Written by -Laguna-
::Author's Note::
I'm missing Chapter 19 of AE (the old version up before went as far as Chapter 30). My question is, can anyone possibly send me this chapter? Editing is one thing, but having to re-write an entire Chapter is not something I'm looking forward to. I know its weird how the author actually misses part of his own story but you know how it is with floppy disks and computers. Thanks in advance to anyone who might be able to help recover this lost chapter.
Also, if that wasn't enough, fanfiction net is giving me trouble with uploading Chapters (they seem to get split or otherwise are not uploaded for 100)
I will check back later to see whether or not the full chapter can be viewed.
Chapter 11: Looking back…
Kiros strolled into the passenger-deck.
It was relatively quiet -save for the monotonous hum of the engines- and considering Laguna was present and he usually could yap for hours on end.
Usually…yet not this time. Kiros had never seen his friend look more serious and lost in thought.
Squall and Commander Gantt were discussing something. Kiros couldn't hear exactly what, as they were sitting at the front of the two rows of seats. It seemed important though; there was not a smile on either guy's face.
Ward and Ellone were seated close to the entrance together with Laguna. Zell and Skye were sort of in between that group, and the two SeeDs discussing certain issues.
"Is everyone all right?" Kiros asked since nobody had noticed him standing on the passenger deck entrance yet.
Laguna glanced over his shoulder. "Yeah, we're fine considering. Great cannon shot by the way."
Ward gave Kiros a thumbs-up, in agreement with Laguna.
He nodded in return and looked at Skye. "How about you Miss Skye?"
She smiled reassuringly. "Oh, I'm fine too. A little shook up by all that…but fine."
"No problems here." Zell affirmed.
Kiros walked further into the passenger deck. He didn't really mean to eavesdrop, but wondered what the Commander could be talking to Squall about.
Last time they talked it wasn't exactly a friendly conversation...
"How can you be sure?" Kenan asked calmly, but with a surprised look.
-"I've seen lifeless bodies before," Squall remarked soberly. "Adel pummeled him from close range, he didn't stand a chance."
"Seifer's dead?" Kiros asked as he walked up. "Adel killed him?"
He asked it loudly enough for everyone on the passenger deck to hear. They all looked up.
-"That's the second time I've heard he was dead…" Zell muttered.
Squall stood up in front of the rows of seats and faced everyone. "It's true. Adel murdered him in front of my eyes."
"I've heard this story before." Zell huffed.
-"I think I saw it too Zell," Kenan replied. "Adel used her pureform magic on him while he was down from Squall's blow."
Zell crossed his arms and rested his head against the back of the seat. "Well, can't say I really care. He was a nuisance. I think it suits him just right…and gives us one less thing to worry about…"
"The Sorceress's Knight? I think you have a point Zell." Laguna said. He had stood up and was now leaning against a seat next to Zell's. "Although the main problem still has to be taken care of."
Squall felt divided on the subject. He would have probably killed Seifer if Adel hadn't shown up when she did…and yet, seeing her kill Seifer as though he was just another dumb lackey of hers, it wasn't the kind of ending that fitted Seifer Almasy.
"Say Squall, what was that all about back there? What the heck happened?" Zell asked.
He showed him his gunblade. "This used to belong to Seifer. I guess he badly wanted it back. We fought briefly. Then Sorceress Adel appeared and she was far more powerful than she should be."
Skye listened to Squall's short story, paying much interest to it.. "Did she say anything? Did she know you?"
"No, she said nothing to me. She approached me without so much as a word and tried to kill me with the blast that blew apart the door."
"That isn't all," Kenan said in a taunting tone of voice. "Is it, Leonhart?"
Squall eyed Kenan. "What do you mean?"
He smirked. "I think you know what I mean. It's a little convenient for you that the Sorceress happened to miss, now isn't it? We were standing a lot further away from her and barely escaped that beam ourselves. It makes you think, maybe it was all some kind of ruse. Maybe we're supposed to trust you now since she supposedly tried to kill you."
Squall frowned heavily.
Zell rolled his eyes. "Ah, do you have to keep being like that man? Seifer's dead and Squall was lucky the Sorceress missed him."
"It's true, I think you are being stubborn, Commander." Laguna said with hands in his pockets.
-"Yes, I am stubborn." He said, untouched by the fact that some people were starting to dislike him.
Laguna would have tried to change Kenan's mind, if it wasn't for the fact that this seemed an impossible mission. Some people are just more stubborn than others, he had gathered.
Briefly, Squall considered beating the guy into believing his story. But then, that probably wouldn't be such a good idea.
So how could he ever make Kenan believe his story?
By now everyone had returned to their seats and sat silently staring out the window at the clouds racing by. Commander Gantt had a way of abruptly ending conversations.
"I'd best go back to the Bridge." Kiros excused himself, primarily directed at Ward and Laguna.
Skye smiled. "See you later Mr. Kiros."
He politely smiled back at her. "Count on it."
Squall was coming up empty on ideas in the mean time, until he overheard Ellone talking to Skye about her condition, specifically the similarities between her unexplained powers and Skye's dormant Sorceress' powers. The link was made easily enough. Ellone had shown Laguna's past to Squall, so she should be able to show his past to someone else.
"I need your help with something." Squall approached Ellone, direct and straight to the point.
She gave him a strange look. "What is it Squall?"
-"Can you still send someone back into another person's past?" He asked cautiously. He wasn't sure of this Ellone was the same as the one he remembered. He wasn't really sure of anything, but it was worth a try. Nobody would ever truly be able to believe him without proof.
Laguna's face lit up. He knew what Squall would suggest and thought it was quite brilliantly thought of.
"Yes," Ellone replied. "I think so. It has been a while since I last did that though."
-"And can you send someone back into my past?" Squall asked thoughtfully, eyeing Commander Gantt in particular.
Kenan jumped up from his seat. "Hey!…Wait a minute…You're not saying--?"
Zell laughed. "Yeah! Of course! If you don't trust him, why don't you see if he's saying the truth for yourself Kenan?"
"What are you guys talking about?" Skye wondered.
Zell quickly explained it to her. Ellone had the ability to let people experience someone's past.
Squall turned to Kenan. "How about it? The past I've perceived can't be a lie. So either you'll find out I have been lying all this time, or you'll see that I'm telling the truth."
"Are you sure you can do it Elly?" Laguna asked with concern for Ellone's well being. "If it's too hard or takes too much--"
She chuckled. "Oh, stop worrying Uncle. I have done this before, it should work."
Kenan stared wide-eyed at Ellone and held up his hands as if to shield him from her powers. "Hey whoa, I haven't agreed to anything yet."
Zell stood up and gave him a pat on the back. "C'mon Kenan. If you do this, we can all trust Squall's telling the truth. Not just you. But hey, since you're the big shot around here, it's your mission."
Kenan grinned nervously. His outspoken opinions always got him in these kind of situations sooner or later.
-"How about it?" Laguna asked as he moved away from Ellone a bit so she had some more space to work with.
He gritted his teeth. "Okay. What the heck. As long as someone keeps an eye on Leonhart."
-"Don't worry, I will." Zell told him, knowing he'd do little more than occasionally see what the guy was doing. As long as he wasn't sabotaging the plane or killing people, everything would be fine.
Ward got up and offered Kenan to take his seat, as it was right next to Ellone's, only in the other row.
"Thanks." He said and plopped down. He strapped the seatbelt expecting the worst.
Skye sat backwards on her seat and watched the Commander. He felt very uneasy, even somewhat humiliated he'd have to endure this thing suggested by Squall.
She frowned. It was so clear to her how Kenan felt; so set in his ways, yet scared and insecure. It was more than just a vague intuition, it was a knowledge that came to her effortlessly and without clear indications and reasons as to what it exactly it was that made her reach her conclusion.
Skye retreated to her seat and panicked inwardly. There was a flood of new sensations now, all at once.
Everything was exactly as Squall had described to her all along, the so-called greater sense of awareness that a Sorceress possesses. All of sudden 'it' was just there, some unknown force awakening inside of her, unasked and unwanted.
With the others discussing the plan in the background, Skye just sat there letting it all sink in, wrestling to give it a place among her familiar senses. Above all else she wanted to cry. It felt like the first step towards becoming like Ultimecia and Adel.
She held it all in, she was ashamed of it, and scared of what the others would do. Along as she had no powers she was just harmless, but how would people react if she told them she could somehow know what was going inside their head? Vague as these senses were, some would deem it mind-reading; invading people's privacy. They would have no choice but to put the bangle back on.
She tilted her head towards the glass, biting on her knuckles. Even being turned away from the others, and trying hard to shut her senses out, she could feel everyone's presence.
Ellone and Squall in particular. Their aura felt different, though Skye didn't know how or why exactly.
"Why me?" She whispered very softly.
Oblivious to inner workings of Skye, Squall instructed Ellone. "You have to try to let him experience yesterday morning in me. Can you do that?"
-"Yesterday morning," She repeated. "Okay. I'll try Squall."
Ellone faced Kenan. "Are you ready?"
He took a deep breath. "This won't, uh, hurt, will it?"
"No of course not," She grinned. "It's more like sleeping. You'll suddenly get very tired. Don't fight this feeling."
He took one last look at Leonhart and pointed a finger at him. "For your sake, I hope you were telling the truth."
Squall chose not to reply. Gantt would find out soon enough.
"Here goes." Ellone spoke softly and closed her eyes.
She folded her hands on her lap to concentrate, then pictured Squall in her mind.
For a while she just sat there, a thin frail looking young woman wearing a one-piece green silky dress in a bright red seat designed for a soldier twice her size.
Squall thought of the good times he had with Ellone back at the Orphanage, before she was snatched away. He had strong feelings for her, but not in the romantic sense.
A lot of what Squall felt he saw reflected in Laguna's eyes as he watched Ellone like a Antlion stalking a Gat.
Ellone was family.
But she didn't know him.
…
Squall's thought became more depressing in nature. He tried to clear his mind and told himself it would solve nothing to trail off in self-pity at this point. Rinoa was out there somewhere, and she wouldn't have forgotten the promise that they made. Right now he needed to prove himself and once that was over they would be able to focus on a solution.
Squall felt a slight tingling sensation. A soft kind of tickle at the back of his head, but it felt like it was on the inside. Was this how it felt to have memories 'extracted'?
Ellone tensed a little. "You are fighting it, Commander."
-"I'm not. I don't even feel anything."
Commander Kenan Gantt sat looking like the guy in the dentist chair. He uncomfortably cooperated but obviously with the hopes of having it over with soon.
Squall still couldn't figure out what Kenan was doing as the Commander in his stead. He had never met him before, yet there he was as Balamb Garden's Commander.
Kenan's rough cut looks bore resemblance to almost all male Balamb Garden students. Was he just a random guy filling the spot?
There's was no real animosity from Squall towards Kenan, even though the guy had shown more than enough himself. There were just too many blanks to jump to any kind of conclusion on the matter at this point.
Time Compression? Did something go wrong? Squall thought. Did the past get mixed up? But why three weeks later? It doesn't make any sense. Why didn't Seifer turn out good and become Commander instead of Kenan? Or even Quistis, she would be more than capable.
His head was spinning. He really didn't want to go down that path again, as he knew he'd just end up picturing Rinoa and the way she looked the moment before she vanished.
If anything, Squall was an expert at shutting out strong emotions. And he did so, knowing they would come back later twice as strong.
"Still don't feel drowsy." Commander Gantt's voice brought Squall back to the here and now.
"You will." Ellone said unhindered in her efforts.
"Count moogles." Zell added. "It's what I do. A thousand should do the trick."
"Hmm." Kenan mumbled. "Now I picture a sea of white fluffyness with pom-poms sticking out everywhere, saying Kupo-kupo in squeaky voices."
"Eh, forget it. Just clear your mind man."
Laguna brought his index finger to his mouth.
There was silence in the room.
Kiros and Laguna shared a look.
Squall got the impression they'd done this sort of thing before and knew it was about to set in.
Not long thereafter, Kenan's head sagged down every so slightly.
Zell carefully poked him in the shoulder and immediately retracted his arm.
No reaction.
A broad mischievous smile formed. "I wish I had toothpaste…"
------------------------------------------
Where the hell am I?
"Hello?"
"Hellooo? Is anyone there?"
Heck, am I even talking out loud? I can't hear myself talk…
"Ellone, can you hear me? It isn't working!"
Squall.
"Who said that?"
….
"Squall." Skye called again, more forcefully this time.
Ah, Sorceress Skye? She's talking to…Squall…I'm…in his body. Right…weird. Never knew leather felt this good on the inside…
It took Squall a few seconds to realize where he was as he opened his eyes. He got up and swung his feet over the side of the bed. Still feeling sleepy, he gathered his stuff from under the bed.
Whoa, I feel sleepy too. Just like Leonhart…this is weird…
Skye sat down next to him. "Sorry I had to wake you so soon, but I have a feeling we'd better go now."
"Go where? Why? Will someone please tell me what is happening? Is this the past?"
Squall put on his boots, and looked at Skye. "Are the Galbadians here?"
Hmm…this room doesn't look familiar. "Dammit Leonhart, look up, I want to get a better view of the room!"
She shook her head. "…Balamb Garden…"
Ah ha! This must be…
He noticed the room's door was wide open. Balamb Garden…here? Docked in FH?
Bingo, Fisherman's Horizon..
Putting on his jacket, Squall stood up. "Okay, we'd best hurry."
Yeah…you hurry Leonhart.
"Right." Skye agreed, moving to the doorway. She had already grabbed her backpack and seemed ready to go.
-"Did you even sleep?" Squall asked, quickly grabbing his gunblade and backpack.
This seems wrong. This is yesterday, but I think it's in the afternoon…maybe evening…
She smiled. "Not really, but it's okay. Someone had to be on watch."
Oh? Standing watch over Leonhart, eh? She has potential yet…
Squall looked around the room, making sure he hadn't forgotten anything.
Man…what a crappy room…what is this? A cheap hotel? I wonder if I missed a romantic moment between the two?
As he walked to the hotel hall, Skye shut the room's door, handing the key to Squall.
"The Garden arrived a few minutes ago." She explained. "I haven't seen anyone come out though."
Definitely the wrong time for me to be inside Squall's head.
-"They're probably after us." Squall said as they walked down the hall.
She looked thoughtful for a second, then shook her head. "No, it's because of me."
That reminds me…Headmaster Cid is going to have a scare when we come back with her…
"Ellone?"
"This is not far back enough, do you hear me Ellone? I have to go further back in the past."
------------------------------------------
They both awoke at about the same time.
Zell immediately jumped up. "Did it work?"
Kenan rubbed his eyes, then looked up at Zell hovering over him.
"No, it wasn't far back enough."
Laguna got down on his knees next to Ellone. "You okay?"
-"Of course." She said. Although truth being she was a bit dazzled.
Squall folded his arms over his chest. "You were in FH, weren't you?"
Kenan raised an eyebrow. "And how did you know that?"
-"I remembering feeling something odd."
Laguna nodded and for the first time since they fled from Esthar smiled. "Like fairies were watching over you…"
"Something like that."
"I used to love that feeling." Laguna fondly reminisced. "Those fairies gave us the edge in combat."
-"Can I try again?" Ellone interrupted. "Though it didn't work, I did narrow it down a bit."
Kenan closed his eyes. "Go ahead."
------------------------------------------
"You frown a lot, don't ya?" A girl said laughingly.
Sigh…I wonder where I am? That voice…her again? It looks dark in here…and damp…hmm…sorta smelly too…
He turned to her.
-"H-ey, w-what?" Skye asked uncomfortably.
Skye again! So what does this mean?
…
Nothing much…I suppose…
"You're not a student here, right?" Squall asked, unable to recognize her.
Nope.
-"No. I was found washed ashore two days ago. They brought me here for a medical check-up." She answered, not sounding too cheery anymore.
… I'm guessing Skye's thoughts now?
"Washed ashore?"
Hey wait a sec! Headmaster Cid never told me this.
-"Yeah. The doctor believes I was involved in some sort of accident at sea." The girl replied.
She seems to be sure of herself.
"And they locked you up for that?"
-"No, not right away. It wasn't until I talked to the Headmaster." She said, looking down.
…I have to talk to him when I get back to Balamb Garden…
A sudden feeling of tiresome came over Squall. Even though it must have hardly been after noon, it felt as though an entire day had passed. He couldn't help but yawn.
Is he sensing me now? "Hey Leonhart! Am I the one making you feel tired? Huh?"
-"Oh, am I boring you?" She asked with a surprised tone of voice.
"Yes."
"No, I'm just tired." Squall answered.
Guessed that one wrong, I suppose.
The girl walked over to the prison door. She carefully knocked on it, the sound of it too faint to be heard on the other side of the door. Judging by the sound, it was quite a sturdy door.
-"I don't know how," The girl said with a determined look. "But I'm getting out of here."
That…is true.
Her fire-like hair seemed to glow for just an instance. Or maybe it was just the sunlight shining on it at just the right angle.
"So who are you, where are you from?" Squall asked, and was amazed by his own sudden interest.
Yeah…sudden interest, huh? The term is testosterone Leonhart…
Frowning, she shook her head.
-"I can't remember. Doctor Kadowaki diagnosed me with amnesia." She said. "Although according to the identity tag I was wearing, my name is Skye."
Very touching, but still wrong, this isn't the right time.
-"Kenan?"
"Yes? Is that you Ellone? I…can't see anything…"
-"Technically speaking, we're still sleeping."
"I see."
…
"Well, not technically speaking of course."
-"Never mind. I'll try to get it right now, without having to wake up first, okay?
"You can do that?"
"Yeah."
"So you must have really nice dreams all of the time?"
-"I have no powers over my own dreams. I have nightmares just like everyone else."
"Think you cure mine though?"
"Commander…"
"Okay, sorry, never mind. Onwards."
Hmm, I wonder if I'll see Skye again.
------------------------------------------
It felt as though his body weighed at least ten tons as Squall slowly realized he lay in bed in his quarters.
Squall's in bed…does this mean I'm lying in bed with another man?! Damn…better not put this in my report.
"Wakey, wakey." Squall heard Rinoa say.
R-rinoa? She's here? But, where is here?
Birds were chirping outside. A cool breeze passed his face. Balamb Garden always was a nice place to wake up in.
Rinoa, in Balamb Garden?
But Squall's eyes remained shut and he lay perfectly still.
Is my presence effecting him?
"Alright then." Rinoa said saucily, hands on her hips. "You asked for it."
She pulled his sheets and uncovered Squall's feet.
I feel…a draft…
Rinoa rolled up her sleeves and stretched her fingers. "Let's see if you can resist my tickle torture."
I sort of hope I don't have to endure that, thank you very much.
Immediately Squall's left eye popped open. "No, I'm awake, I'm awake."
Phew, thanks Leonhart, close one.
For a few seconds the unexpected brightness completely blinded him. But surely a figure appeared next to him.
It…it IS Rinoa! In Balamb Garden! Holy hotdogs! Leonhart is telling the truth?
"Hey, good morning mister Leonhart, I trust you slept well?" Rinoa joyfully said.
Okay, okay…he said it happened out in the fields…well?…this could take a while…
Squall crawled up with his back to the wall holding his hand in front of the light. He now opened both his eyes and slowly they began to focus. Rinoa stood directly next to him. Apparently she had opened up the curtains, and thrown open the window. As Squall regained normal vision, he noticed Rinoa's outfit in particular. She was wearing something he'd never seen before. It looked a lot like a female SeeD's formal uniform, but altered, more festive.
Beautiful as ever.
Say, but what IS she doing in his bedroom?!
……
Do I wanna know?
"Well…actually," Squall said. "I had this weird dream."
Uh-oh.
He rested his hand on his forehead. "Involved a lot of running…"
Looking at Rinoa, he saw a warm smile appear on her face.
"Was I in your dream?" Rinoa asked. "I was, wasn't I?"
Stop, I really don't wanna hear anymore!
He sat up straight, swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and reached for the floor with his feet.
"You'd rather I dream about another girl?" Squall replied looking up at her.
Ha…good one…
Rinoa gave Squall a surprised look. "Hey, careful now," She said. "You're developing a sense of humor. This could be dangerous."
Squall shook his head. "Whatever…"
Ugh…don't shake your head too much…I'm getting a headache…
"There you go again with the 'whatever'-thing," Rinoa chuckled.
She extended her arm towards Squall. "Need a hand getting up?" She kindly asked.
"No thanks. Just give me a minute." He replied.
Rinoa placed her hands on her hips again. "Hurry up already."
Yeah, that would be nice.
Squall looked across the room at the small clock hanging on the opposite side of the door.
She followed his gaze. "Yes, it IS breakfast time. So get up mister."
"Ellone? Just a bit further, we're close, but not yet there…"
------------------------------------------
"Halt!" Two Garden faculty guarding the Cafeteria yelled in synchrony as Squall approached. The two dark-robed figures side stepped towards each other and formed a barrier, blocking the narrow corridor. Squall gave him an annoyed look, and showed his ID card once more. Another thing he didn't understand, why did he constantly have to identify himself?
Hmm? This is slightly too far back
The guards examined the card for a moment until they got out of the way, motioning Squall he could proceed.
-"Why all the guards?" Squall asked in an attempt to grasp the situation in the Garden.
"We are vulnerable right now, so we expect an attack from the Galbadians." The Garden Faculty explained. "Thus Commander Gantt tightened the security around here."
Yup, that's me.
"Ellone, I'd love to see myself through Squall's eyes but…well, just send me back a little further if you can…"
------------------------------------------
Kenan's eyes popped open. Where am I now?
He noticed Zell still hovered over him and sighed. Oh, the present I guess.
"Did you see it?" He curiously asked.
-"Not yet. I did see Rinoa however…"
Zell's eyes went wide. "So this means?"
Kenan held up his hand. "Not yet. I have to see what happened to Squall that got him here in the first place."
Ellone grinned. "You've stopped calling him Leonhart now?"
He frowned. "Never mind. Are you ready again?"
Laguna moved away from her and Kenan could see her face. It showed exhaustion.
She nodded. "I can do it, but only once more."
"Roger that." Kenan said and closed his eyes again, ready for the 'dreamworld'.
Some seconds later he felt his head getting heavier and heavier.
"Yeah. I believe so." Squall said with a worried look. "But he never actually told me this."
Whoa, is this the right place?
Hmm…let's see. A picnic… … out in the fields near Balamb…damn…this is it…
Now what is he talking about?
"Just that he wanted to see me after we defeated Ultimecia." Squall continued. "But I'm not sure I want to see him…"
…Defeated Ultimecia…
With a smile Rinoa assured Squall whatever he thought was best was okay with her.
Suddenly a shot of pain ran through Squall. It felt like someone was pounding his head with a hammer.
Yeah, hi, it's me again…
He cringed and moved his hand against his forehead.
"I think I'm coming down with something." He said. "I don't feel so good. Maybe I'd better go."
Am I causing pain now? Maybe I shouldn't keep entering the same person's memories..
Rinoa put her arm around Squall. "Just a bit longer…" She whispered. "You know once this moment has passed it will never come again…"
By Odin! They really are lovers!
With a nod Squall agreed. His head still aching.
Hehe, sorry Squall, shouldn't have yelled huh?
"And Seifer…" Squall realized. "What about him?"
He died didn't he?
-"I think he knows he was wrong. I doubt we'll get any trouble from him anymore." Rinoa tried to assure Squall who still wasn't fully convinced. "Last I heard, he was staying in Fisherman's Horizon."
Seifer in FH? Everything must be radically different for Squall…
"As long as he just stays there." Squall said, taking a few more sips from his soda.
-"You worry too much." Rinoa concluded.
She pointed at a small cake she had brought with her.
Looks delicious…
"Be a dear, and hand me a piece of that cake I got from the lunch-lady. It looks delicious." Rinoa said looking at Squall with puppy dog eyes.
Squall sighed and bent forward, simply grabbing the whole cake.
"There you go." He said.
Surprised by a sudden nudge from Rinoa, Squall raised an eyebrow. "What??"
He isn't the brightest…
Giggling, she shook her head.
"You're supposed to feed me pieces goof." She said. "That's what couples do."
I think I pretty much envy him at this point.
"Yeah…well I forgot to read the manual on this…" Squall explained.
This is too embarrassing to witness…
He broke off a small piece and fed Rinoa. "Happy now?" He asked.
-"Hmm, food's excellent. Lousy service though." Rinoa laughed and turned to Squall.
"It wouldn't hurt to smile." She said as she noticed his troubled look.
She shrugged and tried to imitate Squall's expression.
"Hey, cut that out. I'm just not used to smiling, okay?" He explained.
Bad childhood?
Rolling up her sleeve, Rinoa turned to Squall. "I'll just have to work on that, now won't I?"
"Yeah okay." Squall said slightly grinning. "Just don't expect me to turn out as hyper as Selphie."
Rinoa laughed, and snuggled up even closer to Squall.
Images suddenly flashed through Squall's mind. They were vague and dark like old photographs, yet at the same time so very clear. Clearer than memories or dreams. He sees a figure looking at him from a distance. This figure closes with each image until he or she is almost within reach. A laugh. Everything goes dark but the same twisted laughter keeps echoing.
What was that? It was…a person…a woman I think…but…who…where…?
He shook his head and realized he was still sitting next to Rinoa in the fields near Balamb Garden.
I'm actually seeing Squall seeing things. Shared craziness?
As he stood up a blue circle appeared on the ground around him. It flashed brightly and began swirling.
Shit, this is it!
-What!
My thoughts exactly Leonhart!
Terrified, Rinoa backed away from Squall and in doing so tripped over a small stone.
Squall reached for his head with both hands. The sudden headache had returned, far worse now than before. He had to fight a severe pain to stay focused.
Ugh! I feel it too! It isn't being caused by me, is it!?
"What's going on!" Squall yelled trying to make sense of everything.
He turned to Rinoa. She lay on the ground staring at Squall with wide eyes. Tears appeared .
"Squall, what's happening to you?" She demanded to know.
The air around Squall's body lit up dark blue. He stretched his arms in front of him, closely examining them.
T-this is too much…this can't be real!
-"Is Ellone doing this??" Rinoa asked.
Ellone…?
"Ugh…I…don't…know…!" Squall barely managed to say under the excruciating pain he felt.
He tried to walk towards Rinoa. She got up from the grass and extended her arm towards him.
"Grab my hand Squall!" Rinoa shouted, tears now rolling down her face.
"Rinoa!"
He could see her mouth move but couldn't hear what she was saying.
She won't let you go, that's what she said Squall!
A blinding light emanated from where Rinoa stood and in the blink of an eye she disappeared right in front of Squall.
Then the blue circle widened on the ground around him and became white. Streams of blue light whirled around Squall, like tentacles growing upwards to the sky.
It's…beautiful…
As he looked down, the ground he stood on faded and Squall fell through the void it left.
…
"Ellone! Get me out now! I can't breathe!"
------------------------------------------
"Is he--?"
-"No." Laguna observed. "Look, he's snapping out of it."
Suddenly Kenan started heaving heavily, as if fighting to get every bit of air he could. He was hyperventilating.
Zell hold him down by his shoulders. "Kenan! Relax! You're aboard the Einlanzer again."
Kenan opened his eyes and noticed they'd all gathered around him. Even Ellone had gotten up. She must have known she couldn't be harmed by anything that happened in the past. So, she didn't experience it like Kenan did…
"Commander? Whatever happened, you're okay now."
His respiration returned to normal.
-"So you saw it?" Squall asked.
Kenan replied with a slight nod, still being too shocked to speak up.
He'd probably blurt incoherent stuff if he tried to talk at this time.
"It was…terrible…" Skye mumbled, drawing in the strong sense of emotion turmoil she managed to receive through means unknown.
Kenan looked up at her questioningly.
She smiled nervously. "Uh, it must have been I mean. Judging by the look on your face."
Now clearly wasn't the time to tell him she had begun to sense certain things.
Zell let go of Kenan's shoulders, seeing he recovered from the shock.
"What did you see Kenan?" He asked.
He turned his head aside and coughed a few times.
-"Everything." He stated. "I saw it all. Leonha--, I mean, Squall…is telling the truth."
Zell gasped. "Everything he said is true?"
-"As far is I can tell, yeah."
Laguna eyed the Commander. "Do you know what exactly happened to Mr. Leonhart now?"
He reached for his forehead. "N-no. I don't know what it was. Just that it aint normal. Squall literally fell through the ground. And Rinoa really did just vanish all of a sudden."
"Wow," Zell breathed. "That's amazing."
-"I'm glad it's finely settled." Squall said with genuine relief.
Kiros laughed. "Glad? That's a bit of an understatement."
He frowned. "This only confirms what happened to me in the past, in doesn't solve anything in the present. It confirms that this isn't some kind of story that I just made up, what I saw, the hole that swallowed me up, it was real. It happened."
"Consider it a start," Laguna pointed out. "To finding out how you got here. And at least you've gained the Commander's trust now, right?"
Kenan unbuckled his seatbelt and crawled up from his seat. "I guess so. That was really intense."
Grinning, Zell supported the back of his head with his hands. "I don't think he likes actually admitting he was wrong."
"Yeah, okay, I made some wrong assumptions based on the information I had. I know that now." He said, making his way to the doors. They slid open.
"We'll be landing soon," He told them, half-glancing over his shoulder. "I suggest you all get seated and buckle up."
Skye made brief eye-contact and got conflicting feelings coming from the Commander towards her, but she couldn't discern them, but they were predominantly negative however.
Fear, distrust and maybe even hatred.
Kenan walked out of the room and the doors closed up behind him. Another abrupt conversation ending.
The rest strapped themselves in for the inevitable landing.
"Hey look!"
An excited Zell pressed his cheek against the glass and peered down.
The Airship was flying over land!
"Kinda barren and dry...this must be the Centra continent!
"Zone Two…" Laguna mumbled to himself. "Let's hope Selphie is a good pilot."
Whilst everyone stared down from the plane, either to the left or right, Ward stared in front of him, worrying. Dark clouds seem to lay waiting for them up ahead.
A rather sudden announcement over the intercom gave everyone a bit of a fright.
"Hello everyone!" Selphie's voice rung cheerily through a speaker nearby. "I just wanted to say we'll be landing in about a minute from now, and..uh..you'd better have strapped yourselves in because this could be a bit bumpy."
-"Ugh." Zell uttered, hands on his belly. "I just had this sinking feeling in my stomach!"
------------------------------------------
"Hey, hey, hey!" Irvine called out. "What do you mean 'severe storms'?"
Selphie was too busy trying to keep the plane in one piece to be able to answer. Apparently there was a lot of turbulence in the area they were about to land.
-"Not to worry." Kiros assured from the other pilot seat. "Miss Tilmitt will guide us through safely."
Irvine shifted uncomfortably in his seat, as the white clouds that raced by gradually became darker.
"I can see why this makes a good hiding place." Quistis remarked. "Who would go to an area such as this one? Not even the Galbadians would search here."
Kiros turned to the ex-Instructor. "No matter where we go, Sorceress Ultimecia will find us sooner or later. She won't give up until she knows all threats have been eliminated."
Just when Irvine was starting to feel a little bitter…Kiros had to go say something like that…
"Einlanzer, reduce speed and slowly start descending." The man aboard the Ragnarok II instructed Selphie. "Try to keep it steady at all times, since the Airship will get a tendency to stall."
-"Okie dokie!" She responded cheerfully and did as the man told her.
Quistis chuckled. "Okie dokie? I don't think that's the correct reply according to the formal rules of communication."
"That's Selphie for ya." Irvine pointed out. "Un-formal."
Just then a thunderbolt struck down from the dark clouds, illuminating the entire area for a second.
It didn't strike near the Einlanzer, yet gave everyone quite a startle.
Suddenly all kinds of dots filled up the radar screen Quistis sat behind. At first each dot was interpreted as by the onboard computer as an armed threat, but she knew that couldn't be right.
"There seems to be strange electrical activity in this whole area." She concluded. "It's interfering with our systems."
"Haven't we seen this before?" Irvine asked.
-"Yes." Quistis said after a few moments of thought. "There is an area near Trabia Garden with similar disturbance."
Kiros looked down at the small display of the world map on his console. "Zone Three."
The Airship suddenly banked right and avoided a thunder strike.
Irvine had smacked against the glass window with his cheek.
"Ow…great flying dear." He sighed, rubbing his –stupendously mild- injury.
Quistis glanced at the storms which now completely surrounded the Einlanzer on all sides.
"Mr. Kiros?" She called. "If this is Zone Two, and the area near Trabia Garden Zone Three, where is Zone One?"
He crossed his arms. "Somewhere deep in the ocean I've been told. I remember scientists from all over the world came to study that area when first discovered thirty or forty years ago. They had some kind of Research Island there. It was called The Deep Sea Research Institute or something along those lines. Perhaps you've heard of it?"
Irvine looked up. He remembered hearing Zell rant about some kinda facility in the ocean before. "Uhm, didn't they research Guardian Forces?"
-"Yes." Kiros replied, amazed Mr. Kinneas knew of it. "A lot of what we know about GF and Magic today was researched there."
Before Irvine could ask exactly what, Selphie started the final descent as instructed.
She could hardly see anything through the dark clouds, and the guidance system wasn't working, but the man on the Ragnarok II assured her that Balamb Garden was 'parked' nearby.
Irvine braced himself. Which is to say he tightly held on to the weapons console in front of him; avoiding any contact with the buttons on it as if they were red-hot.
"Okay." He heard the man say to Selphie. "You're almost there now. Ease her in, nice and slow."
------------------------------------------
Kenan held on to the guardrail until he felt the Airship had landed. There was a brief and loud thud, but other than that it appeared a perfect and safe landing.
As the sounds of the engines dulled it suddenly turned very quiet.
Kenan had developed a headache after the dream sequences, not because of the process itself, but rather the implications of what was shown to him.
Squall had been right and presumably about everything. This meant that Sorceress Ultimecia could have already been defeated and all casualties suffered in the last three weeks could have been avoided entirely. This thing was supposed to be over, yet presently the situation grew even worse.
Galbadia would have complete control over Esthar in no time, the attacker's force outnumbered them greatly.
All the while they'd been moving further away from the solution by choosing not to attack the Lunatic Pandora, and Kenan was the one most responsible for this strategy.
The lives lost as a result of the attack today were on his hands, and he didn't even what to think about his sister's condition.
He felt weak inside and leaned on the guardrail as though he was about to collapse. He was avoiding to live up to this the past weeks…the enemy was slowly winning, and there wasn't a damn thing they could do about it either.
He heard the rest of the team approach as they exited the cockpit and passenger bay, and he stood up, trying to mask his feelings. He was their Commander, if he starting showing doubt morale could plummet even further than it already had.
He pasted on a slight not-too-obvious smile. "C'mon everyone, the Headmaster is probably already waiting for us outside."
Skye followed in Squall's footsteps and as she passed the Commander could easily see through his façade, scolding herself for being able to do so..
She wondered now if the bangle was really that bad…