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CHAPTER 6 – Last Call
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A/N: I moved that little chapter called "Somethin' laughable downwards (and added a few more lines again), so if you want to read it again, by all means, help yourself! For those who are uninitiated…. Well there isn't any difference anyway.
*
To:
Celestine Angelwing,
If you want your friend back, meet me at the Devil's Hollow in Gloomgrave Valley on the tenth day after the full moon. Alone. Or else you will not see her again… not even her cold, dead body!
R.M
*
The very moment she finished reading the message, Celestine knew that her hunch was not much farther from the truth.
She hadn't told all that she knew to Damien and Zell, simply because she had hoped that it was a bad feeling, nothing more. She couldn't tell them for fear that they might blow the matter out of proportion.
Just as well that this R.M., whoever he/she/it was, had demanded that she go alone.
It could be dangerous… Lord knows how well she knew it to be so.
And yet, now that her worst fears have been confirmed, she couldn't very well sit around and watch it happen, could she? Something had to be done.
Fears that this unfortunate curse that befell on Quis was entirely related to her, that Quis was only a convenient target for attack.
How had she known?
It was easy to guess… for lately, a foreign entity had been inside her mind, whispering all sorts of suggestions and questions, all of them unsettling.
Is it really okay for me to mingle with these human mortals in this world? Even though I've been granted special permission to stay here by the Great Lord, but still… is it truly allowed in the natural course of events?
The questions appeared to have been asked by her self-doubt… but fortunately (or otherwise, she could not decide), Celestine knew that she would never succumb to such useless questions. In fact… all the more she was convinced of the presence of the foreign entity merely by the utterance of the words "human mortals" alone. For she would never say it in such a way… as if in great contempt of the people it represents.
I can sense that this R.M. probably didn't like humans very much. She told herself, chewing on her lip while trying to recall if she knew anyone by those initials.
But the worst question it could ever ask finally presented itself in her mind yesterday… the thirtieth day since she had last heard Zell's voice.
Am I allowed to love one so different in nature as I?
It made her livid. She could not tolerate the audacity this R.M. had displayed, trying to create a rift between her and Zell. And what about Quis? A perfectly innocent person embroiled into the mess, all because of some idiot who had not the guts to face her on equal terms?
She definitely had to make it pay…
No one could offend a member of the Angelwing Clan, without suffering from serious repercussions. Especially if it happens to be me, Celestine Angelwing! She growled.
Taking a deep breath, she put a hand on the telephone, and started dialling quickly before her nerves got to the better of her.
"Dintch speakin'."
"Zell…" She said softly, her throat dry as she heard his old, friendly voice from the other end. She suddenly felt like pouring all that she knew to him. She had so much to say and yet… she couldn't.
"……………" Silence came from Zell's end of the line, silence that instilled a greatest apprehension in her.
Is he angry with me? I wouldn't blame him if he were. I haven't called him like I promised him to…
"Celestine… is that you? Is that really you?" He sounded so glad! And if her ears weren't fooling her… was there some choking up as well?
She felt like crying too. She missed him so much… as the gaping hole in heart constantly told her.
"It's me all right… have you been behaving?" Celestine tried to crack a joke, but only succeeded in worsening her feelings.
"It's you who's been the naughty one… what happened to those calls you promised me?" He chided her softly, for he couldn't bear to blame her for anything.
"I'm sorry, Zell…" She spoke in a low, small voice.
"It's okay, Baby. You can make it up to me when you return to the Garden."
She could almost visualise the grin on his face right now.
Finally, the barrier she had placed on her tear glands broke apart, and tiny rivers started running down her cheeks from the corner of her eyes.
"What's the matter, Baby? Are you feeling unwell?" He asked, all the more worried for he was not there to comfort her.
"I…I'm alright, Zell…" She sniffed, trying to compose herself a little.
"Zell… my precious darling… there's something I have to tell you…" Celestine spoke with an uneasy voice, for she knew it would be difficult to get him to accept what she had to say.
"What is it?" A hint of fear entered his voice. He had sensed that something was amiss even before Celestine said a word.
"I can't call you anymore."
She bit on her lip to stop its misbehaviour.
"Why not?"
"It's hard to find time to call you, and not every place has a phone."
"…………."
"Zell? Are you still with me?"
"Yeah… I guess you're right…" His sad voice finally came from the other end.
She was surprised at the ease with which he had taken the news.
"I'm glad that you think that way!"
"I have to grow up sooner or later. Heh." He tried to cover his disappointment up with a feeble laugh, but it was too clear to her how he must have felt… a knowledge that depressed her.
"But that doesn't mean that I won't be thinking of you, okay?"
"Okay."
"Listen… no matter what happens… I will return. I promise you that."
"I know. And I will make sure you hold true to your promise."
"Miss you."
"Miss you too…"
"Bye bye, Zell…"
"Bye."
A short reply, then a loud click on the other end, indicating that the end of the conversation had ended.
She listened to the engaged tone for a long time, clutching the receiver to her ear tightly….
Dearest Hyne, with all my heart I plead to you… please let me keep my promise to him…
********
He just had to put it down before the storm could capture his mind and claim its dominance over him.
You know this is right, Zell Dintch. So take it like a man.
Without further hesitation, he jumped up from the kneeling position he had taken while talking on the phone with Celestine, a direct consequence of the relief he felt while hearing her voice, and the weakness that encompassed him when he knew that this was probably going to be the last phone call from her for a long time.
"Yo… Chicken-wuss! It's time to resume our search!" Seifer's voice boomed out from the other side of the door.
"Awright… quit rushing me!" He yelled back and opened the door, jogging out of his room with an exaggerated vigour to his actions.
"Hey… Chicken-wuss… when is your Celestine coming back from Angel Land?" Seifer asked, cocking his head on one side to look at Zell.
"Huh?" Zell looked at him with the most confused look anyone had ever seen.
I told him that Celestine was going back for some urgent matters, remember? Damien conveyed his thoughts silently to Zell's mind.
"Oh… yeah… that… it isn't confirmed yet. She has a load of stuff to handle over there."
"That's tough…" He nodded, and looked at Zell sympathetically.
"Wha….?" He almost choked on his own saliva, surprised that Seifer actually had the mind to be concerned about Celestine's whereabouts, what with his hands full with Quisty's disappearance.
"Hey… she's my friend too. Even if I may not look that way, it's weird when she isn't around." Seifer gave a funny look, and continued striding down the corridor towards the entrance of the Garden, when the Ragnorak was parked.
If he knew what I had been hiding from him… he'd probably kill me. But I promised Celestine…
Zell shot a look at Damien as he thought of the bodily harm he would most likely receive if Seifer were to find out about their secret.
Damien let out a small sigh.
"A true dilemma… indeed. But you have to hold onto the truth for a little longer. Until it is absolutely necessary to tell him."
"When is the right time then? Will I know when it comes?"
"I don't exactly know. We just have to take it a step at a time."
"Hey, you people! What are we whispering about secretly behind my back?" Seifer turned his head and hollered at the two trailing behind him, impatient for them to catch up with his long, rapid strides… not an easy feat by any count.
"Something bad about Celestine."
"And don't you dare tell on us!"
"And what if I do tell on you, Chicken-wuss? I remember you used to be a tattle-tale yourself… have you forgotten about the fireworks incident?" He jested with his trademark sneer.
"That was a lifetime ago!" Zell said indignantly. "Be careful, or I'll have to treat you to knuckle sandwich!"
"Oh…but we all know that you wouldn't be alive if Celestine knew that you were conniving with Damien behind her back. Hahahaha!!!" His loud laugh could be heard miles away as they entered the waiting mouth of the Ragnorak, resuming their search for the dearly-missed Quistis Trepe for the hundredth day in running.
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Quistis gazed around her with wide-eyed amazement. Never had she seen a place quite like this in her twenty years of existence, not even when she had travelled rather extensively at such a young age.
She was quite sure that it was probably in a different realm, or dimension altogether. For one thing, the air seemed different, for there seemed to be a purer, sweeter quality in the air compared to the atmosphere she was accustomed to. Gaseous clouds drifted about… they were odourless, of course, but when one of those clouds floated past their bodies, a feathery, ticklish sensation would pass through every inch of her skin.
Not to mention that there are two moons and three suns present in the sky… just in this part of the landscape alone.
She stood with her "saviour" of some sort on a hilltop that overlooked a vast meadow of flowers in every colour imaginable. Each stalk swayed in the direction of the soft breeze, carrying the pollen along with it.
On the other side of the hill, a barren, wasted land in direct contrast to the meadow stretched out to the horizon, with little detail except for the strange carvings on certain huge granite rocks.
"Quite an extreme place, isn't it? This is a place of balance. Beside the wonderful waterfall and gurgling brook, you shall find a land of dry desert sand. Over at the snowy regions, do not be surprised if you should see a volcano ripe for eruption. And it is all under my control."
"What's the point of bringing me here?" Quistis asked, suddenly uninterested. All she wanted to do was return to Fisherman's Horizon. Now that her attempt at ending her life had failed miserably, she wanted to bury herself in solitude again.
"I had thought that you would be interested in finding a cure for your horrible disease, as you have christened it, but apparently I'm wrong." The man started to walk away.
"Wait… are you serious? You aren't trying to deceive me, are you?" She could feel a flare of hope rekindling… but dared not let it proceed any further for fear of experiencing the bitter taste of disappointment.
"If you do not want to believe me, then there is really no point in me telling you the solution, is there?" He continued to ignore her pleading looks. It seemed that this person derived much pleasure from seeing others suffer… especially since he was holding on to the only source of hope, the only salvation she could have.
"I do believe you! Please… tell me how to get rid of this… this curse on me!"
"Curse?" He turned around with a raise eyebrow, evidently interested in her choice of words.
"That's the only way I can explain how in the space of one night, I had managed to contract such a horrible disease!"
"Alright then… seeing that you're repentant of your distrust in me, I will consider helping you." He looked at her with unseeing eyes, as if gazing right through her.
It gave her a shiver just seeing the way he watched her, but she hadn't the time to stop and think about it.
"I cannot express my gratitude towards you enough…"
"It would do you well to demonstrate it then."
"What? Like how?" Slowly, she tried to back away from him as he advanced towards her.
"Like this…" In a flash, his lips were upon hers.
A warm gush of liquid flowed from his mouth into her body. It tasted foul. Her stomach started to revolt, and threatened to reject its contents from her mouth.
"What are you trying to do?" Quistis stuck a finger down her throat, trying to gag and force the contents out, to no avail.
She didn't know if she was disgusted or enraged at him for violating her yet another time.
"Planting a seed…" He grinned, and somehow she thought he looked vulgar.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, but don't you dare try it
again… I shall cut off your tongue if it's the last thing I do!"
"Do you wish or not, to hear what I have to say?"
"Alright…" She eyed him warily, while placing a noticeable distance between them.
He gave a snort of derisive laughter.
"I'm not interested in you in that way… fear not. No human-mortal shall be capable of invoking desires of that nature in me…"
Yes, she knew that he didn't like human-mortals, just from the way he handled her while saving her from that jump off the cliff. Grudging as she was, she felt a wave of relief course through her entire body.
Nodding her head haughtily, she indicated for him to lead the way.
He strode in a lion-like manner towards an underground tunnel.
"Devil's Hollow"
The sign above was read as thus.
She wondered if this "person" was related to the Devil, or if he was the Devil himself.
She didn't care any more…
The lil' chapter of Somethin' laughable
A/N: Entertainment in popcorn sized pieces!
What happened after Seifer and Zell left their dorms (as continued from Chapter 4 – What a way to solving problems!):
Zell dashed at a speed of 100km per hour towards the cafeteria, only to find the line gone.
Damn… must have been sold out… those 'dogs.
Sure enough, when he went up to the lady, she only stared at him for a while, before saying apologetically that they were all sold out.
Sighing, Zell turned back towards his friends, who knew immediately what had happened.
"Never mind, maybe next time…" Damien tried to console him, putting an arm on his shoulder.
But that wasn't the end to Zell's troubles.
A fairly tall girl (by Zell's standards) strode up to him and said in a serious tone:
"Zell Dintch… you're booked under line 9 of the Disciplinary Rule Book for the offence of fighting with a fellow SeeD. Report for Detention at Room 69."
"The Hell?" It was only then that he realised the many lines of vision on him, particularly aiming at his face.
"C'mon, Water-lily… surely you can give him a concession? It was just a friendly match!" Seifer tried to jump to Zell's defense.
"Not to forget… Seifer Almasy… you too are booked for the same offence."
"Damn… why… how did you know."
"Apparently, you guys forgot to look into the mirror as you went out from your dorms." The girl gave a weird look, and strode away while consulting her Rule Book.
"Don't be late for Detention."
Zell and Seifer looked at each other in puzzlement… then suddenly realised that their faces were swollen and had dried blood all over…. Especially Seifer's lumpy hair was a real sight.
And now… both of them were twiddling their thumbs in Room 69 with their stomachs growling, looking crosser than two bulls that had their rears poked with a sharp needle many times.
Inexplicably, a song began drift in through the crack of the closed door.
"Always look on the briiiight siiiide of life!
Do-Do…Do-Do Do-Do Do-Do~~~…"
They looked at each other in great surprise… then started singing along with the song… waving their heads in time to the music with goofy grins fixated on their faces.
"Always look on the briiiight siiiide of life!
Do-Do…Do-Do Do-Do Do-Do~~~…"
(P/S Try to envision the Nike commercial while singing along…)
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