(¯`'·.¸(¯`'·. .author's note. .·'´¯)¸.·'´¯)
'Someone who thinks they're no good will someday try harder than anyone else, not wanting to lose anymore. One day, you'll know what to do, and when you do, you'll throw yourself at it with more enthusiasm and skill than anyone else. That will be an important day when you shine, my star, and I want to be there to see it.'
'So, you don't think I'm important now?'
'Important things are rare and valuable. You are both.'
Just a bit of wisdom I overheard. I think it's too good not to share.
(¯`'·.¸(¯`'·. quistis .·'´¯)¸.·'´¯)
Ruefully, I sighed as I rubbed my temple. Why was I here, really? I shook my head and stared at the door to Laguna's rooms. I did have to go in eventually. And it wasn't as though I was intruding on his property; I'd been in there before . . . of course, then I had Laguna's knowing consent.
Why was it such a dilemma to me? Yes, I was a woman, and had responded to Laguna as a woman should. Laguna, after all, was reasonably attractive . . . far more attractive than he should be, certainly . . . that wasn't a good enough explanation, not to me. I never reacted in such a fashion to anybody.
Steeling my emotions and my breath, I opened the door to Laguna's rooms with a caustic sort of determination. There probably wasn't much to search for, but it was SeeD protocol. And so, search I must.
I had told Kiros and Laguna that I had a phone call to make. I frowned. Since when had I become such a dishonest person? I could keep a secret, and was trustworthy, but never in my life had I had to lie to keep my tongue. Well, saying I had to make a phone call wasn't an entire lie, because I did want to check up with everyone, but . . .
Most of the rooms were, in fact, untouched by the grenades detonation. Hopefully, Laguna would be reinstated in these rooms by the end of the week, but the repairs hadn't started just yet. I peered around the dark, abandoned apartment, wondering why it felt so empty. It hadn't felt like this last night at all.
I made my way to the bedroom, which was still marked off by a 'do not cross' ribbon. I stepped over it. Clues, hints, something useful. Perhaps something to track the employer of the assassin.
I knelt by the window, sifting through the mess delicately as my mind drifted elsewhere.
A date. Kiros had said it was a date, and even by my standards, it fit the bill. We were alone, Laguna had paid the tab, we'd had a serious conversation . . . even though the conversation established only friendship, I was still uncomfortable with the idea.
Laguna was Squall's father, despite whatever feelings of denial Squall might be feeling. . And I was like Squall's sister, even if not legally or by blood. So honestly, it being a date was out of the question in every possible respect. Theoretically, anyway . . .
Did I want it to be a date? My rational voice told me no, that any emotional involvement was impossible. You can't love, it's impossible, your heart is broken.
Remember?
Yes, I remember. You really expected me to forget, oh consciousness of mine?
I ignored the other voice altogether. Why listen to it, when no doubt it would merely trouble me more? Besides, I shouldn't be listening to little voices in my head anyway. Whatever it was telling me I promptly shoved into the far recesses of my mind, hopefully to be banished by the power of my GF's and sheer will.
My hand hit something, and I frowned. A phone. I gaped at the flashing green light; the phone had survived the blast? Not impossible, but it was still surprising.
I frowned at the phone.
I did have to make a phone call.
A second later, I found myself dialing the number of Irvine's room. I could have dialed Selphie's, but she'd overreact, as would Rinoa and Zell. Squall was certainly out of the question, due to possibility of massacre, and last time I'd checked, Xu had been on a mission. So, Irvine it was.
The dial tone rang, and I patiently waited for the other line to pick up. If Irvine wasn't there, as I strangely hoped he wasn't, I'd have to leave a message.
The line clicked. "Howdy. Kinneas here." Irvine drawled across the line. I gave a wry twisting of lips at his accent; he always over exaggerated it over the phone.
"Irvine, hello," I said warmly. "How are you?"
"QUISTIS?" His accent toned down considerably, and I shook my head. He continued anxiously, "We worried, where are you?"
"No need to worry." I evaded his inquiry on my location. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
"Doesn't stop us from worrying," Irvine grumbled, and and after a slight rustling on the other end of the line, his tone changed to serious. "Where are you again?" he asked almost casually. I twitched, of course Irvine wouldn't be deterred.
"I'm . . . in . . ." I faltered; really, I hate lying, but perhaps telling him where I was wasn't such a good idea. 'I'm in Laguna Loire's bedroom, where just last night, the president of Esthar got me hot and bothered.' Oh yes, I can just see the resulting chaos.
" . . . Deling?" I finished, wincing at the way I'd made it sound like a question.
"No, you're not," Irvine replied smugly. In the same matter-of-fact voice, he continued as if he knew me all too well. And he did, dammit. "Deling doesn't appeal to you. You wouldn't be able to spend two days there without finding something else to do."
Well, then, the half truth? "Irvine, I don't think you should know . . ." I twitched as he interrupted.
"Aww, come on," he whined, putting on his pleading voice. If he were here, no doubt he'd put on those irresistible puppy-eyes that Selphie had fallen in love with. He paused, and teased, "Where's the worst possible place you could be?"
I snorted. "The Estharian Presidential Residency, courtesy of Laguna Loire." Well, I was certainly blunt today.
Irvine laughed. "Yeah, that'd be pretty bad, Squall'd probably . . ." he trailed off, finally registering my frank tone. " . . . oh, shi . . ." he whispered, before practically shouting in my ear. " . . . you're WHERE?"
"Calm down, Irvine," I soothed hurriedly, hoping no one on the other end heard his outburst, "it's a temporary arrangement, I assure you."
"Doesn't change the facts any, Quisty. You are in it deep," he said almost admirably, and partially annoyed. "What exactly are you DOING there?" he demanded, obviously slightly confused.
I adjusted my glasses. "You HAVE heard of the assassination attempts, yes?" Irvine made a noncommittal sound, that I interpreted as I yes. "I'm trying to keep Squall's father alive until Squall gets his head out of the sand." I made a sound of my own, tilting towards a disgusted tone
Irvine was silent for a few seconds. "You . . . you took a job outside SeeD sanctioning?! What are you thinking?!" He sputtered, the background noises on the other side suggesting him jerking out of his seat.
I tutted. "Actually, no. The rules state that I can't accept a salary outside SeeD, and this," I wryly added in a darkly sarcastic tone, "is all being done out of the goodness of my heart." My theoretical heart, mind you. . .
Irvine breathed out in relief. "Quistis, you and your damn loopholes . . . you scared the crap outta me. . ." He muttered in what he managed to make into a pissed, yet fond note. Then his tone changed drastically, into an eager, humorous tone, as if telling a joke " . . .and speaking of those assassinations, you wouldn't believe what happened yesterday."
"Try me." I said wryly. Normally, I wouldn't stand for Irvine pitiful attempts at humor, but anything that had to do with the assassinations had a possible connection to the situation. Well, actually, it had a direct connection to the situation.
Irvine cleared his throat, and started. "Well, the headmaster went up to Squall and I and wanted us to take on a mission from an anonymous employer." He paused, waiting for a response.
"That's not uncommon," I said, knowing there was more to the story.
Irvine snorted happily. "Yeah, well I opened up my briefing folder, and guess what? It was an order of assassination." I inhaled sharply. "Target: Laguna Loire, President of-"
"WHAT?" Squall had gotten a mission to kill Laguna?!
I was Laguna's unofficial bodyguard. Would I have to fight Squall? Squall was one of my dearest friends, one of my companions in everything. My brother. I couldn't possibly bring myself to fight him, even for Laguna's sake . . . or maybe only for Laguna's sake . . .
What was I thinking!?
Besides, in a battle between he and I, I would lose. Squall was, in borrowed words, 'a damn good fighter.' I, in my own words, wasn't.
"He didn't take it, did he?" I breathed, panicked.
"Hey hey, calm down!" Irvine sensed my agitation. "Don't get your panties in a twist." He took a breath. "Squall took one look at the folder and opened it. He read the first three words, and his face just kinda fell into that moody, depressed bit he gets when he's thinking too hard." Irvine was deliberately winding me up for this, wasn't he?
He continued. "Well, it took him about five seconds for him to decide whatever he was thinking, because he literally got pissed. He grabbed my mission folder, and ripped both of 'em in half. Then he stepped right up to Cid, and told the old man something to the effect of being forced to decapitate anyone who took that mission."
What?
Oh . . . oh my.
I sat down on the remnants of Laguna's bed unconsciously as I absorbed that. Just a few days ago, Squall would have leapt at that opportunity with relish. . . "Yeah," Irvine continued, blissfully oblivious to my reaction. "Cid wasn't too happy, but I think he got the picture after Squall waved his gunblade around a bit."
That last part snapped me out of whatever daze I was in. "Squall threatened the Headmaster!?" I shrieked, my glasses going askew as I practically fell of my seat.
"Yup, that about covers it." Irvine's voice was definitely pleased at the reaction he'd gotten from me. He always did like being overdramatic about things, he enjoyed people's reactions to him.
Well, he'd certainly gotten a reaction from me. I was in a minor state of shock.
"Oh . . .oh my . . . I murmured into the receiver, before shaking my head and answering, "So things with Squall are improving . . ." I twitched, and tagged on ". . . in a fashion."
Irvine laughed lightly. "Not quite. He hasn't told us yet that Laguna is his father, so technically, we don't know. I did corner him after that, but he fed me some bullshit and stomped off to give himself more wrinkle lines."
Hmm, really? Irvine went on. "But yeah, it was a shock for us too. So, how are things with you?"
"Perfectly fine," I said, and remembered that Kiros had needed Laguna for something or he wouldn't have looked for us, and I needed to know what it was. I cleared my throat, and said regretfully, "I can't really talk for much longer. This isn't even my phone."
"Who's phone is it?" Irvine queried. I could picture the questioning tilt of his head.
"It's Laguna's private line," I said absently, attempting to get off the ruined bed without disturbing the rubble. "I'm only using it because it was closest."
"Loire's private line was closest?" Irvine was grinning over the line, though what for I couldn't imagine. I sighed exasperatedly as I picked around a charred piece of wood.
"Well, it's not as if he's using it," I said impatiently. "This place is still a mess after last night."
Irvine barked out a short burst of laughter before stifling it, and his voice was thick with suppressed mirth as he answered. "Last . . .night?" he choked out, his ever present grin obvious by his tone.
"Yes, last night," I snapped, and then I froze.
I shouldn't blame him, really. He was, after all, Irvine Kinneas, consummate ladies man, and as a result of that, owner of an inherently dirty mind. However, just the fact that he was implying a relationship between Laguna and I made me snap.
"IRVINE KINNEAS, get your mind OUT of the GUTTER!" I yelled, my free hand balling into a fist. "I am NOT sleeping with Laguna Loire."
Irvine just laughed harder, to my annoyance. I huffed into the line, and Irvine finished with a dry chuckle.
"Why Quistis," He goaded in a strangely relaxing and soothing tone, "what do you mean? I never said anything. You thought of that all by your lonesome. Hey . . .do you sleep on your stomach?"
I relaxed at the strangely sudden and unexpected change of subject. "Well, no."
"Does Laguna?"
"What. . . IRVINE!"
(¯`'·.¸(¯`'·. .laguna. .·'´¯)¸.·'´¯)
Damn.
I tapped the desk with my pen nervously. Well, not much to be nervous about, but whenever my thoughts turned to Quistis lately, I got nervous. And Kiros's droning on about more political was really getting on my nerves.
"Laguna! This is important!" He barked at me.
"Why?" I said sullenly, not really having listened to him at all.
"Because," he said impatiently, "this might be the support we need to get Galbadia off our backs!"
" . . . " Ward stood silently in the corner.
"An alliance with Dollet, the puniest country in the world?" I looked at Kiros incredulously. Yeah, a big fat help that was.
"It shows we're getting serious about world involvement!" Kiros exploded, and I braced myself for his inevitable rant.
"That we aren't afraid to join in international affairs!" Kiros paced across the room and back, muttering to himself, before turning to me once more. "If we allied with Timber and Trabia as well, we'd have the three biggest enemies of Galbadia on our side, just LOOKING for a reason to rag on their ass!"
Ah. Ragging on Galbadia's ass. That sounded fun. "Okay, sounds good."
Kiros opened his mouth to argue, and realized I'd agreed with him. He shook his head ruefully. "You're too open minded. Anyone else would have kept arguing just for the sake of being right."
"Hey, being right is over rated," I explained. "People'll just think you have all the answers."
"Is that so bad?"
I shrugged. "It is if you don't."
He looked at the ceiling balefully. "In a way, that was really deep."
"It impresses the ladies."
"No comment."
"Good for you."
Kiros grinned for a second, before turning serious. "Back to the problems at hand. You really think Dollet's a good idea?"
"Yup." I stopped tapping my pen, and aimed it at a map on the wall. It hit the center of Dollet with a reasonably loud thunk.
Kiros casually looked at the quivering pen in the map. "Show off. Dollet it is."
"Sure thing." I yawned. Okay, so tomorrow instead of doing other stuff, I'd be doing other stuff enroute to Dollet. At least I'd get to ride the Apocalypse. So cool.
Kiros head snapped to the right at a harsh ringing sound, and ran over to check a security panel on the wall
"Um . . . Laguna?" Kiros leaned over the monitor, and clicked a few times.
"Yeah?" I swiveled in my chair.
Kiros frowned. "Quistis is using your phone."
"So?" I yawned. "She said she had to make a phone call."
"Laguna," he said, only slightly condescendingly, and very impatiently. "She's USING . . . YOUR . . . PHONE." He emphasized each word with a slight tilt of his head.
"Huh?" As in MY phone? "My phone got decked."
"Nope. Quistis is using it. . ." Kiros stopped suddenly, and visibly winced.
Wait a sec. That was a secure line. That was MY secure line, dammit. " . . . " I glared at Kiros. If it was secure, than how the hell did he know it was being used?
"It's supposed to be a secure line, Kiros." I sniffed at Kiros. I didn't really mind, I told Kiros whenever I got a phone call anyway. . . it was just the principle of the thing.
"Supposed to be, yeah . . ." Kiros looked uncomfortable.
"Kiros, just HOW secure is it?" I asked in a serious voice
"To anyone but me, untraceable, untrackable, and unrecordable."
"Anyone but you, huh?"
"Yup." Kiros faltered, and looked extraordinarily guilty. Hah, Kiros, you are so gullible sometimes! Not that I can talk, sure, but it was still kind funny.
And he thought I was serious about being mad at him. I grinned widely, unable to keep it in. "And to think I trusted you!" I dramatically put my hand to my forehead, flinging my arm out in false shock. Kiros blinked, and laughed.
" . . . so, how about it?" Kiros grinned as widely as me. How about what?
Huh? "Er . . . what?" I shifted. Kiros had his evil gleam. See, when Kiros is about to do something he shouldn't, he gets this twitch in his eye, almost like the hypothetical angel on his shoulder is tugging on his bottom eyelid. The little angel's attempts are almost always in vain.
Poor little guy.
Kiros grinned wider. "You know. . . listen in on Quistis's phone conversation."
I blinked. Well, hell yeah, I wanted to! But there's this little voice in the back of my head, damn annoying little thing. You know what it said?
'She trusts you.'
"Quistis trusts me," I said slowly.
Kiros raised his eyebrows. "To my knowledge, you haven't done much to earn her trust."
"To your knowledge," I muttered glumly. Kiros leaned forward.
"You know, you don't have a say in this," he said quietly. "I have to listen to it, eventually. It's a security issue."
"I trust Quistis." I said immediately.
"So do I. Don't ruin my fragile attempt at an excuse to listen in."
I gaped like a fish for a bit longer. "Kiros, you are very uncool."
"That's as close to a yes as I'm gonna get." Kiros's finger flew across the keyboard, and the conversation filtered up out of the speakers.
"*Howdy. Kinneas here.*"
"*Irvine, hello. How are you?*"
I scowled. Quistis sounded a little too happy to hear from this Kinneas guy. I listened to the short exchange of information unhappily, until Kiros shifted warningly. Did he sense something in the conversation? My ears perked up as Kiros leaned forward.
"* . . . headmaster went up to Squall and I and wanted us to take on a mission from an anonymous employer,*" Kinneas was saying in an all-too- cocky drawl. "* . . . I opened up my briefing folder, and guess what? It was an order of assassination. Target: Laguna Loire, Pres-*"
Kiros jerked up, and Ward's weight shifted.
My voice was joined with Quistis's in a resounding "WHAT?"
I snapped my mouth shut as Quistis continued frantically. "He didn't take it, did he?" I couldn't help but notice her worried tone with certain . . . satisfaction.
"*Hey hey, calm down! Don't get your panties in a twist.*"
Kiros took out a pen and started scribbling on a piece of paper as Kinneas went on. "*Squall took one look at the folder and . . . grabbed my mission folder, and ripped both of 'em in half. Then he stepped right up to Cid, and told the old man something to the effect of being forced to decapitate anyone who took that mission.*"
I blinked. Kiros stared at the speakers, and crumpled up and threw away the piece of paper he was scribbling on.
What? Squall had defended me? I sat down . . . I'd been standing? . . . and thought. Hard.
Did that mean that Squall, even if he hadn't accepted me, accepted the fact that I was his father? By blood, at least, if not by much of anything else? I winced. By nothing else, really. . .
"Laguna!" Kiros shook me out of my reverie. "Listen!"
There wasn't much else of political or personal interest in the phone call.
But still, by the end of the half hour's time it took to finish listening to the innuendo-spiked conversation between Irvine Kinneas and Quistis Trepe, everyone in the room was leaning over the computer speakers.
Ward was silent as usual, but smiling faintly.
Kiros was laughing insanely.
I had a nosebleed.
(¯`'·.¸(¯`'·. author's note .·'´¯)¸.·'´¯)
Hah! Nosebleed! My goal was a very casual, utterly boring, and merely space filling chapter that's a precursor to the action-packed, fluffy marvel that is chapter 15. . . well, er . . . chapter 15 isn't written yet . . . but I have so much planned for it, it'll prolly spill over to chap 16.
Such a short chapter . . . and no character interaction between Quistis and Laguna . . .How cruel I must seem! But, it's crucial for the flimsy excuse of a plotline I have in mind. And I did cut out some of what Irvine said while Laguna was listening in; I figured you wouldn't want to read it twice.
Irvine is such a great character. So adaptable to any position you might want to use him for. He can be angsty, the misunderstood loner pining for something beyond a physical relationship, or he can be happy, the flirtatious cowboy winging it through life with a smile.
Thus, I've decided to make him a bigger character in the story . . . if only to get Laguna jealous. Heh heh.
"Now there sits a man with an open mind. I can feel the draft from here." -Groucho Marx
'Someone who thinks they're no good will someday try harder than anyone else, not wanting to lose anymore. One day, you'll know what to do, and when you do, you'll throw yourself at it with more enthusiasm and skill than anyone else. That will be an important day when you shine, my star, and I want to be there to see it.'
'So, you don't think I'm important now?'
'Important things are rare and valuable. You are both.'
Just a bit of wisdom I overheard. I think it's too good not to share.
(¯`'·.¸(¯`'·. quistis .·'´¯)¸.·'´¯)
Ruefully, I sighed as I rubbed my temple. Why was I here, really? I shook my head and stared at the door to Laguna's rooms. I did have to go in eventually. And it wasn't as though I was intruding on his property; I'd been in there before . . . of course, then I had Laguna's knowing consent.
Why was it such a dilemma to me? Yes, I was a woman, and had responded to Laguna as a woman should. Laguna, after all, was reasonably attractive . . . far more attractive than he should be, certainly . . . that wasn't a good enough explanation, not to me. I never reacted in such a fashion to anybody.
Steeling my emotions and my breath, I opened the door to Laguna's rooms with a caustic sort of determination. There probably wasn't much to search for, but it was SeeD protocol. And so, search I must.
I had told Kiros and Laguna that I had a phone call to make. I frowned. Since when had I become such a dishonest person? I could keep a secret, and was trustworthy, but never in my life had I had to lie to keep my tongue. Well, saying I had to make a phone call wasn't an entire lie, because I did want to check up with everyone, but . . .
Most of the rooms were, in fact, untouched by the grenades detonation. Hopefully, Laguna would be reinstated in these rooms by the end of the week, but the repairs hadn't started just yet. I peered around the dark, abandoned apartment, wondering why it felt so empty. It hadn't felt like this last night at all.
I made my way to the bedroom, which was still marked off by a 'do not cross' ribbon. I stepped over it. Clues, hints, something useful. Perhaps something to track the employer of the assassin.
I knelt by the window, sifting through the mess delicately as my mind drifted elsewhere.
A date. Kiros had said it was a date, and even by my standards, it fit the bill. We were alone, Laguna had paid the tab, we'd had a serious conversation . . . even though the conversation established only friendship, I was still uncomfortable with the idea.
Laguna was Squall's father, despite whatever feelings of denial Squall might be feeling. . And I was like Squall's sister, even if not legally or by blood. So honestly, it being a date was out of the question in every possible respect. Theoretically, anyway . . .
Did I want it to be a date? My rational voice told me no, that any emotional involvement was impossible. You can't love, it's impossible, your heart is broken.
Remember?
Yes, I remember. You really expected me to forget, oh consciousness of mine?
I ignored the other voice altogether. Why listen to it, when no doubt it would merely trouble me more? Besides, I shouldn't be listening to little voices in my head anyway. Whatever it was telling me I promptly shoved into the far recesses of my mind, hopefully to be banished by the power of my GF's and sheer will.
My hand hit something, and I frowned. A phone. I gaped at the flashing green light; the phone had survived the blast? Not impossible, but it was still surprising.
I frowned at the phone.
I did have to make a phone call.
A second later, I found myself dialing the number of Irvine's room. I could have dialed Selphie's, but she'd overreact, as would Rinoa and Zell. Squall was certainly out of the question, due to possibility of massacre, and last time I'd checked, Xu had been on a mission. So, Irvine it was.
The dial tone rang, and I patiently waited for the other line to pick up. If Irvine wasn't there, as I strangely hoped he wasn't, I'd have to leave a message.
The line clicked. "Howdy. Kinneas here." Irvine drawled across the line. I gave a wry twisting of lips at his accent; he always over exaggerated it over the phone.
"Irvine, hello," I said warmly. "How are you?"
"QUISTIS?" His accent toned down considerably, and I shook my head. He continued anxiously, "We worried, where are you?"
"No need to worry." I evaded his inquiry on my location. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
"Doesn't stop us from worrying," Irvine grumbled, and and after a slight rustling on the other end of the line, his tone changed to serious. "Where are you again?" he asked almost casually. I twitched, of course Irvine wouldn't be deterred.
"I'm . . . in . . ." I faltered; really, I hate lying, but perhaps telling him where I was wasn't such a good idea. 'I'm in Laguna Loire's bedroom, where just last night, the president of Esthar got me hot and bothered.' Oh yes, I can just see the resulting chaos.
" . . . Deling?" I finished, wincing at the way I'd made it sound like a question.
"No, you're not," Irvine replied smugly. In the same matter-of-fact voice, he continued as if he knew me all too well. And he did, dammit. "Deling doesn't appeal to you. You wouldn't be able to spend two days there without finding something else to do."
Well, then, the half truth? "Irvine, I don't think you should know . . ." I twitched as he interrupted.
"Aww, come on," he whined, putting on his pleading voice. If he were here, no doubt he'd put on those irresistible puppy-eyes that Selphie had fallen in love with. He paused, and teased, "Where's the worst possible place you could be?"
I snorted. "The Estharian Presidential Residency, courtesy of Laguna Loire." Well, I was certainly blunt today.
Irvine laughed. "Yeah, that'd be pretty bad, Squall'd probably . . ." he trailed off, finally registering my frank tone. " . . . oh, shi . . ." he whispered, before practically shouting in my ear. " . . . you're WHERE?"
"Calm down, Irvine," I soothed hurriedly, hoping no one on the other end heard his outburst, "it's a temporary arrangement, I assure you."
"Doesn't change the facts any, Quisty. You are in it deep," he said almost admirably, and partially annoyed. "What exactly are you DOING there?" he demanded, obviously slightly confused.
I adjusted my glasses. "You HAVE heard of the assassination attempts, yes?" Irvine made a noncommittal sound, that I interpreted as I yes. "I'm trying to keep Squall's father alive until Squall gets his head out of the sand." I made a sound of my own, tilting towards a disgusted tone
Irvine was silent for a few seconds. "You . . . you took a job outside SeeD sanctioning?! What are you thinking?!" He sputtered, the background noises on the other side suggesting him jerking out of his seat.
I tutted. "Actually, no. The rules state that I can't accept a salary outside SeeD, and this," I wryly added in a darkly sarcastic tone, "is all being done out of the goodness of my heart." My theoretical heart, mind you. . .
Irvine breathed out in relief. "Quistis, you and your damn loopholes . . . you scared the crap outta me. . ." He muttered in what he managed to make into a pissed, yet fond note. Then his tone changed drastically, into an eager, humorous tone, as if telling a joke " . . .and speaking of those assassinations, you wouldn't believe what happened yesterday."
"Try me." I said wryly. Normally, I wouldn't stand for Irvine pitiful attempts at humor, but anything that had to do with the assassinations had a possible connection to the situation. Well, actually, it had a direct connection to the situation.
Irvine cleared his throat, and started. "Well, the headmaster went up to Squall and I and wanted us to take on a mission from an anonymous employer." He paused, waiting for a response.
"That's not uncommon," I said, knowing there was more to the story.
Irvine snorted happily. "Yeah, well I opened up my briefing folder, and guess what? It was an order of assassination." I inhaled sharply. "Target: Laguna Loire, President of-"
"WHAT?" Squall had gotten a mission to kill Laguna?!
I was Laguna's unofficial bodyguard. Would I have to fight Squall? Squall was one of my dearest friends, one of my companions in everything. My brother. I couldn't possibly bring myself to fight him, even for Laguna's sake . . . or maybe only for Laguna's sake . . .
What was I thinking!?
Besides, in a battle between he and I, I would lose. Squall was, in borrowed words, 'a damn good fighter.' I, in my own words, wasn't.
"He didn't take it, did he?" I breathed, panicked.
"Hey hey, calm down!" Irvine sensed my agitation. "Don't get your panties in a twist." He took a breath. "Squall took one look at the folder and opened it. He read the first three words, and his face just kinda fell into that moody, depressed bit he gets when he's thinking too hard." Irvine was deliberately winding me up for this, wasn't he?
He continued. "Well, it took him about five seconds for him to decide whatever he was thinking, because he literally got pissed. He grabbed my mission folder, and ripped both of 'em in half. Then he stepped right up to Cid, and told the old man something to the effect of being forced to decapitate anyone who took that mission."
What?
Oh . . . oh my.
I sat down on the remnants of Laguna's bed unconsciously as I absorbed that. Just a few days ago, Squall would have leapt at that opportunity with relish. . . "Yeah," Irvine continued, blissfully oblivious to my reaction. "Cid wasn't too happy, but I think he got the picture after Squall waved his gunblade around a bit."
That last part snapped me out of whatever daze I was in. "Squall threatened the Headmaster!?" I shrieked, my glasses going askew as I practically fell of my seat.
"Yup, that about covers it." Irvine's voice was definitely pleased at the reaction he'd gotten from me. He always did like being overdramatic about things, he enjoyed people's reactions to him.
Well, he'd certainly gotten a reaction from me. I was in a minor state of shock.
"Oh . . .oh my . . . I murmured into the receiver, before shaking my head and answering, "So things with Squall are improving . . ." I twitched, and tagged on ". . . in a fashion."
Irvine laughed lightly. "Not quite. He hasn't told us yet that Laguna is his father, so technically, we don't know. I did corner him after that, but he fed me some bullshit and stomped off to give himself more wrinkle lines."
Hmm, really? Irvine went on. "But yeah, it was a shock for us too. So, how are things with you?"
"Perfectly fine," I said, and remembered that Kiros had needed Laguna for something or he wouldn't have looked for us, and I needed to know what it was. I cleared my throat, and said regretfully, "I can't really talk for much longer. This isn't even my phone."
"Who's phone is it?" Irvine queried. I could picture the questioning tilt of his head.
"It's Laguna's private line," I said absently, attempting to get off the ruined bed without disturbing the rubble. "I'm only using it because it was closest."
"Loire's private line was closest?" Irvine was grinning over the line, though what for I couldn't imagine. I sighed exasperatedly as I picked around a charred piece of wood.
"Well, it's not as if he's using it," I said impatiently. "This place is still a mess after last night."
Irvine barked out a short burst of laughter before stifling it, and his voice was thick with suppressed mirth as he answered. "Last . . .night?" he choked out, his ever present grin obvious by his tone.
"Yes, last night," I snapped, and then I froze.
I shouldn't blame him, really. He was, after all, Irvine Kinneas, consummate ladies man, and as a result of that, owner of an inherently dirty mind. However, just the fact that he was implying a relationship between Laguna and I made me snap.
"IRVINE KINNEAS, get your mind OUT of the GUTTER!" I yelled, my free hand balling into a fist. "I am NOT sleeping with Laguna Loire."
Irvine just laughed harder, to my annoyance. I huffed into the line, and Irvine finished with a dry chuckle.
"Why Quistis," He goaded in a strangely relaxing and soothing tone, "what do you mean? I never said anything. You thought of that all by your lonesome. Hey . . .do you sleep on your stomach?"
I relaxed at the strangely sudden and unexpected change of subject. "Well, no."
"Does Laguna?"
"What. . . IRVINE!"
(¯`'·.¸(¯`'·. .laguna. .·'´¯)¸.·'´¯)
Damn.
I tapped the desk with my pen nervously. Well, not much to be nervous about, but whenever my thoughts turned to Quistis lately, I got nervous. And Kiros's droning on about more political was really getting on my nerves.
"Laguna! This is important!" He barked at me.
"Why?" I said sullenly, not really having listened to him at all.
"Because," he said impatiently, "this might be the support we need to get Galbadia off our backs!"
" . . . " Ward stood silently in the corner.
"An alliance with Dollet, the puniest country in the world?" I looked at Kiros incredulously. Yeah, a big fat help that was.
"It shows we're getting serious about world involvement!" Kiros exploded, and I braced myself for his inevitable rant.
"That we aren't afraid to join in international affairs!" Kiros paced across the room and back, muttering to himself, before turning to me once more. "If we allied with Timber and Trabia as well, we'd have the three biggest enemies of Galbadia on our side, just LOOKING for a reason to rag on their ass!"
Ah. Ragging on Galbadia's ass. That sounded fun. "Okay, sounds good."
Kiros opened his mouth to argue, and realized I'd agreed with him. He shook his head ruefully. "You're too open minded. Anyone else would have kept arguing just for the sake of being right."
"Hey, being right is over rated," I explained. "People'll just think you have all the answers."
"Is that so bad?"
I shrugged. "It is if you don't."
He looked at the ceiling balefully. "In a way, that was really deep."
"It impresses the ladies."
"No comment."
"Good for you."
Kiros grinned for a second, before turning serious. "Back to the problems at hand. You really think Dollet's a good idea?"
"Yup." I stopped tapping my pen, and aimed it at a map on the wall. It hit the center of Dollet with a reasonably loud thunk.
Kiros casually looked at the quivering pen in the map. "Show off. Dollet it is."
"Sure thing." I yawned. Okay, so tomorrow instead of doing other stuff, I'd be doing other stuff enroute to Dollet. At least I'd get to ride the Apocalypse. So cool.
Kiros head snapped to the right at a harsh ringing sound, and ran over to check a security panel on the wall
"Um . . . Laguna?" Kiros leaned over the monitor, and clicked a few times.
"Yeah?" I swiveled in my chair.
Kiros frowned. "Quistis is using your phone."
"So?" I yawned. "She said she had to make a phone call."
"Laguna," he said, only slightly condescendingly, and very impatiently. "She's USING . . . YOUR . . . PHONE." He emphasized each word with a slight tilt of his head.
"Huh?" As in MY phone? "My phone got decked."
"Nope. Quistis is using it. . ." Kiros stopped suddenly, and visibly winced.
Wait a sec. That was a secure line. That was MY secure line, dammit. " . . . " I glared at Kiros. If it was secure, than how the hell did he know it was being used?
"It's supposed to be a secure line, Kiros." I sniffed at Kiros. I didn't really mind, I told Kiros whenever I got a phone call anyway. . . it was just the principle of the thing.
"Supposed to be, yeah . . ." Kiros looked uncomfortable.
"Kiros, just HOW secure is it?" I asked in a serious voice
"To anyone but me, untraceable, untrackable, and unrecordable."
"Anyone but you, huh?"
"Yup." Kiros faltered, and looked extraordinarily guilty. Hah, Kiros, you are so gullible sometimes! Not that I can talk, sure, but it was still kind funny.
And he thought I was serious about being mad at him. I grinned widely, unable to keep it in. "And to think I trusted you!" I dramatically put my hand to my forehead, flinging my arm out in false shock. Kiros blinked, and laughed.
" . . . so, how about it?" Kiros grinned as widely as me. How about what?
Huh? "Er . . . what?" I shifted. Kiros had his evil gleam. See, when Kiros is about to do something he shouldn't, he gets this twitch in his eye, almost like the hypothetical angel on his shoulder is tugging on his bottom eyelid. The little angel's attempts are almost always in vain.
Poor little guy.
Kiros grinned wider. "You know. . . listen in on Quistis's phone conversation."
I blinked. Well, hell yeah, I wanted to! But there's this little voice in the back of my head, damn annoying little thing. You know what it said?
'She trusts you.'
"Quistis trusts me," I said slowly.
Kiros raised his eyebrows. "To my knowledge, you haven't done much to earn her trust."
"To your knowledge," I muttered glumly. Kiros leaned forward.
"You know, you don't have a say in this," he said quietly. "I have to listen to it, eventually. It's a security issue."
"I trust Quistis." I said immediately.
"So do I. Don't ruin my fragile attempt at an excuse to listen in."
I gaped like a fish for a bit longer. "Kiros, you are very uncool."
"That's as close to a yes as I'm gonna get." Kiros's finger flew across the keyboard, and the conversation filtered up out of the speakers.
"*Howdy. Kinneas here.*"
"*Irvine, hello. How are you?*"
I scowled. Quistis sounded a little too happy to hear from this Kinneas guy. I listened to the short exchange of information unhappily, until Kiros shifted warningly. Did he sense something in the conversation? My ears perked up as Kiros leaned forward.
"* . . . headmaster went up to Squall and I and wanted us to take on a mission from an anonymous employer,*" Kinneas was saying in an all-too- cocky drawl. "* . . . I opened up my briefing folder, and guess what? It was an order of assassination. Target: Laguna Loire, Pres-*"
Kiros jerked up, and Ward's weight shifted.
My voice was joined with Quistis's in a resounding "WHAT?"
I snapped my mouth shut as Quistis continued frantically. "He didn't take it, did he?" I couldn't help but notice her worried tone with certain . . . satisfaction.
"*Hey hey, calm down! Don't get your panties in a twist.*"
Kiros took out a pen and started scribbling on a piece of paper as Kinneas went on. "*Squall took one look at the folder and . . . grabbed my mission folder, and ripped both of 'em in half. Then he stepped right up to Cid, and told the old man something to the effect of being forced to decapitate anyone who took that mission.*"
I blinked. Kiros stared at the speakers, and crumpled up and threw away the piece of paper he was scribbling on.
What? Squall had defended me? I sat down . . . I'd been standing? . . . and thought. Hard.
Did that mean that Squall, even if he hadn't accepted me, accepted the fact that I was his father? By blood, at least, if not by much of anything else? I winced. By nothing else, really. . .
"Laguna!" Kiros shook me out of my reverie. "Listen!"
There wasn't much else of political or personal interest in the phone call.
But still, by the end of the half hour's time it took to finish listening to the innuendo-spiked conversation between Irvine Kinneas and Quistis Trepe, everyone in the room was leaning over the computer speakers.
Ward was silent as usual, but smiling faintly.
Kiros was laughing insanely.
I had a nosebleed.
(¯`'·.¸(¯`'·. author's note .·'´¯)¸.·'´¯)
Hah! Nosebleed! My goal was a very casual, utterly boring, and merely space filling chapter that's a precursor to the action-packed, fluffy marvel that is chapter 15. . . well, er . . . chapter 15 isn't written yet . . . but I have so much planned for it, it'll prolly spill over to chap 16.
Such a short chapter . . . and no character interaction between Quistis and Laguna . . .How cruel I must seem! But, it's crucial for the flimsy excuse of a plotline I have in mind. And I did cut out some of what Irvine said while Laguna was listening in; I figured you wouldn't want to read it twice.
Irvine is such a great character. So adaptable to any position you might want to use him for. He can be angsty, the misunderstood loner pining for something beyond a physical relationship, or he can be happy, the flirtatious cowboy winging it through life with a smile.
Thus, I've decided to make him a bigger character in the story . . . if only to get Laguna jealous. Heh heh.
"Now there sits a man with an open mind. I can feel the draft from here." -Groucho Marx