Chapter 10: Shadows
(Warning of slight horror at the very end of this chapter…but its not that bad, honest)
--------------------
"Resisting change is like holding your breath…if you succeed, you die!"
- Unknown
--------------------
He lightly traced his thumb over the crinkled surface. Every detail implanted itself into his head. The smiles…the setting…the people in it. Even the aura coming off them. It all seemed so impossible.
The photo was of him and Rinoa. He had never seen it before. Rinoa looked extremely happy, and he himself looked overjoyed. They were both holding up their hands to the camera to show…wedding rings.
He unconsciously looked at his own hand, although he already knew there was no ring there. There was something wrong here…
How…how can this be? He held the photo closer to his eyes to examine the two people more closely. We're not married damnit! We never took this photo…I never wore that jacket and I have never seen Rinoa wear that dress before…which is odd…because she look really good in it too…ack! Stay focused!
" Hey Squall…could you bring the champagne bottle over please" He looked up.
Champagne?
"Uhh…we have champagne?" He raised an eyebrow at his question. Rinoa giggled and spun herself around the air a few times. " No silly, I was just making sure your still alive"
He nodded and went back to the photo. No point in worrying about this right now…Rinoa needs my support, not a crummy photo He placed it in his jacket and tried to walk over to her, but his feet left the ground…and never touched it again. So instead, he floated over to her. She came down to meet him and wrapped her arms around him.
" How long until we reach Esthar?" She asked. He looked over at the monitor. " Hmmm, about three hours" She smiled thoughtfully, her hair waving around her like smoke as she moved. " Isn't it nice to have the burden of gravity lifted from you…and literally just feel weightless?"
He smirked. " Why…were you planning on loosing wait?" She laughed, burying her face in his jacket and punched his shoulder lightly. " No really…doesn't it feel nice?"
" Yes I suppose. But that burden you talking about, gravity, well it just happens to keep everything on the ground you know. Or did you not pay attention in science at all in school?"
She narrowed her eyes and grinned. "I think you need to be taken back in treatment for making smart remarks at your girlfriend" With that, she sealed the gap between them with a kiss.
But, in the corner of the ship, watching both of them, a dark figure shook his head slowly and faded back out of existence…
..~**~..
"So how goes your mission?" She asked. He leaned his head back and sighed. "Its not working. I fear that we have failed this time again"
She frowned. " No, we're not giving up. There has to be another way…there just has to be" She reached forward, grabbing him by the shoulders. He looked down, not wanting to look her in the eyes.
" Quistis I'm sorry…but I've failed…we have failed. If someone can save your time now, it's not going to be me. I'm sorry"
She couldn't take it. She let go and turned around. Looking out the window. Another explosion sent vibrations down it, almost putting it to shattering point.
" Is this how I'm going to die?" A tear rolled down her cheek as the man behind her disappeared.
..~**~..
Michael Wilson was not one to disobey orders…but he couldn't help but notice how tense the soldiers around him had become when Vaun had walked in the room. Everyone had been a little hesitant to follow his orders and talk had been wandering…
Quietly he had slipped in into the communications room, past the briefing office. His friend, Windell, was still seated at her usual spot in front of the glowing blue screen.
"Windell…" He whispered. She turned around in the moving seat and her eyes shot up.
" Michael! What the hell are you doing here!?"
"Shhh! I need you to help me"
She frowned and crossed her arms. "Michael, you should be at your post"
" Yeah I know, but I really need your help on something. Its to do with Vaun Deling" He handed her a yellow folder. She took it from him and opened it while he spoke. " Vaun has been receiving the top vote apparently and its anyone's guess that he's going to make president…but why is everyone so…well, tense around him?"
She looked over at the door before speaking. Now was not a good time to be intruded on.
" Vaun has been working in the military for years now. He was a general for his last year and was supposed to be promoted. But there was an accident near Dollet and…well he was incapable of being in the field"
" In Dollet? What was he doing there?"
" It doesn't matter. He was angry of course and now everyone thinks he's going to be the same dictator as Vinzer Deling was"
" But they don't have enough information to prove that. Don't you think it's a little early?"
" I don't know…but he has been showing a few signs though…"
" Maybe but I'm still not convinced. Keep that with you" He motioned to the folder.
" I'm going to find more out"
..~**~..
" Hey Rinoa. Nice to see you again"
" Nice to see you too Elle"
The two girls hugged for a brief moment then drew their attention to the man beside them. Laguna grinned and motioned to the presidential palace. " Well shall we?"
Rinoa nodded happily and leaned over to Squall as they walked in. " Hey Squall maybe you and your father can have a nice chat? I think it would do you good" He knew she had good intentions, but he dismissed it with a wave of his hand.
They all headed inside and made it to Laguna's office. Once inside they began to explain the task at hand. Squall spoke first.
" Laguna, we need to speak with Dr. Odine. It's to do with Rinoa's sorcery. She's been encountering a few difficulties lately and we think that has something to do with it"
Laguna nodded and leaned back slightly. " He's out on business at the moment but he'll be back this afternoon, so you can wait around for him…if you want…you know there's no one pressuring to stay. If you want to just – "
" - Thankyou Laguna, we'll gladly stay" Rinoa said.
Once outside the office, Squall turned to her. " Hey Rin, Laguna said we can stay here at the palace and…I've decided to take you up on that offer…" She looked puzzled. " What offer?…oh…that one" She grinned mischievously and swiveled around on one foot. " So I guess you couldn't be swayed from the sorceress's grip hey?"
" I'm going to see him now, what are you going to do?" He ignored her last comment but, he couldn't swipe the smile off his face.
" Well…I'll go and have a look around Esthar…" At the note of her last sentence she had walked out of the hall and out of sight.
..~**~..
The busy streets of Esthar did send her patience a little off course and she felt a sudden pull of claustrophobia coming over her, but she stayed on track and kept her face focused.
Everyone around her pushed and shoved, hustled and bustled. She had to stop at one point just re-compose herself.
When she could handle it no longer, she resided to a bench, just on the side of one of the transparent bridges, looming high in the city. She sat down, taking a few deep breaths and looked into the crowd.
And time stopped…
She saw him again…or it. She recognized this person from the crowd in Timber. The same black trench coat. The hood, covering their face in darkness, despite the sunny weather. Perhaps this time she could pursue the chase that she had wished to begin back at Timber.
She rose from her seat and walked toward them. Whoever it was, they turned and began walking down through the mass of people. None of them seemed to notice him/her, and neither did they push past him or bump him out of course. As they did to her. She continued on, like a wolf hunting down its prey and following the bloody trail. He turned abruptly and vanished. She too stopped and stood still.
Suddenly, a feeling of anger washed over her.
Stupid…stupid…stupid! I can't believe I'm doing this. I've gone mad She turned away and walked the opposite direction. He…her…it…is a figure of my imagination, nothing more
Becoming more and more angry with herself she sped off, down an empty street and to a back alley that no one would dare to disturb her. There she recoiled the recent events and tried to calm herself.
" No one normally comes down here…" Her head jolted to the sound of the voice. An old man, presumable a homeless one, was standing to her right. It seemed she had invaded his personal space.
" I...I..." Her lips continued to move but no sound was present, she managed to utter a final squeak and slumped down to the ground.
" Sorry…" She finally muttered.
Sorry for what? He was the one that did it, not you!
What did he do? What am I accusing him of?…I don't know
He moved closer to her. " Are you okay miss?"
She bolted upright and stumbled backward. " Get the hell away from me!" She screamed, in blind rage. Her fury shown through her eyes and unconsciously she lifted her hand to shield herself. He stepped back with an apologetic face. Uttering his 'sorry'.
She didn't care for what he said. He's going to hurt me…he hates just like that man did The memory of the man in the Timber City Hall came back and she gritted her teeth in annoyance. Pain flapped through her brain and for the next fifteen minutes of her life…she was no longer in control of her actions.
She didn't see the horror on the mans face as she advanced toward him. She didn't hear his scream as she plunged down into his body, ripping him apart. She didn't even feel the blood that coursed out like rivers of death, down the small back alleyway.
..~**~..
Author's Long and Important Scribbles:
I sure hope I didn't scare anyone away with that last bit…
Anyway, I just wanted to say that…I feel as if I'm carrying this story on too much and it really is taking too long to get into it. But please stay with me. You will notice in the future that a lot of author's have written fiction similar to this, but I doubt many of them have gone this far and at this much detail/length as I have. So please, stay with me.
I would like to say a special thanks to:
Chichiri's-girl
She has been with me almost the whole way and her supportive comments have always been inspiring and helpful. Thankyou.
And thankyou to everyone else that has stuck with me so far. More elaborate thankyou's are in store for next chapter.