to stop himself going red, but can't.
"I know your going to say something Irvine, so don't," he says sternly at the cowboy, whose mouth is half-open.
"Never crossed my mind" he grins at him wolfishly. Squall raises an eyebrow, but smirks back at him as well. Turning to Rinoa, he says, "are you ready?"
"Yes"
"Uh…Squall?" Zell asks, "what's she doing?"
"She's making a gate", says Quistis, answering immediately.
The entire group look at her.
"How did you know what I was going to do?" Rinoa asks her.
"I just knew" replies Quistis. "I just knew"
The others turn their attention back to Rinoa, but Rinoa continues to stare at Quistis. Then suddenly it hits her… a sensation… she was wrong before when she thought she felt this, but now…
"Rinoa? Hello?" Irvine calls to her, snapping her out of her stupor.
"Oh, sorry" she says, and raises her hand. She proceeds to move her hand, drawing an arc in mid air, until it touches the ground, outlining a gate in the middle. Then a white glow fills the space inside.
"That's it," she says to the others, her voice echoing slightly. "Just think of the destination, and you'll go there, only I can close it this end, or the other. I would give you a destination, but I can't remember what the Pandora looked like form inside. I made sure I forgot, after what happened."
"That's OK, " says Squall, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Ill go first. Quistis, Zell, think of the place where we entered with the Ragnarok the last time." He steps in to the glow. He turns and mouths something to Rinoa, before disappearing
I love you
Rinoa smiles as he vanishes, but as he does, she also feels a surge of… uncertainty, as if that was the last time she would see him.
"Me next" says Zell, who then promptly disappears.
"Me now" says Quistis, and she walks towards the glow. Rinoa stops her.
"Quistis I have to tell you something, about you" she says hastily.
"What is it?" she asks, but Rinoa doesn't get the chance to answer, as an unseen wind suddenly appears, shoving Quistis through. The gate vanishes.
"Quistis!" shouts Rinoa.
"What's wrong?" asks Selphie "has Quistis went somewhere else? Is she OK?"
"No" Rinoa replies, looking at the floor "Its just that I found out something, she had to be told."
"What? What?" Selphie pushes "what's wrong with her?"
Rinoa faces Irvine and Selphie
"Quistis is a sorceress."
(Squall mission – Lunatic Pandora)
The rushing sensation stops. Squall slams into the ground, feeling the cold metal of the Pandora. Looking back, he sees a perfect replica of the gate Rinoa made, as if it came with him. Looking beyond that, he sees the huge hole made by the Ragnarok the last time. His attention returns to the gate, when it shimmers slightly, as Zell comes tumbling through the gate, rolling headfirst onto the floor. He barely has time to stand up before Quistis comes flying through the gate also; crashing into Zell and making both of them hit the floor.
"Sheesh! Can't you adjust the speed or something?" Zell complains, as Quistis gets up, accidentally standing on his hand
"Oh! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she gasps
"You OK?" Squall grabs her, to stop her falling "You look flushed."
"I'm fine… except" she brushes herself down with her hands. "I felt like I was pushed here, instead of stepping through."
"Huh? What do you mean?" asks Squall.
"Rinoa, she was about to tell me something, but then a … a force shoved me through. It felt like wind, but it was too strong and too fast to be that. Next thing I know, I'm here, and the gate is gone"
Sure enough, the gate was gone, like it wasn't there at all.
"As long as your OK" says Zell
"Yes, I'm fine" she says, but cant help thinking what Rinoa was going to tell her… about herself… no…it cant have anything to do with what I felt on the ship with her is it? I'm thinking silly things again…
"So Squall, what now?" she asks him, snapping herself out of her daydream
"Now?" he looks over his shoulder at her as he unsheathes his gunblade.
"We do what we came here to do."
"Yeah!" shouts Zell, as he follows him, Quistis taking up the rear.
As Squall sets off, he can't shake his 'visions' from his head…
(Lunatic Pandora – 'Throne' room)
She had succeeded – just.
Luic slumps in her chair, breathing heavily, beads of sweat tiptoe down her brow. She reseats herself, then slowly opens her eyes.
That was close, too close, she thinks. Something is wrong here… very wrong… why did I not see that part until just 5 minutes ago? Why did Rinoa use a gate? They were supposed to all arrive by ship… Rinoa almost told Quistis the truth about what she is…
She grips the armrests of her chair tightly, still breathing heavily somewhat.
This is not going as I had foreseen, its almost as if there was another 'force' out there, trying to stop me, but Its not coming from either Rinoa or Quistis. In any case, Quistis still doesn't know, but Rinoa does now.. luckily, I stopped her from telling…
She closes here eyes again, wiping her forehead as well.
Hmmm. they're here. It is now time.
She steps up off her chair, and floats down towards the ground, off of the pedestal where Seifer stood before his last fight against Squall, when Adel was being revived. She lands quietly and with the same soundlessness, walks over towards Adels chamber.
As she enters, several aides stand to attention, some bow, except for Odine, who is busy muttering expletives under his breath. She allows her sorceress power to take over slightly. Now its time
"Problem, doctor?" she asks softly, hiding the echo her voice is making.
"Zis stupid machine!" he shouts, leveling a kick at it. "No matter how hard I tried, I just can't get this stupid thing to go back in time! It seems to be stuck, sending out only future images."
"Oh?" she asks, still softly, "any idea why?"
"No!" he answers gruffly. "It may take time to fix it, even if I did know what ze problem was."
"May I have a look?" she asks him
"You? Why? With all due respect my lady, you may not" he starts
"May I have a look?" she repeats, this time more fiercely.
"Yes, sorry, my lady" he backs off, scratching his head.
Luic crouches down, and locates a small chip that was concealed under the base of the machine. Now she was ready.
"Is it fully operational?" she purrs, not turning around.
"Yes" he replies "It can send people through time. Except for ze 'future' problem, it is working perfectly."
"Good" she replies, standing up. "By the way, I've located the problem"
"You have?" he asks, open-mouthed. "Well? What was it?"
"One word… me"
she replies. As she does so, she raises her hand, points it at Odines chest, and a bolt of power surges from her fingers, blasting the doctor to the floor. Odine hits the floor, his mouth still open, dead.
"Me" she repeats, almost lazily, raising her hand above her head. Her hand explodes with a spell, and everyone in the room save herself is blasted apart, not leaving a trace behind. She puts down her hand, and walks over to the body of Odine, whom she left out of her second blast.
"Poor, poor scientist, and I thought you people were brilliant at 'figuring things out'. Surely you should have figured it out by now.. who I am. But thank you anyway. I'm sorry you didn't locate the chip, as it was easy to find. No wait! I made sure you couldn't…"
A door opens behind her, she turns and looks as the gunblade-weilding warrior walks towards her.
"Are you ready? my Knight?"
A pair of green eyes, exceedingly bright, not blinking, moves in a 'yes' fashion with the rest of the head they're set into.
"Yes" replies Seifer. "I will deal with him."
"Good, ill deal with the others." She smiles at him. He doesn't return the smile.
"It is time, my knight, the wheel is beginning to turn."