Flagship and the Love Triangle
"How did it end up here?" Ouragan asked Squall.
Squall placed the two glasses of water in front of Ouragan and Quistis and said, "Well, Lara told me that this book had been on the reserved list for too long in the library, so we decided to remove this book from it. Why didn't you pick it up?"
"Well, I was supposed to do some ancient prophecy research in my magic class, but I seemed to have graduated a bit too early. Anyhow, I've tried opening this book a long time ago in the library, but it never opened. I think they have the wrong key for this lock," Ouragan uttered as he pointed to the unlatched lock. "How did you get it open?"
Squall pondered about the very magical way the book's lock opened but decided to keep it a secret. "Uh, I pried it open with a lock pick."
Ouragan snorted, "Funny, I've never really thought about that. So what's in it?"
Squall took the space beside Quistis and helped Ouragan open the heavy book. "Well, there are some prophecies in here about Garden and the world, but they're really vague in poetic terms if you ask me. I never really understood much of it."
Ouragan formed an "o" with his mouth and said, "So you mean this isn't some kind of prophecy encyclopedia? And to think this ancient thing stayed in the reserved list for years."
Quistis took the book from her friend's hands and began flipping through the pages. When she found dog ears on the Blue and Red Dragon section, she said, "Why did you mark this Squall?"
"How did you know that I marked it?"
Quistis unfolded the dog ear and answered, "Because this fold looks fresh. And since this book was said to have been in hiding for five years, creases like these are supposes to look perfect. So why did you mark it?"
Squall pointed to the picture and said, "Rinoa and I looked through this book earlier and tried to unravel the meaning of some of the prophecies. When we saw this, we thought that the descriptions resembled the Trabia and Balamb Garden missile incident." After explaining it further, Quistis nodded to Squall in agreement.
"You may have a point Squall. Hey, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" she asked the commander.
Squall asked, "What?"
"Well, since this book somehow gives prophecies of what might and may happen, maybe we could use it to tell the future of the Garden. Who knows? We might just prevent further disasters from happening," she said.
Ouragan laughed and said, "You actually think all of those prophecies tell the Garden's fate? Maybe some, but not all of them would. Come to think of it, I think only one passage in the book refers to Garden."
Quistis turned to Ouragan and said, "But what about future disasters? We can probably get there before it happens thanks to the help of this book."
Squall took the book from Quistis' hands and closed it. "That will be unnecessary. Besides, without any disasters left, Garden will become bankrupt. I can't just allow some prophecy to stop funds from coming in."
Quistis hung her head in defeat and sighed. "I guess you have a point. Well, Ouragan and I had better go now. We have some hail to clear." After gulping her water, she took Ouragan's hand and led him out of the room after wishing Squall goodbye.
Squall sat on the couch thinking about the Double Moon Prophecy when Rinoa came out of the bathroom wearing only a towel around her body. She sat down beside Squall and smiled at him.
"Did you find anything interesting while I was in the shower?" she asked while leaning her head on Squall's shoulder, hugging his waist tightly.
Squall hugged her back, kissed her hair and said, "Well, I saw some more prophecies, but Ouragan and Quistis came in."
She looked up at him with her beautiful brown eyes and asked, "So what did they do here?"
"They just gave some reports on the hail damage and I gave them something to drink. Why?" he asked while holding her closer to his body.
She buried her head in his chest and said, "Nothing." She felt the rising and falling of his chest, never wishing for this sweet moment to end when she felt him run a hand across her spine. "Squall..."
He silenced her by claiming her lips and deftly undid the towel around her. "Do you want to continue where I stopped earlier?" he asked with a wink. She nodded and let go of the towel, exposing herself completely to him.
"Hyne, you are so beautiful," Squall exclaimed as he looked at Rinoa's' naked form with appreciation. She blushed and began undoing his pants.
When they had finally undressed each other, they hopped onto the bed and began pleasuring each other, Squall thrusting his massive pole up Rinoa's entrance as she received him willingly. Their wild screams of pleasure crashed through the entire room as they made love, screaming each other's names upon climax, and cuddling in the warmth of their bodies after their wonderful lovemaking.
--------------------
When the cleanup of the balcony was over at last, Quistis and Ouragan opened the doors to the second floor hallway and sat down on the floor.
"That...puff...was tiring," sighed Quistis as she took a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed her forehead.
"Yeah, throwing all the hailstones out of the balcony was no easy task," said Ouragan in a similar manner.
Quistis leaned on Ouragan's shoulder and groped his right arm. "I'm tired."
Ouragan smiled at her and ruffled her hair slightly. "You know, if you weren't my friend, I might have thought that you have a big crush on me," he told her nonchalantly while smiling boyishly.
Quistis almost fainted when he said that. 'He doesn't even notice?! He graduated first in class and doesn't even notice that I like him?!?'
"Uh, Ouragan, what makes you say that?" she asked while holding her breath. Although she did want him to know, she somehow felt that it was better if he didn't. She didn't want a little crush to ruin their relationship, but she thought, 'It's not just a little crush isn't it?'
"Well, you always look happier around me, grope me, and do girly things around me. I hope you don't think I'm paranoid, but that's what it looks like. But, since we're absolutely good friends, I guess that counts as a good reason to be intimate right?" he said without blinking.
"Y-yeah! That's right! We're good friends! Heh heh...good friends...that's right," she stuttered. She wanted to vomit right there and then, but was too embarrassed to do it in front of Ouragan.
"Is something the matter Quistis?" he asked her. "You don't look so well."
She waved her hand up and down and said, "Ah no it's nothing! Don't even worry about me. I think the cleaning job got me worked up. You want to go to the Quad?"
Ouragan stood up and offered her a hand, "Sure, but I have to go to Cid's office first. I'l just see you later after I arrange all your papers for Esthar Garden. Is that okay with you?"
Quistis nodded in relief and said, "Yup! I'll just see you later, kay?"
Ouragan winked and said, "Kay! Bye!" He ran towards the elevator and went to the third floor office. Quistis stood there, unsure of what to do until she passed by her classroom.
"Gee, I will sure miss this. Maybe I'd better visit it one last time before I leave," she thought as she opened the door. When she saw the people inside, she suddenly gasped and said, "Seifer! What are you doing here? Fujin, Raijin, I thought you guys were supposed to be in the Training Center?"
"Yo, ya should chill out, ya know?" Raijin said with a smirk.
"REMINISCING. SEIFER LEAVING. RAIJIN AND I LEFT ALONE HERE," Fujin replied in her almost syntaxless language.
"You see, when Ouragan asked me to join you guys, he didn't include Rai and Fu in the list. I mean they didn't train to become SeeDs so they will remain here in Balamb Garden. We're just remembering old times," he said with a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"Oh...Do you want me to talk to Ouragan about this? Maybe I can convince him to accept Raijin and Fujin too," she told him.
At the mention of Ouragan's name, Seifer felt his stomach role but gently said, "Quisty, it doesn't work that way. I was accepted because I had some good SeeD training. Fujin and Raijin here served as the Garden's disciplinary committee. I don't think Esthar Garden will allow that. Besides, who are you to tell Ouragan what to do? His wife? Ha!"
Quistis felt her cheeks flushing and she approached Seifer adamantly. She slapped his cheek and snapped at him. "How dare you! You know, I was planning to thank you for saving me, but no! You, Seifer Almasy, have to act like a jerk. I was going to help you get your friends, probably your only friends, to come with you but how do you repay me? You act high and mighty!"
Seifer rebutted, "Is that so? High and mighty? Who was the teacher's pet? Who was the eighteen year old who acted snooty and ever so superior over her peers? He would suck up to the professors? You! And you know what? I saw you smiling at him when he picked you up. Yeah, the guy who took you to the infirmary in his arms and not the one who saved you from a near death experience deserved the gorgeous smile. Isn't life a bitch Queen Trepe?" He grabbed his Hyperion from the teacher's table and walked out of the room, not even asking Raijin and Fujin to accompany him outside. Fujin glared at Raijin, and he immediately decided to go out and help Seifer cool down. Neither of them had seem him this mad since Squall had said something that struck Seifer's nerve.
'What have I done?' Quistis asked herself.
"INFURIATED," Fujin said.
"Should I go after him?" Quistis asked the white-haired woman.
Fujin decided to lose her cold, monoword act and decided to use everyday human language. "Quistis, I think you should give him a chance. I mean, just between the two of us, I know that he likes you. I saw the look in his eyes when he was carrying you into the Garden. Seifer doesn't normally act that way around women, but you are special. He showed a lot of concern that day you were attacked, making sure that you were alright. When Ouragan jumped into the scene, he really wanted to carry you himself into the infirmary, but being the other commander's friend, he decided to let you go. When you opened your eyes and smiled at Ouragan, he immediately approached me and talked to me about it. But please, don't talk to him about it now. Give him some time to cool down."
Quistis smiled at Fujin and looked down on the floor. "Thanks Fujin. I didn't know that you could talk this way, but please do this more often. You give great advice."
Fujin chuckled and replied, "DON'T TELL OTHERS."
Quistis laughed and said, "Okay, I won't. But I don't know how where to start with Seifer. Should I..."
"RINOA. ASK HER," Fujin firmly said.
"Rinoa? You think she could hook me and Seifer up?" she asked the posse member.
"AFFIRMATIVE."
'But, will I ever fall in love with Seifer?" wondered Quistis as she and Fujin stepped out of her classroom.
---------------------
Four hours later, the Garden stopped by the artificial harbors of Fisherman's horizon. The crane that stood as the vehicle's pier was extended by the local engineers, and some of the Garden staff lowered the balcony railing to serve as a bridge between the school and the city. About half an hour after the preparations for the dock were made, Squall and the group emerged from the Garden in their regular attire along with Ouragan and Seifer's posse.
"So tell me, where is the Ragnarok?" Ouragan asked his younger pupil.
Squall pointed in the direction of Mayor Dobe's house and said, "After crossing the crane, we take the lift over there and go down to the city. We just keep going forward until we reach the center. The building in the middle of the solar panels is the mayor's house. Ouragan nodded and the team made their way to the lifts. The man operating the top greeted them.
"Greetings! Squall, Rinoa, Quistis, Selphie, Irvine, Zell. Congratulations on the Ultimecia thing!" he said as he opened the lift for everyone.
"Thanks man!" Zell said as he shook the guy's hand. Everyone said their thanks as well and hopped onto the elevator.
"Going down to the Mayor? He's expecting you. Says that some visitor is here," he said as the lift began its descent.
'Expecting us? Can it be Laguna?' Squall wondered.
When the lifts had finally reached the bottom, they were surprised to find a new addition to the machinery units in Fisherman's Horizon. One of Esthar's floating devices that took you around the city was right in front of the lift, and it was big enough to accommodate the entire gang with some more seats for the operator.
The brother of the man on top asked, "Where to Squall?"
Squall pointed to Mayor Dobe's house, sitting down on the cold metal of the Esthar lift, "To the Mayor's house please."
The brother saluted him and said, "Roger!" He pressed a few buttons here and there and the machine was surrounded by a light blue (rather thank pink) orb, descending quickly towards the peace-loving Dobe's residence. When they got there, they found a tall man awaiting them by the Ragnarok.
"Kiros?" Squall asked the man. "Where is Laguna?"
"Laguna is in Esthar visiting Doc Odine. It seems that the good doctor will be out of the ICU in a few days, but we still need you to inspect the place," the black man answered the President's son.
"Ah! The Ragnarok!" Selphie exclaimed, immediately running towards the red vehicle to which she had grown attached to.
"Come on, let's go inside," offered Kiros as the gang followed him to the red vehicle.
It was a new day, a new future, and a new opportunity for the orphanage gang. But what else lies in the mysterious great city of the East? Perhaps a truth that lay hidden for years.
===============
Voila! They're finally going to Esthar! Read and review please! I hope you guys like this chapter! Oh, by the way, please read my new fanfic: The Curse of the Stradivarius.
"How did it end up here?" Ouragan asked Squall.
Squall placed the two glasses of water in front of Ouragan and Quistis and said, "Well, Lara told me that this book had been on the reserved list for too long in the library, so we decided to remove this book from it. Why didn't you pick it up?"
"Well, I was supposed to do some ancient prophecy research in my magic class, but I seemed to have graduated a bit too early. Anyhow, I've tried opening this book a long time ago in the library, but it never opened. I think they have the wrong key for this lock," Ouragan uttered as he pointed to the unlatched lock. "How did you get it open?"
Squall pondered about the very magical way the book's lock opened but decided to keep it a secret. "Uh, I pried it open with a lock pick."
Ouragan snorted, "Funny, I've never really thought about that. So what's in it?"
Squall took the space beside Quistis and helped Ouragan open the heavy book. "Well, there are some prophecies in here about Garden and the world, but they're really vague in poetic terms if you ask me. I never really understood much of it."
Ouragan formed an "o" with his mouth and said, "So you mean this isn't some kind of prophecy encyclopedia? And to think this ancient thing stayed in the reserved list for years."
Quistis took the book from her friend's hands and began flipping through the pages. When she found dog ears on the Blue and Red Dragon section, she said, "Why did you mark this Squall?"
"How did you know that I marked it?"
Quistis unfolded the dog ear and answered, "Because this fold looks fresh. And since this book was said to have been in hiding for five years, creases like these are supposes to look perfect. So why did you mark it?"
Squall pointed to the picture and said, "Rinoa and I looked through this book earlier and tried to unravel the meaning of some of the prophecies. When we saw this, we thought that the descriptions resembled the Trabia and Balamb Garden missile incident." After explaining it further, Quistis nodded to Squall in agreement.
"You may have a point Squall. Hey, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" she asked the commander.
Squall asked, "What?"
"Well, since this book somehow gives prophecies of what might and may happen, maybe we could use it to tell the future of the Garden. Who knows? We might just prevent further disasters from happening," she said.
Ouragan laughed and said, "You actually think all of those prophecies tell the Garden's fate? Maybe some, but not all of them would. Come to think of it, I think only one passage in the book refers to Garden."
Quistis turned to Ouragan and said, "But what about future disasters? We can probably get there before it happens thanks to the help of this book."
Squall took the book from Quistis' hands and closed it. "That will be unnecessary. Besides, without any disasters left, Garden will become bankrupt. I can't just allow some prophecy to stop funds from coming in."
Quistis hung her head in defeat and sighed. "I guess you have a point. Well, Ouragan and I had better go now. We have some hail to clear." After gulping her water, she took Ouragan's hand and led him out of the room after wishing Squall goodbye.
Squall sat on the couch thinking about the Double Moon Prophecy when Rinoa came out of the bathroom wearing only a towel around her body. She sat down beside Squall and smiled at him.
"Did you find anything interesting while I was in the shower?" she asked while leaning her head on Squall's shoulder, hugging his waist tightly.
Squall hugged her back, kissed her hair and said, "Well, I saw some more prophecies, but Ouragan and Quistis came in."
She looked up at him with her beautiful brown eyes and asked, "So what did they do here?"
"They just gave some reports on the hail damage and I gave them something to drink. Why?" he asked while holding her closer to his body.
She buried her head in his chest and said, "Nothing." She felt the rising and falling of his chest, never wishing for this sweet moment to end when she felt him run a hand across her spine. "Squall..."
He silenced her by claiming her lips and deftly undid the towel around her. "Do you want to continue where I stopped earlier?" he asked with a wink. She nodded and let go of the towel, exposing herself completely to him.
"Hyne, you are so beautiful," Squall exclaimed as he looked at Rinoa's' naked form with appreciation. She blushed and began undoing his pants.
When they had finally undressed each other, they hopped onto the bed and began pleasuring each other, Squall thrusting his massive pole up Rinoa's entrance as she received him willingly. Their wild screams of pleasure crashed through the entire room as they made love, screaming each other's names upon climax, and cuddling in the warmth of their bodies after their wonderful lovemaking.
--------------------
When the cleanup of the balcony was over at last, Quistis and Ouragan opened the doors to the second floor hallway and sat down on the floor.
"That...puff...was tiring," sighed Quistis as she took a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed her forehead.
"Yeah, throwing all the hailstones out of the balcony was no easy task," said Ouragan in a similar manner.
Quistis leaned on Ouragan's shoulder and groped his right arm. "I'm tired."
Ouragan smiled at her and ruffled her hair slightly. "You know, if you weren't my friend, I might have thought that you have a big crush on me," he told her nonchalantly while smiling boyishly.
Quistis almost fainted when he said that. 'He doesn't even notice?! He graduated first in class and doesn't even notice that I like him?!?'
"Uh, Ouragan, what makes you say that?" she asked while holding her breath. Although she did want him to know, she somehow felt that it was better if he didn't. She didn't want a little crush to ruin their relationship, but she thought, 'It's not just a little crush isn't it?'
"Well, you always look happier around me, grope me, and do girly things around me. I hope you don't think I'm paranoid, but that's what it looks like. But, since we're absolutely good friends, I guess that counts as a good reason to be intimate right?" he said without blinking.
"Y-yeah! That's right! We're good friends! Heh heh...good friends...that's right," she stuttered. She wanted to vomit right there and then, but was too embarrassed to do it in front of Ouragan.
"Is something the matter Quistis?" he asked her. "You don't look so well."
She waved her hand up and down and said, "Ah no it's nothing! Don't even worry about me. I think the cleaning job got me worked up. You want to go to the Quad?"
Ouragan stood up and offered her a hand, "Sure, but I have to go to Cid's office first. I'l just see you later after I arrange all your papers for Esthar Garden. Is that okay with you?"
Quistis nodded in relief and said, "Yup! I'll just see you later, kay?"
Ouragan winked and said, "Kay! Bye!" He ran towards the elevator and went to the third floor office. Quistis stood there, unsure of what to do until she passed by her classroom.
"Gee, I will sure miss this. Maybe I'd better visit it one last time before I leave," she thought as she opened the door. When she saw the people inside, she suddenly gasped and said, "Seifer! What are you doing here? Fujin, Raijin, I thought you guys were supposed to be in the Training Center?"
"Yo, ya should chill out, ya know?" Raijin said with a smirk.
"REMINISCING. SEIFER LEAVING. RAIJIN AND I LEFT ALONE HERE," Fujin replied in her almost syntaxless language.
"You see, when Ouragan asked me to join you guys, he didn't include Rai and Fu in the list. I mean they didn't train to become SeeDs so they will remain here in Balamb Garden. We're just remembering old times," he said with a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"Oh...Do you want me to talk to Ouragan about this? Maybe I can convince him to accept Raijin and Fujin too," she told him.
At the mention of Ouragan's name, Seifer felt his stomach role but gently said, "Quisty, it doesn't work that way. I was accepted because I had some good SeeD training. Fujin and Raijin here served as the Garden's disciplinary committee. I don't think Esthar Garden will allow that. Besides, who are you to tell Ouragan what to do? His wife? Ha!"
Quistis felt her cheeks flushing and she approached Seifer adamantly. She slapped his cheek and snapped at him. "How dare you! You know, I was planning to thank you for saving me, but no! You, Seifer Almasy, have to act like a jerk. I was going to help you get your friends, probably your only friends, to come with you but how do you repay me? You act high and mighty!"
Seifer rebutted, "Is that so? High and mighty? Who was the teacher's pet? Who was the eighteen year old who acted snooty and ever so superior over her peers? He would suck up to the professors? You! And you know what? I saw you smiling at him when he picked you up. Yeah, the guy who took you to the infirmary in his arms and not the one who saved you from a near death experience deserved the gorgeous smile. Isn't life a bitch Queen Trepe?" He grabbed his Hyperion from the teacher's table and walked out of the room, not even asking Raijin and Fujin to accompany him outside. Fujin glared at Raijin, and he immediately decided to go out and help Seifer cool down. Neither of them had seem him this mad since Squall had said something that struck Seifer's nerve.
'What have I done?' Quistis asked herself.
"INFURIATED," Fujin said.
"Should I go after him?" Quistis asked the white-haired woman.
Fujin decided to lose her cold, monoword act and decided to use everyday human language. "Quistis, I think you should give him a chance. I mean, just between the two of us, I know that he likes you. I saw the look in his eyes when he was carrying you into the Garden. Seifer doesn't normally act that way around women, but you are special. He showed a lot of concern that day you were attacked, making sure that you were alright. When Ouragan jumped into the scene, he really wanted to carry you himself into the infirmary, but being the other commander's friend, he decided to let you go. When you opened your eyes and smiled at Ouragan, he immediately approached me and talked to me about it. But please, don't talk to him about it now. Give him some time to cool down."
Quistis smiled at Fujin and looked down on the floor. "Thanks Fujin. I didn't know that you could talk this way, but please do this more often. You give great advice."
Fujin chuckled and replied, "DON'T TELL OTHERS."
Quistis laughed and said, "Okay, I won't. But I don't know how where to start with Seifer. Should I..."
"RINOA. ASK HER," Fujin firmly said.
"Rinoa? You think she could hook me and Seifer up?" she asked the posse member.
"AFFIRMATIVE."
'But, will I ever fall in love with Seifer?" wondered Quistis as she and Fujin stepped out of her classroom.
---------------------
Four hours later, the Garden stopped by the artificial harbors of Fisherman's horizon. The crane that stood as the vehicle's pier was extended by the local engineers, and some of the Garden staff lowered the balcony railing to serve as a bridge between the school and the city. About half an hour after the preparations for the dock were made, Squall and the group emerged from the Garden in their regular attire along with Ouragan and Seifer's posse.
"So tell me, where is the Ragnarok?" Ouragan asked his younger pupil.
Squall pointed in the direction of Mayor Dobe's house and said, "After crossing the crane, we take the lift over there and go down to the city. We just keep going forward until we reach the center. The building in the middle of the solar panels is the mayor's house. Ouragan nodded and the team made their way to the lifts. The man operating the top greeted them.
"Greetings! Squall, Rinoa, Quistis, Selphie, Irvine, Zell. Congratulations on the Ultimecia thing!" he said as he opened the lift for everyone.
"Thanks man!" Zell said as he shook the guy's hand. Everyone said their thanks as well and hopped onto the elevator.
"Going down to the Mayor? He's expecting you. Says that some visitor is here," he said as the lift began its descent.
'Expecting us? Can it be Laguna?' Squall wondered.
When the lifts had finally reached the bottom, they were surprised to find a new addition to the machinery units in Fisherman's Horizon. One of Esthar's floating devices that took you around the city was right in front of the lift, and it was big enough to accommodate the entire gang with some more seats for the operator.
The brother of the man on top asked, "Where to Squall?"
Squall pointed to Mayor Dobe's house, sitting down on the cold metal of the Esthar lift, "To the Mayor's house please."
The brother saluted him and said, "Roger!" He pressed a few buttons here and there and the machine was surrounded by a light blue (rather thank pink) orb, descending quickly towards the peace-loving Dobe's residence. When they got there, they found a tall man awaiting them by the Ragnarok.
"Kiros?" Squall asked the man. "Where is Laguna?"
"Laguna is in Esthar visiting Doc Odine. It seems that the good doctor will be out of the ICU in a few days, but we still need you to inspect the place," the black man answered the President's son.
"Ah! The Ragnarok!" Selphie exclaimed, immediately running towards the red vehicle to which she had grown attached to.
"Come on, let's go inside," offered Kiros as the gang followed him to the red vehicle.
It was a new day, a new future, and a new opportunity for the orphanage gang. But what else lies in the mysterious great city of the East? Perhaps a truth that lay hidden for years.
===============
Voila! They're finally going to Esthar! Read and review please! I hope you guys like this chapter! Oh, by the way, please read my new fanfic: The Curse of the Stradivarius.