Chapter Ten

(A/N: Cue cheesy voice): Last time on 'The Key'.

"So Quisty's another sorceress?"

Edea smiled. "No, Quistis is something entirely more special."

--

"What?" Quistis urged.

"Maybe we should wait for Squall and Rinoa to return before I tell you," Edea said thoughtfully. "That way I don't have to tell it twice."

Both Quistis's mouths gaped open, and they spoke together. "Matron! You can't just stop there!"

Future-Quistis gestured around with her arms. "You can't just tell us we're something and not tell us what!"

"It's totally unfair!" Quistis agreed, folding her arms and adopting a petulant expression.

Everyone smirked at the identical expressions on their faces. Edea smiled gently. "Quistis, I'm sorry but you'll have to wait. Both of you," she added.

"But Matron…" It was Selphie's voice this time that was the whiny one.

"No, Selphie, dear. And if it's alright with everyone, I think I'll go rest for a while."

"It's fine," Seifer replied. "Rest for however long you need to."

"If you could wake me once Squall and Rinoa return?"

"Of course."

To no-one's surprise, future-Quistis made herself scares – Selphie thought she might be a little ashamed of herself after almost decapitating her, so went after her. She found her at the helm of Garden; not driving, since they were staying in Balamb for the time being, but just standing looking out over the ocean. The rest of the bridge was empty.

"Hey, Quisty. Whatcha doin'?" Selphie asked.

"Nothing much," she answered hoarsely.

When the younger girl moved to her side, she saw tear after tear rolling down her friend's cheek. "Quisty, what's the matter?!"

Quistis shook her head and wiped her tears away. "Nothing. I'm just…"

"You're just what?"

The blonde woman took a deep breath. "Seifer died today. This day, two years ago."

"So that's why you're upset?" Selphie asked, rubbing her back.

Quistis shook her head. "I'm crying because I forgot. It was only as I came up here that I remembered." She turned haunted blue eyes on her friend. "I forgot, Selphie. How could I ever forget?"

Selphie gave a sad smile. "It won't happen this time, Quisty. He's not going to die, I promise."

"How can you know that?" Quistis asked.

"I just do," Selphie answered proudly. Then she hesitated. "Why up here? What is it about up here?"

At this, more tears coursed down Quistis's face. She shook her head, unable to say it. Because I've always loved this view. Because Seifer knew that. Because this is where…

She turned back to see the distant shape of the Ragnorok coming from the south-east. "Selph, we should go wake Matron. The others are here."

At the door, she paused, one more defiant tear lingering on her cheek, refusing to be wiped away. She could see the bridge in her mind as it had been three years ago. Lit by soft candlelight everywhere, her favourite song playing softly in the background. She swallowed back a sob.

…Seifer asked me to marry him.

--

By the time Squall and Rinoa disembarked from the airship, they were tired, and hungry, and still no match for a Selphie hopping from foot to foot in excitement and anticipation. "You guys, hurry up, Matron has something really important to tell us about Quisty and she wouldn't say anything until you got back, and now you are back and you have to come up to the library because that's where Matron is an-"

"Selphie," Squall said heavily. "Shut up." He didn't mean to be rude, but he wasn't patient at the best of times, and after Laguna had caught them before they left the Esthar hanger, he couldn't deal with a hyperactive Selphie too.

Her face fell less than an inch, before she was off bouncing again. "Well ok if you wanna have something to eat or something first but can we-"

For the first time in his life Squall felt like crying.

Twenty long minutes later, they were all once more seated around the reading tables in the library. "Edea, the stage is yours," Seifer said, gesturing to her.

Edea stood with a gracious smile and nodded. She turned to the two Quistis's, sat side by side. They exchanged looks of mingled nervousness and excitement, wondering what she was going to say. It was almost like waiting to be told whether or not you have some kind of terrible disease, Quistis thought.

"You are a Maker."

"A Maker? What's that?"

"You have the ability to create Guardian Forces."

They all gaped. "What?! But…GFs aren't created, they're…they're…" Everything stopped then as they all tried to think of when exactly they'd learned how GFs came into being.

"You know…" Selphie started.

"I've never…" Irvine.

"Heard anyone say…" Rinoa.

"How they were created," Zell finished.

They all turned to look at the two Quistis's. "Well don't look at us!" future-Quistis said.

"We don't actually have any proof that's the case, Matron. The evidence is sketchy at best," her other self said.

Edea nodded. "Quistis, when you have GFs junctioned, do they speak to you? In your mind?"

"Of course."

"They do to everybody," Squall pointed out.

"How does Quetzalcoatl address you, Squall?"

He shrugged. "With my name."

"Yeah, same here with Alexander," Selphie agreed.

Edea nodded again, still smiling. "Quistis?"

Both women were wearing identical puzzled frowns. "Mistress," Quistis said.

"The same," future-Quistis echoed.

There was silence for a while whilst Edea smiled triumphantly. Seifer rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Ok, Matron, why don't you explain this whole thing to us properly."

"Quistis, you're the only Blue Mage currently in existence. In the manuscripts that I've found – it's kind of a hobby of mine – it says that all Blue Mages had the ability to take the magic of monsters."

"Right, which I can do, but I just use it against them afterward."

"Yes, but you also have it in you to store and reform that magic into something different. Something more permanent. A Guardian Force."

"How?"

"I don't know yet, but there are also reports of a Maker being able to create the ultimate weapon against evil by using the elements of evil."

"I thought Ultima Weapon was…well the ultimate weapon?"

"No. As a last resort, the Maker can combine all the powers of every Guardian Force – and bind them to herself."

"Wait," Quistis said. "What do you mean 'as a last resort'?"

"Well…" Edea hesitated, looking uncomfortable.

"Matron," Seifer said gently. "We have to know."

Edea took a deep breath. "It requires the sacrifice of the Maker's life. To form a new, invincible GF. And even then, the GF would only work once, dying afterward. But anyone with it junctioned would be unstoppable." Edea looked directly at the two identical women, unable to stop tears from forming in her honey-coloured eyes. "One of you would have to die. And even then there's only one person in the world who could junction with it, so we'd have to find them too."

Future-Quistis crossed to her and pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back. "Don't think about it, Matron. Like you said, it would be a last resort. We have no reason to use it."

Everyone else's gaze was fixed on the tender scene between the two. Sure, Quistis loved Edea as her mother, but rarely did she go so far as to hug her. It was another uncomfortable reminder that in the world she came from, Edea was all she had. No, Quistis reflected, now she doesn't even have her. A rush of fear swept over her, and she shivered visibly. Hyne I couldn't do that. She glanced at Seifer briefly. I may not be in love with you, Seifer, but don't die. Please don't leave me alone. I haven't fallen in love with you yet. Give me a chance to do that.

There was silence for a while as everyone watched the two women comfort each other. The Zell broke it. "You know…I think it might be a good idea if we make a list of all the GFs we know of – all of them, just in case."

"Zell, there are other ways we can-" Quistis started.

"I know, Quisty, but it's a good idea anyway. That way we can be prepared for the worst case scenario."

Jenai, also there, nodded at her boyfriend. "I'll go and get the relevant books." A few moments later she was back, not with a book, but with a portable plasma screen on which there was a list of data. "Now, the names on the left are the ones we have here at Garden or are carried by SeeDs," she said, "but the ones that are on the right we do not have, or cannot junction."

Quetzalcoatl Pandemona

Shiva Cerberus

Ifrit Doomtrain

Siren Jumbo Cactuar

The Brothers Eden

Diablos Odin

Carbuncle Gilgamesh

Leviathan Phoenix

Alexander

Bahamut

Tonberry King

They all leaned over the desk and studied the list, before one of them spoke. "Um, I'm seeing a problem here."

"What?" Seifer asked.

Future-Quistis pointed at the right-hand list. He looked at the name her finger had landed next to. "Oh. Bugger." He looked up to see five glares being directed at him. "Yeah, like I had any choice in that!" he said hotly.

Quistis waved her hand dismissively. "Ok, so we cross Odin off that list. That still leaves seven GFs we haven't got. Added to which, there are GFs that won't allow themselves to be junctioned."

"Like Gilgamesh for example," Zell said.

"He will junction with Quistis," Edea said calmly.

The two Quistis' looked up. "Why? Why should he when no-one else-"

"It is in his best interests to," Edea replied. "You can take him apart atom by atom if you wished."

Everyone's eyes widened, and the two blonde women exchanged a startled glance. Eventually Quistis shook her head. "Well, at this present moment, it doesn't matter. What matters are those numbers. Squall, what was on the medallion you found in Esthar?"

Squall reached into his jacket and threw the metal coin onto the surface of the table. "Forty-three."

"So…Selphie mused. "We have forty-three, sixty-two, and eighty-eight." There was a pause. "Any ideas?"

Another silence. "Not a one," Irvine eventually sighed. All heads turned in one direction, and all voices uttered one name. "Quistis?"

Both of them looked up, startled. "Why should we know?"

Irvine shrugged in reply. "Well…you are the smartest one of all of us."

More silence. Somehow there was no arguing with that. Then future-Quistis shrugged. "Well we have no idea."

Jenai sighed and looked idly down at the numbers she'd scribbled down on the notepad. She'd doodled on the paper for all of ten seconds before she gave an exclamation of surprise. "Oh my Hyne! I've got it!"

Everyone's heads snapped to her. "What?" Seifer asked.

"I can't believe I didn't see it before!"

"What didn't you see?" Squall said.

"It's so obvious!"

Zell put a hand on her shoulder. "Baby, what is it?"

She looked up to him, her face shining with glee. "It's a reference number!"

"It is?"

"Yes, look!" She pointed to the page in front of her, her finger stabbing enthusiastically at the numbers. 43 62 88. "We have a similar system here in Garden! Hypothetically, if these did correspond to Garden, then the forty-three would be the section, the sixty-two the shelf number and the eighty-eight the book number on that shelf." She grinned. "It refers to a book, or a file, or something. But definitely a reference number."

Zell kissed her until everyone made noises of disgust. "Ok, so now, thanks to Jen-" she blushed furiously, "-we now know what the numbers are."

"But we don't know what they refer to," Seifer pointed out.

The two Quistis's spoke. "Well Esthar is a good guess." Future-Quistis carried on. "We know what the numbers are, yes, but it would appear that the person with the most information after us is Dr Odine. We need to consult him again."

Squall sighed. "So does that mean we have to go back to Esthar?" he said, barely suppressing the whiny tone.

They all tried hard not to laugh. "No, not if you really don't want to," Irvine chuckled. "Me and Selphie can go, can't we, sugar?"

Selphie nodded and clapped her hands together. "We get to see Sir Laguna!"

Future-Quistis spoke up. "I'll go with you if it's alright?"

Seifer opened his mouth to say something, but Squall beat him to it and nodded. "Yeah, Zell, you should go with them as well."

"Right.'

Quistis opened her mouth. "I also think that those not going to Esthar should begin researching where these remaining GFs are." She saw Edea about to protest, and held a hand up. "I'm not suggesting that either of us use them, but Zell is right, we have to consider it a worst case scenario."

"Plus the fact having the extra GFs would be good for Garden anyway. When E-Garden opens, the GFs will have to be divided over the four Gardens," added future-Quistis. "Trust me when I say that they won't go very far."

Everyone nodded, and Squall picked up where he'd left off. "Right, Jenai, we're going to need your help. Every book Garden has about those missing Guardian Forces we need to read. We have to find them."

"Agreed," Seifer said. "But Balamb isn't going to have all the information alone, is it? We need to go to G-Garden and Trabia to look as well."

"There is also another problem," Jenai said quietly. "A lot of the basic texts – like the ones focusing on GFs, are boxed up and in transit to Esthar."

"Already?" Squall asked.

She blushed. "Well yes, Commander, I mean the opening is only two weeks away. There's a lot of logistical obstacles to be overcome."

"Not that you'd know that, Leonhart," Seifer pointed out. "As you were too stubborn to admit that you needed help and now no-one apart from me knows what the hell's going on."

Quistis, Edea and Quistis all shot him warning looks, whereas Squall did not react at all. When you'd heard as many of Seifer's disparaging remarks as he had, they just tended to roll off. Ignoring the blonde man completely, Squall cleared his throat. "Right, so Irvine, Selphie, Zell, Quistis, you're all going to Esthar, agreed?" They all nodded. "Rinoa and I can go to Galbadia Garden and search through the library there, but we still need someone to go to Trabia."

"What am I, the invisible commander?" Seifer said. "Me and Trepe can go."

"You're needed on board Balamb," Squall stated. "You can't just go running around Gaia while-"

"Wasn't actually aware I needed your permission, Pubes. Besides, I'm a commander too, I can delegate."

Seeing the direction he was heading in, Quistis spoke up. "You won't have to delegate. Garden is mobile, remember? We can take it to Trabia."

Seifer shot her a withering look. "Thank you, Instructor."

Quistis kept calm. "You're perfectly welcome, Commander."

Edea caught her eye and smiled encouragingly. He needs you, Quisty. He might not say it, but he does.

"Right, so that's Leonhart and Rinoa to G-Garden, Cowboy, Selphie, Quistis and Chick- Zell to Esthar, and me and Trepe to Trabia," Seifer surmised.

"Yep."

"One thing though," he said. "Do we really need four people to go to Esthar? Seems like a lot." He looked over at future-Quistis. "Why don't you come to Trabia."

"I'd rather go to Esthar," she said quietly.

The deepening tension made everyone uneasy until Zell spoke up. "I'll stay here if you like. Then Quisty can go to Esthar."

"Thanks, Zell," she said, hiding behind her fringe.

"When do we reconvene?" Irvine asked.

"Here in three days," Squall answered.

Irvine nodded. "So are we done?"

"Yes."

They all began to break up, Zell and Jenai talking in low voices about where to look, Edea leaning over to speak to Quistis about something. Squall spoke to Irvine over the noise. "Take the Ragnorok to Esthar, we can go to T-Garden via Galbadia."

"Great," Selphie said, getting up. Irvine got up after her, tipping his hat, closely followed by future-Quistis, who waved to everyone.

Seifer frowned in thought for a moment, then went after them. "Quistis."

She turned. "Seifer?"

"I want to talk to you for a minute. In private."

She nodded, swallowing. "Alright. Go on ahead, guys, I'll catch up with you," she said to Irvine and Selphie. They shrugged and moved off. She turned back to Seifer. "So what did you want?"

"Not here. Come up to the office."

She sighed, but followed him through Garden until they got to the Commanders Office. Seifer ushered her inside and shut the door. She frowned a little. "What on Gaia is the matter with you?"

Seifer crossed his arms. "Is there any particular reason you don't want to be in the same building as me, let alone the same room?" he demanded.

Quistis echoed his body language, meeting the stubbornness with her own. "I don't know what you're talking about, Seifer."

He stood in her way while she tried to leave. "Bull. What the hell have I done to piss you off?" he demanded. She remained sullenly silent, tapping her fingers on her upper arms. Seifer lost patience. "Damn it, Quistis, you told me you were married, now suddenly you don't care?!"

"We were married!" she snapped finally. "Were being the operative word, Seifer!" Her face was flushed and her eyes glittering dangerously. She narrowed her eyes at him. "You want to know why I can't be around you?"

He opened his mouth, seeing where she was going with this and how much of an idiot he'd been not to see it before now. "Quistis, I-"

"You're dead!" she hissed over him. "You've been dead for two years today!" She turned away for a moment, her voice now shaking with suppressed emotion. "I grieve for you every day," she said quietly. "Every day."

I'm an ass. "Look, I understand where you're coming from, and I'm-"

"Understand?" she exclaimed. "Ha! How in the world can you possibly understand?" She spun around. "I mean, suddenly I come back and you're alive! You're just…there, being alive!" she said, her voice rising and her hands gesturing. "Do you know how hard it is knowing you exist and not beings able to touch you? Damn it, I miss you with every single second, so don't fucking stand there and accuse me of not caring or hating you!" Her anger snapped suddenly, and though none of the emotion drained from her voice, its volume was lowered. "I stay away from you to protect myself. Never think it's because…I don't love you."

Without another word, she walked quickly from the office, wiping her tears away as she ran to the hanger. By the time she arrived on board, she was as composed as she normally was, if a little pale. "Everything ok?" Selphie asked cheerfully.

"Yes. Shall we go?"

A few moments later, the Ragnorok took off smoothly, heading east, and back the way it had come only a few hours before. "You know…" Irvine remarked thoughtfully, dropping his hat over his eyes, "we really should get video-conferencing. Save all this travelling."

Quistis smiled. "Not for another eighteen months yet."

--

A/N: Sorry for the looooooooong wait. But HALT! A warning: I WILL hunt you down if u don't review. Somehow. Eventually. You know, I probably won't, as I'm a lazy arse. But if you were nice then u'd review anyway. J