A/N: Hey guys, I'm back. Well, I don't have a lot of time to work on the story anymore, so I kind of rushed this chapter in hopes of getting it posted quickly. Therefore, it's a bit short, but I promise there is more good stuff to come. This chapter is a bit fluffy, but just deal with it, and please review!
Chapter 16 - The Awakening
Squall stared at Rinoa, stunned at the vicious and downright unexpected outburst. He could feel his mouth moving with the intention of speaking, but before he could even form words, Rinoa was on her feet, looking around frantically.
"Rinoa, dear, you need to lie down," Doctor Kadowaki told her. "At least until I can examine you and make sure you're okay."
Rinoa then seemed to recognize her surroundings and she calmed.
"I'm fine," she stated in a tone that left no room for dispute. "If there was anything wrong I'd know about it. Sorceress, remember?"
Doctor Kadowaki hesitated for a moment, then spoke again. "Humor me, Rinoa, please."
Rinoa sighed and went back to the bed, briefly eyeing Squall, then shifting her gaze to Edea.
"Edea, how are you?" she said, smiling.
She was genuinely glad to see the ex-sorceress, but was also using the opportunity to avoid conversing with Squall. She could sense his anxiety and discomfort clearly, and she knew she had hurt him by leaving.
She hadn't intended to cause him pain, but she couldn't ignore that she'd felt the same pain when she saw him and Eve walking down the hall so closely that night.
It was different now, though. From the moment she'd woken up just minutes before, she knew that there had been nothing between the two, and she was wrong to have assumed such a thing before. The knowledge of it was clear, as if it had been there all along.
As she continued her small talk with Edea, her mind wandered elsewhere, puzzled and distracted by the obvious changes that had apparently occured while she was unconscious.
Her senses were incredibly sharp, intensified now to at least three times what they had been before. She could sense every emotion that went through every person in the room. She knew without trying that she could easily read each thought that passed through their minds with no effort.
She could hear the sounds of the students in the hallways clear across the Garden. She could zero in on a particular student if she wanted, and hear every detail of their movements from the fabric of their clothes to the beating of their hearts.
She could smell the individual scents of everyone, much like an animal, while blocking out any other smells, if she wanted.
She knew that if she was to go outside, that her vision would be clear for miles, and could probably zoom in on things much like a sniper's scope.
And her magic. She could feel the intensity of her magic like nothing else. It was welling up and eager to be used, and was umatched by any magic she'd ever been witness to before.
And she could acknowledge all of this while still holding and fully comprehending her conversation with Edea as the doctor briefly examined her.
"So, that about sums up my theory on what happened," Edea finally concluded.
Rinoa nodded. "You are absolutely correct. I can feel the change. Everything is different. I have all this... knowledge, I guess... and these abilities that I never had before. And I can sense them without even testing them. It's... weird."
Squall had watched Rinoa through the entire conversation, studying every expression on her face intently. As much as he had been dying to speak with her, he was suddenly afraid to. He feared that with her new power, everything might be different. He feared that she was still upset with him. He feared that she still thought something had happened between himself and Eve.
And as stupid as he knew it was, he feared that she suddenly didn't love him anymore. He knew that taking this time apart was a mistake, and he wanted the opportunity to remedy that.
He could have kicked himself for letting this tentative break-up even happen. It was utterly retarded as far as he was concerned and he couldn't remember for the life of him if there was even a good reason for such a thing. There were a few minor discrepancies and conflicts, yes, but nothing that justified the price he was now paying.
He suddenly realized that Rinoa had ended her conversation with Edea and was now looking at him, obviously with a degree of discomfort.
He took a deep breath and spoke.
"Rin, before you say anything, I wanna explain some things. Uh... Eve and I were never involved in any way. I mean, she liked me, and clearly stated even that she had romantic, uh, intention towards me, but I never reciprocated, and I even told her that. So... we agreed on friendship, and I swear that's all it ever was. Great choice in friends, eh?"
Rinoa smiled slightly, and was about to speak, but Squall stopped her, both momentarily forgetting that there were several other people in the room.
"Wait, let me finish," he said, then took another deep breath. "I think that we made a huge mistake by breaking up and... I want you to give our relationship another chance, that is, if you are... willing. I just... I really freaked out, Rin, when I thought you were hurt, and it really made me think... and I just... I..."
"Squall, it's... it's okay," Rinoa interjected quietly. "I'm not upset with you. I know that I assumed incorrectly, and for that I'm sorry. I really am."
Squall cleared his throat and took her hand. He kissed her knuckes and slowly brought his eyes back up to meet hers. "So...."
"First," she began, having read his thought before he could say it, "things have to be a little different. I can't stand the waiting every night, Squall. I love you, god, I love you, but I can't handle it. If I'm gonna be with you, I need to be with you, understand?"
Squall nodded vigorously. "I understand. I'm gonna have Quistis and Xu help me with office stuff, and I'll cut down on missions... there are plently of other capable SeeDs who can do them for me. Baby, I promise I'll be around more. But... "
"But... something has to be done about Eve first," Rinoa finished. "I know. We'll take care of her. I hate to say it, but you guys won't do a lick of damage to her and that gauntlet without me, so we're in this one together."
Squall nodded, hating the idea of putting her in danger, but he was fully aware that she was right.
Eve was now about as powerful as a sorceress, and though they'd defeated sorceresses before, she was the only one who knew the tricks of SeeD. She had been one of them for years.
Now she was in hiding, and probably hidden well, knowing the SeeDs' methods in searching. That raised an obvious question.
"How the hell are we gonna find her?" Squall grumbled.
Rinoa grinned, finally wrapping her arms around Squall's neck. "Oh, don't worry. I know exactly where she is now. Thanks to her, really. If she hadn't whacked me with that thing, I'd be as clueless as you, but now I know just how to find the little whore."
The room went silent and everyone was gawking eagerly at Rinoa in anticipation, waiting for her to reveal this revelation.
Rinoa glanced around the room, noticing that the rest of their friends had apparently entered the room at some point while she was concentrating on her conversation with Squall, all with eager expressions on all of their faces.
She chuckled and said, "Well, we'll get to her soon enough, don't worry. We have some time before we have to go. But as of now, Squall and I have some long overdue and unfinished business to tend to, so if you'll excuse us."
Without a word more, she hopped up from the hospital bed and dragged a grinning Squall out the door behind her, with the intention of heading straight for the dorms.
A/N: And there it is... I promise the good stuff will be coming soon, so be patient with me. I'm trying...
Oh, and I need your help! There was this story I read here a while back... It was a squinoa, and Seifer and Zell were a couple in it... and there was a scene where Quistis got drunk and ended up going home with Seifer and Zell (it was all innocent, of course)... and that's all I remember. It was a really good story, but I can't remember the title or the author. And like a dumbass, I didn't bookmark it. Does anyone know which one I'm talking about?? Please leave me a review with any info... please....
To DBH - Well, I have returned but the updating might still be slower than it has been... not that it's been all that quick to begin with. But, I will write when I can. And yes, I'm going to attempt to make the final showdown as interesting as possible, but hey, no promises. I'm still not very good at this stuff. Thanks for the review!
To Silverkitsune3 - Well, that was awfully nice of you to read my story for just giving you a review! Hope you've enjoyed it so far, as I am a fan of your work! Thanks for the review!
To rebek - Well, I'm trying to get it out as fast as I can... it's just been a little slow lately. I'm glad you like this! Thanks for the comment!
To Lung - That's definitely an idea to consider... I'll experiment with it, but no promises. If it works out well, then I'll definitely post it! Thanks for the enthusiasm! Oh, and the review!
To Calicat1 - Hey, a new reviewer! Yay! Thanks so much for the nice comments! I will remain loyal to writing this story, though it may take me some time to complete it. Keep reading, though!
To Rinoa Leonheartilly - I'm glad you're still so into the story! Yeah, that showdown should be pretty interesting, let me tell ya. Rinoa was a baddie before, but now she's a full-on badass!