I admit, I did an awful job of the last chaptyr 15, so now I present to you a chaptyr that will be of the same quality as the previous. And, I would like to apologize for all that read the previous ch15 and were exposed to many Alter Soul spoilers. I will try to make many enjoyable/interesting additions for you. Read on.
Kaytsu is the only character of mine that has survived the story. Oh, and maybe Ian. Anyways, no others belong to me.
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A bitter chill swept over the tundra that night. It rattled the windows of the petite cabin as it penetrated them. The draft whisked around the house, bringing a shiver to the two bodies that shared the bed, and waking Rinoa. She covered little Kaytsu who was sound asleep and rushed over to the windows to fasten them closed.
She sighed as she looked into the pitch-black night. Not even the stars seemed to shine. Lackadaisically, she returned to the warm sheets, bringing the comforter all the way up to her face.
Briefly she tossed in bed, feeling out of place. "(I can't go to sleep…) she frowned, "(is there something I've forgotten? Kaytsu is right here… The furnace is still burning brightly… The windows are closed… What is it?)"
The wind whispered softly against the windows…
Suddenly it hit her. She ran her feet in the bed and backed herself up against the headboard, her eyes wide and crazy. Diablo and Cactar, the guardians she had given to her husband, had returned to her. She could have asked them of Squall's fate, but she already knew…
No tears came. Only a blank face remained as shock overwhelmed her.
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The early rays of the sun warmed the artic tundra and brightened the cabin. The little boy tossed in the bed, bringing the heavy comforter up over his eyes to shield himself from the sun's radiance, but the heat of his breath was unsettling and he was forced to awaken.
He stretched his weary muscles and twisted around to face his mom. Kay was baffled as he observed a gray headed, vacant Rinoa sitting up against the headboard. Nevertheless, he crawled over to her and tenderly took hold of a lock of her whitish hair. "Look, mom, your hair is all white like."
She was unusually unresponsive and this puzzled the boy. It was as if she were asleep, he thought. Kaytsu shook her, softly calling, "Mom?" but she wouldn't wake up.
There was a rapping at the door. Kaytsu was reluctant to leave his mother's side, but perhaps his father could assist. Sprinting to the door, he threw the locks open, but was very discontented that his father was not standing in the doorway. In his place were the 3 that had taken him away.
Kay's little features warped as he vehemently bellowed, "Where's my father!"
"Easy there, kiddo," recommended the unfamiliar cowboy.
The green-eyed woman bent down to meet Kaytsu. "Where's your mom? We need to speak with her."
As he looked over the strangers, he mulled over whether or not these people were to be trusted. There was something reassuring about the cowboy, and his anger subsided and was replaced with hope.
"This way," he cried, "hurry!"
The gang noted the concern in his voice and briefly exchanged glances before rushing in. He led them to her bedroom where Rinoa slouched with her back against the headboard, staring off into the distance.
The youngest woman gasped and trilled, "What happened?"
Irvy removed his hat.
Kaytsu turned to the trio, asking, "You can help her, right?"
Quistis walked over to the invalid and snapped her fingers in front of her face, but could not draw her attention. Her and Irvine exchanged glances, but in the end all they could do was shrug. She turned back to Rinoa and pondered, "I wonder how long she's been like this…"
"She was like this since this morning when I woke up," he chimed in.
"Since you woke up…" she repeated to herself.
"…Are you going to help her…?" he put forth the question again.
Irvine turned and squatted down and held Kay, looking into his eyes, bright and liquid. "Kaytsu," he replied earnestly, "we are going to do all that we can to get Rinoa back. I promise you." He then scooped up the youngster into a warm embrace.
Selphie bit her lip as she listened to Irvine lay down this colossal promise. Kay should be accepting what is right now, not relying on promises that they don't know if they can keep. Quistis felt the same way and gave Irvine 'the look' as he held the boy.
Irvine mouthed to Quistis, 'What was I supposed to do?'
Soon enough, Balamb Garden's own Dr. Kadowaski was examining Rinoa, while Irvine, seemingly the most maternal, was playing in the garden with Kaytsu. Quistis was at the good doctor's side awaiting any news that appeared promising. The news issued from Kadowaski, however, was anything but promising.
"Rinoa's mind is on another plane," she explained. "It is a means of defense and it protects her from whatever psychological trauma that she has endured. She likely cannot hear or recognize her surroundings or the people within them." Kadowaski sighed and threw a glance over the ageless young woman. "There are means of helping her past the shock, but… that requires cooperation which she is incapable of providing; Rinoa is utterly unreachable."
Trepe turned away from the doctor. She was totally powerless, once again, to save a dear friend. She bowed her head in defeat and brought her gloves to wipe away the tears before they came rolling down. "(And how do I break this to Kaytsu…?)"
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This is reaching almost 3 pages, so I'm going to end it here. It looks like there will be many more chaptyrs now that I've redone this one.
Hm, they didn't tell Kaytsu about his father… It's not my bad, it's they way they did it. Besides, who wants to tell a kid that they've lost their father when he wakes up to his mother who's gone?
Next, they will tell Kay all about his father and a funeral will be held. Rinoa will go on what we call a 'dissociative fugue,' so stay in tune for the next chaptyr of… Altered Soul.
