By: General Quistis (generalquistis@yahoo.com)
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII or Squaresoft. Gyah…
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"Did you see the way he looked at her?" Elena repeated for the 10th time several days after they got Dark Nation back.
Reno scratched his head in annoyance before pounding on the table, rattling the plates and the spoons. "Yes, Elena. I saw it. The President adores that girl. Okay? Now stop asking that annoying question!" he snapped impatiently before proceeding to eat.
Elena giggled and stared at him for a while and then spoke up again, "Did you see the way he looked at her?"
Reno almost gagged.
The Turks were having their lunch in the cafeteria for employees.
"And the way that girl looked at President Rufus? I've never seen two people look at each other that way before!" she exclaimed excitedly.
"Yeah, looking at each other in disgust." Reno muttered glumly.
"NO! I meant…" before Elena could continue, General Heidegger had to butt in as he sat down beside Rude. "Will you stop that, Elena? If President Rufus heard you, he'll definitely put you in the gas chamber!" he snapped impatiently.
"Hmf…" Elena looked away from Heidegger.
Reno made a nasty face at her which made her cringe and just leave the table, transferring to the table where Scarlet and Reeve were seated.
"By the way, were you able to feed the cat this morning?" Heidegger asked Reno.
"Surprisingly this morning, I approached her and she didn't even bite me. It's a miracle… I wonder what that Tifa did to tame her… she must be really good with animals!" Reno explained.
"Same with me yesterday and the other day! Dark Nation didn't even scratch me… but she didn't even touch her food." Heidegger explained.
"Kya~h… maybe Tifa brainwashed the cat to dislike the food here. After all, maybe she fed Dark Nation some garbage from the slums! Kyahahahahahahaha!" Scarlet pointed out upon hearing Heidegger.
"I don't think so, Scarlet… maybe you should stop discriminating those people from Sector 7." Reeve explained with a glum look on his face.
"Kyahaha! Why? It's as if you came from that place?" she demanded.
"Maybe you did in your past before you've been promoted and became stable?" Reeve suggested with a sly smile on his face before he stood up. "I'm done," he said before leaving the cafeteria.
"Kyah… that guy is nuts…" Scarlet muttered before turning to Elena. "So, Elena, what do you think?" she asked.
"I think Miss Lockheart is a nice girl." Elena replied.
"What?" Scarlet demanded with an enraged look on her face.
With that, Elena got up. "Whoops! Gotta wash my hair!" she said before running out of the cafeteria.
Heidegger laughed at Scarlet. "Gyahahahahaha! You wanna join our table, Scarlet?" he asked with a sarcastic look on his face.
Scarlet just rolled her eyes and got up. "Kya~h! No thanks…" she said before stomping out of the cafeteria with a disgusted look on her face.
"Oh well… at least we got rid of the noise…" Reno muttered.
Rude just nodded his head.
Heidegger turned to the Turks. "So, tell me more about what happened that night," he said with a sly smile on his face.
***
Rufus stared at his pet and crossed his arms with a deep frown on his face. "Aren't you going to eat?" he asked.
Dark Nation placed her paws over her eyes while uttering a low "Meowrrr…" as if to say "Leave me alone… I feel so bad…"
Rufus stooped down and patted her head gently. "What did Tifa do to you?" he asked.
"She just took care of me and then now I miss her… and Red XIII too…" she wanted to say out loud, but all she could do was say "Meowrrr…"
Rufus stood up straight and flipped his hair. "Fine. You don't want to eat? I'll take you to the vet," he said with a mean look on his face.
Dark Nation just remained there, unmoving. "Yeah, yeah, whatever… take me to the vet… I don't care anymore… I want to see Tifa and Red…" she thought miserably as she rolled over and played dead.
Rufus sighed heavily and shook his head. "Stop that," he muttered glumly before going to his office table and got to the intercom. He pressed a button and spoke up, "Get me the vet." He commanded before letting go of the button.
"Yes, sir." The secretary replied.
Dark Nation rolled her eyes. "I thought you're taking me to the vet? How come you just called for him?" she thought.
Rufus sat down on his chair and waited for a few moments before the door opened. An old man entered wearing a white laboratory coat. He reminded Rufus so much of Hojo who died, but Rufus didn't really care. He just got up from his seat. "Good afternoon, President Rufus," the Vet greeted.
Rufus gestured to Dark Nation. "She's been acting like that ever since we got her out of Sector 7." He explained.
The Vet approached Dark Nation and noticed her playing dead. "Sit down, girl," he commanded.
Dark Nation did not obey.
The Vet just shook his head in disbelief as he knelt down beside Dark Nation and began to feel her tummy. "I think there really is something wrong with her, President, she's not biting my hands…" he wanted to say out loud to make the President laugh but he just kept quiet.
Dark Nation looked up at the Vet; he just looked at her. "How long has it been since you got her out of Sector 7, President Rufus?" he asked before looking up at Rufus.
Rufus thought for a while before answering. "A month," he replied.
The Vet smiled. "I see…" he said with a grim look before turning back to Dark Nation and patted her tummy gently. "Well then, President Rufus, your Dark Nation is going to be a mommy very soon," he announced.
Rufus's eyes grew wide in shock. "WHAT?!"
***
Aerith was observing Red XIII as he remained sprawled on the floor, just looking at his food dish that was still filled with food.
Tifa sighed heavily, which made Aerith turn to her. "You and Red are more miserable each day…" she said softly.
Tifa just bit her lower lip. "I miss Rufus," she told Aerith.
"I miss Dark Nation," Red XIII admitted sadly.
Cloud, Barret and Cid had disgusted looks on their faces.
Vincent sighed. "I miss…" he trailed off when he noticed everyone looking at him in surprise. He just cleared his throat and crossed his arms, turning away.
"Don't start, Vincent," Barret muttered.
"I just want to break the ice." Vincent replied glumly.
"You? Break the ice? That is so not you!" Yuffie said before giggling.
"Oh man! What did you see in that @#$%*$ Rufus anyway?!" Cid demanded from Tifa.
"Stop criticizing him! He just seems so bad on the outside but deep inside, he's really nice!" she snapped impatiently.
Everyone fell silent before she finally got up and stomped her way upstairs.
"Nice goin', Cid. You just had to say that," Barret snapped.
"Say what?" Cid asked.
Cloud just shook his head in disbelief.
Aerith sighed heavily before she stood up and went to Red. "Come here, let's take you out for a walk." She said.
"At this time?" Red asked.
"Yes," she replied.
Cloud got up. "I'll go with you," he told them as he led the way to the door.
Red grunted as he stood up and walked to Cloud with his tail dangling low behind him and his head bowed down… but since he wasn't looking where he's going, he bumped his head against the doorway and just he just plopped down to the floor with a miserable "Ow…"
Cloud bent down. "Get up, will you?" he asked as he tugged on Red's neck, but the creature got up and snapped his jaws on Cloud's hand again.
"YEOOOOOOWCH!!!!!!" Cloud yelped in pain as he withdrew his hand from Red XIII's mouth.
Aerith giggled as she approached them. "You shouldn't touch his neck like that, he hates it," she said.
Cloud's eyes were already teary. "Yeah… whatever…" he muttered glumly before stepping out of the house but still kept his annoyed gaze at Red XIII.
Red XIII smiled sarcastically at him, trying to mind off the pain on his head. He could recall that before, when he could feel his head aching, Dark Nation would come to him and lick his head, meaning to make it feel better. He smiled sadly at the memory. "Oh well… no use remembering now… she's gone…" he thought miserably as he trailed behind Cloud and Aerith.
He looked up at the two, seeing Aerith touch Cloud's injured hand and caress it gently with a smile on her face. It made Red XIII sigh miserably and just look down to the ground.