Torn
She awoke the next morning still wrapped in a cocoon of warmth, but she was alone. Seifer was gone; all that remained was a single white rose lying on the pillow. She smiled a bit and picked it up, smelling its sweet sent. The petals were soft like velvet, brushing against her skin. She climbed out of bed and threw her robe on. She walked out to find the hotel room empty, light streaming in from the windows all around her. She breathed in deeply enjoying the smell of the rose, and the sun glistening off the city of Esthar.
"He has to love me," she said slowly wanting only to believe it. She spun around as the door opened, a smile spreading slowly across her face. His hair shined like spun gold in the morning sun. Shoulders proud beneath his gray trench.
"Good morning" he said flashing his smirk of perfect white teeth. I am so in love with him.
"Morning" she said softly. He nodded and held up the pink box in his hand.
"Doughnuts, hope your hungry" he said. She nodded and sat down next to him on the couch.
"I've all ready been on the phone with Laguna this morning" Seifer said taking a bite of a doughnut.
"Is he coming to meet us?" she asked around her doughnut.
"Squall too" he said nodding. Quistis smiled a bit seeing the frown on his face.
"Anything else" she asked.
"Yeah, Laguna said he might know where the rip formed," Seifer said slowly.
"Oh yeah? Where?" Quistis asked.
"The Lunatic Pandora" Seifer said quietly.
"We have time to check it out before Laguna get here for the meeting today," she said brushing her hands off and standing up. He nodded and looked down at his hands while she went into to change.
Renting a car was easier then they had thought it would be. They had enough Gil between them to bribe almost anyone. So now here they were with Seifer in the driver's seat speeding across the Ether continent. The Lunatic Pandora marred the surface of the land link and unhealed wound. The black metal monolith had crashed to its side after Time Compression.
Seifer parked the car, pocketing the keys. They hesitated staring at the huge hole in the side of the building.
"We fought last time we were here," Seifer said quietly.
"It wasn't you," she said with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Let's go," he said leading the way in through the metal hole. She followed quietly behind making sure her whip was at the ready she couldn't help but notice his hand curled around the hilt of his gunblade. The building around the creaked and moaned as the walked along the catwalk that led to what was the core.
"Be careful, this whole place might collapse on us at any moment" she said softly
"I know" he said
"Gee, haven't I heard those words before" Quistis said under her breath. He spun around his eyes flashing with arrogance. He folded his arms across his chest.
"What do you mean by that?" he asked.
"I can't believe that you can shuck me off just like that, with two words" she said.
"Is that what you think I did? Oh Hyne forbid things don't go exactly the way Instructor number 14, Quistis Trepe planed them" he said pursing his lips.
"You could have at least handled it better, but oh that's right. You don't have any room in your heart for anyone, because you are so full of yourself" she shouted.
"Well at least I have feelings little Miss Ice Queen," he said.
"Do you not care about me at all?" she asked suddenly her voice quiet. He hesitated and suddenly through his hands up in the air.
"Women" he said turning back around.
"Seifer, Look out" Quistis said suddenly pushing him from behind. They went falling forward the catwalk swinging madly from side to side. A spirit loomed over them, a smile appearing on its rotting face.
"Run" Seifer, said helping her to her feet. She slid past him head down the catwalk. Panic gripped her right to the heart. She heard him fighting behind her, metal ringing through the building. She skidded to a stop looking straight down into the ruined core.
A giant hole was torn across the atmosphere. Purple rend, with spirits clinging to the edges of it. The inside of it swirled purple and black.
"Shit" Seifer whispered from behind her gazing over her shoulder.
"We better go, Laguna will be waiting" Quistis said grabbing the shoulder of his trench coat. He nodded still staring down into the rip. She pulled him along for a moment, before they both broke into a run leaving the black ruin behind.
"I don't want to go back to Time Compression," he said firmly. She nodded taking the car keys from his hand.
They hadn't been waiting long when Laguna and Squall arrived at their hotel room. Things were tense as they walked to the shopping mall together. Things were always tense around Seifer and Squall. The two of them, alike but different in so many ways. Like their scars, one going up and one going down. The two of them walked in front of her and Laguna. They cut easily though the crowd like a hot knife though butter. A small platform had been erected in the center of the mall. The council of nine was sitting on it around a podium. One chair was empty and Lachlan stood behind the podium speechless as he saw them approaching. All the people around them looked downtrodden and dirty.
"I'm here to take back my city!" Laguna exclaimed.
"You Lachlan Goldenspire, are under arrest for attacking a high ranking SeeD" Squall said in his usual cold voice hand resting on the glowing blue lionheart.
"You can not arrest us! We rule this city" Lachlan said Quistis sighting the slow white film growing over his eyes.
"Not anymore" Seifer said deadly quiet.
"Don't let him touch you" Quistis whispered. Seifer gave her a curt nod never taking his eyes from Lachlan. The other eight members of the council stood up suddenly all at once. White film covering their eyes, their faces twisted in rage.
"Inhuman beasts" Seifer muttered pulling his gunblade.
"Protect Laguna" Squall said to her as he rushed beside Seifer in battle. She uncoiled her whip standing protectively in front of Laguna.
"Triple, Aura" Quistis whispered watching the yellow haze appear over all three of them. Renzozkun, Fire cross.
"Mighty Guard" she said. Surprisingly Laguna pulled a machine gun from no where and was slowly loading it with bullets. He stood shooting from the background with expert aim. Everything seemed to be going to well when one of the spirits leaped right over Seifer and Squall's head landing on all four limbs in front of her. It growled and snapped at her like a dog. She tore into it with her whip, concentrating solely on battle. It had been so long since a real battle with her Save the Queen. She wasn't use to the strain. The spirit saw an opening and took it. He shoved her out of the way bounding into Laguna. Quistis watched from the ground in horror as the thing grabbed Laguna by the shoulders. The former president of Esthar struggled against it. The spirit slowly put its lips on Laguna's with a cruel smile. Laguna went rigged suddenly his eyes rolling into the back of his head. His skin turned a shade of blue that should never be.
"Squall!" Quistis shouted meekly. There was a sudden flash of blue and the spirit was gone, Laguna falling to the ground in a heap. Squall leaned over him and took his pulse.
"Alive, barely" Squall said sadly. Quistis stood up just as Seifer executed the final blow on Lachlan. She walked over as Seifer leaned over his dying body.
"It's too late, the others are coming. All the others" Lachlan whispered before his body started to crumble. Quistis met Seifer's eyes as the slowly stood up. She turned and looked around at all the scared faces of the people. She took a deep breath and stepped up to the podium.
A/n: The end is so near! Can you feel it? :) Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. You guys kick ass!