Mythology
Chapter Two: Mysterious Strangers
By PasifiKStaR
Author's Note: The time period and style that the 'myth' is in is Greco-Roman. Hopefully that will explain the use of togas and the descriptions I'll be making of the places. And thanks for the positive response everyone! The story is kind of a bit far-fetched, I'll admit, so I hope you guys stick with it. Sorry about it being so slow.
All Standard Disclaimers Apply: I do not own Final Fantasy.
She opened her eyes and looked around. I feel so tired... she thought. She turned her head slowly and squinted her deep brown eyes as they wandered her surroundings This looks just like the exhibition at the Deling City museum. Her eyes roamed the intricately carved, white stone walls as an open peaked ceiling allowed the gorgeous night sky to flutter in.
Rinoa looked up at walls, where lanterns were hanging about a foot below the ceiling and held up by metal chains as flames danced within them. She made a little circle in her place as she took all of the building in. When she turned around, she saw an open area before her. The hall she was in was part of a four sided building that had it's inner side lined with doric columns and facing a neatly kept garden.
She took a step forward, her eyes focused on the few torches that lit the garden along the stepping stone path. She was able to make out the stone paths that were laid out from each side of the building to the center of the garden, where an elegant statue stood. Looking around and making sure she was alone, she stepped down on to the stone path closest to her and walked towards the center.
Rinoa looked up at the massive stone goddess, whose angel wings were folded around her, covering her naked body with long feathers of white marble. In her hands was a tilted vase that poured water over a human sized spinning sphere she looked down upon fondly. As another source of water moved underneath it, the sphere moved in it's niche. Rinoa looked around and realized that water ran around each of the stone steps on the path way. They all lead to pool surrounding the goddess statue in the center of the garden.
She stood there in awe and unconsciously lifted the hems of her light blue and white toga robes as she seated herself on a stone bench that faced the statue. As soon as she sat down, she suddenly realized what she was holding and looked down. Her eyes went wide and she gasped. Where were her clothes from earlier?
"What are you doing here?" a voice barked behind her sternly. She shot up off her chair and whirled around, her dark hair flying over her face as she turned. From where she was standing earlier, there was now a figure dressed in white robes with a black over robe. He was holding a torch up and was approaching her with caution. "This part of the temple is closed off for the festival." he added in a cool, but authoritative voice.
Rinoa looked around nervous and opened her mouth to speak. "I'm sorry," she gasped. "I was looking for my friends and got lost within the temple." Rinoa felt her mouth move, but the words were not her own. She had meant to ask him where she was. Afraid that she was going to get scolded once more, she looked down shame.
"Whatever." the man in the robes mumbled. She lifted her head to look up at him and ended up gazing into two blue eyes. They were a crystalline color, clear, and seemingly cold looking. They were framed by dark lashes and finely shaped brows underneath unruly dark brown hair. He stared at her silently and slowly she began to blush as his never ending gaze.
"I'm sorry...you must be a temple priest," she stammered nervously. "Can you please tell me how to get back to the festival?" Her heart was beating. It was strong and steadily quickening as well. To make things worse, her face suddenly felt warm.
"I'll show you," he said as casually as he could. He seemed to will himself to turn away from her. "Follow me." He had turned around, half way down the path to the center of the garden, and headed back up to the temple.
"Thank you," Rinoa said cheerfully, pleased that she wasn't in trouble. He headed up the path way and she followed behind him. "My name is Rinoa by the way." she said, trying to make small talk.
"I see." he mumbled. They stepped back into the hall way and Rinoa chewed on her bottom lip. When he didn't give his own name, she began to feel quite stupid. She took a deep breath and decided to ask him straight.
"Um...what...what's your name?" she asked nervously.
They were walking down the craved white walled halls of the temple and he carried a torch in front of them. He turned and looked at her over his shoulder. Stray dark brown bangs fell over his lovely eyes wistfully and Rinoa felt her heart skip a beat. "Sq-"
"RINOA!"
She could hear them calling her name, but they sounded so far away. Their voices seemed like nothing more than an echo to her. "Rinoa, where are you?"
Was she lost? Why were they looking for her? She knew exactly where she was... at a temple. "Rinoa! Are you down here?"
"Answer us!" another voice pleaded.
His name... she thought to herself. Wait...he didn't tell me his name yet...
"There she is!" someone shouted. "Over here! We found her!"
"Oh, thank Hyne!" a female voice shouted. She heard footsteps rushing around her. She felt their the ground move under her as people stepped around her. "Rinoa!" Arms were suddenly around her body, cradling her. "Rinoa, it's Quistis! Rinoa, can you hear me?"
"Wait..." Rinoa whispered dumbly. Her eyes opened a tiny bit, barely revealing her dark eyes under her even darker lashes.
"Zone, Watts! Help me carry Rinoa back to her tent! Selphie, go get the first aid kit and some damp towels!" Quistis ordered as she knelt down next to her friend, cradling the younger girl's upper body in her arms.
"I'll be there when you get there!" Selphie said. She shot out of the temple where they had found Rinoa sprawled out on the ground. Half her body was covered with a thin layer of sand and it looked like she had dropped her flash light not too far from her.
In her semi-conscious daze, Rinoa could feel someone put their arms under her back and knees and lift her up. "Be careful!" she heard Quistis' worried voice plead.
"What..." Rinoa struggled to speak and Quistis turned to her as one of the volunteers carried her out of the temple.
"Shh...Rinoa..." Quistis told her as calmly as she could. Rinoa could still hear the nervousness in her voice. "Just rest. Don't worry, everything is fine."
Rinoa's eyebrows furrowed. She didn't care about that. What about the man at the temple? "Where..." she gasped out tiredly. Her throat felt extremely dry all of a sudden and she winced. "Where is he...?"
"She's delusional," a male voice said above her. "Maybe we should take her to a doctor?"
"Watts! Go call for a doctor from town!" Quistis said.
"Right!" another male voice shouted to her left. Rinoa winced as a throbbing pain shot through her head.
"It's okay, Rinoa," she heard Quistis tell her reassuringly. "Just get some rest..."
Rinoa knew she was unwilling to sleep, but her body was against her. Just before they reached her tent, where Selphie was waiting with the first aid kit and holding some white towels, Rinoa drifted off into sleep.
The morning sun created an illuminating glow on the off white colored walls of Rinoa's tent. As her eyes blinked open, winced at the sudden brightness of the room. It was probably still early in the morning, too.
"Thank you for coming on such short notice, doctor." a voice said outside her tent.
Rinoa narrowed her eyes and slowly turned her head towards the entry flap of her tent. It was part way open, letting in more light and revealing Quistis' booted feet. She seemed to be talking to someone. A doctor...? What happened?
"Will she be all right?"
"Yes, Professor Trepe," a deep voice replied coolly. Rinoa's eyes went wide. The voice...that man's voice was familiar. "Just let her relax for a few days. She just has heat exhausted and will be fine within a few days."
"All right, thank you, doctor." Quistis added. Rinoa narrowed her eyes at the faint shadow that the doctor's voice cast on her tent and watched as he moved away and headed back down the path, probably towards his car. She heard Quistis let out a tired sigh.
"Is she awake?" a voice shouted. Rinoa watched as Quistis' feet turned her around.
"I think she's still asleep," Quistis replied. "So keep your voice down."
"I'm going to check on her," Selphie's all too familiar voice sounded. Rinoa closed her eyes as she realized they were about to enter her tent. She could feel the heat of the sun enter as they lifted the flap up and ducked into her cooler tent. "What did the doctor say?"
"Heat exhaust," Quistis answered tiredly. "I knew she'd been out in the sun too long...and then she goes down to the ruins without anyone knowing. Hyne, this has been one hell of a night."
"Did the police leave already?" Selphie asked softly. Rinoa could see, but she assumed that Quistis shook her head, for there was a pause.
"Yes, but an investigator from the government archeological bureau is supposed to arrive later," Quistis answered. "I can't believe this is happening..."
Okay, now would be the best time to 'wake up'. Rinoa thought to herself. She let out a slight groan as she slowly blinked her eyes and moved her arms at her sides.
"Rinoa!" Selphie gasped. Immediately, both women were at her side and Rinoa opened her eyes to look up at them.
"Selphie...Quistis..." she murmured tiredly. Her throat still felt dry. "What's going on...?"
Selphie looked up at Quistis, as if looking for confirmation whether or not she should explain. Quistis nodded subtly. Selphie turned back to Rinoa as she knelt down to the young woman's cot. "There was a grave robbing last night."
"What?" Rinoa gasped.
"You won't believe this," Quistis said. "But there was a huge sand storm last night and it uncovered more ruins than we expected. It's amazing! I never even dreamed that there was so much under the sand!"
"And you know those tombs we found last week?" Selphie asked. Rinoa nodded tiredly. Selphie took a deep breath. "Several of them were found open just after we found you this morning."
"What?" Rinoa gasped, her eyes wide open with shock. "No...how?" Her eyes went wide. The torches she had seen the night before! Without warning, Rinoa attempted to sit up and a sharp pain sliced through her head. She groaned as she reached for her temples.
"Rinoa, don't rush yourself!" Quistis gasped. "The doctor said to take it easy-"
"Last night..." Rinoa gasped as she rubbed her temples, trying to sooth away her pain. "I was coming here and I saw a light in the ruins."
"That's why you went down there?" Quistis gasped. She narrowed her eyes. "Rinoa, you KNOW not to go down there alone! It's dangerous! Those buildings are thousands of years old, they could cave in at any moment. And what if you had fallen into an ancient well or something? No one would know! What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking about the torch light I saw!" Rinoa snapped. She turned and looked at Quistis. "I know what I saw!"
"It must've been the grave robbers!" Selphie gasped. Rinoa nodded in agreement.
That means that I went after grave robbers...by myself. Quistis is going to kill me... Rinoa winced at the thought. "Hyne...when I got down there, I didn't hear or see anything-"
"Of course not, they were hiding!" Quistis said. "Hyne, Rinoa, don't EVER do anything that dangerous again!"
"Sorry..." Rinoa mumbled under Quistis' scolding.
"Forget it..." Quistis said. "Thank Hyne that the robbers didn't attack you..." she paused and looked at Rinoa. "Did they?"
"You were unconscious when we found you," Selphie said. "And I know you've been drinking water a lot, so you couldn't have been dehydrated."
"I don't really remember what happened..." Rinoa said. "I wandered into the temple ruins and..." Her voice slowly trailed off. Her eyes went down to her right hand, where a silver band decorated her ring finger.
"And...?" Selphie encouraged. "What happened?"
Rinoa narrowed her eyes. "I bent down...to get my flash light," she said, looking back up at the other two females. "All of a sudden, there was all this sand and wind..."
"The sand storm must've hit just then," Quistis sighed. She ran her hand through her hair. She removed her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose as she tilted her head down. "You were caught in it."
"All of a sudden, I had this huge head ache and fell..." Rinoa mumbled.
"Do you remember anything else?" Selphie asked. "Did you see anyone? The robbers didn't come near you, did they?" she asked nervously.
Rinoa's brown eyes narrowed slightly as she thought. Blue eyes... her mind whispered. He caught me...in his arms. And I looked up at eyes...
Quistis looked at Rinoa with worry as she noticed the young woman's far off look. "Rinoa?" she called out quietly. "Rinoa, honey, why don't you get some more rest. We'll get you some breakfast." she added, her tone concerned.
"Does your head still ache?" Selphie added. Both women were now trying to get Rinoa to lay back on her bed. "I'll get some codeine-"
"No, no, I'm fine," Rinoa insisted. She tried to get back up, but Selphie and Quistis wouldn't let her. "I can get up-"
"We'll bring you breakfast," Quistis told her as she soothed back Rinoa's hair in a motherly like fashion. "Just get some rest."
"But the ruins-"
"We can't work on them today anyway," Quistis sighed tiredly. "A government inspector is coming later to check out the vandalized tombs. The local police just called this morning."
"What was stolen...?" Rinoa asked. She had seen the tombs just two days before. They were a series of solid stone sarcophagi, each with heavy, intricately engraved lids. They hadn't opened the tombs yet, as they were still scanning the stone lids for future reference.
Quistis looked at Selphie. "Well...strangely enough, all the gold and decorations that had been buried with the bodies were still in tact."
Rinoa narrowed her eyes. "You mean...they stole the bodies?"
Selphie nodded. "Two tombs in the eastern wing, three tombs in the middle chamber, and the tomb of the prince in the main chamber."
"Oh my Hyne..." Rinoa gasped. "What would they do with...with six several thousand year old corpses? Are you sure they were stolen?"
Quistis nodded. "No trace of remains...not even the clothing they were buried in. It was like they just took the bones and the clothes that held them together and left."
"The lids of the sarcophaguses were also open," Selphie said. "If they had closed them, we probably wouldn't have noticed."
"At least until we opened them and found the missing bodies." Quistis added.
Rinoa closed her eyes and tilted her head back on her pillow. "That's why the government inspector is coming..."
"If he thinks we stole the bodies on purpose, we'll be in deep trouble with the Centran government," Quistis breathed. Rinoa realized for the first time that Quistis had bags under her eyes, probably signaling that she hadn't slept all night. "We can get in trouble with the University back in Deling City, too."
"Great..." Rinoa mumbled. "What the hell would we do with six bodies anyway...?"
Selphie shrugged. "At any rate, we can't do anything about it right now. So just get some rest."
Rinoa nodded. "I'm sorry...I should've gone to ask for help when I saw the torch light."
"No use crying over spilled milk, Rinoa," Quistis said as she headed towards the door. "Just learn not to spill it any more."
"We'll be back with something for you to eat and some medicine, okay, Rin?" Selphie added with a warm smile.
"And don't get up!" Quistis told her finally. They slipped out of the brunette's tent and Selphie closed the flap. Outside, Rinoa heard Quistis speaking to who she suspected was Watts. "Make sure she doesn't leave her tent. Doctor's orders."
"Sure thing, professor."
Rinoa groaned as she fell back on to her cot. She had attempted to sit up as soon as Selphie closed the flap on her tent. Damn Quistis...she worries too much. I'm totally fine!
As she reasserted herself of that fact, she attempted to sit up again and as soon as she reached a sitting position, her head began to throb. Mentally swearing she laid back down and cursed her luck. She closed her eyes and tried to fight back the pulsating beating in her head. First she gets knocked unconscious by being caught in a desert sand storm and basically lets robbers get away with taking six ancient bodies. Now Quistis couldn't continue the research she had worked so hard to gain access to and worse, they could be on the verge of trouble with the Centran government.
I don't GET it...it's been just a few hours and suddenly everything goes wrong... She lifted her slender fingers to her head and slowly rubbed it. She paused. And that man...Hyne, what was his name? Sq...Sq...Squash? No, that can't be it. Maybe it was some sort of ancient name. Yeah, that's it. It's probably lost in time now. But that was weird...I could've sworn when I was talking I said MY name.
Rinoa opened her eyes and stared at ceiling above her. That was the first dream she's ever had like that. All the colors, even in the dark, were so vivid. The details of the temple had been so ornate and she could make out every single carved panel. Her clothes, the soft billow light brown and white fabric that was wrapped around her like a toga had reached her ankles.
She wiggled her toes as she remembered the soft brown sandals she had been wearing in her dream. And HE was wearing white robes that also reached his feet. He had a black robe lined with gold thread over him and he had probably been doing rounds in the temple when he stumbled upon her. Try as she might, she couldn't remember if he had any jewelry on him or not. The moment her eyes rose to meet his clear gaze, she saw nothing else.
She had ached to run to him immediately and be swept up into those strong arms she knew was under those thin robes. His eyes had hypnotized her the moment she had first seen them. The moment she fell back in the ruin temple and was caught in his sight. Rinoa's eyes flew open. That had to be him! Obviously! Who else would have eyes THAT gorgeous? And if I saw him before I passed out he MUST be real!
At that thought, reasserted itself into her head, she willed herself to get up. She ignored the throbbing and slipped her legs over her the edge of her cot. Bracing herself, she pushed herself off the cot. Just then, Selphie opened the flap and let out a yelp as she saw Rinoa standing on shaky legs.
"Rinoa!" she shouted. "What are you doing? We told you not to get up!"
"I'm fine..." Rinoa insisted proudly as she held her arms out to steady herself. "I...I just need to get up a bit, that's all."
Selphie was standing by the flap, holding a plastic tray where a plate was covered by a plastic lid to keep the sand in the air from landing on the food within. She was frowning and the flap opened once more.
"Hyne, Rinoa, why don't EVER listen?" Quistis frowned as she came in.
"No, I can get up!" Rinoa insisted.
Quistis was already by her side, her hands on Rinoa's shoulders as she eased her back down on the cot. "You can sit up, but that's as far as I'm letting you go," Quistis said. "Besides, there is nothing for us to do today anyway. The ruins can't be touched until the inspector gets here and Hyne only knows when THAT will be."
"What about the tablets?" Rinoa piped. Selphie was dragging a small folding table from the corner of Rinoa's tent. Quistis took it from her and set it up so that Selphie could put Rinoa's breakfast there. "Can't we work on them?"
Selphie lifted up the lid and handed Rinoa a fork. "I will work on them for now. All I'm doing is analyzing the carved inscriptions on it. That's all." Quistis answered.
"But I can do something-"
"Yes, that's right," Selphie asserted. Rinoa's eyes lit up. "You can sit here and get better."
"But there's nothing wrong with me!" Rinoa pleaded. "REALLY!"
"Uh-huh..." Selphie said. "That's not what the doctor said."
"I don't CARE what the doctor said! I'm FINE!"
"I'm going to head back to the research tent," Quistis said as she headed towards the flap. "Rinoa, I'm still having Watts and Zone alternate times to watch your tent and make sure you stay here and rest. So don't even TRY to sneak out."
Rinoa grumbled and stabbed at her scrambled eggs. Selphie giggled and stood up. "And I have to talk to the volunteers about what's going on. But I'll be back in a few hours to check on you okay?"
Rinoa grumbled some more and looked away. "Whatever."
Still giggling, Selphie exited the tent. Rinoa ate her food, finishing up most of it, before putting the lid back on and moving the table away. Grumbling, she looked around her room. There had to be a way for her to escape...
Rinoa looked at her watch. It had been an hour. 'Ward can't possibly still be watching my tent... she thought to herself.' She craned her head towards her tent door.
"Zone! Zone, can you wait a second!" she heard his voice outside. Rinoa mentally swore and fell back on her cot. "Hey, can you watch and make sure that Princess doesn't sneak out while I go to the bathroom?"
"Yeah, sure," another male replied. "Just hurry up."
"Right!" Watts shouted back. Rinoa heard him running from where he had been standing, to the left of her tent.
She narrowed her eyes and sat up. She quickly tossed her feet over her cot and scrambled to the flap of her tent. She pulled it open slightly and peeked outside. She could see Zone reading something a little farther from the tent than where Watts had been standing. He didn't seem to really pay attention as he opened the newspaper he was reading to one side and start to pace.
Ah, Zone... Rinoa thought with a smirk. She held the edge of her tent's flap. I can always count on you... She waited until Zone turned his back to the tent and then dashed out quickly. She scurried behind her tent and was pinned in the small little alley between rows of tents.
"Thanks, man!" Watts said as he returned. "She didn't try to sneak out did she?"
"Naw..." Zone said. "I bet she's still sleeping."
Rinoa held her snickering to herself and headed towards the ruins lower down the hill. She kept looking over her shoulder consistently as she scrambled down the rock and sand lined hill. As she slid to a stop over a ridge that over looked the ruins, her eyes went wide.
"Hyne..." she whispered quietly. For a brief moment, Rinoa was swept away. It was like she was seeing something from a dream. Just one day before, when she had been standing on that very ridge, she had seen a quarter mile, at the most, of fully exposed ruins. The majority of the two miles estimated to be the Centran ruins had been half or more buried in sand and stone.
There before her now was a fallen city. Streets lined with ancient buildings had their paths cleared of all the rubble. She could see the fallen buildings, the holes in many of the old homes, even the ancient town square. And closest to them, where they had been focusing their energy, was the sprawling, but crumbled palace of ancient Centra.
The breath taking view was cut short when she realized that the researchers and volunteers could not enter the ruins. The inspector had yet to come and as far as she could see, no one was there. She looked back up at the hill where she could see the peaks of their tents. Then she looked back down at the city.
The tombs, she thought to herself. I want to see the tombs. Reasserting her thoughts, Rinoa ran down the rest of the path way and headed into the inner sanctums of the palace walls. She had to get through them to reach the temple and the 'Chambers of the Dead' as Selphie had dubbed the building that held the six tombs.
Rinoa arrived at the opening of the Chambers of the Dead. It was a circular building with a domed top that had survived. There was the main chamber, which was the entrance. Then there were three doors. One to the left, one to the right, and largest directly in front of her. The doors to the right were framed by two doric columns with a triangular frieze depicting a torch against the setting sun. Inside they found the fabled Centran Tablets that they had removed and brought to the Research Tent.
The doors to her right were also framed by columns and it's frieze above the doorway was a storm depicting moving trees and crashing lightning from the heavens. Inside the richly decorated chamber were two tombs. The smaller one was of a woman, from what they could tell from the carvings on the sarcophagus. The royal seal was at the foot of the horizontal coffin. The one next to it was a man and had the seal of a royal guard.
The double doors directly in front of Rinoa had a frieze with a cross directly in the center. To one side was a winged lion. To the other side were two seals from different branches of the military. Rinoa went through that set of doors.
She entered the secondary chamber where three stone coffins were lined in front of her. Quistis had said that they were all men from the size and carvings in the stone. Past the coffins was a door way to the final chamber. The stone doors, which had been removed and placed on the ground in the corner, when put together created one large cross. Inside was, according to Quistis, 'the most gaudy tomb' she had ever seen.
Rinoa allowed her eyes to settle. Even though the doors were opened, the room was still dimly lit. There were no windows or opening in the dome roof to let in light. She looked over her shoulder, making sure that no one was following her.
Rinoa walked along side the center coffin and paused. It seems that they had been opened recently and from what she could peak from the opening, there was nothing inside but a few trinkets. Her brown eyes went over the elaborately carved lid and studied the ancient script. Holy words...
Her slender fingers rose and traced the engravings gently. As she moved her hand, it went over the lion with the wings over the chest area of the coffin. She stopped and narrowed her eyes. The silver ring on her finger had caught her eye. It's the same... she thought quietly. The lion on the ring...the lion on the coffin lid...
"Hurry up, Quistis!" a voice suddenly shouted.
Rinoa whirled around, her heart nearly stopping as her face drained of color. "I'm coming, Selphie! Just hold on!" a female voice shouted.
Rinoa gasped and ran behind the wall next to the door way. She leaned against it as she heard two sets of feet running past the Chamber of the Dead's front steps. "He said he's down here somewhere and lost!" she heard Selphie explain.
"Hyne, what kind of inspector is that?" Quistis grumbled. "How is he supposed to investigate if he gets lost in the ruins?"
As soon as they passed, Rinoa peeked outside the doors. She let out a deep breath and slowly began to make her way towards the front of the Chambers. She stopped and hid against the door way of the building so she could listen. When she was absolutely sure that Quistis and Selphie were gone, she slowly stuck her head out and looked up and down the path way.
Not a sign of them...that was close... Rinoa stepped out of the ruins and began to rush back to the research camp. She assumed that they could appear at any moment and then Quistis would give her an extremely long lecture and scold her.
As she climbed back up the hill, taking a less noticeable way to her tent, Quistis and Selphie had caught sight of the inspector, wandering around and looking confused. Quistis sighed and shook her head. As she did, she saw something from the corner of her eye and frowned as she turned her head towards the slightly sloping land above them.
"What is it?" Selphie asked, noticing that Quistis was looking up at the research camp.
"I thought I just saw Rinoa." Quistis said.
"Oh, no! Don't tell me she was sneaking down!" Selphie exclaimed. "I swear, she never could sit still..."
"No, Selphie, that's you," Quistis replied. "She just doesn't like to be trapped like that. Even if it's for her own good. At any rate, we'll question her later. Let's get the inspector before we loose him."
"Right!" Selphie said. They turned back to the short blond man who was walking towards him. He was smiling sheepishly as his spiky blond hair blew in the wind. Cheerful blue eyes greeted them. Immediately, the girls noticed the intricate tattoo on his face.
"Hi!" he said animatedly as he extended his hand. He was wearing jeans, boots, and a loose cotton work shirt over a bright red T-shirt. He had a worn leather bag at his side. "I'm Zell Dincht! I'm the inspector that Centra sent."
Rinoa finally reached her tent and wiped her brow. I need to get some water... she thought to herself. She snuck around the back of her tent and carefully looked around the corner. Crap... she thought to herself as she saw Watts standing there like some sort of sentinel.
Her mind was running quickly, trying to find a way to get back into her tent without being caught. She decided to distract him. "Watts!" she coughed out, trying to sound like she was within the tent somehow. "Get me some water! I'm thirsty!" I'm not lying... she mentally added.
"Oh no," Watts said suspiciously. "I'm not falling for it, princess."
"But really! I'm thirsty!" she gasped out.
"Hmm..." Watts frowned slightly. He stood there for a few moments, trying to decide if he should buy Rinoa's request or not. "All right...hold on..."
Yes!
"Zone! Hey, can you bring a pitcher of water and a cup for princess?" she heard him yell.
No! Rinoa felt like stamping her feet on the ground in frustration.
"Yeah, I'll be right back!" another voice replied. Rinoa looked around the tent and saw Zone run off towards the meal tent. She mentally swore as her plan to distract him backfired. She had actually made it worse. What would happen when he arrived to give her water and then she wasn't there?
Way to dig yourself a hole, Rinoa... she thought to herself miserably. Before long she heard Zone returning and looked around the tent again. Hyne! There had to be something...anything to distract them! She was on the verge of screaming as zone walked towards her tent, a plastic cup and pitcher of water in either hand.
She glared miserably at the pitcher when suddenly she heard Zone let out a yelp. She blinked and realized that the water had somehow flew out of the pitcher and all over Zone. "Whoa! You okay?" Watts immediately ran over to help his friend, who was rubbing his eyes after water had fallen all over him.
Rinoa shot out from behind her tent and dashed into her tent. She nearly dove for her cot as she fell back on it, breathing heavily at the rush. She grinned to herself. As she laid back on her cot she smiled. Ah, Zone... she thought to herself once more. I can always count on you.
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Professor Trepe," Zell said as he wiped his brow with a white handkerchief as the sun beat down on them. "But you can continue your research in the ruins tomorrow morning."
Quistis let out a thankful sigh and nodded. "Thank you so much Inspector Dincht-"
"Professor Trepe, it's just Zell, please." he said cheerfully. Quistis nodded.
"Well, then Zell, thank you so much," she said. "I'm glad that everything has been taken care off. I assure you, you won't have to come all the way out here again."
"I don't plan to," Zell chuckled. He put his hands on his waist and looked around the camp. "So...where should I set up my tent?"
Quistis and Selphie froze. Selphie looked at the male blond reluctantly. "Um...tent?" she asked, confused. Zell nodded.
"Yes, didn't headquarters inform you?" Zell replied questioningly. "Because of threat of another robbery and perhaps even vandalism, I'm going to be stationed here until the research is over."
Selphie and Quistis exchanged horrified looks and Quistis turned back to him. "Are you SURE? I mean...they never mentioned anything about you coming on board."
"I'm sorry to have to spring this on you all of a sudden, Professor Trepe, really," Zell assured her. "But it's my orders."
"I demand to speak to your boss immediately!" Quistis said, obviously fuming. "How do they expect me to conduct my research when someone is breathing down my neck consistently!"
"Please, Professor, I'm just here to make sure nothing else happens-"
"And HOW exactly are you going to do that?" Quistis growled. "You are one man, Zell! Surely they don't expect YOU to be security."
Zell looked down sheepishly. "I'm sorry, but those are my orders..." he trailed off.
Selphie sighed and patted Quistis gently on the shoulder. "Just calm down, Quisty," Selphie told her softly. "I'm sure that Zell won't get in the way."
"It's not about if he does or doesn't! It's the whole fact that he's here!" Quistis exclaimed proudly.
"Just calm down," Selphie continued. She looked over at Zell and offered him a weak smile. "Listen, I'll help you set up your tent and give you a tour of the camp."
"Really? Thanks!" Zell said, smiling excitedly. "I promise not to get in your way!"
Quistis merely grumbled and Selphie looked over at her. "Why don't you go check on Rinoa? You know, make sure she's still in her tent."
"And Rinoa is...?" Zell asked, his blue eyes bright and alert.
"She's the graduate student whose my assistant as well as one of my best friends," Quistis told him matter of factly. "As you already know, Selphie is head of our team of volunteers. Rinoa over sees the field studies under me and helps with the heavy research."
"Oh okay," Zell said. "I'll meet her later then?"
"Yep!" Selphie replied brightly.
"All right, I'm going to check up on her," Quistis said, glancing down at her wrist watch. "She was caught in the sand storm last night."
"Oh!" Zell said, his eyes wide. "Okay, then. I hope she's okay..."
Quistis turned and headed towards Rinoa's tent. She waved at Zone, who had already switched places with Watts. "Is she still in there?"
"She hasn't left." Zone assured her.
"Are you SURE?" Quistis said. Zone nodded. Funny...I could've sworn that I saw Rinoa scrambling up that hill earlier today... Shaking her head she knocked on the side of Rinoa's tent. "Rin, are you awake?"
"Yeah..." Rinoa grumbled inside. Quistis lifted the flap and found the young woman laying on her stomach on her cot. "See? I know what you were thinking, so I'm going to tell you right now. I did not try to run off," Quistis rolled her eyes and gave her a disbelieving look. Technically, I succeeded...not just tried. Rinoa added mentally.
"Sorry to have doubted you," she sighed. "What are you doing?"
Rinoa lifted up her sketch book. "I haven't gotten very far..." Quistis looked down at the sketched picture of two eyes in Rinoa's sketch book. It seemed that Rinoa had used a light blue colored pencil to color in the eyes. A few strokes of a pencil above the eyes depicted hair falling over them.
"That's pretty good..." Quistis said. "And you've been doing this for the last few hours?"
"I laid around most of the time."
"I see...and whose eyes are these? My eyes aren't that shade. Selphie's are green..." Quistis paused. "They're a man's eyes," she deduced. Rinoa nodded slightly, a hint of pink on her cheeks. Quistis grinned. "Did you meet someone at the club you and Selphie ran off to the other night?"
"Nope," Rinoa said. She smiled inwardly as she brought the sketch book back to her. "But, hey, maybe one day..."
Quistis chuckled and nodded. "All right, well, I'm glad to see you're sitting tight. The doctor is coming by later this evening to check up on you."
"Doctor?" Rinoa asked, confused. She frowned. "Quistis, I told you a thousand times already - I'm FINE."
"Sure..." Quistis said. She headed back towards the flap. "Whatever you say. He's only coming to make sure you're as fine as you say you are."
Rinoa grumbled. She looked back up at Quistis. "Hey...what about that inspector? Did he come yet?"
"Ugh..." Quistis groaned and ran her hand down her face. "He's been assigned to keep watch over us."
"No way!"
"Don't even get me started," Quistis said as she waved her hand to dismiss the thought. "Anyway, you'll meet him soon enough. Did you eat lunch yet?"
"Nope."
"Are you hungry?"
"Nope."
Quistis sighed. "Selphie and I will get you for dinner then," Rinoa nodded and continued with her sketch as Quistis left her tent. "Zone, take a break," she heard Quistis say. "I'll keep watch."
It was just about sun set when Rinoa woke up from a nap she hadn't even realized she had taken. She grumbled and realized she had been using her sketch book as a pillow. She let out a yelp as she pushed herself up from it, a page sticking to her cheek as she did. She grumbled and peeled it off.
At least I didn't drool on it... she thought to herself quietly. She sat up slowly and yawned. Her stomach began to grumble. Almost time for dinner...
"I hope I didn't come at a bad time, Professor." a deep voice said. Rinoa's head perked up as she closed her sketch book.
"No, this is all right," she heard Quistis' voice say. From the sounds of their voice, Rinoa assumed they were a few feet from her tent. "Right this way, doctor."
Rinoa stood up to put her sketch book on her fold out desk as her flap opened. She whirled around as Quistis entered her tent. "Hey." Rinoa said, smiling weakly. She swept back her hair, trying to straighten it out after she had fallen asleep.
"Good, you're awake," Quistis said with a smile. "Hyne, Rinoa...turn on some lights...it's getting dark."
"Sorry..." Rinoa said. She watched as Quistis walked over to the lamp on Rinoa's desk and turned it on. A dim yellow light flooded the small room.
"Excuse me?" a voice said from outside. "May I enter now?"
"Yes, doctor, go ahead," Quistis said. Rinoa turned her attention back to the flap of her tent. A pale hand pushed the flap away as a dark haired man stepped into her room. Rinoa eyes slowly widened as he slipped into her tent. Her entire body suddenly began to feel warm as her heart's beating quickened all too familiarly. The man stood up straight in front of her. He wore dark colored pants, probably of a leather material and a loose white T-shirt under a leather jacket. He was holding a black bag with some equipment as black gloves covered his hands. He was a little taller than Quistis with thick, brown hair falling over his eyes as they focused on her. "Rinoa, this is Dr. Leonhart. He's a volunteer doctor in town. Dr. Leonhart - Rinoa Heartilly."
Beautiful eyes of bluish-silver reflected the dancing light as his eyes locked on to Rinoa's brown ones. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Heartilly." he said coolly.
Rinoa felt herself nodding as she stood there dumbly. Her heart was pounding against her breast as she looked into his hauntingly familiar eyes. Her soft lips parted and in a shaking voice, she asked, "Have...have we met?"