Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VIII and all characters are creations of Squaresoft.
Summary: Slightly A/U. Raijin and Fujin search for Seifer after the Timber incident in Disc 1, only to find him brainwashed by the Sorceress Edea. He cannot recognize them any longer because of Edea's messing with his mind. How far will the posse go just to get Seifer's memories and the old him back?
"This snow-flake grew larger and larger, till at last it became the figure of a woman, dressed in garments of white gauze, which looked like millions of starry snow-flakes linked together. She was fair and beautiful, but made of ice---shining and glittering ice. Still she was alive and her eyes sparkled like bright stars, but there was neither peace nor rest in their glance."
---The Snow Queen, Hans Christian Andersen
"Posse...we are. And we will always be. Always and forever..."
* * *
Gone. Forever. Only a memory. A fragment of their memory. That was what everyone believed. But somewhere, two certain someones believed that somehow, Seifer Almasy made it out alive.
The sands of the hot Galbadian desert stung the dark-skinned man's eye. Tired as he was, he kept going, along with his pale-skinned companion. They had to find him. He was their friend, although they didn't know if he felt the same way too. But friends are friends, and, cold as they may seem to many, they knew very well that friends would never leave their friends, even during the "down" side of life. And now was one of those times.
"I can't believe it. Seifer just can't be dead, ya know? He's not the type of guy who'd surrender that easily to the law, ya know?" The dark-skinned man, Raijin, expressed his disbelief over his comrade's supposed death. Knowing Seifer, he'd never go down that easily. (To give up is something only a wimp would do)
His other comrade, Fujin, agreed. Quiet but deadly, she was like a sister to him. She had always harbored a secret infatuation for Seifer for so long, he'd have been a fool if he still didn't know by now. "SEIFER, DEAD? NO, IMPOSSIBLE. FIND!"
Raijin and Fujin had known Seifer ever since they were nine. They were a posse, and his only friends as well. They also made up Balamb Garden's Disciplinary Committee.
Nowhere in the world could Seifer see more loyal friends than both of them. They were willing to follow him to the ends of the earth, to the moon and back, anywhere---whatever it took for Seifer to get what he wanted, they'd be willing to do.
"But where? We don't even have a clue where he went off to." Raijin was clueless. Typical, Fujin thought.
"DELING CITY."
"Why?"
"BECAUSE." Fujin then shifted to the normal way of speaking. When she spoke normally, it often meant that she was serious. "I have a feeling that Deling took him there."
Raijin couldn't help but laugh. "I hate to say this, but you know that Seifer wouldn't put up with a trial!"
She sighed. "I know. But he couldn't have gone far. He didn't even bring enough money for transportation after breaking out from the disciplinary room. So he couldn't have gotten far. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to try, right?"
"Yeah...but...Deling's a very big city. How the hell do you expect us to find him immediately?"
There was silence for a moment. "...I don't care if we have to search the entire city, just as long as I know he's safe, then that's fine by me!"
Raijin couldn't help but smile. She'd really do anything for Seifer. It was so unlike Fujin to act so impulsive. But then, sometimes Fujin, and even Raijin's loyalty to Seifer could get in the way sometimes.
Fujin kicked him. "RAGE! What are we waiting for, then? We might miss the last train to Deling City!"
* * *
By a stroke of luck, Fujin and Raijin managed to board the last train leaving for Deling City. The trip was long, boring and exhausting, and they were finally glad when they arrived.
Raijin was delighted by the sights the city had to offer. "Wooow! It's really amazing here, unlike back at boring old Balamb!"
Fujin rolled her eyes. Sometimes he can be so dense. "IDIOT! We didn't come here to admire the sights of the city. We have a mission to fulfill, remember? And that is to find Seifer!" She dragged him by the ear, the way she used to when they were younger. "Come on! Let's go!"
"Where do we go first, then?"
Looking around for a moment, Fujin stopped to think for a while before she came up with an idea. "Presidential Residence! This way!"
* * *
Meanwhile, a Sorceress, clothed in entire black, with an ornate headdress and various accessories adorning her head and face, was being escorted to a sleek black limousine to take them to the Presidential Residence. Accompanying her was a man of eighteen with short blonde hair and green eyes.
"So, boy, you say you want to be my Knight?" A nod.
"Show some respect. A Knight must always address his Lady properly and formally, unless she doesn't want to be addressed so."
"Yes, my Lady."
"Have you bid farewell to all your foolish childhood dreams?"
"Yes, my Lady."
"What can you do for me? Rather, what can a Lady expect from her Knight?"
A pause. "I shall serve you loyally, my Lady. I shall guard you from all who dare hurt you and make sure you are free from harm. I promise to do your bidding."
She arched an eyebrow. "Oh? We'll see about that. I want your loyalty to be bound to me, and to me alone...yes, you will serve me well..." She smiled ominously and whispered mysterious incantations in his ear.
* * *
"Well, here we are. The Presidential Residence."
"I wonder if he's in there, ya know?"
Just then, a limousine stopped in front of the lavish mansion. The Sorceress, accompanied by the one Raijin and Fujin recognized as Seifer, alighted.
"Seifer!" Raijin and Fujin said in unison.
As he turned to look at them, they saw that his eyes looked blank and emotionless. Reflexively, he pulled out his Hyperion, brandishing it in front of their faces.
"You...tell me, who are you?"
TO BE CONTINUED
Author's Notes: Well, how was it? It is partly inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen". Please excuse my writing, as it is pretty much mediocre. I'm only thirteen years old, so I'd really appreciate it if you gave me tips on how to write a good fic. I'll continue this as soon as possible, and this fic might probably develop into a Seifuu. Constructive criticism will be greatly appreciated, but no flames.