A Reason To Love by lionheart_sg A Reason To Love (1) Author's Note: Pretty long chapter, but I ensure you'll love it. Best work I've done... maybe its just the inspiration this song playing in the background that's giving me! I like this to go to all FS members... read along! Rinoa sat amidst the empty cafeteria. It was Christmas Eve, and everyone has gone back to their homes to celebrate Christmas' joy. She slowly sipped her orange juice, careful not to ruin her lipstick colour. The chirpy melody of Christmas' carols sang by the Balamb Choir lingered in the background of the cafeteria. It was Chirstmas Eve night, and she had no one to turn to, no one to celebrate this joyous occasion with. "Squall..." Her emotions confronted her rock hard heart. "Where are you? I need you, Squall... I want you. Why are you so selfish? How can you leave me behind alone? Why can't we be together even after all that we've been through? Why?" Hot tears flowed down her cheek, soft shivering sobs mixed with the Chrismas carols. She felt as if shards of broken glass has been shoved into her heart, the piercing pain crying for her loved one. Footsteps were heard at the entrance of the cafeteria. A thin, slender figure approached her slowly. The figure soon got clearer. Edea. Rinoa wiped away her tears. She didn't want anyone to see her in this state, much less her mentor. Rinow lowered her head, looking at the orange juice. Edea sat down on a chair facing Rinoa. "What are you staring at, Rinoa? The orange juice, or your own reflection?" Edea asked. She reached her hand out and lifted Rinoa's face gently. "Edea, I... never mind... forget it," Rinoa tried to look at something else, but Edea stopped her. Edea ran her palm down Rinoa's cheeks, wiping away the remains of Rinoa's tears. "No...Rinoa... speak your true feelings out. That is the way of a sorceress." Edea said. Rinoa hesitated, but then spoke up. "I just wished I never was a sorceress... then I wouldn't have to lose my loved ones... I wouldn't have to fight and witness the gruesome fate of Death. Why can't I lead a simple and normal life like other people?" Rinoa couldn't go on anymore. Everyone had their limit, and she guessed this was her limit. "Rinoa... that's pessimistic thinking. Why did you fight in the first place? Nobody forced you with a gun... it was your own will. Nobody wants to fight for just seeing Death take place amidst the many innocent lives! Think... why did you fight? Think hard!" Edea questioned Rinoa's will. "I...I...can't remember." "You can, Rinoa! It's hidden in the bottom of your heart! You have to break that seal to see your true feelings!" "I...I...I fought because...because I didn't want to see Galbadia take away any more innocent lives... i wanted to help ease people's sufferings... I wanted to go against my home land... I despised of the fact that I was born in such a place... i fought to escape from that fact, to come to a conclusion that I was the good guy... I didn't want to be part of Galbadia... the only way I could do that was to detroy it... des...troy...it..." Rinoa was shocked by what she just said. She felt just like who she was 14 years ago, when she was still young, but exposed to much terror and Death. "That is why you fight, dear," Edea placed a comforting hand on top of Rinoa, she focused her attention at those hands. "If you didn't fight," Edea looked up at Rinoa. "You wouldn't have know Squall." *This is the Headmaster speaking. All remaining SeeDs must report to my office at 3F for an emergency meeting* Rinoa looked at the intercom as the short tune annoucned the end of the announcement. She turned back to Edea. "Guess I have to go now... maybe we can chat later?" Edea nodded her head. "Yeah, later." Rinoa made her way to the office. Edea watched her go out of the cafeteria. "Someday...just someday... that girl will finally understand the Prophecies of a Sorceress." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Zell? Quistis? Irvine? Selphie? Fuujin? Raijin? Xu? Ellone? All of you? Why are you guys still in the garden?" Rinoa received a shocking welcome when she saw all her friends at the Headmaster's office. Zell raised an eyebrow. "We were going to go home... but Selphie was like And she ran to the far end of the quadrangle to get it, and when she came back, the announcement rang." The few shot Selphie a glare. Selphie hid behind Irvine, clutching onto his coat. "Maybe the doll was priceless? I mean... we could like...heh...heh...split the money?" Selphie throwed her suggestion. "Sorry to crash the party, but can we start?" A stout and short figure walked out from behind the curtains. Headmaster Cid. "YES! YES! WE CERTAINLY DO!" Selphie cheered enthusiasticaly. Everyone sat around the conference table. Cid cleared his throat and began. "I'm sorry to those who wanted to go home for Christmas Eve," he gave Selphie an amused look. "But we've got a new mission on Christmas Eve." Groans and jeers were heard everywhere. "Stop whining like ten year olds! Anyway, this is a large scale assignment, and we need all of your support, technical or battling. An explorer was exploring some ruins when he found this portal. However, the destination of this portal is unknown, so we need to enter it and find out its destination, then we return. However-" Cid was rudely cut off by Zell. "Who is the guy who is hiring us? We need to know who we are working for..." Cid sighed as if he dreaded this moment. He lowered his head. "Look at the picture in this folder and you'll understand." Cid threw a opened folder onto the middle of the conference table. A picture slipped out of the folder. Rinoa gasped. She backed away from the table. Her hand trembled as she placed it on her mouth. Quistis raised an eyebrow when she saw the picture. Dark blonde, straight shoulders, elderly man... Vinzer Deiling. He was glaring when he took the photo, for those fierce eyes betrayed no emotions but anger. Ellone got out of her chair and approached Rinoa. She lay her arm around Rinoa, comforting her. Cid rubbed his head gently. He took of his spectacles and sighed. He knew this would happen. It just ruined his appetite for a turkey dinner. Edea promptly walked into the room. She was holding onto a tray of cups. "Hot Balamb Cappucino anyone?" Her smile disappeared when she saw Rinoa. She put the tray on the table and walked towards Rinoa. Shaken, Rinoa signalled to Edea that she was all right. She got back to her seat. "Sorry for what happened just now, people. I sincerly apologize." Edea joined in the meeting. She sat on an empty chair beside Xu as Xu filled Edea with the situation. Edea nodded and turned to look at the photo. Picking up the photo, a queer look washed away her calmness inside her. "That's odd... Vinzy never had ear lobes THAT thick...odd..." Edea was so engrossed in the picture that she didn't realised that everyone has turned their attention to her. Edea rose her attentions back to reality. "Hmm? Why are you all staring at me?" Rinoa, with her eyes opened wide, asked. "Edea... why did you call HIM Vinzy? Isn't that a bit... intimate for...err...strangers with their worlds' apart?" Edea paused for a moment, in deep thought, when she suddenly gave a short chuckle. "Did I say Vinzy?" The rest nodded in unison. Edea squirmed slightly. "Well... I must be thinking of old times... when I used to call Selphie 'Selphiely'... *oops*... I mean when I used to call Squall 'Squally'... yeah... that must be it... yeah...yeah..." Cid nodded his head readily. He started stuttering. "Y...yes...E..Edea is right... s...she...she has such...such a poor memory... Edea...g...go rest...dismissed." Edea seemed to be reading some secret code from Cid. "Yeah...yeah... I'm going... I know nothing about Vinzy or whachamacallit... I am clueless... got that, Rinoa?" "Erm...yea...got it." Edea nodded and walked out of the conference room in a puffy. "She sure is in a rush." Selphie said, her eyes wide open. "Selphiely?" Cid cleared his throat, trying to grab back their attention. "Well, I'll give you all time to think who would be going into the portal, and who would fight. Four teams. Two teams to take care of technical problem, and two teams to do the fighting. One tech and fighting team will stay behind to help if there is any problem. The other two teams will be sent into the portal. Further details will be given tomorrow. You all will assemble back here tomorrow at 0900 hour tomorrow. Go back to your quarters and think about it. Until then, dismissed." Everyone got out of their seats and walked out of the conference room. Cid was stacking a pile of papers when he saw Rinoa walking out of the room. "Rinoa!" Rinoa swung around. "Yes, Cid?" Cid inserte the pile of papers into a folder and put on his spectacles. He then turned his attention back to Rinoa. "I know you've been through a lot... but I really hope you will go through the portal. It may do you some good." "Is that man going in too?" Rinoa eyed the photo that was still on the conference table. Cid sighed. "Yes, he is going in too, but -" "I've heard enough. I'm 18 already. Its time I make my own choices. I'll tell you tomorrow." With that, Rinoa strode out of the office, leaving a trail of hatred behind her. Cid shook his head and sighed. He looked at the photo and shook his head. He has never been so depressed on a Christmas Eve night. "Vinzer... I've got to hand it to you... what a daughter you've brought up. You've made enough mistakes in life... I've to stop you... and these SeeDs are my only hope." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rinoa slammed the door behind her. She's never been so pissed off before in her life. That man purposely asked Balamb Garden to help him... he wouldn't ask Galbadia Garden and they're just a train's ride away from Deiling. Rinoa grabbed a pillow and slammed it onto the floor. She shot a thundara at the TV, the heavy currents exploding the TV. She grabbed a dagger and slitted her bedsheet over and over again, her anger getting the better of her. "Why can't he just die? Why...ahh...ahhhh...AHHHH! My head...pain...ahh..." Rinoa dropped to her knees, her head in pain. She clutched her head tightly, screaming out loud. Her anger seemed to worked up her sorceress power. The hi-fi set in her room was suddenly turned on. The cups and plates shattered into a million pieces. The pain grew worser, almost killing Rinoa. Rinoa remembered what Edea taught her about supressing her own emotionsl by using her sorceress power. She didn't know what her newly born power that was created by her pure anger could do, but if that was her only chance to survive, she would give it a shot, even if it spelt death for her. Slowly, but painfully, she released her hands from her head and clutched her feather shaped necklace against her chest. "Ahh...ahh...power of newborn light... strip me off my power to love...to hate...ahh...to cry...to fear..ahh...power of newborn light... I...AHHH!" Just then, someone burst into her door. She couldn't get a clear view of the person. Her pain was affecting her eyesight. "Rinoa! What are you doing?! Why are you supressing your emotions? Is there really no other way out?" Edea ran forward just in time to catch Rinoa who dropped into her hands. "Rinoa... don't be so foolish! Control your emotions! You can do it!" Edea gave Rinoa a suggestive nod. "Edea... I'm sorry... I...I wanted to ease my pain quickly... I was being selfish... I...I'm sorry." With that, Rinoa lost consciousness. Edea gently lay Rinoa on the bed. She pulled up the blanket for Rinoa. She shook her head. "So young... yet so depressing... maybe she isn't cut out for being a sorceress. Maybe she's still young? I don't know... I'm so confused... I've never witnessed such depression from a sorceress before... I failed my job as a mentor. Maybe... it is I, who isn't cut out for this job." Edea looked into the ceiling, as if looking for something. A picture of Vinzer appeared in her head. "Vinzy... maybe I'm not cut out to be her mother." "Edea..." A soft and gentle voice called out from behind. Edea spun around surprised. She wiped away her tears from her face quickly, replacing it with a forced smile. "Ellone.... when did you come in?" Ellone sat down on the bed beside Rinoa. She looked at Rinoa. She placed Rinoa's hair back neatly. "I've been watching Rinoa. I've predicted something like this to happen already." Ellone turned around and looked around the room. "But I never expected it to be this bad." "Ellone, do you mean you know about my past?" Edea asked, ready for the worst. 'No... I would never use my powers for my own reasons. I only use them to help others. I used it to help Rinoa." Ellone gave a smile to Edea. "never pry at other's past... Squall have taught me that." Edea's squirmish look was wiped off from her face. Her normal, calm expression took over. "Squall... his death has carved such a deep wound into the hearts of many. Someday, Rinoa would learn the Sorceress Prophecies. Maybe then, can she understand her true feelings." "Yes, we can only hope, but its up to her to take action. If she refuses to take on the Sorceress Prophecies, nobody can stop her, or help her. We can only hope...only hope." Ellone said, running her hand down Rinoa's silky hair. "Ellone... have you considered?" "Considered about what?" "Which team to join for the mission." Ellone stopped playing with Rinoa's hair. She lloked up into Edea. "I've decided already. I'm going to fight in the portal." She turned her head into the window, into the starry night sky. "I've always wanted to fight for goodness, alongside with Squall, but I knew my strength had its limit. When I fully understood the Sorceress Prophecies, and could use my sorceress powers to its full potential, Squall was already dead. But I know Squall would always be inside my heart, be part of me. We will never be seperated. So now I can truly fight for goodness like Squall did... like Squall did." Edea nodded in approval. "I'm glade you finally think this way, you used to think fighting was taking way one's life, and you detested it, didn't you?" Ellone laughed. "Yes, I was young and naive then, but I realised, if we were not to fight, to take away the lives of those who do bad, they will just continue to kill more people... more and more...and more. That's why I've gotta stop them. I'm gonna be like Uncle Laguna, exterminator of Winhill... I'm going to do Balamb proud. I promise." Edea took Ellone's hand and gently rubbed it. "You've grown up alot ever since I last saw you, Ellone. I'm sure you'll do Balamb proud, I'm sure you'll come back alive." Ellone nodded. "Yeah... I will..." Ellone saw the watch. "Wow, just look at the time. I'll go rest now. I'll be in my quarters if you ever need me. Do you think Rinoa will be alright?" Edea nodded. "Yes, I'll stay with her tonight. You go catch up with your sleep. Good night." 'Good night, Edea." Ellone said as she closed the door and walked back to her quarters. Edea sat on a sofa and lay her head on it. She still couldn't get to sleep. "Why can't i get to sleep? What's bothering my conscience? Have I lost the Sorceress Prophecies? Have I been led astray by human's emotions? What is that desire to hug Cid and tell him everything will be fine burning inside me? have I commited the same mistake that I made 20 years ago?"