"Pop Tart
What's our mission
Do we know
But never listen?"
--The Smashing Pumpkins
"For When You Return"
Part IV
"Let's see," Rinoa said, holding one up. "The white t-shirt, ooor..." She dramatically pushed
the garment in her other hand forward and announced ever-so-importantly. "The -other- white
t-shirt? Quick, quick! Make your decision!"
Squall snatched the nearest one from her hand, trying to play the part of not amused. They were
in his dorm room, where he was changing. The day before had been uneventful, save constant burst
of joy from Zell and twitters of excitement from everyone else. Even Squall could feel it.
Gods, could he feel it!
They were to leave the next morning.
Rinoa sat down at the edge of the bed. His open duffel bag rose a little with her weight and
then settled, and the quilts warped and twisted a little in addition. She put her hands in her
lap and crossed her ankles, as dainty as could be. Her chin lifted a touch, and she quietly
watched him pull his shirt over his head and draw it down.
Squall found her watching him, and smiled. Yes, smiled. The prospect of doing something
different, something like old times, was fetching. Rinoa was fetching. Hell, life itself was
fetching.
"Gee," Rinoa propped her chin in her hands. "You're certainly glowing tonight."
"Yeah," Squall said. He plopped down next to her on the opposite side of his duffel bag and
held onto the edge of the bed, leaning over a little. It was strange, just sitting there and
doing nothing, not having to do anything... He'd always hated it before, but now that he had
plans, actual adventurous plans in the morning... It made this moment seem all for the better.
Something to treasure, rather than something to dread.
"I mean, I haven't been in the Ragnarok in ages, Rinoa. And even when I was... I was so
stressed. I mean, you know what kind of stuff was going on. But tomorrow... We're doing this
for fun. Fun! Imagine that, huh?"
"Uh-huh."
She didn't sound that bleak or bothered. On the contrary, she was beaming at him. Her eyes
took him in, and Squall knew that Rinoa was happy because he was happy. He still didn't quite
understand what she saw in him... but at that moment, he knew what -he- saw in -her-. Rinoa.
"...It isn't going to be that dangerous." He said. She hadn't shown a lot of worry beyond that
short moment when Zell had first mentioned that to her, and his tone was more frank than it was
reassuring. "It isn't meant to be dangerous. You know that, right? I wouldn't let you go if it
were dangerous."
Rinoa rubbed her foot into the ground, looked at it for a moment. "I know. You'd be silent and
brooding if it were dangerous. Worrying. But you're not. And Squall," She looked over at him.
"I'm one of you now, right? I mean, I don't feel that out of place any more. I want to do this,
too. Really, I do."
Squall wasn't so sure that this was true, but he hadn't lied. It wasn't going to be dangerous.
And he wasn't going to deny Rinoa anything, not if he didn't have to. It was, after all... her
choice. Whether she chose to go willingly or to simply jump on the bandwagon was her decision.
He had to respect that...
...And besides, he was so happy. And she looked happy.
He lay back on his bed with his knees crooked over the edge. At the same time Rinoa got to her
feet, and he watched her move across the room. Slowly his eyes moved, until they could go no
further... and he rest his cheek on the mattress to allow himself to see her fully. Rinoa had
crossed to his bookshelf.
With those exaggerated movements of hers that managed to miraculously be graceful, she bent
over and ran her fingertip along the short row of texts he kept. "Junctioning, the Way of the
Sword... Magic, Drawing... Why, Squall! These are all course-books!"
"Yeah?" He asked, not caring too much. They'd always been there, after all. Squall remained
motionless on the bed, with his head turned to face her, and she turned around to offer him a
short and pointed glance.
"Don't you ever read anything... fun?"
"Fun?"
"You know, novels. Short stories, poetry... That kind of stuff."
"Never had the time, I guess."
"Humph." Rinoa said. Naturally, she wouldn't loose sleep over any of this, but it was in her
nature to give it all in most everything she did. Even if it was simply taking note of Squall's
literature-deprival. "You can always find time. I remember, in my father's study... walls and
walls of books."
She looked at her dirty fingertips. "And they never got dusty."
"Uh-huh." Squall said.
Rinoa lifted her chin a little and declared. "I am going to Dollet and buying you a book. A
real thick one." She squinted her eyes and wrinkled her nose dramatically. "And if you're too
lazy to pick it up, I'll sneak into your room in the middle of the night, wake you up, and read
it to you until you fall asleep again."
"I love you too, Mom."
She sneered playfully at him.
Squall heaved a sigh and turned his head so that he faced the ceiling again, resting with his
arms folded like a pillow. His ribcage felt tight, the way he was stretched out, and he fought
a sudden urge to turn out the lights. They could just lay there, staring up, up...
"...If we waited long enough, could we see stars?" He murmured.
"Hmm?" Rinoa asked. She was still by his scantily-clad bookshelf.
"...Nothing. I was just thinking aloud."
Squall could feel Rinoa smiling to herself from across the room. He didn't even need to look at
her, and he didn't. He could feel her, and he decided that he liked that feeling. "Tomorrow is
going to be a day to remember, I can feel it."
"So can I," Rinoa replied with a little grin. "We'll all remember that Squall stepped up onto
the Ragnorok with a half-packed bag."
"It's only one day." Squall replied. "And I'll get to it, we have plenty of time."
"One day?" Her smile. "I thought this was a Great Challenge? Great Challenges have no
boundaries." She deepened her voice a little in poor but obvious imitation. "Come back here,
you! This is no laughing matter!"
Squall's chest rose and fell with a good-natured chuckle. Riona beamed and twirled a strand of
hair around her fingertip. In that motion, she caught sight of something on the bookshelf and
leaned over a little. The mirth faded from her eyes, but only a little... Curiosity took over.
"What's this?"
"Huh?"
"This book," With her index finger she touched the top of a leather-bound booklet. It was
black, and seemed a little bit weather-worn at the spine. However, all in all it looked to be
in very good condition. Almost new, save what had been mentioned.
"I don't know," Squall said. "It doesn't look familiar. Notes, maybe?"
"Notes? To a girlfriend?"
"Of course." He said frankly, before adding in a normal tone of voice. "No, notes from a class
or something. I don't know."
"Hmm..." Rinoa dropped her hand. The urge to pull it out compelled her, but just as she lifted
her fingers to go for the booklet again a loud cracking sound reprimanded her, enough to make
her eyes fly wide and her innards jump under her skin.
"The door."
Someone was knocking.
"Squall? Is Rinoa in there? I hope I'm not disturbing anything." Xu's voice.
"Gee, thanks." Squall huffed, as he rolled off the bed and to his feet. His t-shirt was
wrinkled and his hair tousled, as if he had been sleeping. Quite aware of this, he tugged and
patted a little before pulling the door open.
Sure enough, Xu was standing there, impeccable in her smart black uniform. She craned her neck
to one side, saw Riona standing upright by the bookshelf, and then turned her focus to Squall
again. He brought his hand down from his hair.
"It's Rinoa. The Headmaster would like her in his office immediately."
Cid Kramer stood up from behind his desk at the moment the doors open. Xu held it for Rinoa,
who was followed closely by Squall. He looked bedridden, and had thrown on his SeeD jacket at
what seemed to have been the last minute. It hung open tiredly, but the man's eyes were sharp.
Alert. Cid watched him, and then circled his desk in order to usher Rinoa to a seat.
"I'm sorry, my dear -- I know that it's getting late."
Rinoa and Squall exchanged glances.
"Um..." Rinoa bashfully ran her hair behind one ear while seating herself in a chair opposite
of Cid's own. The man seated himself as well, and offered a small nod to Squall. He did not sit.
He stood.
Squall was thus right behind and a little to the left of Rinoa, as much a reassurance as an
addition to the tension. He seemed so anxious, so formal... so worried. It rubbed off on her,
and she gripped the arms of her seat.
Xu closed the doors.
"What is it?" Squall asked.
"Rinoa." Cid said. He gave Squall a glance, as if to tell him that this was not his burden, and
then turned a softer gaze onto Rinoa's face. She looked tentative. He tried to look reassuring,
and spoke very briskly after that. "There's no need for alarm. There's nothing wrong, and
nothing to worry about."
"...And?" Squall asked.
Sheesh. Cid reminded himself never to get -that- man out of bed.
"We just received a transmission from Esthar. It came directly from the President himself. He
requested an immediate audience with Miss Heartlilly, and left very little details after that."
Cid looked over at Rinoa. "If it were urgent or threatening, I'm sure he would have said so. I
wouldn't even have bothered telling you at this hour, but it seems that President Loire had
already arranged a means of transportation that leaves early tomorrow. I'd imagine you'd want
some forewarning."
"....Me? Why me?" Rinoa asked. Squall was wondering the same thing.
"I haven't the slightest. He had mentioned briefly that it was a quite personal matter." Cid
said. "But I do assure you, he seemed quite at ease in his transmission. There shouldn't be a
need to worry."
Squall crossed his arms over his chest.
"You will take the four o' clock train from Balamb and travel to Esthar through Fisherman's
Horizon. They'll be expecting you."
"I'll go with her." Squall said.
"I reiterate," Cid said. "It's not dangerous, Squall. And again, the President had stated that
this was to be a personal--"
"He'll understand." Squall interjected. "I'll go wit--"
"No, Squall." Rinoa said. She looked up at him over her shoulder. "I don't need you to come
along. You have things to do tomorrow, remember?"
"But--"
"He said that it's nothing threatening, Squall. You'll be in more danger than I will. Besides,
I've been through a lot more than a trip to visit an old friend of ours. Right? This should be a
vacation in comparison."
She was right. Naturally, Squall got quiet. He always got quiet like that when she was right.
His arms tightened their hold about his chest, winding like a spring. "Esthar has been cleared
up, hasn't it? It's declared safe?"
"Safer than your dorm room, Squall." Cid said.
Squall frowned.
"Would you be greatly disturbed if I dismissed you?" Cid asked. "I simply need to discuss some
details with Rinoa, and I feel that it would be a waste of your time. We did drag you out of
your room for this, after all."
Cid was suggesting, yes, but Squall knew that he was supposed to submit. And, after another
glance from Riona, he did. However, with that came a burst of anger. Humiliation? Or perhaps it
was just a manifestation of his concern. With a tight-lipped sigh he straightened a little and
nodded. "Excuse me, Sir."
"Xu will escort you out."
Squall grit his teeth and turned. Xu, on cue, opened the door for him and followed him outside.
As she closed it and shut them both out, Squall could see Riona looking at him over her
shoulder. Cid too, watched... and then they were gone.
"Squall," Xu said, as she led them to the elevator and pushed the down button. "I assure you,
everything will be fine."
Squall didn't say anything. The door opened. Xu didn't join him as he went inside. However, he
didn't expect her to. She, after all, had business to deal with. Squall crossed his arms and
faced her. The door took an extremely long time in sliding shut.
"Well," She said to pass the time. "I do hope you all enjoy your excursion tomorrow. You guys
certainly deserve a break...especially you, Squall."
Squall nodded at this, and then paused a little. He thought to say something and started to do
so, but by then the door had started to close and he simply thanked her instead. She nodded a
response, and then was clipped away with a hiss and slam of the elevator door.
It whirred and rushed down toward the main floor.
Squall's belly dropped. It was probably due to the elevator, but he had his doubts.
End Part 4/?
To be Continued.
What's our mission
Do we know
But never listen?"
--The Smashing Pumpkins
"For When You Return"
Part IV
"Let's see," Rinoa said, holding one up. "The white t-shirt, ooor..." She dramatically pushed
the garment in her other hand forward and announced ever-so-importantly. "The -other- white
t-shirt? Quick, quick! Make your decision!"
Squall snatched the nearest one from her hand, trying to play the part of not amused. They were
in his dorm room, where he was changing. The day before had been uneventful, save constant burst
of joy from Zell and twitters of excitement from everyone else. Even Squall could feel it.
Gods, could he feel it!
They were to leave the next morning.
Rinoa sat down at the edge of the bed. His open duffel bag rose a little with her weight and
then settled, and the quilts warped and twisted a little in addition. She put her hands in her
lap and crossed her ankles, as dainty as could be. Her chin lifted a touch, and she quietly
watched him pull his shirt over his head and draw it down.
Squall found her watching him, and smiled. Yes, smiled. The prospect of doing something
different, something like old times, was fetching. Rinoa was fetching. Hell, life itself was
fetching.
"Gee," Rinoa propped her chin in her hands. "You're certainly glowing tonight."
"Yeah," Squall said. He plopped down next to her on the opposite side of his duffel bag and
held onto the edge of the bed, leaning over a little. It was strange, just sitting there and
doing nothing, not having to do anything... He'd always hated it before, but now that he had
plans, actual adventurous plans in the morning... It made this moment seem all for the better.
Something to treasure, rather than something to dread.
"I mean, I haven't been in the Ragnarok in ages, Rinoa. And even when I was... I was so
stressed. I mean, you know what kind of stuff was going on. But tomorrow... We're doing this
for fun. Fun! Imagine that, huh?"
"Uh-huh."
She didn't sound that bleak or bothered. On the contrary, she was beaming at him. Her eyes
took him in, and Squall knew that Rinoa was happy because he was happy. He still didn't quite
understand what she saw in him... but at that moment, he knew what -he- saw in -her-. Rinoa.
"...It isn't going to be that dangerous." He said. She hadn't shown a lot of worry beyond that
short moment when Zell had first mentioned that to her, and his tone was more frank than it was
reassuring. "It isn't meant to be dangerous. You know that, right? I wouldn't let you go if it
were dangerous."
Rinoa rubbed her foot into the ground, looked at it for a moment. "I know. You'd be silent and
brooding if it were dangerous. Worrying. But you're not. And Squall," She looked over at him.
"I'm one of you now, right? I mean, I don't feel that out of place any more. I want to do this,
too. Really, I do."
Squall wasn't so sure that this was true, but he hadn't lied. It wasn't going to be dangerous.
And he wasn't going to deny Rinoa anything, not if he didn't have to. It was, after all... her
choice. Whether she chose to go willingly or to simply jump on the bandwagon was her decision.
He had to respect that...
...And besides, he was so happy. And she looked happy.
He lay back on his bed with his knees crooked over the edge. At the same time Rinoa got to her
feet, and he watched her move across the room. Slowly his eyes moved, until they could go no
further... and he rest his cheek on the mattress to allow himself to see her fully. Rinoa had
crossed to his bookshelf.
With those exaggerated movements of hers that managed to miraculously be graceful, she bent
over and ran her fingertip along the short row of texts he kept. "Junctioning, the Way of the
Sword... Magic, Drawing... Why, Squall! These are all course-books!"
"Yeah?" He asked, not caring too much. They'd always been there, after all. Squall remained
motionless on the bed, with his head turned to face her, and she turned around to offer him a
short and pointed glance.
"Don't you ever read anything... fun?"
"Fun?"
"You know, novels. Short stories, poetry... That kind of stuff."
"Never had the time, I guess."
"Humph." Rinoa said. Naturally, she wouldn't loose sleep over any of this, but it was in her
nature to give it all in most everything she did. Even if it was simply taking note of Squall's
literature-deprival. "You can always find time. I remember, in my father's study... walls and
walls of books."
She looked at her dirty fingertips. "And they never got dusty."
"Uh-huh." Squall said.
Rinoa lifted her chin a little and declared. "I am going to Dollet and buying you a book. A
real thick one." She squinted her eyes and wrinkled her nose dramatically. "And if you're too
lazy to pick it up, I'll sneak into your room in the middle of the night, wake you up, and read
it to you until you fall asleep again."
"I love you too, Mom."
She sneered playfully at him.
Squall heaved a sigh and turned his head so that he faced the ceiling again, resting with his
arms folded like a pillow. His ribcage felt tight, the way he was stretched out, and he fought
a sudden urge to turn out the lights. They could just lay there, staring up, up...
"...If we waited long enough, could we see stars?" He murmured.
"Hmm?" Rinoa asked. She was still by his scantily-clad bookshelf.
"...Nothing. I was just thinking aloud."
Squall could feel Rinoa smiling to herself from across the room. He didn't even need to look at
her, and he didn't. He could feel her, and he decided that he liked that feeling. "Tomorrow is
going to be a day to remember, I can feel it."
"So can I," Rinoa replied with a little grin. "We'll all remember that Squall stepped up onto
the Ragnorok with a half-packed bag."
"It's only one day." Squall replied. "And I'll get to it, we have plenty of time."
"One day?" Her smile. "I thought this was a Great Challenge? Great Challenges have no
boundaries." She deepened her voice a little in poor but obvious imitation. "Come back here,
you! This is no laughing matter!"
Squall's chest rose and fell with a good-natured chuckle. Riona beamed and twirled a strand of
hair around her fingertip. In that motion, she caught sight of something on the bookshelf and
leaned over a little. The mirth faded from her eyes, but only a little... Curiosity took over.
"What's this?"
"Huh?"
"This book," With her index finger she touched the top of a leather-bound booklet. It was
black, and seemed a little bit weather-worn at the spine. However, all in all it looked to be
in very good condition. Almost new, save what had been mentioned.
"I don't know," Squall said. "It doesn't look familiar. Notes, maybe?"
"Notes? To a girlfriend?"
"Of course." He said frankly, before adding in a normal tone of voice. "No, notes from a class
or something. I don't know."
"Hmm..." Rinoa dropped her hand. The urge to pull it out compelled her, but just as she lifted
her fingers to go for the booklet again a loud cracking sound reprimanded her, enough to make
her eyes fly wide and her innards jump under her skin.
"The door."
Someone was knocking.
"Squall? Is Rinoa in there? I hope I'm not disturbing anything." Xu's voice.
"Gee, thanks." Squall huffed, as he rolled off the bed and to his feet. His t-shirt was
wrinkled and his hair tousled, as if he had been sleeping. Quite aware of this, he tugged and
patted a little before pulling the door open.
Sure enough, Xu was standing there, impeccable in her smart black uniform. She craned her neck
to one side, saw Riona standing upright by the bookshelf, and then turned her focus to Squall
again. He brought his hand down from his hair.
"It's Rinoa. The Headmaster would like her in his office immediately."
Cid Kramer stood up from behind his desk at the moment the doors open. Xu held it for Rinoa,
who was followed closely by Squall. He looked bedridden, and had thrown on his SeeD jacket at
what seemed to have been the last minute. It hung open tiredly, but the man's eyes were sharp.
Alert. Cid watched him, and then circled his desk in order to usher Rinoa to a seat.
"I'm sorry, my dear -- I know that it's getting late."
Rinoa and Squall exchanged glances.
"Um..." Rinoa bashfully ran her hair behind one ear while seating herself in a chair opposite
of Cid's own. The man seated himself as well, and offered a small nod to Squall. He did not sit.
He stood.
Squall was thus right behind and a little to the left of Rinoa, as much a reassurance as an
addition to the tension. He seemed so anxious, so formal... so worried. It rubbed off on her,
and she gripped the arms of her seat.
Xu closed the doors.
"What is it?" Squall asked.
"Rinoa." Cid said. He gave Squall a glance, as if to tell him that this was not his burden, and
then turned a softer gaze onto Rinoa's face. She looked tentative. He tried to look reassuring,
and spoke very briskly after that. "There's no need for alarm. There's nothing wrong, and
nothing to worry about."
"...And?" Squall asked.
Sheesh. Cid reminded himself never to get -that- man out of bed.
"We just received a transmission from Esthar. It came directly from the President himself. He
requested an immediate audience with Miss Heartlilly, and left very little details after that."
Cid looked over at Rinoa. "If it were urgent or threatening, I'm sure he would have said so. I
wouldn't even have bothered telling you at this hour, but it seems that President Loire had
already arranged a means of transportation that leaves early tomorrow. I'd imagine you'd want
some forewarning."
"....Me? Why me?" Rinoa asked. Squall was wondering the same thing.
"I haven't the slightest. He had mentioned briefly that it was a quite personal matter." Cid
said. "But I do assure you, he seemed quite at ease in his transmission. There shouldn't be a
need to worry."
Squall crossed his arms over his chest.
"You will take the four o' clock train from Balamb and travel to Esthar through Fisherman's
Horizon. They'll be expecting you."
"I'll go with her." Squall said.
"I reiterate," Cid said. "It's not dangerous, Squall. And again, the President had stated that
this was to be a personal--"
"He'll understand." Squall interjected. "I'll go wit--"
"No, Squall." Rinoa said. She looked up at him over her shoulder. "I don't need you to come
along. You have things to do tomorrow, remember?"
"But--"
"He said that it's nothing threatening, Squall. You'll be in more danger than I will. Besides,
I've been through a lot more than a trip to visit an old friend of ours. Right? This should be a
vacation in comparison."
She was right. Naturally, Squall got quiet. He always got quiet like that when she was right.
His arms tightened their hold about his chest, winding like a spring. "Esthar has been cleared
up, hasn't it? It's declared safe?"
"Safer than your dorm room, Squall." Cid said.
Squall frowned.
"Would you be greatly disturbed if I dismissed you?" Cid asked. "I simply need to discuss some
details with Rinoa, and I feel that it would be a waste of your time. We did drag you out of
your room for this, after all."
Cid was suggesting, yes, but Squall knew that he was supposed to submit. And, after another
glance from Riona, he did. However, with that came a burst of anger. Humiliation? Or perhaps it
was just a manifestation of his concern. With a tight-lipped sigh he straightened a little and
nodded. "Excuse me, Sir."
"Xu will escort you out."
Squall grit his teeth and turned. Xu, on cue, opened the door for him and followed him outside.
As she closed it and shut them both out, Squall could see Riona looking at him over her
shoulder. Cid too, watched... and then they were gone.
"Squall," Xu said, as she led them to the elevator and pushed the down button. "I assure you,
everything will be fine."
Squall didn't say anything. The door opened. Xu didn't join him as he went inside. However, he
didn't expect her to. She, after all, had business to deal with. Squall crossed his arms and
faced her. The door took an extremely long time in sliding shut.
"Well," She said to pass the time. "I do hope you all enjoy your excursion tomorrow. You guys
certainly deserve a break...especially you, Squall."
Squall nodded at this, and then paused a little. He thought to say something and started to do
so, but by then the door had started to close and he simply thanked her instead. She nodded a
response, and then was clipped away with a hiss and slam of the elevator door.
It whirred and rushed down toward the main floor.
Squall's belly dropped. It was probably due to the elevator, but he had his doubts.
End Part 4/?
To be Continued.