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Chapter 11: Lost
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Cid Kramer studied the impassive expression on Squall's face. After a few moments to allow the young man's words to set in he took a breath.
"Are you sure this is what you want, Squall?" the older man removed his glasses and cleaned them on his shirt.
Squall placed a hand on his hip and nodded, "Yes, sir. This is what I want." his tone was flat and devoid of any emotion.
Cid lowered his head to look at the paperwork on his desk, the resignation papers being at the top of the pile, "Well...I can see that she means a lot to you."
"..."
Cid smirked then let a small laugh escape, "But you still have a problem expressing your emotions."
Squall arched an eyebrow, "Not with her I don't."
Cid nodded slowly as he rose up from his chair and then walked from behind his desk and stood in front of Squall. Their eyes met both of them searching the other for understanding. Squall had never been one to back down from anything. Now here before him, was the man that had practically raised him ever since he was small child. Cid was the closest thing he had to a father. He wanted to tell the man everything that had gone on recently. His dreams, the relationship he now shared with Rinoa. Regretfully, he knew that there would be no point to it. He figured that Cid had already known more then he was letting on. He saw Cid stick his hand out in a gesture, Squall took a breath then grasped the hand with his own. They didn't need to say anything else. Cid knew that Squall would still lead the fight against the sorceress, just no longer as the SeeD commander.
Squall nodded slightly and left the room. Leaving SeeD and Garden behind him. As he gathered his belongings from his dorm he could hear the hushed whispers from the hall. The news had traveled fast. He walked the halls towards the front gate, where Rinoa would be waiting for him. He tried to avoid the eyes that followed him as he went, their expressions ranging from sad and angry to totally shocked. He ignored them, not letting the hurt that he was feeling shine through.
His pain faded as he cleared the front gate and saw Rinoa leaning against the Ragnarok's entrance ramp.
Rinoa jogged over to him and threw her arms around his neck, "Are you ok?" she whispered.
He wrapped an arm around her waist and nodded.
She knew that his decision to leave SeeD had hurt him very deeply.
"I'm sorry, Squall. I never wanted to hurt you." she said quietly with her head pressed against his shoulder.
Squall chuckled, "Don't worry about it, Rinny. This is what I wanted."
She hugged him tighter, "I just want to be with you, Squall."
He laughed again, "I know. I want to be with you. It would make things very difficult for the SeeD commander being the sorceress's knight."
Rinoa giggled, "Yes, that would make things rather strange."
Squall slipped away from her embrace but kept his arm around her waist as he slowly led them up the ramp and into the Ragnarok.
*****
"So...where are they now?" Seifer asked as he sat on a chair with his legs resting on the table.
"They...are getting closer, my knight." the husky feminine voice replied from behind him.
Seifer smirked and turned his head to look at his sorceress. She stood there standing against the wall, the moonlight from the window reflecting in her golden eyes. Her black hair streaked with silver flowed elegantly onto her shoulders. His smirk grew into a grin as he followed the length of her hair to the extremely revealing red skin tight dress that she chose to wear for that day.
"My, you are a delicious sight, my sorceress."
Ultimecia grinned, "Why thank you, my knight. I take it my attire pleases you?"
Seifer nodded, his eyes roaming over her voluptuous body.
"Of course, it would be much nicer if you were...I don't know...naked?"
Ultimecia smiled and slowly walked towards him.
"We can play later, my dear Seifer. I will show you pleasures that have yet to be revealed to any mortal man."
Seifer gulped nervously, "I'm not known for my patience, my sorceress."
"This I know, Seifer. However you must keep your hormones in check for now."
Seifer frowned, "Very well."
Ultimecia ran her slender hand across Seifer's broad shoulder and quietly took the seat next to him.
"You have the item?"
Seifer nodded, "Yeah. Got it right here."
The blonde knight took a small orb from his coat pocket and placed it on the table. The orb shimmered and crackled with energy.
Seifer cleared his throat, "So what's this doo-hickey supposed to do anyway?"
Ultimecia grinned, "Well, my knight. You and I know about the time loop. Slowly but surely, Squall Leonhart is figuring it all out as well. If he does, he will ruin everything...again. This particular item will make sure that Rinoa's knight never knows the truth. In a way it will kill him, in another way it will give him eternal life."
Seifer gave her a confused look, "Anyone ever tell you that your explanations never explain anything?"
The witch laughed, "Yes my dear. I guess I could tell you. This item is called the 'Defluo'. It is an ancient word from a now extinct civilization meaning lost. This artifact will capture the physical and spiritual essence of Squall Leonhart and trap him in time. Forever."
Seifer grimaced, "Sounds pretty harsh." he paused, "I like it."
Ultimecia nodded, "Good. Then take it and head out with your men. Our young friends should be gathering together at Winhill as we speak."
Seifer stood up and placed the artifact in his pocket, "You want them left alive right?"
Ultimecia pursed her lips, "For now, I want them to see Squall Leonhart fade away into nothingness. Make sure you record it for my viewing pleasure later."
Seifer smiled. "Yeah, that should be fun to watch. Have the popcorn ready."
****
"So, let me get this straight." Quistis paused as she sat down cross-legged on the grass, "We are going to take the Ragnarok, use it to plow straight through Lunatic Pandora, which by the way, how the hell did that get raised again?"
"President Kiros said that Dr. Odine is responsible for that." Squall stated.
Quistis nodded, "Right, Odine. Okay, so we go in there with guns blazing, take out Adel's pod. Make sure that she doesn't rise up again. Then get the hell out of there?"
Selphie crouched down beside Squall, "Sounds easy enough. As long as I'm the one that gets to fire the guns I'm okay with this plan."
Zell snorted, "Right. You at the controls of 4 200-caliber auto-cannons. I feel sorry for anyone, or anything that gets in your way."
Irvine grinned, "Yeah, I'm just glad that she won't be aiming those things at us."
Squall smirked, "Okay then. It's settled. Zell you will pilot and Selphie will handle the guns. Irvine, Quistis, Rinoa and myself will take the lead. Zell, you and Selphie will follow behind us."
The others nodded in agreement.
"Okay, lets get on-" Squall's order was cut off as machine gun fire plowed into the ground in front of them. Sending the young SeeD's running for cover.
"What the hell?!" Zell screamed over the loud gunfire.
Rinoa looked up into the sky, an immediately saw 2 gun ships coming towards them.
"Squall! They're coming from the east!" Rinoa screamed and pointed towards the gun ships.
Squall turned to face the gun ships, quickly analyzing the situation he grabbed Rinoa's hand and dashed for the cover of the Ragnarok, clumps of dirt and grass being lifted into the air as round after round of gun fire pounded into the ground behind them.
Watching Squall and Rinoa, Irvine picked Selphie up over his shoulder and ran after them, carefully avoiding the now unfocused of aim of the gun ships.
Quistis and Zell quickly took the hint and dashed towards the giant ship.
They reached the platform just in time to see Squall come hurtling out of the dock and go rolling down the ramp. Hearing Rinoa's cries Zell quickly ran up the ramp while Quistis checked on Squall.
"Get away from him Quisty!"
Quistis turned to face the voice, her breath catching in her throat as Seifer came strolling down the ramp with one arm securely around Rinoa, pinning her to him and in his other hand he was holding a glowing orb.
"I said get away from him!" Seifer ordered again.
Squall struggled to his feet, "Get back Quistis."
"Squall-" Rinoa whimpered.
"Shut up bitch!" Seifer yelled, right before he turned her to face him and planted a kiss on her lips.
"Seifer! You sonofabitch! Let her go!" Squall shouted.
Seifer smiled, then shoved Rinoa away.
Seeing his opening, Squall rushed towards Seifer bringing his foot up and kicking the taller man in the chest, right where his wound should have been.
Seifer yelped and stumbled back.
"As much as I would love to finish our fight Squall, you've got an appointment to keep."
Squall cocked his head, "What are you talking about?"
Seifer raised the orb, "This. Here, catch!"
Seifer tossed the orb at Squall, who caught it. Holding it in his hands the orb began to shimmer brightly.
Seifer smiled, "You have an appointment with eternity, Puberty-boy. See ya in hell!"
Squall immediately felt the energy engulf him. His body began to glow a shade of red as the energy from the orb flowed over him. He could hear his friends yelling for him, but he couldn't understand what they were saying.
Rinoa got back to her feet and ran to her knight, ignoring the pleas of their friends and shrugging of Zell as he tried to restrain her. The tears flowed freely down her cheeks as she saw her lover and knight begin to fade away.
"Squall!"
Their eyes locked one final time, a look of resignation on his face. Then he was gone. Erased as if he never existed.
"No!"
The orb fell to the ground, its light flickered then died out.
Enraged, Zell spun back to face off Seifer, only to discover he was nowhere to be seen.
Rinoa fell to her knees, the emptiness in her soul threatening to overwhelm her. Quistis sank down next to her and wrapped her arms around the young sorceress.
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To Be Continued...
A/N: Okay, I completely and utterly apologize for my lack of updates to this story. I was between such a rock and a hard place with this thing. I beg for your forgiveness. I promise that the next two chapters, after this one, will be up tomorrow. It will get a bit darker from here on out though, so be prepared.