Selphie Kinneas
"Journey To The Past"
Chapter Nine- Hidden Secrets
Squall entered the front grand doors of the Presidential Palace while Rin followed slowly.
"We're not gonna be nervous, okay? Marriage is a big jump and two weeks isn't long enough to prepare." Squall ordered sternly as Rin lost the words she would announce to Raine.
"Squall… I can't do it!" Rin whined.
"What? You changed your mind, two weeks is enough?" Squall asked with an eyebrow raised.
"No, not about that. I don't think I have the heart to tell your mother not yet. She's so excited, I…"
"She'll be your mom in two weeks," Squall snickered childishly.
"SQUALL!" Rin playfully hit him against the shoulder.
The two leisurely approached the doors f the dining room. Squall land his palm gently on it, "Fine, I'll tell her." He muttered as the grand doors swung open. The table's usual silence didn't appear today. Ellone and Raine ignoring their food as they held designs in the air debating the best one. Laguna sat rather annoyed as he watched the two bicker and scream. They acted like children than mother and daughter.
Squall watched in amazement, this was his mother and sister. "STOP!" He shouted echoing all through the room. The table became still at once.
"Mom, Dad, Elle, Rin and I have something to say to you all." He inhaled deeply. He looked to the brunette beside him who gave a hopeful smile. "Everyone! I made Rin a promise when I proposed, and it was we wouldn't get married until I found her… her… who she really was. She wants to know her true past and I swore it would happen before we say I do. Ok?"
Everyone exchanged confused glances as Raine stepped before Squall. "You silly boy! Why didn't you say something earlier!" She rushed to Rin and hugged her kindly, "I couldn't agree more! Oh Rin darling, I will gladly offer any help you need." She marched to Squall. "You need to speak up a little. You would have broken your promise! Now then, when do you two expect to leave?"
Squall gulped as he threw a look at Rin, "Uh… didn't think about it." He said slowly. Laguna sipped water from his crystal goblet. "Leave? Why on earth would he need to plan that?" He curved towards the couple, "You two can start right here in Esther. I can give you a way of entrance to the citizen's files."
"Isn't that illegal?" Ellone asked in a blunt way.
"Yes dear, but only if you use it to do illegal actions." Raine replied quietly as she took her seat. She returned her focus to Squall, "You wouldn't need to be doing anything illegal now would you Squall?"
"What?! Me?" He asked in haste and shock. Rin laughed as she sat near Ellone.
"Thank you so much Mr. Laguna." Rin said with great appreciation.
"Mister? There's no need for that now. Call me whatever you want." Laguna announced kindly.
oooooo
Dinner ended and the third floor became dim as the Loire family went turned into slumber mode. Rin found a bit difficult to sleep though.
She sighed as her large auburn eyes peered out the window. She hugged her legs as she a shooting star passed the her gaze.
Constant as the stars above, always know that you are loved. And my love shining in through you will help you make your dreams come true, will help your dreams come true!
"Well I thought everyone was asleep by now."
Rin quickly turned her blank gaze to the entrance of the room. Ellone stood in her night robe as she came closer to Rin. The vacancy of the room was still quite open but it felt more full with Ellone there.
"I couldn't sleep. I thought I'd take a walk, but I didn't want to go alone." Rin explained.
"Ohhhh, I see. Come on let's go together. The night is so beautiful and there are so many stars outside.
With that Ellone grasped Rin's wrist and dragged her along the empty corridors to the midnight air just waiting for them. The last time Rin was outside so late it was with Squall, when he proposed, of course that wasn't long ago at all. Ellone wasn't much younger than Rin, but she certainly looked it. Her hair ruffled in a childish way and her eyes sparkled as if she were still a young child. She was a Loire, and it seemed everyone in the Loire family had good appearances.
"Hey Ellone? Can I ask you a question?" Rin queried softly.
"You just did," Ellone giggled, "Okay seriously, go ahead."
"Well, Ellone that night when we were supposed to go tot the Eden Gardens, you said your ankle hurt. Were you telling the truth?" Rin stood by Ellone whose facial appearance turned upside down.
"No… I wanted Squall, Rin I need to talk to you about something. Squall never has been a player. When it come to the 'ladies' he doesn't have a chance. He rarely talks to anyone. He only seemed that way around you cause he was with people who made him comfortable. He never talked to anyone in school, only Irvine and Zell, besides that no one. Once Squall found someone else to talk to… he never seized the right chance grab it. And that's what makes Squall so STUPID! He spends days and hours behind paper work and a big desk makes lots of money only cause he doesn't have anyone to live for! And he really didn't feel like finding anyone. I mean, talk about dumb. I know Squall would move out if he were a little bit more social, but really other than his own family and a few friends, Squall never has had anyone.
"As his sister, I was scared that he'd die still being the lonesome guy he is. And if you didn't notice his smile around you started to change. I thought I'd never see that smile again. Rin, Squall really does love you, and I hope you know that. If you were to leave him, he'd literally die. I mean LITERALLY! You don't know what he's been through. So just keep that in mind okay?"
Ellone abandoned Rin with the following second. Rin was utterly speechless. She fell to her knees in surprise, what was Squall deprived of that would make him have no one else? A loving family, something she never had, friends always at your side, again something she never attained, and what made him so unsociable? Rin returned to her feet as she placed her foot near a flowerbed. A large string of angelic white flowers filled the area for the next three yards. She sat on her knees and sniffed the gentle fragrance.
She felt a hand grip her shoulder she turned around quickly as she met face-to-face with Squall. "Squall! What are you doing here. And, why are you up. You got a job, I don't."
"I saw you weren't in your room, then Ellone appeared in the hall, answered a few things. Nice flowers aren't they?" He said as he referred to the white blossoms.
"Oh yeah, gorgeous. Never seen anything like 'um." She said ecstatically.
"My mom planted them, she used to own a pub in Winhill and she planted them every year. Everyone loved them, that's how she met my dad. Cute story isn't it?" He chuckled. Rin looked him deep in the eyes. There was nothing more but his handsome gray storm pupils.
"Squall… what happened to you when you were a kid?" Rin asked blankly. Squall stroked his neck.
"Nothing, I wasn't a president's son. That's about it."
That's it? Sheesh Ellone blows things WAAAAAAY outta proportion. Rin thought to herself. Squall laid an arm around her. "We got a lot of files to go through tomorrow, come you need your rest."
"What about you?"
"I can't sleep, I'm an insomniac" He replied.
oooooo
Morning arose without hesitance. Squall was gone before breakfast had started. The normal peace at the meal had once again returned. Ellone, Laguna, and Raine had already begun the meal before tardy little miss Rin entered.
"Oh, good morning Rin. A bit absent minded today?" Raine smiled. Rin blushed to a certain limit and grinned back.
"Yes, I lost track of time." She took her seat and pondered at her cold meal. She would have requested a new plate, but it was her own error that it had been cooled in the beginning. She ironed her napkin to her lap and held her head straight, living at the Palace taught her some formal etiquette.
A large vase had been placed as the centerpiece of the table; Rin noticed the large bouquet of flowers inside. They were colorless as fresh snow, a color she'd lived with for seven years. The blossoms released a strong sweet perfume and scented the mood.
"Those flowers… are they-" Rin muttered in surprise.
"I planted them, myself. There was so many this year I had someone cut a few for now. They add such a lovely aroma don't they?" Raine winked.
"I saw them just yesterday, Squall told me you planted them. They are gorgeous." Rin gaped.
"She used to make garlands and wreathes for festivals. Everyone loves them. But only my Raine makes them this beautiful." Laguna clamored with an eyebrow raise. Raine chortled softly.
The dinette's doors burst open as Squall entered. "Well it's final, Kiros has given me a month and a half. I won't have days off for the rest of the year, but it's worth it." He neighbored Rin and handed her two train tickets. The destination was blank.
"Two empty tickets?" She asked in confusion.
"I didn't know exactly where to start so that we'll figure out later." He spread an optimistic glance on his face as he hurriedly consumed his food.
Nearly ten minutes later he was finished. He pulled slightly at Rin's wrist. "Are you going to help me look today?" He consoled. Rin shook her head as she pranced to his side. They waved a farewell and left the overly large residence. Squall drove through the clean streets the shined in the Esther sun. The blue sidewalks sparkled and glittered. What a beautiful city. There's no one here who could be unhappy. Ellone's words came and taunted Rin every few here and there. Squall drove into a driveway. He halted by a small compartment and held out a card.
They entered and parked. Squall politely opened Rin's door and aided her out. "Where are we?" She interrogated. Squall gave his usual shrug.
"Another government building, what else? I don't think we'll find much today. Esther isn't the best place to start. I think we should leave some time this week, that's when I dated the tickets anyways. Come on, there's someone here holding the citizens file room open for me for only a little while."
The structure turned out to be yet another grand building with elegant decorations and large fancy rooms. Of course the majority of them were government official's offices. Squall came to a double doorway. A Esther soldier looked his way and bowed.
"Mr. Loire, right on time." He stepped aside and unlocked the doors. Rin expected aisles and aisles of file cabinets with dim lights, instead there were nearly ten computers neatly aligned in a row with proper standing desks. The lights were shining and lounge chairs were placed against the walls.
"Where are all the files?" Rin asked, which she'd been doing plenty of.
Squall gave a hearty laugh, "Rin this is Esther! 'City of vast technology!' All the files are stored on these modems. Rin sat by Squall and listened to every word of information that escaped Squall's mouth. There weren't much and by the end of the day the results were wasteful.
"Let's turn in. I don't think we'll find anything else." Squall yawned as he placed his arm gently around Rin's slender figure. Rin released a yawn as well as she moved with her kind escort. They left the arrogant politicians and drove into the midnight lighted area.
"Oh Squall, I'm so sorry. I wasted your whole day… your leaving your work… it's all my fault!" Rin complained as she slammed her fist to her thigh. Squall spun his head to her.
"Rin! What the hell are you talking about? Clam down, this is my fault. I knew Esther was stupid place to start diggin' but I listened anyways." He rested her hand against the area Rin had slapped herself. He rubbed softly against the denim cloth. "So you are you hungry, I know I am." Squall mumbled. Rin, just know knowing the emptiness in her stomach, nodded.
Another gap of time was spent at a petite little restaurant. It wasn't as glamorous as the Eden Gardens, but who wants to eat there anyways? Rin forgot about the waste of the day after joking around with Squall for only five minutes. He could charm his way into anything. Obviously he didn't according to Ellone's story.
The two exited the small quarter and headed for the parking lot. Squall looked into the crisp night air. "Hey let me go get the car and I'll be right back, okay?" He said, leaving a small kiss on Rin's cheek. Squall dissolved in the darkness. It become very solemn without him. Rin hugged herself as she waited for the car lights to flash her eyes.
A hand appeared across her mouth and another arm around her arms. Someone held his or her breathing near her ear. It spoke harshly yet quietly. "Do what we say, got it?" Rin stood motionless, the male voice apparently took this as a 'yes' he dragged her to the back alley of the restaurant. He pinned her against the wall and kept her mouth sealed. Rin saw bits of his skin, but he was very shadowed and his companions behind him were as well. Rin tried shoving her legs as a kick, it was futile.
"Give up the cash and we won't hurt ya." The man said. Rin was used to a mugger's threat. Trabia was infested with lowlifes who preyed upon the defenseless wealthy. She always had little money, but enough to shoo them away, but now what fearer her most was the fact she didn't have any at all. She shook her head trying to beckon the fact she was penniless, but they took it as a resistance.
"GIVE US THE CASH BITCH!" He yelled. His hand released her mouth and curled around her neck. The wind was knocked out of her and unable to speak, again, she was helpless. What was going to happen to her? Were the muggers going to kill find out there really wasn't any gil and leave her till Squall found her boy in the alley? Squall! Where was he? He wouldn't find her in time, it was for sure.
The men were snickering as Rin gagged and raised her hands to the man's firm grip. Of course they didn't do much, at all. She could at least say in her grave that she tried.
"THE HELL!"
The voice was blurred but it sounded akin to someone at least slightly more civil. Rin could no longer focus any figures as everything grew dark, suddenly the grip let loose as she fell to the ground unconscious.
ooooo
Someone lifted her head higher. She coughed a bitter liquid as she opened a single eye. "What… happened." The person holding her head grabbed her bodice and embraced her tightly.
"Rin! I thought I lost you." The voice belonged to Squall. Rin Rest her weak cranium on his shoulder as she looked to what neighbored Squall. It was a bright zircon diamond blade with griever carved at its base with a handle of a rifle. Rin was too confused to place the pieces together instead she closed her eyes as Squall lifted her. She listened to Squall's relieved accent. "Rin, when I saw you in the hands of a good-for-nothing mugger I wanted to shoot myself for leaving you. When you fell unconscious I nearly wanted to kill all of them." Rin's skull was gently laid as Squall placed her in the backseat of his car.
Rin watched shadows and lights pass her as she tried to think, why did Squall have a sword with him?
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"Squall also is a master gunblade specialist. Mastered it in a year how much he
loved that weapon. As a gift, the president bought Squall a beautiful gunblade
with a pure zircon blade and his name and a symbol engraved in it. Squall… oh
he carried it every where until he was 15 then only used it when needed to."
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Rin couldn't seem to concentrate on any other subject, not even the fact that she was nearly murdered. Hours later she was in her bed with the same topic. She just couldn't understand. Squall didn't talk about the incident. He sat by her bed for an hour or so and left since it seemed she was mute.
Squall had many tribulations on his mind. He hadn't many results on his first search, and his fiancé could have been killed. On the exact day he starts looking for her past, imagine the irony. He sat in the library with a few printed fiels with Rin in his mind. Well, logically she was suppose to be, but not in the precise focus.
The whole Loire family was kept awake in worry. A doctor arrived saying Rin was fine and only needed some time for resting. Someone was always inside the bedroom with her, but her lips were fastened. Finally Ellone came inside, it was time to have a few items of curiosity answered.
"Ellone?" Rin called as she observed the young adult come near her.
"Oh Rin, are you okay?" She cried while she stroked the raven colored hair. Rin turned her head, her eyes were tired and barely open.
"A sword. He had a sword with him. Why in Hyne's name would he need to carry that around!?" Rin squealed unable to raise her voice very high.
Ellone turned her head morosely. She strutted away answerless and returned holding a thick envelope. "Rin, this is a long story, so just sit tight and listen.
When Squall was my age, 17 or so, he was still in Balamb Garden studying. When he was there, he happened to meet some girl named… Nirvana."
Nirvana… Rin repeated silently amazed at the unique at exquisite name.
"Nirvana was just a normal person Squall would ignore in the beginning. Soon they started having feelings for each and stuff. They started going out and Squall actually opened up to her. And, I told you; Squall isn't a player. This was his first girlfriend. Everyone liked her. He'd bring her here for holidays and the family that she was nice too, just like you. Nirvana was someone Squall really loved. They went out till he was like… almost 20. That's like three years. And I guess Squall loved her enough to say the same he did to you, 'will you marry me'. I know this makes Squall sound like he proposes to very girl, but these girls he really cares about, okay?
"Anyways, Squall graduated with a job opportunity an Esther, the one he has now. Great pay no labor. 19 and he passes with flying colors. Top in his class, and Nirvana wasn't as smart. She had to redo one more year, but she wanted to do it at another school. It was far away, Galbadia Garden to be exact. Squall didn't want her to go bit he supported her anyways. He promised to be at the train platform to say goodbye. And he was, he got there early with a girt, flowers, all the junk. Sweet guy right?
"Nirvana didn't come to the platform, in fact she never said goodbye to Squall. Squall waited for hours and soon he just began walking home, on his way he saw authority sirens and ambulances. He looked to see what happened, and Nirvana was there, dead. She was own her to the train station to meet Squall and leave before……… she was ambushed by a serial murder. He was in need of money and Nirvana being her proud self refused. He killed her painfully, from what the docs say anyways. Squall was in such a wreck that he thought he'd never get back up. And didn't, not till he met you. But ever since he saw Nirvana dead on the ground, he somehow bought this sheath that he hides in his clothing. He holds that damn sword everywhere outside his home. I never noticed it till one day the trigger on his gunblade stuck out.
"I keep warning you Rin cause Squall gave Nirvana that smile he gives you, when she died… I was sure it was too. That's why I keep saying Squall doesn't have anyone, cause he was painfully torn from the only one he had. And, why he jumped to proposal instead of waiting years was if he had proposed to Nirvana before wanting to leave, she wouldn't have left! He considers her death, HIS FAULT! He lives with that guilt each day Rin and when he came home saying you could have gone through the same thing even if he DID do the right thing, he might've just committed suicide!"
Ellone's voice was raised high and Rin could barely swallow. Slowly she calmed down and stationed the envelope on Rin's lap.
"He swore that he'd avenge her. He never could, never did. So he promised on her grave that he would protect anyone ambushed and defenseless like her. Just look at her, he loved her so much. But now, I think he loves you more."
Ellone turned silently. Without any haste she disappeared from the room. And again Rin was entirely unaccompanied. She slipped the envelope flap open and reached for the broad stack of photos. She examined them carefully. Nirvana was as beautiful as he name. Her eyes were sapphire blue that glimmered like stars. Her skull of ebony black hair blew as silk. Rin turned photo to another. Squall hugging Nirvana, the two sitting in the library, outside in the sunshine… Rin dropped the numerous picture and turned.
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"Just look at her, he loved her so much. But now, I think he loves you more."
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Rin looked at the heavenly beauty, this is what Squall lost before?
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Sweetie Squall got problems too eh? Hehe, I wanted a little secret for Rin to find out. Anyways I'll updated next week Saturday if you kind reviewers come read fast enough.
