~ Chapter SIX: The Epitaph of Love: Memory Shift ~

A/n: I'm writing this on my brand new computer... oh it feels so nice. But, the sad thing is... I LOST ALL MY MUSIC! 200 files with of music I might add. Plus the rest of the chapters but what's worse is that I lost my new story 'Here is Garden!'. Oh well. I'll write something else. grrr... I'm so pissed....

A/n 2: Okay... I had to delete the entire chapter that I had just written. I realized that it made no sense and that if I tried to make it work I'd only be hurting myself. Plus I finally admitted to myself that the chapter was just my profound need to destroy Zone and Watts in the most gruesome of manners (Zone is split in two and his organs are ripped from him and his eyes are jabbed out, trust me... it 'worked' in the original. With Watts, his arm is sawed off and a slim pole skewers him in the head and birds begin to pick and rip at his lifeless corpse.). HOWEVER!! Now that I cured myself of brutally killing Zone and Watts, I can write the 'real' chapter.

IMPORTANT!!! From now on this is a SQUINOA!! WARNING!! SQUINOA ALERT!! There is no more voting!! So stop. AND NO CHARACTER HATING IN THE REVIEW PAGE, PLEASE!!

******************

Squall awoke with a flutter of his eyelids. His eyes adjusted and centered on the pale roof above him. It was his room he had slept in after the night of the graduation. He placed his arms behind his head and relaxed himself gently with a sigh of content. He rolled his head over to the electronic clock as it just rearranged itself into the time of '10:00'. He was surprised no one had disturbed him, considering the time was late to Garden standards.

'No motion today...' He thought sleepily as he rolled over towards the wall. But something was different about his wall... it didn't feel this smooth or nice to the touch. He opened his eyes ever so slightly and found he was caressing the sleeping Rinoa's collar bone. "Fucking shit!" He exclaimed in complete surprise as he pushed backward from her but ended up falling from the bed and onto the floor with a loud thud, dragging one of the sheets over his naked body. He forgot that his bed was a single and with another person in his bed, there was practically no room. Rinoa shot up from sleeping position from the tremendous shake.

"Earthquake!?" She questioned, nervous as her head darted around the room, looking for Squall. "Squall?" She questioned to the nothingness after realizing that there was no earthquake.

"Yeah." He said with a little groan of discomfort from the floor. Rinoa crept to the edge of the bed, a sheet neatly tucked around her, hiding any privates Squall might want to peek at.

"How did you get down there?" She asked with a smile as she bent her head closer to him.

"An earthquake." He mused as he wrapped his arms around her neck and pulled her down on top of him. As she gracefully slid from the bed, he pushed his hands down into her sheet that was around her back and savored the feeling of pure heaven. As his hands crept all the more slowly down her, it began to tickle. She tried to hold it in for the sake of the moment and keep her slow movement but she couldn't hold it in. She flew down at him, his hands dislodging from her immediately and placing them in front of him as if to catch her. She collapsed into his chest as her laughs subsided in replace of silence, save for the occasional giggle. Squall sighed with disbelief that the slightest romantic gesture always turned into something all the more awkward.

They lay there in that position for a minute Rinoa finally jumped up, a look of complete surprise on her face.

"I didn't know you were so forward." Rinoa said with a smile on her face. "I thought you liked to take things step by step." She said with a disbelieving smile.

"But I was trying to do that..." Squall whispered.

"You were trying to take things step by step by clutching my breast... you little pervert!" She said all the more playfully as she stood up. Squall looked down to his hands and found that his right hand was in the form of her breast. She had accidentally fallen into that awkward position while he was... ummm... 'accidentally' cupping her breast. She took a seat on his bed as she watched him stand up, a totally bewildered look on his face.

"That move was an accident, huh?" Rinoa asked, a blush suddenly rushing to her face.

"Yeah." He answered plainly as he took a seat next to her. "Gave me to much credit." He continued.

"At the risk of sounding cheesy... I never give you enough credit." Rinoa said with a crafty smile. Squall looked back at her his mood unchanging and his expression not faltering. She stared back the same way, her mood not changing even the slightest. The silence was only the slightest bit uncomfortable. He found comfort in her eyes and she to him. After a long while of absolute nothingness, Squall finally stood and headed for his bathroom.

"I'm gonna take a shower." He stated, not looking to her directly.

"Okay." Rinoa answered in a vague tone, her eyes dropping to her feet in a flash.

"Am I gonna see you for breakfast?" He asked as he pushed his head forward into his bathroom, almost as if he was hiding his face.

Rinoa smiled, she knew why he had hid. This was the first real date he had asked her on, all the other 'dates' they shared were either accidental or set up by others... meaning they didn't go out very often. "Sure!" She answered with great enthusiasm. Squall's face was still hidden as he muttered: "Yes..." The mutter was inaudible for Rinoa to hear but she knew he had said it.

*

After the breakfast Rinoa entered her dorm room, alone. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it. She sighed heavily and finally pushed off from the door, wanting to lie down on her mini sofa and watch her brand new TV which her father had gotten. When she stepped a bit further into the room she saw Selphie and Zell watching TV on her couch eating her potato chips.

"What are you doing here?" Rinoa asked agitated.

"... eating." Selphie answered with a curious face, wondering if it wasn't obvious enough.

"And watching TV. Receptions great by the way." Zell said giving Rinoa a little thumbs up sign. She glowered but tried to remain cool.

"How did you get in here?" Rinoa asked crossing her arms and cocking her hip lightly as she looked at them impatiently.

"The door was unlocked." Selphie answered with a petite smile.

"Right... because that gives you all the reason in the world." Rinoa stated sarcastically as her impatient expression turned to a sour one.

"Well..." Selphie began, trying to explain stupidly. "Sassiphras." She answered stupidly as her hand dove into the chip bag and shoved some more chips in her mouth.

"Definitely." Zell backed, being just as random.

"Shut up and get out." Rinoa commanded as her arm extended towards the door. Her index finger rose and stiffened with strain as it aimed for the door. They got the idea. Zell stood and walked out as quickly as possible. Selphie was slow to follow. As she reached the door, Zell was standing there, waiting for her. She grabbed the door in her hands and slammed it shut in his face. She spun on her heel and looked Rinoa in the eye.

"Where did you two go last night?" Selphie asked hastily, a slightly sullen look on her face.

"What?" Rinoa asked. She knew what it was regarding but decided to draw it out.

"You know!" Selphie blurted out, reading Rinoa's mind.

"I have no idea!" Rinoa exclaimed with a smile as she blushed.

"You guys got IT ON!!" Selphie said with a smile on her face as she made erotic pelvic movements.

"Oh... fuck a horse..." Rinoa demanded as she turned away with a blush on her face.

"I don't think I'm doing the screwing here.... you are!" Selphie pointed out with a cute little smile as she poked her in the arm.

"So what if I did?" Rinoa asked, challenging Selphie.

Selphie was quiet for a bit until she finally blurted out: "Can I be it's aunt!?"

"What?" Rinoa asked, this time totally confused.

"The child." Selphie reminded, as if it was all to obvious.

"Oh my God, Selphie!" Rinoa complained as she backed away from her. "You're one sick pup." She said with clenched teeth.

"Answer the question." Selphie said with an annoyed face as she put her hands on her hips.

"We used protection." Rinoa answered plainly, turning to Selphie triumphantly. Selphie grumbled and stormed out. Rinoa sighed with relief as the door slammed shut. "Testy..." She whispered under her breath as she hurled herself down on her new couch. She lied facing up, her eyes staring at the ceiling, unwavering from their target. Her right hand lazily dropped from the couch, her knuckles gently brushing the carpet. Her eyes filled with tears and her lips began to quiver.

"Oh Squall..." She said with a trembling voice as she pulled her body into a ball and cried.....

"Master." Seifer began as he knelt to the black, ominous figure in the large dark chair before him. The room the two were in was pitch black with the exception of a tiny spotlight focusing on Seifer and another solitary light on a red double door way far from them and behind Seifer.

Seifer's head picked itself up and looked to the figure. "We have conformation on Lady Continent's next location." Seifer said.

"Stand." The deep voice commanded, pleased. "Where might this location be?" The voice asked.

"Balamb." He answered, now standing.

"Good. You may leave." The voice said.

"Master, may I ask you of a favor?" Seifer begged.

"What is it?" The voice asked, weary.

"May I... drop by and give them visit?" He asked.

The voice hesitated. "It could be a risky venture, but I've always had a taste for drama." The voice said with a laugh. Seifer smirked.

"Thank you, Master." Seifer thanked with a low bow. He turned on his heel and walked off, smirking. His plan had worked. The voice began to laugh again.

"Don't take me for a fool, Mr. Seifer." The voice demanded in a cheery voice.

"I take you for no fool, Mas-" Seifer couldn't finished his sentence as something sharp, slim and long shot through his shoulder. Seifer felt it yank to a stop as he screamed with pain.

"I can't believe you thought I would trust you." The voice laughed. "I see how you treat people. I see how you make fools of people you can, and for the people you can't... you kill them. Or, should I say, used to." The voice exclaimed, laughing even harder. Seifer grimaced at the comments, but mostly his own pain. His shoulder suddenly jerked forward as he felt the long piece of metal dislodge from him. Blood poured from the completely open wound and he quickly began to feel faint. "Pathetic..." The voice whispered as Seifer's wound closed. Seifer's breath was ragged as he still held on to the area where the wound once was.

"Why?" Seifer whispered through clenched teeth, the pain still charging through him. The voice didn't hear his question.

"Never disobey me... for I hold the key to that closed wound. One wrong move towards me and that will open and your blood will spill everywhere. Or I'll just throw another lance through your face, I like that option." The voice said venomously. The light on Seifer vanished and he was gone. "Hmmmm..." The voice sighed...

*

Rinoa rode on the train bound for Timber with sullen expression. Her eyes were diverted out the window as her finger tips tapped rhythmically against her skirt. Her eyes were rimmed with red. It was all to obvious she had been crying. Squall was absent mindedly looking through the mission brief papers, not caring much.

Selphie darted her eyes over to the two in their seats, across the aisle from her and Zell.

"Isn't it obvious to Squall that something is wrong with Rinny?" She asked in a whisper as she leaned into Zell.

"Probably not. But even if he did, I doubt he would know what to do." Zell said as he continued to play his Gameboy.

"That's pretty insightful for someone who's playing a video game." Selphie pointed out, making a compliment.

"I know. But, back to the subject... While I've known Rinoa for a very short time, she seems like a very cheerful person. It would take a lot to bring her down to where she is now. So, my guess is that Rinoa's been so upset about something with Squall. She cares enough to cry for him, and enough not to tell him." Zell pointed out as game screen flashed 'Game Over' in big, bold, red letters. "Dammit." He cursed quietly.

"If that's true, it seems very odd considering they were so happy awhile ago. Things can't turn sour that quickly." Selphie argued as she watch Rinoa.

"It could have been something last night, maybe this morning." Zell suggested as he put the game back into his pocket. Selphie didn't look impressed by his statement. "It's like if you spill your best perfume. You're gonna get sad, or possibly pissed. You don't have to spill two bottles of your favorite perfume to make you sad or mad." Zell explained. Selphie nodded in understanding.

"Wonder what happened then?" She wondered.

"Ask her, but right now might not be the best time." Zell advised. She nodded.

"Passengers heading for the Timber Station, will be stopping in just a few minutes. Please collect your luggage and prepare to disembark."

As the announcement turned off. Squall handed the briefing papers to Rinoa and stood.

"Where are you going?" She asked, confused as she fumbled with the documents.

"For a walk." He answered lamely and went into the next car behind them.

"A walk?" Rinoa questioned, looking utterly confused and bewildered.

"Don't worry." Zell reassured her with a smile. Rinoa nodded and sighed. She sat still for a bit, holding the documents close to her chest. Her eyes suddenly filled with an empowerment she didn't know she had. She tossed the documents into the vacant seat next to her, papers spilling out into the aisle and onto the floor. She whipped her head to the world outside the window and thought and thought until the train finally stopped at their destination...

*

"Freeze." Selphie commanded, pointing the gun into the mans face. He raised his hands up as he dropped his gun. "This the guy, Squall?" Selphie asked, still looking into the eyes of her enemy.

"Yeah." He said. "Good work." He complimented. He handcuffed the man to a chair as the two watched him, intent on not letting him move.

"I hope Rinny and Zell are you doing okay." Selphie said. Squall just nodded.

"I hope they get him." He said as he sheathed his gunblade.

"That's not what I meant." She said with a frown...

Rinoa jammed her palm up into the man's chin and he stumbled back a bit and wiped his mouth of the blood.

"I don't want to hurt you anymore!" Rinoa told him as she pulled out her gun and aimed it at him. "Please, stop resisting. I don't want to hurt you more than I have to." She reiterated. He just smugly smiled and ran for her. She aimed off center and fired, hitting him in the shoulder. He stumbled back and cringed as blood sprayed from his wound. His hand covered it quickly as blood leaked through the cracks between his fingers.

"Rin!" Zell said as he rounded a corner. "There you are!" He said with a gasp of delight. His smile disappeared as he saw the enemy target, bleeding from a bullet wound. "Wouldn't cooperate?" He asked looking to Rinoa. She shook her head.

"Please." Rinoa pleaded as she held the gun up to the man's head. The man sighed and cringed from the pain.

"Fine." He finally gave in. She smiled as Zell handcuffed him.

*

"Sir." Squall began to Cid over Squall's mobile. "We have captured the targets. Target, Dean Redgro, has suffered a bullet wound for not cooperating but that seems to be the only major wound." Squall finished.

"Good work!" He congratulated. "The rest of the day is yours to putz about the town and report to Galbadia Garden when you're finished." He finished and hung up. Squall turned to the rest of his team as he pocketed the mobile.

"We have the rest of the day free. But we have to get to Galbadia Garden sometime." He told them. They all cheered.

"I'm going shopping! Wanna come Rinny?" Selphie asked as she bounced about excitedly.

"Nah. I'm just gonna walk about. Be a tourist." She told her with a smile.

"I'm going to the arcade. C'mon Squall!" Zell insisted as he grabbed his hand and dashed for the arcade he saw earlier. She mouthed a thank you to the departing Zell who only gave her wave and a smile.

"Sure you don't want to come?" Selphie asked, just making sure. Rinoa nodded. "Okay then, see yah later!" She said with a smile and skipped off. Rinoa sighed and looked around her, wondering where to start from.

"Where to go?" She asked herself. She wasn't really planning on sight-seeing and instead intended on thinking and walking mindlessly. She decided on a route that none of the group had taken. It was past the Timber Maniacs building. She walked for it and the second she entered the crammed street the song began to play. The one that she had heard before. She looked about curiously, rubbed her ears and concluded it was real. She walked calmly, trying to not freak herself out even more even though she really did want to scream and freak.

The song was haunting and almost cryptic. Almost hypnotic as Rinoa found herself searching the sound down.

After a few minutes of walking she found herself in a dead end alley way. A women was there, her back turned to her. She was in a blue top and a white skirt, her shawl tied around her neck almost as if a choker. The excess length of the shawl around her neck waved delicately in the wind along with her hair. The song suddenly stopped and the women turned to Rinoa. Her eyes were sunken but she had a placid smile none the less.

"Who are you?" Rinoa asked delicately.

"I know you hurt." The woman began in a soft and kind voice as she stepped closer to Rinoa. Rinoa didn't retreat from the advance.

"Who are you?" She repeated.

"I know the pain deep down inside of you. Come with me Rinoa." She said, her eyes filling with life.

"How do you know my name?" Rinoa asked, still not retreating even as the woman hugged her gently.

"Rinoa." She repeated. Almost instantly Rinoa hugged her gently. Rinoa didn't feel in control of herself as the world began to spin and spin, locked in embrace as the blue water of the pleasant ocean engulfed them as the whales, dolphins and fish swam past as they spun in each others grasp...

***********

A/n: Note on the last part... THE MAKING OF T.A.T.U 2! Oh my gosh! Just tricking! Trippy isn't it?? Well... I thought it was neato... and yes, it does fit in with the plot.