Allegory Of time

Disclaimer: These characters belong to Square. The story belongs to ME!!

Warning: Yaoi, Spoilers, and some weird twisted plot. Please don't read if you don't like it.

Note: I love my plot cockroach! Don't take him away from me! Oh, wait, I just remembered: I'm afraid of cockroaches! Life's weird, huh?

_____________________

Chapter Four – The Sorcerers' Knights

"Sis?" Irvine was shocked. "How does she come into the picture?"

"Sis has the power to bring people to the past, remember? She didn't know then that she has the power to compress time," Zell explained, rubbing his head absently. "But she does now, and so do we. Sis can send Ultimecia back to her time, and seal her off with her powers. Ultimecia won't be able to travel through time during the compression then."

"Sounds like a good try," Seifer admitted. "How long have you had this planned?"

"Two years back," Zell grinned. "Or about that. I keep a diary."

"Wow. I'm impressed. It looks like you can teach more than eating thirty hotdogs in a split second."

"You're mean."

"Chicken Wuss," Seifer ruffled Zell's hair affectionately. "It's great to have you back." He stared worriedly at Squall, falling silent. "Will he wake up?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Zell grinned weakly, heaving a tired sigh. "But what's more important than his health, is his psychological fitness. He's a Sorcerer, Seifer, and now he's stronger, no thanks to my power. Ultimecia was smart. She couldn't take my powers while I was wearing the bangle, but she could possess me. And she snapped the bangle before passing it on to Squall. It's especially dangerous for him now. He's… helpless, much as I hate to admit it. And I can't possibly help him all on my own."

He sighed and stretched a little, looking glum. "I realize now how the Sorceresses snapped. The burden's so… heavy. I feel the strain myself. If I hadn't passed it on, I'd have gone mad. Yet, even now…

I still can't face it all alone."

He buried his face between his knees, trembling slightly. The two men were equally taken aback on seeing Zell struck by unexpected mood swings. He wasn't crying, though, just frightened and unnerved. Irvine patted him kindly on his back.

"Hey, if you ever need help, Irvine Kinneas' here for you. In fact, the whole Orphanage Gang's here, huh?" he said soothingly. "We won't let anything happen to Squall, will we, Seifer?"

"No, we won't," Seifer agreed unanimously. "And we won't let anything happen to you either."

"Thanks," Zell sat up, but he still looked a little depressed. "I think I'm snapping too. A Sorceress can't stay Knight-less for long, and neither can a Sorcerer. I… never thought I'd need one, but… I don't even know if I can find one now. Am I… destined to be… alone?"

The last few words were whispered, mostly to Zell himself, but Irvine heard them. He took the blond by the shoulders and shook him gently. "Look here, Sorcerer or no Sorcerer, you've got us, all of us. You're not alone! Don't ever think that!"

"I don't," he replied in a hushed tone. "I don't. That's why I don't want to hurt all of you, and that's why I need a Knight to represent my inner peace. Without him or her, I'd be lost… I'd kill all of you were I given a chance. Do you understand? This isn't a game! This is real!"

The blond Instructor boxed Irvine squarely on his jaw with a frenzied yell at the end of his line. Seifer grabbed hold of him before he could cause further damage. At the contact, Zell calmed down immediately, though he was still shaking. He covered his face with his hands and this time, he completely broke down, sobbing.

"I'm… going mad, aren't I?"

Irvine sat up, silent. It pained him terribly to see his comrade like that. He vaguely remembered Zell as a hyperactive SeeD with him on missions round the globe to defeat Ultimecia. He had been strong in the castle, and he had been strong these past few years. The image of a terrified, vulnerable Zell did not appeal to him at all.

To their alarm, yet again, Zell sat suddenly straight. He turned to gaze at the two other men.

"I… I've decided," he finally said. "It's been eating me up from inside, this thought. I'd initially thought that I'd be able to handle the pressure on my own, or somehow, find a Knight. But I couldn't. That left me no choice but to plan another route out. And I'm… taking it now. I'm scared, very, very scared, but I'm taking it, all the same, to save myself, to save us all."

He took a deep breath, and then exhaled noisily, trying to calm his nerves.

"I'm going to Esthar. I'm gonna get my powers sealed for good."

Irvine stared at Zell in disbelieve. This was going to be hard. He had gotten used to having Zell around with him in the Garden, training, talking, or sometimes even simply strolling around and walking to the beach in Balamb. He had gotten fond of their outings with Selphie, Squall and Quistis – the five of them – their so-called Orphanage Gang as Selphie playfully put it (and it became a regularly used word to describe the group), to various towns and villages around the world.

Yes, it was going to be hard. And it was harder still, because Irvine finally realized how much it'd hurt, and how much beyond hurt he would feel, were he to lose his comrade now.

Because… he'd found out that Irvine Kinneas was in love.

Zell wasn't going to Esthar.

He wasn't.

No.

No.

No!

"NO!"

Both Seifer and Zell nearly jumped out of their skin at Irvine's outburst. Without a word, he took hold of the shorter blond's shoulders and shook him vigorously. There was a fierce passion in his eyes as he yelled his words out.

"You're NOT going to Esthar! You hear me! NOT! You're not going to get sealed, sent to space and stand there for the rest of your life, like a dummy! Why? Because I WON'T HAVE IT! I WON'T HAVE IT! BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT INSANE, AND I WON'T LET YOU BE! If you want a Knight, I'll be your Knight! You hear me? YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ESTHAR!"

Seifer burst out laughing a few moments after the words sunk in. Zell however, looked more stunned than anything else.

"… You're willing?"

"Yes! Yes!" Irvine threw his arms up, exasperated. "Oh, what, and you STILL want to go to Esthar?"

"No, he doesn't," Squall answered kindly, patting Zell's head. Irvine smiled appreciatively.

"I'm glad you won't," he said, sitting down beside Zell. He took the surprised blond in his arms and gave him a hug. "Don't snap on me, man. 'Cause if you do, I swear I'll blow that damned woman's brains out with my gun!"

"Thanks," Zell replied, his eyes still as round as saucers. "That's… so… SQUALL?"

The trio turned to stare at the brunette, who sat staring back at them through sapphire-blue eyes. "I woke up some time ago, when I heard yelling. Seemed better for me not to butt in, so…"

"I'm glad you can cope with the pressure," Zell grinned again, this time, truly himself. He had considerably calmed down after 'finding' his Knight.

"Actually, I think I've found my Knight, or at least, it's nice to realize it, and see him around, than to have nothing at all," Squall admitted, looking up through his lashes. "It may be false hope but… I'm willing. I think I've changed much. I'm usually not that sappy, am I?"

"No, you're not," Seifer answered, taking a seat beside the new successor. "And it's not false hope."

Seifer leaned in closer, and he could feel the other's timid breath playing against his lips. It felt warm against his skin, so alien from the coldness of the air around him, different from the cool porcelain skin that belonged to the brunette. Auburn colored hair brushed against his own blond strands, like dark satin meshing with gold, one soft, and the other, strong like steel. He closed his eyes, and…

"Oh, man, get a room, guys!"

The two drew away from each other instantly, blushing. Zell doubled over with laughter. Squall turned to frown at them. "This IS my room, in case you've forgotten. And since we've both gotten our own Knights, I'd like you two to leave."

"And leave you to fight the Sorceress on your own?" Zell asked with innocent concern in his voice. With that, Seifer stood up, picked the shorter blond and pony-tailed brunette with both his hands, and walked towards the door. Squall opened it, grinning.

"Good night."

Seifer flung them out, a wicked smirk on his face. The two tumbled over each other on the ground, cursing slightly. The door slammed shut, and Irvine and Zell stared at each other.

"Back to our rooms, huh?"

Irvine favored him with an equally evil smirk as seen on Seifer's face before the door was closed. Zell inched back.

"No, back to our room."

Zell groaned. I knew that it was a bad idea to get a Knight…

Seifer laughed as he made his way back to the bed in large strides. "Should've seen the looks on their faces, huh?"

"They'll adapt," Squall smiled, lighting up his cold demeanor rather brilliantly. "So, where'd we leave off?"

____________________

To Be Continued… XD

____________________

Note: This one's a bit short. But it's just as boring, right?