Written for archy the cockroach. This was supposed to be simply a Ansem/Squall + Xaldin/Squall smutty one-shot, and it grew into something else entirely.
Pre-KH, of course, and since it mentions the Organization members, spoilers maybe- depending on how far you've gotten in KH.
Enjoy!
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1.
Ansem didn't know why he did it; no, maybe he did, a little. Everyone in Radiant Garden had known each other for such a long time that even the slightest news traveled quickly, so when the news that Raine's husband had died (not died, vanished) he knew it was his responsibility to do something. Two days later, the young woman had moved into a comfortable room in the castle and he had waved off any questions about why he had done what he had. A few weeks later, she had a son that she named Squall Leonhart.
2.
"He's a charming boy," Ansem said with a smile, watching the young boy laugh as he chased after a small black cat and very nearly ran into a wall when he slipped over the smooth stone floors. Raine moved to take a step forward, but Squall just shook himself, pushed his hair back from his eyes, waved to the two of them, and then continued his game. "He's a strong one, too, you know."
The woman nodded, brushing back a few strands of dark hair behind her ear and looking as if she were fighting to say something, but unsure how to go about it. "I don't like to ask things, especially when you've done so much for us already," she began uncertainly, her eyes flicking from her son to the blond man standing beside her. "But, if something were to happen to me, will you continue to look after Squall?"
"Of course," Ansem answered smoothly, placing a large hand on the younger woman's shoulder and noting how thin and frail she seemed. "You have my word, Raine."
3.
Squall kept a tight grip on Ansem's hand the entire way through the garden, reminding himself over and over not to touch anything or to get any dirt on his new clothes. Beside him, Ansem glanced down at the young boy and then came to a stop before a wild mass of roses that grew up the side of one wall. "What do you think, Squall?" he asked quietly, reaching out with his free hand to touch a rose gently. "I think Raine would have liked it."
The brunet boy nodded, scrubbing a hand over his cheeks to hide the tears, because real men didn't cry. "I… they're great," he managed, hiding a sob with a shaky breath. Ansem knelt swiftly, and Squall had a brief second to think that the older man would be getting his pants dirty before strong arms wrapped around him in a tight hug. These weren't the hugs his mother gave him, soft and gentle, this was one was firm and steady with a faintly spicy scent attached.
"It's not wrong to cry," Ansem murmured quietly and it was as if his words were what broke down the wall that was holding Squall back. The boy took in a shaky breath and then collapsed against Ansem, quiet sobs escaping him as his tears dampened the older man's shirt.
4.
Squall finished the small doodle with a twist of his pencil, jumping when his instructor smacked a ruler down on his desk to gain his attention. "As I suspected. Were you listening to anything that I've been saying, Leonhart?" The stern woman demanded, her long fingernails tapping on his desk. His silence was answer enough, obviously. "How am I expected to teach you anything when your attention wavers over the smallest thing?"
Biting his bottom lip, Squall wondered what he was supposed to say- did it require an answer or was he just supposed to let her yell at him? Maybe he should have just apologized and gotten it over with right when she had used the ruler on the desk, or maybe-
Salvation came in the form of one blond man opening the door and peeking in. "Ah, I was right, there you are, Squall." Ansem stepped into the small room, flashing a charming smile to the teacher as he moved to where Squall was seated. "You've been working hard lately and I wondered if you were in the mood for a treat to celebrate, perhaps? It's almost dinner as it is, and-"
"Yes, please!" Squall stood up quickly, shuffling his papers into a neat pile with the doodles on the very bottom and the work on the top. The teacher didn't seem to be pleased at all, but it meant that he was getting out of class almost a full hour early so he didn't quite care as much as he maybe should have. Handing the woman the bundle of papers, his lips curled in a quick smile and then rushed to the door with all the speed of his eleven years of age. A few moments later, he and Ansem were walking down the hallway and bouncing ideas for dinner off of each other- Sunday nights had become a tradition where instead of eating in the castle they would go out to the centre of town to one of the many little restaurants that lined the streets.
"How about the sandwich store for now, and then over to the ice-cream shoppe?" Ansem finally suggested, already knowing what the answer would be. A second later an enthusiastic nod and laugh escaped the boy, the thought of sea-salt ice-cream making up for the hours of school work that he had been doing.
5.
"I think that you really hurt her feelings," Cloud finally said, shifting so he could sit more comfortably on the stone wall that overlooked the castle grounds. "I mean, seriously. She went home crying."
Squall scowled moodily at the black pants he wore, picking at one of the stray threads absently. Honestly, it wasn't his fault that she had gotten so mad at him- he'd told her before that he didn't like her like that but she hadn't gotten the clue until now and now she was mad at him. She was pretty enough, he supposed- Seifer sure seemed to think so, but Seifer was a jerk most of the time, anyway.
Rinoa wasn't his type, though. She preferred sewing or picking flowers, and hated the castle, whereas the castle was his home and picking flowers didn't seem like it would be any kind of fun at all. No, his idea of fun consisted of practicing his swordsmanship with either his instructor or someone else who found the time. If he was very lucky, then Ansem would invite him down to the labs- that was always a hundred times more interesting than one of the hired instructors coming and droning on for hours on end.
"I wish one of the girls liked me," Cloud muttered, kicking the air absently. "Zack's got Aerith so I never see him anymore, an' my mom says that we're too young for girlfriends."
Squall snickered quietly, looking over at his friend. "Girls aren't worth it, Cloud, 'member? Unless, you know, you want to go pick flowers an' braid their hair." His nose wrinkled at the thought of having to do such things just for a girl. "Come on, let's go practice before lunch. Ansem said that if you wanted to, you could eat with us as long as your mom said it was okay."
The blond smiled, all thoughts of girls escaping his mind at the promise of lunch and practicing. Aerith was pushed from his mind as he leapt off the wall, hearing Squall do the same behind him. "Let's go see my mom, then."
Squall nodded, pushing Rinoa out of his mind for the moment, besides, Ansem himself was a million times better than any girl was- of that much he was sure.
6.
"You're doing very well," Ansem said, the pride evident in his voice as he watched the teen swing his blade in a glowing blue ark and strike the simulated enemy perfectly. In a burst of pixilated light, the creature exploded into nothing leaving the simulation zone empty save for the quiet pants of Squall. Ansem himself never really used the machine for battles, but it was a wonderfully useful object, being able to simulate a small area as long as it had data-encoded information to go off of. If the program kept receiving such large upgrades, he was sure that he could expand the program to become a fully functional town or city.
"Thanks." Squall flashed a small smile to the older man before moving to check his blade over for any sort of scratches or dents that might have come from fighting in the mock-up of a real battle. "The return strike of the creature seems a little slow- maybe up the speed by two, and then balance it out with a one on the strike itself?"
The blond nodded thoughtfully, filing away the suggestion for later use while at the same time taking note of the blade Squall was using. "You're fifteen now, yes?" he asked, already knowing the answer. Squall nodded, glancing up from his examination for a brief second. "You're doing exceptionally well, in both your studies and aiding me in everything we've done so far. There's someone that I think you will enjoy meeting."
7.
"Master Ansem."
Squall paused and very nearly sighed with irritation. Of course there would be an interruption- that seemed to be the luck that he had lately. Ansem turned around and blinked, not expecting to see one of the less social assistants. "Ienzo," he greeted, waiting for what was so important for the man to seek him out.
"In sector four, Even believes that he's made a break-through." Ienzo paused and then looked Squall over briefly. "You may wish to speak in private."
Squall clenched his jaw, already knowing what would happen. Ansem nodded, reaching into his pocket for one of the small notebooks he always kept on him, along with a golden pen. There was no more Ansem the Guardian, it was Ansem the Scientist. "Squall." Ansem didn't even look at the teen, "I've got research- we can pick up later, where we left off, yes?"
Squall didn't respond, he simply watched the two men head down a hallway and close the door behind them without any explanation. Scowling at the cold stone floors, the teen turned around and headed for the next place he had been planning on going to- the simulation chamber.
Tightening the laces to his thick black boots, Squall stiffened when he heard the door open and footsteps follow, fully expecting it to be Ansem. "Are you supposed to be in here?" a rough voice asked, the owner not Ansem in the slightest. No, this man had thick braids that cascaded down from a high ponytail, the same type of labcoat as the other assistants he had seen wandering the castle- though, his not zipped all of the way, letting the dark green material of his shirt beneath show. Why would one of the assistants show up here? "Can you even fight or are you just hiding out from someone?"
"I can fight," Squall snapped before he could contain himself. Still scowling, he bent down and grabbed his knees, stretching quickly. The irritation and frustration that came from Ansem ignoring him so easily seemed to just flow out of him with every stretch- an argument would only be another outlet for him. Before he could continue, the man held his hands out wide as if to claim innocence in the situation.
"I'm not saying you can't; it was just a question," the man assured, taking a few steps forward and holding out a hand. "The name is Dilan."
Squall paused a split second, glancing down at the hand and then to the taller man's violet eyes for only a brief amount of time as if deciding if Dilan was being serious or humoring him. "Squall," he said in return, shaking the man's hand.
8.
Ansem leaned back in his chair a little more, absently drumming his fingers on his knee as he waited for his companion to finish his thought. "He practically worships you, Ansem," Mickey finally said, watching the blond carefully. "Are you sure that it's best you keep him here, instead-"
"Instead of another place? My friend, I'm not sure if you remember, but his mother is dead and that means that I am all he knows. I made a promise to her before she died and I fully intend on keeping it," Ansem leaned forward, his elbows resting on the wooden desk. "I do not think you know what you ask."
"Welp, I'm not implying that you're unfit to take care of him, but Ansem, consider your studies and what they are leading up to. If you're going to continue your research on the Heartless then you need to realize exactly what you're putting at risk. The boy is just that -a boy- and you do not know how much harm you might be doing, instead of the good that you hope for." Mickey's brow furrowed with a slight frown, choosing his words as carefully as he could. "Are you willing to deal with any of the consequences? Are you willing to sacrifice-"
Ansem stood up in a rush of white and purple, his hands going flat on the desk as he fought to keep back words that he might regret later on. Part of the reason, he thought distantly, was because Mickey was right. This research, even with the extra help, was proving to be more and more dangerous and he would only be putting the rest of Radiant Garden in danger if he furthered it. The scientist in him thirsted for more knowledge and more information on the Heartless, while he knew that the risk involved was extreme. "I understand," he finally said, sinking heavily down into his chair and feeling all of his years in that one moment. "My research is for nothing, then?"
The King did not respond instantly, instead choosing to look over at the glass containers filled with glowing hearts, and the different diagrams and books strewn everywhere for the man's research. "No, not nothing. Your heart is in the right place, but you need to look at things from a way that is not purely scientific. People's hearts aren't meant to be regarded in that way."
Nodding at the words, Ansem pursed his lips in thought. "I'm glad we have the opportunity to speak like this, my friend. I'm intrigued with your hypothesis…and I'm finding it difficult to stave off the urge to test it. Still, I'm concerned about the stability of the worlds," the blond finally admitted, leaning and resting his weight on one of his arms.
"Yup, that's what worries me, too," Mickey agreed, crossing his arms absently.
"The doors that appeared, the place the Heartless seek. If the threat is truly so serious, I fear I may have brought this upon us." Ansem drew in a slow breath and then let it back out. If it was true, it was all his fault- he was to blame for everything that had occurred, and eventually, could occur after this.
There was no time for Mickey to answer; the door behind him opened up revealing a tall, slender man wearing the lab coat that many of the scientists had. The newcomer bowed deeply, his arm crossing his chest in a gesture of respect before he met Ansem's eyes. "Master Ansem, regarding the experiment I presented the other day- with your permission, I'd like to proceed-"
They can't. This can't continue. "I forbid it! Forget this talk of doors and the heart of all worlds; that place must not be defiled."
Xehanort looked shocked for a moment, clearly not expecting his teacher to protest what they had been working so hard on for months. "But, Master Ansem! I've been thinking…"
Ansem shook his head, regret tainting his deep voice. "Xehanort, those thoughts are best forgotten."
The deep finality in the older man's tone made Xehanort struggle to not say anything. Finally, he took a step back and bowed as respectfully as he could manage with the anger boiling inside of him.
9.
"You've got talent," Dilan admitted, watching the slender teen whirl around and cut down yet another monster before crouching and dodging the jaws of the last. "How long have you been working with the blade?"
Squall cursed under his breath when the gaping jaws of the creature caught him barely, slicing a neat little line in his leather pants. One final roll was all it took before he twisted his torso and swung the blade up and into the throat of his enemy, sighing with relief when it disappeared. "Not even close to long enough," he answered, glancing up when he realized that he still had company. "Maybe three years or so. I didn't get this," he gestured to the blade he held, "until a year and a half ago, and I'm saving up for this one down in the center market."
The black haired man nodded, brushing back a few of the braids that had fallen over his shoulder. The sword the teen spoke of could have only come from one place and since the need to buy weapons was so small in Radiant Garden, the prices were almost ridiculous. "So you're seventeen- eighteen, maybe?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at the burst of laughter that came from his question.
"Fifteen," Squall admitted finally, shrugging his answer off as if it were nothing. "Everyone always thinks I'm older than I really am and normally I don't bother to correct them."
Dilan chuckled at that, pushing himself away from the wall and walking over to where the brunet was trailing a finger over the neat slice in his pants. "You got sloppy when I talked to you- don't worry about what's going on around you as if it were more important than the battle at hand. I'm not saying close everything out, but be alert." The older man examined the blade that Squall still held, surprised when the brunet offered it hilt first for him to examine. The blade itself was lightweight, balanced well enough but it was obvious that it was not one of the blades that someone from an army would carry- it was perfect, however, for one that would probably never see a bloodthirsty battle in Radiant Garden. "It's good."
"It's mediocre- the one in the centre square is one of the best I've seen around here, but no one has bought it since they don't need it. It'd figure if as soon as I got the munny someone bought it." Squall made a vaguely amused noise, taking the blade back when it was offered to him. "You're one of the people that are doing the work with Ansem, right?"
"Yeah, there's a good number of us and I'm one of them." Dilan jammed one of his hands in his pocket, waiting to see where the teen was going with this.
"What exactly are all of you doing? I've worked with the computer system multiple times and with Ansem himself, and I'm not stupid. There's something more to the 'simple' research that he's doing- why else would the files be encrypted to the point where even I can't break them?" Squall crossed his arms. "Ansem's hiding something."
He was right, Dilan thought with a smirk, the kid was as sharp as the weapon he wielded. "You think I would know? I'm just an assistant." The man shrugged, his arms out in a gesture of innocence. "What makes you think that I'd know anything about what's going on around here?" The look that Squall shot him in return was anything but amused- he seemed almost insulted that the older man would even think that he would believe such a thing. "There's much more than you can even begin to think about, going on in here. None of us are exactly supposed to say what it is, so that's all I'm going to say about it. Xehanort'd have my head if I went and spilled all of our secrets."
Damn it. At the very least, Squall had wanted to know some way to get past the encryptions on Ansem's main computer, or at least some way for him to the information that no one else seemed willing to share. It would take too long to try every code to get into the system and the computer was a sentient being, which would make it even harder. "You're not helpful at all," Squall muttered, leaning over so that he could place the blade in its place on the wall. "The more anyone tries to hide stuff from me, the more I want to get to it."
"It'd ruin the fun if you figured everything out. You might not even like the truth that you find, so is it really worth it? Would you rather live knowing what's going on and not being able to stop it, or would you want to live under the veil where you are safe from the dangers around you?" Dilan reached out and ruffled Squall's hair, smirking down at the teen when he jerked away and shook his head. "You're a smart kid, so don't do something that you'll regret."
10.
Squall nibbled on the end of an edge of the ice-cream, licking his lips a moment afterward to catch the entire flavor before starting methodically on the other corner working his way down. For once, their time together was not filled with friendly chit-chat; it was cold and almost uncomfortable as if both wanted to say something but were waiting for the other to begin. Discreetly, Squall examined the older man, taking note of how much more tired he seemed now, and how there was this aura of tenseness around him.
The man couldn't be that old- twenty-nine, thirty, maybe, but at that moment he looked as if he had gained a hundred years in spirit and it had carried over to him on the outside. Part of Squall wanted to ask if it was his fault, if he had been too needy or too clingy, and that was why Ansem had withdrawn so much. The other part of him knew that something more important was going on around him, something that either Ansem didn't trust him with, or was protecting him from. Both thoughts irritated him- hadn't he shown the older man that he was responsible, that he could handle such events?
"Your tutors have been giving me nothing but praises about you," Ansem said quietly, already finished with his ice-cream.
"That's good," Squall answered, unable to think of what else to reply with. 'Good, because I've been working hard since I don't see you more than once a week. What else am I supposed to do?' seemed like an immature response, but at that point, the words were begging to be spilled from his lips. 'Why have you been ignoring me?'
"One of my assistants, Di…" Ansem trailed off, obviously not having thought too much of the names of all of his assistants.
A little more than irritated now, Squall looked up fully and finished for the blond, "Dilan. His name is Dilan." The scrutinizing look that he received made the brunet wish he were seen as something other than perhaps another experiment, since that's all that Ansem seems to have the time for.
"Yes, that's it. He was telling me that you've been playing in the simulation chamber and that you've been making adjustments as you went along." Ansem steepeled his fingers and waited for Squall to finish a small mouthful of the blue dessert.
Playing? He'd gone from practicing to playing now "Yeah. Some of the settings were getting a little too easy and I calibrated them to where you can set individual settings depending on weight, height, et cetera, depending on who is using it," Squall took another bite and waited for the reprimand that he figured would come, even more surprised when it didn't.
"I'd like to take a look at it with you, to see what you've done. Dilan has done nothing but sing your praises as well." Ansem reached into his pocket and drew out the munny to pay for the desserts, setting it on the edge of the table with the tip set a few inches away. Squall finished a second later, pushing his chair back and following the broad-shouldered man out of the small shoppe. "I apologize if it seems that I have been neglectful as of late. I've had many things that I need to take care of."
"Dilan said that you did." Squall watched the man intently, a little part of the knot in his stomach unwinding when he saw the flicker of something across Ansem's face. It might be easier to get information from Ansem, than Dilan. "The big project that's going on in the basement of the castle…"
"You're two months from being sixteen, aren't you?" Ansem said smoothly, ignoring the irritated noise that escaped the teen trailing him. "Rhetorical question. You're almost an adult, now, you know?"
Anger burned through him at the implication that he was a child- he wasn't a child and he would show it.
11.
"It is impressive," Ansem said quietly, his fingers dancing over the opaque screen of the computer as he checked and double checked all of the schematics and variables that Squall had been working on in his free time. "You've even evened out the backup system on the main computer- you figured out the code, I take it?"
Almost six times now, on multiple programs, his mind said smugly. "Once. I just used it to fix a few of the simulations, I haven't been able to get it since," Squall lied, knowing that Ansem probably wouldn't believe him all of the way, but there was no way to prove it wasn't the truth. "Dilan helped with some of it."
That look flickered on Ansem's face again, and this time Squall was completely sure that he saw it, though he was unsure as to what it was exactly- jealousy, maybe? "How many tests have you given it since your last update of the system?" the scientist asked, tapping a glowing blue square before making a sound of surprise at the graph displayed. "Just how far did you up the individual endurance levels here?"
Squall glanced over Ansem's shoulder, realizing that he really hadn't put too much thought into the endurance levels while he had been working. "As far as I thought I could push it," he said carefully, glancing over at the blade that was hanging in its place on the wall. "I've only tested part of it once before, I've been meaning to do so again." And, before Ansem could answer, Squall strode over to the wall and unhooked his blade carefully, rolling his shoulders in a brief movement, ignoring the protest that came from the older man. Stretching quickly and efficiently, he reached around Ansem and pressed a few buttons, hearing it chirp in response.
Thankfully, Ansem didn't object after that; instead he backed away from the simulation area and watched the brunet drop into a waiting crouch. Instead of the pale blue light of the grid, a picture of a forest or maybe a jungle, flashed up. Moss and vines grew over everything, the thick trunks of trees growing into the sides of the simulation area, branching out and blocking some of the artificial sunlight. Where were the monsters, though?
As if on cue, a twisted, deformed body of a creature Ansem had never seen before melted through the side and snarled at Squall, darting forward in a swift move. Squall didn't move until the last moment and even then it was only a quick twist of his torso and slide to the side, leaving the creature to stumble and whirl around. It was quick, Ansem realized, but it was slow-thinking and that in itself could be a danger to the teen- its movements would be unpredictable. "Sq-"
The teen didn't show any sign that he had heard Ansem; instead, he whirled around again, the jaws of the monster clacking together loudly as they missed their intended target- Squall's left leg. The program that he had fixed wouldn't just stay the same- the settings equipped made the monster that much more real- it was learning and was countering the moves that Squall made. A very large part of the teen was proud of himself for the success adjustments, but another was realizing that this might not be as good of an idea as he thought- he wanted to impress the older man, not get his ass kicked by a computer program. With that thought in mind, Squall slid back another foot, dodging behind one of the trees and crouching low. Growling, the creature lumbered forward, drool dripping down its chin as it tried to figure out where the prey was. Three. Two. One. Squall whirled around, still keeping low to the ground, and with a flash of his blade, decapitated the monster. Both parts of the body fell to the ground with wet thumps before melting away.
He'd done it! The glowing blue numbers on the computer flashed seven minutes and twenty-three seconds, which was much better than he thought he would have done with a new program. "Computer, dis-" Squall let out a surprised yelp when he was knocked down by something, his breath escaping him in a quick rush. Blinking blue-gray eyes, he barely had enough time to bring the blade up before a shadow attacked him, its eyes glowing brightly. "Computer, disengage!" He attempted again, rolling away. Pain flashed across his chest before he could react further, the skin burning where it had been shallowly cut. With as quick of a move as he could manage, he brought his weapon down into the shadowy body, relieved when it dissipated into the air just as the program flickered off around him, leaving him crouching on cold metal.
"Squall!" Ansem took three rapid steps forward, kneeling next to the teen so he could place a hand on one slender shoulder. "Are-"
Squall jerked his head up and met concerned golden eyes before shifting his attention back down. "I'm fine. There's something wrong with the program though. I set it to only one and another came out after- they shouldn't be able to do that," he brought one hand up to his chest, touching the shreds of his shirt and scowling when he felt the warm stickiness of blood on his hands. Careless mistakes had cost him. "I need to clean this off."
Ansem rose with his charge, unsure as to what he was supposed to say. He knew the boy well enough that the concern he held would be unwanted and he thought that the second creature had been a computer glitch. It was best for Squall to keep believing that- the last thing he needed was to do even more snooping and get himself into more trouble where Ansem wouldn't know until it was too late. Squall was smart though; no doubt he would check the computer for problems and when he found it wasn't the computer, he would try to examine things further. "You need a potion, they're quicker than just bandaging them up yourself," he finally said, sighing when Squall pulled away and strode over to where his weapon was kept when not in use. There were three glowing bottles set back in the niche and before he placed his blade back he grabbed one of them.
"You're hiding something from me," Squall said quietly, unscrewing the bottle before he took a mouthful of the glowing liquid and put the top back on. The pain from the cuts slowly receded, leaving him with only an echo of the stinging- something he could deal with. "I'm not ten, I'm older than you give me credit for and you have no reason to treat me like I'm that young."
"I don't treat you-" Ansem stopped, realizing that he had, in fact, been treating the teen as if he were almost incompetent. "Squall, I'm sorry. I have been taking care of things around the city and…"
Squall shook his head, running a hand through sweat-damp bangs. "I'm going to go and take a shower- you've got work to do, I believe." With that curt dismissal, Squall walked out of the room, leaving Ansem to stare after him.
12.
Squall glanced around the small, secret room, moving cautiously through so as to not upset anything and reveal that he had been there. Something inside the room was calling to him, not in words, but it was pulling him closer in his thoughts leading him somewhere. The magic in the room was almost palpable, everything in the room glowing dimly, from the boxes to the sheen of dust lying everywhere. There was a set of glass containers in the far right corner of the room, each one of them glowing a different color and setting rainbow shadows across the wall. Reaching out, the teen pulled a blue container across the dusty table, drawing in a sharp breath when it hummed under his hands.
Release me.
Not surprised that whatever had been calling him was intelligent enough to have a conversation, he continued forward. "Not until I know who you are. Why have you been calling me?" Squall answered firmly, feeling the glass hum a little more and then grow cold. "What are you?"
A prisoner. Release me and understand.
"Why are you locked up here?" The teen removed his hands in an attempt to keep the curiosity and overwhelming desire to open the container at bay. "And for that matter, why me?"
Release me and understand. I mean you no harm.
Staring hard at the glass, he tried to ignore how instead of feeling warmer from removing his hand from the glass, his entire body seemed to crave the comfort of power again. "Who are you?"
"Squall, you're not supposed to be in here. Nice job on snooping around, but-"
There is little time. Release me- I can help you find the answers that you seek.
In a split second, his decision was made. Squall reached forward and opened the prison, the power rushing through the room in a cold wave sending dust whirling around and freezing with the moisture in the air. "It's snowing," Squall breathed, his entire body stiffening as all of the energy that had been released suddenly rushed inside him, leaving him dizzy.
You are strong, Lion, it will make things easier for both of us. I can help you find the answers to your questions.
"Who are you?" Squall managed, swaying as the world began to swim before his eyes. Distantly, he could hear Dilan curse loudly and the answer from the being in his head echoed through the room.
Shiva.
--
Chapter two should be out shortly, I hope, and if I'm feeling ambitious, an epilogue to finish everything off. I'd love it if you left your thoughts, as it's my first time writing anything this long and with this much of a plot. (hah.) If you'd like to see more of my stuff, I'd rec. my writing LJ, as it houses my old stuff and bits of new stuff- the link is in my profile!