Disclaimer: I own nothing on association with FFVIII.
11 reviews, huh? ONE review for my last chapter? I must be getting pretty unpopular. Oh well, I shan't give up yet! Thank you VERY MUCH for my one review.
@--}--~*Mariko*~--{--@
@--}-- is my attempt at a flower=). THANKS MARIKO!
Also, a very special thank you to my co-writer, editor, and sister: *Pryotempest.*
I don't have much to say in the beginning of this chapter, so let's get on with the show!
Chapter 5: Underhanded Intrigue.
RINOA
I had glided gracefully out of my window, holding strong air in my hands as I descended. It was easy to control the wind on my own so that I wouldn't land painfully on the concrete below. The wind took my hair into its strong grasp and sent it flying in several directions. The cloak that I wore was lifted above my head as I fell with my feet downward. Looking around, I could see the beautiful ocean that I had anticipated to see and the small houses that were becoming bigger with every passing second. Straying away from my observances, I returned to focusing on my control spell. My concentration was broken, however, when a faint memory came into my mind.
" I'll wrap each layer of your skin around your body so that you won't die cold.... I promise...."
Those chilly words made my blood run cold. The focus that I had shattered into ribbons as the wind seemed to crash down on my back. I hurtled down to the ground, my clothes billowing in the wind as they created my own shadowy darkness. My cloak had begun to flutter and stretched outward to look like ebony wings. Shouts of 'Sorceress' were heard clearly in the small town, but all screams were silenced as I landed on my shoulder with a sickening crack. Discouraged, I was more than ready to give up right there and then.
*So, my quest to be with Squall ends here....*
I heard shoes clicking nearby as I stumbled back in to reality. Startled, I opened my chocolate eyes, turned my head up from the cold, rough, uninviting ground, and looked up.
A young, spiky, blond haired teenager was starring quizzically at me, his gloved hand placed securely on his upper lip. Upon seeing him, I almost jumped for joy. The black tattoo on the left side of his face was unmistakable, and his playful blue eyes danced in deliberation. I extended my uninjured arm to him and waited patiently for him to seize it and haul me up. When he did, I immediately embraced him in an affable manner. I could feel his body burning with embarrassment, but it did not stop me; I was far too happy to see him.
I could hear him lift his hand up to scratch his head. " Do I... know you?" he said, his voice questionable.
I snorted in his chest. " Zell... it's just like you to forget me."
" Whoa, whoa! You even know my name!"
Irritated, I backed away from him and allowed him to inspect my face, which was, at that moment, quite pouty in a somewhat childish way. Finally, his face lit up and he put his hand on my shoulder. With his other hand he wiped at his nose leisurely.
" I knew you'd come back! Welcome home, Rinoa!"
I examined my surroundings and smiled, happy to finally find a friend in this world where I thought I no longer had anyone.
" Home...." I echoed with an almost sad voice.
Zell smiled in his same, genial manner and presented me with his T-Board. Curious, I tilted my head to the side and waited for him to explain. He dropped it down so that it floated a few inches from the ground.
" Sit on the edge and I'll ride on the back," he grinned mischievously, " It'd be my pleasure to escort you to my house."
With a nod, I obeyed. He stood tall behind me and started on the slow ride to his house. I leaned backward and rested my head on his leg, thankful for his aid. Zell didn't notice the blood that was beginning to stain his pants and T-Board, nor did he notice the warm tears that slowly flowed along his leg.
__________________________________
SQUALL (A/N: It won't be in first person because-hey- he's conked out.)
Xu meandered around Squall in a frustrated manner. She set her hands on her hips and turned to glare at her accomplice. Her ally merely stared back at her with a cheesy grin on his adolescent face.
" Almasy! How strong was that pill!?"
Seifer replied by waving his hand playfully in front of his face in a way similar to how his friend Raijin would have. " Only strong enough to knock out an elephant, *Miss* Xu." he sneered.
Xu stormed over to meet Seifer face to face. " Squall is *not* an elephant, Almasy."
Seifer snickered in retort. " No? Well, you learn new things every day."
Inflamed, Xu threw her hands high into the air and back down again She folded her arms impatiently and turned away from Seifer. " So how long do we have to wait?"
Seifer smirked happily and spun around in his velvet chair. " Six hours maybe? But-who knows- Squall might just be awake earlier. It depends on how strong he is. And I *do* remember reading in your diary how strong you say Squall is."
" How dare you--"
" Ow...." came a quiet, murmur from the other side of Seifer and Xu.
Both heads turned to see Squall turning his head about in his chair. His eyes opened dreamily and he gaped at the sight of his surroundings.
" And there he is." Seifer said in an almost worried tone.
*Alright...* Seifer thought. *Now I've gotta stall. I HATE being the hero.*
~Squall's actual POV~
My head lolled backward in an almost drunken manner. Everything before me was nothing more than fuzz and all noises seemed to be at least a mile away. I blinked my eyes several times and attempted to adjust to the brightness of the room. The room was a dark shade of blue as well as the furniture. [oxy-moron isn't it?]Turning my head to each side, I could see that it was a tiny room with only two occupants. Angry, I opened my mouth to snarl at them, but found that I was unable to speak.
Xu strolled over to me in awkward, exaggerated motions that were obvious attempts to impress me. With all the strength that I could muster, I scoffed lightly and spat on her face. She wiped the spit away in a frustrated motion and pointed a finger at the middle of my face. I craned my neck to look to my right, slapping her finger with my hair. (A/N: No, the hair isn't skilled in kung fu, it was simply brushing against her finger.) She took this as her chance to slit my cheek with her sharp nail all the way down to the curve of my chin. Disgusted, I thought about biting her but refrained from doing so for fear that she would enjoy that in her own sick little way.
From the corner of my eye I could see Seifer looking about the room frantically and biting his thumbnail. He exhaled suddenly, got up from his blue, velvet chair, and approached Xu with his right hand in the air as if he were swearing 'Scout's Honor'.
" So, maybe we should analyze the plan once more. We can't be too hasty about this, you know?" Seifer spoke nervously, his hand shaking in the air.
Xu's retort was acid. " No. I've waited too long for this moment. I can't spend any more time planning what I should have done long ago. Go downstairs and press the lever, Almasy." she said, pointing her other finger squarely behind her.
Seifer shifted uncomfortably and reluctantly stepped backward. He waved his hands frenetically behind Xu's back, but I chose to ignore him, believing that any sort of communication from him could be trusted just as much as Xu's could. Dispirited, Seifer shrugged and walked gradually to the exit door.
Xu remained staring at me as if I were some portrait that was on display. Finding my voice, I spoke viciously.
" Get away from me, you bitch."
Xu laughed wickedly. " Funny you should say that. You see, with you here defenseless, it would be easier than pilfering candy from a baby to simply... well... alter your opinion on killing Rinoa, your bitch."
" What!?"
Xu laughed again. " Oh, Squall. It's mind controlling. I can make you kill who you love most: Rinoa." She looked at me evilly. " Your sword will pierce her heart."
__________________________________
RINOA
Zell took me into his house with open arms. I was more than thankful for his mother's kind offerings, but I knew that I shouldn't be here, not with the entire world after me. However, the comfortable abode of the Dincht family was far too welcoming for me to refuse. The halls were painted blue and everything seemed bigger than it had been before. Maybe it was because I had been gone for so long. Whatever the case, the idea of calling a place home was something to be treasured.
I traveled up the stairs cheerfully, eager to talk to Zell about how things had been going during my absence. Only a moment before I knocked on his door, I heard him talking in a loud voice. Curious, I put my ear to the door and listened intently.
" WHAT!? No way!! Squall's coming to KILL Rinoa!? You've gotta be kidding, man! They're, like, soulmates!" There was a long pause in between his next retort. " Xu? WHOA! I never liked her. Yeah? ...Yeah? Okay, but be quick. I've got Rinoa here, and there's no way I'm gonna let Xu ruin her welcome home party! See ya, Seifer."
I stood there at the door, shocked. My fingers trembled at my sides and my temples began to throb. Before I could turn back, Zell burst through the door with a worried look on his face. He froze when he saw me there, looking like a sad puppy.
" So, you heard, didn't you? I'm sorry." He tried to look me in the eye, but I turned down my head. With a strong hand, he lifted my chin up to look at him, " Hey, things are gonna be all right. Seifer's got it all under control. With a little manipulation, things should work out just fine." But I still wasn't convinced. I bit my lip and evaded eye contact by looking toward the large mirror in the hallway to my left. " Yo! We beat Ultimecia as a team, so we can beat Xu as a team, too."
This made me perk my head up. I looked at him, my eyes pleading. In an almost shy manner, I scraped my feet slowly along the brown, hardwood floor. " Team? You mean... *everyone*?"
He smiled triumphantly. " Hell yeah!" Zell made a thumbs-up sign with his right hand and pointed it at himself, " I called them over. They'll be here to help soon. We'd never let you down, you know? We're a team!"
I finally gave in to his optimism and jumped up and down like I would have three years ago. With unrivaling benevolence, I laid my right arm across his shoulders and led him downstairs.
" So, you've gotten smarter over the past three years. Really, I'm impressed." I said with a playful smirk.
" Hehehe. Maybe I have." Zell smiled.
" Oh, by the way, what was that about a party that you mentioned on the phone?" I asked, an impish grin forming on my face.
Zell stiffened. " Uh, what party?"
__________________________________
SQUALL
Xu was waiting impatiently in front of me, both hands on her hips with her fingers tapping fretfully. Already bored, I was about to go to sleep. Just as I was drifting away, the door banged open to reveal a joyful-looking Seifer. He marched in, wearing the broadest of smiles. I looked at him querulously, surprised to see Seifer with such a childish smile on his face. The Commander wasn't happy to see him, however, and she circled around unhappily to glower at Seifer.
" Well? Did you press the lever?"
Seifer stared at her with a puzzled look on his face. " THAT'S what I was supposed to do. You see, I just went to the bathroom." he waved his right hand in the air and made a disgusted face as if he had smelt something bad, " I really shouldn't have had so much spicy food last night! I had some *nasty* dia--"
" I didn't ask for a report! Just... go back there... and press... the lever." Xu paused between her words to let out steam from her gritted teeth.
My rival saluted in a teasing style and jogged to the exit of the door, halting briefly to wave at me. I furrowed my brows, confused as to which side he was on. Xu sighed in front of me, sagging her body downward in defeat. She returned to a straight pose when she realized that I was in front of her and played with her hair in her attempt of a flirtatious style, but, of course, she failed miserably.
Xu neared where I sat leisurely, a wicked smile forming on her face. " In just a few moments, you'll be out of here and in Balamb, laying the finishing touch to Rinoa. And if she comes up with the audacity to retaliate against you and kills you... believe me, I'll kill her myself. You don't think I can? If I were a normal person like every other pathetic creature in this world, I don't think I'd be able to either." She bent down in front of me in a seductive pose, " But I'm not. I'm just as strong, or stronger than Rinoa.
" You see, after the Sorceress War ended, I attained my own Sorceress powers. But not from a Sorceress that everyone knew about. Her name was Sorceress Kahi. Such a strong magic-wielder she was. She chose me and I inherited every last bit of her strength...."
She bent down closer and kissed my lips feverishly. Infuriated, I attempted to back up, but the chains all over my body didn't allow me to do so. Desperate, I leaned backward and came back with great force, knocking her head harshly and sending her straight to the ground. Before she could strike back, my breath was taken away by the sudden surge of pain that swept through my already tired body. My eyes blurred and lost their sight, leaving me only to hear of what was going on. Xu's shoes clicking softly as she approached me. I could feel her fingers hovering over my face. I slipped in and out of consciousness only to wake lazily, my mentality already more than halfway gone.
" You're going to... kill Rinoa."
With a strength that was not my own, I ripped through the chains and rose, my eyesight returning. I could feel the anger in my body, but it was telling me something that I never thought I would even imagine doing.
" Kill Rinoa."
Tamely, I ran to the exit and headed to Balamb, my sore feet carrying themseles while I screamed in defiance in my head. Sorrowfully, I realized that the manipulation would soon fully take over, and there would be nothing to stop my rampage.
* Rinoa.... Not Rinoa....*
__________________________________
RINOA
I sat happily on the couch, enjoying the delicious food that Mrs. Dincht brought to Zell and me. Zell ate noisily, leaving crumbs on the clean floor of the living room. We were planning the party that would soon be celebrated, so our moods were irregularly benevolent.
" Will there be lights?" I asked excitedly, " Balloons?"
Zell pounded a fist into one of his hands. " And food! Hot dogs!"
" Everyone will be there, right?" I inquired again.
" Yup. Everyone."
" I wonder if... Squall will come...."
Zell smiled. " I bet he wouldn't miss it for the world!"
That made me grin in return. I pushed back an ebony lock of hair behind my ear and leaned back on the couch, hugging my knees to my stomach. As I was resting my head on the cushions of the couch, an ear-piercing explosion of metal against wood caused the front door to collapse, revealing a powerful soldier dressed in black. He strided out of the shadows, exposing his brown hair and cloudy blue eyes. My eyes widened by themselves and I promptly put a hand to my mouth. The soldier swung his Gunblade rapidly, creating a loud whisper. He lifted the blade back up and rested it on his soldier, tilting his eyes downward to look deadly.
" Hey, Rinoa. I've come here... to kill you."
~**********************************~
A/N: Hey, that was long! For me, at least. I hope you enjoyed it; it took me long enough to write it! Please review! Ja ne! ~Bianka-chan. 3/15/03.
11 reviews, huh? ONE review for my last chapter? I must be getting pretty unpopular. Oh well, I shan't give up yet! Thank you VERY MUCH for my one review.
@--}--~*Mariko*~--{--@
@--}-- is my attempt at a flower=). THANKS MARIKO!
Also, a very special thank you to my co-writer, editor, and sister: *Pryotempest.*
I don't have much to say in the beginning of this chapter, so let's get on with the show!
Chapter 5: Underhanded Intrigue.
RINOA
I had glided gracefully out of my window, holding strong air in my hands as I descended. It was easy to control the wind on my own so that I wouldn't land painfully on the concrete below. The wind took my hair into its strong grasp and sent it flying in several directions. The cloak that I wore was lifted above my head as I fell with my feet downward. Looking around, I could see the beautiful ocean that I had anticipated to see and the small houses that were becoming bigger with every passing second. Straying away from my observances, I returned to focusing on my control spell. My concentration was broken, however, when a faint memory came into my mind.
" I'll wrap each layer of your skin around your body so that you won't die cold.... I promise...."
Those chilly words made my blood run cold. The focus that I had shattered into ribbons as the wind seemed to crash down on my back. I hurtled down to the ground, my clothes billowing in the wind as they created my own shadowy darkness. My cloak had begun to flutter and stretched outward to look like ebony wings. Shouts of 'Sorceress' were heard clearly in the small town, but all screams were silenced as I landed on my shoulder with a sickening crack. Discouraged, I was more than ready to give up right there and then.
*So, my quest to be with Squall ends here....*
I heard shoes clicking nearby as I stumbled back in to reality. Startled, I opened my chocolate eyes, turned my head up from the cold, rough, uninviting ground, and looked up.
A young, spiky, blond haired teenager was starring quizzically at me, his gloved hand placed securely on his upper lip. Upon seeing him, I almost jumped for joy. The black tattoo on the left side of his face was unmistakable, and his playful blue eyes danced in deliberation. I extended my uninjured arm to him and waited patiently for him to seize it and haul me up. When he did, I immediately embraced him in an affable manner. I could feel his body burning with embarrassment, but it did not stop me; I was far too happy to see him.
I could hear him lift his hand up to scratch his head. " Do I... know you?" he said, his voice questionable.
I snorted in his chest. " Zell... it's just like you to forget me."
" Whoa, whoa! You even know my name!"
Irritated, I backed away from him and allowed him to inspect my face, which was, at that moment, quite pouty in a somewhat childish way. Finally, his face lit up and he put his hand on my shoulder. With his other hand he wiped at his nose leisurely.
" I knew you'd come back! Welcome home, Rinoa!"
I examined my surroundings and smiled, happy to finally find a friend in this world where I thought I no longer had anyone.
" Home...." I echoed with an almost sad voice.
Zell smiled in his same, genial manner and presented me with his T-Board. Curious, I tilted my head to the side and waited for him to explain. He dropped it down so that it floated a few inches from the ground.
" Sit on the edge and I'll ride on the back," he grinned mischievously, " It'd be my pleasure to escort you to my house."
With a nod, I obeyed. He stood tall behind me and started on the slow ride to his house. I leaned backward and rested my head on his leg, thankful for his aid. Zell didn't notice the blood that was beginning to stain his pants and T-Board, nor did he notice the warm tears that slowly flowed along his leg.
__________________________________
SQUALL (A/N: It won't be in first person because-hey- he's conked out.)
Xu meandered around Squall in a frustrated manner. She set her hands on her hips and turned to glare at her accomplice. Her ally merely stared back at her with a cheesy grin on his adolescent face.
" Almasy! How strong was that pill!?"
Seifer replied by waving his hand playfully in front of his face in a way similar to how his friend Raijin would have. " Only strong enough to knock out an elephant, *Miss* Xu." he sneered.
Xu stormed over to meet Seifer face to face. " Squall is *not* an elephant, Almasy."
Seifer snickered in retort. " No? Well, you learn new things every day."
Inflamed, Xu threw her hands high into the air and back down again She folded her arms impatiently and turned away from Seifer. " So how long do we have to wait?"
Seifer smirked happily and spun around in his velvet chair. " Six hours maybe? But-who knows- Squall might just be awake earlier. It depends on how strong he is. And I *do* remember reading in your diary how strong you say Squall is."
" How dare you--"
" Ow...." came a quiet, murmur from the other side of Seifer and Xu.
Both heads turned to see Squall turning his head about in his chair. His eyes opened dreamily and he gaped at the sight of his surroundings.
" And there he is." Seifer said in an almost worried tone.
*Alright...* Seifer thought. *Now I've gotta stall. I HATE being the hero.*
~Squall's actual POV~
My head lolled backward in an almost drunken manner. Everything before me was nothing more than fuzz and all noises seemed to be at least a mile away. I blinked my eyes several times and attempted to adjust to the brightness of the room. The room was a dark shade of blue as well as the furniture. [oxy-moron isn't it?]Turning my head to each side, I could see that it was a tiny room with only two occupants. Angry, I opened my mouth to snarl at them, but found that I was unable to speak.
Xu strolled over to me in awkward, exaggerated motions that were obvious attempts to impress me. With all the strength that I could muster, I scoffed lightly and spat on her face. She wiped the spit away in a frustrated motion and pointed a finger at the middle of my face. I craned my neck to look to my right, slapping her finger with my hair. (A/N: No, the hair isn't skilled in kung fu, it was simply brushing against her finger.) She took this as her chance to slit my cheek with her sharp nail all the way down to the curve of my chin. Disgusted, I thought about biting her but refrained from doing so for fear that she would enjoy that in her own sick little way.
From the corner of my eye I could see Seifer looking about the room frantically and biting his thumbnail. He exhaled suddenly, got up from his blue, velvet chair, and approached Xu with his right hand in the air as if he were swearing 'Scout's Honor'.
" So, maybe we should analyze the plan once more. We can't be too hasty about this, you know?" Seifer spoke nervously, his hand shaking in the air.
Xu's retort was acid. " No. I've waited too long for this moment. I can't spend any more time planning what I should have done long ago. Go downstairs and press the lever, Almasy." she said, pointing her other finger squarely behind her.
Seifer shifted uncomfortably and reluctantly stepped backward. He waved his hands frenetically behind Xu's back, but I chose to ignore him, believing that any sort of communication from him could be trusted just as much as Xu's could. Dispirited, Seifer shrugged and walked gradually to the exit door.
Xu remained staring at me as if I were some portrait that was on display. Finding my voice, I spoke viciously.
" Get away from me, you bitch."
Xu laughed wickedly. " Funny you should say that. You see, with you here defenseless, it would be easier than pilfering candy from a baby to simply... well... alter your opinion on killing Rinoa, your bitch."
" What!?"
Xu laughed again. " Oh, Squall. It's mind controlling. I can make you kill who you love most: Rinoa." She looked at me evilly. " Your sword will pierce her heart."
__________________________________
RINOA
Zell took me into his house with open arms. I was more than thankful for his mother's kind offerings, but I knew that I shouldn't be here, not with the entire world after me. However, the comfortable abode of the Dincht family was far too welcoming for me to refuse. The halls were painted blue and everything seemed bigger than it had been before. Maybe it was because I had been gone for so long. Whatever the case, the idea of calling a place home was something to be treasured.
I traveled up the stairs cheerfully, eager to talk to Zell about how things had been going during my absence. Only a moment before I knocked on his door, I heard him talking in a loud voice. Curious, I put my ear to the door and listened intently.
" WHAT!? No way!! Squall's coming to KILL Rinoa!? You've gotta be kidding, man! They're, like, soulmates!" There was a long pause in between his next retort. " Xu? WHOA! I never liked her. Yeah? ...Yeah? Okay, but be quick. I've got Rinoa here, and there's no way I'm gonna let Xu ruin her welcome home party! See ya, Seifer."
I stood there at the door, shocked. My fingers trembled at my sides and my temples began to throb. Before I could turn back, Zell burst through the door with a worried look on his face. He froze when he saw me there, looking like a sad puppy.
" So, you heard, didn't you? I'm sorry." He tried to look me in the eye, but I turned down my head. With a strong hand, he lifted my chin up to look at him, " Hey, things are gonna be all right. Seifer's got it all under control. With a little manipulation, things should work out just fine." But I still wasn't convinced. I bit my lip and evaded eye contact by looking toward the large mirror in the hallway to my left. " Yo! We beat Ultimecia as a team, so we can beat Xu as a team, too."
This made me perk my head up. I looked at him, my eyes pleading. In an almost shy manner, I scraped my feet slowly along the brown, hardwood floor. " Team? You mean... *everyone*?"
He smiled triumphantly. " Hell yeah!" Zell made a thumbs-up sign with his right hand and pointed it at himself, " I called them over. They'll be here to help soon. We'd never let you down, you know? We're a team!"
I finally gave in to his optimism and jumped up and down like I would have three years ago. With unrivaling benevolence, I laid my right arm across his shoulders and led him downstairs.
" So, you've gotten smarter over the past three years. Really, I'm impressed." I said with a playful smirk.
" Hehehe. Maybe I have." Zell smiled.
" Oh, by the way, what was that about a party that you mentioned on the phone?" I asked, an impish grin forming on my face.
Zell stiffened. " Uh, what party?"
__________________________________
SQUALL
Xu was waiting impatiently in front of me, both hands on her hips with her fingers tapping fretfully. Already bored, I was about to go to sleep. Just as I was drifting away, the door banged open to reveal a joyful-looking Seifer. He marched in, wearing the broadest of smiles. I looked at him querulously, surprised to see Seifer with such a childish smile on his face. The Commander wasn't happy to see him, however, and she circled around unhappily to glower at Seifer.
" Well? Did you press the lever?"
Seifer stared at her with a puzzled look on his face. " THAT'S what I was supposed to do. You see, I just went to the bathroom." he waved his right hand in the air and made a disgusted face as if he had smelt something bad, " I really shouldn't have had so much spicy food last night! I had some *nasty* dia--"
" I didn't ask for a report! Just... go back there... and press... the lever." Xu paused between her words to let out steam from her gritted teeth.
My rival saluted in a teasing style and jogged to the exit of the door, halting briefly to wave at me. I furrowed my brows, confused as to which side he was on. Xu sighed in front of me, sagging her body downward in defeat. She returned to a straight pose when she realized that I was in front of her and played with her hair in her attempt of a flirtatious style, but, of course, she failed miserably.
Xu neared where I sat leisurely, a wicked smile forming on her face. " In just a few moments, you'll be out of here and in Balamb, laying the finishing touch to Rinoa. And if she comes up with the audacity to retaliate against you and kills you... believe me, I'll kill her myself. You don't think I can? If I were a normal person like every other pathetic creature in this world, I don't think I'd be able to either." She bent down in front of me in a seductive pose, " But I'm not. I'm just as strong, or stronger than Rinoa.
" You see, after the Sorceress War ended, I attained my own Sorceress powers. But not from a Sorceress that everyone knew about. Her name was Sorceress Kahi. Such a strong magic-wielder she was. She chose me and I inherited every last bit of her strength...."
She bent down closer and kissed my lips feverishly. Infuriated, I attempted to back up, but the chains all over my body didn't allow me to do so. Desperate, I leaned backward and came back with great force, knocking her head harshly and sending her straight to the ground. Before she could strike back, my breath was taken away by the sudden surge of pain that swept through my already tired body. My eyes blurred and lost their sight, leaving me only to hear of what was going on. Xu's shoes clicking softly as she approached me. I could feel her fingers hovering over my face. I slipped in and out of consciousness only to wake lazily, my mentality already more than halfway gone.
" You're going to... kill Rinoa."
With a strength that was not my own, I ripped through the chains and rose, my eyesight returning. I could feel the anger in my body, but it was telling me something that I never thought I would even imagine doing.
" Kill Rinoa."
Tamely, I ran to the exit and headed to Balamb, my sore feet carrying themseles while I screamed in defiance in my head. Sorrowfully, I realized that the manipulation would soon fully take over, and there would be nothing to stop my rampage.
* Rinoa.... Not Rinoa....*
__________________________________
RINOA
I sat happily on the couch, enjoying the delicious food that Mrs. Dincht brought to Zell and me. Zell ate noisily, leaving crumbs on the clean floor of the living room. We were planning the party that would soon be celebrated, so our moods were irregularly benevolent.
" Will there be lights?" I asked excitedly, " Balloons?"
Zell pounded a fist into one of his hands. " And food! Hot dogs!"
" Everyone will be there, right?" I inquired again.
" Yup. Everyone."
" I wonder if... Squall will come...."
Zell smiled. " I bet he wouldn't miss it for the world!"
That made me grin in return. I pushed back an ebony lock of hair behind my ear and leaned back on the couch, hugging my knees to my stomach. As I was resting my head on the cushions of the couch, an ear-piercing explosion of metal against wood caused the front door to collapse, revealing a powerful soldier dressed in black. He strided out of the shadows, exposing his brown hair and cloudy blue eyes. My eyes widened by themselves and I promptly put a hand to my mouth. The soldier swung his Gunblade rapidly, creating a loud whisper. He lifted the blade back up and rested it on his soldier, tilting his eyes downward to look deadly.
" Hey, Rinoa. I've come here... to kill you."
~**********************************~
A/N: Hey, that was long! For me, at least. I hope you enjoyed it; it took me long enough to write it! Please review! Ja ne! ~Bianka-chan. 3/15/03.