Chapter 6
***
"Fortunately, it snapped me out of my thoughts, before I could remember the reoccurring nightmare of NORG dressed in a toga, getting funky to some wild beats."
-Quistis Trepe
***
"Well, I guess this is goodbye." Murphy said a bit sadly.
"Yeah," You bet your big balding head it is! "Goodbye Murphy".
The group from the underground world were now faced with the sunshine, as they said 'so long' to their Queen of the Damned... ahem, me. Actually, the center of attention was getting the precious cargo into the back of the truck. The only one who had a tearful goodbye was the middle-aged man standing in front of me.
Yet again, the real hero is cast in the shadow of a stocky man, as the celebrated champion soars through the adventure barely awake. It's a cruel, strange world. What can you do?
Thinking it wise to leave before the waterworks and frantic hugging began, I quickly stepped away from my only fan and started towards the pick-up truck to my left. I climbed inside as a feeling of euphoria entered my body. My job here was finished, and I was finally able to return home to the lesser of two evils. A smile returned to my face as I thought of a great breakfast that I hadn't had in a while. Stay strong Tony, it wont be long now.
"Everything in place?" Leon asked the men as he meticulously surveyed the job.
It was good news to hear that Leon would be accompanying me home instead of Murphy, and I thanked the heavens for finally giving me a break. We would be bringing home the heavily sedated man in the coffin. I crossed my fingers hoping he would not wake up again. I could still feel that eerie sensation crawling along my veins, and as much as I would hate to admit it, it scared the hell out of me. This fighter didn't get scared easily... though NORG kind of freaked me out. A blob of yellow mass having such power? That's not right.
"Yup!" one of the workmen answered, patting the rear of the truck. Fortunately, it snapped me out of my thoughts, before I could remember the reoccurring nightmare of NORG dressed in a toga, getting funky to some wild beats. I shuddered involuntarily.
"S'all a go!"
"Alright," Leon stated with a smile, "How 'bout we get this show on the road, hm?" With that, the tall, slender man found his way inside the pick-up truck and shut the metal door with a slight bang. "Ready Miss?"
Step on it! Let's get out of here before they change their minds! GO!
"Ready when you are." I simply said with a smile. No need to scare the poor lad. After all, he was my ride to freedom.
With my reassurance, Leon stepped on the gas peddle and we cruised out of the site, and across the desert. Home was on the horizon, and I couldn't wait to arrive.
*****
I sat with a smile plastered to my face as I surveyed my current surroundings. I was in my room, and the walls were decorated with "Welcome Home" signs. Everyone ran up to me fawning for my attention. Even Rinoa was there, running her little heart out in circles. Angelo sat observing his master in confused silence.
"Oh Quistis!" Irvine said with unvariable intensity, hand to his chest with passion "Queen of the beautiful... how I missed thee!"
I smiled at the wanna-be cowboy and graced his shoulder with my hand. His face beamed as he attempted to retrieve a flower from under his jacket, when Zell pushed him aside. Irvine fell like so many of his wounded cowboy brothers.
"No, I have missed thee even more!" Zell said on one knee, eyes sparkling with admiration.
"Aw, Zell," I said to the hyperactive blonde below me. "You didn't have injure Irvine just for me!"
"It was an honor to wound his pride for you, my lady" Zell bowed slightly, ready to rhyme off an abundant amount of praising words, when a melodious sound interrupted him.
"Quiet! All of you!" A voice from the doorway sounded through. All eyes looked towards the noise.
Squall, clad in only his hearted under-oo's walked up to me, hair blowing violently in the suspicious wind, as if trying uselessly to be tamed. My body melted as he stood in front of me, giving a smile that Rinoa never would have seen. "I," Squall said with desire "Have missed you the most"
Could this have gotten any better?
"I have also brought you Frosted Flakes." he said handing me a sparkling bowl.
Yes. Yes it could.
"Now, will you take my hand, Quistis Trepe, and report to Headmaster Cid's office."
"Wha?"
"I repeat, Quistis Trepe report to Headmaster Cid's office"
With sleepy eyes I looked up angrily at the tiled ceiling, cursing the intercom unit and whoever invented it. Of course, it was only a dream, and a bizarre one at that. I eyed the remaining cheese on my dresser with malice. This war wasn't over yet.
****
"Quistis!" Cid replied happily, shaking my hand, "So nice to see you again!"
Alive? "Thank you," I said lowering myself into the cushioned chair.
"How was your trip?" he asked, the smile on his face growing wider.
A couple degrees short of hell. "Perfect, couldn't ask for better."
Cid leaned forward in his chair, hands coming together on his desk. This was the sign that he was ready to get down to business.
"I'm happy to tell you that everything has gone to plan with your mission," Cid told me with joy, "You can pick up your check on your way out. Wonderful job yet again, Quistis. I know I can always count on you."
"Thank you, sir." I said getting up out of the cushy chair. Pride filled my being as I acknowledged my accomplishment. Perhaps I was wrong all along about myself... maybe I WAS a great SeeD worthy of any important job around here...
"Wait a minute, Quistis, there's something else I need to ask of you."
"Yes?" I asked reluctantly, hoping that my new confidence wouldn't become shattered.
"I have a new mission for you." Cid told me, "I need you to protect our new investment."
"Investment?" I asked stupidly. Way to go, Quistis, way to prove your intelligence.
"Yes, the man you helped discover."
Oh no.
***
"Fortunately, it snapped me out of my thoughts, before I could remember the reoccurring nightmare of NORG dressed in a toga, getting funky to some wild beats."
-Quistis Trepe
***
"Well, I guess this is goodbye." Murphy said a bit sadly.
"Yeah," You bet your big balding head it is! "Goodbye Murphy".
The group from the underground world were now faced with the sunshine, as they said 'so long' to their Queen of the Damned... ahem, me. Actually, the center of attention was getting the precious cargo into the back of the truck. The only one who had a tearful goodbye was the middle-aged man standing in front of me.
Yet again, the real hero is cast in the shadow of a stocky man, as the celebrated champion soars through the adventure barely awake. It's a cruel, strange world. What can you do?
Thinking it wise to leave before the waterworks and frantic hugging began, I quickly stepped away from my only fan and started towards the pick-up truck to my left. I climbed inside as a feeling of euphoria entered my body. My job here was finished, and I was finally able to return home to the lesser of two evils. A smile returned to my face as I thought of a great breakfast that I hadn't had in a while. Stay strong Tony, it wont be long now.
"Everything in place?" Leon asked the men as he meticulously surveyed the job.
It was good news to hear that Leon would be accompanying me home instead of Murphy, and I thanked the heavens for finally giving me a break. We would be bringing home the heavily sedated man in the coffin. I crossed my fingers hoping he would not wake up again. I could still feel that eerie sensation crawling along my veins, and as much as I would hate to admit it, it scared the hell out of me. This fighter didn't get scared easily... though NORG kind of freaked me out. A blob of yellow mass having such power? That's not right.
"Yup!" one of the workmen answered, patting the rear of the truck. Fortunately, it snapped me out of my thoughts, before I could remember the reoccurring nightmare of NORG dressed in a toga, getting funky to some wild beats. I shuddered involuntarily.
"S'all a go!"
"Alright," Leon stated with a smile, "How 'bout we get this show on the road, hm?" With that, the tall, slender man found his way inside the pick-up truck and shut the metal door with a slight bang. "Ready Miss?"
Step on it! Let's get out of here before they change their minds! GO!
"Ready when you are." I simply said with a smile. No need to scare the poor lad. After all, he was my ride to freedom.
With my reassurance, Leon stepped on the gas peddle and we cruised out of the site, and across the desert. Home was on the horizon, and I couldn't wait to arrive.
*****
I sat with a smile plastered to my face as I surveyed my current surroundings. I was in my room, and the walls were decorated with "Welcome Home" signs. Everyone ran up to me fawning for my attention. Even Rinoa was there, running her little heart out in circles. Angelo sat observing his master in confused silence.
"Oh Quistis!" Irvine said with unvariable intensity, hand to his chest with passion "Queen of the beautiful... how I missed thee!"
I smiled at the wanna-be cowboy and graced his shoulder with my hand. His face beamed as he attempted to retrieve a flower from under his jacket, when Zell pushed him aside. Irvine fell like so many of his wounded cowboy brothers.
"No, I have missed thee even more!" Zell said on one knee, eyes sparkling with admiration.
"Aw, Zell," I said to the hyperactive blonde below me. "You didn't have injure Irvine just for me!"
"It was an honor to wound his pride for you, my lady" Zell bowed slightly, ready to rhyme off an abundant amount of praising words, when a melodious sound interrupted him.
"Quiet! All of you!" A voice from the doorway sounded through. All eyes looked towards the noise.
Squall, clad in only his hearted under-oo's walked up to me, hair blowing violently in the suspicious wind, as if trying uselessly to be tamed. My body melted as he stood in front of me, giving a smile that Rinoa never would have seen. "I," Squall said with desire "Have missed you the most"
Could this have gotten any better?
"I have also brought you Frosted Flakes." he said handing me a sparkling bowl.
Yes. Yes it could.
"Now, will you take my hand, Quistis Trepe, and report to Headmaster Cid's office."
"Wha?"
"I repeat, Quistis Trepe report to Headmaster Cid's office"
With sleepy eyes I looked up angrily at the tiled ceiling, cursing the intercom unit and whoever invented it. Of course, it was only a dream, and a bizarre one at that. I eyed the remaining cheese on my dresser with malice. This war wasn't over yet.
****
"Quistis!" Cid replied happily, shaking my hand, "So nice to see you again!"
Alive? "Thank you," I said lowering myself into the cushioned chair.
"How was your trip?" he asked, the smile on his face growing wider.
A couple degrees short of hell. "Perfect, couldn't ask for better."
Cid leaned forward in his chair, hands coming together on his desk. This was the sign that he was ready to get down to business.
"I'm happy to tell you that everything has gone to plan with your mission," Cid told me with joy, "You can pick up your check on your way out. Wonderful job yet again, Quistis. I know I can always count on you."
"Thank you, sir." I said getting up out of the cushy chair. Pride filled my being as I acknowledged my accomplishment. Perhaps I was wrong all along about myself... maybe I WAS a great SeeD worthy of any important job around here...
"Wait a minute, Quistis, there's something else I need to ask of you."
"Yes?" I asked reluctantly, hoping that my new confidence wouldn't become shattered.
"I have a new mission for you." Cid told me, "I need you to protect our new investment."
"Investment?" I asked stupidly. Way to go, Quistis, way to prove your intelligence.
"Yes, the man you helped discover."
Oh no.