A/N: Ugh...too much partying makes me cranky...Anyway, we're at the home
stretch now. I will finish this. That is my mantra.
Silent Screams Chapter 39
"What do you mean, I'm going to die in a few hours?" Calanthia questioned her daughter.
Quistis sighed. "That's why I invited him along. The thing that Odine had removed from your body would kill you if it were to be replaced. They didn't know. I guess that's why they wanted to test you."
Calanthia sighed, sitting down onto the ground. "Have I been suspended in life?" she asked silently. She felt so young, and hell, she looked so young.
"Yes. I wanted to meet my mother. I was raised as an orphan, despite the strange fact that I was raised as my grandparents."
Squall sat down on the ground now, as well, rubbing Quistis' back. "We all were orphans. Quistis, Selphie, Irvine, Seifer, Zell, and even myself. We were all orphans with no where to go. I found my father. President Laguna Loire."
"Mr. Loire? That young man...such a gentleman he was. I remember meeting him once out of coincidence. He bumped into me in the shopping district of Esthar. I had so many bags full of things for my new apartment. He took them all with one swoop and helped me home. Such a nice man. Enough about me and tell me about your teenage life."
Quistis grabbed her mother's hand, never wanting to let go. "I was taken by the Trepes at nine or ten, I believe. I went to Balamb Garden at the age of twelve. They called me the child prodigy. They said I was born to be a SeeD. At the age of sixteen, I was an Instructor. I taught Squall and our other friends, Seifer and Zell."
"Tell me about your friends."
Quistis sniffled. "Seifer is...amazing. He was too proud for his own good, but his pride made him a better man at times. Zell wa..." Quistis stopped, tears touching her eyes. "Zell's dead. He died...because of me. Him and Selphie both died in order to save the world from another sorceress."
"Oh...not Adel."
"No, Adel was suspended in time up in space. We killed her. And another sorceress from the future named Ultimecia. Oh, and another by the name of Rinoa. Oh! And then there's one that I'm killing now, Eleni."
Calanthia smiled, although it looked forced. "You've been busy."
Quistis frowned. "Yes...almost too busy." Quistis rubbed her mother's hand. "Why did you do it, mom?"
"Do what? Give my body up for research?" Quistis nodded her head. Her mother took a long breath and breathed out. "Well, I was...stripping at the time. I didn't have enough money for rent, taxes, for you to go to school, for food, for new clothes, and everything else. I had no money. Stripping was barely enough for the bills and debt. I had to do something. I saw this ad on the television about giving a body up for medical research. It was an awful amount of gil at the time, two hundred and fifty thousand to be exact, and that was enough for the rent and taxes, with some left over for you and me." Quistis held onto her mother's hand, grasping it tightly. "When I went, and I took you with me, I signed a waver that if anything should happen, all what was in my possession would go to the Estharian government. I thought, that if I did die, or if I was damaged, the Estharian government would take care of you, too." Calanthia grasped a hold of her daughter, pulling her into a tight hug. "I never once imagined that you would be sent to an orphanage. Oh, Quistis, please forgive me?"
Quistis simply nodded her head, the tears causing her to choke on her own breath. She let out a soft sob. Finally, Quistis murmured into her mother's ear, "You're a Blue Mage SeaD, mom."
Calanthia pushed her daughter away an inch, only to stare into her eyes. "A Blue Mage? A SeeD?" She smiled. "No. I have no blue magic powers, Quistis. I'm certainly no SeeD, either. SeeD was basically just starting when I was young."
Quistis shook her head. "No, mom...yo..." She stopped mid sentence. There was no need to tell her mother. She was dying anyway and would find out from there. "Ok, mom." She sniffled. "Can you please talk to dad now? I want to be a family for the rest of your time...'
Calanthia looked a bit upset, but just nodded her head. Squall walked to the door, opening it up. Irvine mouthed, "What's going on?" Nero mouthed, "Did she tell her?" Seifer mouthed, "Is she ok?" Laguna just gave him a confused look. Squall looked at Richard and motioned him in.
Squall thought to himself, on the other hand, 'This is like family psychiatry...next thing you know, my father,' and he thought that part bitterly, 'will be rushing in the room.'
Richard walked in, staring at the now standing up Calanthia. He took a step towards her, but she motioned for him to stay there. "Quistis asked this, not me."
Richard frowned. "Calanthia, listen..." He walked over to her, grasping her arms in his hands, forcing her to look up at him. "I never stopped loving you, not once. I never remarried, I...was always hoping that you would be the one to walk into my office." Quistis felt two arms wrap around her, holding her tight. Calanthia blinked for a second and showed no sign of emotion. "I just wanted to be a family, and back then, I didn't know how to take it. I...really wish I had a second chance to make things right with you and Quistis, but I don't."
Calanthia looked at her ex-husband, sadness now filling her eyes. "You have a second chance with her..."
Richard looked down, pulling Calanthia into a hug. Squall walked to the door, Quistis still in his arms, and opened it, dragging her out. Seifer walked over to her, placing a calm hand on her shoulder. She nodded her head to him, her eyes dancing with his eyes.
Inside the room, Richard lifted her head up, kissing her forehead softly. She muffled out a soft cry of protest, but it only resulted in him kissing her on the lips. Calanthia's eyes opened wide, seeing the whole world rush around. She placed her hands up around his neck, falling into his arms that were around her waist.
The world crashed into her eyes. She closed them, but opened them again. She looked around, seeing nothing. There was no Richard, or Quistis, or her son-in-law. It was just black. It was pure nothingness.
A glass shard floated in front of her. She held out her hand, placing out a fingertip to let it dance. A few more suddenly appeared, only to form a large mirror. She looked into the mirror, seeing herself looking back. With her other hand, she touched the mirror softly, seeing her reflection not do the same thing. Instead, the reflection transformed into Quistis. Her cheeks were a touch higher up, but basically identical. The reflection changed once more, showing a man with dark brown hair just up to his ears and slightly covering his eyes. The same sapphire blue stared back at her. Finally, the reflection changed into a man with the same sapphire eyes but silver hair and silver features. A soft whisper blew into her ears. "Calanthia, welcome, finally..."
ooooooooooo
Quistis placed the bouquet of roses onto the ground. She had no more tears in her to cry. She had nothing left inside of her. She took a soft sharp breath and walked to the top of the hill. She turned back around, seeing Squall look at another tombstone as well. Quistis turned back and touched Seifer's shoulder lightly. "Hey," she whispered.
"Hey. You doing ok?" he asked.
"Yea," was her only response.
Squall and Quistis both decided to bury her next to Raine. It was only proper to bury her there, since those were the only two mothers' of the orphanage gang.
Richard was sobbing on the ground on top of Calanthia's grave. On the grave it read, 'Un fiore in un letto di spine,' which from what Richard had told them, was Calanthia's favorite poem by an extremely old writer. It was in an unknown language to them, but Calanthia seemed to understand the language perfectly.
Quistis walked over to where Laguna was standing. "Quistis," he whispered out of respect. "I have a...favor to ask you."
Quistis walked over to him, Seifer following behind her. "Yes?"
"I...I know it's been hard on you, losing your mother and all. It must be hard on Dr. Chambers, as well." His left leg was cramping up. "Arg. Look, take my airship, ok?"
"What? Why?"
He sighed, rubbing his left leg now. "Come on, Quistis. Just take it. Her name is Apollo. Consider it a belated wedding gift."
"You sent Squall and I to the hotel resort on the Island Closest to Heaven, then, not to mention, bought us a townhouse in Winhill. Now you're giving us a female ship with a male's name?"
Her look was serious, so his response had to be just as serious. "Yes." Suddenly, Quistis wrapped her arms around him, giving him a death-defying hug. "UGH!" he called out.
Quistis let out a saddened smile. "Thanks, Laguna."
She bounded into the airship, staring at the pilot. "'Ello, Mrs. Leonheart! My name is Rupert. Where shall I fly you today?"
Quistis blinked a few times, only to result in turning around and seeing Squall and Irvine walking in. Nero followed them, his head hung down. "Guys, we have a crew," Quistis announced. Squall turned to talk to his father, but only resulted in seeing a door closed. They looked out the window, seeing Richard and Laguna walking side by side towards a jet that was sitting on the ground.
Squall looked at the man named Rupert, giving him an odd look. "I'm not really used to this."
Rupert laughed a hearty laugh. "Well, my new commander, the Apollo is yours for the flying! Its navigational system controls are quite hard to figure out, so President Loire simply couldn't resist getting you the crew who created her!" Rupert smiled, then held up his finger. "Oh! President Loire informed us to tell you that there are presents in the bedrooms. Now, if you'd all please take your seats, the Apollo will be setting off! Where to?"
Quistis blinked a few times. "Well, why not fly us to Balamb? I'd like to check up on things there," Squall announced.
Rupert nodded his head and turned to the controls. "All systems go! The Apollo is ready for take off!"
Quistis followed another man, who was waiting to direct them to the bedrooms, staring at the marvels of the Apollo. "Wow," Nero whispered. "Never seen a thing like this. How old is this?"
The man leading them, Duke, laughed. "It's only a year old! You're her first customers!"
Duke stopped, hitting a button to open two rooms. "If you'd enter and find your gifts."
The group walked into the first one, the one with the presents lying on the three beds, and walked over to them. "To Squall," Squall read out loud. He opened the box, gasping at what he saw. He lifted the gunblade up, swinging the almost weightless gunblade around. He pulled the handle up to his eye level, staring at the design. It was five lions, all the same, going through a running motion. Where the sword met the blade, there was a large lion head, the sword jutting through the mouth of the lion. Squall pulled out a piece of paper and read the writing slowly, "The Lionheart II."
Irvine opened the next present, pulling out a long automatic rifle. He lifted the butt of the rifle up to his eye, staring all the way down to the end. He twirled it around, staring at the front of the rifle. It was a viper opening its mouth with its fangs and all exposed. He lifted the piece of paper, reading the writing slowly as well, "The Viper's Bite."
Quistis opened the final present, pulling out a dulled black leather handle out of the box. The leather twisted and turned around each piece. Where the whip begun, sharp black metallic thorns jutted out of the leather, leaving the end to be a bright red rose, although sharp and twisted rather than smooth and gentle. "The Red Queen's Rose."
Silent Screams Chapter 39
"What do you mean, I'm going to die in a few hours?" Calanthia questioned her daughter.
Quistis sighed. "That's why I invited him along. The thing that Odine had removed from your body would kill you if it were to be replaced. They didn't know. I guess that's why they wanted to test you."
Calanthia sighed, sitting down onto the ground. "Have I been suspended in life?" she asked silently. She felt so young, and hell, she looked so young.
"Yes. I wanted to meet my mother. I was raised as an orphan, despite the strange fact that I was raised as my grandparents."
Squall sat down on the ground now, as well, rubbing Quistis' back. "We all were orphans. Quistis, Selphie, Irvine, Seifer, Zell, and even myself. We were all orphans with no where to go. I found my father. President Laguna Loire."
"Mr. Loire? That young man...such a gentleman he was. I remember meeting him once out of coincidence. He bumped into me in the shopping district of Esthar. I had so many bags full of things for my new apartment. He took them all with one swoop and helped me home. Such a nice man. Enough about me and tell me about your teenage life."
Quistis grabbed her mother's hand, never wanting to let go. "I was taken by the Trepes at nine or ten, I believe. I went to Balamb Garden at the age of twelve. They called me the child prodigy. They said I was born to be a SeeD. At the age of sixteen, I was an Instructor. I taught Squall and our other friends, Seifer and Zell."
"Tell me about your friends."
Quistis sniffled. "Seifer is...amazing. He was too proud for his own good, but his pride made him a better man at times. Zell wa..." Quistis stopped, tears touching her eyes. "Zell's dead. He died...because of me. Him and Selphie both died in order to save the world from another sorceress."
"Oh...not Adel."
"No, Adel was suspended in time up in space. We killed her. And another sorceress from the future named Ultimecia. Oh, and another by the name of Rinoa. Oh! And then there's one that I'm killing now, Eleni."
Calanthia smiled, although it looked forced. "You've been busy."
Quistis frowned. "Yes...almost too busy." Quistis rubbed her mother's hand. "Why did you do it, mom?"
"Do what? Give my body up for research?" Quistis nodded her head. Her mother took a long breath and breathed out. "Well, I was...stripping at the time. I didn't have enough money for rent, taxes, for you to go to school, for food, for new clothes, and everything else. I had no money. Stripping was barely enough for the bills and debt. I had to do something. I saw this ad on the television about giving a body up for medical research. It was an awful amount of gil at the time, two hundred and fifty thousand to be exact, and that was enough for the rent and taxes, with some left over for you and me." Quistis held onto her mother's hand, grasping it tightly. "When I went, and I took you with me, I signed a waver that if anything should happen, all what was in my possession would go to the Estharian government. I thought, that if I did die, or if I was damaged, the Estharian government would take care of you, too." Calanthia grasped a hold of her daughter, pulling her into a tight hug. "I never once imagined that you would be sent to an orphanage. Oh, Quistis, please forgive me?"
Quistis simply nodded her head, the tears causing her to choke on her own breath. She let out a soft sob. Finally, Quistis murmured into her mother's ear, "You're a Blue Mage SeaD, mom."
Calanthia pushed her daughter away an inch, only to stare into her eyes. "A Blue Mage? A SeeD?" She smiled. "No. I have no blue magic powers, Quistis. I'm certainly no SeeD, either. SeeD was basically just starting when I was young."
Quistis shook her head. "No, mom...yo..." She stopped mid sentence. There was no need to tell her mother. She was dying anyway and would find out from there. "Ok, mom." She sniffled. "Can you please talk to dad now? I want to be a family for the rest of your time...'
Calanthia looked a bit upset, but just nodded her head. Squall walked to the door, opening it up. Irvine mouthed, "What's going on?" Nero mouthed, "Did she tell her?" Seifer mouthed, "Is she ok?" Laguna just gave him a confused look. Squall looked at Richard and motioned him in.
Squall thought to himself, on the other hand, 'This is like family psychiatry...next thing you know, my father,' and he thought that part bitterly, 'will be rushing in the room.'
Richard walked in, staring at the now standing up Calanthia. He took a step towards her, but she motioned for him to stay there. "Quistis asked this, not me."
Richard frowned. "Calanthia, listen..." He walked over to her, grasping her arms in his hands, forcing her to look up at him. "I never stopped loving you, not once. I never remarried, I...was always hoping that you would be the one to walk into my office." Quistis felt two arms wrap around her, holding her tight. Calanthia blinked for a second and showed no sign of emotion. "I just wanted to be a family, and back then, I didn't know how to take it. I...really wish I had a second chance to make things right with you and Quistis, but I don't."
Calanthia looked at her ex-husband, sadness now filling her eyes. "You have a second chance with her..."
Richard looked down, pulling Calanthia into a hug. Squall walked to the door, Quistis still in his arms, and opened it, dragging her out. Seifer walked over to her, placing a calm hand on her shoulder. She nodded her head to him, her eyes dancing with his eyes.
Inside the room, Richard lifted her head up, kissing her forehead softly. She muffled out a soft cry of protest, but it only resulted in him kissing her on the lips. Calanthia's eyes opened wide, seeing the whole world rush around. She placed her hands up around his neck, falling into his arms that were around her waist.
The world crashed into her eyes. She closed them, but opened them again. She looked around, seeing nothing. There was no Richard, or Quistis, or her son-in-law. It was just black. It was pure nothingness.
A glass shard floated in front of her. She held out her hand, placing out a fingertip to let it dance. A few more suddenly appeared, only to form a large mirror. She looked into the mirror, seeing herself looking back. With her other hand, she touched the mirror softly, seeing her reflection not do the same thing. Instead, the reflection transformed into Quistis. Her cheeks were a touch higher up, but basically identical. The reflection changed once more, showing a man with dark brown hair just up to his ears and slightly covering his eyes. The same sapphire blue stared back at her. Finally, the reflection changed into a man with the same sapphire eyes but silver hair and silver features. A soft whisper blew into her ears. "Calanthia, welcome, finally..."
ooooooooooo
Quistis placed the bouquet of roses onto the ground. She had no more tears in her to cry. She had nothing left inside of her. She took a soft sharp breath and walked to the top of the hill. She turned back around, seeing Squall look at another tombstone as well. Quistis turned back and touched Seifer's shoulder lightly. "Hey," she whispered.
"Hey. You doing ok?" he asked.
"Yea," was her only response.
Squall and Quistis both decided to bury her next to Raine. It was only proper to bury her there, since those were the only two mothers' of the orphanage gang.
Richard was sobbing on the ground on top of Calanthia's grave. On the grave it read, 'Un fiore in un letto di spine,' which from what Richard had told them, was Calanthia's favorite poem by an extremely old writer. It was in an unknown language to them, but Calanthia seemed to understand the language perfectly.
Quistis walked over to where Laguna was standing. "Quistis," he whispered out of respect. "I have a...favor to ask you."
Quistis walked over to him, Seifer following behind her. "Yes?"
"I...I know it's been hard on you, losing your mother and all. It must be hard on Dr. Chambers, as well." His left leg was cramping up. "Arg. Look, take my airship, ok?"
"What? Why?"
He sighed, rubbing his left leg now. "Come on, Quistis. Just take it. Her name is Apollo. Consider it a belated wedding gift."
"You sent Squall and I to the hotel resort on the Island Closest to Heaven, then, not to mention, bought us a townhouse in Winhill. Now you're giving us a female ship with a male's name?"
Her look was serious, so his response had to be just as serious. "Yes." Suddenly, Quistis wrapped her arms around him, giving him a death-defying hug. "UGH!" he called out.
Quistis let out a saddened smile. "Thanks, Laguna."
She bounded into the airship, staring at the pilot. "'Ello, Mrs. Leonheart! My name is Rupert. Where shall I fly you today?"
Quistis blinked a few times, only to result in turning around and seeing Squall and Irvine walking in. Nero followed them, his head hung down. "Guys, we have a crew," Quistis announced. Squall turned to talk to his father, but only resulted in seeing a door closed. They looked out the window, seeing Richard and Laguna walking side by side towards a jet that was sitting on the ground.
Squall looked at the man named Rupert, giving him an odd look. "I'm not really used to this."
Rupert laughed a hearty laugh. "Well, my new commander, the Apollo is yours for the flying! Its navigational system controls are quite hard to figure out, so President Loire simply couldn't resist getting you the crew who created her!" Rupert smiled, then held up his finger. "Oh! President Loire informed us to tell you that there are presents in the bedrooms. Now, if you'd all please take your seats, the Apollo will be setting off! Where to?"
Quistis blinked a few times. "Well, why not fly us to Balamb? I'd like to check up on things there," Squall announced.
Rupert nodded his head and turned to the controls. "All systems go! The Apollo is ready for take off!"
Quistis followed another man, who was waiting to direct them to the bedrooms, staring at the marvels of the Apollo. "Wow," Nero whispered. "Never seen a thing like this. How old is this?"
The man leading them, Duke, laughed. "It's only a year old! You're her first customers!"
Duke stopped, hitting a button to open two rooms. "If you'd enter and find your gifts."
The group walked into the first one, the one with the presents lying on the three beds, and walked over to them. "To Squall," Squall read out loud. He opened the box, gasping at what he saw. He lifted the gunblade up, swinging the almost weightless gunblade around. He pulled the handle up to his eye level, staring at the design. It was five lions, all the same, going through a running motion. Where the sword met the blade, there was a large lion head, the sword jutting through the mouth of the lion. Squall pulled out a piece of paper and read the writing slowly, "The Lionheart II."
Irvine opened the next present, pulling out a long automatic rifle. He lifted the butt of the rifle up to his eye, staring all the way down to the end. He twirled it around, staring at the front of the rifle. It was a viper opening its mouth with its fangs and all exposed. He lifted the piece of paper, reading the writing slowly as well, "The Viper's Bite."
Quistis opened the final present, pulling out a dulled black leather handle out of the box. The leather twisted and turned around each piece. Where the whip begun, sharp black metallic thorns jutted out of the leather, leaving the end to be a bright red rose, although sharp and twisted rather than smooth and gentle. "The Red Queen's Rose."