Chapter Three: The Place I Called Home
He sat in a dank corner of a small coffee shop in Timber. Waitresses scurried to and fro gathering orders
and trying not to give bad service, for their tip was on the line. Lovers gazed deeply into each other's eyes,
forgetting they were in a small coffee shop on the poor side of town and living in their own little world. A
poet delivered his latest streak of genius from a small stool in the center of the shop, a few fans clapping
after each one. But despite all of the action, he was very much alone.
He sat in his own little table, making clouds in his coffee with the creamer, swirling them into silky whisps,
reminding him much of the wind. All he could think about was HER. His true love, the one whom he hadn't seen since
the council 'killed' him. Rinoa. He had figured the reasons for his captivity. It was a test for her, a test of a
slayer. They had cloned him, only making his clone a vicious vampire and sent him out into the wilderness. The first
slayer could not have love holding her back, for she was the only thing standing between this planet and hell. They
had to make her kill her love. And that is exactly what she had done.
He sat waiting. Chastity, a former Forest OWL, was to meet him and tell him what he had missed out on the past two years.
He didn't wait long, though long enough to identify his depression.
"Hey!" She almost yelled as she slammed her purse down. She got a rise out of Squall and she giggled.
"It's about time you showed up. I've been here for... uh." He checked his watch. "...ten minutes. But that's still pretty
long by my standards. So, we gonna talk or what."
She ordered her coffee quickly and then turned to Squall.
"Of course." She stared at him. "Well we're never gonna talk if we dont have a topic. What ya wanna know?"
"The basics. If Rinoa still loves me. How shes doin. Where she is. Stuff like that."
Chastity raised her eyebrow at him, and quickly sipped up her coffee that the waitress had just delivered.
"Squall, don't be stupid. She had it bad for you since you guys first met. She always will. She's doing just fine with the
slaying. Shes a real natural, you know. You'd be so proud of her. She's grown into a rather strong and independant little
woman over the past two years." She took a quick sip of her coffee and continued. "As for where she is, that's easy. Zell
called me about two months ago and told me where Rinoa had gone, just in case I wanted to come back to the OWLS. They've
relocated in Balamb, so Zell and Selphie could still be a part of the group and teach at the same time."
She saw him flinch when she said 'Balamb.'
"What?"
"Nothing. Just remembered. Balamb was what I used to call home."
***
Merrick walked along the beach, Irvine and Selphie close behind. He gazed down the stretch of sand and finally saw Rinoa
jumping up and down, waving her hands. He smiled at how silly his young slayer could be, even at times like these. A good
and bad quality to have, but it helped people to not worry. The three finally arrived to where Rinoa was, fanning themselves
from the heat.
"Wow, Its soooo hot out here. I knew I should've worn my bikini. Its a beach, dammit!" Selphie whined.
"Oh Selphie, not now. From the sounds of things here, you wouldn't want to get in the water anyways." Irvine rubbed his
forehead. Selphie darted past him and ran to the deceased whale nearest them.
"Oh you poor cre... EEEEW!!!" She gasped as she saw its entrails popping out of its stomach.
"Yeah, I was about to say something about that. Damn, prepared my speech for nothing." Rinoa smiled. "Anyways, Merrick, come
have a look at this." She pointed to the symbol on the whales head.
"Please tell me it says I've won a new car." Rinoa said.
"Oh dear..." He said looking at the symbol. "I can't tell most of it, but it does say something about the end of the world."
"Again?" All three of the young scoobz said in unison.
"The portion I can make out says 'The end comes from deep waters,' Which makes sense, because this looks like an ancient
Mermese language." He got confused looks from the three.
"Merman talk." Merrick said to clear up the confusion.
"Well, thats a good thing, for me anyways. I look killer in a swimsuit." Rinoa smirked. Eli came up behind her.
"Hey, what'd I miss?"
"Nothing," Rinoa said. "My friend thinks what you saw may've been the little mermaid on crack. So, you're not as crazy as you
thought." She smiled.
"Gang, this is Eli. Eli, this is my... uh... gang... not a gang that promotes violence... wait a minute. Uhh.."
Rinoa confused even herself.
"It's Okay, I get it. Im Eli Smith. Lil' Mermaid on crack, huh? Interesting theory."
"Eli here survived an attack from our demon." Rinoa said.
"Yes... I survived. That's right."
He sat in a dank corner of a small coffee shop in Timber. Waitresses scurried to and fro gathering orders
and trying not to give bad service, for their tip was on the line. Lovers gazed deeply into each other's eyes,
forgetting they were in a small coffee shop on the poor side of town and living in their own little world. A
poet delivered his latest streak of genius from a small stool in the center of the shop, a few fans clapping
after each one. But despite all of the action, he was very much alone.
He sat in his own little table, making clouds in his coffee with the creamer, swirling them into silky whisps,
reminding him much of the wind. All he could think about was HER. His true love, the one whom he hadn't seen since
the council 'killed' him. Rinoa. He had figured the reasons for his captivity. It was a test for her, a test of a
slayer. They had cloned him, only making his clone a vicious vampire and sent him out into the wilderness. The first
slayer could not have love holding her back, for she was the only thing standing between this planet and hell. They
had to make her kill her love. And that is exactly what she had done.
He sat waiting. Chastity, a former Forest OWL, was to meet him and tell him what he had missed out on the past two years.
He didn't wait long, though long enough to identify his depression.
"Hey!" She almost yelled as she slammed her purse down. She got a rise out of Squall and she giggled.
"It's about time you showed up. I've been here for... uh." He checked his watch. "...ten minutes. But that's still pretty
long by my standards. So, we gonna talk or what."
She ordered her coffee quickly and then turned to Squall.
"Of course." She stared at him. "Well we're never gonna talk if we dont have a topic. What ya wanna know?"
"The basics. If Rinoa still loves me. How shes doin. Where she is. Stuff like that."
Chastity raised her eyebrow at him, and quickly sipped up her coffee that the waitress had just delivered.
"Squall, don't be stupid. She had it bad for you since you guys first met. She always will. She's doing just fine with the
slaying. Shes a real natural, you know. You'd be so proud of her. She's grown into a rather strong and independant little
woman over the past two years." She took a quick sip of her coffee and continued. "As for where she is, that's easy. Zell
called me about two months ago and told me where Rinoa had gone, just in case I wanted to come back to the OWLS. They've
relocated in Balamb, so Zell and Selphie could still be a part of the group and teach at the same time."
She saw him flinch when she said 'Balamb.'
"What?"
"Nothing. Just remembered. Balamb was what I used to call home."
***
Merrick walked along the beach, Irvine and Selphie close behind. He gazed down the stretch of sand and finally saw Rinoa
jumping up and down, waving her hands. He smiled at how silly his young slayer could be, even at times like these. A good
and bad quality to have, but it helped people to not worry. The three finally arrived to where Rinoa was, fanning themselves
from the heat.
"Wow, Its soooo hot out here. I knew I should've worn my bikini. Its a beach, dammit!" Selphie whined.
"Oh Selphie, not now. From the sounds of things here, you wouldn't want to get in the water anyways." Irvine rubbed his
forehead. Selphie darted past him and ran to the deceased whale nearest them.
"Oh you poor cre... EEEEW!!!" She gasped as she saw its entrails popping out of its stomach.
"Yeah, I was about to say something about that. Damn, prepared my speech for nothing." Rinoa smiled. "Anyways, Merrick, come
have a look at this." She pointed to the symbol on the whales head.
"Please tell me it says I've won a new car." Rinoa said.
"Oh dear..." He said looking at the symbol. "I can't tell most of it, but it does say something about the end of the world."
"Again?" All three of the young scoobz said in unison.
"The portion I can make out says 'The end comes from deep waters,' Which makes sense, because this looks like an ancient
Mermese language." He got confused looks from the three.
"Merman talk." Merrick said to clear up the confusion.
"Well, thats a good thing, for me anyways. I look killer in a swimsuit." Rinoa smirked. Eli came up behind her.
"Hey, what'd I miss?"
"Nothing," Rinoa said. "My friend thinks what you saw may've been the little mermaid on crack. So, you're not as crazy as you
thought." She smiled.
"Gang, this is Eli. Eli, this is my... uh... gang... not a gang that promotes violence... wait a minute. Uhh.."
Rinoa confused even herself.
"It's Okay, I get it. Im Eli Smith. Lil' Mermaid on crack, huh? Interesting theory."
"Eli here survived an attack from our demon." Rinoa said.
"Yes... I survived. That's right."