[Thread, OPEN]
Characters: Rinoa, Shelke, OPEN
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: Upon her return to Luca, Rinoa runs into a spot of trouble. Shelke to the rescue! Open to anyone else in the area too.
Location: Luca
Date: 1st December, 1804
Warnings: Violence
Rinoa was uncertain about returning to Luca. On the one hand, she felt like she'd done some real good defending Wutai and Alfitaria. As horrifying as it was to see so much destruction, this time it hadn't been wrought by her hand. She'd used her powers to help stop the army. And she wanted to tell Marlene that; Marlene needed to be reassured that her powers could be a force for good as much as Rinoa did.
On the other hand... the reason she had left Luca in the first place hadn't gone away. It didn't feel safe any more. Even if she'd been nervous about walking around the city itself, Tifa's house had always been a refuge for her. But that was no longer the case. Someone - or several someones, because the news had undoubtedly spread - knew that she was there and had threatened to hurt her.
And she missed Squall. It was very tempting to simply return to Garden again, fall back into Squall's arms and trust that somehow he'd make everything okay. She felt tugged in several different directions - there were so many bridges to rebuild, so many people she wanted to make it up to.
But she had a responsibility to Marlene now, and it was that impulse which overrode everything else. Rinoa couldn't disappear without at least saying goodbye. That wouldn't be fair on the little girl. She'd left Angelo behind too, and Rinoa wanted to pick up her pet herself.
So it was Luca she found herself in again, late one evening as the last passenger ship docked at the harbour. She pulled her cloak tightly around her against the wind and shivered. December had arrived, and the sea breeze brought with it winter's chill. Rinoa was bone-tired and aching with fatigue, but she walked fast and kept her head down, wanting only to reach Tifa's as quickly as she could.
She took a short-cut down a little used back alley, a narrow street that backed onto several shops. There were crates piled against the walls, and it was from behind one of these that the first masked man emerged. Rinoa's steps faltered. She could see the faint gleam of a knife in his hand. He walked straight towards her with slow, deliberate strides, and though she couldn't see his face, his intent was clear.
Her heart racing, Rinoa backed away and fumbled for her staff. She turned - and then a hand clamped around her mouth, muffling her scream as her second attacker pulled her tight against him. The staff fell clattering from her hands. Rinoa struggled out of sheer panic, but whoever held her was large and strong, and his grip didn't falter. And still the first masked man approached them, and then a second, and then a third.
The first man spoke, and his voice shook with suppressed emotion. "This is for my son."
Then Rinoa knew that this was no chance encounter, and these men were no muggers. She felt sick, sick with fear, sick with all of it. She watched them all raise their weapons... Oh, God. They were almost upon her, and Rinoa could practically feel that dagger sliding between her ribs. These last few moments of her life were going to be awful.
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: Upon her return to Luca, Rinoa runs into a spot of trouble. Shelke to the rescue! Open to anyone else in the area too.
Location: Luca
Date: 1st December, 1804
Warnings: Violence
Rinoa was uncertain about returning to Luca. On the one hand, she felt like she'd done some real good defending Wutai and Alfitaria. As horrifying as it was to see so much destruction, this time it hadn't been wrought by her hand. She'd used her powers to help stop the army. And she wanted to tell Marlene that; Marlene needed to be reassured that her powers could be a force for good as much as Rinoa did.
On the other hand... the reason she had left Luca in the first place hadn't gone away. It didn't feel safe any more. Even if she'd been nervous about walking around the city itself, Tifa's house had always been a refuge for her. But that was no longer the case. Someone - or several someones, because the news had undoubtedly spread - knew that she was there and had threatened to hurt her.
And she missed Squall. It was very tempting to simply return to Garden again, fall back into Squall's arms and trust that somehow he'd make everything okay. She felt tugged in several different directions - there were so many bridges to rebuild, so many people she wanted to make it up to.
But she had a responsibility to Marlene now, and it was that impulse which overrode everything else. Rinoa couldn't disappear without at least saying goodbye. That wouldn't be fair on the little girl. She'd left Angelo behind too, and Rinoa wanted to pick up her pet herself.
So it was Luca she found herself in again, late one evening as the last passenger ship docked at the harbour. She pulled her cloak tightly around her against the wind and shivered. December had arrived, and the sea breeze brought with it winter's chill. Rinoa was bone-tired and aching with fatigue, but she walked fast and kept her head down, wanting only to reach Tifa's as quickly as she could.
She took a short-cut down a little used back alley, a narrow street that backed onto several shops. There were crates piled against the walls, and it was from behind one of these that the first masked man emerged. Rinoa's steps faltered. She could see the faint gleam of a knife in his hand. He walked straight towards her with slow, deliberate strides, and though she couldn't see his face, his intent was clear.
Her heart racing, Rinoa backed away and fumbled for her staff. She turned - and then a hand clamped around her mouth, muffling her scream as her second attacker pulled her tight against him. The staff fell clattering from her hands. Rinoa struggled out of sheer panic, but whoever held her was large and strong, and his grip didn't falter. And still the first masked man approached them, and then a second, and then a third.
The first man spoke, and his voice shook with suppressed emotion. "This is for my son."
Then Rinoa knew that this was no chance encounter, and these men were no muggers. She felt sick, sick with fear, sick with all of it. She watched them all raise their weapons... Oh, God. They were almost upon her, and Rinoa could practically feel that dagger sliding between her ribs. These last few moments of her life were going to be awful.