Quistis felt screwed, her team had gotten the shit assignment, literally. Caraway had insisted they split into two groups, one would be the assassination team, the other the gateway team. The gateway team had to sneak into the large triumphal gate and at the appropriate time, they'd pull down the portcullis on either side of the gate. It sounded easy, but the only way to get into the gateway without being noticed was through the sewers. They'd made it to their access point, jimmying the cover with a crowbar. Discarding the crowbar, all three quickly made their way down the ladder into the bowels of Deling City's sewer system.
Quistis flicked on her flashlight, signaling Zell and Selphie to do the same. She shouldn't have been surprised that it stunk, but there was still a healthy amount of unexpected revulsion at the smell. Quistis put her hand to her nose, closing her eyes and breathing shakily, trying to ward off the gag reflex.
"EEEEEWWWW!! IT STINKS LIKE CRUD VAPORS IN HERE!!" Selphie shouted.
Zell whirled on her, "What the HELL is a crud vapor!?...That more of your stupid Trabia slang!!"
"Wull, it's ....you know....that sewer smell....that...well...you know, in the sewer and it stinks...."
"That's not crud vapors....it's poo gas.....Geesh!" Zell said, indignantly.
Quistis watched the entire exchange, annoyed by their pointless discussion, "Be quiet the both of you and focus on the mission....honestly!"
The sharp tones of Quistis's voice silenced them immediately, realizing that she was in no mood for excess silliness. Though the smell was quite disarming, and complaining about anything else distracted from the stink. Quistis decided to be kind; digging in her pocket, she found a small can of citrus stuff that Caraway had given her. He said that it'd help with the smell if you put it beneath your nostrils.... Quistis was uncertain if what he said was true, but it was better than nothing....really better than nothing. Dipping a finger in, she smeared the waxy substance on her upper lip, immediately noticing the difference.
Everything smelt cloyingly of oranges, but it beat the hell out of the smell of rotting shit and god knows what else. She handed it to Selphie, who looked like she'd blow chunks at any moment. Once everyone had put the stuff on and regained control of their rolling stomachs, they started on their way. Caraway had given Quistis small schematics of the sewers, allowing her to navigate her way through the twists and turns. All three carefully made their way down the dank walkways in the sewer, stopping to check their position every few feet. None of them dared to speak, their footsteps echoing loudly in the cavernous space of the sewers. After several twists and turns, Quistis stopped. She looked down at the map, suddenly realizing that the last twenty minutes they'd walked had been a waste. Shit. We're lost.
She announced this fact to her companions, who groaned in unison. The next five minutes were spent hurriedly trying to figure out where in the hell they were. Zell and Quistis argued over the details, grabbing the map from each other while trying to decide what to do. Selphie said nothing for a time, only the occasional whimper in pain to hurry them along. Finally, they agreed on where they'd gone wrong and backtracked. Both Zell and Quistis this time watched the map, slowly recounting where each turn should lead. They'd nearly traced their way all the way back to the entrance, wasting more time than anyone had intended. Now back on their route, the trio tried not to go too fast but time was still a factor. They had to hurry, all the while trying to be careful not to loose their way in the labyrinthine tunnels. Losing their way a second time was not an option. They entered a junction, walking towards a gated door with flashlights extended.
"This is it...." Quistis whispered, not really knowing why she felt the need to be quiet.
Approaching the door, she reached her hand out and grabbed the door handle. Expecting it to give easily, she was startled when it did not open. Quistis shook the handle, gate rattling underneath as she unleashed her fury on it. AW! FUCK ME!
"AW! Fuck me! Is it locked?" asked Zell, his voice echoing loudly in the dark.
Quistis looked around strangely, half wondering if he'd read her mind, "Yes."
"Shit!" Selphie cursed, holding her stomach, she couldn't bear much more of this.
Quistis and Zell looked back at her in awe, never in a million years did they expect her to swear. Quistis shrugged, this was not a time to think about crap like this. When had everyone become so foolish? Especially herself. Focusing on inane details that helped nothing.
"Any ideas?" She asked.
Zell shrugged, "Well, a good fire spell'd blow it off its hinges."
"Yeah. That'd do it. Only one problem."
"What?"
Quistis pointed upward, shining her flashlight on the miles of pipes above them.
"See those green black ones, with the yellow stripes?" He mumbled an affirmative, "Those are the city's gas lines. One of those ruptures while you're casting that spell and this whole place'd blow. Taking us and at least ten city blocks with it. No way. No magic."
"FUCK! Well I'm out of ideas...."
The SeeDs stood quietly, each furtively thinking about their options. They could go around, but all of them knew it would take too long. If they hadn't gotten lost, that would be one thing, but they had and there was precious little time to spare. Quistis's mind worked quickly, groping for any option she hadn't thought of. The metallic squeak of the water wheel next to her interrupted her thought. At first she was annoyed, but then as she gazed at the device, a thought came to her. The wheel was attached to the gate; a small clearance between the ceiling and the machine was just large enough for a human to slip through.
"Guys....Follow me."
She stuffed her flashlight down her shirt and held the map in her mouth, preparing to mount the paddle wheel. Quistis grabbed hold of the wheel's struts, lifting herself up onto it. Her feet finding holds in the wheel's buckets. She steadied herself at the top of the wheel, grabbing hold of a pipe snaking just above it. With unparalleled grace, she lowered herself down the other side of the wheel. Jumping down on the flip side of the gate with a triumphant smile.
"What're you two waiting for? Get over here!"
Neither where about to object, but both felt there was no way they'd get over as easily as she had. Selphie went first, clumsily climbing up and over the wheel. On the other side she nearly fell in the water, and it was only due to Quistis's steadying hands that she didn't. Zell went next, quickly scrambling up the wheel like a monkey. He was up and over, and glad to be done with it. They continued on, all wishing they were anyplace but here. With each step, they prayed that the exit was closer. That an end to their suffering would come. Instead they were greeted by the seemingly endless twists and turns of the sewer. More of the orange stuff was doled out, mostly to Selphie.
Zell tried to busy himself with other thoughts, though it was hard. Ooh! Poison draw point...he thought idly as he walked through it, wondering what a draw point would be doing down here. He shrugged, maybe it's for the sewer workers to poison rats with. Who cares. Mine now. He stopped quickly, closing his eyes as he drew from it and junctioned as much of the spell as he could store. Quickly jogging, he caught up with the girls who hadn't noticed his absence. Perhaps he'd share with them once they'd stopped.
The walk continued, the trio tiring with every step. Each silently wondering if this place actually ended at some point. Dull footsteps clacking emptily in the dark. The smell of rot penetrating their senses. They'd all actually acclimated to the smell somewhat. Occasionally, they'd hear some kind of soft splash or the scurry of tiny feet against wet concrete. All in all, it was the most disgusting and creepy experience Quistis had ever had.
"Trepe Sempai, Are we there yet?" Selphie moaned, tugging on the back of Quistis's shirt.
"Call me Quistis....and no....we're not.....so stop tugging on my shirt already." Quistis said, giving half a thought to tossing her into the mucky water that flowed through the middle of the floor.
"I think I'm gonna puke if we don't get out of here soon.....we there yet?" Selphie whined, with a childish pout.
"I'm going to puke if you say that one more time...." Zell snapped, feeling just as sick as she.
Quistis gave her more of the citrus stuff, she was tempted to tease the younger SeeD. This was karmic payback for making me go on that damned ride over and over again. But she suppressed it, she was, after all, the superior officer. Instead, she tried to encourage her, "Hang on, we'll be there soon."
The sewers seemed endless, hallway after dark hallway they kept walking, sludge covering the walls and floors. Trying not to look at the things floating in the water, and most of all not thinking about what those floating things might be. They had almost used up the citrus stuff and it seemed that they'd ever find the exit. Selphie was at her limit, she'd stopped whining, holding her hand to her stomach. Her face was terribly pale and she looked as if any minute she'd barf all over herself. Quistis was convinced that if Selphie ralphed, so would she, then Zell would probably puke. Turning the mission into a hork-o-rama, and as silly as it sounded, the thought didn't strike Quistis as funny at all. In the end, no one got sick, they found the final access port a few minutes later.
They all quickly clanked up the ladder, eager to make it to some place other than the sewers. A place with air that didn't smell of purification and death. Where creepy, icky things didn't scuttle over your foot as you walked. In all, it had taken an almost an hour and a half to make their way through the sewer, seemingly the longest hour and a half in her life. An hour and a half she wished that she could forget. Quistis wanted a bath very, very badly. Her one and only consuming thought was to have a shower, the kind of shower that would flay the stink off her skin. She shook herself, focusing at the job at hand, she peeked out the tiny window of the gateway. Glancing quickly down at her watch. They had sometime to relax before they had to work. Still, We should get into position, she thought, turning to Zell.
"Zell, take your radio and go down to the first floor. When the clock strikes ten, it'll be your job to watch for the float. There should be a door, with a small window....as well as a few on the front and side....watch from there....the minute the ENTIRE float enters the gateway, you call up and tell me to drop it, got that?"
"Shore thang, Mama Jama..."
She handed him the radio giving him her typical look of disapproval and he hopped over to the ladder, sliding down it like a daredevil idiot. Just to make sure the radios worked, she called him. A moment later he answered her back, his voice crackling over the receiver. She walked over to one of the portcullis controls, reading the simple instructions on the steel plate next to the large switch. She was surprised not to find any guards or city workers in the gateway. You'd think that they'd have someone watching this place....She shrugged it off, her place wasn't to question why, it was to do. Quistis looked out at the gathering crowd from the narrow window. She hoped that Squall and the others were doing as well or better than they were. At least they didn't have walk through shit....
Squall and his group were doing fine, they'd managed to waste some time wandering around Deling City. Irvine and Rinoa chatted amiably, that is when Irvine didn't say something that pissed Rinoa off, urging her to swat him. Squall had fallen into one of his introspective moods that always hit right before battle. They tried to include him in conversation, but gave up when he wouldn't answer. Finally, around 9 o'clock, Squall stopped being quiet long enough to insist that they make it over to the Presidential Palace and take up their position. Rinoa and Irvine agreed, walking through the dense crowd filling the streets. A sudden and eerie hush came over all three of them, as if they all realized at once the importance of their mission.
Rinoa felt herself overtaken by a strange feeling of dread, and the closer she got to the palace, the more palpable it got. The building loomed over her, a choking fear suffocated Rinoa as she came to the edge of the palace, and she could hardly breathe.
She winded in and out of the crowd, keeping an eye on Irvine's back so she wouldn't get lost. Soldiers and security surround the gate that lead into the palace. Despite the outward show, a crowd had gathered and was milling near the entrance. The guards watched passively, unable to keep an eye on everyone at once. The three of them moved in as close as they could without alarming security. They waited next to the gate, staring straight ahead, biding their time until the Sorceress made her first appearance.
She'd been in battle situations before, it was nothing new. Something was desperately wrong this time, and for the first time in her life she was truly afraid. She'd tried to get Squall and Irvine's attention, but nothing had worked. They had focused so completely, that they didn't notice her increasing agitation.
She felt so strange, a change flowering deep within her, like a force inside her was compelling her to do something but she didn't know what. Her hands began to tingle, as if they'd fallen asleep due to loss of blood flow. Rinoa scowled, shaking and moving her hands in an attempt to relieve herself of the irritation. She tried to ignore it, tried to turn her mind to other things to no avail. There was something here, she could hear it....a malevolent presence, so cold and heartless that it seemed to suck the warmth out of everything it touched. She looked up at the brightly lit palace, her mind spinning dizzily. Something is going to happen......but what? Why do I feel like I should leave?
The tingling in her hands went suddenly from simple mild irritation to unbearable searing pain. It was as if the pain in her hands was responding to her query, pushing her forward, towards an uncertain end. The more she tried to focus on the mission, the worse it got. Rinoa closed her eyes, balling her fists as tears formed at the corners of her eyes. She inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying very hard not to cry, forcing herself to focus on anything but the pain.
Energy was building inside her small frame, the full manifestation of her gift edging its way painfully to the surface of her consciousness. Her stomach churned, she opened her eyes, looking up at the dark sky she remembered her dream....the dark woman in the sky. She shuddered, a voice she barely recognized as her own whispered to her....it's time to go.... every instinct in her body pushing her to move away from her companions. Irvine and Squall were still wrapped up in their own world and wouldn't miss her if she just slipped off for a bit. Slowly, she walked away, glancing behind her at Irvine and Squall. She hoped they'd understand that she had to do this, whatever it was.
Letting her feelings guide her, she winded her way around the back of the palace, finding an unguarded entrance. As if someone were expecting her.....She balked for a moment. Realizing it could be a trap and despite her rising fear, she entered the palace. The door lead to a large, empty kitchen, she walked through it quickly, her footsteps clacking noisily on the tiled floor. She exited the kitchen, coming to a deserted hallway in the servants quarters. She started to jog through the hallways, amazed that there seemed to be no one around. Ducking down hallway after hallway, she made her way through the maze-like palace. She had no idea where she was leading herself, yet somehow she knew how to get there by some unseen guide within her. After countless turns, stairways, and long halls...she found herself standing in front of a large pair of ornate doors. The pain in her palms spiked, hurting so much that she winced, causing her to clasp her quivering hands together. Shaking out the feeling, she reached for the large gold door handles, and pulled them open.
The heavy doors creaked as they opened slowly, revealing a sparsely decorated room. Rinoa stepped in, looking around with trepidation. The dimly lit room was illuminated by candles alone, gauzy strips of muslin draped from the high ceiling. In the middle of the room, she could see a woman sitting serenely on a throne, her back to Rinoa. She watched, entranced by the vision through the filmy curtains that wafted in and out with the slightest breeze. Rinoa stepped farther into the room, approaching the woman in the chair cautiously.
The dark woman suddenly stood up, giving Rinoa a start, turning slowly to regard the intruder. She was tall and dressed in a dark purple dress, skin tight with a low collar that was trimmed with black feathers. The woman was extremely pale, her skin a dead white, bluish veins running across her temples like some kind of disease. She wore an ornate crown that covered her head, beads dangling from its spires, jingling eerily with every graceful movement. The two women stood there, stopped in time, staring into each other's eyes. Rinoa's heart beat faster, breathing heavily....feelings of fear and doom washing over her entire body. The woman looked at Rinoa, her reptilian eyes giving her the once over.....sizing her up. The Sorceress could feel the gathering power flowing through Rinoa's body. Recognizing one of her own, the Sorceress knew that the young lady standing before her had no idea of the power she held in her hands. This thought amused the Sorceress to no end, and it made her smile joylessly.
The tingling in her hands started up again, now spreading to her arms. Rinoa resisted the strange urge to hold out her hands. Scared and slightly weirded out that she felt the need to do something so entirely stupid and inappropriate. She wanted to say something to the woman, but nothing came out when she opened her mouth. Rinoa clasped at her throat. What was going on....The woman smiled, her purple lips twisting unpleasantly into the resemblance of a smile. It suddenly dawned on Rinoa, her stomach clenching in fear, The dark woman from my dream......... Before Rinoa could do anything, the large doors behind her began to shut on their own. Rinoa spun around, running for the door but she was too late. She turned to stare in horror as the sorceress sauntered closer to her, the same sick smile on her face.
"Foolish girl....What do you think you could do to me?" the Sorceress sneered, making a gesture with her clawed hand.
Rinoa felt her right arm vibrating, quickly clamping her left hand over it, temporarily resisting the Sorceress's control. She looked up, the Sorceress tilted back her head and laughed softly, her deep voice echoing in the empty room. Edea smiled, baring her teeth, licking at her sharpened canines. With a nimble flick of a wrist she jerked Rinoa off her feet with her will alone, holding the girl a few feet above the floor.....dangling in midair by one arm. Rinoa looked down at the Sorceress, her eyes wide with fear, helplessly unable to resist. Between the force of the Sorceress's grip and the weight of her own body, her arm throbbing in pain. Rinoa cried out soundlessly, closing her eyes and instinctively concentrating her entire being on releasing the Sorceress's hold on her. It didn't work; she continued to hang there, shaking in fear.
"You are powerful, girl...but not enough to defy me...." The Sorceress snarled, loosing her smile and flinging Rinoa into a wall with a single graceful gesture.
She hit the wall with an unceremonious thump; her body going limp as she slid down it. It wasn't enough to kill her, but she did blackout temporarily. Waking quickly, Rinoa lifted herself up, shaking the dizziness from her head. Glaring at the Sorceress, with all her heart she wanted to strike her back, but she couldn't think of what to do. The Sorceress took hold of her arm again, pulling Rinoa ever closer as she turned around. Rinoa stood behind the Sorceress, struggling...clawing at her arm, trying to free herself. She couldn't scream, couldn't stop her.... Oh God help me...
Pausing for a moment, the Sorceress gathered more power. Tilting back her head and with a push of her will, metallic spines flashed out of her shoulder blades, like golden wings. The spines quickly transformed into an elaborate metal collar, mounted on her back like a fan. On the last spine on either side of the fan, floated two large single strips of translucent pink fabric, which caught the breeze fetchingly as she moved. She walked gracefully towards the door, the sound of tinkling bells following her as she dragged her prey behind her. The Sorceress lifted a hand, rippling the surface of the door, allowing her to pass through it without having to bother with the knob. She pulled Rinoa along with her, arriving on the balcony of the Presidential Palace. Deling had already started his speech, finally introducing the Sorceress to the cheering crowd. Her entrance was lauded with shouts of joy, confetti erupting from the frenzied crowd. The President backed off as the Sorceress Edea, took the podium. She looked over the crowd, smirking with contempt at the weak-minded idiots below.
"You pathetic fools...What happened to the Sorceress of your nightmares? The evil demon that would seduce your husbands, and kill your children. Once my kind was a vision of fear, even the mention of the word would pale the strongest amongst you. As I look over this crowd, I see nothing but base adulation, false reverence. How weak you've all become. So easily mislead....Look at what little effort it's taken me to manipulate you. Even your own President was fooled, deceived by his own greed. Now I stand before you to take my rightful place as your leader....bow to me....Your Empress...." She spit the words out, lifting her hands arrogantly over the cheering crowd.
"Edea.....What are you doing?" Deling gasped, running for the podium, "I thought we agreed..."
"I agreed to nothing...." she replied coldly, her eyes glittering with malice.
Without looking, she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and lifted him with one arm. A dark light flitting from between her fingers enveloped the President's form as he struggled to release himself from Edea's grip. Tendrils of green smoke began to emanate from his body as the Sorceress's poison worked its way through his body. Deling writhed in pain as the dark magic rotted his flesh instantly before the eyes of the crowd. He flailed and screamed, organs and skin boiling and bleeding with unnatural sickness, the crowd roaring with pleasure as their former President burst into greenish flames. Edea threw down his smoking corpse, which continued bubbling and dissolving on the floor as the darkness consumed him. Roiling and smoldering until there was nothing left but a greasy mess on the floor next to the podium. The crowd didn't seem to mind in the least.
"Now, there is nothing to stand in my way. We'll burn the world until there's nothing left. Follow me into a new age of destruction. Where death will reign supreme, the blood of the innocent will flow....and every last one of you will pay with your life." Edea smiled unpleasantly, as the crowd cheered. She dragged Rinoa forward, so the audience could see her, "We'll begin this new era with a sacrifice.....Welcome oblivion with open arms."
From below, Squall and Irvine couldn't believe what had happened, Deling was dead......and no one seemed to care. It seemed like everyone but them was under some kind of spell. Mass hypnosis, what else could explain their favorable reaction to the proclamation of their own death? But why isn't it affecting us? At a loss, the whole scene seriously disturbed Squall and Irvine, really comprehending the urgency to complete this mission successfully. This Sorceress had to be stopped at all costs. She intended a full scale war....a horrible repeat of the war that almost destroyed the world twice over. Neither of them could allow that.
The clock struck ten and Irvine turned to say something to Rinoa, who'd been behind him only a moment before. She was gone, his eyes darted back and forth, looking for her.....Where could she have gone. He yanked at Squall's arm, rapidly informing him of Rinoa's absence. Squall paled, his heart leaping in his chest, he swung around.... scanning the crowd for some sign of where she might have gone. Looking up, Squall was horrified to see her on the podium with the Sorceress. She was holding her arm out, her face contorted in fear while she struggled with some unseen force. Irvine stopped and looked up to see what Squall was staring at. What was Rinoa doing up there....oh god...They stood there, watching with mouths wide open, not knowing what they should do.
Suddenly, Edea lifted a hand in the air, gathering a ball of dark matter in her opened palm and flinging it towards the crowd. It whizzed over the awed spectators, crackling through the air and disappearing into the marble gateway. A crumbling sound came from the Triumphal gate, as the large stone dragons decorating it came to life. Two of them peeling themselves from the facade of the building and bounding towards the Palace through the crowd. The crowd parted quickly, cheers turning to screams of terror. The Sorceress flung Rinoa backwards, leaving her to be devoured by the charging dragons. Edea then turned from the melee she'd created, walking calmly down the catwalk to mount her float.
The dragons leapt up to the Palace balcony and towards Rinoa. The Sorceress's control over her body and voice had been lifted; Rinoa realized she had only a few minutes to act. She back peddled, flinging the doors wide open, running desperately into the room she'd just left. In her panic she tripped and fell to her knees. She looked back, her eyes widening in terror as they viewed the monsters Edea had sent to kill her.
They were a much larger version of a local lizard that inhabited the region. Iguions were a small reptile, known for it's distinctive yellow-green coloring and aggressive nature. Due to their fierce temperament, they were nicknamed Prairie Dragons by the locals. This small, not too useful fact ran through Rinoa's head as she stared at the monoliths in front of her. The dragons watched her from the balcony, ready to pounce, their tails flicking menacingly, muscles tensing as they prepared to kill.
The first dragon crouched down, lunging suddenly at Rinoa. She threw her hands forward, screaming, pushing at the air with her palms. The doors slammed shut on the airborne dragon. Tumbling headlong into the heavy oak door, the dragon shook itself and started to ram into it, splintering wood. The crowd was unable to see what happened, all they heard was a scream and then silence. Squall and Irvine watched helplessly, not knowing what was happening to their friend. All the time assuming the worst.
"SHIT!" Irvine shouted, making a move to rush in, "We have to go get her!!"
Squall stopped him with a look, "No, we have to wait until the gates open....that's our only way in..."
"WHO CARES?! RINOA'LL BE DEAD BY THEN....WE HAVE TO GO NOW!" Irvine snapped back, shoving his way past Squall. He hadn't forgotten what Leonhart had done to Rinoa that afternoon, nor had he forgiven.
"Kinneas..." grabbing his coat and swinging him around, "We can't help her, if they catch us....Wait...."
Irvine shook off Squall's grip, reluctantly agreeing to wait. He didn't like Squall's attitude, where did he get off being that cold, especially to his own teammate. Hell, Irvine didn't know Rinoa that well, but he cared enough to rush to her aid. There was no way she could ward those things off. She didn't have a weapon and being a civilian, she had no magic. Irvine brooded angrily, we won't get there in time....she's gonna die while we sit here, doing nothing. All he could do is hope, that by some miracle she'd be able to hang on long enough. If she was dead when they got there, he'd tear Leonhart's head off with his bare hands. The gates suddenly creaked open, music blaring from behind the walls of the Palace. A large float slowly made its way out of the entrance, followed by a group of tribal dancers gyrating behind it. While everyone was distracted, Squall and Irvine snuck through the gate.
Once inside, Squall called up from memory the layout of the Palace as Caraway had shown him. He dragged Irvine down corridor after corridor until they reached the doors that lead to the balcony. Jiggling the handles....locked. He smashed his shoulder into the door, it didn't budge. Irvine took a cue and helped him, smashing his shoulder into it. Both of them bashing at the door, until it gave way.....bursting open into a completely dark room. Simultaneously, the doors from the other side suddenly cracked, splitting apart to reveal the dragons on the balcony. A shrill scream coming from a corner of the room. Rinoa... Both dragons leaped forward, hunting for the source of the sound. Squall cursed himself, neither of them had weapons. Caraway had told them that he'd sneak them into the Palace himself....telling them it'd be too dangerous for them to carry them out in public. Luckily, Irvine had thought fast and had summoned his GF, Leviathan.
The god of water loomed above the Iguions, they were nothing to him. Letting out a piercing shriek, Leviathan summoned a giant wall of water and set it loose on his enemies. The tsunami engulfed the Iguions, drowning their struggling forms in a roiling torrent of water. They fought the surge in vain, the crushing power of the Water God was too much. Leviathan sensed that it was nearly the end, easing the tide only when he was sure the Iguions were dead. Their limp bodies slid across the floor, still wet from the attack. Squall walked into the room, it was still dark and hard to see, even with the light from the hallway and the balcony.
"Rinoa....." Irvine called, scanning the room, turning around to face the doorway they'd just entered from.
"Where is she..." Squall asked, looking around, when he saw movement behind a set of floor length curtains.
Pushing his way through the opaque muslin, he found Rinoa cowering in the corner. She was shaking all over and cradling her right arm, her eyes wild with fear. He knelt down and gently touched her shoulder. She looked up at him, taking a moment or two before her face dawned with recognition. He helped her up, taking her hand in his own. The minute she was on her feet, she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I w-w-was so scared..." she said, trembling and sobbing as she held onto him.
Squall stood there, with a look of befuddled surprise, staring at Irvine for help. He'd find none there, Irvine prided himself on knowing how to read the hearts of women. He wasn't needed here....Irvine just smiled and tipped his hat before he left them alone. Besides, boy needs to redeem himself after that stunt he pulled… Squall scowled, standing there with Rinoa hanging all over him. He held his hands out, looking completely confused and helpless.
"Why'd you go and leave like that? You could've been hurt....." Squall chided awkwardly, shying away from physical contact with her.
"I don't know.....I don't know why I left...." She looked up at him with her tear stained face, letting go of him and holding out her arm, "....I don't know what's happening to me....I'm so afraid.....t-t-the Sorceress.....look..." She pulled back the knit arm guard she always wore, to show Squall her arm. There was a large bluish-brown bruise that traveled all the way around her small wrist. He looked down at it, his brow furrowing with concern, "s-s-Sh-She did it.........She lifted me up off the g-ground....but not with her hand....I couldn't get away......I..I'm sorry........."
The more she tried to explain, the more hysterical she got until she was unable to do anything but cry. Her words dissolved into sobbing and she grabbed onto his arm for support.
"Okay, you really need to let me go now....everything's alright....I'm here...Irvine's here....you're okay......Come on...Get off me already...." She shook her head violently. He looked down at her, letting out an exasperated sigh. Closing his eyes, he put a hand to his forehead, "Could you please let go....just for a second? You know, I can't have you hanging on my arm...." She shook her head again, now he was just irritated, "Let me go.....Now"
There was something about the way he said that last word, an edge to his voice that told her it'd be best to do as he asked. Rinoa let go, her hands slipping from his jacketed arm. He pulled back sharply, giving her a dirty look for invading his personal space. Straightening the arm of his jacket where she'd clung, Squall turned and left. So much for progress, Rinoa thought glumly. She padded after Squall, over to the access panel that lead to the attic of the Palace. At the height of the parade, when the Sorceress's float drove through the triumphal arch, a large carousel was to pop out of the roof of the Palace. Caraway had told them it was the perfect spot to take the shot from. The panel wasn't far from where they were and it was only a short jaunt.
They shuffled up the small stairwell that led to the attic. Irvine was waiting there, he'd found the rifle he was to use, holding it while preparing himself. Squall's gunblade and Rinoa's pinwheel lay next to him, they both bent down to pick up their weapons. Squall held his gunblade, feeling its weight in his hands. It was good to have it back. Kneeling down, he went over plans with Irvine, while Rinoa stood there.
She was still recovering from her brief scare but feeling much better than she had been. She sat down, quietly waiting for the parade to reach its apex. The short meeting ended, Irvine sat down to gather his inner resources for what he'd have to do. Sitting quietly in a far corner, meditating over his rifle. Squall sat down next to Rinoa, stretching his back in preparation for a long wait. He looked over at the girl next to him, idly picking at stray strings on her knit duster. Her quietness bothered him. He liked it better when she was annoying, the thought made no sense to him, but then again, neither did she.
"So, what did you mean about your father being right?"
"Huh?" Rinoa shook herself, surprised at the voice that addressed her.
Squall looked at her blankly, "Earlier today. You said something about him being right, about what?"
"Nothing....Everything. It's hard to explain." She shrugged, unable to vocalize her feelings, "It's just a thing I have. My whole life he's thrown my failures in my face, without even acknowledging his own. It bugs me. He's so self righteous. Anyway, not like you have to worry 'bout it."
"Why wouldn't I?" Squall asked, surprising himself by even asking the question.
"Well....I mean. It's just......" Rinoa stammered, obviously just as surprised as he, "You're not like the others. I'm just a client to you, so....I just don't want to bother you, that's all."
"You really hate him, don't you?"
Rinoa nodded, her brow furrowed in thought, "What about you? With Seifer, I mean. You all seem to hate Seifer a whole lot. Not that he's my best friend but....Anyway, I guess if we're asking questions here, why did you hate him so much?"
"Because he was an arrogant dickhead and a bully." Squall said simply, "Why do you hate your father so much?"
"Long list or short?" Rinoa asked, smiling wryly, garnering a confused look from Squall, "Sorry, bad joke. I guess the biggest reason, is because after my mom's funeral... he left....didn't even say good bye to me. And if that wasn't enough, two days after the funeral my nanny gets me up early and packs me on the next train to my very first boarding school. He hasn't been my father since that day. Just Caraway." She paused in her narrative, looking at Squall thoughtfully, "How'd you get that scar?"
"Seifer."
"He gave you that?!" Rinoa gasped in shock, "How?"
"Training.....he cheated, blinded me with a fire spell and then..." He made a motion with his hand to indicate how the blade had cut him.
"Ow! So....what brought on this sudden bout of talkativeness? Is the whole, I hate people, leave me alone thing an act or....you just in a good mood?"
He shrugged, staring dimly at the wall, "Bored. Filling space with pointless conversation. Isn't that what most people do?"
"Well, at least I rate higher than boredom...." she said inaudibly.
"Hmm? You say something?"
"No....You know.....Can I tell you something?"
"Sure, whatever." He shrugged, pretending not to care, but secretly wondering what she would say.
"Caraway wanted me to go to Garden. He laughed at me when I said I wanted to go to Timber Fine Arts.....told me I was going to Garden, that I had no choice about it. So I ran away. He'd never let me go like that, never. Treats me like one of his stupid soldiers, not like a daughter. I hate him so much....." She seethed, feeling tears coming on, she closed her eyes to gain her composure. Opening them when she was ready to continue, "I'm really surprised that I got out of there. I was half expecting him to drag me off, or lock me in a room.....So, I guess I just wanted to thank you. I'd still be there if it wasn't for you and Quistis."
He listened patiently, nodding nonchalantly, "No big deal. Just doing my job."
"I know.....still.... it means a lot to me." She said quietly, looking over at him with a small smile on her face, "Thanks..."
He met her gaze, pale blue eyes sparkling in an impassive face, "You're welcome."
Rinoa felt a light blush creep up into her face and she quickly turned away. She bit her lip nervously, heart hammering in her chest. What should I do? Should I ask him? She glanced at him, he'd closed his eyes in meditation. Conversation time is over. Rinoa sighed and stretched, leaning on the wall of the clock tower. She looked up at the ceiling and waited silently.
Below, the procession slowly moved forward through the street, spectators pressing in on each side of the street to get a glimpse of the Sorceress. The crowd reacting with gasps of surprise at her strange beauty. Dancers in wild costumes whipped around the float, shaking to the rhythmic music pounding from the band that marched in front of it. Streamers of all colors flying through the air, taking flight on the early summer breeze. Brief displays of fireworks popping, exploding in the sky with a deafening bang. Dazzling showers of confetti, littering the air like a bizarre multicolored snowstorm. The Sorceress sat atop her float, resplendent amongst the luxuriantly decorated throne. She smiled and waived, reveling in her new position as Empress. The entire street erupting in a cacophony of sound and colors as the float trundled toward the gateway.
Author notes—
Heh-heh—Whoever said I'd be cutting out the sewer scene!!? *bats eyes innocently* Anyway, stay tuned for the next chapter....it's gonna be a loo loo. ^-^