(Disclaimer: I'm just about done writing on the story. I have a few more chapters to go, and then the story shall be kaput =( There was going to be this one, one concerning Rinoa, and Quistis's journal. I may end up writing more journals of the other characters, depending on how well things go. Sorry to see it end kinda fast)
I. Racing Back Into Balamb
"Stop the car again," Rinoa begged. They stopped the car. They had a few miles before they would reach Esthar and this was the third time they had to stop because was Rinoa was feeling so sick to her stomach. She left the car and walked a way from it, and knelled to the ground, holding her stomach. She was on her hands and knees and was forcefully coughing. She threw up again.
She returned to the car, and they finally made their way into Esthar minutes later. They returned the rented car, and returned to the secret underground station set up at the heart of the city. It was well hidden and guarded, though, so no one can enter. They boarded the train, and Zell confirmed to the engineer that they were ready to leave. The train whistled and pulled out of the station.
They walked Rinoa into the cabin. The couches and bunkbeds were comforting to her, and she rested at the bottom cot of the bunkbeds. She lied down, and returned to her feeble position, holding her stomach. Selphie sat at the edge of the bed. "Why do you feel so sick?" She asked.
"I'm not sure," Rinoa said. "I haven't had food in a few days, so I suppose that's what it is." She was silent for a moment, then added "And I keep thinking about those needles. It's like those people despised me. They stuck them in with such force that I swore I would bleed and wouldn't stop. I was so afraid they would flinch and stab me in the neck or something."
Rinoa rolled back onto her side, staring at the wall, away from Selphie, Zell, and Irvine. Selphie stood and let her rest. Within a few moments, they heard her breathing regularly and on a steady pace, and assumed she was asleep. Selphie sat on the couch, and Zell sat next to her. Irvine sat to the left of Zell, at the other end of the couch.
Selphie kept watching Rinoa. She must have been so exhausted from being there for such a long time. Those few days probably felt like years. If only she knew how much people really cared about her. Rinoa always seemed to take less credit for herself, even in times when she was optimistic. If it hadn't been for Rinoa, Squall would probably still be in his shell.
Squall..the SeeD ball! Selphie remembered, and looked to Zell. He looked to her confused. "What time is it?" She said.
Zell remembered the ball, as well, and began to panic. They needed to get back on time. This whole mission concerned Rinoa getting back together with Squall. Irvine assured them:
"Calm down, this train will get us to Timber quickly enough," he told them. "From Timber, we'll board for Balamb, and arrive within a few minutes. What we need to do now is catch some rest."
Selphie nodded. "Yeah, we've been at this mission for quite some time now. Sleeping will help pass the time, too."
Irvine looked to Zell, and neared the bunkbeds. He smiled. "I'll sleep away from you. Don't wanna be snapping on you again."
He climbed the laddar to the top cot and lied back, pulling his cowboy hat over his eyes. He turned toward the wall and fell asleep within seconds. Zell leaned at one side of the couch, Selphie at the other. Zell and Selphie, exhausted like Irvine and Rinoa, fell asleep quickly as well.
Minutes later, the train passed over a bump in the rails, and Selphie was thrown from the couch. She returned to the couch, but leaned on Zell instead.
II. Leaving Rinoa Behind
The train came to a screeching halt, and Selphie was thrown from the couch again. Zell awoke when he heard the impact of Selphie hitting the floor. Irvine awoke minutes later. Selphie went to the edge of Rinoa's bed, and shouted "Wakey wakey!"
"Rise'n shine!" Irvine said in an exaggerated redneck voice.
"Wake up and smell the bacon!" Zell shouted.
But Rinoa didn't respond, not even with a "shut up, you guys" or "five more minutes"
Selphie shook her. "Come on, Rinny. Time to get up."
She stayed limp. Selphie was getting concerned.
"Rin?" Said Zell. He turned her over. Her eyes were still shut. They were thinking the worst. Zell felt for a pulse. She was still breathing and had a pulse, but why wasn't she waking up?
They left the train, and Irvine was carrying Rinoa in his arms. They ascended the stairs from the Subway and headed for Chief's house. Zell knocked on the door at first, then pounded on it when he got no answer. Chief answered within moments, and noticed Rinoa. "Come in," she said. They did as they were told, and she shut the door behind them. "Take her up to the childrens' room," Chief added, and Irvine placed Rinoa on the small bed and returned to the kitchen.
"What's wrong with her?" Chief asked.
"She's probably sick from those bastards at the Memorial," Zell said, remembering the large needles set out on the tray.
Chief was surprised by his words. "What happened?"
"We found her on the ground. She said she was being used as an experiment. In the suringes were samples of Ultimacia's blood. They injected them into her to see if anything would happen," Irvine said.
"And it worked, too," Selphie added. "Irvine and Zell almost killed each other. It turns out, on the way to Esthar, she was thinking of Zell and Irvine, and thinking anger as well, so the anger was transferred to them."
Chief scratched her head. "This all sounds a bit fictional."
"That's what I thought when Rinoa told me the story," Zell said, "but then I remembered how angry I was. It seemed inhuman to feel that much anger. Primitive. I knew it had to be some type of evil, so when she mentioned Ultimacia, it sounded about right."
Chief was a bit dazed still, but seemed to understand. "So you're all heading back to Balamb now?"
Selphie nodded. "We need to get to the SeeD ball."
"I suggest you leave Rinoa here. She needs rest."
Zell shook his head in strong disagreement. "We came all this way to find Rinoa because we wanted Squall to see her. This whole mission would be useless if we don't get her back."
Chief laughed. "You're making it sound like it's a SeeD mission." She stopped laughing, returning to being serious. "What's more important: Having Squall see her, but she being ill, or having her return another day in good health?"
Zell looked to the ground. "I guess you have a point." He looked back up to her. "Okay. Please take care of her."
"I will," Chief assured him. "Be on your way now."
They left from Timber at 7:33 P.M. and neared Balamb within minutes. They all felt defeated inside, having gone a whole day, shedding sweat and literally blood. There was silence in the cabin.
"All that time, and we still didn't get Rinny back," Selphie said, her tone of voice uncheery. It was odd for Zell to hear her this way.
"Well, she'll be back tomorrow," Zell assured her, "and at least Squall will get to see her. It's better than her being missing, right?"
Everything returned silent as they pulled into the Balamb Train Station.
(Whew, sorry that took so long. I know I'm two days overdue, but I haven't gotten much sleep in the last few days, and I couldn't keep my head up and think, so I slept a lot. Hope you like this chapter '.')
I. Racing Back Into Balamb
"Stop the car again," Rinoa begged. They stopped the car. They had a few miles before they would reach Esthar and this was the third time they had to stop because was Rinoa was feeling so sick to her stomach. She left the car and walked a way from it, and knelled to the ground, holding her stomach. She was on her hands and knees and was forcefully coughing. She threw up again.
She returned to the car, and they finally made their way into Esthar minutes later. They returned the rented car, and returned to the secret underground station set up at the heart of the city. It was well hidden and guarded, though, so no one can enter. They boarded the train, and Zell confirmed to the engineer that they were ready to leave. The train whistled and pulled out of the station.
They walked Rinoa into the cabin. The couches and bunkbeds were comforting to her, and she rested at the bottom cot of the bunkbeds. She lied down, and returned to her feeble position, holding her stomach. Selphie sat at the edge of the bed. "Why do you feel so sick?" She asked.
"I'm not sure," Rinoa said. "I haven't had food in a few days, so I suppose that's what it is." She was silent for a moment, then added "And I keep thinking about those needles. It's like those people despised me. They stuck them in with such force that I swore I would bleed and wouldn't stop. I was so afraid they would flinch and stab me in the neck or something."
Rinoa rolled back onto her side, staring at the wall, away from Selphie, Zell, and Irvine. Selphie stood and let her rest. Within a few moments, they heard her breathing regularly and on a steady pace, and assumed she was asleep. Selphie sat on the couch, and Zell sat next to her. Irvine sat to the left of Zell, at the other end of the couch.
Selphie kept watching Rinoa. She must have been so exhausted from being there for such a long time. Those few days probably felt like years. If only she knew how much people really cared about her. Rinoa always seemed to take less credit for herself, even in times when she was optimistic. If it hadn't been for Rinoa, Squall would probably still be in his shell.
Squall..the SeeD ball! Selphie remembered, and looked to Zell. He looked to her confused. "What time is it?" She said.
Zell remembered the ball, as well, and began to panic. They needed to get back on time. This whole mission concerned Rinoa getting back together with Squall. Irvine assured them:
"Calm down, this train will get us to Timber quickly enough," he told them. "From Timber, we'll board for Balamb, and arrive within a few minutes. What we need to do now is catch some rest."
Selphie nodded. "Yeah, we've been at this mission for quite some time now. Sleeping will help pass the time, too."
Irvine looked to Zell, and neared the bunkbeds. He smiled. "I'll sleep away from you. Don't wanna be snapping on you again."
He climbed the laddar to the top cot and lied back, pulling his cowboy hat over his eyes. He turned toward the wall and fell asleep within seconds. Zell leaned at one side of the couch, Selphie at the other. Zell and Selphie, exhausted like Irvine and Rinoa, fell asleep quickly as well.
Minutes later, the train passed over a bump in the rails, and Selphie was thrown from the couch. She returned to the couch, but leaned on Zell instead.
II. Leaving Rinoa Behind
The train came to a screeching halt, and Selphie was thrown from the couch again. Zell awoke when he heard the impact of Selphie hitting the floor. Irvine awoke minutes later. Selphie went to the edge of Rinoa's bed, and shouted "Wakey wakey!"
"Rise'n shine!" Irvine said in an exaggerated redneck voice.
"Wake up and smell the bacon!" Zell shouted.
But Rinoa didn't respond, not even with a "shut up, you guys" or "five more minutes"
Selphie shook her. "Come on, Rinny. Time to get up."
She stayed limp. Selphie was getting concerned.
"Rin?" Said Zell. He turned her over. Her eyes were still shut. They were thinking the worst. Zell felt for a pulse. She was still breathing and had a pulse, but why wasn't she waking up?
They left the train, and Irvine was carrying Rinoa in his arms. They ascended the stairs from the Subway and headed for Chief's house. Zell knocked on the door at first, then pounded on it when he got no answer. Chief answered within moments, and noticed Rinoa. "Come in," she said. They did as they were told, and she shut the door behind them. "Take her up to the childrens' room," Chief added, and Irvine placed Rinoa on the small bed and returned to the kitchen.
"What's wrong with her?" Chief asked.
"She's probably sick from those bastards at the Memorial," Zell said, remembering the large needles set out on the tray.
Chief was surprised by his words. "What happened?"
"We found her on the ground. She said she was being used as an experiment. In the suringes were samples of Ultimacia's blood. They injected them into her to see if anything would happen," Irvine said.
"And it worked, too," Selphie added. "Irvine and Zell almost killed each other. It turns out, on the way to Esthar, she was thinking of Zell and Irvine, and thinking anger as well, so the anger was transferred to them."
Chief scratched her head. "This all sounds a bit fictional."
"That's what I thought when Rinoa told me the story," Zell said, "but then I remembered how angry I was. It seemed inhuman to feel that much anger. Primitive. I knew it had to be some type of evil, so when she mentioned Ultimacia, it sounded about right."
Chief was a bit dazed still, but seemed to understand. "So you're all heading back to Balamb now?"
Selphie nodded. "We need to get to the SeeD ball."
"I suggest you leave Rinoa here. She needs rest."
Zell shook his head in strong disagreement. "We came all this way to find Rinoa because we wanted Squall to see her. This whole mission would be useless if we don't get her back."
Chief laughed. "You're making it sound like it's a SeeD mission." She stopped laughing, returning to being serious. "What's more important: Having Squall see her, but she being ill, or having her return another day in good health?"
Zell looked to the ground. "I guess you have a point." He looked back up to her. "Okay. Please take care of her."
"I will," Chief assured him. "Be on your way now."
They left from Timber at 7:33 P.M. and neared Balamb within minutes. They all felt defeated inside, having gone a whole day, shedding sweat and literally blood. There was silence in the cabin.
"All that time, and we still didn't get Rinny back," Selphie said, her tone of voice uncheery. It was odd for Zell to hear her this way.
"Well, she'll be back tomorrow," Zell assured her, "and at least Squall will get to see her. It's better than her being missing, right?"
Everything returned silent as they pulled into the Balamb Train Station.
(Whew, sorry that took so long. I know I'm two days overdue, but I haven't gotten much sleep in the last few days, and I couldn't keep my head up and think, so I slept a lot. Hope you like this chapter '.')