Queen's Knight of Ni: Rinoa is in trouble... but then when is she never in trouble? Now Squall and Ed have to save her before Seifer sacrifices her for his twisted goals. And what's this... Al, Roy, Maes and Ed all together again? What you've all been waiting for...
Chapter Nine
Battle against Adel; Time Compression
Squall and Ed ran out to where they heard Rinoa's scream. They spotted the rest of the group running towards them.
"Zell, you're with us! Move it!" Squall yelled without stopping.
They cut quickly to the left and ran up a ramp leading higher into the Pandora. Squall, Ed, and Zell entered a shrine room. Directly in front of them they saw Seifer holding Rinoa to the ground in front of an enormous structure with a body encased. Ed assumed that this human like creature was Adel.
"Finally the two Sorceresses together. This is what Ultimecia wants."
"Seifer, please stop!" Rinoa cried.
"It's too late, it's already begun."
Squall watched as Adel began to awaken. Her eyes opened slowly showing their cold intent. Her mouth curled with a wicked smile. Adel's hand stretched out and pierced the material holding her in the seal. Her hand grasped Rinoa and their bodies were fused together. Adel stood with Rinoa interlaced to her chest.
"Be careful, don't attack Rinoa," Squall instructed.
Just as he said this Adel drew life from Rinoa. Rinoa groaned loudly in pain.
"Damn it!" Zell yelled. "Regen!" Zell used Regen targeting only Rinoa. She gained back some life, but not as much as she had lost.
"There's not much time!" Ed said.
Squall pulled an item out of his pocket and lofted it in the air. Suddenly Squall began to glow with a yellow hue. Ed could feel enormous power coming from him. Zell had done the same using the Aura stone. Ed stepped forward and used Blizara. A huge block of ice formed above Adel and struck her in the head. She only took light damage.
As soon as Ed dropped back, Squall charged forward. He jumped coming level with Adel's upper body. He began to wield his gun-blade striking and shooting Adel seven different times.
Zell jumped forward and started his charge. He threw a jab, cross, and hook, followed by a drop kick. Zell brought his leg up whipping a strong roundhouse across Adel's head. After one more combination of jab, cross, hook, Zell dropped back and charged for a final attack. He jumped back into the air bringing his hands to his right side. Energy began to gather between his palms, finally hiding him in the light of it. Zell sent all the energy into his right hand and pulled into an extremely strong cross punch. Hitting Adel, Zell pushed all the through till he broke through the other side.
Adel used flare on Ed. Ed could see it coming and braced himself. A ball of energy formed in front of him and grew larger until it finally exploded. Ed was engulfed in flames, feeling it singe across his body. The flames died off, damaging Ed fairly bad, but Squall was right behind Adel casting Cura.
"This is it, you bitch!" Ed exclaimed. Adel smiled at him. Ed brought his hands together and put them both to the floor. Huge hands burst out of the walls and ceiling, crushing into Adel. Adel used her energy to break the hands into rubble.
Zell jumped forward casting Meltdown. Energy built up in front of Zell until it shot out towards Adel. The top of Adel melted back. Her vitality was dropped to zero. Squall took this chanced and charged again with his limit break. In the middle of the attack Zell yelled after Ed.
"Ed, cast Shell on Rinoa! Now!" Ed jumped forward casting on Rinoa watching as a green shield formed around her.
Squall fell from his attack then jumped one more time. He brought his gun-blade to his shoulder, before swinging it all the way around. A red disc formed with fire striking Adel and Rinoa both. Some of the damage broke past the shell and struck Rinoa.
Adel groaned loudly and fell. She let go of her connection on Rinoa and her body dissipated. Rinoa fell to the ground almost lifeless. Squall ran to check on her. She had a grimace of pain on her face, but she was alive, and that was the important thing to Squall.
"She's alive," Squall called.
Both Ed and Zell breathed a huge sigh of relief. They walked over to Rinoa and checked on her as well.
Laguna and Ellone walked up behind them. "Is she alive?" Laguna asked.
"Yes," Squall replied.
"Ellone, send both Rinoa and Ultimecia to the past and bring just Rinoa back," Laguna instructed.
Ellone concentrated on Rinoa's consciousness, separating hers from Ultimecia's. She sent Ultimecia to the past and worked as hard as she could to bring Rinoa back. After Rinoa was back to her body, Ellone collapsed.
FMA world
Roy, Winry, and Al all stood in Roy's office going over what had transpired over the past few hours.
"We're definitely seeing shifts in time," Roy stated.
"What about the time I saw Ed fighting that creature? It didn't look like anything I had ever seen," Winry replied.
"Is it possible that we could be seeing both time shifts and alternate worlds?"
"What do you mean Alphonse?" Roy asked.
"When I was studying my brother's notes, he wrote something of a gate. He said it was the gate he saw when he first brought me back and when he brought me back after the fight with Dante."
"But Al, Ed disappeared right after that fight, there's no way that he could have written about it."
"Do you have the book with you?" Roy asked.
"Yeah," Al replied reaching into his bag. He fished around for a moment and produced a small brown ledger style book. Roy took it and thumbed through the pages. The first date marked that he recognized was 10 October, which he knew was the date etched in Ed's pocket watch. He found text on the gate and some about Dante. He found several other names that he didn't recognize. One was written to be very powerful, Ultimecia. Then he checked the date it was written.
"Al, did you find this after I came to you about the reports of time shifts?"
"Well, right before, maybe a day or so. Why?"
"According to this date, this text hasn't been written yet." Roy held the book out towards Winry and Al to see. While he held it a slip of paper fell out from in between the pages. Al picked it up.
"Dear Ed,
By now, hopefully, you have returned to your own time and world. Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm glad you're gone.
Thank you for your help, no doubt that we needed it. And thank your friends and brother as well.
Hopefully everyone on your side is alright, and maybe we will meet again somehow, but under better circumstances.
Thanks Again,
Squall
P.s. Take your own advice, Go for it!
"Who is Squall?" Winry asked.
"I don't know, his name is written several times in the book," Al replied, "Huh?!" Al held the note in his hand but it began to disappear along with the book that Roy was still holding.
The three looked around the room as it seemed to liquefy before them. Winry stepped closer to Al bringing him closer to her. Roy watched as the three fell out of their 'bubble'.
"Colonel, what is this?" Al yelled.
"I don't know!" Roy replied. His thoughts began to race. "Riza," he called under his breath. Then he suddenly disappeared.
"Oh no, what happened to him!" Winry exclaimed as she and Al continued to fall.
"Remember where to go everybody. You don't want to get lost!" Selphie called.
Winry and Al turned to see another group of people falling through this nightmare. There were seven of them, all going the same way.
"Yeah, to Edea's house." Squall said.
"I don't know how!" Ed called.
"Ed?"
"Brother?"
"Follow me Ed!" Zell yelled.
"Ed!" Al yelled.
Ed turned seeing Al and Winry. His face brightened uncontrollably. It seemed so long since he had seen them.
"Ed, who are they?" Quistis asked.
"That's my brother and Winry," Ed turned back to Winry and Al, "Follow us!"
The now group of nine fell through the empty space into another 'bubble of time'. They returned to the area outside of Edea's house which looked worse than what it had before. This didn't affect Ed though. As soon as his feet hit the ground he ran towards Winry and Al. Tears began to fill his eyes, seeing them again. He and Winry embraced rightly then he looked at Al. He had the same face from before, a good bit older, but it was his brother. They embraced, something both had waited a long time for.
"How did you guys get here?" Ed asked with tears still in his eyes.
"We don't know. We were standing in General Mustang's office and the room almost liquefied," Al replied.
"General huh? Figures." Ed commented with a snicker.
"What's so funny FullMetal?" Ed turned to see Roy and Riza. Everyone was here. Ed smiled at seeing the two.
"That you got a promotion,"
"Who are you?" Squall asked as another form appeared between the two groups.
"I'd like to ask you the same question, but one thing is more important," the man began to frantically search his pockets for something. "It has to be in here somewhere, I know I didn't lose it, where is it! Damn, I know I have it, I never leave home without it." He reached into his pant pocket and pulled something out. "Here it is! I know I haven't shown you yet, look at this girl, isn't she just the most precious thing you have ever seen!"
Squall stepped back slightly after the guy put the picture right into his face.
Roy's eyes widened and turned to where he had heard the voice. "M..Maes."
The man turned and recognized the face looking at him. He stood up straight and regained his cool composure and put a smirk on his face. "You remember me, I'm flattered."
Roy walked up to him as Maes put his hand out to shake Roy's. Roy shook his hand then pulled him and hugged him. Maes laughed lightly. "Hey, hey, now, no one would believe you are a General if you act like that."
"How do you know I'm a General now?"
"I told you I would push you to the top, even if I wasn't there."
Roy smiled again, "Yes you did."
Squall and Zell walked over to Ed and the others. Al looked at Squall and studied his face deeply.
"You're Squall aren't you."
"Who are you?"
"This is my brother, Al. But how did you know his name was Squall?"
"I found something in one of your notebooks, but is disappeared right after I read it."
The group was confused, but was brought back to focus.
"Hey, uh… guys, we kind of have to go," Zell stated.
"Right," Ed replied, "Col… I mean General, Al we could really use your help."
"Hey, I'm not here to look pretty either," Hughes said.
"Heh, you too Lt. Col."
"With what?" Al asked.
"We're about to kick a sorceress' ass!" Zell said rather loudly.
Al's and the other four's eyes grew wide at Zell's rather enthusiastic attitude.
"Does this guy come with a volume control?" Maes asked.
"Hey…!" Zell exclaimed holding his fist up.
"Heh, don't mind him, he's a little loud. But yeah, we were on our way to fight Ultimecia. She's the one who started all of this."
"You have my help," Roy said extending his hand to Squall. Squall shook Roy's hand and nodded in approval.
"As much as I would love to, I can't do anything here." Maes commented, everyone turned to him again, "I've died already, I thought this would be a prime time to check on everyone, but I can't spread my influence anymore. Hey Ed, you're going to look after my little girl aren't you?"
"You bet. I'm sorry you can't join us, this would be right up your alley."
"Yeah, but you guys know what you're doing so I'll leave it up to you." Maes turned to leave, "And Roy, don't make me regret making you General or I'll come back and take it away." he said finishing with his signature salute behind him.
"Good-bye old friend," Roy said sadly.
"Let's do this!" Zell said.
Ed and Roy turned to Winry and Riza. The two smiled but had tears coming up.
"You two need to leave. It's too dangerous." Ed said.
"We know," Riza replied. She walked to Roy and placed her hand on his cheek, "I love you. You better come back to us."
"Yes, ma'am," he said smiling.
Ed looked at Winry and slowly walked to her. She looked at him, with an emotion she had never felt for him until now.
"You better come back. Cause I gotta wrench with your name on it if you don't," she said.
Ed smiled softly, "I'm sure my names on it either way," he said raising his arm.
Winry laughed softly, "You just have no luck with that arm do you?"
"I guess not. I will be back, I promise."
Squall watched this discourse but was forced to break it up.
"Ed, we don't have much time."
"Alright."
Riza kissed Roy and turned to face Winry. Ed hugged Winry tightly then let her go. The five boys started to walk away. Then Ed looked back.
"Just concentrate on Granny Pinako. You'll find your way that way. We'll be back soon."
"You better," Winry replied.
Slowly Winry and Riza phased out then weren't there at all. Roy and Ed rejoined the others. They all walked to the shore just beyond Edea's house. There were bodies covering the ground. Squall and Quistis checked on them. They were all dead.
"SeeD of the future." Squall observed.
"SeeD?" Roy questioned.
"Kind of like we alchemists are to the military," Ed replied.
Beyond where they found the fallen SeeD they found large links of chain. The chain linked massively to a chunk of land in the sky. On the land stood a castle unlike what any of them had ever seen, even more massive than the cathedral in Galbadia.
The group looked at each other, uneasy with how to continue. Squall turned to Ed, Al, and Roy.
"This isn't your fight."
"The fact that we are here, makes it out fight. This problem, whatever it is, is affecting out time too." Roy replied. Al nodded in agreement.
Ed smiled and looked to Squall, "We're here to fight. And that's what we're going to do."
"Good. Alright, it's now or never. We might as well get it over with," Squall stated. He walked towards Rinoa who looked at him caringly. He took her hand and squeezed it, then ran up the chain followed by the rest of them.
End Chapter 9
