Chapter 5

The Kidnapping

Everyone screamed. Rinoa could feel Squall pull her closer to him. Laughter broke out in the darkness and echoed throughout the Quad. Rinoa felt something touch her. The next thing she knew she could feel herself being carried away. She screamed. Squall yelled, "RINOA!"

Squall ran through the darkness, not having a clue where he was going. Then he saw a door open and a man running out of it. He ran as fast as he could through the door and in to the hallway it led to. The man was running away in front of him. Squall picked up speed and caught up to him. He pushed him down on the ground. Then he picked him up and slammed him into the wall.

"Where is Rinoa!" Squall asked the man. The man he was holding was cowering.

"I don't know! I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Yeah right, that's why you're running away like a thief!" Squall pulled out a small knife from one of his pockets and held it up to the man's throat. "You better tell me now or else…!"

"Alright! Alright! She was taken by Seifer!"

"Seifer! What does he want with her?"

"I don't know!" Squall held the knife closer to his face.

"Okay! He said he was jealous that Rinoa liked you better than him!" Squall stared at him for another minute.

"Where are they?"

"He's down in the basement. It's been his secret headquarters ever since Master Norg died." Squall let him down from the wall and clenched his fist.

"You will pay for this Seifer!"

Rinoa opened her eyes to see a room that was quite dark. There were dark blue lights on the wall and weapons, too. She tried to walk but realized she was chained to a wall. As soon as she began to struggle, she heard laughter. She turned her head around quickly looking for the source of the voice. "Sorry about that…we had to use a sleeping potion on you so you would stop moving." Rinoa couldn't believe it. It was Seifer.

"You! What do you want with me?" Seifer smiled.

"It's simple really. I want you because I like you…a lot. You should know that."

"Yeah, you like me so much you try to hurt me?" Seifer laughed.

"That was me merely trying to make you obedient." He walked toward her and lifted her chin up so he could look her straight in the eyes. "You will be mine no matter what you say. No one will come to help you."

"You're wrong! Squall will come! I know it!" Seifer laughed an eerie laugh that echoed in the room at this.

"That guy? Please! He probably doesn't even know you're gone. Forget him. Let's get back to us!" A wicked grin spread across his face. This time Rinoa couldn't stop him or push him away. He pulled her chin up to his face and kissed her. Rinoa couldn't stand it. Rinoa struggled, but it was no use. He finally released her and began laughing again. "Don't worry Rinoa dear. I'll always be here for you." He ran his hand down her arm. "I'll make all your sadness and pain go away."

Rinoa glared at him. "I hate you! I could never love you even in your dreams!"

As Seifer turned his back, the door to the room blew of its hinges. Rinoa closed her eyes. Seifer fell to the ground but stood back up immediately. "Who dares come in here uninvited like this?" He stared at the entrance. Coming out of the smoke was Squall. His gunblade was out, ready for battle.

"I told you he would come for me!" Rinoa yelled at Seifer. Seifer glared at Squall, but then smirked.

"Hey Squall! You really didn't have to break my door down you know. There was no reason to. Rinoa's perfectly happy here with me. You can see for yourself."

"Squall, don't believe him!" Rinoa glanced frantically at Squall. Seifer was walking back at her. He grabbed her chin and kissed her again, right in front of Squall! Rinoa felt tears running down her cheeks. "This is wrong! I don't want him to touch me! Squall, please save me!" Rinoa thought desperately.

Squall got even angrier. He gripped his gunblade till his knuckles turned white and gritted his teeth. "How dare he kiss her in front of me!" Squall said to himself. Seifer released Rinoa and grinned down at Squall.

"Awe, it looks like little Squall is jealous! Looks like she chose me instead of you!" He laughed. Squall couldn't take it anymore. He leaped up at Seifer, gunblade drawn. Seifer dodged out of the way and grabbed his gunblade from off the wall hooks holding it. "So, you came back for another souvenir? You could have just asked instead of barging in here!"

Seifer lunged out at Squall. Squall did a back flip and then brought his sword around fast, cutting Seifer's jacket. Seifer then retaliated with a Firaga spell. It flew towards Squall. Squall threw up his sword to try and block it. It hit it and flew sparks in his eyes and then bounced at the wall. The room began to catch fire.

"This is just like before now isn't it? You on the ground and me laughing at you in victory!" He threw his head back in laughter. Squall rubbed his eyes to get the fire's sparks out of his eye. His vision was blurry. Seifer threw his blade down at Squall. Rinoa closed her eyes, not wanting to watch the devastating sight.

Squall saw the blade. "Not this time!" He yelled. He grabbed his gunblade within seconds and blocked Seifer. He then did three combo attacks till Seifer fell to the ground exhausted.

"How? This can't be happening! I will get even with you one day! Just wait and see!" He then healed himself with a curaga spell and ran off.

Squall stumbled up the steps toward Rinoa. "Rinoa…" His vision was still blurry from the fire attack.

"Squall!" He followed her voice till he could see dark gray chains. He used his gunblade on the chains and she fell to the ground free. Squall stumbled over. "Squall, are you okay?" Rinoa said quickly.

"Yeah, I'm fine…are you okay?"

"Thanks to you." Rinoa looked around and realized that the room was still on fire. It had been pretty far off from them until now. The heat was creeping closer and closer. Rinoa gave Squall a potion and then put his arm around her. They stumbled toward the exit. Rinoa put Squall down on the ground and turned to face the burning inferno within. "I hope this works!" She closed her eyes and concentrated. She stuck her hand out and pushed it forwards and yelled "Water!" A huge wave of water burst from her outstretched hand and engulfed the room. Within seconds, the fire was gone. "I did it!" She said.

She then turned back around and gave Squall another potion. He stood up feeling refreshed. "The fire!" He yelled.

"Don't worry! I took care of it." Squall turned around and looked at the now damp room.

"Great job." He said.

"Really? Thanks!" They walked back to the elevator and to the first floor. When they reached their dormitories, Rinoa stopped and turned to Squall. "Hey Squall?"

"Yeah?"

"What did Seifer mean that you want another souvenir and that this is just like before?" Squall was silent and then sighed.

"Before you came here, Seifer and I were in a fight. We were supposed to just be training, but knowing him, he went all out. He shot me with a fire spell just like he did back there. Then he brought his gunblade down and it cut across my face. That's why I have this scar…I cut him back after that on his face."

Rinoa was silent. "I'm sorry…I didn't know. What a jerk! So he was basically saying that the souvenir was a scar?"

"Yeah…" Squall stared at Rinoa. "Sorry about your dress." Rinoa looked down noticing that it was burnt across the bottom and the fabric cut on her midriff.

"It's okay. Don't worry about it." Squall turned on his heel and began walking off towards his room.

"Goodnight…Rinoa."

"Wait!" Rinoa said. Squall looked over his shoulder. "I never got to tell you. You looked really handsome tonight."

Squall smirked a little bit and walked towards his room. Rinoa smiled back. "Goodnight!" She walked into her room and closed the door. Without changing she lay upon her bed. Somehow, through all that had happened that night…it had been the best night of her life.