Disclaimer: I OWN EVERY CHARACTER!!! ((I = squaresoft)) extra: the song
sang by the piano lady was written by Jewel.
Author's Note: Thanks for the kind reviews so far! :-)
Chapter Two: Mesmerize You With Fear
"Quistis!" came the loud cry from Selphie.
Quistis winced at the high-pitched sound of Selphie's voice. She turned on her heels and gave her best friend a generous smile as Selphie waved frantically from down the Garden's main hallway. Quistis set down her bag of clothing and other items to the marble floor and waited for Selphie to half run, half jump over to her.
"Hey!" Selphie cried out as she skidded to a stop before the tall blonde. On her right shoulder was a bag that she gripped tightly. "You're not gonna leave without me, are you!?"
Quistis raised a golden eyebrow and stared at her friend quizingly. "You're coming with me?"
"Duuuh," the brunette said with a roll of her large eyes. "This is big ol' bad Seifer you're dealing with. Do you think they'd send you all alone?"
"Anyone else?" questioned Quistis. "Or are we meeting the SeeD members there?"
Selphie lowered her gaze and ran her left foot along the smooth floor. "Well..."
"Well what?"
"Just us, and nobody is meeting us there," Selphie said in a hesitant tone.
"What!" Quistis screeched loudly. "Then how the hell are we doing this?"
Selphie raised up her hands and motioned Quistis to calm down. "You're supposed to lure him to Edea's Orphanage and they'll nab him there."
"Me, just me?" Quistis sighed. "Then why are you coming with me?"
Selphie winked at her. "Just in case Seifer flies into a rage and tries to kill you, I'll be there. You're not allowed to carry your whip, Quisty. That way he doesn't suspect that you're trying to kill him. Every time you're with him, I'll be in the shadows waiting. And if he tries to harm you, I'll jump out and whack him on his butt!!"
Quistis smirked. "This mission is going to take a hell of a long time, Selphie. He's not going to accept me right away. Do you think that you can stay in the shadows that long?"
Hyne, Quistis thought to herself. Selphie can't shut up for a minute... how can she just sit there for hours at a time and watch us?
Selphie's face grew serious. "I can do it. I know it. Trust me."
"I trust you," Quistis said in a hardly audible tone. She leaned over and picked up her bag of belongings. Standing back up straight, she gave her companion a weak smile and said, "let's get going."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Quistis and Selphie wondered the streets of Deling City endlessly. It was a little past eleven o'clock at night when they reached the city, and it was a warm night out. Every time they had gone to the place, they always got confused and lost. There was so many roads, so many cars to take you places, they wouldn't get it straight. Quistis was getting annoyed at her confusion in the big city, but Selphie Tilmitt was having a grand time. She was talking to everyone the two women came across to. Not once did either of them ask for directions.
When the hotel finally loomed into view, Quistis walked quickly towards it leaving Selphie, whom was talking to a stranger, behind. She was just grateful to see the bright neon yellow lights that read DELING CITY HOTEL.
"Heeey!"
Quistis jumped when Selphie was suddenly next to her. She leapt into the air once and hugged Quistis while saying, "you found it! Good job, Quisty!"
"Yes," Quistis said as she walked through the doors that automatically opened for them. "Come on, let's get some sleep."
"No, no no no!" Selphie said sharply, grabbing onto Quistis' right arm by the elbow and pulled her away from the check-in desk. "Let's go get a drink first. I'm so thirsty, I need some water!"
"They'll probably have it in the room," Quistis informed her.
"Puh-lease!" Selphie begged her. She pointed to the stairs that led down to the bar. "Who knows, Seifer may be down there!"
Quistis took Selphie's bag from her without a reply. She walked to the check-in desk and greeted the plump Asian woman sitting behind it.
"Would you mind holding these for a few minutes for us?" She asked kindly.
"No problem!" the woman said in a thick accent as she took the bags from Quistis. "Name please?"
"Miss. Trepe," Quistis told her. "I should have a reservation."
The woman scanned her computer on the desk for a mere minute before smiling at Quistis. "Ah, yes! Two first class rooms! Ah, you must be a VIP if you wanted first class rooms!"
Quistis smiled again and muttered a thank you before walking back over to Selphie.
"Why two rooms?" Selphie asked her curiously. "And why first class? SeeD never gives cadets nice rooms. And they always cram us into one room, no matter how many of us there is!"
Quistis winced, the second time that day. "I hope they don't expect me to lure Seifer, with that in mind."
Selphie's face fell drastically. "Oh, Quistis! I wonder... Oh, you're not gonna do that, are you?"
"Of course not!" Quistis said, feeling extremely agitated. She shook her head briskly, hoping they were wrong about their thoughts. "I mean... well, I'm sure they just wanted us to be comfortable."
"Yeah, I'm sure that's it." Selphie said with a nod.
Quistis shook herself. "Well, let's go and get us some water."
Selphie grinned, back to her cheery self. She walked down the stairs with Quistis right on her heels. Quistis could hear the sound of a piano and a female singing from below. Half way down the stairs, Selphie suddenly stopped sharply, causing Quistis to run into the back of her. Luckily, Selphie's hand was on the railing and she let out a tiny squeal but didn't tumble down the red carpeted stairs.
"What's wrong?" Quistis breathed.
"Shh!" Selphie said sharply. She stretched her arm outward and pointed to the bar where several men and women sat enhaling drinks.
Quistis had a feeling that one of the men was Seifer. "What? I don't see anyone."
"It's Seifer," Selphie said. "Look, behind the fat man in blue!"
Quistis leaned over in front of Selphie to get a better look. Sure enough, Seifer Almasy, dressed in the same gray trench coat, sat at the bar. His elbows rested on top of the glass counter and a dark drink sat in front of him. He was watching it as if it was about to get up and run away.
"Shit," Quistis whispered under her breath. "Selphie, you gotta hide!"
The two girls slinked the rest of the way down the stairs, their eyes never leaving Seifer. They walked swiftly across the bar to a booth that faced Seifer's back. The booth was next to the stage where a woman with platinum blonde hair sang and played the piano.
Just before they reached the booth, the song ended. Everyone began to clap. Seifer raised his head to look at the woman.
"Shit," Quistis swore again. She and Selphie literally dove into the booth. Fortunately, another booth blocked them from Seifer's eyes.
Both girls sat panting in the soft red vinyl that made up the booth. Quistis didn't allow herself to be tired and sat up and motioned Selphie to look at her.
"I have to try tonight," Quistis breathed. "He may leave Deling tonight for all we know. Do I look alright?"
Earlier that day, Quistis had changed into her 'Siren' outfit. The outfit was a blue dress that matched her eyes. It was tight fitting and showed off Quistis' curves beautifully. Since she was a busty girl, the dress dipped extremely row to reveal her cleavage. Simply put, the dress made her look like heaven to every man that laid eyes on her.
Selphie reached up and pulled the clip from Quistis hair. Her blonde locks fell around her shoulders and down her back. Selphie began to smooth out her hair. Before they had reached the city, Quistis had put on shimmery silver eyeshadow that made her eyes look even bluer. After Selphie finished with her hair, she reached into her pocket and handed Quistis a tub of lip gloss. Quistis quickly applied it.
"There," Selphie said quietly. "Now you look perfect. Literally, perfect." she sighed, probably feeling a wave of low-self-esteem from looking at the stunning Quistis.
"Just watch my back," Quistis said as she rose lightly to see if Seifer was still looking at the stage. He wasn't. He was engulfed in his drink again.
"You got it, sister!" Selphie cheered lightly. She scooted to the end of the booth after Quistis stood and fixed her dress. Taking a deep breath, Quistis walked smoothly over to where Seifer sat.
As Quistis neared Seifer and was only a few steps away, the piano lady began another song. Quistis prayed Seifer wouldn't turn around and look again.
"I will come to you." The woman sang, "in the still of the night."
Quistis swallowed and swiftly took the empty stool to the right of Seifer. She waited for him to glance up at her but he didn't even notice her presence.
"And I will crush you," the song continued. "With the burden of sight."
Quistis swiveled in the chair and faced him. She placed her right elbow on the glass counter and leaned her head on her head as she stared at him.
"...And you will understand the shadows in my heart..."
What a song, Quistis said with a smirk. Fits the mood very well.
"...The fury of my conviction will cause your heart to quicken..."
Oh, her heart was beating quickly alright. She was afraid to catch his attention. She was afraid he would kill her instantly. His gunblade sat to his left, leaning on its own against the bar. All he had to do was grab it and then...
She ignored her thoughts. She was prepared. All she had to do was jump out of the way and wait for Selphie to throw her the whip.
She took a deep breath. "Hey," she said in a throaty, seductive tone.
Seifer snapped his head up and looked at her. His mouth fell open slightly as his eyes quickly scanned her. This was definitely not something the Quistis Trepe he knew would wear. Quickly, he hid his surprise and plastered a cold, hated look on his face.
"Trepe," he said, making her name sound like a kind of poison.
She could tell he was still in shock and she used it to her advantage, but kept an eye on the gunblade. "That's my name," she said with a light wink.
He yanked his head back and studied her. "What the fuck are you wearing."
She sat up straight, sticking her chest out slightly. "A dress. What, don't like it?"
"It's not you," was all he said. He turned back to his drink and ignored her.
Quistis felt frustrated. Never on these kinds of missions did any of the men ignore her. Quistis was extremely self-conscience but knew that nobody looked better than her when she was in her Siren getup.
She cleared her throat but all he did was sip his dark drink.
"...I will hypnotize and mesmerize you..." the song continued.
Getting heavily annoyed, she tried a different approach. "What, Seifer. It's me. Why aren't you reaching for your blade so you can kill me?"
He shrugged but didn't look over. "I'm not in the mood. But DO find me later, Trepe. I will surely be in the mood then."
"...with the sound, of your own fear..."
He finally looked at her. She quickly placed a sleek, sexy grin on her face. This grin made men fall head-over-heels for her. He looked at her face for a moment. He tried not to look at her body but failed and Quistis felt her confidence returning.
Quistis ran a pale hand down her long, golden hair. "Will you be in another mood then?"
He raised an eyebrow. She knew he was confused as hell. Last time he saw her, she was sort of a prude, and never would she be suggesting any of the things she was now suggesting. Especially to him.
He stood up abruptly, leaving half of his drink behind. Grabbing his gunblade, he turned and looked at her. Quistis instantly tensed up, waiting for him to swing the cold steel at her.
Yet he left the blade at his side and shoved past her, brushing against her as he went. She turned and watched him go. When he reached the stairs, he stopped sharply and turned and looked in Selphie's direction. Quistis watched as Selphie dove for underneath the table in the booth.
She heard Seifer chuckle. "What's up, Tilmitt?"
No reply or show of the face from Selphie. Seifer chuckled again. He spun around and looked back at Quistis. Raising his gunblade, he pointed it towards her.
"Whatever you're planning I suggest you stop now," Seifer said coldly. "If not, I will not be so generous the next time we meet. I'm warning you, Trepe. Stay away or I will slice you up."
Quistis didn't know what to say. She just shook her head slightly, stunned. Seifer turned and walked slowly up the stairs away from her view.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Authors Note: Hmmm... Is this thing turning out okay so far? Let me know, thanks!
Author's Note: Thanks for the kind reviews so far! :-)
Chapter Two: Mesmerize You With Fear
"Quistis!" came the loud cry from Selphie.
Quistis winced at the high-pitched sound of Selphie's voice. She turned on her heels and gave her best friend a generous smile as Selphie waved frantically from down the Garden's main hallway. Quistis set down her bag of clothing and other items to the marble floor and waited for Selphie to half run, half jump over to her.
"Hey!" Selphie cried out as she skidded to a stop before the tall blonde. On her right shoulder was a bag that she gripped tightly. "You're not gonna leave without me, are you!?"
Quistis raised a golden eyebrow and stared at her friend quizingly. "You're coming with me?"
"Duuuh," the brunette said with a roll of her large eyes. "This is big ol' bad Seifer you're dealing with. Do you think they'd send you all alone?"
"Anyone else?" questioned Quistis. "Or are we meeting the SeeD members there?"
Selphie lowered her gaze and ran her left foot along the smooth floor. "Well..."
"Well what?"
"Just us, and nobody is meeting us there," Selphie said in a hesitant tone.
"What!" Quistis screeched loudly. "Then how the hell are we doing this?"
Selphie raised up her hands and motioned Quistis to calm down. "You're supposed to lure him to Edea's Orphanage and they'll nab him there."
"Me, just me?" Quistis sighed. "Then why are you coming with me?"
Selphie winked at her. "Just in case Seifer flies into a rage and tries to kill you, I'll be there. You're not allowed to carry your whip, Quisty. That way he doesn't suspect that you're trying to kill him. Every time you're with him, I'll be in the shadows waiting. And if he tries to harm you, I'll jump out and whack him on his butt!!"
Quistis smirked. "This mission is going to take a hell of a long time, Selphie. He's not going to accept me right away. Do you think that you can stay in the shadows that long?"
Hyne, Quistis thought to herself. Selphie can't shut up for a minute... how can she just sit there for hours at a time and watch us?
Selphie's face grew serious. "I can do it. I know it. Trust me."
"I trust you," Quistis said in a hardly audible tone. She leaned over and picked up her bag of belongings. Standing back up straight, she gave her companion a weak smile and said, "let's get going."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Quistis and Selphie wondered the streets of Deling City endlessly. It was a little past eleven o'clock at night when they reached the city, and it was a warm night out. Every time they had gone to the place, they always got confused and lost. There was so many roads, so many cars to take you places, they wouldn't get it straight. Quistis was getting annoyed at her confusion in the big city, but Selphie Tilmitt was having a grand time. She was talking to everyone the two women came across to. Not once did either of them ask for directions.
When the hotel finally loomed into view, Quistis walked quickly towards it leaving Selphie, whom was talking to a stranger, behind. She was just grateful to see the bright neon yellow lights that read DELING CITY HOTEL.
"Heeey!"
Quistis jumped when Selphie was suddenly next to her. She leapt into the air once and hugged Quistis while saying, "you found it! Good job, Quisty!"
"Yes," Quistis said as she walked through the doors that automatically opened for them. "Come on, let's get some sleep."
"No, no no no!" Selphie said sharply, grabbing onto Quistis' right arm by the elbow and pulled her away from the check-in desk. "Let's go get a drink first. I'm so thirsty, I need some water!"
"They'll probably have it in the room," Quistis informed her.
"Puh-lease!" Selphie begged her. She pointed to the stairs that led down to the bar. "Who knows, Seifer may be down there!"
Quistis took Selphie's bag from her without a reply. She walked to the check-in desk and greeted the plump Asian woman sitting behind it.
"Would you mind holding these for a few minutes for us?" She asked kindly.
"No problem!" the woman said in a thick accent as she took the bags from Quistis. "Name please?"
"Miss. Trepe," Quistis told her. "I should have a reservation."
The woman scanned her computer on the desk for a mere minute before smiling at Quistis. "Ah, yes! Two first class rooms! Ah, you must be a VIP if you wanted first class rooms!"
Quistis smiled again and muttered a thank you before walking back over to Selphie.
"Why two rooms?" Selphie asked her curiously. "And why first class? SeeD never gives cadets nice rooms. And they always cram us into one room, no matter how many of us there is!"
Quistis winced, the second time that day. "I hope they don't expect me to lure Seifer, with that in mind."
Selphie's face fell drastically. "Oh, Quistis! I wonder... Oh, you're not gonna do that, are you?"
"Of course not!" Quistis said, feeling extremely agitated. She shook her head briskly, hoping they were wrong about their thoughts. "I mean... well, I'm sure they just wanted us to be comfortable."
"Yeah, I'm sure that's it." Selphie said with a nod.
Quistis shook herself. "Well, let's go and get us some water."
Selphie grinned, back to her cheery self. She walked down the stairs with Quistis right on her heels. Quistis could hear the sound of a piano and a female singing from below. Half way down the stairs, Selphie suddenly stopped sharply, causing Quistis to run into the back of her. Luckily, Selphie's hand was on the railing and she let out a tiny squeal but didn't tumble down the red carpeted stairs.
"What's wrong?" Quistis breathed.
"Shh!" Selphie said sharply. She stretched her arm outward and pointed to the bar where several men and women sat enhaling drinks.
Quistis had a feeling that one of the men was Seifer. "What? I don't see anyone."
"It's Seifer," Selphie said. "Look, behind the fat man in blue!"
Quistis leaned over in front of Selphie to get a better look. Sure enough, Seifer Almasy, dressed in the same gray trench coat, sat at the bar. His elbows rested on top of the glass counter and a dark drink sat in front of him. He was watching it as if it was about to get up and run away.
"Shit," Quistis whispered under her breath. "Selphie, you gotta hide!"
The two girls slinked the rest of the way down the stairs, their eyes never leaving Seifer. They walked swiftly across the bar to a booth that faced Seifer's back. The booth was next to the stage where a woman with platinum blonde hair sang and played the piano.
Just before they reached the booth, the song ended. Everyone began to clap. Seifer raised his head to look at the woman.
"Shit," Quistis swore again. She and Selphie literally dove into the booth. Fortunately, another booth blocked them from Seifer's eyes.
Both girls sat panting in the soft red vinyl that made up the booth. Quistis didn't allow herself to be tired and sat up and motioned Selphie to look at her.
"I have to try tonight," Quistis breathed. "He may leave Deling tonight for all we know. Do I look alright?"
Earlier that day, Quistis had changed into her 'Siren' outfit. The outfit was a blue dress that matched her eyes. It was tight fitting and showed off Quistis' curves beautifully. Since she was a busty girl, the dress dipped extremely row to reveal her cleavage. Simply put, the dress made her look like heaven to every man that laid eyes on her.
Selphie reached up and pulled the clip from Quistis hair. Her blonde locks fell around her shoulders and down her back. Selphie began to smooth out her hair. Before they had reached the city, Quistis had put on shimmery silver eyeshadow that made her eyes look even bluer. After Selphie finished with her hair, she reached into her pocket and handed Quistis a tub of lip gloss. Quistis quickly applied it.
"There," Selphie said quietly. "Now you look perfect. Literally, perfect." she sighed, probably feeling a wave of low-self-esteem from looking at the stunning Quistis.
"Just watch my back," Quistis said as she rose lightly to see if Seifer was still looking at the stage. He wasn't. He was engulfed in his drink again.
"You got it, sister!" Selphie cheered lightly. She scooted to the end of the booth after Quistis stood and fixed her dress. Taking a deep breath, Quistis walked smoothly over to where Seifer sat.
As Quistis neared Seifer and was only a few steps away, the piano lady began another song. Quistis prayed Seifer wouldn't turn around and look again.
"I will come to you." The woman sang, "in the still of the night."
Quistis swallowed and swiftly took the empty stool to the right of Seifer. She waited for him to glance up at her but he didn't even notice her presence.
"And I will crush you," the song continued. "With the burden of sight."
Quistis swiveled in the chair and faced him. She placed her right elbow on the glass counter and leaned her head on her head as she stared at him.
"...And you will understand the shadows in my heart..."
What a song, Quistis said with a smirk. Fits the mood very well.
"...The fury of my conviction will cause your heart to quicken..."
Oh, her heart was beating quickly alright. She was afraid to catch his attention. She was afraid he would kill her instantly. His gunblade sat to his left, leaning on its own against the bar. All he had to do was grab it and then...
She ignored her thoughts. She was prepared. All she had to do was jump out of the way and wait for Selphie to throw her the whip.
She took a deep breath. "Hey," she said in a throaty, seductive tone.
Seifer snapped his head up and looked at her. His mouth fell open slightly as his eyes quickly scanned her. This was definitely not something the Quistis Trepe he knew would wear. Quickly, he hid his surprise and plastered a cold, hated look on his face.
"Trepe," he said, making her name sound like a kind of poison.
She could tell he was still in shock and she used it to her advantage, but kept an eye on the gunblade. "That's my name," she said with a light wink.
He yanked his head back and studied her. "What the fuck are you wearing."
She sat up straight, sticking her chest out slightly. "A dress. What, don't like it?"
"It's not you," was all he said. He turned back to his drink and ignored her.
Quistis felt frustrated. Never on these kinds of missions did any of the men ignore her. Quistis was extremely self-conscience but knew that nobody looked better than her when she was in her Siren getup.
She cleared her throat but all he did was sip his dark drink.
"...I will hypnotize and mesmerize you..." the song continued.
Getting heavily annoyed, she tried a different approach. "What, Seifer. It's me. Why aren't you reaching for your blade so you can kill me?"
He shrugged but didn't look over. "I'm not in the mood. But DO find me later, Trepe. I will surely be in the mood then."
"...with the sound, of your own fear..."
He finally looked at her. She quickly placed a sleek, sexy grin on her face. This grin made men fall head-over-heels for her. He looked at her face for a moment. He tried not to look at her body but failed and Quistis felt her confidence returning.
Quistis ran a pale hand down her long, golden hair. "Will you be in another mood then?"
He raised an eyebrow. She knew he was confused as hell. Last time he saw her, she was sort of a prude, and never would she be suggesting any of the things she was now suggesting. Especially to him.
He stood up abruptly, leaving half of his drink behind. Grabbing his gunblade, he turned and looked at her. Quistis instantly tensed up, waiting for him to swing the cold steel at her.
Yet he left the blade at his side and shoved past her, brushing against her as he went. She turned and watched him go. When he reached the stairs, he stopped sharply and turned and looked in Selphie's direction. Quistis watched as Selphie dove for underneath the table in the booth.
She heard Seifer chuckle. "What's up, Tilmitt?"
No reply or show of the face from Selphie. Seifer chuckled again. He spun around and looked back at Quistis. Raising his gunblade, he pointed it towards her.
"Whatever you're planning I suggest you stop now," Seifer said coldly. "If not, I will not be so generous the next time we meet. I'm warning you, Trepe. Stay away or I will slice you up."
Quistis didn't know what to say. She just shook her head slightly, stunned. Seifer turned and walked slowly up the stairs away from her view.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Authors Note: Hmmm... Is this thing turning out okay so far? Let me know, thanks!