Chapter 6- Masquerade
Disclaimer- I don't own FF8
Warnings- Swearing, mild threat, fantasy violence and a lemony moment.
Enjoy XX
Chapter 6- Masquerade
It was 7 when Rinoa first saw the guests of the ball, she recognised some of the SeeDs from the other gardens by the colour of their uniform. Balamb garden was currently stationary at fisherman's horizon. A damp touch on her fingers made Rinoa turn from Quistis's bedroom window that overlooked the main gates.
"Hey girl, you've been so good recently I can always count on you" Rinoa said to Angelo. She sat down on Quistis's bed so she was eye level with the dog, it was difficult slouching as the corset forced her back up. The others were in the bathroom putting Willow's makeup on. Rin sighed as she stroked Angelo's head, she could remember times that she loved getting ready for formals and parties but now they were more of a chore than fun.
"Riny we're coming out now" Selphie's high pitched voice squealed from the bathroom. Willow came out first followed by Quistis, Selphie came up behind carrying her extensive collection of makeup products.
"How do I look Rinoa, Selph did my hair and Quistis helped with makeup" Willow asked shyly. Rin really liked the ginger haired girl, she had a very sweet and caring personality, she understood why Zell was so enamoured by her.
"You look so beautiful, you all do I'm feeling a bit envious" Rinoa chuckled. Each of the girls had chosen a dress in their favourite colour whereas Rinoa got stuck with boring black never the less it was pretty but bland.
Willow had a sensual short red love heart dress with a longer silk skirt at the back, the silver embellishment in the middle complimented her silver jewellery and sultry makeup, she had a lacy black and red lacy mask in her left hand and a pair of small red stilettos. She had been the last to get finished the other girls were ready to go.
Quistis's demeanour showed through her choice, a long purple sleeveless taffeta dress that didn't show much, she had small heeled ankle boots on with a plain silver mask; when Rinoa asked her about the choice in dress she responded with she was there to make the garden look good not herself, something that Rinoa inwardly cringed at whether it was directed at her or not.
Selphie's dress showed her wild and happy personality a cute short hot pink dress with silver strappy stilettos and a pink mask, Irvine was definitely going to blow his hat off when he saw Selph's dress, she only hoped Squall would be affected in the same way.
"Hey, should we set off now" Quistis asked the girls.
"yeah let me take Angelo home first and then we can make our grand appearance". The girls laughed alongside Rinoa even though she didn't feel in the laughing mood.
"When are the girls getting here" Irvine said to the group. Ellone had arrived with Cid and Edea, Squall had come alone and Zell was with Irvine.
"Hey sis how are you feeling, you look very beautiful" Squall asked blushing. Ellone let go of Edea's arm and hugged Squall.
"Aww thanks Squall, you look quite dashing yourself and Laguna couldn't make it but he's sent a representative, I don't know who it is though".
The orchestra was now playing as more and more guests arrived, waiters wandered around handing out champagne and hors d'oeuvre. Squall grabbed a glass and went to do his duty, he looked towards the entrance to see the Galbadian consulate arrive. Fury Caraway trailed behind a group of young girls and their families, the man was dressed in military uniform similar to Squall and a scowl set on his face, his eyes travelled across the hall searching for something or someone.
Squall returned to talking with some of Trabian advisors when the doorman shouted out guest's names "Presenting Willow Lucas, Selphie Timmitt, Quistis Trepe and Rinoa Heartilly". He turned to the entrance and all air left him. Rinoa stood on top of the steps, her long brown hair straightened and those beautiful brown eyes he enjoyed looking into covered by a delicate black mask. Her ballgown was sleeveless a corset pushed her breasts up and the skirt billowed behind her like smoke, she really did look like an all-powerful sorceress. He walked towards her and held his hand out. A small fragile hand grasped his much larger one and Rinoa looked into his face.
Squall was so handsome and confident, it was doing stuff to her head and her body. He wore the formal SeeD uniform but with more medals and gold shoulder plates indicating his position. She grabbed his hand and let him guide her to the others. Ellone ran up to her and hugged her tightly.
"It's so good to see you Rin, you look so hot and wow have you grown" Ellone asked excitedly.
Rinoa giggled, "Thanks Ell but it's actually my heels, they were the cheapest I could find which matched the dress". Rinoa lifted her dress up to show off her 6-inch platform heels and suddenly Squall felt very hot under the collar.
Rinoa watched all the couples get cuddly, Irvine escorted Selphie to the dance floor and Zell led Willow to the buffet. A man in the corner of the hall with a full-length face mask beckoned Quistis over to him, Rin's eyes narrowed, could he not make it any obvious. He whispered into her ear and Quistis's head quickly snapped up and looked straight at Rinoa. What were they talking about?
"Hey Rin, do you want a dance before I go back on duty" Squall asked.
"Sure, I'd love that" Squall led her to the dance floor where re-enacted their first dance all those months ago but this time without blunders.
Rinoa stood next to the buffet an empty champagne glass in her right hand, she watched Squall interact with various representatives, she hoped he would finish soon so they could have another dance.
"Omg Rin is that you?" a shrill haughty voice yelled over the music. Three girls came waddling over mindful of their heels that were so much bigger than Rinoa's. Her face paled, she knew who they were, oh shit.
These girls were Rinoa's old school mates, the ones she used to call her friends before she became a better person. Jeanie was the leader, she was jealous of everyone and she'd been the nastiest out of the four, Heather wasn't much better as well she was like a sheep following Jeanie around. Emmi was the shyest, she was only friends with them because her father was Fury's right-hand man. And then came the questions.
"Where have you been, what are you doing here, who are you with" The questions flowed into each other and Rinoa had no idea how to answer either of them. The one she dreaded was finally spoken.
"Your fathers over there why aren't you talking to him" Heather said. Rinoa followed the other girls gaze to where Fury was standing bored as per usual, did he even know she was here? The nod from his head was the affirmative, no wave or hello just a nod like she was an old acquaintance not his daughter.
"Why's that weird girl looking this way, the one with the skanky pink dress on" Jeanie said in a bitchy tone. The girls laughed apart from Emmi and Rinoa.
"And what about that one with the purple dress, rushing over to that fit commander guy, she can't even walk in heels never mind run in them, stupid bitch, just look how she's fawning all over him, desperate or what". The girls did another haughty laugh.
"Gee Rin lighten up a little hang on wait are they your new friends" Jeanie said sarcastically. Rinoa was finding it harder to concentrate the music was being drowned out by her loud heartbeat, her eyes were tearing up slightly. But still she kept on pushing her.
"They are, right I knew it you're such a cunt Rinoa abandoning us for those killers, do you even know what they do for a living of course you wouldn't, my father says you're just like your whore mother no wonder they wanted her killed". And that was the final word.
A loud suffocating gasp echoed through the hall, everyone stopped what they were doing to see Jeanie on her hands and knees clawing at her throat, her eyes wide in terror looking straight at Rinoa who just watched her suffer. The girls tried to help her thinking it was a piece of food she was choking on. Heather's hands touched Jeanie's body and she screamed in pain, her hands were bright red and blistered like she'd been burned.
Rinoa casually stepped back and grabbed another glass of champagne she put the glass to her lips and smirked behind it. Jeanie's father and mother came rushing over trying to help but meeting the same fate as Heather; no one could save her.
Jeanie's face was now going blue due to the lack of oxygen her hands grasping at something invisible to try and pry whatever it was around her throat, blood gushed down her nose and dripped on her white dress staining it red. Her mother was hysterical crying and screaming. Edea was helping as best she could calming the girl down telling her to throw up whatever it was, not like that would help.
Fury was staring intently at Rinoa's face he rushed over to her side grabbed her arm and led her to a dark corner. Nobody noticed she was gone they were too distracted by the suffocating girl, who had another 30 seconds left before it was lights out for her.
"Rinoa are you ok, your eyes are glowing yellow, what is this Rin, please talk to me". She grabbed his collar and pushed him against the wall, her left arm against his neck. Fury gasped in fear and pain, Rinoa was holding him up by his neck, his legs dangling off the floor, the strength she possessed surprised him.
"Is it true, was my mother murdered" Rinoa whispered, her voice was croaky and coming out a little dark and demonic.
"I…I do..n't know what your talk…ing about" his words were coming out hoarse and gaspy.
"Rinoa" one word and everything seemed to stop, Fury was on the floor shaking in fear and she could hear Jeanie take a deep breath indicating that she had stopped choking.
She turned to look at Squall who was watching her, without thinking she ran from the hall.
"My baby are you ok" Jeanie's mother asked. Edea went to inspect the girls throat, ugly bruises in the form of hands showed around her pale throat.
"What happened why are their hand prints on her she was obviously choking on food" the father said.
"My guess is that it was her own doing when she tried to regurgitate the food, take her to the infirmary I will give her a ventilator to aid her breathing back to normal but she may have to stay in hospital for a couple of days" Edea lied, she knew exactly what this was.
Rinoa ran and ran, she wouldn't allow herself to think, she couldn't. Was it all true? She remembered little snippets of that night when she was 5, her mother was driving had she been asleep? No, the car stopped and there was someone else, knocking on the window, asking for directions, an object in his hand.
She put her head in her hands, why couldn't she remember? Rinoa looked around she'd ran for a while and now happened across, a lake. She'd been here before right knew it well, there was a tree opposite the make shift bridge which had fallen over or been hit by something. It was next to the road leading out of fisherman's horizon.
"Sweetie" a soft voice called from behind. Felicity's red hair came into view, her dress was covered in shrubs, heels in her hand. She was out of breath like she'd been running. Why wasn't Rinoa the same, her dress was none worse for wear, she shouldn't have been able to run that fast or that far in her heels.
"Rinoa everyone's worried I know you're frightened it will be ok; phew you must be quite a fit girl I ran out right after you left, I saw you turn a corner and then nothing" It was then Rinoa noticed she had a white and black feather in her other hand.
"What's that" she asked.
"Oh, this it's a feather I picked up, I like collecting them, I don't know what it's from I've never seen something like this before"
A twig snapped behind Felicity and Squall emerged from the shadows, his face set in stone.
"Felicity can you leave us please, Edea may need your help with the girl she's been admitted to hospital" Squall said menacingly.
Felicity left without another word and walked slowly away leaving Rinoa alone with Squall. Rinoa leaned back against the wooden railings on the bridge.
"I'm sorry you had to leave the party Squall"
"Cut the bullshit Rin what the fuck happened in there" Squall shouted he was angry now.
"I don't know" Rinoa responded looking down at the ground.
"Shut up Rin just shut up do you take me as a fool, Quistis warned me that something might happen, I should have made you stay in your room, should never have invited you if I knew you were going to try and kill both your father and that girl"
Rinoa surprised Squall by laughing in his face, it wasn't her usual bubbly laugh it was dark and sadistic. She stepped closer to Squall her eyes narrow.
"Really and when were you going to tell me about Seifer, two can play at this game how can we possibly have any bond if you keep secrets from me Squall, what did you think, I wouldn't find out and the other day am I really such a burden on you because I will just leave."
None of this came as a surprise to Squall he knew Rinoa had been there outside of his office she'd obviously caught the tail end of the meeting and Seifer had rang him straight away after what happened with Rinoa.
"Rin I wanted to tell you about Seifer but I didn't know the right time too and the meeting was about a mission in Esthar, I said that you couldn't come and would be a burden because the target is another sorceress which we need to apprehend on the orders of Laguna".
Rinoa's shoulders sagged she knew it, knew that she had over exaggerated, her energy was slowly diminishing. Her knees buckled under the stress of her body and mind, blurry hands went out in front of her holding her body up, was it raining or was it? She couldn't finish that thought as her whole being shook, loud wails came from her mouth.
Squall looked down at his sorceress who was currently having an emotional breakdown her sobs broke him inside. He walked to her and sank down holding her close while she wept and wept soaking his uniform with her tears.
"I…I'm.m so sorry Squall…uall, somethings wro..ong with me, I'm a ba..ad person" her words were fragmented by her crying. He grabbed her closer pulling her on to his lap and gently rocked her until she was calm.
"Rin I would love to but I can't postpone this mission, please wait for me and we can sort everything out ok, please, please never keep something like this from me".
Hey eyelashes lifted and innocent brown eyes looked into his blue ones. His hand stroked her hair back from her wet face, gentle fingers touched her cheeks and lips he was so tender, like she was a porcelain doll going to break at any minute.
Soft pale lips touched her red puffy ones it was considerate first than passionate. His tongue licked her bottom lip seeking entrance which she gave him. He explored her mouth softly at first as to not scare her away, her tongue nervously stroked his. He took control then sweeping her mouth with long hungry licks and sucks they stayed like that for a while exploring each other's mouths. A grunt left him when she sucked his tongue, their faces pulled apart, a trail of saliva still connecting the two. Squall kissed her once more on the lips.
"Come on let's go you can sleep in my room, I don't want to leave you on your own tonight". He lifted her off his lap and entwined his fingers through hers guiding her away from the lake and the black feather that fell out of her hair.
Songs
Numb-linkin park (Piano version)
Going under- Evanescence
AN: Wow that was intense, the age rating may turn to explicit as the story continues but I've not decided yet so I will either change the rating completely or keep it as mature and just indicate with an asterisk where it will get dark so people can skip those sections. As always thanks for reading.