Re-Creating Hell
Chapter Three: Chemistry
By: PasifikStar
"He WHAT?" Rinoa asked, raising an eyebrow as Selphie jumped around their kitchen, waving the box of coco-puff cereal in the air. Rinoa sighed. She'd finish that thing off in a day.
"He asked me out!" Selphie shouted gleefully as she opened the cabinets to get a bowl. A LARGE bowl.
Quistis walked into the kitchen, her blond hair in a towel turban and minus her glasses. As she side stepped Selphie, she sighed. "I thought we agreed not to let her have any more of those sugar coated pieces of rice."
"Just because we stop buying them, doesn't mean she won't go out and buy them herself." Rinoa said, lifting some orange juice to her mouth. She flipped through a thick, leather book and Quistis frowned.
"Rin, don't bring old books like that on the table," Quistis said as she took her seat next to Rinoa with a cup of coffee and some cream cheese for the already set out bagels. "What if we accidently spill something on it?"
"My great great grandmother fixed that threat with a spell to retard liquids spilled on it," Rinoa paused. "Actually, it wasn't a spell so much as it was some chemical...anyway, don't worry about it."
Selphie sat down across the glass table from Rinoa as she filled her bowl to the top with coco-puffs. Then flooded it with milk. Quistis spread the cream cheese over a bagel as she lifted up a news paper. "So, Selphie...what's this about someone asking you out?"
Selphie beamed a smile. "While we were leaving last night, Irvine-"
"The cowboy?" Quistis asked. "HE asked you out?"
"Yeah..." Selphie frowned. "What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing..." Quistis and Rinoa assured her quietly. Selphie narrowed her eyes.
"Hey...tell me!!" she pleaded loudly.
"It's just that...he's such a flirt...I can't believe you actually said 'yes' to him," Rinoa admitted, looking up from her book. "I mean...he doesn't seem like your type."
"Oh..." Quistis blue eyes went large and an even larger smile crossed her face. "Wait until your BROTHER finds out!"
"Doesn't he hate Irwin?" Rinoa asked, looking over at Quistis.
"Irvine," Selphie corrected her as she pointed her spoon at them. "His name is IRVINE."
"Whatever," they chorused. "I'm just saying..." Quistis grinned. "Seifer's not going to be happy when he finds out."
"Psh...like I care whether or not he's happy." Selphie grumbled as she shoveled some cereal into her mouth.
"It kind of makes you worry..." Rinoa said as she returned to her book. "I mean... you know how protective he is of Selphie. Remember her ex-boyfriend?"
"The one who 'mysteriously' disappeared after he stood up Selphie at that movie?" Quistis asked casually.
"No, the other one."
"The one whose car 'mysteriously' had it's breaks cut and rammed into that tree after he was caught French kissing Selphie?"
"No...I think this one was before that one."
"Oh! The one who got the crap beaten out of him after he accidently gave Selphie candy with pecans in them when she's allergic to peanuts!" Quistis exclaimed.
"Yep...that's the one," Rinoa agreed. She snickered. "She didn't even eat them and Seifer went nuts."
"I have to say, I feel sorry for poor...um..."
"Irwin."
"IRVINE."
"Whatever..."
Selphie rolled her eyes and continued to eat. Quistis looked up from her half eaten bagel. "Oh, Rin...I just got some files sent over from your father. Remind me to give them to you later."
"Thanks," Rinoa said. "I hope they're the names."
"Names?" Selphie asked.
"I asked for a list of all the um..." Rinoa looked for a word to describe what she was looking for. She shook her head and decided to go with what they were. "A list of all of Adel's sorcerer victims."
"I have a sneaking suspicion that Rinoa's mother wasn't the only victim in her clan," Quistis said. She looked over at Rinoa's book. "Is that the records?"
"Heartilly Clan," Rinoa said. She closed the book and ran her fingers over the heavy metal seal on the front cover. "I just found out something."
"What?" Selphie asked.
Brown eyes looked up solemnly. "A lot of my family married into human families."
"That takes away the magic in the blood doesn't it?" Selphie asked. Rinoa nodded.
"Human blood dilutes it greaty. As a result, no one has can use any magic any more," Rinoa told them. "Because of that, I'm the only Heartilly magic carrier ALIVE."
The phone was ringing. It echoed through the darkened room, off the thick stone walls, and through the black curtains that hung down from the canopy of the massive oak bed. A pale hand reached through the curtains and moved over the night stand. It continued to ring.
*Where the hell is that phone...* he thought in his half asleep haze. Finally, he managed to grab the black cordless phone and brought it to his ear. "What." his voice was gruff and extremely annoyed. He peeked out at the clock. Red flashing number said it was just past noon. He had just gone to bed three hours ago.
"Squall! About tonight's plans," Irvine piped happily. "I can't make it."
"Fine." Squall grumbled, about to hang up with he heard Irvine's pleading voice.
"Wait a second! Don't you want to know why!?" the cowboy gasped.
"No."
"She said yes! I have a date tonight with the cutest little lycan in the-" There was a click. Irvine looked at his phone. "Hello? Squall?"
"Idiot..." Squall mumbled. He buried himself deeper into his black covers. The thick drapes over the massive windows already made it dark in the room. The curtains that framed his bed made it pitch dark inside, over his bed.
Squall never understood those vampires who wanted to sleep in coffins. *We're not dead.* he thought to himself. If humans could enjoy the luxury of mattresses, then, dammit, so could he! He was the son of the leader of the largest vampire clan in the world. His family practically ruled Esthar. Not that he particularly cared, but they did.
The phone rang again. "Ugh..." He snatched it. "WHAT!?" he growled.
"Hey," Irvine's voice chuckled. "I think we got disconnected-" Click. "...Hello?"
Squall was on the verge of throwing the phone against the wall when it rang again. Angrily, he answered the phone. "Fuck it, Irvine! I'm trying to fucking sleep! If you call again, I'll rip your head off!"
There was a short gasp and a pause. "...This is Rinoa Heartilly..." a quiet voice said. "Um...do I have the wrong number?" she added hesitantly.
*Oh, crap...* Squall's head hit the pillow face first. Groaning in humiliation, he turned his head and put the phone against his ear. "This is Squall Leonheart."
"Oh! I'm sorry, I'm trying to reach a Squall Loire-"
"You've reached him," Squall sighed. "Leonheart is my mother's maiden name."
"I see...I'm sorry...um..." Rinoa was sitting on a stool by the breakfast bar with Selphie and Quistis sitting at the kitchen table, smirking at her. Quistis has informed Selphie of Rinoa's reaction to seeing Squall the night before and now the green eyed lynan girl had this scheming look in her eyes. Rinoa rolled her own eyes and lifted up her family's record book in one arm and brought it and the phone up the stairs. She heard Selphie let out a disappointed groan. "Am I bothering you? I can call back later-"
"No, no...that's fine," Squall assured her. He sat up, the black covers falling to his waist as he ran a hand through his hair. *How the hell did it get so cold in here? And where's my shirt?* He looked around the top of bed and shrugged when he couldn't find a top scattered near by. "What is it?"
"I was wondering if we can set up a date," she said. She blushed. "I mean...to uh...discuss this...with everyone! Yes!"
Squall looked at the phone in disbelief. "Uh...yeah...that's fine...ever been to the Loveless?"
"Uh...no, but I know where it is. Is that a safe place to talk?" she asked questioningly.
"My cousin runs it. I'll be fine," he replied. "What time?"
"Umm...in an hour?" she asked. "Oh!!" She smacked her forehead with her hand. "I'm sorry! You're a vampire! Oh, Hyne! I woke you up! I'm so sorry! I completely forgot!"
Squall smiled slightly as she continued to blabber out appologies. "Don't worry," he said. "But an evening time would be best."
"Tonight?"
"I have a DATE!!" Selphie's voice sound.
"What are you doing in my room!? Selphie! Quistis! Get out!!" he heard Rinoa shout. There was a series of giggling and a door slamming. "I'm so sorry about that," Rinoa pleaded. "Umm...at sunset then? That way it won't intrude on Selphie's stupid date."
"That's fine."
"Umm, we'll call your friends and Seifer and them," Rinoa told him. "Just get some sleep, okay? Sorry about waking you up."
"Whatever," he yawned. "See you," She hung up the phone and Squall fell back on the bed, the black head set falling to his side and eyes closing before he even hit the pillow. He let out a sigh and rolled over on his stomach. His eyes flashed open. *Wait...she said Seifer...*
"Why do I have to go?" Seifer growled into the phone as Quistis held it to her ear. She sighed as she held it a foot away after he started shouting. "I already know those jerks!"
"Seifer, this isn't about you," Quistis told him sternly. "This is a team effort and it won't work if you're being stubborn."
"I'm not being stubborn!" Seifer shouted.
"Seifer, just go to the Loveless!" Quistis shouted back.
"The Loveless? Who agreed to that? Was it Rin? Dammit, that's a vampire bar! We're not going there!" Seifer retorted.
"Yes, it was Rin, and it's safe."
"Says who?"
"Squall said-"
"Well, there we go!" Seifer shouted triumphantly. "It has to be a trap! Why else would he want us to go to a vampire bar. None of us are vamps!"
"Seifer...just be at the Loveless at sunset," Quistis said. She narrowed her eyes. "Or I and my Save The Queen will make a a little visit, understand?"
"Fine," Seifer hissed. "You're lucky you have that pretty face. I'm just going to make sure my girls will be okay."
"Stop calling us that."
"If you go out with me, you can be my 'girl' and I'll stop calling you three, as a group, that." Seifer smirked.
"I'll go out with you if you stop acting like a jerk all the time." Quistis retorted.
"But, baby, that's the way you like me."
"I'm hanging up, Seifer."
"All right, we'll see you there." He hung up and Quistis put the phone down. Selphie walked into the room.
"Don't EVER make me call your brother again," Quistis said as she got off the couch. Selphie was smiling brightly and Quistis raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Quisty...can I borrow-"
"No."
"Please-"
"No," Quistis said as she walked past her. "The LAST time I let you borrow something, My crystal earrings came back as crystal SHARDS."
"I swear! That door ran into ME!" Selphie began. She put on her best puppy dog face. "Oh, come on!"
"Selphie, I love you like a sister, but no." The blond asserted.
"Quisty..." Selphie sniffled. Quistis' eyes went large. To furry ears popped up and a soft fluffy brown tail curled upwards and Selphie played with the end pitifullly. "Your jewelry is always so pretty..."
Rinoa walked into the room and raised an eyebrow. *Oh, man...Selphie busted out the tail...she must REALLY want to borrow something.*
"All right!!" Quistis sighed. "Dammit! Why do you have to do that!?"
"Do what?" Selphie asked innocently, her tail now wagging happily behind her. Rinoa shook her head.
"Selphie, your tail's still out." Rinoa grinned.
"What? Ack!" Selphie blushed as she coiled her tail in made it disappear.
"I see you're using your secret 'love me, I'm a poor innocent puppy' weapon," Rinoa said as she passed her friend. "What are you trying to borrow?"
"Yes...do tell so I can find out how much it costs and then make you pay me for the damage ahead of time." Quistis said as she crossed her arms.
"Okay, I want to wear this hunter green dress and I just KNOW that those emerald earrings would be perfect!" Selphie smiled.
Quistis looked at Rinoa who merely grinned. "Selphie...you DO remember where Quistis got those from, right?"
"Uh...no?"
"Let's see...it was a last year's Valentine's Day," Rinoa began. "And while you were out with that one guy and I was away, WHO did Quistis end up spending her eighteenth Valentine's Day with?"
Selphie's smile dropped. "Never mind, I'll use those pearl drops instead!"
"Way to go, Rinoa..." Quistis sighed as Selphie grabbed her hand and lead her up the stairs to go over her jewelry collection. "Out of the pan and into the fire."
"Hey, I just didn't think she's wear a gift from her BROTHER," Rinoa grinned. She looked over at the clock. It was five. The sun would set around six thirty. She had about an hour and a half. An hour and a half... *What am I going to WEAR!?*
"A private room?" the woman with the long brown hair and the dark red tie at the bottom asked. She mulled over the request as she wiped a glass with a white cloth. "Sure. Take the one over there."
She pointed to the room betwen two booths, hidden away in a corner. "Thanks, Tifa," Squall said. "I'm waiting for some people. Can you direct them over to it?"
"No problem. What do they look like?"
"They won't be vampires."
"Oh..." Tifa nodded. The majority, if not all, of the customers were vampires. Mostly vampires of diluted blood. Meaning most of them were part human. Irvine and Zell were waiting by the corner as Squall approached them. He nodded and they opened the room, walking inside of it.
Irvine turned on the dim lights and looked around the dark red and black decorated room. "I never even noticed this room was here."
"That's the idea," Squall said. There was a heavy oval cherry wood coffee table with matching couches and chairs around it. There was a miniature bar inside and Zell walked over to it. Squall glared at him. "No."
"Just one!" Zell said. He lifted up a heavy glass bottle and opened it. "Wow...good stuff!"
"Zell, that stuff is expensive," Irvine told him. "Put it down."
"Fine..." Zell sighed and put the cap back on before returning it to the shelf. He headed over to where his friends were and sat down on a well padded chair next to Irvine. Squall leaned against the wall.
Outside the bar, Seifer was standing with Fujin and Raijin. Raijin waved over three girls as they crossed the street. "Why haven't you guys gone inside?" Selphie asked.
"Worried." Fujin said, pointing to Seifer.
"You're not supposed to answer her, Fujin..." Seifer grumbled. Raijin opened the door and let the six of them in. As they entered, they felt eyes look at him. The vampires in the room immediately recognized the group as not their kind.
Luckily, so did the bar hostess. "You're here for Squall, right?" she asked. Rinoa nodded and Tifa smiled. "Right through those doors. Help yourself to the drinks inside."
"Thank you." Rinoa said. Quistis and the others all thanked her as Seifer stalked over to the room. He shoved open the door, getting the attention of the three males inside.
"Seifer." Irvine greeted him.
Quistis walked in first, slapping Seifer upside the back of his head as she passed him. "This isn't YOUR bar, don't break it."
Grumbling he followed her and sat next to her on the couch. Fujin and Raijin walked in with Selphie and Rinoa. The moment the green eyed brunette laid her eyes on Irvine, she squealed. "Irvy!!"
"Selphie!" Irvine beamed a smile and patted his lap.
*Shit, he's going to kill him.* Quistis, Rinoa, Fujin, and Raijin all looked over at Seifer, who was sitting on the couch seething.
Blissfully, unaware, Selphie sat on Irvine's lap. "Ahem..." Rinoa coughed. "Umm... I just wanted us all to meet. We had a breif introduction last night. That is except for Squall..." She shyly looked over at him and found him glaring at the poor wall across from him. *Okay...*
"I'm just curious," Quistis said. "How do you six know each other?"
"We went to the same military school," Zell explained. "Irvine was my roommate and we've both known Squall since we were in diapers and-"
"Oh, shut up, chicken-wuss," Seifer snapped. "No one wants to hear your life story."
"Hey-"
"So all six of you went to the same school?" Rinoa asked. "In Balamb?"
"It's the best school for soldiers, Rin, you know that." Seifer reminded her.
"Fujin, I didn't know you went to an all male military school." Selphie said in wonder. A soft blush went over the serious woman's face.
"Changed..." Fujin explained. She was the daughter of a very powerful shape shifting clan, but also the only child. During a time of war, most underworld clans sent their children to military schools, or in sorcerors' cases, a sorcery school, to study their powers and master the art of war. Rinoa and Selphie had gone to the same sorcery school since they were children and met Quistis at their finishing school, as Quistis was one of the 'gifted' of sorts with her low range telepathy.
"Hey..." Selphie said as she studied her brother and Squall. She touched the bridge of her nose.
"Uh...mishap, ya know," Raijin explained. "Seifer and Squall had a disagreement, ya know."
"Seifer, did you cut Squall?!" Rinoa exclaimed, nearly jumping out of her seat on the couch across from him.
"Rin, it's none of your business," Seifer told her, annoyed. "Now, are we going to get to business or not? Hyne, I hate this introduction crap."
Rinoa grinded her teeth together. "Fine," she hissed. She turned to Squall. "We were informed that you have certain connections as to finding out Adel's whereabouts."
Squall shrugged. Irvine answered for him. "Yeah...listen, we'll take care of finding out where she is and with who."
"I'm already researching all the stuff I can get my hands on about the Gate and the unsealing process as well as analyzing anything I can find on Adel," Quistis said. "Any information will help."
"We'll send information we get to you," Zell said. He eyed Seifer suspiciously. "What about HIM?"
"Our reason to be here is to make sure no one get Rinoa," Seifer said. "No offense, but with everyone doing something else, someone has to make sure Rinoa doesn't get hurt."
"Precaution." Fujin added.
"I don't need a body guard!" Rinoa gasped.
"Well, the other night proved THAT right, didn't it?" Everyone turned and stared at Squall. *Oh, fuck...did I just say that?* Slowly, they all turned to look at Rinoa. Her eyes narrowed and shot deadly glares at Squall. Her hands were in fists, shaking. She was fuming mad.
"For your information, I was just caught off guard!" Rinoa said, standing up and glaring at him. "Had those bracelets not been on me, I would've been FINE! You...you...you vampiric MEANY!"
*Did she just call me a meany?* "Just because you're powerful doesn't make you invincible," Squall said. "If you ask me, you need a body guard."
"Well, no one asked you!" she snapped. "I'm going to the library!"
"Rin-" Quistis began, standing up.
"I'll be fine!" Rinoa growled. *How DARE he question my powers! Stupid meany head! Hyne, and I thought he was cute!!*
Rinoa stomped out the door and slammed in behind her. Zell looked around. "Don't you think you should go after her?" he asked quietly.
"Let's go," Quistis sighed. "I have to go to the library, too, so if she says anything, that'll shut her up."
"Selphie, let's go." Seifer said, looking over at his little sister."I have a date."
Green eyes narrowed and met identical ones. "With WHOM."
"Howdy." Irvine tipped his hat and winked.
As Rinoa walked away from the bar, she heard slight explosion behind her. She could've sworn she sensed Seifer's magic signature, but ignored it and kept walking. She tugged her leather duster around her tighter as she walked. *I'm not some powerless person...* she thought to herself. *So what if I can't jump as high or physically change or climb buildings...I blow them up...*
Deep in thought, she walked through the darkened streets. "Excuse me, miss." a quiet voice said behind her. She turned around and saw a little boy standing there.
Rinoa smiled weakly. "Do you need help, sweetie?" she asked gently.
"I'm a little hungry," he said slightly. "Can you help me?"
"Do you need money?" Rinoa asked, about to reach into her pocket.
"No," he said. He smiled and Rinoa's eyes went large. "You'll be fine."
His body began to mutate into his original form. A full grown vampire. *Shit! A hybrid!* Rinoa said. She remembered Squall's words.
"The other night proved THAT right, didn't it?"
Anger rushed in her veins as she raised her hands. "I'll PROVE something tonight, ass hole! Just watch!" she growled. Energy collected in her hand as the vampire lunged at her, his fangs extended and aiming for her neck.
A blast of white energy slammed into his chest, as Rinoa prepared another spell. Furiously, she shot one attack after another at the vampire, throwing him into a nearby darkened alley. His howls of pain echoed in her ears as she prepared to finished him off. "I am NOT helpless!" she growled as she raised her hand.
"Stop it!" a voice ordered behind her. A strong hand put a firm hold on her wrist, stopping her from throwing the last shot. It forced her to turn around. "He's already dead!"
Rinoa was breathing hard, her face flushing as large brown eyes stared up into icy blue ones. He looked angry as her magic disappated in her hands. "He..." she began, her breathing short. He features softened.
"I know," he responded gently. Anger flashed through her eyes as she pulled away from him violently and shoved him away. She turned around and headed back in her original direction. "Rinoa!"
"What? Are you playing body guard now, too?" she hissed as she turned around. "That's why you're following me, isn't it? To make sure this little princess isn't kidnapped again?!"
Squall stood there, unsure of what to say. "No." *Oh, once again, you have such a way with words!* his mind screamed frustratedly.
"No?" she asked incredulously. "That's ALL you have to say?"
*Umm..yes?* "No." Squall said instead. He shook his head.
"Then WHAT?" she asked. "Why are you following me?!"
"I'm sorry," Squall said suddenly. Rinoa's face filled with surprise. "I shouldn't have said what I said back at Loveless."
"Whatever," Rinoa shook her head. She turned around and continued to walk. "All of you are the same. Just because I not physically stronger, I'm immediately the weak one. I know that's how you see me."
"That's not true," Squall asserted. He jogged to catch up with her. "We never said you were weak."
"You sure as hell implied it."
"And I appologized for it," Squall said. Rinoa sped up. "What do you want me to say? You didn't have to go all crazy back there and kill that vampire!"
"Crazy?!" Rinoa growled. She turned around once more and glared at Squall. "You have NO idea, do you? How my mother died?"
"No," Squall said calmly. "I don't."
"It was dark like tonight," Rinoa began, her voice filled with emotion as she stood there. "She said 'Rinny, I'm going to get ice cream. I'll be right back.' So I waited by the door for her to come back. That night I heard screaming down the street. At first, I thought nothing of it. We were in war back then and you learn to ignore the screams. Do you know who it was?"
Squall watched in pain as tears slid down Rinoa's cheeks. "Your mother?" he asked quietly.
"Vampires got her. Adel might have ordered it, but vampires did it!" she shouted. "When I was taken away that morning, I passed by a huge splatter of red down the street from my house. My nanny tried to shield me from it, but I saw it. I didn't realize it until later, but that red splatter was my MOTHER! They fucking tore her apart!!"
"Rinoa..." Squall whispered quietly as she fell to her knees. She began to cry on the side walk. He stood just above her, unsure of what to do.
She looked up at him, her face twisted in pain. "They said she wasn't strong enough to fend all of them off..." Rinoa whispered. She slowly wrapped her arms around her body. "I won't let them do that me...or anyone I love."
*No wonder she took such offense to it...* Squall thought to himself. Hyne, he felt like a real jerk now. He knelt down in front of her. He lifted up a gloved hand and slowly wiped her cheeks with his thumb as he cupped her face. "I promise."
"What?" Rinoa asked. She tilted her head slightly.
"I promise...I won't let them do that to you." he told her softly. His eyes were full of concern and warmth. Her lips trembled and she leaned forward. Squall welcomed her into his arms and enclosed her in a tight embrace.
Slowly, he helped her up, still keeping his arms around her. He brushed her hair out of her face and stared into the brown depths of her eyes. "Thank you." Rinoa whispered quietly. She lowered her head and leaned against his shoulder.
Further away, Quistis leaned against a building with a satisfied smile on her face as she watched Rinoa being escorted away by Squall. He had stepped a little bit away from when she lifted her hand, as if to assure him that she would be all right. Behind Quistis, Seifer was frowning disapprovingly.
"I don't like this..." he mumbled.
"Cute." Fujin smiled slightly. Raijin nodded.
"Traitor..." Seifer grumbled. "Should we follow?"
"No," Quistis said. "She'll be fine."
"Irvy, I am so sorry!" Selphie said as she sat across from Irvine on the patio of a little bristo. "I should've warned you about Seifer."
"I didn't know he was your brother," Irvine said casually. The reaction he got from Seifer was more than he expected. Jealousy, he expected. Unadulterated rage he did not. Regardless, he smiled at her. "Not that it changes anything."
She let out a breath of relief. "He's such a jerk, I know."
"Yeah, but I have to admit, he's a powerful jerk," Irvine added. "But he cares about you and that's a good thing."
Selphie smiled at him. "You're so sweet, Irvine." Their waiter, dressed in black slacks and a white shirt arrived. He had a piece of paper and a pen in his hand as he grinned mischeiviously. His skin was well tanned and his hair, blond and gelled up, with dark roots.
"Hi! I'm Tidus and I'll be your waiter this evening," he said cheerfully. "Can I start you two off with an appetizer?"
"Selphie?" Irvine asked. She shook her head. He looked back at Tidus. "We'll just have the main course."
"Sure thing," the blond replied. "And what would the lady like?"
"I'll have this...this...this..." Selphie said as she pointed to the items on the list. "This...um...a little of this...and this. Irvine?"
"The same." Irvine said. *I see she has a nice healthy lycan appitite... my type of girl.* He smiled at Selphie and looked at the waiter who had a sort of shocked look on his face.
"Uh...all right, you orders will be out in a minute," he said, looking over the list in his hand. "Would there be anything else?"
"I'll have some coffee." Irvine said.
"Ice tea for me, thanks." Selphie winked. Tidus nodded and walked away, still staring at the list. She giggled.
"Remind me to leave Tidus a big tip," Irvine smirked. "Carrying all that food won't be easy."
Selphie blushed slightly. "Well...a growing lycan has to eat, right?"
"But I think you're very grown up," Irvine said, leaning forward and looking right at her. "I think you've grown up pretty damn well."
"Thank you..." Selphie beamed, her face probably red as a tomato. "So... um...you're full?"
"Yeah," Irvine said. "I'm one of the orphans from Matron Edea's orphanage."
"ReallY?" Selphie asked, surprised. "Oh...no wonder they knew you..."
"They practically raised me," Irvine said. "And when I wanted to go to Balamb for school like Squall and Zell, they paid for me to go."
Selphie smiled warmly. "That's very kind of them," she agreed. "Seifer wanted to go to Balamb for the longest time."
"What about you? Where did you go?" Irvine asked.
"Oh, um...well, Seifer and I are half witch on our mother's side," she explained. "So while he went to a military school, I went to a sorcery school starting when I was five. That's how I met Rinoa. Later at a finishing school for 'gifted' students, we ran into Quistis, who has low level telepathy. That's really rare for a shifter."
"You're gifted?" Irvine asked. Selphie giggled.
"Nope!" she smiled. "But Rinoa got me in. Some members of the Caraway clan are pretty high up on those school boards," she winked. "So Rinoa got me and my magic is relatively stronger than most hybrids because of it."
Irvine smiled. "Cute and talented," he sighed contently, making her giggle. "I never throught I'd say this, but you make dealing with Seifer at lot easier."
Selphie laughed and shook her head. "Do me a favor," she said as he reached over and took her hand. "Just treat him like you normally do. We both know he doesn't deserve special treatment...at least THAT kind of treatment."
"AND a sense of humor! I love that!" Irvine smiled. He squeezed her hand gently. "I've been meaning to tell you this," Irvine said as he leaned forward. "But I didn't want to stay it in front of your brother."
"What?"
"You have a cute tail."
Quistis walked through the doors of her penthouse. Selphie didn't seem to be home yet and Rinoa's singing could be heard form upstairs. The sound of the shower was on and Quistis figured she was singing in the shower once again. Earlier, she had found the girl at the library, painstakingly drawing notes between her family's record book and the list of names she had been given.
From the look on Rinoa's face, her findings weren't good. Quistis had gone to pick up some books on some subjects that were in the files she had gotten, including some books on Hell's Gate itself. She put her bag of books on the kitchen table.
She kicked off her shoes by the closet and walked to the dark room lab. Immediately, the flashing screen on her lap top caught her attention as she turned on the lights and headed towards it.
"RINOA!!" Quistis shouted. Rinoa, who has just gotten out of the shower tightened her robe around herself and made a mad dash to the stairs. Her heart pounded against her chest, fearing the worst.
"Quistis!?" she gasped as she ran down the stairs, her slippered feet sliding against the wooden floor as she turned the corner and down the hall. "Quistis, what's wrong!?"
Bursting into the room, Rinoa found Quistis staring disbelievingly at her screen. Slowly, the blond's blanched face turned to look at her and swallowed. "Rinoa...the blood sample that he took from you...Adel...! Experiment!"
"What is it, Quistis?" Rinoa asked, trying to calm the blonde down.
Quistis pointed to her screen. "I received some files...Rinoa, the blood sample wasn't taken so they could find out if you have all blood magic in you. They already knew that."
Rinoa gave her a questioning look. "So...why would they take my blood sample?"
Quistis swallowed hard. "Adel laboratories is infamous for cloning blood for vampiric use," Quistis explained. She tried to search for the words as all the technical terms echoed in her head. "Rinoa..." she breathed nervously. "Adel doesn't want to consume you for your powers...she wants to clone you."