Chapter 2 – Apparition
"Moron" she huffed.
After running the towel under the tap she dabbed it over her face, she winced as she scraped across the gash in her right cheek. Pissed at her own weakness she pressed it harder into her skin wiping away fresh blood.
This was already the third time this week she had to do this. She wanted to blame it on his work; it was so stressful she understood that. But she knew he only did it because it made him feel more like a man. And her past. He didn't like that. 'A woman in a military school? It's just not normal!' He used to say. He just didn't think it was right. And for that, he'd beat her.
"Bloody moron" she repeated with more scorn.
If anyone found out she knew what they'd say. 'Fight back dammit!' If it were that easy she'd have him hanging by his testicles in an instant, but it wasn't him she was worried about. It was his superiors. As far as she knew, they were some dodgy organisation led by cruel and unusual individuals with powers she wasn't keen on thinking about. She didn't want to involve her friends in her personal life, especially when it got as bad as this. It was her own damn fault.
"I curse the day I met you…asshole…"
She checked her watch. 'He's only gone ten minutes. If I'm lucky I'll be asleep before he gets home'. She thought. She laughed in spite of herself. 'You're a silly woman Quistis Trepe, you really are'.
.....
The hem of Seifer's black trenchcoat fluttered in the evening breeze. Gazing out over Deling city, he felt free strange as it was. Employed by Hyne to save the world, no pressure there. Freedom to Seifer Almasy was irretrievable now, he was a dead man for heavens sake. He sighed at the notion.
It's almost beautiful isn't it?" said a rich voice.
"In its own way" Seifer responded not even turning. The shadow behind him behind stirred and looked sideways at him, his illuminated green eyes his only distinguishable feature. "I wonder what the time is…or what day" he chuckled "hell, I don't even know what year it is."
"It's not important. Time means nothing to you anymore." The shadow said flatly.
Seifer smirked at his companion "huh, well Hades you're a barrel of laughs aren't you?" Hades sniggered. "At first impressions do I look like a could be?"
Seifer laughed. "Fair enough".
A willowy shadowed hand pointed out in front of them toward a large block of apartments. "Ms Trepe's residence. Should we proceed?"
Seifer shuffled his feet. "There's no easy way around this is there?" he sighed.
"Unfortunately not. But better you to tell her than me." Seifer nodded and smiled weakly at his friend. "You're right. Let's go then." Seifer paced toward the edge of the building and without thinking, he stepped off plummeting toward the somewhat busy street.
....
'Blah blah blah…what crap television' she thought. She took a sip of her cheap red wine and flicked channels again. After counting the seventh advert about hair loss she had witnessed in the last hour, she gave up and settled for watching the hospital soap drama 'Stitches'. It was a ridiculous show, but it was better than feeling sorry for herself for the rest of the evening.
"But doctor, you can't! No, I won't lose you again, please!"
"Please Lucy, this little girl needs a heart transplant…I am the only person who can do this. Please…Lucy…"
Lucy sobbed dramatically. "We will meet again my love". And with that, Doctor Millano slipped in unconsciousness, never to wake again. "Doctor, noooooooooooooo!!"
Quistis laughed. "What drivel." She prayed for the end credits. However the screen had frozen, still showing Lucy lying in her lover's arms. Quistis tutted. "Stupid TV!" She shouted, reaching to change the channel. She beat down the buttons, with no luck. "For Hyne's sake!!!" She said, louder. "Well sod this" she huffed, and with that, Quistis stormed up to the television and unplugged it. Her eyes were still on the screen, which was still on. "What the hell…"
Suddenly, Lucy sat up from her position, as did the Doctor. "Quistis…" She froze, wide eyed. "Ah!" She screeched, shuffling back toward the sofa. Someone behind her laughed, a loud, rich laugh. And in the split second it took for her to turn, she knew who it was…
Quistis screamed…very loudly.
"For Hyne's sake woman, keep your damn voice down." Quistis sat, silent, her hands over her mouth trying to stop herself from hyperventilating.
"Great to see you Trepe". He smirked at her.
"This is crazy…no way, no way, no way…" she muttered. She bolted from her seat on the floor and stood over him.
"Don't need to tell me that."
"How did you get in? No, how are you alive?! This can't be right!" She argued "Hey, look at me when I'm talking to you!" Quistis reached over and grabbed Seifer by his shoulders, but to her surprise only grabbed the sofa cushions.
Seifer sighed. "Now let me explain why I'm here." Quistis nodded and took a seat next to him.
"I'm here to protect you, as much as I hate it."
"Protect me from what?" she asked.
"Oh just everything that you don't know about."
"What do you mean?"
Seifer turned to her. "I know I'm not the person that you would prefer to hear this from and I'm sorry. But I have no choice." He took a deep breath. "You're a sorceress Trepe. Thing is though, you were born with your powers, you didn't get it from another sorceress, not even your mother."
"But it makes no sense".
"It seems like it yes, but you didn't need to inherit anything. You are an instrument made by Hyne, a self-destruct mechanism in a way. He intended you to wipe out the tainted part of the human race, which now is most of us."
Quistis slumped in her seat. "So why now? Why do I have to know this now?"
"Because of a group of people…I have a feeling you'll know who they are."
"This is to do with Joe isn't it? Who he works for."
"Joe? Is he your…"
"Don't say it," she said interrupting him. "It's been over a long time…so tell me. What do they want?"
"Duh…your power instructor. However they can only get it when you lose control of it, or rather your marbles…" he chuckled, not liking all this serious talk.
She raised a shaped brow.
"Your power will stay harnessed as long as you have a sane mind. If you go a bit barmy then crap's gonna hit the fan. Cos they can take what they want from you then. And that means they can rid the world of who they want, killing people in there millions."
"But I have to go mad first, right?"
"Yeah, but it won't take long, you know enough about these people to realise what they're capable of."
"So what do we do now?"
"Get you out of here for a start."
Quistis smiled to herself. She wasn't sure why. She had no idea what she was getting herself into. 'I'm absolutely mad' she thought. But it all seemed to pale in comparison to living in the same apartment building any longer. With Joe. She had nothing to lose. Even being with Seifer didn't seem bad, well not as bad anyway. Anyway, she didn't care. What the hell, she'll think rationally later.
"I still have a lot of questions."
"I'm expecting them. Hopefully I'm ready for them too. But we'll talk later, go and pack some stuff I'll wait here."
She nodded and got up out of her seat, still wondering if this was all real.
Hurray! Well here's chapter 2. It wasn't what I as going to use primarily but oh well. I'll update a bit sooner that usual hopefully, so watch this space. Hope you like it!!
Min