I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 8 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(
Chapter Nine
Parade Problems
"Something happened, didn't it?"
Lurena's words caught Lucia the moment she followed Squall into the room. Lucia flushed as all eyes turned to her. Damn her sister and her special sense when Lucia was in panic. She refused to look at anyone as Squall glanced at her, interested in her reply.
It seemed that the twins understood what was being talked about as well. "Him again, was it?" Rayna asked.
"Yeah," Lucia sighed it, no longer trying to hide it now.
"A second time?!" Keiran's voice ripped through the room as he jumped from the seat he had been in. "What the hell does that freak want?"
"Third time," Lucia sighed as Squall corrected the other man. "He was in Timber as well." Keiran and Rayna shared a shocked look as they glanced at Lucia. She had turned her face away, growing red.
"Who are you talking about?" Zell asked, glancing between them.
"It seems that Lucia has caught someone's attention," Squall began.
"What do you mean?" Quistis took a step from the window.
"Just a stalker trying to convince me to go with him," Lucia waved it away. "Nothing to be worried about. He won't bother me for too much longer."
"You sure about that?" Alena's voice made the teen glance at her but before she could answer her, Caraway joined them again.
"It's time to form the…" He froze at the sight of the two new women for a moment before turning back to his words. "It's time to form the teams."
Lucia frowned as she glanced between the General before them at then at the twins. They looked…similar.
Lurena put it together faster than her sister did and a frown spread across her face. She knew the story behind the twins' past and it wasn't hard to figure out who this man was. She didn't like it but at the same time she knew that causing problems with what she would say to their father would be a bad idea and so she kept her mouth shut.
"The Snipers and the leader of this operation will for the sniper team," He paused for a moment, counting the members. "The leader's role is vital. If the plan fails for some reason…or should the sniper's miss…the leader must carry out a d2irect assault against the sorceress. The plan was devised carefully, because2 we intend this to be a covert operation. But our ultimate goal is to eliminate the sorceress, and we must achieve this at all cost. Even if they uncover our identities."
"We know what we have to do, old man." Keiran crossed his arms. "Just get on with it."
Caraway glared at his son before turning away. "So, who's going to lead the operation?"
"There are two separate snipers, so there should be two different leaders that can work together on separate sides of the city," Quistis told him.
"Squall and Lurena," Selphie smiled. "Squall can go with Irvine, and Lurena with Alena."
"Works for me," Zell crossed his arms behind his head.
Lurena frowned for a moment before turning her head. Squall shrugged, not seeming to care.
"Fine." Caraway nodded. "I'll leave the rest up to you two."
"Irvine, myself, and Lucia will make up the first sniper team," Squall announced. The teen looked at him in surprise, thinking that she would end up being sent with her sister; apparently not. "Lurena, Alena, and Keiran will make the second one."
"Done." Keiran grinned, giving his teacher a thumbs-up.
"Rayna," Squall looked to the twin. "The rest of you will be the gateway team."
"Sure." She nodded.
"Whoo-hoo!" Selphie grinned.
"Roger." Quistis stood from her seat.
"Let's DO IT!" Zell shouted.
"Quistis, I can trust you to take care of the students, can't I?" Lurena asked her friend as she stood up.
"Leave it to me." The blonde smiled.
"Now, let's begin."
"No time to wait now, Quistis," Rayna smiled, pushing the other woman out of the door after the others. "Let's go!"
"Lucia and I'll make the first charge when we make the full-on attack." Squall was saying. "I'll try to buy some time."
"That won't be necessary…" Irvine replied. "I'll get the job done."
"And if he doesn't, I will." Alena told him.
"It doesn't matter," Keiran snorted at them both. "Just kill the witch so we can go back home."
Irvine smirked. "So like…is it true that SeeDs aren't supposed to question their mission?"
"What do you care?" Squall asked him.
Irvine ignored him. "So like…if you knew that your enemies were pure evil, you'd get more fired up to fight them, right?"
"Pure evil?" Lucia glanced at the man.
"Just shut up, Irvine." Alena told her partner, a hand on her hip as the paused at the gateway. "Now's not the time. We need to concentrate."
"She's right." Caraway agreed. "The Gateway Team will wait inside the gate until 20:00. You can enter through this door. The sorceress will pass through the gateway at exactly 20:00. In that instant, lower the gates using the control console located on the top floor and trap her inside the gateway."
"Not a problem." Zell grinned.
"Be careful," Rayna told her brother.
"Don't worry; I'm always careful." He grinned as the rest of them moved away.
"LIAR!" His sister's voice followed them as he chuckled.
"Now, what do we do?" Lucia asked them.
"You three will wait here," Caraway told her. "You other three will do the same on the other side of the crowd."
"Question," Alena placed a hand on her hip. "What's the point of this parade, anyway?"
Caraway answered her. "She wants to establish her place in Galbadia Garden, since she has chosen it to serve as her base."
"So, that's why you don't want her here," Keiran crossed his arms as the music began to play. "You still don't like not being in control, do you?"
"It's starting." His father frowned. "I'm returning to my residence. Good Luck."
Alena watched as the man walked away before glancing back at the others. "If it's starting, let's go ahead and split up. Get this over with, you know?"
"Yep, no problem there." Keiran turned and began to lead the way.
"Be careful," Lurena told her sister before they turned and followed the man.
"You too." Lucia nodded, watching them go. "Don't worry," She told herself. "Everything will be fine."
The trio stayed silent, just keeping to themselves as the parade continued to wait for the Sorceress.
"Here she comes." Irvine voiced.
Lucia lifted her head in time to see the sorceress approach the pedestal.
The woman had long, black hair pulled back with yellow eyes. Dressed in a purple, skin-tight dress with a plunging neckline and feathers around the collar with a headpiece covered with jewels as she wore a metallic half-circle frame on her back with two long strips of material hanging down each side.
But that's not all that she saw.
"What in the hell is that stupid moron doing up there?" She growled at the sight of Rinoa standing behind their enemy.
"Rinoa…" Squall shook his head in disappointment.
"Lowlifes." The words of the Sorceress were cold. "Shameless filthy wretches. How you celebrate my ascension with such joy. Hailing the very one whom you have condemned for generations. Have you no shame? What happened to the evil, ruthless sorceress from your fantasies? The cold-blooded tyrant that slaughtered countless men and destroyed many nations? Where is she now? She stands before your very eyes to become your new ruler." She tossed her head back and began to laugh.
"Why are these guys still cheering?" Lucia asked. "Her words aren't…"
"A new era has just begun." Lucia watched as the President turned to say something and then jumped as the sorceress killed him. "This is reality. No one can help you. Sit back and enjoy the show. Rest assured, you fools. Your time will come. This is only the beginning. Let us start a new reign of terror. I will let you live a fantasy beyond your imagination." She turned and led the way from the stage. Rinoa followed her, like some kind of puppet for a few feet before two monsters jumped out of the crowd to attack her.
"Hey, hey, hey, she's in trouble big-time!" Irvine cried. "We've gotta go help Rinoa."
"Can't." Squall shook his head. "The gates aren't open yet."
"They're about to be." Lucia told him. The dancers began, leading the way forward as the large gates pulled open, revealing a car to follow them with the Sorceress on top of it.
And someone else that neither Squall nor Lucia had been expecting to see.
"Seifer!?" The young teen cried out at the sight of the blond man. Oh boy, was her sister going to be pissed or what?
"Now's our chance!" Irvine told Squall. Alena can take care of the Sorceress. We have to save Rinoa.
"Yeah, I'll save her," Lucia growled, moving through the crowd. "I'll save her and then beat the crap out of her myself for being such a damn idiot!" Keiran was on the other side of the platform so he wasn't able to see who it was standing there. He was too far away…or was he?
Squall seemed to agree, or maybe not, but he took off after her, Irvine following as she quickly found a way to climb up to the platform and rush out to Rinoa to save her.
"I don't believe it. It's Seifer!"
Keiran's voice grabbed Lurena's attention and she turned from the talk she was holding with Alena. Her heart jumped. She watched, ignoring the dancers and the fireworks as Seifer waved out to the crowd, that smug look on his face.
"C'mon," Alena told them. "Let's get into our position."
"Agreed," Kieran nodded, moving after her.
Lurena stared after the cart for a moment, thinking about what Seifer had told her not long ago. Would Lucia truly…would she still be safe? Was that idea going to be the right to choose?
It was making her head hurt.
"You stupid moron!"
Lucia's voice echoed around the room as her blade sliced through the head of one of the monsters. Squall's Gunblade did the same to the other as Irvine ran to the woman on her knees.
"I was scared…" Rinoa shuddered.
"Shut up!" Lucia aimed a kick in Rinoa's butt-hard. "You're a fucking moron for coming out here. You just cause more problems than we need!"
(I'm sorry, I just hate this stupid idiot. I don't know who I hate more, Aerith or Rinoa. And if you've read my FF7 stories, then you know just how much I hated Aerith, lol)
"Don't hit me!" Rinoa growled, jumping to her feet and from Irvine's arms. Squall just crossed his arms, watching for a moment. "Why do you hate me?"
"Why? We're only in this because of you and…" Lucia paused for a moment and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Now is not the time for this. If you want me to tell you, we'll do it after this is over to where I can yell at you all I want." She turned back to Squall. "Let's just get this over with." She then glanced at the woman behind her. "If you're going to be that scared, then just stick close to us. I'll make sure that you don't die; I just can't promise no wounds."
Squall had to fight to keep back his smile and silent chuckles as he turned from the trio behind him. Rinoa seriously pissed Lucia off, it seems. He just wondered why, now. He had never seen this silent, sweet girl that he sat beside for years now act this way. It was…something new. Something that he…apparently, foud himself interested in.
But why was that?
"So, what now?" Irvine asked.
"What else?" Squall glanced at him as he led the path. "We hurry back to our position and take care of our job." Squall then paused in the hallway for a moment, taking a good look at the trap door hidden in the floor. It led the way to the clock tower that they needed. Irvine's sniper rifle was waiting for them. Squall picked it up and turned to the other man.
"Irvine Kinneas, it's in your and Alena's hands now."
Irvine nodded in silence and then moved over to the other side to have a few moments to get ready. Lucia was sure that Alena was doing the same thing.
"So, it seems that Seifer is still alive," Squall turned to Lucia's voice. She had taken a seat on one of the pedestals. "And he's on the Sorceress' side, it seems. I wonder what happened."
"Seifer's alive?" Rinoa thought over her other words. "What does it mean?"
"Who knows?" Squall shrugged, taking a seat near Lucia. ~If I were to face the sorceress directly…would I have to go through Seifer? Or would Lurena want…~ He glanced at Lucia. "We may end up killing Seifer."
"Maybe…" Lucia was nibbling her bottom lip. Squall knew that she was thinking about her sister as well now. "But maybe we can…I can talk him out of it."
"Maybe…" Squall paused again. Should he tell Lucia that he had seen Lurena talking to Seifer before the parade started? Would it matter? Would it change anything? "It's all up to Irvine and Alena." Squall told her. "We'll worry about it afterwards." He looked at the other man and raised a brow at his shaking. "Don't tell me you're getting the jitters."
"I…I can't do it." Irvine told him.
Squall slapped a hand to his face and shook his head as Lucia pulled a surprised face. "What do you mean?!" She demanded.
"All right, it's almost time." Rayna tapped her foot, getting ready for the Sorceress' cart to pass by them. "Not too much longer, now. You guys ready for this? After we open the path, we gotta hurry and get to Squall and the others, just in case Irvine and Alena miss their shot."
"Yeah, I know, but we gotta have faith in the two of them!" Selphie told her.
"And don't forget that Keiran and Lurena are there to help Squall as well. The three of them should be able to handle it." Quistis assured her.
"Hey, Lucia's not that bad of a fighter. Especially when she's pissed! She'll have no problems either." Zell reminded them.
"True," Rayna gave a small chuckle. She turned to look out of the window and pointed at Selphie as the clock struck 20. "Go."
"Roger!" The other woman smiled, running to the switch.
"Alena is the one that can do it," Irvine sighed. "Not me. She'll have to do it. I-I can't. I always choke like this. I try to act all cool, joke around, but I just can't handle the pressure. Alena is really the best, not me."
Lucia grabbed the man and shook him by his jacket. "Grow a pair, dude! Be a man! We came this far already!"
Squall looked at her in surprise. Perhaps she was still upset over what had happened with Lucas and she was taking it out on the others. Either way, he was still shocked.
The jerking of the platform told them that the time had come and into the night they rose. Lucia looked at Irvine as the gate slammed closed on the cart, locking the Sorceress and Seifer inside.
"Am I going to have to do this?"
Irvine stared at her for a moment. Her words took her back into the memory when he first went up against Alena in a shooting matching at the school.
"Are you going to be a baby and let a woman kill the target? Or are you going to be a man and do it yourself?"
Irvine straightened the hat on his head and pulled a firm face. "I've always promised myself that I would never let a woman take the shot a second time," He turned to face the target and readied his gun, taking a deep breath as he heard his heart pounding in his head.
Edea glared into the crowd as the gunshot went off. Raising her hand, she lifted a barrier and blocked the bullet from hitting her. A second one went off from behind though, catching her off guard. She whipped around to block it as good as she could, but smiled with another 'ting' went off. Her grin deepened.
"I wondered when you were going to show up, Lucas."
The large man turned and gave the Sorceress behind him a grin. "You know that I'm never far, dearest."
"Did you get the girl?"
He then frowned. "No. You always have the timing to call me to you when I am about to win. You know that I come whenever you call, no matter what I am doing." He glanced at the cage they now stood in. "What would you like me to do now?"
"Just wait." She sat back down in her chair with a smile as Seifer gave a smirk. "Our 'friends' will be here soon, I'm sure."
"Here they come." Seifer grinned. Lucas glanced around. From either side of the 'cage', a set of people could be seen, moving towards them. He grinned.
"It seems our Little Flower is coming in for an attack, dearest."
Edea gave a larger, more sinister grin this time. "Good. It'll make things so much easier."
"A car, Squall?"
Lucia couldn't help but give a grin as she slid into the seat beside him. Irvine and Rinoa were left behind. Squall had told her to stay back as well, but there was no way in hell that she was going to let him go off on his own; though she was sure that Keiran and Lurena were on their way as well.
"Faster," Squall told her. "Now hang on." He zoomed them towards the gate, knocking people out of the way before slamming into the bars to stop. Both of them hoped out and hurried around the car for a good look at the trio that stood there, waiting on them.
"You!" Lucia's voice gave out a squeak at the sight of the man standing to the right of the Sorceress. Squall placed himself in front of her, glaring at the trio with his Gunblade at the ready.
Lucas gave a smile. "As I said before, Little Flower, it is fate."
"That means that you…" She looked at the woman. "You're Ultimecia, aren't you!" She then turned to Seifer. "And what the hell are you doing on their side!?"
Seifer closed his eyes for a moment before turning his gaze to Squall. "Well, this is how it turned out."
"So, both of you are the sorceress' lap dogs."
"I believe that both of us prefer to be called her knights." Seifer grinned. "This has always been my dream."
"Yeah, and what about my sister, you bastard!" Lucia growled at him, taking a step around Squall. "When I get my hands on you, I'm gonna-"
"I'm afraid that it's me you're going to have to worry about, like always, My Little Flower." Lucas grinned at her.
"Not this time, you bastard!" Lucas jumped back just in time to dodge Keiran as he brought his lance down in a fierce blow, placing a huge dent when the other man once stood. "It's me you're gonna have to deal with this time!"
"Lucia, you all right?"
The teen turned to watch as her sister joined them. "Yeah. Lurena, I-"
"Ahh, there you are," Seifer smiled at the older woman. "Have you made up your mind?'
"Made up your mind?" Squall repeated him, glancing at the teacher.
"Seifer…" Lurena hung her head.
Lucas gave another of his smiles. "I believe your woman has refused to join you, Seifer." He turned his eyes back to Lucia. "Don't worry. I'll get our prize either way."
"I am not just something to be won, you bastard!" Lucia growled, ripping her sword out of her bracelet.
"No," Squall held his arm out in front of her. She glared at him. "Lurena, Keiran, take care of him until we take down Seifer and join you."
Keiran gave a grin. "You got it! Let's go, teach!" Lurena gave Seifer another glance before turning to help her student.
"I won't lose," Seifer told them.
"That's what you always say." Lucia growled, running forward.
Seifer had always been a badass with his blade, but Lucia was not in the mood to lose tonight. With every knick or cut that she received from attacks it just made her more fierce. And her and Squall; their blade work was in sync much like it had been in the training grounds at the Garden.
"Ugh!" Seifer fell to his knees as Squall whacked the side of his head with the flat of his blade. He was sent flying onto his back before pushing himself up into a sitting position.
"You're losing it, Seifer." Squall told him.
"…A SeeD." Edea commented. "…Planted in a run-down Garden."
"They're all SeeDs," Lucas' fight with Keiran and Lurena had come to a halt as well. This time it seemed that the SeeDs were the ones without breath this time.
Her eyes landed on Lucia. "Not for much longer."
Lucas gave a grin and turned back to the four before them. "Not much longer at all."
Edea had now decided to join Lucas in the fight against the four before them. Her Thundaga was fierce but they were able to make it out of the way.
"We have to come up with a plan!" Lucia told Keiran as she landed next to him.
"I know that!" He growled. He then shook his head. "Where's Rayna when you need her!"
"I don't know where sister is, but you've got me to rely on, brother!" Keiran turned in time to see Irvine and Rinoa run up, their weapons ready.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
"I can fight if I'm with you, Keiran! Just let me!"
"It matters not," Lucas placed himself in front of them. "You will not keep me from my prize." He went to run forward but was caught off guard by a bullet grazing his face. A look of shock passed over him before being replaced by anger as his gaze turned to their new companion.
Alena's gun was still smoking as she reloaded it. "You should keep your mind open and aware of your surroundings instead of running your mouth."
Lucas wiped his face and took one look at the blood on his hand before his anger skyrocketed. He shot out at Alena, just to get caught off-guard but Lurena and Keiran blocking his path together and sending him backwards.
Squall and Lucia having their own problems at the moment. They couldn't get past Edea's shield. None of their attacks ever reached her! How in the hell were they supposed to get past that?!"
"Impudent SeeDs!" The Sorceress cried out at them all. Just then, a bright blue light shot out, winding around her as she got ready to use another spell. This time it was an ice spear. Several of them, actually. Rinoa dodged out of the way of them, landing on her stomach, but Lucia didn't have the time as her attention was caught by Lucas landing a blow on her sister. Squall knew where the spear was headed though, and his body seemed to more with a mind all on its own. He knocked Lucia out of the way, taking the spear into his own chest instead.
The teen turned and watched as Squall stumbled backwards. Everyone froze and watched as he stood there for a moment before tipping over backwards and fall off of the cart.
"No! Squall!"
Squall felt his eyes slipping close as he fell towards the ground. The last thing he saw was Lucia following him over the side.
We have finally reached disc two, guys. Whoo-hoo!
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