Re-Creating Hell
Chapter Ten: Before the Storm
By: PasifikStar
*All Standard Disclaimers Apply: I don't own Final Fantasy or it's characters.
Rinoa, Selphie, and Quistis pelted Seifer with couch pillows as he sat down next to the female blond on the couch. For the last thirty minutes, he would not stop laughing. Right when Quistis, Rinoa, and Squall emerged from the dark room lab, Zell, Fujin, and Raijin burst through the front door.
Zell had been yelling 'shut up' and 'don't you even THINK about telling'. At that point, Seifer was immediately interested and asked his faithful companions what the chicken-wuss had done. While Zell was in the kitchen, preparing hot dogs for consumption, Raijin told them what had happened at the super market.
"It all started when we heard the voice of Yuna Leska, ya know," Raijin had began, still flushed from all the laughing that he and Fujin did on the drive back. "So we stopped in the isle behind them, ya know."
"Listening." Fujin nodded, trying desperately to keep her snickering to a minimum.
"Yeah, so then Zell went to the other isle, ya know." Raijin continued.
"Not looking." Added Fujin.
"I wanted to find out what they were talking about!" Zell shouted from the kitchen as he fought with the wrapper of a package of hot dog buns.
"And so they went to talk to him, ya know. And then one of them got suspicious and said Zell didn't know what he was doing, ya know." Raijin said.
Behind them, in the kitchen, Zell grumbled as he prepared to cook the hot dogs. "That's it, Raijin! You're not getting any of my hot dogs!"
"Pipe down, chicken-wuss!" Seifer shouted over his shoulder. "I want to know how this turns out!" he said, grinning.
"Continue, Raijin." Quistis added.
Raijin nodded. "And he said that he did and grabbed the first thing on the shelf, ya know..."
At that point, the Raijin burst into fits of laughter. He was holding his stomach as tears went down his cheeks. "Shut up!" Zell shouted. "It wasn't that funny!"
"What happened?" Irvine asked.
"Psst..." Fujin tried to clamp her lips together, but failed. "Grabbed PADS!!"
She started laughing immediately after she said the last word. The group took a moment to let it sink in. Slowly, their eyes traveled to the kitchen where Zell seemed to be a blond tomato, fittingly enough, squeezing ketchup.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!"
That had been an hour ago. It took the group a full thirty minutes to stop laughing, or at least smirking in the case of Squall. Seifer had exploded into full blown hysterics, as did Irvine. Quistis had been the first to regain her composure and gladly took a hot dog that Zell and Raijin, after finally able to do something other than laughing, made for the group.
Rinoa and Selphie nearly choked on the hot dogs as the story went around once more, much to the pleasure of Seifer and the horror of Zell. Finally, they had gotten around to Quistis telling them what she had discovered and the entire group looked surprised. Even Seifer had taken a time out from his laughing to take in the severity of the situation.
Adel was Ultimecia's sister and a vampire more than a sorceress. Then Squall told them what he saw. Everyone, save Zell, pushed away the remaining hot dogs after the brunette explained to them, in detail, how Adel probably consumed magic from sorcerers.
"It makes sense," Rinoa had said. "Our magic is contained in our heart. It's like a fire inside, I think..."
Now, Seifer sat under a pile of pillows as Selphie held the last one over his head, needlessly hitting him with it. Rinoa and Quistis looked at each other and sighed.
"Selphie, you can stop now," Quistis said. "We got the point across."
"...This is for when you left me at the theme park!" *SMACK* "This is for that time you deflated my bike tires and caused me to run into a bush!" *SMACK* "And I don't know what this is for, but I it's for future events!" *SMACK, SMACK!*
"If someone doesn't get her off me, I swear I'll maul her," Seifer said behind gritted teeth. After five minutes of being hit by a pillow, they had finally stopped him from laughing. "I'm counting to five...One..."
"Selphie, that's enough." Quistis sighed.
"Here we go again..." Rinoa grumbled. "Just like when he left us at the theme park..."
"Five!" Seifer whirled around to grab his younger sister when Irvine jumped in the way and moved Selphie out of the way. Seifer grabbed the cowboy and brought him face to face to 'maul' him.
Irvine smiled weakly as he looked into furious green eyes. "Hi, Seifer...didn't know you cared."
The corner of Seifer's eye twitched. "ARGH!!"
As his body began to mutate, Quistis cracked her whip, immediately causing Seifer to fall back and sit on the couch. His arms were crossed and he was still rather angry at the cowboy lycan's comment. Irvine raised an eyebrow as he was thrown to the side.
"Wow...Quistis sure has Seifer under control." Zell said. He was leaning back against the couch, patting his stomach proudly after finishing quite a few hot dogs.
"She's always been the one to keep him in check," Rinoa informed him. She lowered her voice as she leaned over to Zell. "I think it's the whip..."
"So what should we do know, ya know?" Raijin said.
"I know what I'm going to do," Quistis answered as she put her whip away. "I have to go finish that book." She stood up.
"No, you don't!" Rinoa and Selphie chorused. Rinoa crossed her arms and Selphie ran to block Quistis from the hall way.
"You're not getting away that easy!" Selphie announced, determined.
"You haven't had a moment's rest and Seifer said you only slept two hours the other time - your body must be tired!" Rinoa informed her sternly.
"Rin, Selphie," Quistis sighed. "I appreciate your concern but-"
"Why do you have to make this so hard for us, Quistis?" Selphie sighed.
"Seifer," Rinoa said, turning towards the blond green eyed man. "Think you can help us out?"
"Rinoa, this is for your own good! And the team's!" Quistis argued as Seifer stood up.
"They're right, ya know," Raijin agreed. "You've been working harder than the rest of us, ya know."
"Affirmative." Fujin nodded in a softer voice.
"See, Quistis," Rinoa told her. "Everyone thinks you deserve a rest. I'm going to lock up the dark room lab and YOU are going to get some rest."
"But this WAS rest!" Quistis gasped out, referring to their little meeting.
"Nice try, Quisty," Selphie said as she let Rinoa past her to lock up the dark room lab. "But you're going to get some rest if we have to tie you to the bed."
"Oh...kinky." Irvine smirked.
Seifer threw him a glare. "Watch it, cowboy," He growled. He turned to Quistis and with a swift move, caught her in his arms and put her over his shoulder. "Let's go, Miss Trepe."
"Seifer! I told you not to carry me like this!" Quistis yelled as she pounded on his back. "Seifer!!"
"I will not drop Quisty down the stairs. I will not drop Quisty down the stairs..." Seifer chanted to himself loudly as they ascended.
"I CAN HEAR YOU, SEIFER!"
Rinoa came out of the dark room lab, jingling the keys in her hand as she caught sight of the two blonds going upstairs. "Rinoa," Fujin called. She tossed the sorceress her keys. "Thanks."
"Sure thing," Rinoa said. She looked at the clock on the wall. The sun would set in an hour, meaning at this point, Squall could go outside without much damage as long as he was covered up. "Fujin, go ahead and take my bed. You've been up all day, too."
"Thank you." Fujin said.
"Rinoa, do you think you can drive us back to the palace?" Zell said, referring to himself and Squall. "I just want to go check in."
"I and have to speak to...my father..." Squall said, sighing hesitantly.
"All right," Rinoa said. "Umm, Raijin, you know where the spare blankets and stuff are, right?"
"I'll go grab some when I go to sleep, ya know." Raijin nodded.
"We're going to head out," Selphie said. She and Irvine were already at the door, putting their jackets on. "Don't wait up!" she winked.
"Have fun!" Rinoa said. She waved and the door closed. Her eyes went to the quiet vampire who was sitting on the arm chair, lost in thought. "Umm...so when do you want to go?"
"Let's wait a while so he doesn't burn up." Zell said. Rinoa nodded in agreement.
The two of them sat down on the couch, next to Raijin, and turned the television on again.
"And they ordered like TWENTY dishes...There were TWO of them!" the spiky haired blond boy exclaimed. "Can you believe it?"
"Well, my cousin knows this guy who can eat like that," a perky blond girl with many braids in her up do hair style said. Like the tanned boy next to her, she was wearing a white shirt with a black vest and coat. Only she had a black skirt that reached her thighs and calf high boots where wore black pants and boots. "But then, he's not human."
"Oh..." His blue eyes went wide. "You think that those two weren't human, Rikku?"
"They might've been lycans!" she exclaimed energetically. "Yep, lycans!"
"Really?" he asked in disbelief. He had heard about the underworld creatures. Many people who worked at night in Esthar had heard, if not encountered, them. "You think so?"
"Well, you'll learn to tell who is what here, sooner or later," Rikku told him happily. "It's almost night fall and a lot of them come here."
"I wouldn't think that they'd go to a place like this," the blond young man professed. "I mean...this is a five star restaurant."
"You'll get used to the idea, Tidus," she assured him. "The ones that come here are really well to do and stuff, so they're usually vampires and sorcerers."
"Sorcerers...whoa..." Tidus mumbled.
"You should meet my cousin," she said. "She's a really good one."
"What about you?" Tidus asked, studying her. She giggled.
"Can't you tell?" she said cheerfully. "I'm a lycan-sorceress!...um... very diluted sorceress part." At that, Tidus' eyes went wide. He was starting to rethink quitting work at the bistro and working at Alexandria. The posh restaurant was lined with elegantly dressed tables with a candle in the center of each, as soft, vampire friendly, dim yellow light lit the room from the ceiling. Soft piano music could be heard in the background, covering the majority of the soft murmurs that went through the area.
He looked towards the door as the valets pulled it open for a cowboy who took off his hat, and a familiar brunette wearing a casual yellow sundress.
"I haven't been here in a long time..." the cowboy sighed. as he looked around the room thoughtfully.
"When was the last time you came here?" Selphie asked casually as they headed towards the hostess arm in arm.
"A few months ago with that girl who works at that flower shop." As soon as it left his lips, Irvine regretted it. *Oh, crap...* He looked down at his date.
Selphie pulled away and frowned, heading up the rest of the way to the hostess by herself.
"Hi! I'm Rikku! Welcome to Alexandria! Table for two?" the hostess smiled happily.
Irvine leaned over the podium and grinned. "I'd never eat alone if I can help it, little lady." He winked at Rikku.
"IRVINE KINNEAS..." Selphie grumbled next to him. She smacked his arm with the back of her hand and looked back at the hostess, her serious look replaced with a happy smile. "Table for one."
"Selphie!" Irvine gasped.
"Unlike YOU, Irvy," Selphie said as Rikku took a menu from under the podium. "I'm really don't mind eating alone."
Rikku giggled. "Follow me, miss."
Irvine was left standing at the hostess podium, looking completely distraught as he watched Selphie walk away. "Selphie...!" He took a step forward and bumped into a blond waiter. "Oh, hey sorry - Hey!"
"Oh Yevon..." Tidus mumbled as his eyes went wide realizing who it was.
"Tidus, right?!" Irvine asked ecstatically. "Good! Escort me to that young lady's table over there!" He pointed to the table by the large window that over looked part of Esthar.
Alexandria was a restaurant located at the top of a sky scraper and was the premiere place for underworld folk to go for a romantic date. It served to the needs of vampires and lycans, which was a particularly good.
"I'm sorry, sir," Tidus told him nervously. "But I'm just a waiter-"
"Just walk me over there!" Irvine said. "I'll make it worth your while."
"But-"
Irvine put a large amount of gil in Tidus' hand and the blonde's eyes went wide. "Now...take me over there."
Sighing, Tidus shoved the money in his pocket and waved for Irvine to follow him. He grabbed a menu from underneath Rikku's podium and lead Irvine to the table. Selphie choose to ignore him as he was seated across from her.
"Good luck, sir..." Tidus sighed as he walked away. He passed the grand piano were young woman with short gray-white hair and red eyes dressed in a tuxedo was playing a soft melody.
Irvine opened his menus, smiling as he was pleased. Every so often, he looked up, past the menu at Selphie, who kept her eyes pasted on hers. "Beautiful night isn't it?"
Silence. Selphie merely turned a page. *He's just going to make some corny analogy about how the night isn't as beautiful as me.*
"But...you know the isn't nearly as beautiful as you."
*Wow, I'm good...*
*So...* Irvine thought to himself as she continued to ignore him. *She wants to use the silent treatment, huh? Fine with me.*
At that decision, he looked back down at his menu and ran over the list of food he wanted. While he was able to read the words, none of them had meaning. All his mind kept saying was 'Selphie'. Before long, he looked back up.
"Waiter!" Selphie said suddenly, raising her hand to get attention. "I'm ready!"
"So am I!" Irvine added, trying not to look like she didn't want to be there with him.
Tidus mentally swore. They were at HIS table of all places. *Why... why am I being punished?* Slowly he walked over, a smile pasted on his face, trying to block out the horrible memories of running back and forth from their table to the kitchen back at the bistro. "Good evening, miss, sir-"
"Just miss," Selphie said, cutting him off. "We're not together."
"Oh..." Tidus said. "Um...well, then miss, my name is Tidus and I will be your waiter this evening. May I have the pleasure of recommending the house special?"
"Certainly." Selphie said, looking up thoughtfully at Tidus as Irvine sat there, being ignored. Tidus told her the special and she ordered six of them.
As the blond turned around and left, Irvine was left without any food having been ordered for him. Selphie folded her hands neatly on her lap and looked at the window, fully aware of Irvine being extremely not happy with the situation.
"Okay, I'm sorry," Irvine finally said. "I just couldn't help myself, you know that..."
*Unfortunately, I do...* Selphie thought to herself sadly. She continued to ignore him.
"Selphie..." he sighed deeply. He ran his hand through his hair and looked at her. "I thought you were fine with me the way I am. I'm trying to change, really."
*In Squall's words, 'whatever'.*
"You don't believe me, do you?"
*Well, duh.*
"I could've flirted with a hundred girls on the way here, but the only one who had my attention was you," he informed her. He let out a heavy sigh as she refused to respond. "I used to think that having to deal with Seifer was a fate worse than death. I used to avoid him at all costs. Now I'd gladly get swept up in HIS arms so I could make YOU happy."
At that, Selphie smiled slightly, replaying the moment in her head. *Okay, that is pretty good...*
"Is that a smile?" he asked coyly. "Are you smiling, Selphie?"
Quickly, she tried to frown again, but failed. "Yes..." she mumbled reluctantly.
Irvine smiled genuinely and reached out his hand, offering it to her. "I'm sorry," he said. "But you're the only person I want to be with tonight...and forever."
Selphie's eyes went wide. "And forever?" she asked hesitantly. Her heart was beating quickly now. "Irvine-"
"I mean it," he asserted quickly. "Every time you smile, it's like the world is perfect. These last few days...despite all the drama, has been heaven because of you."
"You don't mean that," Selphie said. "You flirt all the time and..." She began as she refused to let her heart really believe him. But, Hyne, how it ached to.
"Selphie," Irvine said softly. Her green eyes finally lifted to meet his. "When the laboratory exploded, the last person I thought about was you. I thought I was going to die and I wasn't thinking about pain that might come with it," he admitted. "All I thought about was you."
Selphie's eyes looked into his, large and watery. Slowly she lifted her hand off her lap and put it in his larger one. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. *Oh, Hyne...I'm such a sucker for him...*
"I don't want the world to end, Selphie..." he whispered as he looked down at her, memorizing every feature on her slim fingers. "I want to be with you forever."
*Is he serious...?* her mind kept calling. But her heart screamed 'yes!'. She felt him cover her small hand with both of his and close his eyes as he pressed his forehead down against their hands.
"Say something..." he pleaded slightly, nervousness making him chuckle out his words. "I swear this isn't a ploy to get your forgiveness or get you in bed. You make the perfect friend...the perfect teammate... the perfect...everything to me. What more can I say?"
Selphie's other hand slowly touched the curly locks of hair that fell over his face as he looked up. His eyes were filled with hope. No jokes. No arrogance or perverted grins. Just a warm, sincere glow. Her hand went over his. "Say you love me," she told him gently. Her eyes squinted slightly, as if to try and get her point across. "That's all anyone ever really wants to hear."
"I won't ever be able to say it enough," Irvine mumbled absently. He was completely lost in her lively green eyes. "But Selphie, I love you."
She smiled widely. Her entire body glowed with pride and warmth as she nodded slowly. Her head tilted to the side and she smiled for him, and only for him. "I love you, too, Irvine."
He let out a sigh of relief and lifted her hand to his cheek and pressed it against it. "I'll make sure we come out of this alive, Selphie, I promise," he said, kissing the back of her hand once more. "Darlin', I'll never leave you."
Selphie giggled quietly as she sat there across from him, feeling the warmth from his hand spread over hers. "Good."
Back at the podium, Tidus was using his note pad and pen. "He said 'the perfect everything to me', right?" He looked down at his notes. "The... perfect...every...thing...to me...got it!"
Rikku shook her head. "That's cheating!"
"Well, were else am I going to get lines this good?" Tidus asked.
Rikku sighed. "Don't you know anything?" she piped. "When you really mean it, it'll all come to you. If not the words, than the emotions. By either way, you'll get your point across."
Tidus looked unbelieving. "And you know this because...?"
"Because...I'm the all powerful, all seeing Rikku!" she said as she jumped up and did a little pose.
Tidus sighed. "Right..." He glanced over at Selphie and Irvine once more. "So..." he began. "About your cousin..."
Rinoa pulled up to the presidential palace. She parked her car right in front of the steps and got out. Squall stepped out of the passenger's seat as Zell hopped out from the car's back seat. Squall lead them up the stairs and opened the door for them.
The sun had just set and because that was so, the foyer area was still fairly vacant. Zell turned to Squall and Rinoa. "I'm going to go check on my mom. I'll see you guys later, okay?"
"All right..." Rinoa said. Zell ran off to the servant's quarters, leaving Rinoa with Squall. Reluctantly, she looked over at him. "Now what?"
"Now I will go take a bath." Squall stated simply. He walked past Rinoa, towards the stairs, leaving the sorceress standing alone in the foyer.
"Wait!" she gasped, looking around frantically. "What about me?" There was no one else she could see in the room and she couldn't just sit there.
Squall slowly looked over his shoulder at her with cool blue eyes that peered right into her soul. "You can join me," The sound of Rinoa's car keys slipping her from her finger tips and on to the cold marble floor echoed in the empty foyer as she stood there, looking up at him with wonder. Rinoa felt her world spin. Her entire body grew bright red as her eyes went wide. The room suddenly felt like it had turned into a sauna and she was wearing several layers of jackets. Her heart threatened to explode in her chest at the sheer thought of sharing a moment like that with Squall. He grinned, obviously happy with the outcome. "Just kidding."
Rinoa let out a breath of air and then wondered if she was relieved or disappointed. *Since I still feel like I'm burning from the inside, I'm going to go with disappointed...*
"Squall," a disapproving voice said. From the side of the foyer where Zell had disappeared into, Kiros walked out with Ward and Ellone on either side of him. Ellone looked amused as Kiros continued. "Don't say such crude things like that to Miss Heartilly. Even if you are back from the dead."
"Whatever..." Squall said. He turned his back on them and headed up the stairs. "I'm going to clean up. Tell Laguna when you see him that I want to speak to him."
Squall disappeared into the staircase leading to the third floor and his bedroom. Rinoa turned to the other three vampires. "I was sure you would hug him." Rinoa giggled as Ellone came up to her and smiled.
"He's not very much into hugging, Rinoa," Ellone smiled. She looked over the girl to make sure she was fine. "Ever since he was little, he never really liked to be hugged. He'd always squirm."
Rinoa giggled. "He's never told me not to hug him."
"That's just because he loves you." Kiros grinned. Rinoa blushed furiously and shook her head from side to side as she knelt down, trying to grab her car keys and fumbling with them as she picked them up.
"No, he doesn't," she assured him. "He's just a very good teammate."
"Right..." Ellone smiled knowingly. "Why don't you come in and have some tea with me?"
"Umm..."
"No blood," Ellone assured her with a chuckle. "I promise."
Quistis rolled over on her tiny bed that leaned against two walls. Her body had been pinned between a wall and a person to avoid her escaping and trying to break into the dark room lab to read some more. Unfortunately for her, the plan had succeeded.
Seifer was now asleep next to her, miraculously not falling off her twin size bed. His heavy arm was over her slim waist, keeping the comforter that separated their bodies modestly up. Her blue eyes watched his sleeping face as his even breaths caressed her face.
She smiled to herself. *He's such a jerk...arrogant...over protective... but he's a gentlemen...I'll give him that.* She'd known him for several years now, as long as she had known Rinoa, Selphie, and the others. When she first met them, she was sometimes jealous. Rinoa and Selphie were childhood friends. And Seifer, Fujin, and Raijin were made family in the heat of combat. Then there was her.
She came from a wealthy family and was relatively sheltered. Not to mention an only child. She had spent all her time previous to meeting them studying away, never really having any real friends although many admirers. While she loved Rinoa and Selphie like sisters and Fujin and Raijin like friends, Seifer pulled at something else within her.
They had this strange relationship where they argued the majority of the time, but for some reason, they never truly got mad at each other. It was almost a game of theirs. And then a few years ago, he'd begun to take her out on Valentine's night. He'd treat her like a queen, she realized. She smirked. *Even if we did bicker over every little thing...*
"Quisty..." a deep, tired voice sounded. The voice resonated from his throat, and she blushed. "Stop staring at my handsome face and go back to sleep."
She rolled her eyes. *There we go with the arrogance. Even if he correct in that matter.* She pushed herself up. "What time is it?" She looked over his body at her digital clock. "Nine..."
"Go to sleep."
"But I slept for a while now-"
"Quisty," he warned. He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Go to sleep." He said sternly.
The other blond groaned and fell back on the pillow. "Fine." she replied, sounding slightly bitter.
"Humor me," he said as he pulled her closer against him. His hand gently caressed her cheek. "Just get some rest...that's all I ask." he told her sincerely.
Her heart was picking up it's speed. *His hand is warm...* Seifer gently stroked her hair as he head rested in the soft pillows. *That feels good...*
She felt a soft kiss being placed on her head and tilted her head upwards in surprise. His eyes were closed, but his hand continued to stroke her hair softly. "You have to start taking better care of yourself, Quisty," he sighed heavily. "At this rate, you'll end up like a human and die from stress or something. And I refuse to spend the rest of my life alone."
Quistis let out a snort and rolled her eyes. "And who said I was going to spend the rest of my life with you?"
"Harsh words, woman." he grumbled as he opened his eyes and frowned.
"Seifer," she laughed quietly as she leaned her head against his chest. "Do you love me?" she asked, half joking.
Completely unfazed by the question, Seifer looked down into her eyes. He looked serious and Quistis' smirk left her face. She knew the answer and couldn't believe it. "More than the world, Quisty. More than the world."
Ellone looked up at the ceiling from where she was seated across from Rinoa, a small table between them with a tea set resting on top of it. Rinoa followed the vampiress' gaze. "What is it?" she asked.
"Hmm...Squall should be done by now," Ellone said. She looked at Rinoa and smiled. "Do you think you can go get him? I'll go see if Uncle Laguna is awake and tell him that Squall wants to speak to him."
Not thinking anything of the task, Rinoa nodded. "All right. Shall I have him meet us back here?"
"No," Ellone said as she stood up. Rinoa followed. "You know were Uncle Laguna's study is, right?" Rinoa nodded. "Just send him there."
"Okay." Rinoa and Ellone both exited the room and went separate ways. Rinoa headed back to the foyer, where some older clan members had just arrived to play chess.
Many of them smiled at her, knowing exactly who she was. She smiled back and went up the stairs, heading towards Squall's room on the third floor. Ellone had taken a short cut to go call her uncle. Rinoa reached the third floor and walked down the familiar corridor.
As she approached the door, she felt her body grown warmer and start shaking nervously. Memories of her kiss with Squall on his bed flooded her mind, causing her to nearly run into the wall. She stopped immediately to calm herself. *Okay, Rin...just take a deep breath. Get over the moment. Breath...Okay...here we go.*
She continued to walk towards the huge double doors and tried to distract herself by looking back up at the portrait of Squall's parents. Before she knew it she was in front of his door. *Breath...Ellone said he was done. The kiss will not repeat itself...sadly.*
Taking one last deep breath, Rinoa opened the door and walked in. She turned around and closed the door softly before turning back around to look into the room. She raised her head. "Hey, Squall, Ellone said - Oh Hyne!"
Squall looked up from where he was standing by his bed. He had his clothes laid out neatly on the bed for his use. "RINOA!?" he gasped in complete shock. Immediately, his hands flew to the towel around his waist to make sure that it was on securely.
Rinoa's brown eyes were huge as they forgot about all thoughts not pertaining to the nearly naked vampire in front of her. Even in the dim moonlight showering him from the wide open window that nearly took up one wall, she could still make out every taunt muscle on his body. Each curve of his hardened flesh was memorized as the shadows danced over his pale, perfect skin.
His still wet hair dripped clear drops of liquid around his shoulder. Strands of brown fell softly over his surprised blue eyes. Each drop of water that slid down his hair and on to his shoulders was remembered. Each streak of liquid that slid down his body was photographed into her mind.
Her heard skipped more than just one beat as she stood there, her mouth opened as she stared, unashamed, at him. And she had just been thinking about how great his shirtless body had been. Now, she realized, he was great in every way. From his broad shoulders to his lean arms. His taunt chest and abs and those long, lean legs that ended in a puddle of water at his feet.
His voice was echoing in her ears, but she seemed to refuse to register it. Squall himself had started to blush furiously as Rinoa seemed to stare at him in wonder. He decided to walk over to her and try to shake her out of her stupor. He took one step. The water at his feet turned against him and he slipped.
"Squall!" Rinoa gasped, her mind taking note that he was falling. When he fell, his arms went up. And so did the towel. Rinoa let out a scream, covered her eyes, and whirled around. She immediately began letting out apologizes like there was no tomorrow.
On the floor, Squall swore and grabbed the towel, retying it around his waist, tighter than before. "Rinoa, calm down!"
"I'm sorry!" she begged. "I didn't mean to! Ellone said that you were done and sent me to get you! I swear! I'm not a pervert!" *Of course not, Rinoa... you were only staring at him for a GOOD LONG TIME.*
"It's okay! No harm done! Just leave for a second!" Squall said. "I'll be right out!" *Oh, Hyne, did she see EVERYTHING? She did, didn't she?...And Sis? ...she should've known that I wasn't done yet...oh, Hyne! She set us up!!*
"Right! Right! Sorry!!" she gasped. Still covering her eyes, she took a step forward, forgetting she was so close to the door, and ran right into it. "Ah! OW!!"
"Rinoa!?" Squall gasped. He ran towards her, keeping on hand firmly on his towel as he did so. When he reached her, put one hand on her shoulder and turned her around. The girl was rubbing her forehead and groaning in pain. "Rinoa are you all right? he asked gently.
"I'm fine! Really!" she said, pulling away from him. She was shaking her head and attempted to smile. "Sorry! I'll leave! I'm really sorry!"
They made eye contact and Rinoa's stammering mouth went dry. Tilting his head slightly, he gave her a soft smile as he gently pulled her forward. Rinoa looked up at him questioningly. Squall's other arm went behind the small of her back as his head leaned forward.
"You're forgiven." he whispered roughly. Soft lips went over hers as she closed her eyes. Her arms went around his neck as they parted for a breath.
"Lucky me."
"Sis, have you see Squall or Rinoa?" Zell asked as he walked back into the tea room were Ellone was eating a cookie happily.
"She's upstairs with Squall." Ellone said, a knowing smile on her face as she thought about how perfectly her plan had worked out. She had waited just outside of Squall's door until she heard Rinoa stop frantically apologizing. Then she left and reminded Kiros to tell Laguna that they wanted to see him.
"Oh..." Zell said. "Okay, well, I'm going to get some sleep for the night. Can you please tell them to call me if they need anything?"
"Of course, Zell." Ellone said. The blond walked back to the servant's quarters. Within a few seconds after Zell left, the door opened once more and Laguna rushed in.
"Squall!?" He called out energetically, his eyes searching the room for any sign of his son.
"He's upstairs in his room, Uncle Lagu-" Before she could even finished, the man who thought he had lost his son had vanished from the door way. It took a second for Ellone to realize what was going on and dropped her cookie. She left her shawl behind as she tore after the older vampire. "UNCLE, NO!!"
The only thought running through Laguna's head was that his precious son was alive and there, safe in the palace. He vaguely heard Ellone's voice yelling behind him, but ignored it as he raced up the stairs. As he turned the corner, tears reached his eye.
*Why do I always have to go so emotional...?* Laguna sniffed. *I have to calm down...* His son's door was coming up and Laguna wiped his eyes. He threw the double doors wide open. "SQUALL!!" he shouted joyously.
Ellone, Kiros, and Ward had stopped just before they reached Squall's room. After hearing Ellone yelling after Laguna, the other two had joined her in the chase. They saw Laguna throw open the doors and a split second later, a scream was heard. Then...
"GET OUT!!!"
Laguna had, yet again, stumbled upon a moment between Rinoa and Squall. Rinoa was laying on the bed, still fully dressed, with Squall laying next to her, his arm around her while still only wearing a towel. They were locked in each other's arms, lost in their own little world, when Laguna had entered.
Ellone ran into the room to drag her Uncle, who didn't seem to be moving, but just standing there with a red face, out. She glanced over at the bed, where Rinoa was now burying her head in Squall's chest and shaking it over and over. Squall was giving Laguna a particularly vicious looking glare as he reached over and grabbed the chord above his bed, sending the thick drapes down around his bed and shielding them.
"Uncle Laguna!" Ellone said, exasperated. "Let's GO!" Shuffling was heard and then the door closed.
Within the covering of the bed, Squall fell on his back. "...And you thought your father was bad..." he mumbled.
Rinoa shook her head. "That's the second time already...does he plan this?"
"Hyne, I hope not..." Squall let out a heavy sigh and sat up. "I should start remembering to lock the door."
Rinoa nodded and ran her hand through her black hair. "I'll...um...let you change..." she said as she scooted off the bed. "Laguna's study...okay? See you there."
"Whatever." the still annoyed brunette grumbled. Rinoa slipped out of the bed and soon he heard the door creak open and close. Squall closed his eyes. *It's too late for a cold shower, isn't it...?*
Outside, Rinoa, still a bit shaken, ran her hand through her hair nervously and headed down the hall and down the stairs to the second floor. Every vampire she passed seemed to look at her and smile.
*Do they know?* Rinoa's mind asked, nearly paranoid. *Hyne, do I smell like Squall? Is that it? Why are they all smiling at me!?*
She griped the railing of the stairs as she walked to the second floor, fully aware of all the eyes on her as she headed down the hall. When she arrived at Laguna's study, she knocked on the door and Ward opened it for her.
Laguna immediately smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Rinoa," he said. "I had no idea what was...er...commencing...uh...inside."
"It wasn't anything!" Rinoa insisted. "Believe me!"
Laguna laughed and nodded. "We'll just wait for Squall," he said. "Then we'll begin."
Rinoa nodded and within a few minutes the damp haired brunette walked into the room wearing a white shirt and leather pants. Rinoa glanced over at him as he sat down next to her and felt her face grown warm as she recalled what they were doing earlier. *Hyne, he felt just as good as he looked...* She shook her head and scolded herself. *Get your mind out of the gutter, Rinoa!"
"Laguna, will you stop whimpering," Squall sighed as he rubbed his forehead. "I told you I'm fine."
"I'm just...so glad to see you...alive..." Laguna stammered happily.
Squall let out another sigh. "Let's just get down to business," he said. "I'm sure by now you've heard about how we've been kicked off the mission."
Laguna nodded. "Cid, Edea, and I all pleaded, but the other clan members thought it was time to assign a new group," Laguna told him seriously. "The team was assembled by other clan members, therefore we had no say in it."
"Laguna, sir...I know we shouldn't be asking, since we are off the mission," Rinoa said. "But how far have they come along?"
"They've barely met...but they've been given as much information as the clan members know," Laguna informed them. "Which was about the same as the amount given to you."
"Whose on the team?" Squall asked.
Laguna shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid I can't tell you-"
"We just want to confirm the rumors we've heard," Rinoa cut in. "We heard Yuna Leska, Lulu, a were cat, and Cloud Strife. Who else, Laguna?"
He frowned and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Rino-"
Rinoa stood up and slammed her hands on the table dramatically. "We SAVED your son!" she announced. "All we ask is for what the rest of the high clan members have said and who is on the team just for our own knowledge. That's all we're asking, sir!" Deep down, she was trying hard not to laugh. She knew he would give in.
Laguna opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He looked at Ward and Kiros for help, but the other two vampires looked away. Rinoa was still standing there, looking down at him as if he had done something wrong. "You're right about them," he admitted. "They have a ship they're using...their driver is named Cid. They also have a young vampiress named Yuffie in their midst."
Rinoa and Squall looked at each other. The male vampire stood up. "Let's go."
"Go?" Rinoa asked. She didn't think they were finished yet. They had been in the study for a barely a few minutes.
"Let's go," Squall insisted. He looked at Laguna. "We'll be back later." He said, as if to assure him that they would not run out on him.
Before Laguna could protest, his son was already heading out the door. Squall took Rinoa's hand and lead her out of the room. As they passed Ellone, he told her to tell Zell that they'd be back before morning and that they were going out for a while. The vampiress nodded and watched as they got into Squall's car and drove off.
Quistis heard beeping and she sat up, reaching her hand into her shelf and searching for something. Seifer groaned as she accidentally elbowed him while reaching over and grabbed a small electronic device. She put her glasses on quickly as a message appeared in the LCD screen. Immediately, her eyebrows furrowed.
She re-read the message and her eyes went wide. "No!" She gasped. She shoved Seifer off the bed violently as she threw her blanket off her body. He landed with a thump.
Grumbling, the male lycan woke up and found himself on the floor. "What the hell..." he groaned as he looked around. *How did I get here?*
Quistis paid no attention to him as she stepped over his body and rushed to her door, still barefoot. Seifer called after her, but she paid him no attention as she ran down the stairs right outside her door and made a sharp turn, almost slipping, as she turned to the hall way.
She ran into the door of the dark room lab. "No!" she gasped. "Ugh! Dammit, Rinoa!!" She jiggled the handle, remembering that Rinoa had locked it. "Seifer!" she yelled. "SEIFER!!"
"What?" the blond grumbled as he walked, still half asleep, down the hall and towards her.
"Open the door!" she demanded.
"No...the clock said it's still-"
"Seifer, OPEN IT!" Quistis demanded.
Seifer narrowed his eyes. "Shit...what's wrong?"
"Just open the damn door!" Quistis nearly screamed. The green eyed blond slammed his body against the door, swinging it open. Quistis squeezed past him and ran to her computer. She frantically began to type and read over her findings.
Seifer watched as she lifted her hand to her gaping mouth and gasped. "Quistis..." he mumbled. "What's wrong?"
"Call Rinoa..." Quistis said. "Tell her to get back here, right now!"
"Why?" Seifer asked, suddenly growing concerned.
"Ten sorcerers have been attacked in Galbadia," Quistis said. Slowly she turned to Seifer, a morbid look on her face. She was pale and was shaking and Seifer walked up to her and put his hands on her shoulders to try and calm her down. Breathing in shallow breaths, she told him what the report she was sent said. "Ten sorcerers were killed...their hearts were ripped out."
General Caraway leaned against the cold glass of his window and took a deep breath. He prayed that Quistis has gotten the report he had sent. She would tell the others and then they would make sure his daughter was safe.
He knew that much. As he watched his only child walk out the mansion door, surrounded by people he knew she trusted, he realized that the safest place for her to be was with them. As much as he hated to admit it. The thought of Loire's son entered his mind.
*No...* he thought to himself. *The safest place for her isn't with them. It is with HIM.*
He heard something behind him as he looked out the window at the sprawling city before him. In the glass, he saw the reflection of eerie green eyes watching him. "Can I help you?" Caraway asked casually, not turning around.
"General Caraway," a voice said behind him. The vampire with the green eyes bowed. "I am here on behalf of Adel," He looked back at the old man and smiled. "She would like to meet you."
Author's Replies & Thanks:
LadySephiroth : No, I'm not tired of you! Thank you for reading and telling me what you
think. It's always appreciated!! And Sephiroth will have a larger part in a later chapter. I'm sorry
I made you late for class! I was actually sneaking writing parts for this story during my mine.
Almicene : Thank you SO much for reviewing EVERY chapter! That's so cool of you! By the
way, I'm looking forward for your next chapter of Outcast!
bembem : Salamat!! (I spelled that wrong didn't? Gack...) ;) I'm really glad you like the story.
I hope you enjoy the rest of it!
The Truth : Thank so you so much for the detailed review! I really appreciate that because it really
gives me feedback. I hope there has been enough Quistis action for you. ^_^
fire maiden, sassy, ff9 zidane, serene ice mage, maskered reviewer, luce :
Thank you! Domo arigatoo gozaimasu!