Disclaimer: I don´t own Final Fantasy VIII... but I´m still planing on to.
Unexpected Destiny
Chapter 14: Run for your life!!
By CelestialRage
"Why did you do that?" asked Rosie angrily as the blond captain sheathed his gunblade.
Seifer smirked "Hey, just look at it like a race to the shore. The three of them versus the two of us. But we´ve got the lead and are going to win, right Kid?"
Rosie folded her arms, the frown on her face deepening "We? Ha! As soon as this thing stops I´m going up again."
You don´t know what you just did!
The last thing I want is to run all the way to the shore having a gigantic spider robot on my heels the whole way.
"Why?" Seifer took a few steps towards the raven-haired and smiled "C´mon, don´t tell me you´d rather stay with that bunch of losers instead of me?"
Her scowl deepened further and her voice raised in anger. "That bunch of losers, as you call them, are my friends. And yes, I rather be with them than having to stand your cocky attitude all the way to the shore."
Seifer was impressed.
No girl had ever told him off... well, except that girl he knew in Timber, but that was last summer... and instructor Trepe, but that was a completely different level. His grin returned as the lift reached the main floor. "Well, your loss, then... but if you ever change your mind, I´ll be around." with that, he stepped out of the elevator and walked towards the exit.
Don´t worry, I won´t. She thought, but didn´t say anything else.
ooo ooo
"The damn lift sure is taking its damn time!" Zell said angrily as he paced from one side to the other of the small area near the elevator shaft.
"´Scuse me, but.. could you stop pacing like that?" chirped Selphie "It´s making me dizzy."
The blond martial artist turned to look at the tiny girl who was plopped on the metallic wreckage next to him. He shook his head a little "Sorry, old habits die hard."
Finally the lift reached their level and the three cadets were surprised to see it arrive along with a raven-haired girl, who they thought was now halfway to the shore.
"Rosie!" called Selphie smiling.
"Hey! Thought you could get rid of me that easily?" joked the other girl.
"No, we´re not lucky enough." replied the brunette giggling.
"C´mon, we´ve got only 27 minutes left." said coldly Squall as he stepped into the lift, the other 2 cadets following his lead.
"I... I need to look for something..." blurted Rosie, her voice making the brunet´s finger stop mere inches from the down button.
"What?! But we´re already late!!" replied Zell annoyed.
"Sorry but..." I can´t tell them I want to find the remote control so the giant spider doesn´t come after us... The raven-haired´s mind raced with a plausible excuse, but – sadly – only came up with:" ... I lost my contact lense." she muttered shyly before bitting her lower lip.
"Aww, c´mon you can buy another one later!" replied Selphie as she pressed the down button.
Rosie looked in dismay as the last chance to avoid the fight with the galbadian robot slipped past her fingers.
And of all people, it had to be Selphie...
ooo ooo
He cracked open an eye at the sound of the teenagers boarding the lift and finally leaving the platform. The galbadian officer was injured and incredibly tired, but not incapacitated and had decided not to risk another battle with those damn kids, especially since his only backup was still unconscious.
Suddenly remembering their "secret weapon" - which had been used to destroy most of the weak Dollet forces - Biggs pushed a grey button on the armor of his arm. The metallic reinforcement opened and he delivered a slim hand-sized grey control. The galbadian pushed a series of buttons while he muttered "Those little twerps are the targets!" Now go! GO and DESTROY them!!" he laughed maniacally before collapsing on the floor in utter exhaustion.
ooo ooo
When the lift finally arrived to the main floor, Zell jumped enthusiastically off it. "That battle sure was tough, uh?!" said the martial artist at his approaching comrades.
"C´mon, we have to hurry." said Rosie nervously, tightening her grip on the gun she was carrying and quickly walking out of the building. The martial artist followed her close.
"What´s wrong?" asked Selphie as she ran outside the building to join her comrades. "Look, it´s still early the sun hasn´t even started to come down!"
A faint tinny sound was heard, the one produced when metal scratched against metal. Squall´s frown deepended, as he stepped towards the exit.
"Run, now!!" Rosie yelled at her comrades as she bolted towards the mountain path.
"What´s with her?" muttered Zell, eyeing the retreating raven-haired curiously.
"... I don´t know, guess-" Selphie´s words were cut when Squall´s sharp voice was heard.
"Watch out!"
The other cadets turned in time to see as the brunet rolled to his side, avoiding a gigantic metal object that fell a couple of feet where the cadet had stood. At first, Selphie and Zell thought the object to be mere debris that had fallen from the platform due to the fight they had sustained with Elvoret, but when the supposedly junk started to move and stretch wide, heavy legs, the cadets panicked when the true nature of the object before them was revealed.
The most powerful Galbadian weapon, the X-ATM092 series, were designed to destroy everything in its path until its foes were defeated. Its structure was ergonomic, based in one of the most agile and depredatory animals: a spider, thus giving it incredible speed despite its massive size. "The Black Widow" as the galbadians normally called that robot´s model was a perfect balance between power and speed.
And now, it was going to prey on a group of SeeD cadets.
"RUN!" Rosie yelled as she cast a Thunder spell at the rising robot.
Squall jumped towards the spider-like machine, Revolver drawn and ready to strike. Zell´s punches did little – if any – damage to its armored side, while Selphie cast another Thunder, unfortunately for the cadets, the Double magic effect had wore off mere minutes before.
X-ATM092´s metallic body shuddered as the electrical magic coursed through it, severely damaging some of its secondary circuits. Zell focused his strenght in one side kick, making the heavy machinery to stumble, while Squall ducked avoiding one of its legs and brought his gunblade upwards, piercing the robot´s "abdomen". Another Thunder was cast by Rosie and the machine collapsed.
"What the hell was that thing?" asked Zell, watching the huge metallic form.
Squall shrugged and sheathed his gunblade "Who cares. Let´s go, we only have 20 minutes left now and we´re still far from the shore" he bolted towards the mountain path. Rosie was already running ahead from them again. Squall´s mind replayed the last few minutes, stormy eyes narrowing in thought
She knew it... but how?
ooo ooo
The sound of the cadet´s retreating footsteps vibrated throught the Black Widow´s metallic body, as the nanomachines that lived inside it started working. These microscopical machines´ duty was to repair all the malfunctions caused by external or internal damage, thus regenerating the robot´s energy and armor.
But the regenerating ability wasn´t all that made this model unique. Its superior AI analized the enemy´s weaknesses and abilities, thus planning the most effective strategy against their foes.
When the previous battle analysis was completed, the Black Widow knew who to strike first.
The robot´s visor displayed the info on the repairing process. 50... 60... 70...
ooo ooo
The cadets were just above the cliff where Selphie and Rosie had met them. Zell glanced to his side, noticing the tiny brunette suddenly coming to a halt.
"What´s wrong?" he asked, his head turning just so he could watch her face.
"W... where is it?" asked Selphie as her eyes frantically looked for something down their position.
Zell followed her gaze and understood her nervousness...
... X-ATM092 wasn´t there.
As if on cue, Rosie´s scream could be heard. The martial artist immediately turned his head towards the sound, only to find the giant spider-like robot was looming in front of the raven-haired girl. It had knocked her down, hitting her with one of its piston-like paws. Squall´s gunblade raised to parry the subsecuent blow, which was meant to anhiquilate the young woman.
"DAMN IT!!" Zell yelled as he bolted towards his comrades, his fists already clenched and ready for battle.
Selphie focused her energy and released another Thunder spell, hitting the machine on top of its "head", damaging many of its principal circuits. Despite the malfunctions the electric discharge had caused, the robot´s AI determined Selphie was a threat, as her use of magic – especially Thunder – could be a great problem for it.
So, it decided to act acordingly.
The back of the spider´s body opened and a huge cannon emerged. It pointed directly in the brunette´s direction, an incredible amount of energy emanating from the robot´s inner generators and focusing on the tip of the weapon.
Still, it had no chance to strike the cadet, for another Thunder spell was released - this time courtesy of Squall, who was still holding his weapon in order to contain the massive robot´s paw from harming the badly injured female cadet beneath it.
The cannon was neutralized, Zell took this oportunity to jump on the robot´s back and using all his GF-enhaced strenght, ripped the massive cannon from the spider´s body, while Selphie cast another Thunder spell just as the martial artist jumped off, striking the exposed circuits on its back.
X-ATM092´s circuits suffered a terrible breakdown, its energy storage decreasing suddenly below 30. The gigantic machine stumbled backwards, thus giving Squall the oportunity to grab Rosie and pull her out of the robot´s vicinity. She had already cast a Cure spell on herself, the wound she had received closing slowly.
"Hey! You ok?" asked Selphie as she approached her friend.
"Yeah, barely." replied the raven-haired. Then she returned her gaze to Squall and smiled "Thanks."
He just nodded back. "We have to hurry. We´ve less than 18 minutes left."
"Can you stand up?" asked Zell, placing a hand on Rosie´s shoulder.
She looked at him and smiled, "Yeah, don´t worry. Cure spells are a wonder." She replied as she got up. "C´mon, we have to hurry!"
ooo ooo
"Rosie hasn´t come back and it´s almost the time to withdraw." said Thelma, looking alternatively at the cuckoo clock behind the bar and the Dollet street leading to the Central Square.
"Well, she said we should withdraw whether she came here before the hour or not." replied Nida cooly, though inside he wasn´t as relaxed as he seemed.
All this time just to deliver a message?
Something must have gone wrong... but we can´t leave our posts... should I call her disappereance in or not?
After a brief silent moment, the male cadet folded his arms and said "We´ll give her five more minutes, then we´ll withdraw and report Instructor Aki she´s missing, okay?"
Thelma nodded and resumed her vigil on the street.
ooo ooo
After running at the fast pace Squall had lead them with, the cadets arrived to the bridge that connected Dollet with the mountain region. Rosie was quite surprised that the spider robot hadn´t appeared anymore, but nonetheless, she was grateful too.
Suddenly, the ground in front of Squall exploded, bricks and dust flying in every direction as the Black Widow made its appereance.
Oh, crap! And here I was starting to think we had left it behind!
"I thought we had already busted that thing up!" exclaimed Zell both in frustration and fear at the apparently invincible machine.
"Forget it, let´s go! We´ve only 10 minutes left!" yelled Squall as he sent a Thunder spell against the robot. The huge machine avoided the magical blast by leaping from one side of the cadets to the other. "Run!" ordered thr brunet, the other cadets following his lead. "We gotta make it to the vessel!"
Zell barely avoided being hit by the machine´s powerful claws, but Selphie was not as lucky, her left arm seriously damaged.
"Selphie!!" called Rosie as she bolted towards her friend. Her mind focusing, she gestured to the approaching robot. "Thunder!" she yelled...
... but nothing happened.
"I´m out of magic!" the raven-haired cried. Suddenly, she felt - rather than saw – the tall figure of Squall, the teenager´s weapon raised as he made his way towards the heavy machinery.
The brunet ducked under the robot´s massive body, Revolver slashing all the way the underside of the machine´s structure. Zell used a Cure spell on Selphie and dragged her out of harm´s way as Rosie focused her energy, an inner conversation being held inside her mind.
X-ATM092 frenzied. Having lost its ability to use the AI, its system locked on Squall´s image and the order to neutralize the cadet. It thrashed wildly, all its paws stomped in an attempt to crush the young man. Squall kept fighting, his gunblade shot a couple of bullets, which incapacitated one of the robot´s hind "legs", but this didn´t help to stop it.
"GF!" Rosie´s shout making the brunet´s gaze deviate for a second from the gigantic spider in front of him to the single, distant figure of the female cadet, her form glowing slightly in a green-yellow light..
He knew better than to be in a GF´s destructive path, so Squall applied the same manoeuver he had previously. He slipped under the robot´s massive body, rolling to the front and then sprinting all the way where his comrades had already taken cover.
Rosie could feel as the Guardian´s energy coursed through her entire being. Her limbs were on fire and an electrical shiver rolled down her spine. Finally, the energy seemed to pull out of her body, leaving a huge blackhole inside her, while the light that enveloped her form blinded her for a second.
The clouds gathered, they greyish appereance announcing the soon-to-fall storm. But no rain fell. Instead, several bolts of electricity shot from the heavens, uniting half way down and forming an energy pillar. A shriek was heard before a glowing green-yellow entity, resembling somewhat a bird, appeared. Its size doubled that of X-ATM092, towering over the machine as its massive wings extended and the Thunder God straightened in all its glory. Electricity could be seen coursing through its body before it was focused on the tip of its beak.
The energy that was generated was incredible.
It hit the spider-like robot, enveloping the metallic body, damaging its inner mechanisms and rendering the machine helpless.
Once it had incapacitated its summoner´s foe, Quetzalcoatl victorious screech filled the sky before the lightning bird vanished in a bright flash, returning to the mind it was junctioned with.
"Is everyone ok?" asked Rosie.
"Yeah. That was freaking awesome!" replied Zell as he jumped out of their hidding spot. He then directed his gaze towards the now defeated X-ATM092 and yelled "YEAH, BABY!! YOU LIKED THAT BI-"
Squall´s voice interrupted his celebration. "Cut it off. We gotta move it, only 5 minutes left." He said as he ran towards the city, the female cadets hot on his heels.
ooo ooo
Quistis stood at the beach, narrowed azure eyes scanning the nearby city´s entrance.
Why aren´t they back?
What happened?
She was about to go search Squad B, when suddenly a familiar figure came into sight. "Seifer..." she muttered relieved. But when it was obvious the blond was the only one approaching, her heart shrunk in anguish. The instructor approached the incoming cadet.and frowned "Seifer, where... where´s your squad?"
He looked behind him before returning his gaze to the blonde and smirked "They should be right on their way." he started to walk past Quistis "They´re too damn slow, I won they back easily."
"You.. what?!" The instructor shook her head un utter shock "You... you left your team?!"
"Hey! It´s not my fault if they can´t keep up." Seifer replied frowning, turning so he could face the instructor. "They should train harder, don´t you think?" With that, the blond cadet turned around and entered the vessel.
ooo ooo
"Finally you arrive!" said Instructor Aki as the two Squad C members approached. Noticing they were one cadet short, the SeeD asked "Where is the other girl, your squad leader?"
"She... well, she´s disappeared..." muttered Nida.
Aki´s eyes widened "WHAT?! When was the last time you saw her?"
"About almost an hour ago, sir." replied Thelma "Just after we established comunication with you. She left with Squad A´s messenger... Selphie. They were to deliver the withdraw order to Squad B... but she didn´t return."
The older man took a com device from the inside of the vessel´s cabin and called Squad A´s instructor. "Jeremy? It´s Aki. Has your messenger returned?... No?... I see... What?... Oh, nothing! I´m going to call on Quistis, she´s the one in charge of the B´s. I´ll call you right back."
"So Selphie hasn´t returned either?" asked Nida.
"No..." muttered Aki as he connected with the blonde SeeD. "Quistis? It´s Aki. Do you have any news on your team?"
ooo ooo
"No more, please!" cried Selphie as she heard the mechanical spider approaching again. Her whole body ached from the succesive battles she had to endure: first against Elvoret and then all the times they had supposedly disabled X-ATM092.
There´s no end to this. thought Squall, his limbs carrying him as fast as they could. The cadets made their way through the Central Square, the heavy machine right behind them. Its massive paws leaving dents wherever they hit the pavement.
As they approached Wendigo´s Bar, Rosie remembered her comrades were there.
I hope they had followed my orders.
She spotted the building´s door and moved towards it, quickly opening it and stopping for a second as she looked into the main area. Not seeing any sign of her squad, she resumed her way almost immediately, the Black Widow a few meters behind them.
"Two minutes left" heaved Squall as he glanced at his watch.
"Stop telling me how many time we have left, man!" growled Zell "We´ve got enough problems as it is!" Despite the situation, Rosie couldn´t help but giggle slightly at the martial artist´s reply.
"Look! We made it, the beach is up ahead!" yelled happily Selphie.
X-ATM092 pushed forward, using almost all its energy reserves just to increase its speed. Squall noticed it and yelled "Move faster! It´s coming closer!" He stopped for a second, his energy focusing on the machine´s "head" as he released his last Thunder spell. The other cadets moved pass him, still running quickly with Zell now on the lead.
When they reached the stairway that connected the city with Lapkin Beach, Zell vaulted himself over the railing and yelled "Instructor Trepe!!"
ooo ooo
Quistis was already on the top of the vessel, her hands tightening around the heavy machinegun´s handles. She watched as Zell jumped down the stairs, Rosie and Selphie following him.
Where is Squall? The blonde thought in anguish.
"Instructor!! Quick! There´s a... fucking robot chasing us!" wheezed Zell, approaching the vessel.
"Where´s Squall?" she asked
"He´s behind us... he-" the martial artist´s voice was lost as the sound of metal clashing against pavement was heard. The cadets spun around and watched in horror as X-ATM092 rammed against the arched entrance to the city, blowing it up and sending debris all around it. Among the dust and destruction, was a human form...
"SQUALL!!" cried Rosie, bolting towards the cadet, her arm pinned suddenly by a stronger hand.
"He´s going to be fine, c´mon." said Zell as he dragged the girl towards the vessel.
"I know it´s just..." muttered Rosie, her voice barely above a whisper, while her eyes focused on Squall´s frame as the cadet struggled to get on his feet. She sent her last Blizzard towards the robot, trapping one of its legs for a second, but it was enough so the SeeD cadet could bolt towards the vessel, placing a couple of meters between him and the Black Widow, which was quickly raising from where it had fallen once the stairway collapsed due to its massive weight.
Squall´s limbs carried him fast towards the vessel, his comrades waiting for him with anxious looks on their faces. As he neared the war vehicle, the metal clanging from the robot´s fast pace was heard again, drawing nearer with each passing second. His frown deepened as he focused all his strenght on his legs, willing them to move faster.
C´mon, dammit! Move it!
Out the corner of his eyes he could see the robot´s metallic paws, the machine clearly approaching dangerously to him.
I´ve got just one shot.
If I don´t make it... it´s game over.
The brunet clenched his teeth, while he gathered every last ounce of strenght he had left and leaped towards the vessel...
ooo ooo
Quistis couldn´t shoot for fear of hurting Squall in the process. Still, the blonde instructor kept her fingers on the triggers ready to push them when the oportunity arrived. She watched the brunet´s body tense, preparing for jumping onto the vessel.
Now!! She thought, finally squeezing the machinegun triggers, catching X-ATM092 attention.
ooo ooo
"GET US OUT OF HERE!!" Xu commanded the pilot as the galbadian machine directed its attack towards the heavy machinegun, rocking the whole boat in the process.
Quistis´s fingers never left the triggers and kept firing, the high-calliber bullets piercing the robot´s thick armored body, damaging it´s power generators. The machine´s onslaught continued even when its circuits went ballistic. Finally, another round of bullets pierced its main energy core, disabling the other circuits and generating a multiple breakdown, one not even the million nanomachines inside the X-ATM092´s structure could repair.
The SeeD vessel pulled away as the robot stumbled backwards, the remaining energy gathering in its core and exploding, sending the machine´s parts flying several meters around.
ooo ooo
"Squall!" Rosie yelled happily as she ran towards him.
The panting cadet was plopped beside the now closed evacuation hatch. His head rested on his right knee as the rest of his body relaxed slowly after the near-death experience he just had.
She kneeled next to him, her voice softly saying "I´m glad you´re ok." when he directed his gaze at her, she smiled warmly "You got me scared for a second, you know?"
Wheezing, he replied "W...Whatever..."
All Rosie could do was giggle.
Suddenly a deep, sarcastic voice was heard "Squall...". both cadets turned to see Seifer, who had just abandoned the place he had been sitting through the whole ordeal. His trademark smirk adorned his face as he leaned against the nearby wall and said "You´re late. What took you so long?"