Chapter 5: Confusion
The muffled sounds of a cry for help were escaping a pair of pink poised lips. Zell could see a set of green teary eyes looking up at him—he crouched quickly untying the binds that bound her hands together, his eyes were focused on hers, She’s stunning he thought as he untied her legs now and released the gag from her mouth—as he did tears fell from her eyes and she flung her arms around the confused Zell.
“Are you okay? Who did this to you?” he asked her, quickly a response came from the muffled face on his shoulder.
“I’m glad,” she paused “someone, found me” she took her head away from Zell’s shoulder and rubbed her sore red eyes.
“I don’t know who took me, it was a woman” Zell looked at her with relief but on his further inspection he noticed she was wearing a SeeD uniform like his own.
“What’s your name?” he asked getting up from his crouching position on the floor and lifting her up with his arms under her body for support as he did so—she felt so light in his arms.
“I’m Aristo” the tears were gradually stopping now as they dried up on her cheeks.
“Well Aristo, I’m taking you out of here, are you from Balamb Garden?” his words were calm almost soothing as he glanced down at her eyes which seemed to be closed now—there was no response but she was still breathing. She must’ve passed out his thoughts were more set on the girl as he took a step out with his foot and across the rug to open the other door out of the room.
He soon reached the bottom of the building from the stairs and opened the lock on the door to get out. The rain had stopped falling and he was soon faced with five angry expressions.
“Who’s that?” Rinoa was the first to step forward and approach Zell and the girl in his arms.
“She said her names Aristo, she recently passed out, I found her in that room with the balcony I climbed on to,” Zell answered her.
“You mean fell on to” Irvine laughed at him.
“Whatever,” Squall responded “We’ll take her back with us, she seems to be wearing a SeeD uniform, maybe Cid or Edea will know anything about her.” The group nodded in response as Zell kept her close against his damp chest.
They reached Timber train station and the sky was becoming dark with a night sky.
“Looks like we’ll make it back before the night sets in,” Quistis spoke as she looked up at the sky. Zell still had Aristo close to him as they boarded the train; Selphie was in her usual spot.
“I’m going to lay her down in one of the rooms till we get back.” Zell carefully moved past the group as he stepped through a door onto a corridor with a number of wooden doors. The furthest one away was the one he moved to slowly. As his arms were still embracing Aristo he opened the sliding door carefully—it was as though he were protecting her. The room was a VIP suite and there was a large settee in the far back of the room; Zell walked over and placed Aristo on it firmly to make sure she looked comfortable. A few minutes had passed when Rinoa came through the door—she walked directly to the chair across from the one Zell was sat in.
“She’s pretty huh?” Zell looked at Rinoa in a confused notion and then back to Aristo’s face.
“Zell, you haven’t taken your eyes off her” he shrugged in response to what she said,
“I’m just making sure she’s okay,” he was moving on his seat a little to get comfy.
“Besides,” he continued, “I’ve got Cori back at the library” he sighed pushing his back further in to the chair.
“Oh, that’s the library girl isn’t it? I haven’t seen her round Garden anymore” Rinoa sat with her hands on her legs as she looked at Zell inquisitive,
What’s with all these questions? He thought to himself as he looked at her again.
“She’s helping her dad in Dollet” he stopped abruptly as he tried to not look at Aristo again.
Rinoa sighed as she heard this—it was as though someone has sent her in to ask him exactly what had happened.
“Zell?”
“What?” he looked at her again.
“Doesn’t matter, it’s nothing” she smiled defensively and got up from her seat lightly to walk out through the door—he caught a glimpse of Selphie and Irvine holding one another outside the room. Come on Zell, pull yourself together! It’s just a damn girl! He punched the trains’ interior on the wall making the train rattle a little the vibration. Why am I feeling this? I feel like I’m not myself anymore he placed his head in between his hands as he thought about the events that had occurred. The train rattled some more which caused Zell to look up near the door, the walls started trembling and Selphie’s furious face was the next thing Zell saw barging through the door.
“Zell sto-,” a look of confusion as Zell stood up,
“It isn’t you?” Selphie asked as the walls trembled again, a high pitched sound followed as it could be heard when the train jolted and came to an abrupt stop. Zell looked at Selphie quickly and turned grabbing Aristo placing her in a piggy back position as they both ran forward through the corridor to the others in the front entrance room. They all had the same confused expression,
“There’s something outside the door” Squall gestured them to move back as a hand pierced through the trains’ door. Zell took this in to account and placed Aristo in the corner behind them. Each person stood in defence with their weapons out as the hand slid the door open as if it were easy.
Stood in front of them was a man standing 6 foot 3 inches tall in height; wearing black jeans which covered a pair of doc martens and a leather sleeveless top. He moved closer inside the train and his brown mid length spiked hair moved in the night breeze that was coming through the opening now. Tattoos could be seen on both his forearms and a Tanto could be seen in his belt. He moved further letting his hand glide along the inside of the door as he did so his mouth perched in to a smile and he let out a snicker.
“Fools” Zell looked with his fists in front of him as the man spoke.
“Where is she?” again his lips moved—his words were harsh.
“She who?” Squall asked with his Lionheart facing the intruder,
“Aristo! Don’t play games with me!” his voice was raised.
“You can’t have her” Zell quickly called out, there was a moment of silence before it was broken,
“Ahh, you must be the one who took her”
“You can’t have her do you understand!” Zell raised his voice.
“What makes you think I can’t” the man pulled out his Tanto from his belt and took a strike at Selphie who was the closest—Irvine intercepted his attack and the man threw his fist hitting both of them throwing them against the metal wall. Zell stood over Aristo protectively as the man tried moving forward; he was hit by Rinoa’s blaster edge leaving a wound on his arm.
“Such an excuse for a pretty face,” the man counter-attacked and grasped Rinoa’s neck squeezing as he threw her against the wall too. Quistis’s whip hit him as he did this and she stepped back where Zell was to defend. An attack by Squall was next—slashing at him but he missed his leg and nearly fell back. Using this as a distraction Zell used his Ehrgeiz to do a punch rush duel on the man hitting him a few times in his chest, which seemed to knock the man back a little—the man tried to hit Zell with his Tanto but Quistis hit it out of his hand with her whip.
“I wont give in, this isn’t the last time you’ll see me” the man grabbed his Tanto from the floor and threw it at Quistis which pierced through her arm as he escaped through the metal door. Squall and Zell took a sigh of relief—Zell looked down at Aristo then ran to the wall where Selphie and Irvine were now getting up; Squall checked to see if Rinoa was okay and Quistis had pulled the Tanto out and was applying pressure to her wound, she ripped some cloth to put around it.
“Everyone okay?” Squall asked and Zell could hear a few replied of ‘yes’.
“Who was he?” Selphie asked rubbing her arm.
“I don’t know—but he was determined to get her” Irvine pointed at Aristo.
“Well he’s gone so we should walk through the water tunnel to get back to Balamb” Zell spoke picking up Aristo who was still unconscious. Zell stepped out on to the tunnel from the broken door and began walking back in the direction of Balamb. He had a lot of issues on his mind and this was just another to add to his problems.
The walk back took awhile but Zell was the first to emerge from the station followed by Quistis who had been trying her hardest to keep up to Zell all the way—the others soon followed. It was night already and a few stars were out above them now as Zell walked past the hotel they had seen earlier; he could smell a meal—presumably it had just been cooked as he walked carefully by with Aristo round the pebbled path leading to the car which was parked at the docks.
“I guess I’m driving” Squall spoke looking at Zell and Quistis; who both appeared to be too busy to do the driving. Zell nodded in agreement and walked round the back as he pulled it open by the handle letting it stay still as he got in so the other could follow. He placed Aristo next to him as he took a seat and the others eventually got in.
“I’m sure Cid or Edea will know her, she is a SeeD after all remember” Irvine said as he put his feet on the dashboard up in front as he sat in the passengers seat next to Squall—Zell could feel the wheels under the car begin to move as Squall started the engine.
The muffled sounds of a cry for help were escaping a pair of pink poised lips. Zell could see a set of green teary eyes looking up at him—he crouched quickly untying the binds that bound her hands together, his eyes were focused on hers, She’s stunning he thought as he untied her legs now and released the gag from her mouth—as he did tears fell from her eyes and she flung her arms around the confused Zell.
“Are you okay? Who did this to you?” he asked her, quickly a response came from the muffled face on his shoulder.
“I’m glad,” she paused “someone, found me” she took her head away from Zell’s shoulder and rubbed her sore red eyes.
“I don’t know who took me, it was a woman” Zell looked at her with relief but on his further inspection he noticed she was wearing a SeeD uniform like his own.
“What’s your name?” he asked getting up from his crouching position on the floor and lifting her up with his arms under her body for support as he did so—she felt so light in his arms.
“I’m Aristo” the tears were gradually stopping now as they dried up on her cheeks.
“Well Aristo, I’m taking you out of here, are you from Balamb Garden?” his words were calm almost soothing as he glanced down at her eyes which seemed to be closed now—there was no response but she was still breathing. She must’ve passed out his thoughts were more set on the girl as he took a step out with his foot and across the rug to open the other door out of the room.
He soon reached the bottom of the building from the stairs and opened the lock on the door to get out. The rain had stopped falling and he was soon faced with five angry expressions.
“Who’s that?” Rinoa was the first to step forward and approach Zell and the girl in his arms.
“She said her names Aristo, she recently passed out, I found her in that room with the balcony I climbed on to,” Zell answered her.
“You mean fell on to” Irvine laughed at him.
“Whatever,” Squall responded “We’ll take her back with us, she seems to be wearing a SeeD uniform, maybe Cid or Edea will know anything about her.” The group nodded in response as Zell kept her close against his damp chest.
They reached Timber train station and the sky was becoming dark with a night sky.
“Looks like we’ll make it back before the night sets in,” Quistis spoke as she looked up at the sky. Zell still had Aristo close to him as they boarded the train; Selphie was in her usual spot.
“I’m going to lay her down in one of the rooms till we get back.” Zell carefully moved past the group as he stepped through a door onto a corridor with a number of wooden doors. The furthest one away was the one he moved to slowly. As his arms were still embracing Aristo he opened the sliding door carefully—it was as though he were protecting her. The room was a VIP suite and there was a large settee in the far back of the room; Zell walked over and placed Aristo on it firmly to make sure she looked comfortable. A few minutes had passed when Rinoa came through the door—she walked directly to the chair across from the one Zell was sat in.
“She’s pretty huh?” Zell looked at Rinoa in a confused notion and then back to Aristo’s face.
“Zell, you haven’t taken your eyes off her” he shrugged in response to what she said,
“I’m just making sure she’s okay,” he was moving on his seat a little to get comfy.
“Besides,” he continued, “I’ve got Cori back at the library” he sighed pushing his back further in to the chair.
“Oh, that’s the library girl isn’t it? I haven’t seen her round Garden anymore” Rinoa sat with her hands on her legs as she looked at Zell inquisitive,
What’s with all these questions? He thought to himself as he looked at her again.
“She’s helping her dad in Dollet” he stopped abruptly as he tried to not look at Aristo again.
Rinoa sighed as she heard this—it was as though someone has sent her in to ask him exactly what had happened.
“Zell?”
“What?” he looked at her again.
“Doesn’t matter, it’s nothing” she smiled defensively and got up from her seat lightly to walk out through the door—he caught a glimpse of Selphie and Irvine holding one another outside the room. Come on Zell, pull yourself together! It’s just a damn girl! He punched the trains’ interior on the wall making the train rattle a little the vibration. Why am I feeling this? I feel like I’m not myself anymore he placed his head in between his hands as he thought about the events that had occurred. The train rattled some more which caused Zell to look up near the door, the walls started trembling and Selphie’s furious face was the next thing Zell saw barging through the door.
“Zell sto-,” a look of confusion as Zell stood up,
“It isn’t you?” Selphie asked as the walls trembled again, a high pitched sound followed as it could be heard when the train jolted and came to an abrupt stop. Zell looked at Selphie quickly and turned grabbing Aristo placing her in a piggy back position as they both ran forward through the corridor to the others in the front entrance room. They all had the same confused expression,
“There’s something outside the door” Squall gestured them to move back as a hand pierced through the trains’ door. Zell took this in to account and placed Aristo in the corner behind them. Each person stood in defence with their weapons out as the hand slid the door open as if it were easy.
Stood in front of them was a man standing 6 foot 3 inches tall in height; wearing black jeans which covered a pair of doc martens and a leather sleeveless top. He moved closer inside the train and his brown mid length spiked hair moved in the night breeze that was coming through the opening now. Tattoos could be seen on both his forearms and a Tanto could be seen in his belt. He moved further letting his hand glide along the inside of the door as he did so his mouth perched in to a smile and he let out a snicker.
“Fools” Zell looked with his fists in front of him as the man spoke.
“Where is she?” again his lips moved—his words were harsh.
“She who?” Squall asked with his Lionheart facing the intruder,
“Aristo! Don’t play games with me!” his voice was raised.
“You can’t have her” Zell quickly called out, there was a moment of silence before it was broken,
“Ahh, you must be the one who took her”
“You can’t have her do you understand!” Zell raised his voice.
“What makes you think I can’t” the man pulled out his Tanto from his belt and took a strike at Selphie who was the closest—Irvine intercepted his attack and the man threw his fist hitting both of them throwing them against the metal wall. Zell stood over Aristo protectively as the man tried moving forward; he was hit by Rinoa’s blaster edge leaving a wound on his arm.
“Such an excuse for a pretty face,” the man counter-attacked and grasped Rinoa’s neck squeezing as he threw her against the wall too. Quistis’s whip hit him as he did this and she stepped back where Zell was to defend. An attack by Squall was next—slashing at him but he missed his leg and nearly fell back. Using this as a distraction Zell used his Ehrgeiz to do a punch rush duel on the man hitting him a few times in his chest, which seemed to knock the man back a little—the man tried to hit Zell with his Tanto but Quistis hit it out of his hand with her whip.
“I wont give in, this isn’t the last time you’ll see me” the man grabbed his Tanto from the floor and threw it at Quistis which pierced through her arm as he escaped through the metal door. Squall and Zell took a sigh of relief—Zell looked down at Aristo then ran to the wall where Selphie and Irvine were now getting up; Squall checked to see if Rinoa was okay and Quistis had pulled the Tanto out and was applying pressure to her wound, she ripped some cloth to put around it.
“Everyone okay?” Squall asked and Zell could hear a few replied of ‘yes’.
“Who was he?” Selphie asked rubbing her arm.
“I don’t know—but he was determined to get her” Irvine pointed at Aristo.
“Well he’s gone so we should walk through the water tunnel to get back to Balamb” Zell spoke picking up Aristo who was still unconscious. Zell stepped out on to the tunnel from the broken door and began walking back in the direction of Balamb. He had a lot of issues on his mind and this was just another to add to his problems.
The walk back took awhile but Zell was the first to emerge from the station followed by Quistis who had been trying her hardest to keep up to Zell all the way—the others soon followed. It was night already and a few stars were out above them now as Zell walked past the hotel they had seen earlier; he could smell a meal—presumably it had just been cooked as he walked carefully by with Aristo round the pebbled path leading to the car which was parked at the docks.
“I guess I’m driving” Squall spoke looking at Zell and Quistis; who both appeared to be too busy to do the driving. Zell nodded in agreement and walked round the back as he pulled it open by the handle letting it stay still as he got in so the other could follow. He placed Aristo next to him as he took a seat and the others eventually got in.
“I’m sure Cid or Edea will know her, she is a SeeD after all remember” Irvine said as he put his feet on the dashboard up in front as he sat in the passengers seat next to Squall—Zell could feel the wheels under the car begin to move as Squall started the engine.
