Phenomenon
Welcome the Calm
Zell and the others remained in absolute silence as they continued staring up at Lunatic Pandora, waiting, anxiously; for their impending demise, or for Squall to save them. They had heard the sounds emitting from the massive object, and they knew, all-too-well, that the Lunar Cry was on the verge of initiation – and once it began…there was no stopping it; and Garden would, inevitably, be crushed into nothing. The very thought, the whole moment itself, drove them crazy with panic and uncertainty, their nerves wracking from the immense tension they felt in the face of such an end.
"We've got to do something!" Irvine said, abruptly, "I hate just standing around! I feel so useless."
"What can we do?" Selphie remarked, "We tried all we could…"
Her words only elicited a faint grumble from the sniper, and he turned his head away in displeasure as he looked back up toward Lunatic Pandora again.
Zell emitted another heavy sigh, shaking his head in defeat as he looked towards the floor. This really was the end. After how far they had come, all of the crazy things they had survived just the prior year…it really was all going to come down here and now. It just seemed so pathetic a fate, and a part of him still couldn't believe it could actually true.
He lifted his head one more time, a look of anticipation returning to his face as he scanned the titanic weapon for any sign of Squall. In spite of his hopes, there was still no trace of their companion, however, only Galbadia's fateful weapon greeting his sight once again. He just couldn't understand: go in, rescue Rinoa, and get her out. If anyone could pull off such an idea, it was Squall - and the fact that he had yet to return, even after all of this time, began to raise questions in the blonde's mind…none of which he was comfortable considering.
He shook his head, solemnly, and in what he expected to be their final moments, expressed one last plea in his desperation.
"Only a miracle will get us of this one…"
On cue, as if to have heard his words, the console in the MD level sparked brightly before the controls for Garden's flight mode suddenly kicked back into gear; it seemed Zell's tinkering with the machinery had worked. The console hummed loudly, the sturdy sound bringing the system back to life as the interchange of gears began spinning in place once more.
Back up on the flight deck, Zell and the others were startled by a sudden, faint trembling that seemed to move throughout Garden.
"What was that?!" the blond asked, a tone of panic in his voice. Fear grabbed hold of him, the SeeD anticipating their demise as he looked around frantically.
They all looked up towards Lunatic Pandora again and watched as the halo above Garden began coming down over top of them. It spun rapidly in place, slowly drawing itself down the side of the school as it made its way underneath. The SeeDs watched the event unfold in wonder and disbelief, Zell completely awestruck by the sight as he stared at the moving corona. He didn't know how it had happened, but his plea had actually been answered: Garden's flight mode had miraculously activated itself, and was now preparing to take the air once again in the nick of time. The gratitude he was suddenly overcome with was beyond words, or measure.
"Hold on!" Nida hollered, abruptly.
Zell, Selphie, Irvine, and Xu heeded his words immediately, each grabbing hold of the railing surrounding the flight deck as they prepared to leave ground. The young SeeD pilot then gripped the controls and, with all of his might, directed Balamb Garden skyward.
A thick cloud of dirt and haze surrounded all of Garden, the halo spinning beneath the now mobile school as it slowly began lifting off the ground. The whole building shook hard in the process, the ebbing battle between Balamb and Galbadia momentarily halted as every fighter fought to maintain their balance amidst the newfound chaos.
Zell and the others strengthened hold of the railing to retain their footing. In their confusion from the suddenness of it all, they lifted their heads towards Lunatic Pandora again, peering closely through the dust and grime in attempt to get catch a glimpse of the fateful structure. Though they wanted, wholeheartedly, to believe this moment could actually be real, the timing was just too perfect in their minds.
However, their doubts were instantly allayed when they witnessed Lunatic Pandora slowly fade from sight, the light of the blue sky steadily coming back into view as Garden steered clear of the obstruction.
Finally bringing Garden to a rest, Nida was surrounded by the others when they ran up beside him. Their eyes locked ahead, a look of amazement still on their faces while they stood staring towards Lunatic Pandora. The massive weapon still lingered in the same position, hovering above the now empty area where their school had sat only moments before.
"Woo-hoo! We did it!" Selphie cheered, loudly, jumping in place in her excitement, "We saved Garden! Everyone's okay!"
She smiled brightly, the small, young woman more than happy to put the previous turmoil behind them. Her reaction to it all was a source of comfort for her companions, and a smile soon graced their faces, the relief and ecstasy they felt at having finally escaped the horrid fate set for them immediately overcoming the group. Garden was finally safe, as they had wanted, hoped for desperately, and though still at a loss as to exactly how it had happened…they certainly weren't foolish enough to question the obvious phenomenon.
In spite of the celebration though, Zell was still disturbed by a lingering fear. Though they may have saved Garden from a complete destruction, the Lunar Cry still threatened, waited steadily, to rain all hell down upon Balamb; and to make it worse, Squall and Rinoa were still inside, no sign of the two apparent even now as he scanned the structure, closely, once more. Though it would appear as if their fears were now a thing of the past, despite how much he wanted to believe such, too…Zell knew their dilemma was still far from over.
"Not quite…" he uttered, "Squall is still inside."
His words instantly struck terror in the hearts of his friends, and their celebration promptly ceased. They slowly turned their heads, their attention returning to Lunatic Pandora once more. Their hearts beat heavily, frantically, in their chests, each of them feeling their previous apprehension now return while they waited, anxiously, hoping for Squall and Rinoa's safety as their eyes sat bolted on the colossal weapon.
Squall kept moving through Lunatic Pandora with Rinoa still in his arms. Despite his lingering fatigue from his battle with the clone, he forced himself to continue on, his tired legs carrying him through the colossal structure as he headed towards the exit. He had to get out of here, had to find a way to save Garden before it was too late; to save Rinoa. It was pressure, especially for his already weary body, but it only motivated him further. He had to persevere.
Another tremor shook through the building and Squall's legs finally caved, his knees collapsing under him from the vibration. He fell into a nearby wall, the impact causing Rinoa to slip from his grasp while he dropped to the floor, harshly.
The comatose sorceress rolled away from him, tumbling along the ground ahead. Despite the violent force her body had just endured, Rinoa remained undisturbed, completely inert in her heavily incapacitated state as she lay on the cold ground.
"Rinoa!" Squall called, quietly, a horrified expression on his face.
He quickly climbed to his feet and returned to the sorceress' side, cradling her in his arms again before lifting her off the ground. Rinoa just lay silently against him, remaining utterly oblivious to the events of the world around her; to him. The sight only left Squall further concerned about her current state, the fret clear in his eyes as he stared at her closely for a moment.
Soon remembering their situation, he then nodded his head lightly before running off again, a determined look on his face as he continued forward through Lunatic Pandora.
Before too long, Squall finally made it to his destination. Now, almost entirely exhausted from the endless strain up to now, the SeeD dragged his fatigued legs slowly towards the end of the passageway, his chest heaving against Rinoa's body as he made his way into the entrance.
He stood at the threshold of the tunnel, his eyes gazing forward and a grateful sigh emitted from his lips. They were almost there. He only needed to carry Rinoa a few more feet, and they'd be home free. He was overcome with relief. His frantic struggle was now nearly over; he would finally be able to save her, and put this whole ordeal to rest. A weak smile formed on Squall's face at the thought, and he glanced down at the sorceress one last time.
"Hold on, Rinoa." he said, gently.
Driven by his immense desire to see her recover, Squall propelled his enervated body forward, traversing the remaining distance with the limp Rinoa while he kept his eyes peeled ahead.
No sooner had he reached the Ragnarok, he was greeted by a loud roaring that completely shattered the quiet of Lunatic Pandora. A strong wind blew harshly through the gaping hole that penetrated the building's design, and Squall turned his head away as its strength increased, his grip on Rinoa tightening as he held her closer.
The anonymous roaring got louder as the wind continued to intensify, and Squall anticipated another altercation at any moment. Though reluctant to engage in further combat, especially given his lethargic state, he would still deal with any threats if need be. He had finally rescued Rinoa against all odds, and he would do everything he could in order to protect her, to ensure she didn't leave his side this time.
He turned his head into the cumulative wind, gritting his teeth in preparation for the assault while he clung to the raven-haired girl. Yet, in a sudden twist of fate, Squall was surprised to discover that the sight which greeted him was that of another Ragnarok airship. The airborne vessel drifted towards them, turning its starboard side in their direction before slowing to a halt, hovering at the edge of Lunatic Pandora.
The doors to the hangar opened and Squall held back, the SeeD still holding reservations as he yielded a sharp glare towards the aircraft.
"SQUALL! COME ON!" a voice hollered over the loud ruckus. Laguna stood in the doorway, waving his hand, hurriedly, in a motion for Squall to come on board.
The sight of the elder man immediately depleted Squall's suspicions and he slowly loosened his stance, staring ahead towards Laguna in brief bewilderment at the President's sudden appearance. Upon realizing there was no threat of danger now, Squall then heeded Laguna's plea and rushed aboard the aircraft with the unconscious Rinoa. Paying no mind to the elderly man, the SeeD hurried through the hangar towards the cockpit, Laguna following closely as the doors closed behind them.
The lift emerged from the lower deck and Squall and Laguna entered the cockpit. Kiros sat in the pilot's seat with the towering Ward standing beside him, the arrival of their comrades immediately eliciting their attention and they turned their heads towards the back of the room. Right away, their eyes were drawn to Rinoa, the two men overcome with concern at the sight of her as Squall stepped forward.
"Is she okay…?" Kiros asked. He eyed Rinoa closely as he spoke. His face bore a look of pressing doubt at the sorceress' state, the answer already in his mind as he had asked.
Squall didn't reply as he turned his attention to the sorceress again. He examined her carefully, Rinoa still lying limp in his grasp, her blank, lifeless face staring up at him. She looked so frail, the color of her skin now beginning to fade. Squall wanted to hear her speak, move, some sign to know she was going to be okay. Three times now, he had witnessed her in such a state, so fragile, so helpless. Though it pained him to ponder such, he could only wonder how many more times he would have to see her like this.
"…I don't know." he answered, somberly.
"Don't worry." Laguna said, softly, an empathetic tone in his voice as he placed a hand on Squall's shoulder. The SeeD just ignored him, not even caring to brush off the man's hand as he continued staring down at Rinoa.
Laguna slowly trekked forward, joining up with Kiros and Ward now and the three men prepared to depart from the company of Lunatic Pandora. A heavy sigh emitted from Squall's lips, and soon…the SeeD was unable to bear the sight anymore. He carefully laid Rinoa down, kneeling over the inert sorceress, momentarily, before recalling their situation again. He yanked his head towards Laguna in a panic.
"What about Garden?"
"It's alright," Laguna replied, calmly, "They managed to get it out of the way in time. Everyone's okay."
Squall eased up again at the elder man's response, folding his arms complacently with a faint smile of gratitude. While he was still somewhat disgruntled towards himself, ashamed that he hadn't held up his end in the matter, it was, nevertheless, comforting to know that his friends were safe – and that they had done it all without his help this time. While he wouldn't publicly admit it, he was proud of everyone. It was about time some good news came their way.
Still, though they had successfully salvaged Garden, and his clone had been destroyed, the Lunar Cry had yet to be dealt with. Even with Garden out of its reach, the calamity still threatened to rain down upon Balamb itself – and while SeeD may no longer be in danger, there were still the residents of the nearby town to consider. They had managed to save themselves from the horrible fate that had awaited them, but now, they had the difficult task of saving everyone else. If they didn't do something soon, the whole continent of Balamb would practically cease to exist.
"But, the Pandora!" he exclaimed, anxiously, "Those monsters are going to destroy Balamb! We have to do something!"
Laguna merely denied the brunette's claims with a shake of his head, seemingly unbothered by such thoughts. He stood pensive, cupping his chin in hand while he continued staring out the windshield.
"It's too late to stop the Lunar Cry. The process is already too far along by now." he stated.
Squall's stomach dropped at Laguna's comment, the SeeD instantly stricken with absolute fear for the residents of Balamb. His mind was flooded with nightmarish thoughts: the unwitting families in the quiet town suddenly overrun with terrifying monsters as the wrath of the lunar world was finally unleashed. It was a haunting vision, the gruesome deaths of innocent civilians slaughtered in cold blood tearing at the SeeD, unbearably. He couldn't stand to let that happen.
He shook his head in defiance, a look of anger and disgust on his face at the thought. Laguna took note of his vivid reaction and was quick to speak up again.
"Don't worry. There's still a chance," he assured, "We'll just redirect its course, send all the monsters into the ocean. It's not entirely full-proof, but it's really all we can do."
Squall sighed at his words, unclenching his face and doing his best to calm himself down. Honestly, he was a bit skeptical of such a notion, especially if it wasn't exactly guaranteed. Nevertheless, there were no other options apparent, and it was certainly better than letting tons of innocent lives be taken. As long as they could spare Balamb from such a horrendous fate, he didn't really care too much how it happened.
With no words left on the matter, Laguna finally gave the awaited cue and Kiros kicked the engine back into full-gear. The course set, he then proceeded to direct the Ragnarok towards their destination - and within moments, the dragon-shaped aircraft abruptly soared off from Lunatic Pandora towards Garden.
The madness of the battle between SeeD and Galbadia had finally ceased. Any residual soldiers of the opposing forces were easily dealt with by the Estharian troops, while those remaining for Garden now tended to the wounded. The calm was no less trying than the conflict itself, unfortunately, as there was a vast multitude that had suffered rather serious injuries, both Cadet and SeeD. The students worked tirelessly, rigorously in their efforts to support their comrades, while doing their best to cope with the losses they had suffered during the harsh struggle.
Now, having finally defeated the opposition, and Squall having disposed of the clone, the Lunar Cry had effectively been rerouted thanks to Laguna's efforts, and Lunatic Pandora no longer loomed in Balamb's sky.
Bringing up the rear of passengers, Squall exited the Ragnarok, cradling Rinoa closely again while he reunited with his companions. They all stood patiently, mentally rejoicing at the couple's return while their eyes focused on Rinoa. She was so still, not even the slightest acknowledgment of their presence apparent within her. It was an unnerving sight to witness, each of the SeeDs utterly puzzled and disturbed by her sudden condition.
"Hey… What's wrong with Rinoa?" Selphie asked, worriedly, "Is she okay?"
Squall didn't respond, ignoring the young woman's question altogether as he slowly knelt down before Laguna. He carefully slid his arm out from under Rinoa's legs, the sorceress' head now rested against his knee and Squall gently stroked her hair. She felt cold, her skin now almost completely pale as she lay against him. It took everything within Squall to stifle his doubts, those fears he harbored deep down that told him they may be too late.
"Zis iz an outrage! Unhand me zis instant!"
Squall turned his head immediately at the sound of the voice to see Odine coming their way. He was held by two Esthar soldiers on either side, his hands cuffed behind him as they led him up to Laguna.
Squall's instincts kicked into overdrive in the doctor's presence and he pulled Rinoa closer to him, his body acting as a shield for the unconscious girl while his eyes beamed with hatred for the cunning scientist. He still couldn't forget what Odine had done to her, how he had started all of this hassle in the first place. If the doctor wasn't already apprehended, Squall felt he may have acted on his hostility right then. The man's actions of late were entirely unforgiveable in his mind.
"Ah, Odine. Glad you could join us." Laguna said, smugly.
He quickly proceeded to pull out multiple documents from his pocket, holding them up in a taunting fashion for Odine to see.
"You know… we've got a lot of incriminating evidence against you, stuff I'm sure I'll be rather fascinated by after a more thorough review."
"My research! Give zat back!" Odine shouted, defiantly. He jumped in place, frantically, almost as if to try and snatch the files from the president's hands despite being detained.
Laguna waved his finger in a scolding manner as he hid the papers behind his back. There was a faint twinkle in his eye, and a smirk soon formed on his face at his successful endeavors to outplay the doctor.
"Not so fast," he chided, "You've got a lot to answer for, Odine. But, that's a matter best left for later - and I'll be tending to your case, personally."
He leaned in closer to the doctor, a surprisingly cold look glaring in his eyes as he muttered his next words.
"But, trust me, I promise I will make sure you never perform another experiment on a living being again; count on it."
With those words, he motioned towards the Ragnarok firmly. Silently acknowledging his orders, the Esthar officials nodded in compliance before taking Odine aboard the aircraft.
Squall watched as they walked away, pursing his eyes at Odine. While relieved that the doctor had finally been caught, he was rather displeased with the scene that had unfolded before him. He had expected something more fitting, harsher, to say the least. It hadn't been enough just to see Odine at Laguna's mercy – the man wasn't exactly the best disciplinarian, after all. Though somewhat doubtful of the president's ability, Squall could only trust that, once they had returned to Esthar…Laguna would choose an acceptable punishment.
Laguna looked towards Squall again, immediately taking note of the SeeD's expression.
"Don't worry, Squall, we'll deal with him. Trust me," he said, "If there's one thing I won't tolerate, it's treason - and Odine has gotten away with that far too much in the past; he won't hurt anyone else again. I promise."
Squall stared at Laguna intently, not a word emitting from either of their lips in the long silence. Laguna stood with his arms folded, coldly, while fury burned in his eyes at his words. It was the first time Squall had ever seen the elder man so stern, so certain of himself. He truly was appalled by Odine's actions. The sight sent a sense of comfort through the SeeD to know that his prior doubts had been quelled, and he nodded lightly at Laguna. He didn't care how it happened, or when - he was just content in knowing Odine would suffer as much as he made them lately; made Rinoa. Just the mere thought filled him with a wicked satisfaction.
Quistis finally emerged from Galbadia Garden with Caraway. The elder man was slumped forward, a bandage wrapped around his torso from the wound he had sustained, while his other arm was draped over Quistis' shoulder. The blond carefully helped him forward, doing her best to support Caraway's weight as they slowly made their way towards the others.
Caraway soon took note of Rinoa's condition, and his jaw gaped open. He stood in place, weary-eyed and startled, all words completely eluding him at the sight of his daughter.
He pulled himself away from Quistis, his attention undivided from Rinoa as he slowly stepped towards the inert girl. Carefully kneeling down beside her, he took position across from Squall, his eyes still heavily fixated on the sorceress.
"…Rinoa…" he mumbled. He gently placed his hand on his daughter's face, her cold skin and lifeless expression nearly bringing tears to the elder man's eyes. He was overwhelmed with emotion as he sat there, staring down at Rinoa, anger and guilt at the state of his daughter eating away at Caraway's heart terribly. Everything he had done as of late: all of his actions, all of his thoughts thus far…they had all been for her sake. He had submitted to Deling, to his own reluctance, turning against everything he believed in to ensure Rinoa's safety, an action that had quickly brought shame to himself.
Yet, by some despicable irony, he had now come to discover it had all been for naught. In spite of his efforts, in spite of his every hope and intention, Rinoa now laid before him, the insentient girl completely devoid of life. The sight was too much to bear for the grief-stricken man, Caraway cursing the entire ordeal, cursing Deling. He couldn't forgive himself for having ever been so foolish.
Laguna looked toward Kiros, holding his hand out expectantly, and the latter quietly handed him a syringe. Taking the utensil in his hand, the presidential man then stepped towards Rinoa.
Joining Squall and Caraway, Laguna knelt down alongside the Galbadian Commander and promptly proceeded to inject the needle into Rinoa's shoulder. Caraway watched, a faint look of horror on his face, as the clear chemical steadily flowed out of the tiny tube and into the sorceress' body.
"What are you doing to her?!" he admonished. His previously fearful expression now burned with anger, eyes glaring at Laguna in regards to the sudden event.
Laguna didn't respond, waiting patiently for the chemical to completely drain before removing the needle from Rinoa's flesh. He then silently rose to his feet, holding the syringe needle up while he stared down at the unconscious girl.
Squall and Caraway looked down at Rinoa again, the sorceress seeming unresponsive as she remained completely still between the two men. They watched her closely, eagerly, a hopeful look in their eyes while they waited, desperately, for some sort of reaction.
Finally, it happened: a faint sign of life within Rinoa as Squall felt her quiver slightly against his arm, an action that instantly elicited an astonished look from the SeeD. Now, watching closer, Squall and the others soon heard a weak grunt emerge from Rinoa's lips, and her face clenched.
After a brief struggle, Rinoa's eyes fluttered open, and Squall was able to catch a glimpse of their beautiful, dark brown shade. She lay there silently in his arms for a moment, staring up at the SeeD weakly. It was actually working: Laguna's injection had successfully counteracted Odine's, and Rinoa was regaining consciousness right before their eyes.
"…Squall….?" she asked, her voice nearly a whisper in her feeble state.
Squall nodded lightly in response, a faint smile forming on the SeeD's face while he stared back at her thankfully.
His reaction elicited the same response from Rinoa, and a weak smile was quick to form on her face before her head abruptly turned away, her eyes shut. She lay still in Squall's arms once more, having lost consciousness again without warning.
The drastic turn of events struck fear and confusion within the brunette, and Squall felt his heart stop for a moment, his relief quickly turning into panic as he stared down at the sorceress.
"Rinoa?" he asked, shaking her rigidly, "Rinoa!"
His head shot up, the SeeD immediately eyeing Laguna apprehensively.
"What's wrong with her?!" he wondered, aloud. There was a demanding tone in his hysteria, Squall's eyes locked intently on Laguna's while he eagerly awaited an explanation.
"Don't worry," Laguna replied, calmly, "That brief consciousness just means it's working. She should be fine now."
He smiled at Squall in assurance of his words. Squall ignored his gesture, however, still cautious towards such a claim and looked down at Rinoa again. Upon close inspection, the SeeD was surprised to discover that her previously blank and lifeless expression now appeared relaxed, tranquil. Her skin had even regained hints of color already, and her body temperature now felt warmer. She just seemed so content, as if she were slumbering peacefully in his arms this time.
Squall felt relief sweep over him again while he watched Rinoa sleep for a moment. It was the best feeling he'd had in a long time. In spite of everything that had happened over the past few days, all of the fear and stress they had endured at the hands of Deling and Odine, they had finally done it: they had saved Garden, and Balamb, from complete destruction, and successfully ended the two men's intentions at every attempt to overpower them. In the end, he had managed to keep his promise to Rinoa and help free her from the fears of her powers; of herself. He was completely elated, his gratitude beyond that of words or thought.
Their hardship now over, and Rinoa finally recovering, Squall caressed her close to him before gently lifting her off the ground again. She lay calmly in his grasp, her head rested against the SeeD's shoulder while she remained at rest. Squall exhaled in content, cracking another faint smile at the sight.
He slowly lifted his head towards Laguna, eyeing the elder man closely. Though he was hesitant to say it, Squall couldn't deny Laguna's vital role in it all. Despite their differences, and the SeeD's personal feelings towards the President, the man had still willingly put himself in the midst of the storm in order to help them. Even after being wrongfully accused of allying against Balamb, he had taken the tension and resent in stride and come to their aid when they needed it most. He had proven where his loyalties lay through it all – and, as much as Squall wanted to take the credit, in the end, Laguna was the one truly responsible for saving Rinoa. He just couldn't bring himself to overlook the man's obvious integrity.
"Thank you…Laguna." he uttered. He had sounded so serious when he spoke, almost unconvincing, but Laguna had detected the honesty in his words. While Squall's aloof nature made him seem sarcastic at times, when he expressed his appreciation…he really meant it.
He smiled lightly in acceptance of the stoic brunette's gratitude, and Squall quietly walked off, leaving Laguna, and his companions, behind as he headed inside Garden with Rinoa.
