Disclaimer: I still don't own final fantasy, square soft, Manchester united or the Elvis estate. I however do own 1 new thing an excellent smiths cd so please don't sue don't take my cd away.
Thanks to balambgirl for her review (my first) it really meant a lot to me.
Ok here goes chapter 3.
The Darkness and the Light.
He sat on the hill overlooking the town alone in his thoughts. The battle had been won, the evil defeated but they had lost the war. Never in his life had he felt like this, sure he had lost people before but never someone this close. He was more than his best friend; he was more than his Commander Zell thought to himself. He was the glue that kept them together, sure he could be annoying at times, sure he could be rude but when he was with him he felt nothing was impossible. He never realised how much Squall had meant to him until it was too late. His mission had been completed in barely a day and yet he was in no mood to go back to Garden. So he just sat there, sat there and remembered his lost friend. He never even noticed the tears falling from his eyes
"Squall man do you really think we can beat her" Zell asked.
"Of course we can and we will" Squall replied.
Zell looked around at the other four people on the ragnarok and then back at the Commander, he noticed they were all now looking at Squall as well
"But how can you be sure, I mean how can you be so confident aren't you afraid" Zell asked.
The Commander sat there lost in thought for a few moments, he finally looked up at the blond haired man and the others,
Little Selphie so full of energy so caring,
Irvine the Cowboy he alone remembered the past they all shared,
Quistis the instructor the first one who tried to break down the walls he built around himself,
Zell the martial artist so passionate so full of emotion.
These were his colleagues but more important than that they were his friends.
He looked to his right and saw her, the one who meant the most to him, his beautiful angel the one who had changed him, saved him (sure he might have been the one who jumped into space) but truly it was her who saved him.
He looked at them all and smiled a full smile, a sight so rarely seen that this caught the others so much by surprise they looked at him in shock.
"Zell how come you like hotdogs so much" he asked.
The martial artists looked at him stunned by the question.
"Whaaaa" he exclaimed.
"I said how come you like hotdogs so much" he repeated.
"Because their taste delicious and because they're the best food in the world" Zell replied.
"Yeah but you haven't tasted all the food in the world Zell so how do you know Hotdogs are the best"
Squall asked.
"Because I don't need to taste any other food I know there's nothing that tastes better than a Balamb Hotdog.
The others looked at each other in amazement this was the weirdest conversation any of them had heard from anyone ever.
"But how do you know" Squall asked.
"I JUST KNOW" Zell exclaimed.
"That's how I know we'll win" Squall said.
"Huh" Rinoa said and looked at the man beside her in confusion as did the others.
Squall continued "look you guy's sure I'm scared about what we have to face but I know there's no way that bitch can be allowed to win, I know that for the first time in my life there's a reason why I'm here, why we're here and I know that there's no way in Hell anyone on this ship will give up until the job is done".
"Oh and Zell when we get back the Hot dogs are on me" Squall said.
They all laughed at this even Squall and for the first time all of them felt like there was nothing to be afraid of nothing that could stop them, nothing that could hurt them.
"But we were wrong weren't we" Zell said to himself so very wrong.
She was happy for the first time in over a month she was happy. She had dreamed of him and now she was going to get him back.
"Squall will be there" "Squall will be there" she repeated over and over like a mantra.
She jumped from the bed and hurriedly got dressed and left the room. As she left she never saw the white feather fall to the floor.
Irvine stood outside the room leaning against the wall in the hallway. He had told Selphie he would watch over their friend and he was going to keep his word no matter how tired he was. As he stood there however he could feel his eyes getting heavier and heavier. Just as he was about to doze off he heard a door opening.
"Irvy what are you doing here" Rinoa asked smiling.
"Em I oh! Selphie and Quistis were worried about you so I said I'd stay here to make sure you were ok" he replied guiltily.
"Ok! Irvy I'm better than ok" she responded still smiling.
"Erm are you sure Rinoa" Irvine asked noticing the smile for the first time,
"I mean Quistis told us what happened" he continued.
"Never mind about that Irvy, We have to go to the orphanage right now" she said.
"The orphanage now, what do you mean we have to go to the orphanage now" Irvine asked confused by what the girl was saying and by the smile on her face, she hadn't smiled since…….
"Yes the orphanage, we have to go there now, Irvy get the the others" Rinoa said.
"But why Rinoa what's going on" he asked.
"He's waiting for me there" the girl replied.
"He! Who's he! And why the orphanage" the confused cowboy asked.
"Because he promised" Rinoa answered.
"Who promised" Irvine asked.
"Squall" she answered.
"Squall! Rinoa Squalls gone ok we all miss him but he's GONE" Irvine said becoming agitated.
"NO! IRVY'S HE'S WAITING FOR ME, GET THE OTHERS NOW!" she screamed at him.
The cowboy looked at the girl now in complete confusion she had finally snapped he thought; maybe it's best if I get the others anyway,maybe they'll know what to do. So he decided he would do as she asked.
"Ok Rinoa I'll get the others, just wait here ok" he said softly.
"No not here, the ragnarok" the girl said before running down the hall.
"Rinoa! Rinoa! Wait!" he shouted at the girl but she was already gone.
"SHIT" he shouted before running to Selphie's room.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
What the hell is that thought the instructor as she was rudely awakened by the pounding at her door.
"I'M COMING CALM DOWN" she shouted at whoever was making the racket, this had better be fucking important she thought too herself as she got up from the bed.
"QUISTY! QUISTY! OPEN UP IT'S US, ME AND IRVY" Selphie shouted through the door.
Selphie, Irvine what the hell do they want at this hour, oh my god Rinoa something's happened to Rinoa she thought as she ran to the door in a panic.
"WHAT HAPPENED IS SHE OK" Quistis yelled at her friends as she pulled the door open.
"Yes, yes she's fine" Selphie said as she noticed the worry on the instructors face.
Quistis felt the relief wash over her at Selphie's words, she had thought Rinoa had run away or that she had done something even worse to herself.
"Then would you kindly explain to me what's so important that you have to pound at my door and almost give me a heart attack in the middle of the night" she said in a annoyed tone, although truth be told she was actually not really annoyed at all.
"Rinny, the orphanage, Squall we have to go" Selphie said excitedly.
"Selphie what the hell are you babbling about Rinoa, the orphanage, Squall what the hell does that mean and go what do you mean go, Irvine what's going on" the confused blonde asked.
Irvine proceeded to explain to the instructor what had happened outside Rinoa's room. He told her everything right down to Rinoa smiling. Quistis just stood there and listened until finally.
"Where's Rinoa now Irvine" Quistis asked.
"She said we've to meet her at the ragnarok" Irvine replied.
"So were going to the orphanage right" Selphie asked.
"Yes we are" Quistis said.
"Are you sure about this I mean you know he's not there Quistis" Irvine said.
"IRVY! HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S NOT THERE, OF COURSE HE'S THERE, RINOA SAID SO" Selphie screamed.
"Selphie, calm down what Irvine's means is Rinoa's hasn't being herself for a while and just because she thinks he's there, it doesn't mean he will be" Quistis said softly.
"But! But! If he's not there then what will Rinoa do" Selphie asked.
"I don't know Selphie, I don't know" Quistis responded.
She stood beside the Ragnarok and looked up at it; it looked so much bigger here in the hangar than it had when they were inside it. Maybe she just hadn't really looked at it before not even when she and Squall were floating towards it in space.
Oxygen supply at 5
She was going to die; she was going to die without seeing him again. Never seeing those icy blue eyes, the way he held his head in his hand when he was annoyed. She'd never hear him call her name again, oh how she loved the way he said her name.
Oxygen supply depleted.
"Goodbye Squall" she said as her eyes closed.
But he had come for her; he had jumped into space and found her. He had brought her home in this ship and now she was going to do the samefor him.
"Wait for me Squall, I'm Coming" she said as she heard the footsteps behind her.
He walked back towards the town; he had decided it would be better to stay in the hotel after all. There was something about this night that worried him.
"Damn Chickenwuss is afraid of the dark" Seifer said.
"I am not and I'M not a Chickenwuss" the little blond boy shouted.
"Chickenwuss, Chickenwuss" the slightly older blond started to sing.
"Leave me alone" little Zell screamed.
"Squall make him leave me alone" Zell shouted to the small brown haired boy in the corner.
"SEIFER! LEAVE HIM ALONE" Squall shouted at the bigger boy.
"DAMMIT! SQUALL I 'M JUST FUNNIN THAT'S ALL" Seifer said as he ran from the room.
"Thanks Squall" the spiky haired blond said.
"Nah, it's nothing" Squall said to his friend.
"Squall" Zell said.
"Yeah" Squall replied.
"I'm not afraid of the dark really" Zell said.
"Yeah I Know Zell, I Know" Squall said.
He checked into the hotel and went straight to his room, as he got into bed he said to himself "I'm not really afraid of the dark" and went to sleep. Yet as he dozed of he left the light on anyway.
They sat on the Ragnarok and prepared for take off, Selphie in the pilots seat with Irvine in the seat beside her, Quistis sat in the other seat at the front of the cockpit while Rinoa sat in the back. No one said a word as the ship took of each lost in their own thoughts about the journey ahead and what they might find.
Quistis had told the headmaster what they were going to do, as they needed his permission to take the Ragnarok out at this late time. She had explained what Rinoa had said and that she thought it was best to do as the girl wanted.
"But Instructor we both know you won't find him there" the headmaster had said.
"I mean that's one of the first places we looked and we've checked it a dozen times since" he went on.
"I know Sir but she needs to do this, maybe then she'll be able to move on" Quistis said.
"Ok Instructor if you feel that it's best" the headmaster said.
"Yes sir I do" she replied.
"Very well you have my permission" Cid said sighing.
"Thank you Sir" Quistis said as she saluted the headmaster.
Now as she sat in her seat she was thinking that this wasn't a good idea at all.
"Irvy do you think he'll be at the orphanage" Selphie asked.
"No I don't, I wish I did but I don't" the cowboy said noticing Selphie cringe.
"Irvy, will Rinny be ok" Selphie asked, "I mean when we don't find him" she continued.
"We'll look after her Sefie, she'll need us but we'll all be there for her" Irvine said as he smiled at the girl beside him.
"You Betcha we will" Selphie said determinedly.
Irvine smiled again at her amazed how strong she could be for others even though she could be hurting inside, he was glad she had accepted his answer as he didn't know if he was strong enough to help both Selphie and Rinoa through the pain of losing Squall again. Selphie had accepted he was gone and now they would only need Rinoa to do the same, it wouldn't be easy but they would do it he thought to himself.
She looked around the cockpit at her friends as she sat there she remembered the last time she had been on the ship and how she had felt. It was very much different to how she felt now, then she had just lost him now she was going to bring him back. The others didn't believe her, they thought she had lost her mind but they were wrong. She believed he would be there, she believed he was waiting for her. But mostly she believed in a promise that had been made, a promise that she knew he would never break.
They had returned from space, he had saved her but now she knew she had to leave. She was a sorceress and they were all afraid of her. She had released Adel and now she had to be sealed away for the good of the world. She felt his pain as she told him she had to go and as scared as she was for herself she was more scared for him. They took her to be sealed away forever and as they placed her in the chamber all her thoughts were of him. But he didn't allow that to happen and once again rescued her and now as they stood by the flower field he made her a promise and his words were the sweetest sound she had ever heard.
"We're there" Quistis said to the sleeping girl as she tried to wake her.
"huh" she drowsily replied.
"Rinoa, we're there" Quistis said again.
The girl jumped up and ran from the ship before any of the others could stop her, she had only one thing on her mind and not even Bahumut himself would have been able to slow her down.
She ran straight to the one place she wanted to go more than anywhere else in the world, she ran to the flower field. When she got there she looked around and around, she ran through the flowers shouting as she went,
"SQUALL, SQUALL" she shouted.
"I'M HERE SQUALL, WHERE ARE YOU" she screamed.
But he was nowhere to be seen, finally she fell to the ground crying uncontrollably.
"SQUALL YOU PROMISED" she cried.
"SQUALL PLEASE COME BACK TO ME, I NEED YOU, I LOVE YOU" she sobbed.
Quistis, Irvine and Selphie stood there, Selphie and Quistis with tears streaming down there faces even Irvine the usually calm cowboy had tears in his eyes as they looked at the brokenhearted girl in front of them.
"Irvy this can't be" Selphie cried.
"Sefie, Sefie please don't cry anymore" the cowboy said as he embraced the girl he loved.
Quistis wiped the tears from her eyes, she hadn't believed he would be here but she had hoped for all their sakes that he just might. Looking at her friends and then at Rinoa she finally realised that hope was just a four letter word.
"Sefie, Rinoa needs us to be strong for her ok, can you do that for her" Irvine asked the still crying girl in his arms.
"Yes Irvy," she answered.
"I'll be strong for Rinny, I can be strong for her, she needs us" Selphie said as she broke from Irvine's arms and ran to her friend who was still crying uncontrollably.
"Instructor, how about you" Irvine asked the blond who was wiping tears from her eyes.
"I'm fine Irvine, let's help Rinoa" she answered as she and the cowboy walked to the other two crying figures in the flower field.
Zell awoke suddenly feeling something against his face, he jumped up and noticed he had left the lights in the room on. He looked around to see what had woken him and noticed a white feather beside his pillow. Strange he thought the pillows and the blankets aren't made with feathers. He noticed how dark it was outside but thought nothing of it, so he lay back down and surprisingly fell straight back to sleep.
"Rinny, Rinny we're so sorry, we're so sorry" Selphie said to the crying girl.
"He's supposed to be here, he promised me, he promised me" Rinoa cried against her friend.
"I know Rinny, I know" was all Selphie could say as she held her friend in her arms,
Irvine and Quistis knelt down beside the crying girls and both of them put their arms around them. They stayed there for a few minutes until finally deciding it was time to go. They were all worried about Rinoa and wanted to get back to Garden as quickly as possible. Finally Selphie was the first to move, once again surprising Irvine with her strength of will.
"Rinny, we have to go, we have to go back to Garden" she said.
"………….." Rinoa replied.
"Rinny, we need to take you home, ok" Selphie said softly.
"Yeah Rinny, home we'll take you home" Quistis said
After a few more minutes Rinoa finally got to her feet, she was still crying but she at least seemed to be over the worst of it. Selphie held her in her arms and they made their way from the flower field. As they got to the spot where Squall had made his promise Rinoa turned back and looked at the field once more.
"He's not coming back is he" she said sadly to her friends.
"No Rinny he's not" Quistis said with tears falling from her eyes.
"I guess he couldn't keep his promise after all" Rinoa said as she looked at her friends.
"You know he would if he could Rinny, You know he would if he could" Selphie said softly tears streaming down her face.
"I know Selphie, I know" Rinoa said as she wiped the tears from the smaller girls eyes.
They stood and looked at the flower field together and then Rinoa turned from them and walked back to the spot where a promise had been made but not kept.
"Goodbye Squall, I love you and always will" she said and started to walk back to her friends.
As she walked to her friends a white feather fell from the sky and suddenly everything went dark.
"What's happening I cant see anything" Quistis said.
"Me either" Selphie said.
"Or me" Irvine added.
Then a blinding light engulfed the whole field and then nothing not a sound until the light was gone.
"RINOA, RINOA, WHERE ARE YOU" the voice screamed.
"RINOA" it continued.
She heard the voice but she didn't believe it, this was just another trick, just another dream, he was gone and was never coming back. She knew that now, promises aren't always kept she thought to herself but what if a promise was.
"RINOA" the voice shouted again.
She looked from where she was standing and what she saw made her happier than she had thought possible, he was there and he was running towards her. She ran towards the man she loved, the man who had kept his promise to her.
"SQUALL, SQUALL I'M HERE" she screamed as she ran to him.
The others finally were able to see and hear again and looked to see their friend running through the field and they saw where and who she was running too.
"OH HYNE IT'S" Quistis shouted.
"IT CAN'T BE" Irvine screamed.
"SQUALLIE" Selphie added before she jumped up and down excitedly.
"SQUALLIES BACK! BOOYAKA" She screamed before dancing as only she could.
As the two met in the centre of the field the other three were dancing and jumping around in complete joy.
"RINOA" Squall screamed as he wrapped his arms around His angel.
"SQUALL, SQUALL, YOU CAME BACK, HOW" Rinoa screamed at her lion, as she wrapped her arms around him and silently vowed never to let him go again.
"I had a promise to keep" Squall said before collapsing to the ground.
"SQUALL, SQUALL NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Rinoa shouted in a voice so full of pain and anguish it hurt anyone to even hear it.
Selphie, Quistis and Irvine hearing the agonised scream of their friend ran straight to the source of the anguish.
"
