A/N-YO! I'm glad that you guys liked my sucky story! Continue to have faith in my and review! Thanks a bunchos! I'm sorry I haven't updated! I just have no inspiration, but reading you guys' reviews cheered me up, so I'll give it a go!
THE FIRST FINAL FANTASY VIII KINGDOM STORY EVER!
Moshi Moshi Mai
Chapter Four
"Well, today's the day," Rinoa said, sighing. She was in her room, lying on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Across from her, Selphie was humming a tune, twirling around.
"Yep! At least I get to go with ya!" she chirped, slamming her suitcase shut.
"Yeah. That's the only plus, Selphie. Don't get me wrong, I'm real glad that you're coming, but I still feel so sad, ya know?" Rinoa said, craning her head. Selphie nodded sympathetically and patted her raven-haired friend on the head.
"It'll be okay, Rin! Besides, this Leonhart guy you're gonna marry can't be bad. Give him a chance!" the brunette said, trying to be positive.
"Yeah, I guess so," Rinoa muttered, sliding off of the bed gracelessly.
"Well, our limo should be arriving soon! It's gonna be so cool! Esthar! Can you believe it?! The most high-tech city in the whole wide universe! And you're marrying the future king of it!" Selphie squealed. She dragged her friend out the door and down the grand staircase where they waited for a while.
After five minutes, a limo pulled up and the girls climbed in. Rinoa took one last look at her home and sighed. This was really happening. She rested her chin in her hand and looked out the window, watching Timber fly by. She'd be away from this city for quite a while. Selphie, on the other side of the limo, had taken out her Chocobo-sticker-decorated CD player and was humming 'The Oath' loudly, her green eyes sparkling.
Rinoa saw the smiling people walking down the streets and a stray dog wagging its tail merrily. It looked as if all was right with the world. And why shouldn't it be? Rinoa asked herself. Here she was, feeling sorry for herself when she should be smiling and having a good time because she'd get an experience she'd never forget. She convinced herself and grinned at Selphie.
She felt much better after reassuring herself and felt like the carefree girl she was once more. Timber faded away and soon the plane station came into view.
"Look, Rin! It's our plane!" Selphie said, clapping her hands together. Rinoa chuckled and nodded. Their plane was very large. It was in the shape of a water dragon, gleaming in the sun. "Oh! I can't wait until we get on! I'm starved!" Selphie suddenly complained, rubbing her stomach. Rinoa rolled her eyes. After a few more minutes, the limo came to a stop and the driver offered a hand to the two ladies, escorting them to the train in each arm.
"I hope you have a safe trip, Ms. Heartilly. And to you too, Ms. Tilmitt," the man said, smiling. Rinoa and Selphie nodded their heads and climbed up the stairs to the plane. The door closed and they were inside.
"Wow," Selphie breathed, taking in the plane's beauty. It was really fancy, for one. The walls were a ruby shade, a golden chandelier hung in the middle of the main room, and there were two maids and two butlers standing outside the kitchen, smiling.
"Welcome, Princess and Selphie! We are headed towards Esthar! It will take approximately five hours to reach the Esthar Air station. I'll be your captain, Zone! A butler should escort you to your rooms at this time. That is all! Enjoy the flight and I hope we don't crash! Out!" came a cheery male voice. Rinoa laughed. Zone was a funny man.
One of the butlers came up to the two of them and bowed.
"Would you like to see your rooms or eat first?" he asked politely.
"Let's put our stuff up first and then eat, ok Selphie?"
"Sure!" The butler escorted them to their rooms.
"Ms. Heartilly's room is this way," the butler spoke, pointing to a room at the end of the hallway. "And Ms. Tilmitt's is right across. The bathroom is over there, the spa is to the left of it, and the kitchens are back up that way."
The girls said their thanks and hurried to their own rooms, quickly throwing their luggage onto the silky beds. Selphie came out of her room first and skidded to a halt outside of Rinoa's, where Rinoa was currently lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
"C'mon Rin! Let's eat!" Selphie squealed, dragging her friend towards the dining room. Once they were inside the dining room, a maid came up to them and asked for their meal choices.
"I'll have Balamb Fish, lightly squeezed with lemon, with alfredo and a lemonade!" Selphie said, handing the menu back to the maid.
"Hmmm, I think I'll have the some ziti and a coke, please," Rinoa said, scanning the menu before returning it to the maid.
"As you wish," the maid said politely before leaving the room.
"Geez! These people are so friggin polite!" Selphie said, amused. Rinoa nodded and crossed her arms, deciding to think about Esthar and her future life. She had heard about this Squall Leonhart before. He was supposed to be very anti-social, but a knockout. His weapon was a gunblade by the name of Lion Heart. That was about all she knew. She wondered if he'd like to battle her with her Shooting Star sometime.
"Your dishes, ladies," the maid said, coming in through the double-glass doors. She set two silver trays in front of the girls. Rinoa and Selphie nodded in appreciation and lifted the lid, their mouths watering. As they dug into their meals, Rinoa decided to find some information of Squall Leonhart.
"So Selphie, exactly how much do you know about Squall Leonhart?" Rinoa asked, stuffing some pasta into her mouth.
"Er, well, let's see," Selphie said thoughtfully, her eyes rolling up, "He went to Balamb Garden when he was 13 and took up the gunblade. He and this other guy were the only gunbladers and so they were rivals. I forgot the other guy's name, but I heard that he wasn't close to a Mr. Nice Guy. Anyway, they got into a fight once and both got these scars slashed across their face that mirrors its brother. I personally find that creepy. Um, well I've seen what he looks like from the newspapers and I tell ya, Rin, you've got quite a catch! He has brown hair and bluish grayish thingish eyes. They seem to change a lot, like a storm," Selphie said, sighing, " I wish I could find a guy. You're so lucky, Rin."
Rinoa remained silent, gently poking at her meal. When the two were finished, the maids cleared the table and the two friends decided to look around the huge plane. Selphie started to chat animatedly, inhaling deeply before another wave of words rushed out of her mouth. Rinoa nodded every now and then, half-listening to her hyperactive friend.
"Yeah, and then I bumped into this guy and he was sooo cute! I think his name was--Hey, cool! They have a training area!" Selphie said suddenly, her gaze focused on a room. Curiously, Rinoa stepped forward and observed the training area. The floor was made from wood and was waxed to a gleaming perfection. The walls were lined with weapons such as bokkens ( wooden swords), shurikens ( Chinese throwing stars), seifuukus ( sharp bladed rings you put around your fingers, kinda like wolverine's weapon; also known as kunais), kodachis (twin blades), bos, escrima sticks, steel fans, holy staffs, and much more. Amazed, Rinoa carefully inspected each weapon and Selphie oohed and ahhed as her sparkling emerald eyes captured every detail of the room.
"Hey, you wanna practice?" Selphie said suddenly, an evil glint in her shimmering eyes.
"Huh? I don't know, Selphie. We could get hurt, plus I don't have a lot of cure spells," the raven-haired girl replied.
"That's what THESE are for!" the perky brunette exclaimed, tossing Rinoa some armor from a closet that had been opened. Catching the armor easily, Rinoa observed it quietly. It was the same color as her favorite blue duster and there were metal rings around the elbow and knee area, and a sash was tied firmly to the waist area.
"This kinda looks weird," Rinoa muttered. Selphie nodded in agreement and started putting on a green suit.
"Well, I don't think it really matters! I haven't trained in a long time since—" Selphie stopped abruptly, a painful memory clearly visible in her eyes.
"It's ok, Selphie. I understand," Rinoa said sadly, understanding immediately. The perky brunette was remembering about the missile attack on Trabia Garden four years ago.
"Why does Galbadia have to be so cruel?" Selphie whispered, memories of the missile attack and her friends' dying screams flashing through her mind.
"You fought bravely for your Garden, Selphie," Rinoa said, trying to console her friend. "You wanna talk about it?"
"No," Selphie said, her eyes hardening, " let's just fight." Nodding, Rinoa put on her battle wear and stepped up to the weapon board, deciding what weapon to use.
"Hmm? You're not gonna use your Shooting Star?" Selphie asked curiously as she pulled her prized Strange Vision from the side of her yellow sundress.
"Nah, I want to practice mastering other weapons. A pinwheel isn't really that advanced," Rinoa replied softly, her hand lightly resting on the seifuukus. "I'll use these." Selphie's eyes widened as Rinoa took the lethal weapon off the rack. The blades shimmered under the light dangerously.
"Are you sure you want to use those?" Selphie asked, afraid her friend's eye coordination might not be so good.
"Don't worry, Selphie," Rinoa said, " I'll dull the blades." The princess covered the sharp blades with a leather conceal. Shrugging, Selphie made a battle stance and patiently waited for Rinoa to finish adjusting her grip on the seifuukus. Rinoa slipped the cool and smooth blade rings around each of her fingers, liking the feel of the blades. It felt like she was holding steel water. She breathed in deeply, curling her fingers and getting ready for the fight.
With a cry, Selphie lunged forward and swung Strange Vision with great accuracy, her emerald eyes narrowed and concentrated, contrary to her usually happy-go-lucky nature. Rinoa easily evaded the swift attack and fell to the floor, quickly kicking Selphie's legs from under her. With a strangled cry, Selphie fell and landed gracelessly on her back. Her eyes widened and she rolled over to her left just in time to avoid Rinoa's blades. Eyes cold, Rinoa continued to jab at Selphie, narrowly missing her each time and crunching the wooden floor instead.
As Rinoa lunged at her opponent once more, Selphie gave a wild cry and kicked her feet hard into Rinoa's middle. Feeling the wind knocked out of her, Rinoa gasped and stumbled slightly. Selphie had gotten up by then and launched her nunchakus at the princess, an evil sneer on her face. On instinct, Rinoa brought her hands to shield her face. The nunchakus squarely hit her hands and the seifuukus clanged angrily. Fingers throbbing, Rinoa snarled at the grinning brunette and gave a battle cry, jumping in the air and curling into a ball to protect herself. She then uncurled herself on the way down and raised one of her hands to strike Selphie.
Holding a nunchaku in each hand, Selphie raised Strange Vision in front of her as Rinoa's weapon came wildly down, landing on the chain holding the nunchakus together. Growling, Rinoa added more pressure to her weapon, forcing Selphie down.
"You're so predictable," Selphie hissed. Rinoa's eyes widened as Selphie suddenly jumped away, Rinoa's own weight bringing her crashing to the floor. Bringing her head up, Rinoa saw Selphie smiling down at her.
"Tee-hee! You lose!" the brunette squealed, her old self again. Smiling, Rinoa sat up and with the help of her grinning friend, and stood up.
"That was a great battle, Selphie! I guess I need more practice!" Rinoa said, chuckling.
"Naw! You're great with weapons, Rin! You just work on Shooting Star the most, that's all. I mean, I only work on Strange Vision and I barely use the twin blades!" Selphie said, reassuring her defeated friend. Nodding, Rinoa got up and the two friends left the training area.
"We will be landing at the Esthar Air Station in approximately fifteen minutes Ms. Heartilly and Ms. Tilmitt!" came Zone's cheerful voice.
"I'm gonna take a shower, ok?" Rinoa said.
"That's not a bad idea!" Selphie replied. The girls went to their separate rooms and took a quick shower, dressing themselves as fast as possible. Rinoa put on her short white dress and heels, stumbling around the room. Then she sat down in front of her vanity mirror and adjusted her mother's ring necklace so that it was in the middle. Brushing her hair, she hummed her mother's favorite song (Eyes On Me) quietly. Breathing in deeply, she checked herself once more and then draped a white coat around herself before exiting the room.
She walked outside of her room and knocked on Selphie's door. No answer. Confused, the raven-haired girl waited impatiently. Suddenly, the PA blasted and Selphie's perky voice could be heard.
"Hey everyone! Captain Selphie at your ser---ow!"
"Give that to me, Selphie! And go back downstairs! Rinoa's
waiting!"
"That's CAPTAIN Selphie to you---! Hey! Ow, ow! Ok, ok!" Some muttering could be heard and then Selphie reappeared downstairs, a frown on her cute face. Laughing, Rinoa joined her friend and draped an arm around her shoulder.
"Don't worry, Selphie! I'll buy you your very own plane someday and you can fly it and no one will tell you otherwise!" Selphie looked hopefully at her friend and smiled.
"Thanks," she said quietly. Smiling softly, Rinoa nodded and the two girls walked to the main lobby and sat on the leather couches.
"Three, two, one! We have landed! Please stay seated until further notice!" Zone's voice echoed throughout the plane.
Selphie squealed. " I can't believe this is actually happening! You're going to meet Squall Leonhart like VERY soon!" Rinoa smiled nervously.
"Thanks for reminding me," she whispered. She squeezed her hands together and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. Selphie squeezed her friend's shoulder reassuringly. The raven-haired princess smoothed out imaginary wrinkles on her dress and hummed softly, trying to stop herself from shaking so much.
"Hey everyone! It is now safe to get off the plane! I hope you enjoyed the flight!" came Zone's voice.
Rinoa and Selphie stood up, and with the help of their bodyguards, they stepped down the stairs and headed towards the waiting limousine. The escort opened the black door and ushered the two ladies in, nodding at them both before closing the door.
"WOW! Esthar sure has some cool gadgets!" Selphie said cheerily, observing everything inside the limo with great interest. Rinoa had to agree with her. This was by far the most hi-tech limousine she had ever seen. The windows could be changed to look like a virtual reality of any choice, there was a large plasma flat screen TV that wasn't supposed to come out until a decade later, an automatic floor absorber, voice activated menus, and much much more. Selphie leaned towards the windows and turned her head towards her friend.
"What view do you want?" she asked curiously. Rubbing her chin thoughtfully, she came up with a scene.
"I remember my mom used to take me to a flower field every summer when I was little. It was filled with lush green grass that spread for miles and flowers of all kinds and colors, but mostly a brilliant shade of pink, and they would float around us like feathers. There was a calm breeze from the ocean nearby and you could taste a tinge of salt tickling your nose," she replied, closing her eyes and remembering the dreamy place.
"Hey, that sounds pretty good! When was the last time you went there?"
"Uh, I'd say the last time was when I was eight. Hyne, I wish I could go there again, but I don't know where it's located. I guess I'll have to ask my mom when I get back," Rinoa said sadly. Nodding, Selphie spoke into the voice activated scene changer and a flower field came up on the screen.
"Whoa! It actually looks like we're driving through a flower field! Wow! This is pretty!" Selphie said delightedly. Rinoa looked outside at the virtual reality and sighed
.
"It's almost like I'm there again," she whispered.
"Greetings ladies. I will be your virtual host during this ride," came a voice. Confused, the girls looked around for the source of the voice. Suddenly, a hologram appeared next to Rinoa and she shrieked. Laughing, the hologram apologized.
"Sorry, sorry!" it said. Rinoa breathed in sharply.
"Whoa!" Selphie said, squealing. The hologram was a handsome man. He had unruly black hair with the deepest and most mysterious shade of purple in his eyes. He was wearing a formal outfit and a gentle smile.
"Sorry, again. Anyways, are there any questions you ladies have before we enter the Esthar Kingdom?" he asked politely.
Recovering from her initial shock, Rinoa looked thoughtful for a while before asking, " Could you show me a picture of Squall Leonhart?" Nodding, the man opened an imaginary photo book and pulled out a picture, showing it to Rinoa. The princess stared at the handsome man. Selphie was right, she did have quite a catch. The only thing that threw her off was the cold look in his stormy eyes and the scowl on his slightly feminine face.
"Ok, thanks. Um, could you show us the map of the kingdom and our sleeping quarters?" The hologram nodded again and a virtual map of the Esthar Kingdom appeared, a red dot marking their rooms.
"That is so cool! I love Esthar and its technology!" Selphie said excitedly from behind Rinoa. Rinoa chuckled lightly.
"Thank you, sir. That is all," Rinoa said. Nodding, the hologram disappeared in a blink of an eye and the two girls were left alone once more. Leaning back against the couch, Selphie heaved a deep sigh.
"Are you tired, man I'm tired!" Selphie mumbled lightly, resting her head against the cushions. Rinoa nodded in reply and closed her eyes once more, trying to picture what her life would be like in the near future. She must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew, someone was gently shaking her shoulders.
"Wake up, Rinny! We're here!" Rinoa's eyes opened in a flash and it took her a few seconds to recognize her surroundings.
"Are we there already?" The raven-haired princess could feel her hands start to shake a little, and it felt like Cactuar were hopping around in her stomach, pricking her with their sharp needles.
"Yep!" Selphie chirped, whooping a little. The door on Rinoa's side opened suddenly and a man offered his white gloved hand to her. Rinoa quickly grasped his hand, climbing out of the limousine and shielding her brown eyes from the sun. After Selphie had been helped out, the two girls were escorted inside the hi-tech castle.
"Wow…" Selphie breathed, looking around. Everything was hi-tech, from the floors to the ceiling. Rinoa didn't focus on that, though. She was too busy trying to calm down her shaking body. They suddenly stopped outside mahogany doubles doors that were outlined with gold trim. An announcer waited on their side of the door, and when he acknowledged them he bowed politely in their direction and then opened the doors, yelling for all the world to hear.
"May I introduce to you, Princess Rinoa Heartilly of the Timber Kingdom!" She could just feel all eyes on her. Slowly, she stepped into the room, looking straight ahead determinedly. Her eyes fell on the king, Laguna Loire, who just beamed at her as if she was the answer to his prayers. She smiled a little. Well, at least she knew the king was nice. She then looked over at the queen who was observing her, but smiling nonetheless. This didn't seem so bad…
The next instant that her eyes landed on Squall Leonhart, time stopped for a moment, and all she could see was blue-grey. He was handsome, alright. His eyes were aesthetic, completely different from his parents' eyes, but his facial features were a shocking replica of his father's. His unruly brown locks glowed under the light's beam, and a straight line was set firmly on his lips. His eyes were trained only on her, as if she was the only person in the room.
She suddenly felt very self-conscious. Looks aren't everything, looks aren't everything…but that chant died on her lips as she stood before him and curtsied, feeling a blush stain her cheeks.
*********************
Squall stood silently with his parents, awaiting the arrival of his fiancé. He didn't feel good at all. Suddenly, Irvine's words rang in his ears. C'mon, Squall! Don't you feel anything? Angry?! Your parents just married you off to some Heartilly chick and you don't care?!
Yes, he did care, but there was nothing he could do about it now. Shifting uncomfortably in his fancy uniform, he set his eyes on the doors, as if beckoning them to open. And then the announcer declared her arrival, and the double doors swung open to reveal a pretty girl dressed in a white dress. She timidly entered the room, curiously observing everything around her. Look at me. She focused her gaze on Laguna, and then Raine, a small smile on her face. And then she summoned up the courage to face Squall.
He couldn't help it. He was entranced by her eyes. They were a rich and captivating brown, with a mysterious fleck of gold hidden deep inside her irises. He felt like he couldn't move for a moment, but after it passed, he felt foolish. Foolish for being lovesick over someone he didn't even know. Straightening up a little, he looked down at her as she curtsied nervously, bending up to face him.
"Um…hi…"
"Hello." He inwardly winced at his harsh voice, but kept a cold face on the outside. A tense silence stirred around the two people, and then Laguna clapped his hands together, facing Raine.
"Well, I think we should give them a chance to get to know each other, don't you?"
"Why yes, that is a grand idea! Have fun, you two!" And they were gone in a flash. Rinoa scratched the back of her head, suddenly feeling very alone.
"So…"
"So what."
"Hey, I'm just trying to start a conversation here."
"Why."
"Because, I want to avoid an awkward silence!" She huffed, eyeing him. A small smirk etched his handsome features and she felt herself rolling her eyes for no apparent reason.
"So…er...I heard that you use a gunblade," she said lamely. Now it was his turn to roll his eyes.
"Yeah, I do. What about it?"
"Wanna fight?" Squall's eyes widened marginally, and then he shook his head, smirking.
"No way."
"Why not?!"
"Because—"
"RINNY!!!!" A yellow ball of energy sent Rinoa flying to the floor, knocking Squall down with her. Selphie grinned and clapped her hands like a toddler, getting off of Rinoa. "So, how'd it go? Hey, where's Squall?"
"I'm right here below the princess," came a muffled voice. Startled, Rinoa looked down, and sure enough, she was sitting on Squall's stomach. Blushing mad, she jumped off of him and muttered a quick apology. After Squall had recovered, he looked at Selphie.
"I remember you. Selphie Tilmitt, right?"
"Yah! Wow! You remembered me!" Selphie pumped a fist into the air squeezing Squall tightly.
"You guys know each other?"
"Yeah, Selphie attended Balamb Garden, also," Squall shrugged carelessly, scratching his head.
"Anybody remember me?" Selphie whirled around and her eyes lit up.
"Irvy! Wow, I haven't seen you since forever!" The brunette bear hugged Irvine, making the cowboy laugh.
"Hey, Selph."
"I'm…lost." Selphie giggled and Irvine chuckled, sending a glance her way.
"Nice to meet you, Ms. Heartilly." He tipped his hat at her, winking.
This didn't seem that bad after all.
A/N-WOW! I haven't updated in months! So sorry! No inspiration whatsoever! So please review! I worked a long time on this, and I mean a LOOOOONG time! REVIEWS!!!!
Moshi Moshi Mai