AN: Hi everybody thank you so much to all those still supporting this story I have no excuses for the slow update but rest assured that the story will get finished.

Disclaimer: see first chapter

Slightly disturbing themes ahead

Chapter 3

Musings

Red eyes opened to the ringing of an alarm clock the neon digits showed ten in the morning though Rinoa felt like she hadn't slept for days; she had calmed down since yesterday...or was it this morning, she remembered the moving black glyphs like snakes coiling around her hands.

Rinoa gingerly swung her legs over the bed, her mind was hazy no doubt the consequence of little sleep. Her vision cleared but she wished it hadn't, the room was a mess. Her mirror laid in pieces scattered on the black carpet like a crystal mosaic, the wooden doors of her wardrobe were splintered and cracked and large angry claw marks dug deep into the wall above her head.

Rinoa looked down at her herself. Yellow bruises marred her pale tender legs and tiny feet, her blue duster lay on the side of her with holes and eve some threads had unravelled. A red stain seeped into the front of it and Rinoa could only guess what the stain was, physically and mentally she felt fine just a little tired.

She was disassociated from everything, she didn't care that her room was a mess had no way of explaining it or even how to begin cleaning it up. Rinoa stood up maneuvering her feet ever so gently between the shards of glass, she picked up a largish piece also managing to cut her finger in the process, her eyes were still their usual doe brown colour and there wasn't anything amiss, she dropped the shard again where it made a crunching sound as it fell on another piece.

I guess I should get something to clean my finger up with.

She walked over to the little wash basin still clutching her finger, expecting to feel the warmth of the blood trickling down her finger but as she removed her hand, there was nothing, no blood, no soreness not even a cut. Just a small faint line. Before she could question, the reassuring ringtone of her phone rang, she looked at the called ID; it was Edea, for some reason Rinoa wanted to hang up the phone but after two rings she sighed and answered it.

"Hello"

"Oh hello Rinoa it's Edea I didn't expect you to be up at this time, I have an exciting new prospect for you."

"Really what is it"

"Would you like a job?"

Rinoa started to get excited, she was going bored out of her mind with sitting around and doing nothing, a job would be perfect for her.

"Ok Edea i'm interested what's the job"

"The only available one is personal assistant, come meet me for details, i'm in my office also Angelo is here, see you in a bit"

And with that the line went dead. Rinoa huffed in annoyance she didn't really want to meet with Edea and she hadn't even realised that Angelo wasn't with her. She grabbed some concealer off the wash basin spread some on the bruises to conceal their horrible yellow colour she quickly put her boots on and grabbed the key, she was out the door in a matter of minutes, she locked the door behind her and walked down the corridor; it was going to be a weird day.

A chorus of mutters and loud footfalls echoed through the sports centre with Squall following close behind the stampede dripping with sweat; much could be said for enthusiastic students trying to kiss arse. The students were competitive pushing themselves to become better than their teammates a feat that he and Seifer shared or rather still do.

Squall subconsciously rubbed his scar that marred his face. As commander he had to decide Seifer's fate despite their troubled past he couldn't publicly execute him for an action that he had no control over, so he sent Seifer to a rehabilitation centre until he knew for certain that there was no longer any influence left from Ultimecia, it was a strictly need to know basis, not many people liked Seifer for what he had done and he was never a favourite when he was in the discipline committee.

Squall jogged to his office he was eager to get into the shower, the best thing about being commander was the privacy his office also acted as temporary living quarters, he had his own ensuite and the very comfortable sofa could turn into a bed. He had just turned the shower on when the phone rang.

"Commander Leonhart" he answered in a commanding voice.

"Hello commander it's Edea I have found the solution to your problem or rather the who"

"Alright do I get a say in this"

"Of course not silly, you wouldn't want to anyway, Rinoa has accepted the job and she'll be there shortly".

She hung up before he could say anything.

Rinoa's my new assistant I should have known, I guess this is the perfect time to really talk about the future together, well better clean up before she comes.

"Selphie can you please stop pulling my hair, it hurts" Quistis winced.

"Geez i'm sorry but to get this style we have to make sure your hair is tight on your head" Selphie replied.

The masquerade ball was in two days, it was meant as a formal event for the new students and a celebration for the new school year and as always the heroes of SeeD or the sorceress slayers as some groups called them had to attend. Quistis didn't really know anything about hair styling she always put hers in a loose bun or a pigtail, this intricate tight plait was beyond her skill set but luckily Selphie knew what she was doing.

"So who's actually coming?" Selphie asked absent mindedly.

"Well Squall will definitely have to come as commander, Edea and Cid have invited Ellone and Laguna, the new staff, us lot, I think Rinoa might come but I don't think she knows her father has been invited along with all the other Galbadian governors and their families, it'll probably be a little awkward" Quistis explained.

"Have you spoken to Rin since the celebration night"

There was concern in Selphie's voice, she hadn't seen or heard from her all week. Selphie didn't dwell on it she was known for her ability to be happy and understanding so why should this be any different.

"What's in that top secret folder Cid gave us, i've not had time to read it yet"

Quistis scoffed, "Trust you not to read a mission brief"

"Who's the client" Selphie mumbled, with the bobby pin in her mouth, she was nearly finished with Quistis's hair.

"It's Cid, he wants us to look into some new magical dealings in Balamb which are linked to supposed sorceress sightings"

Selphie stopped plaiting Quistis's hair.

"Magical dealings?"

"Yeah apparently so, I don't know everything only Squall has the full mission brief so we're all having a meeting with him tomorrow"

"Why am I the last person to know this does Irvine and Zell know?" Selphie continued.

"Naturally, Zell hasn't shut up about it and also Willow's coming with us cause she needs to clock up some mission time so her and Zell are training apparently"

Willow was a sweet and charming girl, it wasn't long after the celebration night that she and Zell hooked up, she was the intelligence part of the team she preferred listening in on prime suspects and any chatter across the lines instead of actual combat however she was pretty nifty with a bow managing to shoot a bullseye in 50m but most of the time she was in the library her head in a book or on her computer.

"Oh Ok anyway you're done do you want to look in the mirror"

Selphie swizzled the chair so Quistis was looking at herself, although both faces were smiling, underneath they were terrified of what this mission could mean.

It was 10:45 am when Rinoa walked through the empty campus, the hospital wing was just across the way although the walk was five minutes her legs felt like jelly like she had ran 1000 miles, there was something trying to stop her or slow her down, a sense of foreboding settled in it was deathly quiet, all the students were in classes but she always saw at least one person wandering around the grounds on some job she hated this silence it reminded her of being in a coma where she was tormented by Ultimecia's influence.

In the coma she saw a creature, a sorceress that was so familiar to her in every way, she was looking at herself, this would be her true self when her powers fully awakened, Rinoa couldn't become like that, she knew power twisted a person's mind bent it into submission and consumed them from the inside out. She couldn't, wouldn't be that person.

The sound of sliding automatic doors snapped her out of her trance, she marched through the reception where a young girl sat on her phone chewing gum; not a care in the world. A herd of noisy chocobo's could have ran past her and she still wouldn't have noticed. Rinoa wandered through the sickly yellow corridor, the walls were covered with posters of the human body and brain.

Rinoa took a seat in the waiting room outside of Edea's door, again it was disturbing how quiet it was usually there were several injured Seeds waiting with various breaks in fact she remembered Dr Kadowaki telling her the fateful day that Squall came through her door sporting a badly bleeding cut on his face that inevitably led to his scar.

Rinoa held her breath, she could hear shuffling from inside Edea's office, that was strange the lights were off, she quietly opened the door surprised that it was unlocked and made her way in. Rinoa switched the lights on hoping it was Edea. A sudden gasp turned to Rinoa a mass of dark red hair swishing with the force.

"Hello is Edea here" Rinoa asked.

"Hiya Rinoa, you nearly gave me a heart attack"

"I'm sorry I don't think we've met" Rinoa said in confusion. She recognised her from the opening assembly the other day but she had never met her, she hadn't seen anyone.

"Of course we have, it's me Felicity you came to see me the other day" She said sweetly.

"About what"

"Ah hah found it, sorry did you say anything Rinoa"

It was then that she noticed that Felicity was going through the metal filing cabinets that held patient information and was now holding a manilla envelope. Footsteps and the pitter patter of paws echoed outside, both heads turned to the door. Edea walked in followed on her heels weas Angelo. The dog barked as she saw Rinoa running and jumping and giving her a big lick. Edea's eyes widened she was clearly surprised to see Rinoa in her supposedly locked office.

"Rinoa you're here early did somebody let you in" Edea asked

"No but Feli…"

Rinoa looked back, but Felicity was gone, there was only one way out and that was through the front door and all the windows were shut, she was left wondering if meeting Felicity was real.

"Anyway sit down i'll give you the information on the job"

Rinoa sat down opposite Edea, Angelo was sat between her legs waiting calmly.

"How are you dear, feeling better?" Edea asked.

"What s...sorry" Rinoa snapped out of her musings but she didn't hear what Edea had said.

"I asked if you felt better you've been bedridden for a few days now"

"What are you talking about the welcome assembly was yesterday"

It was Edea's turn to look confused.

"That was monday today is thursday, Felicity and Odine assured us they'd seen you so we wouldn't worry, are you sure you're alright, you're not making any sense, as I was saying your job is to help with filing mission statements, take phone calls meant for Squall, act as administration and delivery girl to various parts of the garden"

"That sounds manageable"

It's a bonus if I can spend most of my time with the man I love

"Ohh I almost forgot" Edea started to rustle around her bag for something"

"This is your ticket to the formal masquerade ball"

"I didn't realise there was one i'd be happy to attend"

Edea gave Rinoa a warm and loving smile.

"Well off you go, Squall is expecting you he already has a job set out for you this afternoon, he'll be in his office.

"Ok thank you Edea and have a nice day"

Angelo stood up pleased to be able to run around after having sat down for 15 minutes.

Rinoa waved to Edea as she exited the room and wandered off back down the corridor.

Edea watched Rinoa leave, as soon as she was out of sight, she called Emily the young receptionist.

"Emily put Dr Odine on the line and tell him it's urgent"

Next chapter: Is Rinoa losing her mind? And what will Squall think about having his personal space invaded.