Chapter 8

Rinoa and Kushi came home from an exhausting day at school. Angelo barked at the door as Rinoa put the key in the door and unlocked it. She bounded across the hallway in delight as Rinoa put her bag down and Amaterasu came down the stairs.

'Rough day?' Amaterasu said through Telepathy.

"Awful Ammy. How's Angelo bin?" Rinoa asked.

'Loud, but fine. Someone called though. I think it was Squall.'

"What's Squall doing calling on the house phone?" Kushi asked as she flopped out on the sofa.

Rinoa sat next to her sister and Angelo put her head on her owner's lap. The younger twin, Rinoa pulled out her phone and called her boyfriend.

The phone rang twice and then he answered.

'Hey babe. What's up?'

"Why did you call the house phone?"

'I actually called on my house phone. I pranked your phone you see. I'm out of credit.'

"Oh, I see. Alright then why did you phone?"

'Tifa sent me a message by email about you and me doing some hunting rounds.'

"On a Monday? Are you sure?"

'I'm pretty sure. We'll meet in the usual place. Bring Ammy and Angelo.' He hung up.

"What was that all about?" Kushi asked as she sat up.

"Can I take Ammy out monster hunting?" she asked with persistence.

Kushi nodded as Rinoa grabbed the two dog leads and attached them to their collars. She flew out of the door with the two dogs running by her side.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Squall stood at the meeting place, which was an old grim forest. Rinoa rushed to her lover as she let the two dogs off their leads. Angelo jumped on to Squall like she was a little puppy and began to lick him. Amaterasu looked down in shame as the Australian Shepard licked the young man to death. However, Squall managed to break free of the dog's death lick and he rose back to his feet. He picked up his Gunblade from the ground and passionately kissed his lover.

Suddenly, there was a sound in the trees and both dogs began to growl violently at whatever it was. A swarm of Hunchbacks attacked from the tree canapé. Angelo bit the creatures as Amaterasu brandished her Solar Flare to fight them off, using Power Slash and Cherry Bomb every so often. Using her Blaster Edges, Rinoa fought the small creatures away, whist Squall shot them from a distance with his Gunblade. The swarm was gone.

All dead.

"An increase in monsters. Is this why Tifa sent that message?" Rinoa asked.

"I wouldn't say an increase in them, but they are getting closer to the town. They would have being there by Tuesday."

'Very strange. Monsters are coming closer, then we all met Aeon. Do you think that they might be after him?'

"Maybe they were sent by whoever is the threat." Squall suggested.

"Why hello Squall, Rinoa."

"Show yourself!" Squall shouted.

"As you wish." he as the two figures came out from the darkness.

"Seifer? Orochi? What are you doing out here?" Rinoa asked.

"Here to ask you a question Rinoa. Do you have Art tomorrow?" Orochi asked.

The girl nodded her head, "Why?"

The both of them slipped back into the shadow. Confused, the couple and the dogs walked away from the hunting spot.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx-(Tuesday Break Time)

Aeon walked down the empty corridors. The bell hadn't gone yet. As he causally strolled down the hallway, Rao managed to bump into him. It was at that moment that the both of them froze. They looked at each other with shock on both of their faces. Rao found her courage to speak.

"You're a Guardian of Time. One of the Warriors of Galamoth."

Aeon nodded, "And you're a Guardian of Space. One of the Warriors of Locus."

She nodded back, "What are you doing here then?"

"My master sensed a threat in this Dimension, so he sent me and Saint Germain."

"Locus sensed a threat on this world too."

"So whatever they're both sensing is a threat to both Time and Space."

"Maybe we should team up and address the source directly."

"I agree Aeon. But I best be heading off. I have a lesson to prepare for." she said as Rao skipped down the corridors.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Lesson 3)

Rinoa walked into her Art lesson and she knew immediately something was wrong. Rao was late. She'd normally have everything set up for the lesson, but not today. All her students sat down at their seats and waited for the teacher to arrive. Was she ill? She hadn't left any work, so Rinoa assumed not. Aeon walked into the classroom and yanked Cloud out from his seat. He dragged his outside and closed the door.

"What the hell Aeon?"

"Something's wrong Cloud. Terribly wrong."

"Have you seen the future?"

Aeon shook his head, "It's Rao."

"What about h-" he said as Rao came by the two of them and she pulled Cloud back into the lesson.

The blond sat back on his seat, which was next to Tifa, Rinoa and Sora.

"What did Aeon want?" Sora said.

"(He didn't get a chance to finish, but he said that there's something wrong with Rao.)" he whispered.

"RIGHT!" Rao growled, "Yet your work out! Don't ask me ANYTHING innless it's important!"

"(Wow.) She's changed." said Rinoa.

"(I think that was what Aeon was getting at.)" Tifa said.

"(I have an idea.)" Sora said, "Rao, can the four of us work somewhere else?"

"Sure, knock yourselves out." Rao replied.

The four of them took their work and left the classroom. They put their work in their lockers, before they went to find Aeon.

They found him in the cafeteria drinking a nice cup of tea. Tifa sat beside him as he sipped on the boiling liquid and looked up at the girl.

"There's something wrong with Rao." Tifa said with concern in her voice.

"I think this might be part of their plan. You see Rao was a Guardian of Space. They are tasked in keeping their master Locus safe so the worlds stay in balance. Locus sensed the same threat that Galamoth sensed and she sent Rao to investigate. I believe that she may have been killed."

"KILLED!?" the four students said.

servine; Good news eveyone! My netbook can now go on the internet and I can finally post stuff. God I missed writting on this little gem.