I do not own Final Fantasy 8 and neither it's characters and/or monsters. Squaresoft does. I only own the characters that appears in this fanfic who dosen't appear in the original game.
By the way, english is my second language. So please bear with me and review fairly. (This means not only the grammar flaws. I know I am far from perfect but I try my best to write in a different language than my native one.) So please, try to give a fair ammount of the good critics as well of the bad ones. It would be more motivating for me to hear some critics about my initial storyline as it unfolds...
Thank you
-Prologue-
Overnight
Chapter 4 - Flight of the bat
After the briefing with Mayor Sylvester, Squall scheduled permanent outposts for the Winhill armed forces. Twenty-four hour surveillance created a feeling of safety among the Winhill villagers. Not many monsters were sighted so far. A few normal Geezards and some Blood Souls has been spotted around the area. Some were hunted down near Chocobo nesting grounds. Young chocobos were among their favorite targets.
That night near the village entrance, River and Squall established a night guard outpost near the mayor's office. River sat on the stairs sharpening his katars one by one. He sharpened carefully his blades with carefull strokes. Except for the discreet sound of metal, no other noise came to bother the silence, that night. River, then, put aside his katars to grab his talkie-walkie that was hooked on his belt as if he remembered something. He took his bandana off. Squall tried to take a peak at River's true face but darkness veiled him almost completely.
'' Sphinx, do you copy me? It's River.''
''A big 10-4 there, River! What's up?'' the other line said briefly after.
'' What date are we today?''
Squall hid his face with the palm of his hand and sighed, ashamed of this kind of stupid question.
'' It would be Malika's birthday, today.''
'' Yeah, wanna see her out after our run tonight?''
''Sure... I guess.'' Sphinx said hesitantly.
''Come on. You're her brother, remember. Don't tell me you don't wanna drop to say hi.''
''I'm sure she'd love too.''
'' Who's ''Malika''? '' Squall asked
'' Malika is Sphinx's sister and my ex-girlfriend. She was killed by a Grendel hoard three years ago in the forest around the Galbadia Garden area. We were on a field trip and our car has been ambushed by four, five Grendels. Sphinx, Malika and I were on the same field class, that day. We were very good friends, at the time. The three of us finished our first four year together and we wanted to become Galbadian soldiers. We went on several missions together including the Balamb Garden invasion three years ago and, somehow, the three of us always managed to pull ourselves out of the toughest situations back then, alive and well. For this, Squall, I'd wish to offer my most sincere excuses. I coudn't help it. That asshole Seifer led us to do it.''
'' Don't sweat it. It's ok. I know how much of an asshole he can be. Trust me'' Squall said grabbing the handle of his gunblade in frustration. River continued his story
Overtime, there was a relationship that was starting between Malika and I, way back then. However, overnight, she got killed by monsters and fell in front of me and Sphinx. She was one of many victims. No funeral was ever accorded to her and the victims of that incident by the Garden. They never wanted to specify the reason but they only stated willing to be SeeDs is to acknowledge the risk of the unexpected. Sphinx and I were so outraged by this declaration that we decided to quit Galbadia Garden and went rogue on our own free will. Galbadia Garden tried to fetch us back since we knew about those top secret zombie experiments they conduct right now. It was us that gave Mayor Sylvester the infos you received about the current situation. They want to use Winhill as a guinea pig to test the power of their experiments. This is why we settled in here... Anyways, since our ''Great escape'', we got into an independant band of mercenaries and lived our lives on the high roads and with the feeling of independence and freedom coursing through us but don't get us wrong. We are not highway thieves, nor rapists or criminals. We don't feel like serving nothing else than our own interests. Our clan is called : The Silent Blades. As far as Sphinx and I are concerned, we hunt monsters and protect villages and cities. It is, let's say, our way to remember Malika...''
'' So does that mean?...'' Squall asked
'' The bandana is to cover a X-shaped battle scar on my left cheek. I feel disfigured when I show it to people. The ribbons around my wrists are for something else...'' River said unfolding the ribbons off his wrists.
'' Those are the ones Malika used to wear. She was into hand to hand combat. Those used to protect her knuckles. I was more into Ninjitsu. She taught me some of the skills I use in combat today.''
Wide pink scars were very visible on River's wrists. However, those scars weren't very deep. It looked like those scars that we get when a wound is too often opened up again.
'' It's not something I am very proud about. I felt like total shit when she died. I felt responsible as if I coudn't save her and her death was my fault. I was young and powerless. Now, I fight to keep her alive in my heart and to avoid people this burden I carry.''
'' Does everyone in The Silent Blades clan has lost a loved one too?'' Squall asked
'' No, not really. Everyone keeps fighting for their own different reasons...''
At the end of the road, two bright lights came to appear. Two still shining white eyes followed by
the purr of a motor.
'' Sphinx to River. Sphinx to River. Over''
River grabbed his talkie-walkie and answered :
''Yes?''
''Some woman is coming in your direction. She says she is sent from Balamb Garden as well.''
''10-4 Sphinx''
The lights came closer and the outline of a sports car came to appear in the horizon. Although the color was not distinguishable, the car's shape was impressive. Smooth, round, fierce. It's presence meant power.
'' Nice car...'' River said impressed.
The car came to a stop near the Mayor's Residence. The car was well parked in the lot right next to the house. River tied his black bandana back of his face again to cover the scar on his face. The driver turned the car off. The town was once again drenched in a pitch black atmosphere. As Squall guessed it, Quistis came out of the car.
- '' Someone told me I could find you here Squall.'' Quistis said
- '' Why did you come here? Quistis, goddammit, you never listen to what I ask of you.'' Squall said his palm covering his forehead.
- '' Squall, listen to me.'' Quistis said grabbing his hand off his forehead. '' You need to be supported. I came in backup on my own free will. This mission is dangerous. Especially in your state of mind...''
River interrupted the discussion
''Please guys, if you need to talk private matters, I don't mind. Squall, I'll cover you here and call you whenever it is necessary on the walkie-talkie. Leave it open, just in case. Raine's pub is vacant right now, you can go inside. Here is the key.''
River handed to Squall the key to Raine's pub.
''Make yourself comfortable there. I believe it will be a quiet night tonight... Besides, I believe I need some time on my own as well.'' River said grabbing his katars back that were resting on the stairs a few moments ago.
Squall unlocked the door of Raine's Pub. The interior of the house was even darker than the pitch black darkness outside. Quistis grabbed an old candle that rested on a table and casted a very tiny fire spell on it to lit it up. She did the same for practically every candle at the ground floor. Raine's pub wasn't really operationnal ever since the monster invasion. Not many travelers came to this hidden restaurant where the rumors said the famous president of Esthar, Mr. Laguna Loire once lived and where the ghost of it's famous owner Raine Loire haunts the location. The restaurant over the years was taken over by some local teenagers who wanted to start their own business in Winhill since labor wasn't really available in such a tiny back country village. They were eventually forced to close down when no customers except for the local townsfolk came every once in a while to eat and drink on lunch break.
Once all the candles had been lit, the place seemed more friendly, more intimate. Quistis went behind the counter and looked at the reserves.
- '' Not much here... Some old cereals, canned ham, there is wine at least. Seems old enough.''
Quistis took the bottle out. The bottle was tagless and possibly homemade. There was some dust on the bottle so one could have considered it rested there for a good while. After opening the bottle, Quistis reached for two cups. She gently filled both of them. Squall sat next to the counter on a bench. He faced the stairway that led to the second floor. Quistis was a couple of inches of him preparing their drinks. She took a sips of her glass. It was not bad at all. Tasted a bit fruity and it was not so bitter tasting for homemade wine. Meanwhile, Squall didn't looked at Quistis. He didn't said a word either. Squall was mesmerized by the thick darkness of the house. It felt strange to him. The coldness of it all, the wood, the floor, the ambiance of this condemned place, roamed possibly by the dead, seemed to absorb every single feeling he had. He started, in fact, to finally feel a bit better about himself after some time that seemed an eternity for him. Quistis was not so angry about Squall being lost in his head, ignoring her. She felt mercy and also a deep feeling of kindness toward him. She didn't bothered much about the emotional harm he inflicted upon her. She was used to this sort of treatment. Besides, love can forgive a lot.
'' Oh!'' Quistis said remembering.
'' Zell wanted me to hand this to you.''
She held the box Zell gave him earlier while she held between her soft naked fingers a glass full of red candle lit glimering wine. Squall reached for the box still not looking at Quistis nor saying a word in thanks. He opened it. Inside was the Griever card right on top. Squall backed up a bit in surprise. He picked the card and inspected it closely.
'' He asked for this card to be made in thanks of lending your cards to him.''
'' Wow.'' Squall said still a bit stunned
'' I knew this would make you talk a bit more.'' Quistis said giggling.
Squall finally lift his head and looked at Quistis for a second. He turned to her and leaned on the counter. His eyes staring Quistis. He took his glass. He drank it straight and deposit it back on the counter. He then took a deep breath and whispered :
'' Quistis, I...''
Squall could not finish his sentence. Of course, he knew he wanted to apologize. Squall started to feel bad toward her. Quistis cared for him and he treated her like shit in thanks. However, the words '' I'm sorry.'' woudn't come out. He thought it wouldn't sound right. He did not especially wished forgiveness nor a pardon He sighed.
'' Nevermind, Quistis.''
''No. Please. Go ahead. I am listening.''
''Quistis, please. It's hard for me. I know you will always listen to what I say but I cannot...''
Quistis poured a second glass at Squall. Squall took a small sip of the wine. Probably in hope of drowning the words that wanted to come out of his mouth.
'' I don't like speaking about myself. Everybody knows I am sad and all due to Rinoa. It's no secret. I feel like running away from everyone and everything. I wish I could cry out Rinoa's name in the hopes she would come back to me so that I could actually forgive her betrayal and feel her close to me again. But I also feel like slaying both Seifer and her if I ever met them again. For once in my life, I don't know which way is right nor which way to go.''
Quistis didn't said a word. She listen to him, her arms crossed, holding her glass resting on her breast.
'' I defeated hordes of monsters, countless sorceresses and beaten the most slim of odds for her. Yet, nothing...''
Squall took another sip and placed back the glass on the counter. Squall leaned his face on his hand resting on the counter. Quistis went around the counter and got beside Squall. She felt like reaching out to him. To grab him and comfort him. But what if he violently reacted to her approach? What if he pushed her back like he used to do before? She already felt bad for him to see him suffer this much pain due to Rinoa. She loved him deeply but he loved someone else. Then again, if he pushed her away again, what else would she have lost that what she usually did? Squall was once again plunged into his little world of his. Brewing his anger and sadness. Quistis slowly caressed his back as she got slowly closer to embrace him. Slowly but surely she, finally, held him in her arms. Her face rested in his hair. She kissed the top of his head.
'' Everything will be resolved, someday. Please, don't leave me behind. I want to take the pain for you.''
She whispered with her tears running to her eyes. Her calm voice masked the sound of her trembling voice. Their eyes met. Blue eyes staring at one another. Quistis coudn't hold herself anymore. She placed her hands on his cheeks and kissed him deeply. Of course, Squall was surprised. He held he back on his bench. The instant then seemed to freeze for an second. The intensity of their kiss became a soft and deep one. Quistis started to cry while she kissed him. The emotion was too much to bare. Squall applied more passion into his kiss. Their tongues met. This had blazed Quistis's emotions for Squall. She desired him more than ever. She grabbed Squall by the hand and dragged him in the upper stairs in the master bedroom. The room was black although some moonlight colored it crystal blue. She kissed him on the bed. He, although he wasn't sure about it, played the game. However, the game went further than unexpected. Both of them were taking clothing parts of one another. This was it.
'' What am I doing?'' both of them asked
'' Please Squall, forgive me. You need to understand...'' Quistis thought
'' Please Quistis, forgive me. I...Rinoa...'' Squall thought
As the mood and session progressed, both wondered about the forbidden pleasure they were giving to one another. It seemed wrong for the both of them. While the act was done by pure consentement, both persons had a reason to refuse. Yet, they continued out of lust, desire, deception, madness and sadness.
Quistis was quite aware Squall wasn't doing this to her. She knew that, perhaps, he saw Rinoa within her and this was maybe why he accepted her kiss and let himself loose. Squall felt as if he coudn't controlled himself. He knew that he would not forgive himself for what he was doing to Quistis. He knew she would suspect he is replacing Rinoa with her although he wasn't too sure what he was doing nor why.
What could be the correct explanation? Love, dependence or something more cryptic?
Both of them don't know for sure.