The island reminded her slightly of home, however odd that seemed. Granted, it was out in the middle of nowhere, and granted, it was likely, they'd probably be here for a while, but Rinoa felt, for the first time in the last, few, long days, calm. She sat on a flat rock near the top of a rocky hill-like structure at the edge of the water and watched the darting splashes of silver that skimmed the water's surface. It was, like the rest of the days, blue and sunny. It was the few things Rinoa did not complain about. Unlike Irvine, who had decided two days ago, that the sun was a pain in the ass and believed cursing at it every few seconds would speed up its descent.
If she knew how to, Rinoa would've muted him just to get a few precious moments of privacy.
"Rinoa! The fishes are done!" Irvine voice's raised high above the sound of rushing waves and carried over loud enough for Rinoa to hear. Rising, she swiped at any remainders of sand and made her way towards the faint outline of the fire at the other end of the beach.
How long would they be here, she wondered as she walked. They had enough coconuts and various exotic fruits to last them a while, and should that ran out, which she doubt would, there were always the fishes that seemed to stay in quite shallow water. But what of Squall? And Garden? And SeeD? What of their lives and their families? She couldn't live the rest of her life on a deserted island. There was so much she wanted to do and so much she wanted to accomplish. Unconsciously, she bit her bottom lip, the tears already threatening to fall. They had to get out of here. They had to.
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She wouldn't allow the beatings of her heart distract her, or the indescribable joy at seeing him blind her. She hadn't expected him and, by the looks of it, he had not counted upon seeing her. A mutual feeling, but she wanted to believe that he remembered her, however short their time together was.
"Seifer Almasy", she murmured the name under her breath, the sound of it rolling of her tongue. But he only looked at her and her hopes fell as she realized that he looked as if they had never met and were like strangers running into each other, rather than the friends they once were. No matter, she decided, uncurling her whip. She would take him back and he would remember her over time - time she had longed for, for years now.
Acknowledging the challenge, Seifer grasped the hilt of Hyperion and held it in front of him, daring her to make the first move.
She did not hesitate. With a flick, the whip followed the movement of her wrist and lashed out at Seifer, aiming skillfully for his neck. In a flash, he side-stepped, and the whip instead caught the tree behind him but Nara did not seem worried. With an almost idle gesture, she followed with another attack, watching the movements of Seifer's feet. This time, Hyperion was used to block the frontal attack and the end of the whip caught around its center, wrapping itself firmly around the gun-blade. Smirking a bit, Seifer swung the blade behind him and the force of it pulled Nara forward. Caught by surprise, she nearly fell on the ground in front of him, but countered as her training taught her, pulling on her whip for support. Back and forth the two went, and each blow became more and more accurate, as each began to predict the movements of the other. It was an even match, but at the last moment, Nara swung around Seifer, almost as if she was dancing.
The whip caught around his neck and tightened.
It was the crack of another whip that had Seifer gritting his teeth.
Nara's face contorted into one of utter disgust.
"Let him go," said Quistis, and though her voice seemed shaky, it had recovered strength. Still, Seifer wished the woman would stay where she was told to; he wasn't that cold to wish for her early death.
The whip around his neck tightened and all other thoughts became of lesser importance.
Nara's grip did not loosen - the capture of Seifer was vital to her both personally and professionally, and the appearance of a SeeD that could hardly stand on her feet could not and would not interfere.
With her own whip effectively around Nara's neck, Quistis pulled even harder, a threat identical to the one Nara had on Seifer. Still, it provoked no response from Nara, who merely raised a sculptured eyebrow. The three stood utterly still for a few seconds before Quistis snatched a small blade from her boot and aimed it right for Nara's wielding arm. She couldn't kill her, not with so many unanswered questions, but letting her suffocate Seifer wasn't an option either.
The unexpected movement surprised both of the other parties and Nara's grip loosened enough in anticipation for Seifer to effectively release himself before the small blade implanted itself in the back of Nara's hand. Dropping the whip, she clutched her injury with her other hand, anger starting to consume the shock and pain. But when she looked up, the two SeeDs were gone, and not even the briefest outline of bodies could be made.
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The shrubbery provided enough cover for them that Seifer didn't have to worry about footprints and the only sound he could pick up was the sound of Quistis' boots on the thick foliage that lay over the forest floor. It made him no less alert but the deeper they went into the forest, the less tense he became. Behind him, Quistis kept a steady speed, face set in grim determination, although against what, he wasn't sure. Already deep into the night hours, the heavy canopy and thick foliage made it hard to make out shapes and even harder to find shelter. Their hurried steps slowed to a walk as both realized any immediate danger had passed.
"We should camp for the night," said Quistis. Seifer nodded in agreement. The shadows played along the surfaces of the trees and made the forest itself more intimidating. Quistis hugged herself slightly, realizing that the wind had started picking up. She didn't quite mind though. For the moment, she felt calm and her worries seemed, at that second, nonexistent.
"Here." Brought back to reality, Quistis blinked, her focus returning to Seifer, who had his back turned to her and had made his way up ahead to look at something she couldn't make out in the dark. Careful where she was stepping, she made her way to him, and found herself staring into medium sized cave that was draped with vines and practically sheltered by a nearby large tree. She ducked her head at the entrance, and found the space to be cramped but they weren't staying long and she'd seen worse. She continued her way in, running her hand against the wall to find the back of the cave. It wasn't very deep but not so shallow that they would be easily picked out. The vines would be manipulated to cover the opening of the cave for the night and they'd need to cover their prints very early the next morning, but for now, this would do. It wasn't for the sudden spark of light did she notice she had been almost completely enveloped in dark. Shielding her eyes slightly at the burst of light, Quistis watched as Seifer added dry wood to the growing fire. The flames seem to run across his features, outlining them in a contrast of both shadows and light. What secrets did he hide, she wondered, behind the wall that he'd long built for himself? For as long as she'd known him, Quistis had never seem to able to reach him and when she thought she was close, he seemed to put up another door. Perhaps she hadn't tried enough- her focus had always been Squall, she realized shamefully. Did she miss everything going on around her because of it?
Suddenly, Seifer lifted his eyes from his task and she was caught in that intense green. Quistis felt her cheeks burn, despite finding herself committing no crime. Seifer's an attractive man, and it was natural to notice. It means nothing, she assured herself, and cleared a spot to sit. There was silence for a long while, as both parties merely stared at the flames that sparked up and down, running enlarged shadows across the walls of the caves. It was awkward, for Quistis knew that Seifer no doubt knew of her condition by now. She didn't have to explain anything to him, but felt odd nonetheless.
"Does Cid know?" Seifer asked, breaking the silence. She shook her head in answer.
"You shouldn't be here. You should be at Balamb. You're not suited for the mission." The almost flat tone the remark was delivered in made Quistis wince. She had every qualification and all the skills to undertake this mission. Her intelligence hadn't lowered because she was sick and nor did her wits. She would find a way to control her fainting spells and it wasn't as if they came often. It had been bad timing before, that was all.
"This mission was assigned to the both of us," she countered. Seifer turned bland eyes on her, and she glared right back, determination set in her features.
"This mission was assigned with the assumption that we were both fit for it. You have proven that assumption wrong."
"I will see this mission until the end, "she replied, icy anger coating her words. It was a tactic she used often, a teacher that would not take excuses or useless words.
It was a tactic Seifer always found ways to work around.
"Until your end or its?" he asked.
"Whichever comes first."
His voice wasn't flat now.
"You're killing yourself on purpose," he accused, not knowing exactly what it was he should've felt with such a revelation.
Silence was his only response.
He had to send her back, and let Cid know. It would be the only way he could assure that she would get help. The only way he could guarantee her safety.
"You are going back to Balamb," he repeated. She grew even more irritated at the repetition. She would not go back to Balamb, would not go back to that pit hole that she had dug for herself. She loved her friends, but her life at Balamb held no more meaning for her and with her death, she wanted to find a plane of existence that gave her peace. She needed to finish this mission because she refused to die a failure.
"I will not go back there! You can't send me back. Send me on a train and I'll stop at the first drop-off. Send me on a boat and I'll take another back. I will finish this mission, and whether I do that with or without you is up to you," she finished curtly and dared him to counter.
"You are not fit for this mission," he merely stated and turned to look her in the eye. "You will die if you keep going."
"I will die at Balamb! Everyone dies Seifer, apparently a fact that continues to elude you. Balamb has nothing for me! I will not continue to ro-," she cut herself off, catching her own words before they fell out. Of all the people to spill her guts, Seifer was the very lowest on the list. Her cheeks became red once again, but she held his gaze for a second longer to prove she was serious, before standing and making her way to the back of the cave where the light didn't quite reach.
"What makes you so unhappy Quistis?"
The words stopped her cold, and the tone sent shivers up her spine. She wanted to tell him, wanted very much to let someone know what she went through, what she continued to go through, but after a moment's hesitation, she continued her steps and left the question unanswered.
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A/N: Whoa, what a damn late update. Lol. Yes, and now my beta reader has decided to go kick-ass on me and make me write more. I think she'll forget about it soon.. looks around nervously..
Next Chapter: Where are Quistis and Seifer going now? What exactly does Nara play in both Seifer's life and the story altogether? And where does the plot finally come in? LOL. In time. ;