Chapter Nine: The SeeD Graduation Ball
Author's Note: Omigosh, where has all the time gone to?!!! I haven't updated for two months, and I'm sooooooo sorry! Well, my teachers seem hellbent on overworking me to death, so I won't be able to update again for some time. Argh. School's horrible, sometimes. Okay, lights, camera, action!
The ball was on in full swing, with many SeeD couples spinning around on the dance floor. Phoenix leaned against a pillar, watching but not making the effort to join any of them. She was extremely pleased to have been able to capture Rinoa's attention—perhaps they could even be friends. Yes, all was right in Phoenix Kalliran's world.
At that exact moment, the subject of Phoenix's musings sauntered past, with the commander in tow. The sorceress looked absolutely gorgeous in a killer black dress and sapphire earrings. In fact, she would still have looked great anyway in a burlap sack. Some people just have all the luck, Phoenix thought wistfully. The two of them matched together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and looked perfectly happy to be with each other. Phoenix was a little jealous of their compatibility with each other—surely no male in his right mind would ever love her so soul-wrenchingly like that to do something like launch himself into subzero space to rescue her—and Squall had done precisely that and more for his flame.
Spotting her, Rinoa waved cheerily. "Hey, Phoenix! It looks a little lonely there. Why aren't you hitting the floor?"
Biting her lip, Phoenix responded lamely, "I, ah, don't know anyone here, and well......" she let her voice trail off.
"Anti-social or just shy?" Rinoa asked. "Do you know this was the very wall Squall was leaning on when we first met?" she went on with an infectious grin. "Maybe this a good-luck wall. If you're patient enough, maybe the guy of your dreams will come over."
"Ha ha," Phoenix said. "but thanks for the encouragement anyway."
Eyes On Me began to play, and Rinoa smiled. "There it is, Squall," she said happily, grabbing the commander's arm and dragging him away despite his protests. "see you later, Phoenix!" she yelled over his shoulder. "Waltzing the night away, hopefully." Then they were in each other's arms and staring adoringly into each other's eyes, gone inside a little world of their own where, for a while, all cares and worries were tucked away. Phoenix sighed. Devastating beauty, devastating boyfriend, devastating powers—yup, some people DO have it all.
Phoenix suddenly became aware of a presence next to her. She turned and almost swooned then and there. That's the absolutely bluest eyes I've ever seen in my whole life, she thought dazedly, gazing into two perfect, cerulean orbs.
Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome smiled, flashing white teeth at her, and her knees went weak. They should ban megawatt smiles like that, she thought, her heart having been reduced to a lump of quivering jelly and her intestines twisted to impossible angles.
"Hi," he said in a rich, fluting tenor voice, and her heart melted. Looking self-consciously at the floor, she was surprised to note that she couldn't see her heart oozing out of her shoes. She managed to blurt out a "Hey" in return.
"You're the new student, aren't you?" he asked. "How come you can attend the graduation party already?"
"I was invited by Miss Heartilly," she responded shakily, still not yet recovered from the sight of that dazzling smile.
"Oh. A pretty young girl like you shouldn't be left standing alone in a corner," he continued solemnly. "That would not be hospitable at all. Why don't we take a tour of Balamb Garden together, with the dance floor as the first stop? Would you like that?"
"I...,,,yes, very much," Phoenix mumbled, at a loss of words. One thought kept swirling around in her brain. Was he moving in on her? He was really cute......Her rational mind howled, Gaia to Phoenix, stop staring at his baby blues, you know what your guardian will say when he finds out! The other more rebellious part thought resentfully, He's always ordering me about, isn't it time I had some fun? Who gives a damn about him anyway. I am intellectually mature enough to make my own decisions already, for Hyne's sake! Aloud, she said, "Go ahead. Lead the way, Mr. Guide."
He flashed her an amused glance. "That's right, I haven't told you my name. Darmien Vartieg, pleased to make your acquaintance."
Just an acquaintance......? Phoenix thought, a little disappointed. Never mind. Even that was better than nothing. She beamed up at him. "Phoenix Kalliran."
He steered her towards the center of the ballroom. "Cool name," he said softly, "for an incredibly cool person like you."
Phoenix's heart was starting to turn somersaults somewhere in the vicinity of her ribcage. She gulped. "Nice of you to say that," she squeaked. "Though it isn't true, of course."
"It definitely is," Darmien insisted with his amazing smile. Phoenix's bones magically turned to water again as he turned to face her, his perfect smile lighting up his chiseled movie star features. In his eyes she saw true caring for her, something she still had not grown used to seeing in the eyes of her new friends around her in Garden; Rinoa, Shirley, Darmien, her classmates......an alien emotion she had never seen in her guardian's cold eyes. The scars on her wrists stung with the bitter memories of his cruelty, and for a moment the world blurred as she fought to hold back the scream of bitter anguish rising within her chest.
"Hey, you alright?" Darmien inquired, staring at her momentarily vacant expression. "Did I say anything wrong?" His obvious unabashed concern made her feel a little guilty, a little elated, that there existed people who would care about her so much.
She nodded, and forced a smile onto her face. "Sure. Let's go, then. Thanks so much for your time."
"You're welcome," he answered warmly. He reached over, and grabbing her hand in a strong, but surprisingly gentle grip, escorted her to the middle of the ballroom.
"I don't know how to dance," she told him nervously. "Are you certain......"
"Relax. I'll lead," Darmien replied, with a reassuring smile. He put his hand on her waist, held her hand with the other, and joined the other spinning couples. A new song begun, a soft, vaguely wistful one that stirred Phoenix's heart. It was perfect; here, with the guy of her dreams, among people who actually wanted to be friends with her.
Nothing could last forever, she knew, though, with infinite sadness. Not for someone like her. Darmien's hand was firm upon hers as he spun her around slowly, and she gazed into the dark, mysterious depths of his midnight eyes. She wished—oh, how she wished with all her heart that she could have been normal, like everyone else. But no, fate had to force this on her. Her guardian's invisible presence seemed to hover above her head, his lips twisted in that condescending, always mocking smile that seemed to laugh at a dark joke no one but he could see. Always he blocked her life, her chance for the happiness she dreamed of but could never quite grasp. He ruled her with an iron grip of fear, and it was all she could do not to break down under the strain every time her punished her.
For her own good. Yeah, right. She smiled at the memory; a bitter smile, tinged with self-mockery. Damn you, she silently cursed him. Damn you, damn them all......
*** Quistis walked through the ballroom, politely refusing invitations to dance from her many admirers. Her cool azure gaze scanned the room, seeking—then zeroed in on the object of her attention. Travis Axiliam was standing in a corner, emerald eyes animated as he talked to a few of his students. His handsome features were complimented by the dark blue SeeD uniform—though uncomfortable and hot to wear at times, it had to be admitted it gave the wearer a certain military charisma. Dark rainbows shimmered in his glossy black hair under the soft light emanating from the ceiling.
When she was about a foot away from him, he looked up and smiled brightly as he noted her approach. He disengaged himself from a SeeD graduate and walked up to her, a smirk on his lips. "I know," he informed her, his smirk deepening into an evil grin.
"Know what?" she blinked.
"That you are the Card King, of course," he said cheerfully. "And I'm going to beat you, and win your best cards. How about that?"
Quistis couldn't keep a smile from her own face. "Deal. You're on. How did you figure it out?"
"I'm not an imbecile," he retorted. "Some of your fellow members dropped a few hints that were so blatantly hard to miss. Spade told me that the Card King was a 'she' and the Princess Diamonds commented that while I might have beat them, I would never beat the ultimate ice queen. And other little details......"
"Wow, I'm impressed," she drawled.
"You should be," he said with his classic smirk. He reached into a pocket, and pulled out a deck of cards. "Shall we?" he asked with a bow, shuffling the cards with a flourish.
"Here?"
"The sooner, the better."
Quistis pulled out her own formidable pack of cards and felt a grin cover her face. "We shall, then. If I win......you'll polish my boots for a month. And you'll have to ask Dallie Freddington out on a date."
"Hey, that's asking a little too much. Feh. The mere thought of being with that self-loving little bitch is more than I can handle." He considered. "On the other hand......if I win, you'll clean my sword for two months! And you'll go out with me on a date."
"What?"
"You're the Card King. No one can beat you. Right?"
Quistis smiled ominously. "You'll be finding that out real soon. Secret area, the training center?"
"Fine." With that, they departed in high spirits.
*** Rinoa nestled her head into Squall's shoulder and sighed with contentment. The commander of Balamb Garden had his arm on her waist and was gazing at the perfect view of the vista of silvery stars scattered around the night sky like sparkling diamonds on velvet, the stars reflected in the dark, liquid depths of his blue-gray eyes. His other hand was absent-mindedly stroking her long, black hair.
Unable to contain herself any longer, Rinoa blurted out, "Okay, 'fess up already! What in Hyne's name is going on around here?"
Squall turned to look at her with acute astonishment in his eyes. "What are you talking about?" Rinoa pulled away from Squall's embrace, planting her arms firmly on her waist. "Don't act stupid," she declared. "Ever since you got that phone call the other day you've been working late hours, spending a lot of time with Cid and Tre, looking at me and treating me like fragile glass as though afraid I'm going to fall dead at any moment. So, what's up? Give me the scoop. It's got something to do with the fact I'm a sorceress, isn't it? Don't give me that deadpan expression, Squall Leonheart. I know you very well, and the only times you wear that look, you've got something to hide."
Squall sighed in exasperation. "Rinoa, this is highly confidential business, and I am not authorized to leak out information of any kind—"
"Just shut up, Squall!" she flung at him, now thoroughly annoyed. "Don't give me that 'professional SeeD commander' voice. So you don't trust me? Especially when this 'highly confidential business' concerns me?"
"That's not it, Rinoa. But you have to understand that—"
She cut him off again. "Look, figure it out yourself. If I don't know a single thing about whatever is out there right now, how am I supposed to defend myself when the time comes? Think about it, really hard. You're my knight, Squall. You're supposed to do what's best for me."
Squall sighed. "Sometimes I don't know whether I was just plain insane or hopelessly romantic when I offered to be your knight," he muttered, a grumpy expression appearing on his previously impassive face. "Fine. Listen......"
He told her everything. When he was done, Rinoa's face had become stricken. "So, it could be......anyone," she mumbled, distraught.
"Yes, anyone," Squall echoed. "Even your friends. People you know......"
"Argh!" Rinoa growled as she sprang to her feet in an instant, her eyes now blazing with barely hidden frustration. "Wasn't Ultimecia bad enough? Now that there's a chance for a normal life, the Galbadians have to mess it up all again, as usual!" Suddenly deflated, she looked at Squall, forlorn. "I understand why you wanted to protect me from this. I'm sorry."
"So am I," said the commander as gently as he was able, as he held the sorceress in his arms and let her tears flow unchecked, dampening his SeeD uniform. Frankly, he didn't give a damn about his uniform. Silently he stood there, and though the view was as perfect as ever, it was somehow dimmed in Squall's sight.
Author's Note: Whew, finally done. Next chapter will be a little slow in coming up, sorry for the inconvenience! And......don;y forget to......READ & REVIEW, OR THE CURSE OF THE AUTHOR WILL FALL UPON YOU! MUAHAHAAHA!!!!!!!!!!
Author's Note: Omigosh, where has all the time gone to?!!! I haven't updated for two months, and I'm sooooooo sorry! Well, my teachers seem hellbent on overworking me to death, so I won't be able to update again for some time. Argh. School's horrible, sometimes. Okay, lights, camera, action!
The ball was on in full swing, with many SeeD couples spinning around on the dance floor. Phoenix leaned against a pillar, watching but not making the effort to join any of them. She was extremely pleased to have been able to capture Rinoa's attention—perhaps they could even be friends. Yes, all was right in Phoenix Kalliran's world.
At that exact moment, the subject of Phoenix's musings sauntered past, with the commander in tow. The sorceress looked absolutely gorgeous in a killer black dress and sapphire earrings. In fact, she would still have looked great anyway in a burlap sack. Some people just have all the luck, Phoenix thought wistfully. The two of them matched together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and looked perfectly happy to be with each other. Phoenix was a little jealous of their compatibility with each other—surely no male in his right mind would ever love her so soul-wrenchingly like that to do something like launch himself into subzero space to rescue her—and Squall had done precisely that and more for his flame.
Spotting her, Rinoa waved cheerily. "Hey, Phoenix! It looks a little lonely there. Why aren't you hitting the floor?"
Biting her lip, Phoenix responded lamely, "I, ah, don't know anyone here, and well......" she let her voice trail off.
"Anti-social or just shy?" Rinoa asked. "Do you know this was the very wall Squall was leaning on when we first met?" she went on with an infectious grin. "Maybe this a good-luck wall. If you're patient enough, maybe the guy of your dreams will come over."
"Ha ha," Phoenix said. "but thanks for the encouragement anyway."
Eyes On Me began to play, and Rinoa smiled. "There it is, Squall," she said happily, grabbing the commander's arm and dragging him away despite his protests. "see you later, Phoenix!" she yelled over his shoulder. "Waltzing the night away, hopefully." Then they were in each other's arms and staring adoringly into each other's eyes, gone inside a little world of their own where, for a while, all cares and worries were tucked away. Phoenix sighed. Devastating beauty, devastating boyfriend, devastating powers—yup, some people DO have it all.
Phoenix suddenly became aware of a presence next to her. She turned and almost swooned then and there. That's the absolutely bluest eyes I've ever seen in my whole life, she thought dazedly, gazing into two perfect, cerulean orbs.
Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome smiled, flashing white teeth at her, and her knees went weak. They should ban megawatt smiles like that, she thought, her heart having been reduced to a lump of quivering jelly and her intestines twisted to impossible angles.
"Hi," he said in a rich, fluting tenor voice, and her heart melted. Looking self-consciously at the floor, she was surprised to note that she couldn't see her heart oozing out of her shoes. She managed to blurt out a "Hey" in return.
"You're the new student, aren't you?" he asked. "How come you can attend the graduation party already?"
"I was invited by Miss Heartilly," she responded shakily, still not yet recovered from the sight of that dazzling smile.
"Oh. A pretty young girl like you shouldn't be left standing alone in a corner," he continued solemnly. "That would not be hospitable at all. Why don't we take a tour of Balamb Garden together, with the dance floor as the first stop? Would you like that?"
"I...,,,yes, very much," Phoenix mumbled, at a loss of words. One thought kept swirling around in her brain. Was he moving in on her? He was really cute......Her rational mind howled, Gaia to Phoenix, stop staring at his baby blues, you know what your guardian will say when he finds out! The other more rebellious part thought resentfully, He's always ordering me about, isn't it time I had some fun? Who gives a damn about him anyway. I am intellectually mature enough to make my own decisions already, for Hyne's sake! Aloud, she said, "Go ahead. Lead the way, Mr. Guide."
He flashed her an amused glance. "That's right, I haven't told you my name. Darmien Vartieg, pleased to make your acquaintance."
Just an acquaintance......? Phoenix thought, a little disappointed. Never mind. Even that was better than nothing. She beamed up at him. "Phoenix Kalliran."
He steered her towards the center of the ballroom. "Cool name," he said softly, "for an incredibly cool person like you."
Phoenix's heart was starting to turn somersaults somewhere in the vicinity of her ribcage. She gulped. "Nice of you to say that," she squeaked. "Though it isn't true, of course."
"It definitely is," Darmien insisted with his amazing smile. Phoenix's bones magically turned to water again as he turned to face her, his perfect smile lighting up his chiseled movie star features. In his eyes she saw true caring for her, something she still had not grown used to seeing in the eyes of her new friends around her in Garden; Rinoa, Shirley, Darmien, her classmates......an alien emotion she had never seen in her guardian's cold eyes. The scars on her wrists stung with the bitter memories of his cruelty, and for a moment the world blurred as she fought to hold back the scream of bitter anguish rising within her chest.
"Hey, you alright?" Darmien inquired, staring at her momentarily vacant expression. "Did I say anything wrong?" His obvious unabashed concern made her feel a little guilty, a little elated, that there existed people who would care about her so much.
She nodded, and forced a smile onto her face. "Sure. Let's go, then. Thanks so much for your time."
"You're welcome," he answered warmly. He reached over, and grabbing her hand in a strong, but surprisingly gentle grip, escorted her to the middle of the ballroom.
"I don't know how to dance," she told him nervously. "Are you certain......"
"Relax. I'll lead," Darmien replied, with a reassuring smile. He put his hand on her waist, held her hand with the other, and joined the other spinning couples. A new song begun, a soft, vaguely wistful one that stirred Phoenix's heart. It was perfect; here, with the guy of her dreams, among people who actually wanted to be friends with her.
Nothing could last forever, she knew, though, with infinite sadness. Not for someone like her. Darmien's hand was firm upon hers as he spun her around slowly, and she gazed into the dark, mysterious depths of his midnight eyes. She wished—oh, how she wished with all her heart that she could have been normal, like everyone else. But no, fate had to force this on her. Her guardian's invisible presence seemed to hover above her head, his lips twisted in that condescending, always mocking smile that seemed to laugh at a dark joke no one but he could see. Always he blocked her life, her chance for the happiness she dreamed of but could never quite grasp. He ruled her with an iron grip of fear, and it was all she could do not to break down under the strain every time her punished her.
For her own good. Yeah, right. She smiled at the memory; a bitter smile, tinged with self-mockery. Damn you, she silently cursed him. Damn you, damn them all......
*** Quistis walked through the ballroom, politely refusing invitations to dance from her many admirers. Her cool azure gaze scanned the room, seeking—then zeroed in on the object of her attention. Travis Axiliam was standing in a corner, emerald eyes animated as he talked to a few of his students. His handsome features were complimented by the dark blue SeeD uniform—though uncomfortable and hot to wear at times, it had to be admitted it gave the wearer a certain military charisma. Dark rainbows shimmered in his glossy black hair under the soft light emanating from the ceiling.
When she was about a foot away from him, he looked up and smiled brightly as he noted her approach. He disengaged himself from a SeeD graduate and walked up to her, a smirk on his lips. "I know," he informed her, his smirk deepening into an evil grin.
"Know what?" she blinked.
"That you are the Card King, of course," he said cheerfully. "And I'm going to beat you, and win your best cards. How about that?"
Quistis couldn't keep a smile from her own face. "Deal. You're on. How did you figure it out?"
"I'm not an imbecile," he retorted. "Some of your fellow members dropped a few hints that were so blatantly hard to miss. Spade told me that the Card King was a 'she' and the Princess Diamonds commented that while I might have beat them, I would never beat the ultimate ice queen. And other little details......"
"Wow, I'm impressed," she drawled.
"You should be," he said with his classic smirk. He reached into a pocket, and pulled out a deck of cards. "Shall we?" he asked with a bow, shuffling the cards with a flourish.
"Here?"
"The sooner, the better."
Quistis pulled out her own formidable pack of cards and felt a grin cover her face. "We shall, then. If I win......you'll polish my boots for a month. And you'll have to ask Dallie Freddington out on a date."
"Hey, that's asking a little too much. Feh. The mere thought of being with that self-loving little bitch is more than I can handle." He considered. "On the other hand......if I win, you'll clean my sword for two months! And you'll go out with me on a date."
"What?"
"You're the Card King. No one can beat you. Right?"
Quistis smiled ominously. "You'll be finding that out real soon. Secret area, the training center?"
"Fine." With that, they departed in high spirits.
*** Rinoa nestled her head into Squall's shoulder and sighed with contentment. The commander of Balamb Garden had his arm on her waist and was gazing at the perfect view of the vista of silvery stars scattered around the night sky like sparkling diamonds on velvet, the stars reflected in the dark, liquid depths of his blue-gray eyes. His other hand was absent-mindedly stroking her long, black hair.
Unable to contain herself any longer, Rinoa blurted out, "Okay, 'fess up already! What in Hyne's name is going on around here?"
Squall turned to look at her with acute astonishment in his eyes. "What are you talking about?" Rinoa pulled away from Squall's embrace, planting her arms firmly on her waist. "Don't act stupid," she declared. "Ever since you got that phone call the other day you've been working late hours, spending a lot of time with Cid and Tre, looking at me and treating me like fragile glass as though afraid I'm going to fall dead at any moment. So, what's up? Give me the scoop. It's got something to do with the fact I'm a sorceress, isn't it? Don't give me that deadpan expression, Squall Leonheart. I know you very well, and the only times you wear that look, you've got something to hide."
Squall sighed in exasperation. "Rinoa, this is highly confidential business, and I am not authorized to leak out information of any kind—"
"Just shut up, Squall!" she flung at him, now thoroughly annoyed. "Don't give me that 'professional SeeD commander' voice. So you don't trust me? Especially when this 'highly confidential business' concerns me?"
"That's not it, Rinoa. But you have to understand that—"
She cut him off again. "Look, figure it out yourself. If I don't know a single thing about whatever is out there right now, how am I supposed to defend myself when the time comes? Think about it, really hard. You're my knight, Squall. You're supposed to do what's best for me."
Squall sighed. "Sometimes I don't know whether I was just plain insane or hopelessly romantic when I offered to be your knight," he muttered, a grumpy expression appearing on his previously impassive face. "Fine. Listen......"
He told her everything. When he was done, Rinoa's face had become stricken. "So, it could be......anyone," she mumbled, distraught.
"Yes, anyone," Squall echoed. "Even your friends. People you know......"
"Argh!" Rinoa growled as she sprang to her feet in an instant, her eyes now blazing with barely hidden frustration. "Wasn't Ultimecia bad enough? Now that there's a chance for a normal life, the Galbadians have to mess it up all again, as usual!" Suddenly deflated, she looked at Squall, forlorn. "I understand why you wanted to protect me from this. I'm sorry."
"So am I," said the commander as gently as he was able, as he held the sorceress in his arms and let her tears flow unchecked, dampening his SeeD uniform. Frankly, he didn't give a damn about his uniform. Silently he stood there, and though the view was as perfect as ever, it was somehow dimmed in Squall's sight.
Author's Note: Whew, finally done. Next chapter will be a little slow in coming up, sorry for the inconvenience! And......don;y forget to......READ & REVIEW, OR THE CURSE OF THE AUTHOR WILL FALL UPON YOU! MUAHAHAAHA!!!!!!!!!!