29. The Truth About Edea
Squall didn't know how long he'd been sitting there, on the ground by the ruins of Galbadia Garden, holding Rinoa in his arms before Xu and Selphie arrived back with Dr. Kadowaki.
"Squall…" Dr. Kadowaki knelt down beside him, finally causing him to look up. "Squall, come on, lets get her to the infirmary."
Squall looked around to see Zell and Irvine on either end of a stretcher. Nodding, he silently stood up, lifting Rinoa up with him and gently placed her on the stretcher. Still, without speaking, he walked alongside the stretcher back to Garden. Zell and Irvine looked at their friend, walking silently with his head held down. They were used to Squall being silent; but normally it was because he was hiding his feelings. This time things were different; we wasn't hiding these feelings, they were openly on display, and neither of them knew how to talk to him like this.
The journey continued in silence until they finally reached the infirmary, where they laid her down on the infirmary bed. Dr. Kadowaki looked at the group, not quite sure how to tactfully ask Squall to leave.
Irvine read her thoughts, however. "Come on Squall. Let's let the doctor do her job."
Still in silence, Squall allowed himself to be led away, whereupon he left the Doctor to see to Rinoa, and returned to his room.
Awkwardly, Zell and Irvine exchanged glances.
"Wow, if he takes his losses like that, I'm starting to understand why he doesn't let people close to him." Zell breathed.
"He's lost someone he loves." Irvine told him, thinking of how he'd feel if he lost Selphie. "You probably don't remember, but that was how he dealt with losing Ellone. He just distanced himself from everyone."
"You mean all that work we've done on him has just been undone?" Selphie pouted a little.
"Selphie! Come on! That's not the right way to think!" Zell was taken aback.
"But Rinoa's not actually dead… is she?" Selphie looked up at them, begging them to say no.
"I don't know Selphie." Irvine sighed. "I don't know if she's dying, or dead. Let's just leave Dr. Kadowaki to see to her. And I don't think all the work we've done on Squall's for nothing. In fact, I have a funny feeling he's going to need us now more than ever. I just wish it hadn't taken something like this to do it." He sighed again. "Come on, let's get out of here, and give them some space."
It was an hour before Xu knocked on Squall's door.
"Squall." She said softly. "Dr. Kadowaki wants to see you. I… I don't know what for."
"It's alright." Squall replied in his former curt manner. "I don't get my hopes up. I'm prepared for the worst."
Xu didn't say anything, as she could see from the reddening of Squall's eyes; it was clear he'd been crying. Instead he allowed himself to be led to the infirmary.
He walked in to see Rinoa lying peacefully in the intensive care room.
"How is she?" Squall got straight to the point.
"Well, she's alive, and stable." Dr. Kadowaki got the good news down first.
"So what's wrong with her?" Squall asked, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer.
"That's the thing, I don't know." This time the Doctor looked a bit downcast. "It's so unusual; no not unusual, unique. Her breathing and heart rate are down to minimal level, in the same state they enter when we sleep."
"She's in a coma?"
"It would seem so." She replied. "But the funny thing is, there's nothing apparently wrong with her. I've brain scanned her, x-rayed; every injury test I know; nothing! There are no broken bones, cuts or bruises. All her organs are working correctly; vital signs all reading good. It really is like she's in a sleep she can't wake up from. I've never seen anything like it."
"But she's alive?" Squall sounded a bit more anxious.
"She's alive, and looking like she will be for the foreseeable future. I just don't know what's wrong with her. I'm really sorry Squall."
"It's a spell!" Squall was suddenly full of venom. "The Sorceress! She must have put her under some kind of spell!"
A small cough from behind got their attention to where Xu had been waiting. "Erm, Squall, I don't know if this is the best time to tell you this, but I think you should know. Since you were obviously in no state to sort anything out, I took the liberty of organising a few things for you. I hope you don't mind."
Squall's expression didn't change, nor did he speak.
Xu coughed again, a little more awkwardly. "You may remember, after you destroyed Galbadia Garden, the Sorceress ran away. I thought we should find her, so I organised a search party. For some reason, Quistis, Zell, Selphie and Irvine insisted it be them. I got a radio call from them just five minutes before I knocked on your door saying they'd followed her to some house about four miles south of the crash site, right by the sea. They say they're standing guard outside and waiting for you."
"Take us there!" Squall commanded.
"Erm, I've already given the order. We've touched down a safe distance away. It's about five to ten minutes walk."
"I'm going." Squall said simply, walking out the infirmary.
Squall trudged along the barren landscape of Centra, with grim determination: to find the Sorceress, find out what she'd done to Rinoa and put things right. As he walked over the final hill, however, he stopped in his tracks. In stark contrast to the typical bare rock landscape of Centra, the other side of the hill was a mass of vegetation. Long grass blew in the wind coming in from the sea, with wild flowers growing everywhere. It looked like it had once been a beautiful garden, but years of neglect had taken their toll. In the middle stood an ancient stone house, again ravaged by time and neglect. Running now, Squall headed through the fields towards the house.
As he reached it, he slowed down, looking round in near disbelief.
"This is…" he began.
"It's the orphanage, yes." Irvine finished his sentence, then gave an ironic smile. "It seems we've chased her home. We've been waiting for you; we thought this was something we should all do together."
Squall looked around at his companions, sitting or standing in the grass outside the main entrance. "Let's go." He nodded, walking towards the door. He opened it, and nearly jumped back in surprise when he saw Cid standing there. "Headmaster?" he gasped in surprise.
Cid laughed. "Am I really worthy of being called that? What must you think of me eh?" he scratched his head. "I didn't really know what to do. Your defeat would mean the loss of you, your victory? The loss of my wife. I couldn't bear to face either situation." He gave a resentful smile. "So I ran here, home. I was overjoyed when Edea arrived earlier, telling me it was all over and neither side had to die." He looked at them apologetically. "I'm not asking for myself, but please forgive Edea. She's waiting for you outside, in the back garden."
Confused, the group followed him out to the back, where they found Edea looking lost and lonely, gazing out to sea. She turned round to see them, and bowed her head, sorrowfully. "My children, please forgive me. I raised you as my own, yet still I…" she broke off, unable to think about what she'd done.
"We feel the same!" Squall snapped, exasperated. Every time he seemed close to answers, they lead to more and more puzzling questions.
Zell nodded in agreement. "We fought you too! Knowing you were our Matron."
Edea nodded. "You are SeeDs. You cannot back out of a battle I know; it's how we trained you." She smiled this time, and looked at them as a proud mother looks at her own children when they have made an achievement. "You were magnificent! You really were! You did us both so proud. But it is not over yet."
The group instinctively started to reach for their weapons, but something stopped them. There was no trace of threat in Edea's words.
"Matron, please!" Selphie looked downcast. "What are you telling us? Why if you're so proud of us did you try and kill us?"
Drawing her breath, Edea stood up and looked directly at them. "I have been possessed." She told them. "I was at the mercy of another Sorceress, a Sorceress named Ultimecia, who's goal is to find Ellone; to exploit her mysterious power. Sorceress Ultimecia's heart is filled with anger and hatred; there was no way I was going to let her get hold of Ellone, but in the battle to protect her, I lost control of my mind to her, and have been at the mercy of her will. And the end result… well, you all saw it. The Sorceress that reigned over Galbadia was Sorceress Ultimecia in my shell." She looked at the group and saw that a couple of them, Irvine and Quistis were looking at her with a touch of scepticism. "You've all experienced it before. When Ellone sends you back into another person's body, and you view things through their eyes. Well, Ultimecia has somehow found a way to take it one step further and be in control of the body."
"So if she's more powerful than Ellone, why does she need her?" Zell wanted to know.
Edea took another deep breath. "Ultimecia's overall goal is not to rule the world, but to rule time itself. She lives in the future; many generations ahead of our own. In order to cast the spell for Time Compression, which will allow her to achieve her dominance, she needs to manifest herself in three time periods at once, so she can cast one spell into the future, and one into the past, causing time to compress to the middle point."
"So that's why she needs Ellone!" Selphie understood. "She exists in the future, and here, but she needs to exist in the past as well!"
Edea nodded. "This is why this is not the end. Ultimecia may choose to try and possess me again. This time, I plan to make a stand, but if that fails, I may have to face you in battle once again."
Quistis realised something. "Matron, you said she 'may' choose to possess you again. Who else might she choose?"
"Have any of you heard of Sorceress Adel?" Edea looked at them.
"She was the ruler of Esthar during the Sorceress War wasn't she?" Zell offered.
Edea nodded. "Many people thing I was the one who received Sorceress Adel's powers when she died. However, that is not the case. I received my powers at the age of five. In addition, it was never actually proved that Adel died. All we know is that Esthar declared an abrupt end to the war and then severed all communication with other countries. No-one knows who rules Esthar now." She paused for breath. "Anyway, I believe Sorceress Adel is still alive, and that Sorceress Ultimecia plans to use her body now. Adel's powers are greater than mine, should she succeed in possessing her body, the reign of terror would be worse than what she accomplished with me. Especially due to the ruthless nature at which Adel uses her powers."
Finally Squall could take it no longer. "Matron, what about Rinoa? What happened to her?"
Edea looked a little confused. "Rinoa. Was she the girl with the long, dark hair who was with you?" Squall nodded. "I vaguely remember her. Why, what happened to her?"
"After the fight, when Galbadia Garden crashed, there was this blinding light." Squall told her.
"That was when Sorceress Ultimecia released me." Edea informed him. "She thought I was going to die, and if she stayed in my body, she'd perish as well."
"Rinoa walked like a zombie over to Seifer, whispered something to him and then just collapsed." Squall struggled to recount everything. "Her body went cold and she fell into a coma."
"Did Rinoa die?" Cid put a hand to his mouth.
"No." Squall told him. "But she's in a coma and Dr. Kadowaki can't figure out what's wrong with her. I… I thought she may be under a spell."
"This happened after Ultimecia released me." Edea told him. "If it is, I don't know what it is, or whatever else may have happened. I'm sorry Squall, I don't think I can help you here."
Cid strode over to him. "Listen Squall, I know how you feel, but the other students at Garden have a right to know about the outcome of the battle and what to expect. Take whatever information you can here back to Garden. Remember, it wasn't just Rinoa. Everyone fought."
Squall sighed. "Headmaster, I know all of this already. But…"
Cid cut him off. "But, but, but! That isn't something a leader should say!"
At this, Squall exploded. "I never asked to be leader! I didn't even want it! You just threw it upon me without even asking me! A leader I may be, but I'm still a person, and I sometimes think you forget that!"
The group were taken aback; they'd never seen him so angry.
Irvine tried to calm the mood. "Look Squall, we're all worried about Rinoa."
"Then why don't you… Forget it." Squall gave up, despondently.
"Squall…" Cid began.
This time it was Squall's turn to cut him off. "Basically, we have to prevent Ultimecia getting hold of Ellone."
"Well, yes." Cid agreed. "But I don't think it's going to be as simple as that."
"Well I'm making it simple!" Squall decided. Ultimecia had taken away one of the people he loved the most, he wasn't letting her taking away the other. He turned to walk away. "Come on, we're going back to Garden."
Back up on the bridge, Squall was finishing his report to Garden. "The threat from Edea has been neutralised, but there is another Sorceress that we, as SeeDs need to deal with. The first, and primary objective is to find, and guard Ellone. After that, we deal with the other Sorceress, Sorceress Ultimecia." He was saying. "That about concludes the report. If there is anything else you need to know, please consult one of the senior SeeD officers. Squall Leonheart out." He put the mic down.
"I'm not sure I like the way you referred to her as 'neutralised'." Quistis made a face.
"It's easier that way." Squall shrugged. "It would be too complicated to explain about Ultimecia being from the future and Edea being possessed and all that."
"I think people should know she's alive and back to normal." Quistis was still unsure.
Xu shook her head. "Squall's right" she told her friend. "I mean, I believe what you've told me, but I think a lot of people would find it hard to swallow." She paused, a little awkwardly. "I don't really want to say it in front of you two, but I don't think many people would be so forgiving. Remember, she wasn't everyone else's kind Matron. To many she's nothing but the evil Sorceress who terrorised them. I'm sorry, but…"
Squall and Quistis nodded, not really liking how she was being described, but knowing Xu was right.
"I think it's best she stays at the Orphanage, out the way, and no-one need know about it." Squall said. "We just say the threat from Sorceress Edea has been neutralised and leave it at that. That way we're not lying to anyone."
"But what if Ultimecia possesses her again and she shows her face again?" Quistis had another though. "It won't go down too well if in a couple of weeks we're fighting the threat we told everyone had been neutralised."
"I'm not sure that's so much of a problem." Squall considered the matter. "She possessed Edea to get hold of Ellone. Edea has no power in Galbadia anymore, nor does she have access to Ellone. I don't think there's much she can achieve in Edea's body anymore. Sorceress Adel on the other hand might be a bit more of a problem. If she is indeed still alive, and in control of Esthar, the most powerful nation on the planet, then there's a lot more to be achieved there."
"But no-one knows the situation in Esthar anymore." Xu reminded him.
"Then we need to find out. As soon as possible." Squall decided.
"All right, I'll get someone on the matter." Xu nodded.
"Well, unless anyone's got anything to raise, I think that's everything concluded." Squall decided to wrap things up. He looked at Quistis and Xu who both shook their heads. Relieved, he headed for the lift and descended to the ground. He'd had enough of dealing with Sorceresses and SeeDs for one day. And all of a sudden, it all seemed to pale into insignificance when there was only one thing on his mind. Rinoa.
Walking into the infirmary, he looked at Dr. Kadowaki who merely nodded at him, knowing what he wanted. He walked into Rinoa's intensive care unit and looked at her, still lying on the bed in exactly the same position he'd left her. He knelt down by the bed and leaned over her, enough to make out her faint breathing, to reassure himself she was still alive. He put one hand to her forehead and was shocked to find how cold her skin was, but moreso to the fact that she didn't even response. He though about lively she used to be, and energetic, always so full of life.
"Rinoa." He found himself whispering, taking her hand. "Please, just say something. Anything. Please. I want to hear you say my name."
A tear came to his eye slightly as she failed to even respond, yet he knew he was still hoping against reason. With nothing else to do or anything on his mind, he simply stayed there, holding her hand until he finally fell asleep.
