Haste to the Wedding

Rinoa stood on top of a round platform as several robots and human personnel were working a creamy-white dress that draped down to the ground. Beside her, Selphie, Quistis, and Dr. Odine's fashion-designer sister, Edna, were commenting on her dress.

"Dahling! It looks sooooo beautiful on you! The cut! The curve! So…sensual yet so simple and elegant! And it fits you naturally too dahling! My gah! You're going to make that husband of yours drop dead in church when he sees you dressed like that!" Edna gawked as she circled the group of tailors working on the fabric. "Honeeey…more pearls do you think?" she asked Quistis. Edna looked hilarious, being only 4'8" yet barking orders like a little bulldog.

Quistis stared at the dress, wishing sincerely that she could look fabulous in a gown too. "Pearls? Won't that make it too gawdy?"

Edna paused to look at the dress from top to bottom and ruffled Quistis' hair. "Of course!" she laughed. "Dahling if only you weren't one of those soldiers wearing those ugly military uniforms, I'd make you one of my top designers and offer you freeeee scholahship to za best fashion school in Esthar! My bell bottoms you are absolutely right dahling! Our bride to be will look like a walking seashell if I put more of those hideous orbs!" She smiled to herself when another idea came to mind. "Ah! I know! I've been so blind lately dahling! Goodness I'd better get a new prescription for these lenses!" She wiped her glasses dramatically and put it back on the bridge of her nose. Spreading her arms out and focusing her fingers like a camera on Rinoa, she exclaimed, "Feathers! The motif of angels! Dahling! Your soft features will make white feathers look fabulous on you!" Grabbing a clipboard from the table behind her, she began adjusting the sketch she had made earlier. Abruptly placing it in front of Selphie, she said, "Ok my sweet flip-loving friend (in reference to Selphie's hair flip), what do you think of za dress now?"

Selphie looked at the dress, amazed by the woman's ability to draw such intricate details in such a short amount of time. "It's…angelic…beautiful!" Selphie couldn't help but praise Edna's creation. It was perfect for Rinoa. Feathers were going to line the bottom portion of her dress.

Edna smiled at Selphie's comment and turned to Rinoa, showing her the sketch as well. "So…is this perfect? And don't worry dahling, it takes only two days to make with my brother's robots!"

Rinoa looked down from where a robot was carefully fitting the soft, silky fabric around her waist and saw the dress. "It's beautiful Edna. Is that your final design?"

"Of course it's beautiful dahling! Nothing that Edna makes will make you squirm in disgust when you see ma fabulous couture! You will drool at the beauty of my cuts and trims! The natural beauty and soft features of your face and your oh goodness lovely skin will only make it look like a masterpiece on you!" She gently patted Rinoa's cheeks, laughing as she did so. "You are such a cooperative model. I only wish your husband were here now so he can go to heaven and come back for the wedding! Hahahahahahaha!" She delightfully walked back to her drawing board, making a small adjustment on Rinoa's veil. She suddenly screamed when she saw one of her robots fooling around with white feathers. "Ah! Gack! Mr. 20A5T7, you do not put the feathers right now! Foolish piece of steel! You be patient dahling!"

Quistis, Rinoa, and Selphie looked at each other, wondering what the entire Odine family was like now that they had met two of the quirkiest people in the industry. It also struck them as odd that she loved saying "dahling" a lot.

Moments later, Edna had just finished two sketches. "You two," she addressed to Quistis and Selphie, "Come here for a moment. I want to show you something." Quistis and Selphie quickly dashed for Edna's desk, not wanting to anger the diminutive, yet highly professional woman. "Your dresses for the wedding will be of the same shade as the bride, but a bit simpler and more down to earth. I hope you like it," she said in her thickly accented voice.

Quistis picked up the sketch of a taller woman with long hair and marveled at the way Edna designed the dress for her body. It wasn't as fabulous as the dress which covered Rinoa, but it was in every way the dress that she wanted to wear on a special occasion. She began longing for a ring…and for Ouragan. "Well dahling? What do you think?"

"…When will it be done?"

Edna laughed out loud, slapping her hand on the table. "You kids can be so impatient sometimes you know? It's ready in a day if you want. I'll have it delivered to the office of the President."

"Will mine be too?" asked a very enthusiastic Selphie. "And can it come in another color like…uh…let's say…yellow?"

Edna paused to look at Selphie with a grim look. "It will be done in the same time dahling…but…my gah! NO NO NO NO! I will not allow yellow for that dress! What do you want to look like? A daffodil? A sunflower? Butter? My gah! Not for this occasion dahling! There's a color for every season, and a color for every occasion! No yellow! If you like, I make dress for the reception!"

"Umm…in yellow?" she innocently asked the woman, giving her the puppy dog look.

Edna rolled her eyes and waved her hand around. "Yes! Yes! It vill be yellow! With a butterfly motif on it even if you like dahling!" She went back to Rinoa and examined her dress.

"How are you holding up dahling? Is it too tight or too loose? Check the mirror and tell me what you like to add to it. And here's your veil." She placed the flowing fabric over Rinoa's head like a tiara. Edna snapped her fingers and a robot immediately rolled in front of Rinoa, expanding to make a mirror. "Well dahling?"

Rinoa looked at herself and gasped in amazement. Never before had she seen such a beautiful dress. Not only that, but unlike most dresses, this one had sleeves, and since she had beautiful arms, they looked fabulous on her. "I'll add the feathers tomorrow and I'll get back to you ok but what do you think? More lace? Or would you like it smooth?"

"Um…whatever you think is best Edna. You be the artist here…" she said quietly as she examined herself from top to bottom.

"ALRIGHT dahling! I'll decide then! But don't worry! I won't make you look like one of those people in the catwalk! Goodness dahling you will look beeeeauuuutifuuul!" exclaimed the short designer.

She clapped her hands and announced to everyone in the room. "Allora! Ok, this is going to be quick and short. We have a masterpiece!"

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Squall, Zell, and Irvine were waiting in the Presidential office as Laguna's best tailor was taking their measurements for their tuxes.

Squall looked at his watch while the tailor was beaming some kind of device that took a person's measurements. Estharian technology really amazed him, and it was funny that you no longer needed long strands of tape or what to create an article of clothing. Someone was late however, and no matter how amazing the gadgets the tailor was handling, he was upset. "Irvine, did you forget to tell Seifer that we were supposed to be meeting today?"

"Squall…Squall…Squally…I may look like I always have my sights set on some random chick but I never forget your orders when you start barking them. Of course I told him to come here early, but you know Seifer well enough to realize that the guy loves grand entrances." Irvine was now being beamed by the device the tailor had been holding. When he asked the tailor what his waistline was, he gasped when it read 35 inches. "Oh no, I'd better stop eating Esthar food!"

Squall sighed and shook his head. 'At least Zell is still in shape.' Turning to look around Laguna's office, his eyes caught the sight of a black floating cloud, reminiscent of that which took shape to Omega Weapon when he was in Ultimecia's castle.

The dark, ominous cloud seemed like an inviting presence, and Squall soon found himself slowly drawn to it, unaware that the measuring device was now beaming on him. He slowly walked toward the cloud, and now only three feet away from it, he tried to reach out for it when the doors swung open.

"Hey! Hey hey! Look who's back! Hey Irvine! Chicke…Zell! Pub…Squall! Nice to see ya all! Sorry I'm late but I just caught a huge load of Balamb sea bass off the coast! Can you believe those critters actually spawn in this area!"

"Stop calling me chicken wuss you jackass!" Zell spat at Seifer. The taller blonde ignored him while the tailor covered his mouth at Zell's profanity.

Squall turned around, alarmed by Seifer's loud voice. "…"

Seifer smirked at Squall and looked around the office, leaning against one of the Estharian glass statues Laguna had commissioned the Artisan in Shumi Village to build for him. "Nice place your dad has here Squally. Very loud, very flashy. No wonder we couldn't make the connection between him and you."

Squall sighed and rubbed his temples. "Seifer, don't lean on the statue. My dad will lose all of his hair if it breaks."

Seifer guffawed and stepped away from the glass figure of the President. "Didn't know you had a sense of humor Squall! Lose all of his hair! HA!"

Squall rolled his eyes and looked at his watch again. "Didn't we tell you to come here about an hour ago?"

Seifer carelessly shrugged and sat comfortably on the couch, making himself at home. "Relax Squall. If you're always on the go, you'll die even before your father reaches 50."

"…Whatever." Squall sighed, turned around, and looked to where the black cloud once was. It was gone. He stared at the place where the presence used to be.

'This is way too weird. I haven't seen a black cloud like that since…"

He then heard Seifer calling his name. "Squall! Squall! Earth to Squall! Hey zombie! Are you having one of your monologue moments again?"

Squall turned around. He looked pale.

"Hey Squall, you alright or something?" Zell asked him.

"Yeah, you look a bit pale dude." Squall turned to Irvine and not one, but two Irvines.

"Hey Squall, don't throw up on us now."

"HEY SQUALL! How are you my boy?" Horror of horrors, it was Laguna who came in the room this time, followed by the usual entourage of bodyguards called Kiros and Ward. Funny how at their age, they could still function well as fighters.

'Dammit.'

"Son…you look pale."

"It's Squall."

"…alright…Squall," Laguna barely said. Kiros and Ward could see the slight pain in his eyes when he forcibly called Squall his own and was rejected. "You don't look very well. Is everything alright?"

Squall brushed him off and walked past the trio and his friends. "I need some air."

With Squall out of the chambers, Laguna turned to all of them and asked, "Does he really hate me that much?"

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Squall slumped against the cold metal of the elevator, willing to allow the contraption to take him wherever in the vast palace. He came to the realization that learning stealth in those SeeD 101 lessons wasn't such a bad thing after all. Being familiar with the security cameras in the building, he could easily maneuver his way around the palace without being spotted unless it was by another talented SeeD. 'Apparently none of which are currently in the palace right now,' he chuckled to himself.

Resting his head against the elevator wall, his thoughts roamed elsewhere as he flashbacked all the way to the events at Ultimecia's Castle.

Squall, Rinoa, and Quistis cautiously entered the chapel as the massive wooden doors creaked shut from behind them. Being the leader of the group, Squall thought it best that he should be protecting two women and leave Selphie to two of the boys. She was perky enough to defend herself after all.

It was fortunate for Squall that Diablos had allowed them to tap into his cloaking powers, shielding Squall and the girls from the monsters that lurked nearby. While he was always a seasoned fighter, fending off another random, powerful beast was going to be an exhausting feat after their fight with Tiamat.

He could feel Rinoa gripping his biceps tightly as a Behemoth angrily crawled past them, its smoky breath sending a cascade of foul odors across the room. When the beast was gone, Rinoa sighed, "Squall, this is all my fault. If it weren't for me, we wouldn't be here."

Squall turned around, gently touching Rinoa's shoulders. He touched a finger to her lips. "It's going to be alright Rinoa. Don't you want this to be over? As much as I don't want to be here, I want you to be safe from Ultimecia. It'll be over soon, ok? And please don't blame yourself. This is Ultimecia's fault, not yours."

Quistis came behind Rinoa and laid her hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "He's right Rinoa. You had nothing to do with this. It was by coincidence that you embodied her powers, so don't think of yourself as the cause of our being in this castle." She smiled at the girl whom she once thought of as nothing but another dippy rich kid. She realized that she had learned to love Rinoa like a sister, and so she hugged the girl.

Tears streamed down Rinoa's face, and when Quistis pulled away from the hug, she wiped her tears off with the back of her hand, walking towards the organ bench. "Can I have a while guys?"

Squall gave her a nod, and whispered a command to his dark Guardian Force. "Cloak her Diablos."

"As you wish…master." Squall could see the shadow of the Guardian Force float in the air as a portion of its power descended over Rinoa. When he was certain that she was in Diablos' protection, he turned to Quistis. "Hey, thanks."

Quistis looked at Squall, puzzled. "Thanks for what?"

"You didn't exactly like Rinoa when you first met her, and you just hugged her now."

Quistis blushed and gripped her Save the Queen tightly. "Ah well…she is a nice girl really. I have to admit that she does come off a bit strong at first but…all in all she is really nice. Besides, she is the only person ever to have opened you up, and for that I am grateful."

"Yeah."

Quistis sat down cross-legged on the hard marble floor, prompting Squall to do the same. "Squall, when is this going to be over? As much as I want to save the entire world from this witch, I want to go home."

"Don't you think I want to be back at the Garden too? Hell, I'll accept any mission over this as long as I am sure that I have my room to get back to."

"Will we ever go home?" Quistis wondered aloud. She sighed loudly, playing with the handle of her whip. "Sometimes I wonder if we can pull through this. Sure, we killed Adel, and sure we were able to destroy all of Ultimecia's guardians but…I'm tired. I can't do this anymore."

Squall did something he never thought he would do. He grasped Quistis' hand reassuringly and looked her in the eye. "Don't give up Quistis. I want this to be over now but…we can't just give up now. We're almost there."

When Quistis didn't reply, he continued, "Besides, you have a reputation to live up to. You are the Garden's greatest instructor."

Quistis looked up shyly at her friend. "You really think so Squall?" When he nodded, she continued, "No one has ever told me that before. Thank you."

"And, you are the CC Group's King."

Quistis laughed and gracefully flipped a card out of her breast pocket. It was her character card. "Lucky me I won this back from you. I wouldn't want you keeping MY card."

Squall smiled to himself. "At least I have your Gilgamesh card with me."

"I won that from Doctor Kadowaki when she was King," Quistis informed him proudly.

"I didn't know you were so obsessed with cards."

"I didn't know you could strike a conversation Squall," Quistis told him, smiling.

Squall blushed and said, "…wha…"

"…tever," Quistis finished for him, laughing. "She really has changed you Squall, and I'm glad that she did."

"…"

"Oh come on, we all know you like Rinoa. Besides, like Selphie told me once, I think you'd make a nice couple. And both of you have been through so much together." Quistis smiled at her former pupil, proud of him for being a great fighter, and even prouder for him being a wonderful person.

"And your point?"

Quistis sighed. "If we make it out of this, and I'm sure we will, why don't you pop the question?"

"…"

"I take that as a yes. Knowing you and acting as second Ellone, silence means yes and no really means no but I am considering it and not doing it."

"…"

"Ok, we'll buy a ring when we're out of this mess. How much do you have on you?"

"…seven million gil, I think?"

"Oh Hyne, you're rich Squall! Now that we know how much you are really worth, you get her a really good one, promise?"

"Yah fine, but let's stop talking ditsy talk and get back to business ok?" Quistis gave him a frown and he finally consented. "Ok, ok…I promise to go buy a ring only if you help me choose one."

Quistis wiped her hand on the hem of her skirt and shook his hand. "Deal."

The fighters both stood up and looked around, watching for any enemy that could potentially pose a threat to them. Thankfully, Diablos was either killing them off or doing a good job of cloaking them. He turned to look at Rinoa, checking if she was alright. He and Quistis walked towards the organ and sat down, Quistis tapping lightly on the keys. The blonde looked out the broken stained-glass windows and saw the treacherous skies of Ultimecia's realm, two moons hanging over the palace as the clouds threatened to destroy the world below with their deadly bolts of energy. 'We really have to get out of here fast…'

"You ok?" Squall asked Rinoa.

She turned towards Squall, her eyes looking more sunken than any of theirs did. She seemed to be a shadow of the carefree spirit she was before the possession. "Yeah, I'm better now."

"Are you sure?" Squall asked, with his eyes looking genuinely concerned. When she nodded, Squall put his hand gently on top of hers. "Don't worry, we'll get out of this soon."

She unconsciously entwined her hands with his, tenderly gazing into his blue eyes.

Squall noticed that she was looking at him, and gripped her hands more tightly, but not enough to hurt her. He then noticed the black cloud that seemed to appear in the middle of the room.

Squall rubbed his temples, still wondering if the black cloud was another apparition of Ultimecia's beasts. 'It couldn't be…those things existed only in the Castle. Unless she could actually send one of them from the future, I doubt that any of her monsters can be revived in the present time.

Trying to recall the events Ultimecia's castle again, his memory suddenly flashed a point in time where the dark cloud seemed to have made a cameo appearance.

He closed his eyes, letting his mind roam again to wherever. He was now in Odin's chambers in the crumbling nexus of the Centra Ruins.

"Young warrior, you fought well," the mighty Guardian addressed him. "I shall be at your service from now on."

The Nordic god disappeared, his soul entering Squall's body as another Guardian was added to the growing roster in Squall's list.

Relieved that Odin's trial had been a success, Squall, Irvine, and Quistis explored the room, examining the runes on the walls.

"Squall, I reckon you have a reason for us staying here after we have what we came for but…don't you think it best to leave?" Irvine asked, touching the ancient rock.

"…Being a SeeD means you have to be thorough in everything. We don't leave this site "unsearched" unless we are short on time." Squall droned monotonously.

Quistis crossed her arms, trying to see if her knowledge of runes can help her this time around. "Squall, I took up rune studies some time back, and I couldn't help but notice one of these panels saying something about another one."

Squall momentarily left the wall he was examining and came up behind Quistis. "Another one? What do you mean?"

Quistis carefully traced the coarse writing on the wall. "I think it means to say that there is another creature in these ruins." Reading the rest of the inscription more carefully, she continued, "The bearer of lanterns…I don't know what that means but…it also says the one that rules them all."

"Must be another guardian force," Squall thought out aloud.

"Dang, I don't wanna do this anymore," Irvine whined while mindlessly looking at the strange symbols on the wall. "I can read and write but this…is too much."

Quistis rolled her eyes and strutted to the wall which Irvine had been examining recently. "Irvine, I don't see why these runes make your head spin."

Irvine gave her a dumb look before she explained the symbols. "Oh…you've seen these symbols before. If you know your elemental symbols well, you can actually translate some of these."

Irvine tapped his foot on the floor. "Ok…if they're so simple, then why did you take up rune studies then Quisty?"

The instructor sighed and shook her head. "Because…Irvine…the runes in this room are different for every wall panel. Remember that these runes weren't all carved during the same era. Ok…if you don't understand it…I'll do the explaining."

She traced a long finger on the ancient grooves, feeling the rugged and crude texture of the unpolished rock. It amazed her that the ancient Centrans could perform such magnificent handwriting with their primitive tools. "This symbol symbolizes a Storm cloud, and the one directly above that symbolizes the night. Joined together, I think it would literally translate as a black or a dark cloud. The next few runes just reads some gibberish about it appearing in the eye of a storm or the guardian of a temple of some sort. Nothing really useful…"

Irvine scratched his head before cocking his head to one side. "Quis…sometimes I don't know why you're blonde and still that…freakishly smart."

Quistis gave Irvine a cross look before bringing her whip out. "You do realize that insulting an intelligent woman is a crime."

"Hey, hey…!" Irvine said before cowering behind Squall. "You'd better watch where you sling that whip Quistis! And I meant to say that as a complement!"

Quistis gave Irvine an evil grin before bringing her whip high into the air.

Squall was back to his senses again. "I wonder..."

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Finished! YES! I hope you like this chapter! But please review. Writing is not very easy for my busy life. I promise, I'll try to update faster. The next chapter is coming up. "Waltz of the Moon".