Redemption Chapter 2
By Katie Herdman
Squall stared out the window, his mood had started black and as the day was going on, it wasn’t getting any better. They still hadn’t found Quistis. No one had a clue what had happened, as Rinoa and Selphie were the last ones to see her last night.
Xu entered the room, “Nothing yet Squall, no one’s seen her anywhere.”
“Dismissed,” said Squall, he wasn’t in the mood for talking, and he couldn’t go out looking for her as he had other duties to attend to, so he had sent Selphie, Zell and some other SeeD’s to look for her. So far no luck.
Xu saluted Squall, and he saluted back, but Xu could tell he wanted to be left alone.
Irvine and Rinoa came out of the elevator as Xu neared it. Their anxious faces told Xu all she needed to know.
“Be careful,” Xu whispered and pointed to Squall. They understood straight away, Squall looked like he was ready to kill anyone who came near him.
Rinoa walked up to him tentatively, “Squall don’t worry, she’s somewhere.”
Rinoa’s words off assurance fell on deaf ears. Irvine tried to back her up, “Yeah Squall, we’ll find her. It’s all just been a big misunderstanding.”
Squall turned to look at Rinoa; she looked scared for her friend. Squall hugged her, Rinoa didn’t expect it, but she hugged him back anyway.
**********
Quistis awoke in a strange room. She was lying on a bed. There was nothing else in the room, not even a door. Groggily Quistis got up off the bed, she nearly fainted.
It took her a few minutes for the floor to stop swaying. When it did, she started pounding on all the walls looking for a way in or out, she couldn’t believe she was trapped here, but where was here?
**********
After about half an hour, Quistis sank onto the bed. There was blood on her knuckles and on the walls where she had been tapping at the wall, trying to get out, but it was useless. She was exhausted from it.
Part of the wall in front of her suddenly opened and Seifer and Vincent stepped in from the gap.
Quistis rushed at Seifer, intending to rip his eyes out from their sockets.
“Now, that’s not a way for a SeeD to behave,” Seifer said and pushed her against the bed. “What do you want with me,” Quistis cried.
“We want to make you an offer,” Vincent said from behind Seifer.
Seifer then took over from him. He started to tell her a bit about why she was here.
**********
Quistis gave Seifer a confused look. “What I mean,” Seifer continued, “is that if you join us, you’re life will never be boring again.”
Quistis stared hard at Seifer, “What’s the catch Seifer, what are you not telling me.”
Seifer leaned in closer to her, “I can’t tell you that. What I can honestly tell you is that if you accept my offer, you will start to enjoy your life again.”
“Do you really think I’m stupid Seifer, that I could be taken in by you? You were the one that infiltrated Garden. Yes, you killed that, that thing, but you also nearly killed me. Why should I trust you?”
“Because you are stupid Quistis,” Vincent replied, “and you should trust him, he is telling you the truth, believe me.”
Quistis looked between Seifer and Vincent and was even more confused. She rubbed her head; she was starting to get a headache.
Finally Quistis, “I don’t feel I can trust you.”
Vincent walked closer to her and knelt down in front of her.
“Quistis, we need you. You are lucky to be chosen. I give you my word on my honour that we won’t harm you. You will be glad if you say yes.”
“And what happens if I don’t like the offer you give me, what then. You kidnap me then give me an offer I know nothing about. What would you do in my position?”
Quistis sat back, hoping she had made her point.
Vincent thought for a moment. “If I can show you one thing to prove we are not lying, will you trust us?”
Quistis nodded slowly, she was eager to know what was going on, but hesitant too.
Vincent took her hand and led her out of the cell; Seifer was behind her.
They led her to an elevator and got on it. Quistis thought it went down. When they got off they walked down a short corridor. Then at the end of the corridor, they knocked on a door.
A voice on the other side shouted for them to come in. Vincent motioned for Quistis to go first.
Fujin, Raijin, Sia, Cid and Laguna sat round a table. Ling wasn’t there; Quistis wondered where she was.
They all stood up as she entered.
“You accepted then,” Laguna said happily.
“What is going on,” Quistis cried, more confused now than ever.
“Laguna,” Vincent said slowly and carefully to him, “Quistis wanted proof that she could trust us before she said yes.”
“Oh,” Laguna said, then walked up to Quistis, “Seifer means what he says. Cid recommended you to us.”
Laguna motioned for Cid to stand up.
“For what,” Quistis yelled. She wasn’t sure if she was awake any more, if this was a nightmare.
Cid came over to Quistis and started speaking gently to her, “Laguna has put together a group of good fighters, to protect people. After the problems last year, we decided that there should be someone to fight instead of SeeD. They chose you Quistis, you be honoured, since I know that you’re now bored with SeeD.”
“Why are you here then,” she asked
“Laguna asks for the best SeeD fighters, so I send them to him. It's a secret because if everybody were to know about it, there would be hysteria. SeeD will be kept to the mercenary missions. These people,” Cid pointed to Seifer and his group, “Theses people now are the ones that save the world.”
“Join us,” pleaded Sia, “it’ll be a blast.”
Quistis thought for a few minutes. It sounded good, but it meant she would never be around her friends again. “What about Zell, Selphie, Irvine, Rinoa… Squall.”
Cid shook his head. “I need Squall to lead the Garden, Rinoa isn’t part of SeeD. Irvine, Selphie and Zell enjoy their life at Garden. Quistis, you want more than can be given at Garden, you’re restless there…”
“Okay, I’m in,” Quistis said after another few minutes thinking. It was a tough decision, but hey, she was sick with Garden, she missed the excitement.
Everyone started yelling with laughter and happiness, Sia ran out of her chair and hugged her.
“Come on, we were having a meeting,” Laguna said mock seriously.
“One thing first…” started Seifer, but he never got to finish. Footsteps could be heard racing outside, towards the door.
**********
To the shock of Quistis, Andria walked through the door.
“Hi, sorry I was… “ Andria stuttered to a halt when she saw Quistis who stared shocked. “Uh, hi Quistis I…”
Andria didn’t finish as a blow from the taller woman shocked her into silence; a trickle of blood ran down her nose.
“What the hell are you doing here,” Quistis shouted.
Seifer stepped between them, so they didn’t start fighting.
“Look, I know this is gonna sound pretty lame, but I had no choice, Squall couldn’t know I was alive.”
“I’m not surprised after what happened last year. Do you know what you put them through? What you put him through.”
“Not as much as…” Vincent shushed Sia up; her mouth always did go away with her.
“As much as what?”
Quistis looked expectantly at Sia who blushed and looked away. Quistis then looked between Seifer, Laguna, Cid and Andria. “Well?”
Andria pushed Seifer to the side and stopped Seifer from interrupting her as she started speaking, “You might as well know. After Squall and I had our night together, I sort of… had a… child.”
Quistis stared unblinking taking in the news; Squall was a father. She sat down heavily in the nearest chair.
“Who knows,” she whispered.
“Only the people in this room know that it’s his,” Cid said, “and Edea knows.”
“So he doesn’t know,” Quistis said raising her voice slightly. She was referring to Squall. The headache was coming back, worse than ever.
Cid shook his head.
Quistis stared hard at Laguna, she stood up and walked to him, “He’s turned out just like you Laguna. Just like you he has a child he doesn’t know about. How could you destroy him like that?”
Laguna stood uncomfortably, so Andria intervened. “Please don’t be angry Quistis, it was my choice, and Laguna wasn’t involved.”
“What now,” Seifer asked.
Andria stood in front of Quistis, “Please don’t let your personal feelings for Squall or me stop you from this. Please Quistis, I really am your friend and I need your help, will you help me?”
Quistis stared back at Andria.
To Quistis she still looked like a child, maybe that was all she was. Maybe that was what they all were, children. Not ready for the cruel world or it’s intentions.