Wrongfully Accused
Chapter Seven
"SELPHIE! You scared the shit out of me! What are you doing in here?"
"Geez! Sorry Quisty, the door was open so I came in to check on you. We were all kinda worried."
"What? Worried? What for?"
"Well you've been in here for and hour and Hey! What's that in your hand?"
"Nothing." Quistis hid her hands behind her back.
"Uh huh, it sure looks like nothing too! Is it a love letter? Who from? Or did you write it? Who's it for? Can I read it?"
"No no no no and NO!!"
"Oh C'mon Quisty! You can trust me."
"Looks it's nothing okay. Just some notes I've been taking for the mission."
"But we've only been here an hour."
"You can never start too early." Quistis cringed at her weak excuse.
"Oh well, never mind, I'll meet you downstairs in twenty minutes."
"What?"
"Quistis! Don't tell me you've forgotten already?"
"Ummm."
"Aargh!! We are supposed to go shopping for our outfits. The dinner with that senator guy"
"Bareta."
"Whatever. That private dinner is on tonight, so you, me and Rinoa are all gonna go shopping."
"Oh Selphie I don't think so"
"No!"
"Wha?"
"I said NO!! You're not backing out of THIS one. You promised you'd come. Come on Quistis, it won't be any fun without you."
"Bullshit, you just want an excuse to control what I wear."
"Well. We can't have you turning up in your peach outfit. I mean, it's cute and all, but not really appropriate."
"Says you."
"Quistis, did you just impersonate Rinoa?" Selphie said with a huge grin.
"I didn't mean it... look, I'll be down there in a minute ok."
"YAY!! I knew I could count on you. Cya in twenty!!"
"Yeah cya." Quistis replied looking down at the note once more, going over the words again and again in her mind.
23:00
Gateway
Come alone
'This is something I should definitely report to Squall. But what if I scare this person off. He could be a crucial part of this mission. Or he could be some homicidal mass murderer.'
Quistis shuddered at the thought. 'It doesn't matter. I can take care of myself. I'll simply report to the commander when I'm done with this.... meeting. Too easy.....'
She then remember what Selphie had said about the private dinner that night. '....or not.'
Thirty minutes later Quistis and Selphie were sitting on the couch in the hotel lobby, with Selphie rambling on about the kind of outfit she was going to buy and Quistis trying to look interested, all the while looking over her shoulder at the elevator.
"Quistis!! Are you listening? I asked you what you thought about me going with a full length skirt for once."
"Great, but what's keeping Rinoa?"
"I can think of a good reason, and his name starts with S." Selphie said, a sly grin forming on her face. "Why? You eager to go already?"
"Yeah....that's it." The truth was, she wanted to get this over and done with so she could prepare for the events later on tonight.
"Quistis, we'll make a shopper out of you yet. Mark my words, you'll....RINOA!! OVER HERE!!" Quistis slapped her hands to the side of her head, trying to stop the ringing in her ears.
"Geez Selph, ya didn't have to yell, I'm standing right here." Rinoa stated, giving Quistis a 'there she goes again' look. Quistis smiled back in acknowledgment. When Selphie got excited about something, she tended to speak to people like they were on the other side of the room, even if they right next to her.
"Well then, shall we go?" Quistis said as she straightened her skirt.
"We shall, you ready Selph. Selphie?"
"COME ON GUY'S. HURRY UP!!" Selphie was already outside and calling for the other two.
"Well, when Selphie calls...."
"You gotta answer." Quistis said, completing Rinoa's sentence.
Two hours later they were sitting around a cafe talking about the days occurrences. Well, Rinoa and Selphie were talking, Quistis was staring off into space having lost interest once the conversation turned to fashion.
"So anyway, I know I said I liked that little white outfit, but once I saw that dress up the back, you know, the one with the spaghetti straps, I knew I had to have it." Rinoa explained in great detail.
"Would you excuse me, I think I'll head back to the hotel."
"But Quisty.."
"I'm sorry Selphie, but I'm tired. I'll see you both later."
"Ok, but remember, we have to be at the senators house by 8." Rinoa said, handing Quistis her bag.
"I will. Bye." Quistis quickly headed for the nearest bus stop. 'Finally. One more minute of that and I would have been hanging myself by those spaghetti straps.'
Lost in her own thoughts Quistis didn't notice the other woman running towards her. Before she had a chance to dodge the oncoming body, she found herself lying face up on the cold ground.
"Dammit! Why don't you watch were you're going?!" The woman looked up angrily at Quistis who had pushed herself upright into a kneeling position.
"I beg your pardon, but it was you who collided with ME!"
"................."
"What?" Quistis said, holding out her hand
"Are you.." The woman accepted Quistis' hand as she pulled herself to her feet, a look of disbelief on her face, "Are you....Ms Trepe?"
Quistis sighed. 'Not another one.' Although the rest of the group secretly loved being approached and admired by strangers, she would definitely prefer if they left her alone.
"Yes, I am Quistis Trepe."
"It is a privilege to meet you Ms Trepe. I'm Leanne Denver, I work for the Galbadian Times as a........
'Don't say reporter, please please please don't say reporter.'
".....reporter."
'Damn!' "Oh, do you have your own column?"
"Well no actually. I mainly work on political stories with other reporters."
"That's strange, I read the Galbadian Times quite frequently, but I don't think I've ever seen your name."
"Oh you wouldn't, I mainly use the name Bickerson when I'm working. You know, after Amelia Bickerson."
"Yes, the author of the Dr Isarfoe mystery series. I take it your a fan?"
"Absolutely, she's the reason I became a writer and....."
'Damn! Why do I get myself into these situations. Stop that Quistis, she's a very nice person, you're just tired and cranky and.......'
"So why are you here in Deling? Is it for a mission."
"I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to say.." 'Shit! Shouldn't have said that! Very professional Quistis, why don't you just hand over a detailed report of the mission.'
"Oh so you are here on a mission. Do you think I could get an interview?"
"I don't think so, it was very nice meeting you Miss Denver, but I really must be going." Quistis ran off before Leanne could ask her anymore questions. 'This could be bad, the last thing we need is for the press to interfere. I'm definitely going to have to report this.... unfortunately.'
Leanne finished picking up the papers that had fallen to the ground. 'So the famous SeeD Instructor is in town. She's obviously not here for a holiday, so why? What would bring one of Balamb Gardens most qualified and prominent SeeD's to Deling?' She looked down at the report on the Guardian Nightclub that she had dropped, and smiled to herself. 'I smell a rat, and for once it isn't my boss.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, I hope you're all happy with that. I know some of you wanted the note to be from Seifer, but I just didn't see how I could make that work. Don't worry though, it will still (most likely) end up a Seiftis, but I also think I might throw in a little competition for Quistis. Who knows, Seifer might even end up with someone else.