Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and concepts hereafter mentioned or
implied. The characters, and locations are the sole property of
Squaresoft.
-
A/N: I live!!!! Seems FF.net is finally up. Good. Anyway, to
answer a question, the name Raion, means lion in Japanese. It's a name, or
title with mutiple meanings for me.
Chapter 2
The dark form slunk slowly behind the tree, a slight limp disrupting his steady, but cautious pace. His eyes settled on the light ahead as he watched and waited in the safety of the shadows, every sound, and every movement fueling his paranoia. When finally he saw her appear on the bridge ahead of him, he cast a look in either direction before heading out to meet her. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- He needn't question if it was really her, or just a trap. The harshness of the street light above cast her somewhat flawed facial features in brightness. He smiled at her from beneath his wide-brimmed hat and presented a fist full of small white flowers from behind his back. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------- "Cheap," she commented as she took them, having expected at least half-a-dozen roses. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------- "Sorry," he replied. "You know I had to quit my job the other day. And I still have to support my family. The wife still expects something nice every now and then." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ "When are you going to divorce that old hag? And why bother buying her something nice if you don't want to be with her anymore?" she asked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- "Honey, I told you. I'm waiting 'till I can find a decently-priced apartment. And I buy her things because I don't want her getting suspicious of us. I'm sorry, but we might have to wait a little while longer." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- "What for?!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- "Shhh," he replied hastily before shooting a few quick glances around. "I just had to quit my job. Extra money'll be scarce for a while." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "Why did you quit in the first place? It was stupid." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "You've read the news lately. You know that-" he stopped suddenly as he heard the rustling of footsteps nearby. He searched the surrounding darkness, knowing that his wife had caught him red-handed, and would take him for all he was worth after this. But no one approached the couple illuminated on the bridge. "Did you hear that?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- She sighed. "I didn't hear anything. I think you're just out of it. Now, are we going to the motel, or not?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- "I guess so," he answered, briefly removing his hat to run a hand through his hair, a gesture that always meant he was nervous. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- The two began walking down the other side of the bridge, hand in trembling hand, when the grass rustled again, but this time from the otherside of the bridge. He stopped dead in his tracks, pulling her to a halt as well and surveyed the suspicious area to which they were headed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "It was nothing," she insisted, tugging at his arm. "Now let's go, or I'm leaving!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- He sighed but continued walking, unconciously noting that he was holding his breath as he went. As they reached the shadowed patch of grass on the otherside, he slowly let out the air he held captured in his lungs, thingking that if they'd made it this far without incident, then perhaps there really was no danger. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- Just as he was silently celebrating making it through another night of unexposed adultery, he saw the shadow creep up behind them, and felt the chill travel up his back. It wasn't his wife, that much he knew. But as to what it was.... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ Sadly, he was never given the chance to inquire about it further. As he turned to confront the mysterious shadow, it chose that moment to attack its prey.
{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}
Rays of blinding sun light seeped through the gaps in the curtains that covered the window, burning through the protective shields of his eyelids and forcing open those icy blue spheres of his while chasing away the remnants of the clouded dream that had disturbed his mind the night before. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- A quick look around the room revealed his luggage laying in a heap by the foot of the bed, but his gaze was drawn elsewhere, as something peculiar caught his eye. On the floor, next to the side of the bed where he had slept, lay a gleeming silver object. He leaned over and carefully picked it up between his fingers, as if he were afraid it carried some kind of disease. It was a silver ring with a layer of black carved into it. Strange silver designes rose up from the black indention, swirling in patterns of unusual beauty. As he studied it, he realized it was small, the size that would fit the slender finger of a woman. Perhaps the person that had delivered his bags had dropped it? But what was that person doing so close to him while he was sleeping? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- He shook his head and slid open the drawer of a nearby side table before dropping the ring inside. He figured that whoever had lost it would eventually find it in there. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- He stood from the bed, wiping the last of the sleep from his eyes, and walked over to the pile of his luggage. After digging around in one of the suitcases, he found his usual attire and quickly changed into it before heading out the door. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ As he was closing his door behind him, and starting to walk down the hall, he bumped into something hard, and suddenly found himself looking down at none other than Ms. Heartilly herself. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "Sorry," he muttered, uneasily extending a hand to help her up. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- She could only stare at him, her eyes shining beneath the thick, dark lashes that rimmed her brown orbs. She had landed flat on her butt, her short black skirt strewn over the top of her legs as she leaned back on her hands. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "Are you alright?" he asked after a few moments. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- Having been brought back to reality by the sound of his voice, she took his hand, feeling the heat start to spread over her cheeks. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "Sorry. It was my fault," she murmured before hurrying off past him, straightening her dress as she went. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- Before she could reach the end of the hall, she was halted as a strong hand reached for her own and drew her back. She slowly turned her head until her startled gaze met with his. He seemed so serious, and though his face showed no hint of displeasure, the look of lingering anger that was always present on his face caused her to tremble beneath his relentless gaze. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- Taking note of both his unusual action, and her terrified reaction, he quickly let go of her hand and stepped back from her, only the tiniest hint of his confusion apparent on his face. "I don't know my way around, remember," he said cautiously. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "Sorry," she replied quickly, nervously shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "Follow me, Mr. Leonhart." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "Call me Squall, please," he corrected as he followed a few steps behind her. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "Sorry," she murmered again. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "You don't have to apologize for everything," he found himself saying. He almost didn't believe he was in control of his own mouth. He never talked that much. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- To his surprise, she suddenly began to laugh, though it sounded somewhat bitter. "I know. It's just... well, most people like to be formal, especially when they're the guests." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "You have guests here often?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "No. You're the first guest here in about ten years. Quistis is a very private person. She doesn't generally like people adrift in her house. She'd probably hate it if she knew I was showing you around like this." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "Then why are you?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "You requested it." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- "You always do what people tell you?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- She crossed her arms over her chest as she walked and hung her head slightly. "Yes," she replied softly. "It's the way I was taught." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- Rinoa began walking again, her mind drawn off into her own world. Squall stood, rooted to the spot as he watched her. Why would someone as rich as Rinoa's father had been instill a servantile attitude into one of his daughters? It was obvious that Quistis had not been raised the same way, or if she had, she chose to ignore it. What had Rinoa been 'taught' that made her act the way she did?
{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}
"This is the library," Rinoa announced as they entered yet another room in the humongous mansion. "We've got all kinds of books here. Just about anything you could ever hope to read about." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- Squall gazed around the room, somewhat in awe. There were rows, upon rows of book cases filling the room, along with several wooden tables, and cushioned chairs that sat next to lamps. One of the walls was made of glass, letting the sun light wash over the room. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "Feel free to come here anytime you want to read or be alone," Rinoa said. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "No one's ever in here?" he asked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "Just me," she replied. "But it's a big library. I could be somewhere in this room and you wouldn't even know it." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- "You read a lot?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- She nodded and allowed a genuine smile to grace her features. "I love to read. And the library overlooks both the ocean and the garden," she said, pointing at the glass wall. "I like to take pictures of it. Photography is kind of a hobby of mine. I've done it since I was a little girl." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- He studied the smile on her face, and couldn't helping thinking that a smile looked much more natural on her than the meloncholy look that often covered her face. He subconciously admired the way her eyes sparkled with sudden life, instead of hidden tears. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "Are you any good at it?" he asked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- She shrugged. "I'd like to hope so, but... I'm just an amatuer, and no one's ever actually seen my work." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "Why not?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "No one's ever really asked to," she admitted, then looked at him with a sudden spark of light in her eyes. "Would you like to? I have a photo album full of them in one of these book cases." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- Squall never really had that much interest in photography, but couldn't stand to say no and upset her. Normaly, he wouldn't much care, but the almost unearthly creature that stood before him brought out a feeling he never knew he had. He dismissed it as pitty, but nodded his head all the same. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- She smiled up at him for a moment before heading over to one of the book cases in the back of the room. He followed behind her slowly, his gaze unwillingly entranced by the rythmic swaying of her body, and flirtatious swing of her hips as she walked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- When she reached the last book case, she ran her fingers gently over the smooth wood as she searched the unmarked spines of the books. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "Some of these books look really old," he commented as she searched. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "They are. Most of the books on this shelf are family records, and journals. We were always taught to preserve the past," she answered. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- He frowned as she mentioned once more her life's education, but she didn't notice. Instead, she wondered over to the other side of the book case, still in search of her photo album. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- While Squall waited for her to find what she was looking for, he carefully slid the oldest looking book off the shelf and flipped through it. It appreared to be a record of all the births and deaths that had taken place over the past few centuries or so. As he scanned through the long forgotten names, a small 'ping' reached his ears from the floor below him. He placed the book back in its space upon the shelf and bent down to investigate the sound. What he found was a small copper-colored key. It must have fallen out of the book. He was about to take it to Rinoa when the thought struck him that it might be useful later, so he stuck it in his pocket and walked to the other side to find Rinoa. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- "It doesn't look like it's here," she said. "Well, we should probably go ahead and go anyway. We can't spend all day here." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "What's left for me to see?" he asked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "Well, this place is huge. Some of the rooms I've never even been to. And, of course, there Quistis' section of the mansion, where her room is, but she'd kill me for going anywhere near there." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "Where do you stay? In one of the guest rooms?" he asked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- She nodded, her face darkening slightly. "Yes. My room's right down the hall from yours. So, if you ever need anything..." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- He nodded shyly before she could finish the sentence. "Yeah, well, I should probably get back to my own room. I've got some details about this case that I need to look over. I'm beginning my investigation tomorrow." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- She nodded silently as she stared hard at the floor, a faint blush spreading over her cheeks again. "I see. Good luck. With this case, you'll need it."
{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}
"The murders began slowly. One here, and a few months later another one. But as more victims fell prey to this heartless killer, the intervals between the murders decreased. The first few to die were just pier workers. They worked on loading and unloading the cargo, and making sure it was delivered to the right place. Then the killer began working his way up, going after crew members aboard the fishing ships, then the captains. Before long they were targeting the people that actually ran the buisness. Luckily they haven't gotten to me yet, but I feel it's only a matter of time. Whoever's doing this has a plan. The killing's were systematic. Everything was part of a pattern." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ Squall sighed as he reread Quistis' report. It was obvious that whoever he was dealing with had a good head on their shoulders. Systematic murders made the next victim easy to predict, but the master mind behind it all was often hard to catch. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- As he was sorting through some more files, there was a knock on his door. He opened it to see a solemn-faced Rinoa standing on the other side. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "Quistis wants to talk to you. Follow me, and I'll take you to her." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- He grudingly followed after her, being in no mood to deal with Quistis. After just a few moments of walking, they arrived back in the parlor, where Squall had first met Rinoa, and her less pleasant half- sister. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "Good luck," Rinoa whispered before walking away, leaving him alone with Mrs. Trepe. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "Have a seat," Quistis commanded. She sat in one of the antique chairs holding a small cup of steaming tea in her hands. She wore a long, fur robe, as if she were relaxing, but still wore her diamond earrings and pearl necklace. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "What is it?" Squall asked, cutting straight to the point. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "You've been here nearly a full day already. I want to know what you've come up with." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "A day is hardly enough time to accomplish anything. I'm still settling in." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "I didn't hire you to be lazy!" she snapped. "I expected you to be out there finding the killer. I'm in great danger here, Mr. Leonhart. I need you to protect me, as well as my property from the monster that's come after me!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- Squall narrowed his eyes. "Maybe if you could give me more information, then I would be able to work faster." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "What more do you need?" she asked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- "You said that they started going after more important people. Like who? Your family? How did they die?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- Quistis drew in a sharp breath and was silent a moment before saying, "I hardly see how that's relevant. But if you must know, my mother and father divorced, and I never heard from her again. My father married Julia Heartilly, and they had Rinoa. My father didn't know this at the time," she sighed, "but Julia had some... mental problems. They're hereditary, in fact. The two of them got in an argument one evening, and Julia shot my father. The incident was covered up, because she had to continue running the business in my father's place. A few years after I was married, she died of cancer, and left the property to me, since I was older. My husband was killed in a boating accident. Is that enough information for you, Mr. Leonhart?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- "You don't seem too upset about all that happened," he commented. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ "Who are you to judge!" she exclaimed. "I grieve for them still, inwardly. And while we're alone, I'd like to take the oppurtunity to warn you about Rinoa." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ "What about her?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ "Her mother's sickness was hereditary, as I said. She passed it on to Rinoa. She might seem to be somewhat harmless on the outside, but I assure you, she is a danger. I would suggest you stay as far away from her as possible. I've noticed the way she looks at you. She's taken a liking to you, and that could be fatal. Don't encourage it, please. For your own safety," she warned. "Now, I expect you to be out investigating tomorrow, understood?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "Yes, that was my plan," he said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be going." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "Yes," she said, her eyes following him as he stood and headed for the door. "Don't forget my warning. It could mean life or death." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- Squall resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he stood from his seat and left the slightly older lady alone. Though Rinoa was a bit strange, he somehow doubted that she was dangerous. Logically, he knew it was possible, but everytime the idea came up in his mind, he would again picture her warm brown eyes and shy smile, and he would feel that this girl could be nothing but innocent. How could Quistis accuse such a quiet, humble being like Rinoa? And the more he ran her words through his head it, was not so much her warning that caught his attention, but something else she said. The way Rinoa looked at him? Was there something there that he was missing? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- "You know, sometimes things aren't what they seem on the surface," a voice came from behind him. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- He turned to find a smirking Rinoa standing in an archway behind him, her eyes suddenly dark and seductive. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "What do you mean by that?" he asked, feeling as if she'd read his mind. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- She cocked her head to the side, her raven hair shadowing her angelic features. "You know what I meant," she answered, then bit down on her crimson lips. "I heard what Quistis said." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "All of it?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- She nodded. "Every single word." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "And? Was she lying?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- She walked up to him slowly, until her face was inches from his, but still hidden in the darkness, so that he could not see her that well. "I'll leave that up to you to decide, Mr. Detective." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- With that she began walking down the long corridor, leaving a dumbfounded Squall behind her. He glanced down at the floor beneath his feet, trying to gather his senses, before calling out, "Rinoa, wait." But when he looked up, she had completely dissapeared.
{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}
Rinoa sat alone in the front room, her dark eyes hauntingly forlorn as she stared at her reflection in the marbel floor. Her thoughts were rushing through her head at a dangerous speed, and she could no longer control them. They all centered around him. He was such a silent man, but the way he affected her had nothing to do with words. He hadn't even tried to trigger her senses, it had been an automatic occurance. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ He didn't seem to notice her, however. Most of the time he spoke to her, he was looking at anything but her. Her mind kept going back to the last time she had seen him, when she had taken him to Quistis. He didn't so much as glance at her, that she was aware of. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- She considered leaving the loneliness of her mood behind her and going off to find him, perhaps to talk to him, but she doubted he wanted to be troubled with her. She was about to saunter off to bed, when an unexpected knock on one of the double doors caught her attention. She opened it to reveal a stern-faced policeman and a slightly aged, thin woman with short, neat hair. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "Can I help you?" she asked, her eyes darting from one to the other. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "You're Mrs. Trepe?" the officer asked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- Rinoa shook her head. "No, I'm her sister. Do you need to see her?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "I understand you have a private investigator on the premises? Isn't he investigating the murders involving Mrs. Trepe's company?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- Rinoa nodded. "Yes." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- The officer turned to his female companion. "You need to talk with him instead of us. This is his case already," he told her before walking away. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- The woman looked back to Rinoa and quietly asked, "May I come in?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- Rinoa stepped back and allowed her entrance before asking, "Why are you? Why do you need to see Mr. Leonhart?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "Who?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "The investigator you seek." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "Oh. Well, my name is Selphie Tilmitt, and I think my boyfriend was murdered by the same person that killed the other employees of Mrs. Trepe. He worked for her not too long ago but quit when he found out about all that was going on. The police said I needed to talk to your private investigator." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- At that moment Quistis strode into the room, wondering at the unusual intrusion. "Who is this?" she asked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- "I'm a witness to a murder," she replied. "May I come in and speak with you?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- Quistis nodded after a moment's consideration and led her into another room, leaving Rinoa alone again. She wrapped her arms around herself as she traveled down the long hallway, headed off to her own room for some desperately needed sleep. Along the way, she happened to look up so that her gaze was met with a glimmering blue one. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "Squall!" she nearly squeaked out, startled by his sudden appearence and close proximity. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "I was wondering where you went," he said. "I wanted to talk to you." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "T-to me?" she stammered. "What for?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "You dissapreared so suddenly after I saw you in the hallway the last time." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "Yeah, because Quistis wanted to speak with you. She would've told me to go away, even if I hadn't." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- He shook his head. "No, I mean afterward. When you told me that you heard everything that Quistis said about you." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- She arched an eyebrow. "Squall, I haven't seen you since I left you to talk to Quistis. And I didn't hear anything that Quistis said. What did she say about me?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "Rinoa, I'm not in the mood to play around-" he began. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "I'm not. I don't know what you're talking about." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- He narrowed his eyes and lowered them to the ground as he lost himself temporarily in his own thought process. "Yeah, well, maybe I'm just tired is all. It's been a long day, trying to adjust to everything. I guess I should go to bed." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "Wait," she called as he began to turn away. "What did you want to talk to me about? And what did Quistis say about me?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ He shook his head. "It's not important now. I'll see you in the morning." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "Yeah," she said quietly as he walked away. "See you." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- As she walked off to her own room, Quistis sighed from around the corner and shook her head before casting a quick glance at in the room where she'd left Ms. Tilmitt. Squall was getting to close to her for Quistis' comfort. Though she would never admit it outwardly, she was seething with jealousy inside. She was use to getting the attention while Rinoa hid in the shadows. That's the way she wanted it. She would have to see to it that she got it.
{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}
A/N: Well, there's another chapter down. I know Rinoa's not quite... well, Rinoa, but that's the way she's going to be in this story. Keep in mind, she's from a different background this time. REVIEW!!!! Flame if you must. Even though my bright red hair dye is highly flammable.... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ ALSO: I know there is a short line after every paragragh, but that is to seperate the paragraphs since FF.net wouldn't do it.
Chapter 2
The dark form slunk slowly behind the tree, a slight limp disrupting his steady, but cautious pace. His eyes settled on the light ahead as he watched and waited in the safety of the shadows, every sound, and every movement fueling his paranoia. When finally he saw her appear on the bridge ahead of him, he cast a look in either direction before heading out to meet her. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- He needn't question if it was really her, or just a trap. The harshness of the street light above cast her somewhat flawed facial features in brightness. He smiled at her from beneath his wide-brimmed hat and presented a fist full of small white flowers from behind his back. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------- "Cheap," she commented as she took them, having expected at least half-a-dozen roses. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------- "Sorry," he replied. "You know I had to quit my job the other day. And I still have to support my family. The wife still expects something nice every now and then." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ "When are you going to divorce that old hag? And why bother buying her something nice if you don't want to be with her anymore?" she asked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- "Honey, I told you. I'm waiting 'till I can find a decently-priced apartment. And I buy her things because I don't want her getting suspicious of us. I'm sorry, but we might have to wait a little while longer." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- "What for?!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- "Shhh," he replied hastily before shooting a few quick glances around. "I just had to quit my job. Extra money'll be scarce for a while." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "Why did you quit in the first place? It was stupid." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "You've read the news lately. You know that-" he stopped suddenly as he heard the rustling of footsteps nearby. He searched the surrounding darkness, knowing that his wife had caught him red-handed, and would take him for all he was worth after this. But no one approached the couple illuminated on the bridge. "Did you hear that?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- She sighed. "I didn't hear anything. I think you're just out of it. Now, are we going to the motel, or not?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- "I guess so," he answered, briefly removing his hat to run a hand through his hair, a gesture that always meant he was nervous. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- The two began walking down the other side of the bridge, hand in trembling hand, when the grass rustled again, but this time from the otherside of the bridge. He stopped dead in his tracks, pulling her to a halt as well and surveyed the suspicious area to which they were headed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "It was nothing," she insisted, tugging at his arm. "Now let's go, or I'm leaving!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- He sighed but continued walking, unconciously noting that he was holding his breath as he went. As they reached the shadowed patch of grass on the otherside, he slowly let out the air he held captured in his lungs, thingking that if they'd made it this far without incident, then perhaps there really was no danger. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- Just as he was silently celebrating making it through another night of unexposed adultery, he saw the shadow creep up behind them, and felt the chill travel up his back. It wasn't his wife, that much he knew. But as to what it was.... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ Sadly, he was never given the chance to inquire about it further. As he turned to confront the mysterious shadow, it chose that moment to attack its prey.
{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}
Rays of blinding sun light seeped through the gaps in the curtains that covered the window, burning through the protective shields of his eyelids and forcing open those icy blue spheres of his while chasing away the remnants of the clouded dream that had disturbed his mind the night before. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- A quick look around the room revealed his luggage laying in a heap by the foot of the bed, but his gaze was drawn elsewhere, as something peculiar caught his eye. On the floor, next to the side of the bed where he had slept, lay a gleeming silver object. He leaned over and carefully picked it up between his fingers, as if he were afraid it carried some kind of disease. It was a silver ring with a layer of black carved into it. Strange silver designes rose up from the black indention, swirling in patterns of unusual beauty. As he studied it, he realized it was small, the size that would fit the slender finger of a woman. Perhaps the person that had delivered his bags had dropped it? But what was that person doing so close to him while he was sleeping? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- He shook his head and slid open the drawer of a nearby side table before dropping the ring inside. He figured that whoever had lost it would eventually find it in there. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- He stood from the bed, wiping the last of the sleep from his eyes, and walked over to the pile of his luggage. After digging around in one of the suitcases, he found his usual attire and quickly changed into it before heading out the door. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ As he was closing his door behind him, and starting to walk down the hall, he bumped into something hard, and suddenly found himself looking down at none other than Ms. Heartilly herself. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "Sorry," he muttered, uneasily extending a hand to help her up. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- She could only stare at him, her eyes shining beneath the thick, dark lashes that rimmed her brown orbs. She had landed flat on her butt, her short black skirt strewn over the top of her legs as she leaned back on her hands. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "Are you alright?" he asked after a few moments. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- Having been brought back to reality by the sound of his voice, she took his hand, feeling the heat start to spread over her cheeks. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "Sorry. It was my fault," she murmured before hurrying off past him, straightening her dress as she went. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- Before she could reach the end of the hall, she was halted as a strong hand reached for her own and drew her back. She slowly turned her head until her startled gaze met with his. He seemed so serious, and though his face showed no hint of displeasure, the look of lingering anger that was always present on his face caused her to tremble beneath his relentless gaze. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- Taking note of both his unusual action, and her terrified reaction, he quickly let go of her hand and stepped back from her, only the tiniest hint of his confusion apparent on his face. "I don't know my way around, remember," he said cautiously. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "Sorry," she replied quickly, nervously shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "Follow me, Mr. Leonhart." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "Call me Squall, please," he corrected as he followed a few steps behind her. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "Sorry," she murmered again. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "You don't have to apologize for everything," he found himself saying. He almost didn't believe he was in control of his own mouth. He never talked that much. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- To his surprise, she suddenly began to laugh, though it sounded somewhat bitter. "I know. It's just... well, most people like to be formal, especially when they're the guests." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "You have guests here often?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "No. You're the first guest here in about ten years. Quistis is a very private person. She doesn't generally like people adrift in her house. She'd probably hate it if she knew I was showing you around like this." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "Then why are you?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "You requested it." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- "You always do what people tell you?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- She crossed her arms over her chest as she walked and hung her head slightly. "Yes," she replied softly. "It's the way I was taught." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- Rinoa began walking again, her mind drawn off into her own world. Squall stood, rooted to the spot as he watched her. Why would someone as rich as Rinoa's father had been instill a servantile attitude into one of his daughters? It was obvious that Quistis had not been raised the same way, or if she had, she chose to ignore it. What had Rinoa been 'taught' that made her act the way she did?
{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}
"This is the library," Rinoa announced as they entered yet another room in the humongous mansion. "We've got all kinds of books here. Just about anything you could ever hope to read about." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- Squall gazed around the room, somewhat in awe. There were rows, upon rows of book cases filling the room, along with several wooden tables, and cushioned chairs that sat next to lamps. One of the walls was made of glass, letting the sun light wash over the room. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "Feel free to come here anytime you want to read or be alone," Rinoa said. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "No one's ever in here?" he asked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "Just me," she replied. "But it's a big library. I could be somewhere in this room and you wouldn't even know it." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- "You read a lot?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- She nodded and allowed a genuine smile to grace her features. "I love to read. And the library overlooks both the ocean and the garden," she said, pointing at the glass wall. "I like to take pictures of it. Photography is kind of a hobby of mine. I've done it since I was a little girl." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- He studied the smile on her face, and couldn't helping thinking that a smile looked much more natural on her than the meloncholy look that often covered her face. He subconciously admired the way her eyes sparkled with sudden life, instead of hidden tears. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "Are you any good at it?" he asked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- She shrugged. "I'd like to hope so, but... I'm just an amatuer, and no one's ever actually seen my work." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "Why not?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "No one's ever really asked to," she admitted, then looked at him with a sudden spark of light in her eyes. "Would you like to? I have a photo album full of them in one of these book cases." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- Squall never really had that much interest in photography, but couldn't stand to say no and upset her. Normaly, he wouldn't much care, but the almost unearthly creature that stood before him brought out a feeling he never knew he had. He dismissed it as pitty, but nodded his head all the same. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- She smiled up at him for a moment before heading over to one of the book cases in the back of the room. He followed behind her slowly, his gaze unwillingly entranced by the rythmic swaying of her body, and flirtatious swing of her hips as she walked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- When she reached the last book case, she ran her fingers gently over the smooth wood as she searched the unmarked spines of the books. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "Some of these books look really old," he commented as she searched. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "They are. Most of the books on this shelf are family records, and journals. We were always taught to preserve the past," she answered. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- He frowned as she mentioned once more her life's education, but she didn't notice. Instead, she wondered over to the other side of the book case, still in search of her photo album. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- While Squall waited for her to find what she was looking for, he carefully slid the oldest looking book off the shelf and flipped through it. It appreared to be a record of all the births and deaths that had taken place over the past few centuries or so. As he scanned through the long forgotten names, a small 'ping' reached his ears from the floor below him. He placed the book back in its space upon the shelf and bent down to investigate the sound. What he found was a small copper-colored key. It must have fallen out of the book. He was about to take it to Rinoa when the thought struck him that it might be useful later, so he stuck it in his pocket and walked to the other side to find Rinoa. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- "It doesn't look like it's here," she said. "Well, we should probably go ahead and go anyway. We can't spend all day here." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- "What's left for me to see?" he asked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "Well, this place is huge. Some of the rooms I've never even been to. And, of course, there Quistis' section of the mansion, where her room is, but she'd kill me for going anywhere near there." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "Where do you stay? In one of the guest rooms?" he asked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- She nodded, her face darkening slightly. "Yes. My room's right down the hall from yours. So, if you ever need anything..." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- He nodded shyly before she could finish the sentence. "Yeah, well, I should probably get back to my own room. I've got some details about this case that I need to look over. I'm beginning my investigation tomorrow." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- She nodded silently as she stared hard at the floor, a faint blush spreading over her cheeks again. "I see. Good luck. With this case, you'll need it."
{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}
"The murders began slowly. One here, and a few months later another one. But as more victims fell prey to this heartless killer, the intervals between the murders decreased. The first few to die were just pier workers. They worked on loading and unloading the cargo, and making sure it was delivered to the right place. Then the killer began working his way up, going after crew members aboard the fishing ships, then the captains. Before long they were targeting the people that actually ran the buisness. Luckily they haven't gotten to me yet, but I feel it's only a matter of time. Whoever's doing this has a plan. The killing's were systematic. Everything was part of a pattern." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ Squall sighed as he reread Quistis' report. It was obvious that whoever he was dealing with had a good head on their shoulders. Systematic murders made the next victim easy to predict, but the master mind behind it all was often hard to catch. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- As he was sorting through some more files, there was a knock on his door. He opened it to see a solemn-faced Rinoa standing on the other side. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "Quistis wants to talk to you. Follow me, and I'll take you to her." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- He grudingly followed after her, being in no mood to deal with Quistis. After just a few moments of walking, they arrived back in the parlor, where Squall had first met Rinoa, and her less pleasant half- sister. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "Good luck," Rinoa whispered before walking away, leaving him alone with Mrs. Trepe. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "Have a seat," Quistis commanded. She sat in one of the antique chairs holding a small cup of steaming tea in her hands. She wore a long, fur robe, as if she were relaxing, but still wore her diamond earrings and pearl necklace. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "What is it?" Squall asked, cutting straight to the point. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "You've been here nearly a full day already. I want to know what you've come up with." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "A day is hardly enough time to accomplish anything. I'm still settling in." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "I didn't hire you to be lazy!" she snapped. "I expected you to be out there finding the killer. I'm in great danger here, Mr. Leonhart. I need you to protect me, as well as my property from the monster that's come after me!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- Squall narrowed his eyes. "Maybe if you could give me more information, then I would be able to work faster." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "What more do you need?" she asked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- "You said that they started going after more important people. Like who? Your family? How did they die?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- Quistis drew in a sharp breath and was silent a moment before saying, "I hardly see how that's relevant. But if you must know, my mother and father divorced, and I never heard from her again. My father married Julia Heartilly, and they had Rinoa. My father didn't know this at the time," she sighed, "but Julia had some... mental problems. They're hereditary, in fact. The two of them got in an argument one evening, and Julia shot my father. The incident was covered up, because she had to continue running the business in my father's place. A few years after I was married, she died of cancer, and left the property to me, since I was older. My husband was killed in a boating accident. Is that enough information for you, Mr. Leonhart?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- "You don't seem too upset about all that happened," he commented. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ "Who are you to judge!" she exclaimed. "I grieve for them still, inwardly. And while we're alone, I'd like to take the oppurtunity to warn you about Rinoa." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ "What about her?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ "Her mother's sickness was hereditary, as I said. She passed it on to Rinoa. She might seem to be somewhat harmless on the outside, but I assure you, she is a danger. I would suggest you stay as far away from her as possible. I've noticed the way she looks at you. She's taken a liking to you, and that could be fatal. Don't encourage it, please. For your own safety," she warned. "Now, I expect you to be out investigating tomorrow, understood?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "Yes, that was my plan," he said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be going." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "Yes," she said, her eyes following him as he stood and headed for the door. "Don't forget my warning. It could mean life or death." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- Squall resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he stood from his seat and left the slightly older lady alone. Though Rinoa was a bit strange, he somehow doubted that she was dangerous. Logically, he knew it was possible, but everytime the idea came up in his mind, he would again picture her warm brown eyes and shy smile, and he would feel that this girl could be nothing but innocent. How could Quistis accuse such a quiet, humble being like Rinoa? And the more he ran her words through his head it, was not so much her warning that caught his attention, but something else she said. The way Rinoa looked at him? Was there something there that he was missing? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- "You know, sometimes things aren't what they seem on the surface," a voice came from behind him. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- He turned to find a smirking Rinoa standing in an archway behind him, her eyes suddenly dark and seductive. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "What do you mean by that?" he asked, feeling as if she'd read his mind. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- She cocked her head to the side, her raven hair shadowing her angelic features. "You know what I meant," she answered, then bit down on her crimson lips. "I heard what Quistis said." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "All of it?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- She nodded. "Every single word." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "And? Was she lying?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- She walked up to him slowly, until her face was inches from his, but still hidden in the darkness, so that he could not see her that well. "I'll leave that up to you to decide, Mr. Detective." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- With that she began walking down the long corridor, leaving a dumbfounded Squall behind her. He glanced down at the floor beneath his feet, trying to gather his senses, before calling out, "Rinoa, wait." But when he looked up, she had completely dissapeared.
{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}
Rinoa sat alone in the front room, her dark eyes hauntingly forlorn as she stared at her reflection in the marbel floor. Her thoughts were rushing through her head at a dangerous speed, and she could no longer control them. They all centered around him. He was such a silent man, but the way he affected her had nothing to do with words. He hadn't even tried to trigger her senses, it had been an automatic occurance. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ He didn't seem to notice her, however. Most of the time he spoke to her, he was looking at anything but her. Her mind kept going back to the last time she had seen him, when she had taken him to Quistis. He didn't so much as glance at her, that she was aware of. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- She considered leaving the loneliness of her mood behind her and going off to find him, perhaps to talk to him, but she doubted he wanted to be troubled with her. She was about to saunter off to bed, when an unexpected knock on one of the double doors caught her attention. She opened it to reveal a stern-faced policeman and a slightly aged, thin woman with short, neat hair. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "Can I help you?" she asked, her eyes darting from one to the other. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "You're Mrs. Trepe?" the officer asked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- Rinoa shook her head. "No, I'm her sister. Do you need to see her?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "I understand you have a private investigator on the premises? Isn't he investigating the murders involving Mrs. Trepe's company?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- Rinoa nodded. "Yes." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- The officer turned to his female companion. "You need to talk with him instead of us. This is his case already," he told her before walking away. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- The woman looked back to Rinoa and quietly asked, "May I come in?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- Rinoa stepped back and allowed her entrance before asking, "Why are you? Why do you need to see Mr. Leonhart?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "Who?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "The investigator you seek." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "Oh. Well, my name is Selphie Tilmitt, and I think my boyfriend was murdered by the same person that killed the other employees of Mrs. Trepe. He worked for her not too long ago but quit when he found out about all that was going on. The police said I needed to talk to your private investigator." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- At that moment Quistis strode into the room, wondering at the unusual intrusion. "Who is this?" she asked. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- "I'm a witness to a murder," she replied. "May I come in and speak with you?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- Quistis nodded after a moment's consideration and led her into another room, leaving Rinoa alone again. She wrapped her arms around herself as she traveled down the long hallway, headed off to her own room for some desperately needed sleep. Along the way, she happened to look up so that her gaze was met with a glimmering blue one. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "Squall!" she nearly squeaked out, startled by his sudden appearence and close proximity. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "I was wondering where you went," he said. "I wanted to talk to you." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "T-to me?" she stammered. "What for?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "You dissapreared so suddenly after I saw you in the hallway the last time." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "Yeah, because Quistis wanted to speak with you. She would've told me to go away, even if I hadn't." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- He shook his head. "No, I mean afterward. When you told me that you heard everything that Quistis said about you." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- She arched an eyebrow. "Squall, I haven't seen you since I left you to talk to Quistis. And I didn't hear anything that Quistis said. What did she say about me?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- "Rinoa, I'm not in the mood to play around-" he began. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- "I'm not. I don't know what you're talking about." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- He narrowed his eyes and lowered them to the ground as he lost himself temporarily in his own thought process. "Yeah, well, maybe I'm just tired is all. It's been a long day, trying to adjust to everything. I guess I should go to bed." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ "Wait," she called as he began to turn away. "What did you want to talk to me about? And what did Quistis say about me?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ He shook his head. "It's not important now. I'll see you in the morning." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- "Yeah," she said quietly as he walked away. "See you." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- As she walked off to her own room, Quistis sighed from around the corner and shook her head before casting a quick glance at in the room where she'd left Ms. Tilmitt. Squall was getting to close to her for Quistis' comfort. Though she would never admit it outwardly, she was seething with jealousy inside. She was use to getting the attention while Rinoa hid in the shadows. That's the way she wanted it. She would have to see to it that she got it.
{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}
A/N: Well, there's another chapter down. I know Rinoa's not quite... well, Rinoa, but that's the way she's going to be in this story. Keep in mind, she's from a different background this time. REVIEW!!!! Flame if you must. Even though my bright red hair dye is highly flammable.... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ ALSO: I know there is a short line after every paragragh, but that is to seperate the paragraphs since FF.net wouldn't do it.