Nothing as It Seems
V
Summary: They're gone, all of them but two. It's better than it was but how long can they last?
Disclaimer: Everything except obvious Squaresoft stuff.
Rating: R for language
"Fuck this!" Seifer broke the dead silence and jumped off the bed, waking the sleeping Quistis.
"Seifer," Squall sighed, tired as hell. "They'll come in here with a cattle prod to shut you up."
He looked down at Squall. "They can come with fucking M16s and they ain't gonna stop me," Seifer opened the door and walked out, but soon walked back in looking up. An enormous man followed by Grace and another guy in a lab coat entered the room. "Whoa…" He gathered his thoughts and attempted to leave again. "Get the fuck out my way Ogre," but was abruptly rejected and shoved down to the floor. "HEY! Touch me again and I swear I'll..." apparently the body guard had just as short a temper as Seifer. After that 'threat' he picked him up by his coat collar and held him up against the wall.
"Seifer!" Quistis screamed. "Stop fighting them and let them tell us what we want to know!"
The guy leaned in and whispered to Seifer, "What goes around comes around," and let him go.
Lab coat guy stepped forward. "Well, not quite the welcome I was hoping for but..."
"Just get to the point," Squall stood up.
"Alright. Now that you've all been reunited, we want you to meet the real life people who surround you in your virtual life,"
Grace wheeled in a rack of formal clothing. "We brought you some clothes, it's a media party and dinner and all our sponsers and founders will be there. So you can where your street clothes if you really want to, but I'd suggest a tux maybe?"
Seifer looked through the rack. "Who exactly is going to be there?"
"I just told you,"
"No, I want names. Of every person I'll have to talk to. Do it or I'll make sure this night is on every single news station in the country,"
"Seifer, don't be so hasty! All you had to do was ask," Grace laughed. "I'll tell you the people now who you'll mostly converse with. Selphie Tillmit and her father, Nicholas Tillmit. Irvine Kinneas will be their and his father. Um... Zell, my brother. Mr. and Ms Kramer. Laguna Lore and Rain. Our CNN representative Xu Johansen,"
"Grace," Squall sternly looked into her eyes. "Rinoa and Mr. Caraway will be there, I know that. You don't have to hide it from me,"
She paused. "You're right Squall, I'm sorry. Um, you have an hour to get ready. I'll see you at the party," Grace left the room before her father finished explaining the night to them. She couldn't stay around him any longer. There was something about the look in his eyes that made her regret everything she had been a part of these past 18 years. She had to relax, sit down and put her feet up. That sounded like an excellent plan.
"Hey Gracie, haven't seen you since the lab rats woke up,"
Grace sat down on the black leather couch. "Not funny Zell." She lay down and turned the CD player on with the remote. "I'd hate to disturb you, but could you pour me a glass of vodka?" He nodded. "Thanks. Oohhh, it feels good to lay down,"
Zell knelt down and handed her the glass. "You haven't been off your feet since they woke up, have you?"
"Well, it's not that easy. I was the only one on the project who... acted somewhat normal and not so scientific all the time. They needed a friendly face and that's what I'm here for. But it's difficult when they hate me,"
"Come on Gracie, you know it's more then that,"
She sighed "I've watched them throughout their entire life and I feel like I know them. But they think I'm just the same as all the scientists, when I'm not. And now that I've heard and seen how they're taking this, I want to help them get out,"
"Well, the only thing I can suggest is that you sleep now for as long as you can. Then make an appearance with me at the party tonight, and after they have seen their friends in reality, and realized how different they are, you can figure out your break out plan and help them then,"
She smiled and downed her vodka. "Why do you always know what to say?"
"Twins intuition, now sleep," he stood up and laid a blanket over his sister.
He looked at himself in the mirror. Black tux, black shoes, bow tie and gelled hair.
"Damn, you look good," almost as good as he did at Squall and Rinoa's engagement party, but that couldn't be, because the engagement party never really happened.
"Hey guys, we can honestly say, we have never ever looked this good, and mean it,"
"Alright Seifer, want to get technical? This is the first tux I've ever worn, the first time I have ever drank wine, or ate, um... oh, and here's something for you. None of us have technically had sex before. In reality, were all still virgins!"
"Squall, calm down. He was just, trying to make this easier, for all of us," Quistis sat in front of the mirror and started putting her hair up.
Seifer laughed. "That's pretty funny, you got to admit. By all technical and medical means er whatever, I am still a virgin. That's the best thing I've heard all day!" he fell back onto the bed. "Hey Trep, who was your first?"
She turned to face him. "Excuse me!"
"Well it's just us now, there's no on here whose going to point fingers or anything. Plus he wasn't real," he raised his eyebrows. "Please?"
Quistis laughed. "Fine. It was after I got my instructors, like, the night after I found out. I uh celebrated that night with my boyfriend at the time, Nida."
Seifer rolled off the bed. "What! Your first lay was Nida!" he rolled around laughing. "No way! I always though there was something between you two!"
"Seifer, that was three years ago. And, get off the floor, you're ruining your tux. What about you? Which unlucky girl did you curse for life?"
"Hey now," he stood up, brushing lint off of his pants. "That was un called for. I was... About 13 my first time, I think. Anyways, it was that Cassandra Ross chick. Yeah, and she turned out fine,"
"Seifer, she was the biggest slut in the garden. She been with everybody,"
"See? And before that she was shy and nerdy. I helped her discover boys. What about you Squall?"
He hadn't said much all night, his thoughts were keeping him occupied. Rinoa, he was going to see her, and want to run over and take her into his arms. But he cant, she wont know him. She won't remember everything that happened to them, or everything they felt for each other. Just accept it Squall, she's gone, no. She wan never yours to begin with.
"Squall!"
"What? No, I'm not playing this game,"
There was a knock on the door, and Grace Mathers walked in. "Hey, you guys look really good. The crimson red really works on you Quistis. So, they're all waiting for you. You don't have to say a thing when you first walk in, just grab some drinks and get comfortable. You guys have a long night ahead of you."
The room was completely crowded. When the four walked in, all eyes were drawn to the front of the room.
"And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, after 18 years of patience, dedication and hard work, I'd like to introduce to you, Seifer Almasy, Quistis Trep and Squall Leonhart. If you have a VIP pass, sometime tonight you can come up and find out how you made a difference in their lives. Alright, enjoy the rest of your evening," The whole room roared with applause
"Do you all of a sudden feel like the main attraction at a freak show?" Seifer whispered. The other two nodded.
"Grace, I was wondering when you'd show up," he walked up and handed his sister a drink.
"Zell," Quistis whispered. It was him again, It was him.
"Hey, it was you. I knew it. I'm sorry; who are your friends? I'm Zell, by the way,"
"Yeah, chicken wuss, we know," Seifer glared at the man before him. It looked like him, it sounded like him, but it definently was not chicken wuss.
"Excuse me?"
"Seifer! I 'm sorry, you just look so... much..." her voice trailed off and her throat went dry.
"It's ok, I understand. I'm not who you'd like me to be, I can deal with that,"
"No, you cant understand Mr. Mathers, there's nothing you have to deal with, so don't try to relate, it sickens me," Seifer headed to the bar.
"I'm sorry, tell your friend that. But I have to go, I'll be back soon," Quistis and Squall watched as he walked out of the ballroom.
"Same god damn hair style even." He turned to grace. "You people think of everything don't you?"
"I'm sorry Squall. Believe me, I am. If I had have known how this was going to effect you, I would have never been apart of it,"
"It's too late for apologies now, just stay out of my life and let me be," Squall turned his back to Grace. "I'll catch up with you later Quistis," He walked off into the center of the room, not really knowing why. Then it hit him, this was the ballroom from the garden, and he was standing exactly where he and Rinoa first danced together. The window view of the stars was even the same, and… she was standing there, talking to her father, Rinoa. Squall felt weak, like his knees would give out any moment. He stood there for what seemed like years just, watching her.
"Go on," a man whispered in his ear bringing him back to reality. He turned to Dr. Mathers. "She's waiting for you," Squall looked at him questioningly, but proceeded to her.
Quistis sighed and headed out onto the balcony. So much like the Garden, she thought, imagining what she might be doing now, if she was back.
"Too stuffy in there for ya?" Seifer stood leaning on the other side of the balcony.
She managed a smile, small as it might have been, and walked over to him. "We don't belong here. All we'll ever be to these people is successful experiment number one, "
He lit up the cigarette that was tucked unknowingly behind his ear. "If you want to call this living," He blew a puff of smoke out into the wind. "It's just us ya know, you me and Squall,"
"Squall's not taking this very well, so hung up on Rinoa and the Garden," She closed her eyed tightly and tears rolled down her blushing cheeks. "I want to go back," She looked up at him through blurred vision. "They say they're improving lives with this technology, but they're not!" Seifer looked down at her feeling his own tears begin and took her into his arms. "They're ruining lives!"
He stroked her hair and held her closer. "Shhhh… We'll get through this. I promise, I wont let them hurt you anymore," He fought his own emotions wile trying to sound strong for her. It wasn't working so well.
"I'll take you away from here, and we'll run away from all of this and live in a little house by the sea, just like you told me one time."
Quistis looked up in somewhat shock. "I… I can't believe you remembered that,"
Seifer smiled the best he could. "We'll leave tomorrow, get away from all these rich suits. I don't like seeing you cry like this. Please, don't cry," He couldn't take it anymore, and tears streamed down.
They stayed embraced in each other, speechless and unmoving.
"Squall, right?" Mr. Caraway sipped on his champagne. "I was wondering when I was going to meet you. It seemed like an awful waste of money if all you were going to do was sleep," He laughed at his own muse, and Rinoa giggled with him. "What's the matter kid? Computers steal your sense of humor? Or were you just not given one?" The father and daughter laughed again.
"Yeah, the computer… " He could feel sweat forming on his forehead. "Can I speak with Rinoa, alone?" Mr. Caraway downed the rest of his drink and reluctantly walked away.
Neither spoke at first. Squall watched her grow more uncomfortable with each passing second.
"Rinoa…" It was like she was brought back from the dead. He had already mourned and accepted that she was gone, but then here she was, beautiful as ever.
He knew she wasn't his Rinoa, he knew it. But something in him wanted it to be her more then he wanted life. He pulled her close to him, embracing her body against his. He kissed her with more feeling, and love, and passion then he ever had before. Something deep in his broken heart hoped that his kiss would bring his princess back to him. Reality is a crewel and harsh world.
"What are you doing!" Rinoa shrieked violently pushing him away.
Mr. Caraway came running up. "Hey! Get off of my daughter!" He swung, hitting Squall in the gut, knocking him off balance. "You perverted freak!" Caraway kneed him over and proceeded to kick Squall's stomach and ribs.
They heard the shriek and immediately broke apart. Seifer raced back into the ballroom to find a very pissed Mr. Caraway beating on Squall.
"Fucker, get off him!" Seifer lunged at Caraway, knocking him and himself to the ground.
Quistis following only steps behind knelt beside Squall and helped him up, at the same time Seifer delivered the KO blow to Caraway. The crowd had all but dispersed, watching from the very edges of the room.
Seifer wiped the blood from his mouth. "This is what happens when you fuck with emotionally unstable SeeDs! Now fuck off and leave us alone!" Camera flashes were almost blinding at this point but the trio made it out of the ballroom and into one of the office hallways, which after five, are more deserted then a graveyard.
They gently sat squall down, and Seifer paced around wile Quistis tended to his wounds.
"You should be ok, mostly bruising, but nothing you haven't sustained before, well… kind of," She winked at him hoping he might just smile back. It's been so long since she'd seen him smile.
"Thanks,"
Seifer banged his fists on the brick wall causing an echo down the entire twenty-yard hall. "Fuck, what do we do now?"
Quistis sighed. "We have to get out of here, but we have no ID's and no money,"
"We'll think of something, but we need out of here first," Squall attempted to stand up, but he didn't get very far.
"Let me help," Seifer swung Squall's arm over his shoulder and stood him up.
"Thanks,"
"No prob,"
"Seifer," Squall stared fiercely into his old rival's eyes. "I meant for back there. Thank you,"
He smiled. "Yeah, like I said. No prob,"
Quistis stood up beside them. "We should go through the offices, no one's here this time of night."
The three walked straight for what seemed like an hour before coming to any kind of direction change.
"This is ridiculous," Seifer complained. "In three months they're going to find us here starved to death,"
"Shhh,"
Squall put his ear to the wall. "Someone's coming!"