Chapter 3 – Embarking on the Journey… and saying Goodbye…
Author's notes: Here are the answers to "A temporary replacement for the next chapter."
Sad Proclamation of Love (1):
(Drum roll please…)
From Zell to Celestine!!
Congratulations to Ms EmilyStrange for guessing it right!! But in my humble opinion, the "mark on my face" part was a dead giveaway.
Sad Proclamation of Love (2):
(Drum roll again please…)
From Seifer to Quistis!!
But why???
You can ask, but I won't tell you. All shall reveal itself when the story unravels.
I have decided to keep "A temporary replacement for the next chapter" intact… instead of deleting it as I had intended to at first. Which writer can bear to delete his or her precious work without some regret? (And yes, I love writing poems, even though I have little ideas on what to write) So I shall not "suffer" unnecessarily… whoops wandering off again…
The usual plea: Please Read and Review!!
-Waterlily 43
"WHAT did you just say?" Zell looked at his girl with a look that mirrored Damien's after hearing the news she had to offer.
"I said, I'm going to search for Quis by myself." She repeated in a loud clear voice.
"No. I forbid that. Let me come with you."
There was a strong influence of disapproval in his words.
"No. You've got a mission coming up." She replied just as firmly.
"I can get someone else to take over."
He locked his pair of azure pupils onto hers with nary a blink.
" I said no, and that's that!" She yelled and stared into his eyes as well.
They held that position for more than a minute, neither wanting to back down on his or her stand.
Finally, his face softened… for seldom were the times that he could refuse any demands or requests that came from her.
"Why do you insist on going alone, Babe? Okay, maybe you don't want me to back out of my mission. Why don't you ask Damien to go with you? Or even Rinoa and Squall? They've got no missions on hand… and they would be happy to help. I'm sure it would be much better than you going out there by yourself, searching for a needle in a haystack!"
"My Hyne… you and Damien think in the same way sometimes! He told me to pull you in my search as well! What's with you two? And that couple? I'm not really that close to them. Okay, so I've known them for a long time, but we've never communicated a lot… so that would be a definite no-no!"
"That only goes to show how bad this idea is. But you never listen to good advice. I know you."
He shook his head gravely.
A sudden hot temper flared up in her chest at his action, hovering dangerously on the brink of breaking out. She quickly smothered it, knowing all too well that a tantrum-throwing session would jeopardise any chances she might have to persuade Zell into agreeing with her.
"Listen… Zell, darlin'…" Calmly and gently, she took his hands and held them in hers. The comforting warmth of his hands transmitted to her cold fingers from the contact. "A big reason for my insistence in going through my search alone is because I think Quis would probably not want to see anyone right now. It's a hunch, but mine are usually quite accurate. Oh… you're thinking what makes me so sure that she would see me? Maybe she won't, but I'm not giving up until she does."
"But baby…" Reluctance was eminent in his voice as he looked down at their interlaced fingers.
"Hush… Zell. I know it's going to be hard. But we really wouldn't have a peace of mind until this is settled, right? You must be as worried as I am about Quis… I know you are…" She lifted his chin with a finger, a soft smile lighting up her features.
"Yeah…" He said in agreement… which was a sure sign that he had finally consented to her request.
"Now, cheer up. I promise to settle this as fast as I can." She cupped his face with both hands and gave him a tender kiss on the lips.
"I'll miss you so much, baby. Promise you'll call me everyday? Promise you'll come back to me when it's over?"
Her heart ached at the sight of his pleading eyes and his shaky voice.
"Of course I promise! I won't ever leave you for anything! And I'll miss you too! It's as hard for me as it is for you!"
"C'mere, my precious darlin'…" He pressed her face into his chest, a palm gently cradling her head as if it were a fragile quail's egg.
"Thank you, Zell…" She said, the words muffled into the black material of his T-shirt.
"Silly girl. What's there to thank for?"
She looked up at him, her eyes shining in their naked reflection of her thoughts and emotions.
Thank you for everything that you've done for me. Thank you for showing me that I can feel so deeply for someone other than myself. Thank you for your love, your existence, your smile and… I cannot list all of them out, however much I want to…
Her thoughts remained unspoken. But she knew that he could sense them, some way or other.
The corners of his mouth turned up a little, the smile so sad and wavering it appeared to be on the verge of disappearing.
Their lips met, caressing, longing and wanting of each other, a union seeming to last forever in their minds……
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Why is it that love always has to carry a tinge of melancholy in it? Especially love in its purest, most unadulterated form?
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"Now… take care of yourself, you hear? Or I won't forgive you!" Damien was using his big brother's tone for the umpteenth time since that morning… until she was almost sick in the stomach from hearing it.
"I'm not a kid! Of course I will!" She made a face at him. "What did you tell Seifer about my departure from the Garden?"
"I told him you were recalled to Angel Land for some urgent matter. He simply gave me a gloomy, blank look. I don't think you need to worry."
"I guess he's too busy outside looking for Quis to be bothered about lil' old me's business. Not that I blame him, though. Now the two of you… don't you DARE leak a single word about this to anyone, you hear?"
"We know! Like this is the nth time you've reminded us of it! It has become permanently established in our minds already!" Damien rolled his eyes at Zell, who was abnormally silent, watching them clowning around with each other.
"Goodbye, Damien! I won't be seeing you in a while." She went up to him and gave him a hug and a light peck on his cheek.
"Yeah. Ditto. Now before you go… take this." He came up with a small scented sachet with Ancient Anglish scriptures embroidered on it, and pressed it into her hand. Anglish was the language of communication in Angel Land.
"What's this?" She opened it carefully, not wanting to damage the sachet in her haste to see its contents.
A small stone with "Protection" carved on it lay among a few pieces of gauze, to give it yet more cushioning against any sudden forces if the bearer were to drop it.
She looked up at him questioningly.
"Rub the stone when you need help, Celestine. It'll come in handy… a heirloom of the Silvergrace Clan."
"Oh, my good Brother… you shouldn't have!"
"Shut up. Now… you have something else to do, don't you? I'll retreat for now."
He faded into the air.
She stared into the space vacated by him, unwilling and unable to turn and face the hardest part of her departure from Balamb Garden, the first since she had practically rooted herself there.
You'll have to say your goodbye eventually… no matter how long you delay it. You might as well get it done with minimum fuss! A little voice whispered in her mind.
And there was nothing she could do but agree with it.
Turning on her heel, she ventured with uneasy steps towards Zell, who was leaning on the balcony bar with the loneliest face she had ever seen.
"My love, don't look so gloomy!" She put her arms around his neck while in return; his arms encircled her slender waist.
"I can't help myself…" He murmured unhappily.
"It's not like I'm gone forever, just a little while?" She touched the tip of his nose lightly with her index finger.
"Okay." He finally broke into a tiny smile, his face still a little depressed even with its presence.
"That's much better! Now… I have to leave… it's not getting any earlier…"
"One last hug?"
"Sure." She whispered, wrapping her arms around his torso to meet at the back. His left arm remained on her waist, only squeezing her to himself even more tightly as his right hand stroked the nape of her neck with a most soothing touch.
She could hardly stop the sourness gathering at her chest, or the lump at the back of her throat as they shared one of the snuggest embrace ever since she could remember. Burying her face into his shoulder, she didn't feel like leaving his arms; the only place that could make her so secure, so blissful…
He released her after some time. Not nearly long enough, in both their minds but they knew their parting was inevitable… only a matter of how soon it was.
"Now go, before I change my mind." He broke into his famous grin, which had not seen the light for so long.
"Goodbye… my Martial Arts Master…" She grinned widely back at him.
"Goodbye, my lovely star in the sky…"
"Zell… hold up your hands like this." She put her hands up in the air in front of her, palms facing outwards.
"Huh? You tryin' to slip me some skin?" He was stumped, but did as he was told.
"This is my special way of showing 'I love you.' " She said, touching his palms lightly with hers. They were slightly bigger than hers, and had always made her feel protected whenever he held them.
"I like it." He gave a smile, unique in its expression to be his. A smile that was sure to remain in her memory in the days to come.
"Bye…" She whispered, as her wings spread out fully behind her… lifting her body higher with each passing second.
"Bye… I love you." He said in a hoarse whisper, barely able to get the words out of his mouth, which simply refused to do his bidding.
She could see that he wanted so much to hold onto her, but had to restrain himself forcefully.
"Me too." She gave him a last lingering look, before turning with much difficulty to face the opposite direction.
"Celestine…" He called out.
With all her mental strength, she stopped herself from looking back.
Damien suddenly appeared, flying beside her.
"Don't worry. I'll take care of him for you."
"Thanks." Her reply was short, not trusting that her mouth could bear its trembling any longer.
"Any time." He stopped his flight as Celestine flew further away into the horizon, leaving everything and a trail of silvery tears behind. Her body bathed in the rays of the setting sun as she embarked on her journey to find her good friend.
I'll be back… I promise…
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"Come on… let's head back." Damien touched down onto the ground, concealing his wings from human sight at the same time.
Zell looked at him, dazed for a second, then muttered a small "okay".
"There's nothing to be worried about! She's only gone for a while! Look… I'll treat you to hotdogs!" Damien clapped his arm around Zell's shoulder, guiding him towards the emergency exit/entrance to the balcony.
"Okay." He responded, this time with a little smile, not wanting to let Damien worry about him… especially since the former had gone all the way to cheer him up.
"I knew that'll make you smile, and I was right!" He smirked at Zell as they walked out of the door.
"Ah, someone's taking on the annoying traits of a certain self-fashioned knight!" He remarked. "Now don't you dare call me 'Chicken-wuss'; only he is qualified for it 'cos that's the only thing that can come out of his mouth!"
"Oh, I wouldn't dare, Zell Master Sir! I don't want to be slapped at or punched in the nose until my face turns blue-black or my nose starts bleeding!"
"Hey, that was low! Now let's get Seifer to join us. I think he's back from his daily search already."
And the two heroes made their way towards Seifer's dorm, a picture of male bonding in its prime.
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A knock sounded on the door. Followed by a few series of impatient ones as the person inside refused to respond to it.
"SEIFER! Open up! You have a letter from Quisty!" Sefie's voice screeched from the outside.
He was up in a flash, opening the door so rapidly that Sefie almost lost her balance.
"Where is it?" He demanded, bloodshot eyes staring at her with a fierce intensity.
"Here." She held it out in front at him.
He examined it, and sure enough, the script was in Quisty's familiar hand.
He tore the envelope open.
"What does it say?' Sefie asked eagerly, excited and anxious that the weeks of fretting would finally come to an end. But before she could snoop any further, he closed the door right in her face, locked it, and sat on the floor to read the letter.
A few minutes passed. Several minutes passed, but still Seifer remained in his room, refusing to open the door and give some indication as to the contents of the letter.
Outside, the door created a deafening noise as Sefie pounded on and screamed Seifer's name.
Inside the dorm…
He crumpled the letter into a ball in his fist and slammed it against the ground with savage force.
Then, regretting his actions immediately, he spread the wrinkled piece of paper out, trying to smooth the lines as best as he could… to no avail. He read and reread the few lines on it, trying to make some sense… trying to convince himself that maybe, he had read it wrongly the first time.
The blood seeped through his fingers to stain the words, until a quarter of the paper had turned red, but he paid not a hint of attention to his injured knuckle, nor the crimson rivers running down his hand.
For the pain in his heart was much sharper than anything else, blocking all his senses…
Celestine: What do YOU know about male bonding?
Waterlily: I don't… just something I grasped from all that female mag reading.
Celestine: Hmmph… and don't you think that's a little too dramatic? For God's sakes… I was only leaving for a little while and you have to create such hoo-ha? Get a life! Don't patronise the readers!
Waterlily: So I have a flair for drama… what's so wrong with that? My apologies to those who don't like drama…but you of all the people should know!
Celestine: No, and I don't care to know.
Author's other voice: Don't interrupt!