Chapter 21
Thursday, December the Twenty-first
Final Fantasy VIII characters and locations from said game are owned by SquareSoft.
"What's all the fuss?" Matt asked as he and Quistis walked into the cafeteria for breakfast. He was referring to the furor surrounding the table at which Ellone was seated. Selphie had managed to push a number of the small tables together so that she, Ellone, Irvine, Zell, Nicole, Andrea, and Rinoa could sit together. The only person who was conspicuously absent was Squall.
"That's my big sister," Quistis explained proudly.
"Your big sister? I thought you had said you were an orphan."
"Oh Matt." Quistis sighed. "Did you ever listen to one word I've said?"
"Oh Quissy, that's not fair," Matt complained.
"Whatever."
Approaching her friends, Quistis called out a greeting to Ellone and was rewarded with a cheerful smile.
"Who's your handsome friend, Quisty?" Elle asked.
After the introductions were accomplished, Matt excused himself citing the need to prepare himself for his classes. Quistis found it strange realizing she too had classes to teach that day but she didn't feel the need to have to go get ready that soon.
He was very nervous for some reason. I wonder why? she thought.
Quistis had no sooner sat down and began to get caught up to date with Ellone, when she suddenly heard a general din of conversational noise. Raising her head, she glanced toward the front of the cafeteria, Quistis observed the President of Esthar entering the room.
It's as though a rock star just entered the room.
It was true. The crowd of young people who immediately surrounded Laguna at the first sight of him were either pushing their hands forward to be touched by him, if only just for a second or they were holding out writing instruments and small pieces of paper to be autographed by him. Laguna's further progress was impossible so several people from their table led by Selphie rescued the older man and led him to where they were sitting.
Quistis' glance happened to fall upon Rinoa, who appeared quite beautiful sitting there in her long robes. The blonde woman realized that the young sorceress truly looked beatific.
She actually is glowing, Quistis thought as she could literally see Rinoa's aura. A sudden insight struck the young instructor's mind as to where she had observed that particular glow previously. Uh oh, she thought in an understatement.
Laguna pulled up a chair and sat down while greeting everyone individually that was sitting at the table. Ellone was beaming with happiness at the man's obvious change of plans and Selphie's entire countenance was ecstatic as she gushed, "Oh Sir Laguna, it's so wonderful you could come."
Esthar's President ducked his head slightly in embarrassment as he had asked Selphie time and again to not call him by that particular appellation. So far she had paid absolutely no attention to his desire.
"Thank you everybody for that wonderful welcome," he spoke nodding at the people sitting at the table. "I was able to sneak out of a World Trade Commission meeting by pretending I needed to use the restroom." When he saw the looks upon his companion's faces, he quickly explained, "It's okay; I left Kiros and Ward there. They can handle it easily. Besides what could be more important than spending the holidays with my son and his close friends? By the way," he inquired while glancing around, "where is Squall?"
The table fell completely silent as the youthful President looked in askance from face to face until Ellone spoke as if in unspoken agreement with the others at the table. As she began explaining, everyone else present, sans Laguna, breathed a sigh of relief. Ellone quickly and succinctly informed her 'Uncle' of Squall's behavior over the past few weeks and when she had finished, Laguna's emotional pain concerning his son was quite evident on his face.
"I'll see what I can do," he promised quietly.
Soon after that, most of the SeeDs had to report to their daily duties. Laguna sat talking quietly mostly with Rinoa, who he instinctively realized was going through an emotional crisis. He was content just to listen to her as she talked further of her hurt and pain over Squall's progressing dysfunctional behavior and her joy and feelings of comfort from her new belief in Mystic Hyneism.
Laguna had no formal religious leanings, although his view was one of tolerance; 'whatever worked' was his personal credo. Before he had bid adieu to his son's close friend, Rinoa had asked him if he happened to leave the Garden for any reason could he pick her up a few necessities because she would be busy with her disciples all day preparing for the holidays. Laguna had agreed, if it became possible.
Ellone had already left with Selphie and, after Rinoa reunited with a large group of her disciples who were waiting for her outside of the cafeteria, Laguna decided to visit his son. He stood outside of Squall's office for several seconds, taking deep breathes in an attempt to completely calm himself in preparation for what Laguna assumed would be a scene that would try the patience of a saint, much less him. The older man was determined to maintain a positive attitude and not lose his temper no matter what his quarrelsome son might utter.
"Who is it?" Squall called out after Laguna made his attendance known by knocking on the door.
"It's me son, Laguna."
"Go away, I don't want to talk to anybody right now. I'm busy," the young man said rudely.
Not paying any attention at all to his son's directive, Laguna attempted to open the door and was amazed to discover it unlocked. He audaciously strode into the room. Squall glanced up in surprise from the book he was reading, the Will to Power by Friedrich Nietzsche.
"Oh, I tried to read that one time," Laguna said as way of greeting. "I couldn't make head nor tail of it."
"Imagine that," Squall commented dryly. "What do you want?"
"I want to talk to you. That's why I traveled all the way from Esthar."
"Somebody told you to come talk to me, didn't they?" the commander accused.
"Uh...um." Too late! The look alone on Laguna's face told Squall he was correct. The President had always been unable to equivocate.
Squall stood up. "I'm leaving, why don't you stay here and talk to me."
"Show some respect, boy. That's your father," the mysterious voice said angrily.
Squall whirled around although he already knew there wouldn't be anybody there. "Do you hear that?" he demanded.
"Hear what?"
"Never mind," the frustrated young man answered.
"Are you hearing voices?"
"I said never mind," Squall responded.
"You're not Hyne, you're not even a sorceress. You're just a simple mortal. You need to beware, you know not what you are fooling with," the voice explained.
As Squall strode from his office, he thought, If I keep having these hallucinations, I'm gonna have to talk to the doctor. But not until I get Rinoa on some kind of medication first.
Squall jammed the front end of the Garden truck into the narrow parking space in the Balamb municipal parking lot while simultaneously stomping on the clutch, brakes, and downshifting to neutral and pulling on the emergency brake all in one motion. Squall was angry.
"I don't know why we brought this old beat up truck when we could have brought a brand new car instead," Laguna pointed out.
"I'm not listening," Squall answered while he exited the truck. Meeting his father around the back of the truck, the young commander explained, "Now I'm not here to go on some long damn shopping expedition. I came down here to get Rinoa her holiday gift, so do what you have to do and hurry up!"
"Since when you did start cursing?" asked his concerned father. Squall answered by pressing the palm of his hand into his forehand as if attempting to banish the headache that was quickly forming.
The larger than life pair, father and son, hadn't taken two steps when a cry went up. "Hey! There's President Loire!" Everyone within earshot of the initial call quickly surrounded Laguna. He stood helplessly attempting to shake hands being offered him and signing autographs in a number of strange places while watching in frustration as Squall left the scene without looking back.
Fifteen minutes later Squall was a customer in the Balamb Jewelry Consortium (If it's from Balamb Jewelry, then it's for life). He had just purchased a very expensive bouquet of hand blown crystal roses that he planned to present to Rinoa as a Solstice gift.
The commander had just finished making payment and accepting the colorfully wrapped purchase. Much to Squall's embarrassment, Laguna took that particular moment to enter the exclusive shop toting a hundred pound bag of dry dog food for Angelo. The young man immediately observed the look of alarm on the shop's proprietor's face and attempted to redirect the older man back to the outside.
"Wait a minute, will you?" Laguna asked. "I'm not as young as I used to be."
The older man proceeded to drop the dog food bag down on the counter. The sound of a nauseating crunch filled the store.
"Uh oh," Laguna murmured in an understatement. Squall reached under the huge bag and pulled out the once finely wrapped gift that was now in tatters and had tiny pieces of glass falling out.
Turning to the clerk, the young man asked, "Would you happen to have another one of these?" After the purchase had been made of the second bouquet of crystal roses, Laguna offered to pay Squall for both gifts.
"No," Squall replied laconically.
"But -."
"I said no!" repeated the commander. That was the only thing said on the ride back to Garden.
Squall sat behind his desk with Rinoa's second gift sitting on it. He was seething with frustration and his head was buried in his hands.
"I wish you would let me pay for those. I would feel so much better about it, you know I can afford it," Laguna entreated one more time.
"Please be quiet," the young commander hissed. "Why are you still here anyway? What do you want?"
"I want to talk."
"About what?" Squall's voice was weary.
"Whatever you want."
"Alright, tell me about Raine."
"Okay," the older man murmured.
Squall looked up in surprise as Laguna began speaking in a low tone. "I loved her at first sight. When I finally regained consciousness lying in her bed, bandaged and bloodied, and saw her leaning down over me with that total look of concern on her beautiful face, I thought I'd died and was looking at an angel. The love I felt for Julia was only a miniscule of the love I felt for your mother. I was infatuated with Julia; I loved Raine. But why would that surprise people? She changed my entire life, everything about me. I never reenlisted in the army; I stopped any plans of ever traveling again. I only left Winhill because Ellone was taken away and I just had to find her or die trying. I know what people say about me, that I'm a bad person to never have gone back to look for you. They don't understand. I was completely devastated when Raine died; I was in total pain...for years and years. I wanted to die, if it hadn't been for Kiros and Ward I would have died. They took care of me. They told me everything to do, when to get up, when to eat, when to go to bed. I just couldn't bear to go back to Winhill...ever! It still hurts to this very day. Ellone was missing, but I always knew where you were. I knew the Kramers would take care of you. I used to do what I could. I'd sent them money anonymously for all of you, but I wrote that I particularly wanted you to get something nice out of it. I never forgot you and I always knew what you were doing. I would have done anything to help you if I had thought you needed it."
Squall flushed, suddenly remembering those strange wonderful Solstice gifts that would just mysteriously appear on his bed on Solstice mornings. He stood and stepped around his desk to where Laguna was sitting. Squall placed his hand on the older man's shoulder. For a moment it appeared that he was going to say something to his father, then quietly strode from the office.
Somewhere, somebody or something smiled...just a little. That's a start hung in the air.
Zell paced relentlessly in his small dorm room, back and forth...over and over. I've really done it this time! How could I have been so careless? Where is that Hyne damned money? I had it with me at the store. I get back here, I don't have it. I've looked everywhere for it over and over. I've retraced every step. I even checked in my grandfather's uniform pockets! What was I thinking? That he took my Winter Festival money with him to the North Cave?
Zell suddenly sat on the edge of his bed and glanced around his mostly disheveled room. What am I going to do to get this much money? Dear Hyne, tell me please. His eyes fell on the almost full bottle of pain medication he was given by the doctor the time he had badly wrenched his knee.
No!!! Something screamed out.
It was totally unheard by the desolate young man, who suddenly realized he was at the end of his rope.
"Are you sure I should be in your room?" Irvine asked nervously.
"Well, where else do you think we should do this? In the Quad?" Rinoa answered with a snicker.
"No, I don't think that would be a very good idea," the young cowboy replied. "It might cause talk."
"I guess so. But what are you so afraid of - Squall finding out or Selphie?" Rinoa giggled.
"You probably won't believe this, but it's Selphie. Squall would just kill me. Selphie would torture me first."
Rinoa laughed. "Hey! Not so rough."
"Oh, sorry. Guess I don't know my own strength, but what do you need?" Irvine inquired.
"Touch right there," the dark-haired woman ordered. "Ok, that's good. Now, hang on, I'm going to move."
"Oh, yes! That's great! You're so good at this!"
"Hey! I've had a lot of practice," Rinoa said, grinning.
And so it went all afternoon in the bedroom of the young sorceress of Balamb Garden.
Matt sat in a back corner of the coffee shop. He was nursing a hot chocolate and his bruised ego; what was left of it. I don't understand. What does she want from me? I don't feel as though I know her anymore. Maybe she just doesn't care about me and doesn't know how to tell me.
That thought rolled around unwanted in his mind for a few minutes. You know it's funny when I think about it, but I haven't been real happy with her either. I'm gonna have to make my mind real soon, one way or the other, Matt thought pulling out the ring box from Balamb Jewelry Consortium. He flipped it open and stared at the large ring inside, still totally undecided.
Andrea sat on the bed in her dorm room with a cardboard shoebox sitting next to her. Rinoa had lent it to her upon her request. It had been filled to the top with photographs when the dark-haired young woman had first removed the shoebox lid. Now most of them were lying all over her bed and on her lap.
She had first seen them one evening when she had been hanging out with Rinoa in the young sorceress' room. When Andrea had first viewed them, she had felt herself strangely drawn to them. The young woman felt as though there was something hauntingly familiar about them.
Of course there was her physical similarity with Rinoa. Anybody could see that. And then there were their names - Kettleway and Caraway. Of course Rinoa used her mother's surname, but her legal name was still Caraway. Andrea had such a sense of disquietude when she looked at some of these pictures, like something was missing. Andrea wished she could speak with the young sorceress about this, but she knew Rinoa was in her room with Irvine.
And what is that all about? Andrea thought. Oh well, it isn't any of my business.
Awww, she thought. Isn't that sweet? Andrea had picked up a photograph from the bottom of the shoebox of Rinoa as a newborn infant dressed in one of those long nightgowns and sitting posed in her mother's lap.
Whew, Julia really was a beauty. Hey, look at this. One half of this picture has been torn off. I wonder why?
"What's that, ya know?" Raijin demanded.
"PACKAGE."
"Duh, I can see that. Who's it for, you know?"
"SEIFER."
"What is it - a Solstice present?" Raijin guffawed wildly at his witticism.
"YES."
"Yes!" Raijin exclaimed, unable to believe his own ears. "Where's mine, ya know?"
"OW! Why'd you do that?" Raijin complained at Fujin's sudden kick of his shins.
Fujin grinned maliciously at him. "PRESENT."
"Very funny, ya know," Raijin retorted. "What'd you get him?"
"WAIT," Fujin advised.
"Oh, all right," Raijin whined.
"I'm sorry, that book is still checked out," the pretty pig-tailed girl explained from behind the librarian's counter. "If you want, when it comes in, I could drop you a note in your mailbox."
"Yes," replied the conceited SeeD. "That would be most satisfactory. Thank you very much for your concern." He slightly bowed before leaving. Nicole was surprised he hadn't clicked his heels.
Sylvia, another of the library workers, stepped closely to Nicole and said, "It would seem he still fancies you. You still got it, kid."
Her effort to make a joke apparently fell on deaf ears as Nicole sighed and then explained, "I'm going on my break now."
Sylvia watched as her dark-haired work associate and friend lethargically shuffled out of the library. She was extremely concerned over Nicole. She had seemed so down lately and wouldn't talk to anyone about it. Everybody knew her boyfriend had gone completely crazy and had nothing more to do with her.
I just wish there was something I could do to help her, Sylvia thought hopelessly.
"What's up here, people?" Seifer asked returning to the bottom floor of the MD level.
"NOTHING," Fujin answered.
"Fujin got you a present, Seifer! OW! What'd you did that for, ya know?"
"You two never change," their blond leader said with a laugh. "So where is this present?"
"TREE!"
"It's under the Solstice tree, Seifer. Fujin got it, ya know," the large man translated.
"A tree too! You two slay me! Ok, listen up, this is our next prank," Seifer said.
And so it went on the MD level through the evening.
Later in the evening Selphie came a-calling on her closest female friend.
"Come in," Quistis called out from inside her room.
Selphie bounded into the dorm room in her usual exuberant manner belying the sadness and depression she was really experiencing concerning her apparent loss of Irvine.
"Boy, have I got a surprise for you!" the green-eyed woman declared.
Quistis was seated at her small desk working on next week's lesson plans. She set down her pen and turned to face her friend. "What is it?"
"Guess who won the Winter Queen contest?" Selphie responded.
Quistis sighed. She felt too tired to play Selphie's verbal games. "Just tell me," the blonde woman requested.
"No, guess!"
"One of the cafeteria ladies," Quistis replied sarcastically realizing Selphie wasn't going to tell her until she ventured an opinion.
"No, silly. You did," the brown-haired woman proudly announced.
Quistis' mouth dropped agape. Oh Hyne! How did this happen?
Selphie laughed to see her usual cool calm friend nonplussed for the moment. "And you know what this means, don't you?"
Quistis silently shook her head.
"It means," Selphie continued excitedly, "at tomorrow afternoon's underclassmen Solstice party, you get to choose who you want to be your King. You and your King will be crowned at the Ball right before the Pollyanna gifts are given out. Isn't that just so exciting?"
Oh Shiva! What am I going to do now? Quistis wondered.
A/N: Just for your information, calling us names and demanding our story be a certain way is not the way to get what you want. If you've liked it so far, keep your eyes open and your mouth shut. Wait and see what happens before making a bigger fool of yourself.