Disclaimer: I don´t own Final Fantasy VIII...
Unexpected Destiny
Chapter 38: Break out!!
By CelestialRage
"You again?" asked the guard at the entrance of the prision as he glanced at the approaching teenagers.
"Yeah, sorry." replied the cowboy shrugging "We forgot something and have come to retrieve it."
"What is it?" asked the warden as he pulled out a list, obviously an inventory of everything the galbadians held in the storage room.
The sound of a cocking gun, however, made his gaze shot forward in time to see a smile spreading through Irvine's features. "Our friends." A second later, the guard's body fell to the floor with a thud, electricity still coursing through his frame as a result of Rosie´s spell.
The cowboy crouched, his hands reaching for the contents of the galbadian warden´s pockets "You sure of this?"
Before the raven-haired SeeD had a chance to answer, a car's engine was heard in the distance, Rosie crouched as a galbadian military-issued vehicle left the nearest tower, the D-District Prision´s main body buried deep within the desert sands. Her eyes widened as they settled on the blond man sitting comfortably on the passenger´s seat.
There´s Seifer... so, Squall is still in the torture chamber, right? There´s still one guard with him if I remember correctly.
"We have to move. C´mon!" said Rosie as she bolted towards the bridge connecting the tower they were in with the one where their friends were being held.
Both SeeDs pressed themselves on opposite sides of the main control room, their weapons already drawn and ready. Irvine´s head peeked through the door, the cowboy counting 8 guards in his immediate range of vision. His gaze settled on the raven-haired girl as he felt a magical barrier being casted on him.
Rosie returned his stare and nodded, her grip on Reaper tightening as her body tensed, ready for the unevitable battle. Irvine nodded back and raised three fingers of his left hand, before clenching his fist. He raised one finger, then another and right after the last one, both SeeDs bolted into the chamber, the sound of the cowboy´s shotgun rounds and Rosie´s Thunder spells echoing through the room.
The raven-haired SeeD had aimed at a soldier as she and Irvine entered the control post, her mind changing as she saw another soldier´s blood spilling thanks to the sharpshooter´s high-caliber bullets. Irvine crouched behind a flashing panel, avoiding the bullets the galbadian troopers sent him, his double-barreled shotgun returning fire.
One of the wardens slammed the emergency button, loud claxons alerting the faccility´s personal before a Thunder spell knocked him out.
"This is getting nasty!" exclaimed Irvine as he reloaded his weapon, his back against the panel.
"And is about to get worse if we don´t shut the alarms down!" replied Rosie as she took cover near the sharpshooter.
ooo ooo
The SeeDs got out of their cell cautiously, Selphie shutting the door after her. Zell took the lead, his gaze wandering through the chamber one last time as his mind tried to remember the route to the exit, recalling the dream´s events until he realized Ward had never mopped anything besides the cells.
A growl from the Moomba standing at his right, however, made a sudden idea flash through his brain. Those creatures had to know the faccility as well, then maybe...
"Hey, buddy." said the martial artist crouching to gaze at the small creature´s eyes. "Do you know where the exit is?"
The Moomba growled sadly, its feline face turning down in shame.
"Guess not..." muttered Zell as he stood up.
"What about Squall?" asked Rinoa anxiously, her dark eyes settled on the martial artist.
He turned to look at her and nodded "He´s gotta be around here. Don´t worry, we´ll find him and..." his voice was cut off as a loud claxon echoed through the building.
Warning! Intruder alert!
Intruder alert!
All personel to Tower B!
Lethal force authorized for those who refuse to surrender.
"Damn! The... intruder alert?" exclaimed Zell confused, raising a golden eyebrow.
"I thought we had triggered that alarm!" said Selphie as she turned to look at her comrades "Who do you think...?"
"No time for that!" interrupted Quistis as she readied her whip, several footsteps could be heard climbing the staircase.
ooo ooo
Oh, no! The announcement didn´t say the antimagic field surrounding the prision was going to be released!
That means my friends are trapped and without magic or Guardians!
What have I done?! thought Rosie frantically as a bullet exploded very near her head, the panel emiting sparks as the heavy round damaged its circuits.
The raven-haired SeeD grabbed Irvine´s arm with her left hand and placed her right against the floor, her eyes closing as she expressed her will to one of the entities junctioned to her mind. Quetzalcoatl´s energy coursed through her body, running down the lenght of her right arm and spreading through the chamber as it touched the floor. The Guardian´s electric pulse attacked the remaining troopers, his energy evading the panels and the sharpshooter at his summoner´s request.
Rosie stood up quickly, Quetzalcoatl´s energy returning to her mind as she neared the control panel in front of her and started examining it.
Irvine got up as well, his gaze wandering through the room, watching the unconscious soldiers´ bodies squirm thanks to the electricity still coursing through them. He let out a whistle as he adjusted his hat before saying "Wow! That was pretty amazing, doll. Remind me never to make you mad."
"Quick Irvine, help me find the antimagic field control!" said Rosie anxiously, her hands trembling slightly as her eyes frantically looked at the labels placed above every button.
The sharpshooter nodded and began searching as well. Few seconds later, his excited voice exclaimed "Here! I found it!" the cowboy pulled a small green lever, the sound of heavy machines coming to a halt echoing through the room.
Rosie smiled widely as she released her breath in relief. The raven-haired girl found a microphone on top of the panel, her index finger tapping the on button as she approached the device.
ooo ooo
The teenagers were surrounded by a group of about 20 soldiers, their weapons aiming at the SeeD´s heads.
"You didn´t get far, did ya buddies?" asked a soldier mockingly, his fellow wardens chuckling at his comment.
Zell´s eyes narrowed, his mind racing as he tried to find a way to get out of this predicament. Suddenly, the martial artist felt a familiar sensation course through his entire body, like heat running across his veins. The first time he had experienced it was 7 years ago, when he had junctioned his first Guardian...
... his magic-enhanced strenght had returned.
And so had the voices inside his brain.
The SeeDs exchanged looks, all of them aware they were fully loaded again. Suddenly, a chime followed by a feminine voice the teenagers knew quite well, gained both bands´ attention.
"Go all the way up! We´ll get Squall, so don´t worry about him!"
One of the soldiers approached Zell, the cannon of his machinegun pressing against the martial artist´s chest as a wicked grin spread through his features.
"Seems to me you won´t be able to make it to the upper floor, little piece of shit." said the warden cockily, his eyes locked with the blond brawler´s ones.
Zell smiled.
Before the soldier had time to even show his surprise, the martial artist grabbed his throat with his right hand, the left one twisting the warden´s wrist painfully. The soldier squeezed his weapon´s trigger, the bullet piercing one of his comrades´s head a second before Zell´s magic-enhanced strenght split his throat in two.
Quistis´s whip coiled around one of the machineguns, pulling it towards her and quickly dissarming the soldier infront of her. The blonde woman cast a Fire at the warden as her left hand closed around the galbadian weapon, the SeeD whirling around quickly, the trigger squeezed tightly, a rain of bullets incapacitating 5 soldiers.
Rinoa and Selphie had cast Protect spells over the SeeD group, the tiny brunette´s nunchakus swirling with expertise as she joined Zell in the front line of the battle. The raven-haired girl´s pinwheel had injured many soldiers, though not to a point of killing them, the other three teenagers finishing the work.
Zell avoided a powerful shotgun blast, the martial artist quickly approaching the soldier as he pumped his weapon. The SeeD´s right leg kicked the shotgun from its wielder´s hands, his body following the direction of his momentum as he brought up his left leg and delivered an inhumanly strong roundhouse kick to the soldier´s jaw, sending the warden a couple of meters away, his body colliding with the wall and making a nice dent in it.
"Everyone ok?" asked Zell, turning to check on his comrades. The girls nodded, the martial artist returning the gesture before saying "Let´s get a move on!"
As the SeeDs climbed the stairs leading to the eighth floor, silence returned inside the prision.
ooo ooo
Irvine´s smile widened as the alarm died down, the sharpshooter had found and disconnected the security circuit. "Well, this will make things a little easier, don´t you think?"
Rosie nodded slightly before her gaze drifted from Irvine´s face to the staircase on the other side of the room, her eyes narrowing as she said "C´mon, Squall´s this way!"
ooo ooo
"Activate the sentries!" yelled a Galbadian captain, a bunch of soldiers saluted him before bolting towards several yellow and blue machines.
The GIM47N were one of Galbadia´s standard weapons, their heavily-armored bodies along with the gatling-gun they carried made them perfect to stop an incoming attack. Though this machines were extremely powerful, they were the least lethal in the Galbadian arsenal.
The SAM08G, a blue dragon-like machine, was the result of years of design and weapon development, combining strenght, resistance and agility. Its ergonomic design, along with the powerful arsenal at its disposition, made this machine quite a challenge to defeat.
"Let see what those SeeDs can do against this!" said the captain grinning as he watched the 10 units (4 SAM08G and 6 GIM47N) start walking towards the cargo elevator which would lead them straight to the 10th level.
ooo ooo
"Laguna!"
"Laguna!"
Squall´s eyes opened at the squealing voice echoing through the room. His stormy eyes meeting large dark orbs, somewhat resembling those of a cat. The SeeD shook his head slightly as he thought the bizzarre creature in front of him was a figment of his imagination, until he realized – despite his efforts – the apparition remained right where it was...
... and it had friends. Other 2 similar-looking creatures were with it, both felines squealing in delight as the SeeD slowly came to.
"Laguna!" the first Moomba purred as it looked at the young man´s face
"La... Laguna...?" muttered hoarsely Squall, wondering why the creature called him like that and how did it managed to actually speak to him... The SeeD´s eyes wandered through the room, finding he was no longer bound to the wall, his limbs were so numb had it not been for his sight, he would have sworn he was still hanging from the metallic plaque.
A pair of booted feet laying on the other side of the room caught his attention, his torturer was unconscious, apparently beaten up by the Moombas that had rescued him.
Squall tried to move, however his body refused to follow his command. His eyes starting to close again as exhaustion finally got the best of him.
Sacred´s mace caught almost a dozen soldiers, the poor Galbadian´s bodies crushed by the incredibly powerful Guardian´s raw strenght. Minotaur´s weapon swung inches above its head before landing heavily on one of the SAM08G units that had arrived to that floor. The mobile weapon´s twin machineguns firing against the Earth spirit, before a Thunder spell rendered its AI system useless.
Rosie and Irvine rushed past the battle, the sharpshooter´s GFs covering their advance as almost 40 men and 2 SAMS had taken defensive positions on the 12th floor. Valiant and Reaper´s trigger were squeezed numerous times, the second one only causing minor damage to its victims as Rosie prefered the Brothers to take the Galbadian´s lives.
"In here!" Irvine grabbed the raven-haired SeeD´s arm, pulling her behind a partially-opened door just before a huge blast blew the exploding SAM´s metallic parts several feet away. The cowboy reloaded his weapon, his head taking a quick look to the corridor, whose walls were scorched, but hadn´t sustained any serious damage. Many corpses lied scattered through the hall, some of them burnt thanks to the previous blast, others crushed either by the Brothers´ weapons or by the heavy SAM´s components.
"COAST CLEAR." Sacred´s voice sounded inside Irvine´s brain as both Guardians returned to their summoner´s mind. The cowboy nodded in return as he stood up, pulling the panting Rosie with him.
"You ok?" asked Irvine as he noticed the raven-haired was having difficulties catching her breath.
She nodded, her eyes closing as she brought her left hand to her ribs, holding her right side tightly. Her mind called forth a healing spell, the warm aura enveloping her form as she took a sharp breath, the painful injure closing slowly. A bullet´s casquet fell to the floor, clinging soundly as it left the raven-haired SeeD´s body.
Her Protect spell had faded just mere minutes before.
"Allow me." said the cowboy as he casted the magical barrier around Rosie again. "I don´t think we'd be able to walk without protection very soon." He added as he repeated the process on himself.
She looked at him and smiled a little "Seems like it... but don´t worry, we´re close."
ooo ooo
The 3 SeeDs and Rinoa´s footsteps echoed through the staircase, the 4 teenagers were arriving to the 12th floor, the little troops they had encountered in their journey up had been dispached quickly. The galbadian soldiers were no challenge to the fully armed and magically junctioned SeeDs.
The scent of death and ashes struck the teens as they finally reached the scorched hallway.
ooo ooo
He felt something warm pressed against his chest, the muffled sounds of a person´s sobs reaching his ears as he came to his senses again.
"Squall! Please, wake up!" Rosie´s anguished voice echoed through the room.
The raven-haired girl had rushed to the SeeD´s side as soon as they had entered the torture chamber. Her eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat at the sight of the unconscious man leaning against the furthest wall. She kneeled beside him, laying a hand tenderly on his chest as she casted a Curaga, the powerful healing magic coursing all the lenght of her arm to his body, enveloping Squall´s form in a bright blue and silver flash.
Half a minute passed and the SeeD didn´t stir.
What if I screwed up? Her entire body trembled as this thought entered her mind.
We triggered the intruder alarm, not the escapee and – had it not been for my mistake – the anti-magic field should have been released without Irvine deactivating it manually...
In my intent to save my friends quickly, I could have gotten them killed...
And now Squall is not awakening...
What if he´s...?
"Squall?" her soft voice called him as she leaned closer to the SeeD´s face. She could see his nostrils moving, her head shot down to rest on his chest. Tears start running down her cheeks as relief filled her, the SeeD´s beating heart hammering in her ears.
"I... I´m okay..." his low, hoarse voice made her head go up, her teary, dark gaze locking with his tired icy stare.
"Squall!" Rosie´s arms shot forward, holding the male SeeD tightly. He grunted as her sudden move had shot a painful jolt across his still aching spine. The raven-haired girl pulled away from him immediately after, an embarrased look on her face as she shyly said "I-I´m sorry! I..."
I always forget you don´t like physical contact...
"Sorry to interrupt..." Irvine said grinning as he approached the other 2 teenagers. The cowboy had been guarding the entrance, allowing Rosie to have a moment alone with their squad leader. "... but we´ve got company."
"What?!" asked Squall, slowly climbing to his feet.
ooo ooo
Zell kicked the door open.
The 4 teenagers rushed inside and came abruptly to a halt as they found their leader standing along their other 2 comrades.
"What are you doing here?" asked Rosie, her hands on her hips as she glared at the SeeDs. "I thought I told you, we were going to get Squall, didn´t I?"
"Well... we´re a little doubtful..." replied Zell, the martial artist gulping as the raven-haired SeeD narrowed her eyes. "But not because of you, Rosie... but because of him!" said the blond brawler as he turned to look at Irvine. "He´s abandoned us once, what makes you think we can trust him?"
"He didn´t abandoned us!" snapped Selphie angrily. "He´s right here, isn´t he?" asked the brunette girl crossing her arms over her chest.
Irvine´s warm smile went unoticed as Squall´s voice echoed through the room. "Enough. We have to stick together if we want to get out of here."
"Fine." replied dryly Zell. Suddenly remembering his added burden, the martial artist reached behind his shoulder, grabbing Revolver´s handle and presenting the weapon to its rightful owner. "Here. You would be needing this."
Squall´s right hand closed around the gunblade´s hilt, glad to have it again in his grasp. The SeeD leader swung his weapon expertly around, testing his sore and still tired muscles as he realized his magic-enhanced strenght was up and running again. Apparently, his GFs had been temporarily supressed and not removed from him.
"We know where is the exit." said Rosie, gaining the looks of the other teenagers. She bit her lip briefly before continuing, her stare locking with Selphie´s "We have bad knews though. The Galbadians plan to launch missiles to Trabia and Balamb Gardens..."
"WHAT?!" Zell asked, his eyes widening as he registered the news.
"It can´t be!" added Quistis, her blonde head shaking slightly in awe.
"Selphie." The tiny brunette turned to look at her raven-haired friend "Do you think you can send a message to Trabia using the equipment in the control room?"
"I-I guess so... if I can access the Garden Network..." replied Selphie nodding her head slightly. "But... are we going only to warn them?" asked the brunette, her eyes shimmering at the thought of her friends in Trabia.
"No. We can stop them..." said Rosie.
"But how...?" interrupted Rinoa, her words cut off by the raven-haired SeeD´s sharp words.
"It doesn´t matter! We don´t have time to explain it now!" Rosie put her hands on her brunette friend´s shoulders "Look, Selphie.. you´ll have to trust me on this one. Please!"
I´d have gone earlier... but I don´t know whether I´d have to hack the base´s system... I don´t have that knowledge, but you do!
You were in the tech squad during the Field test and I´m sure you´ll be able to get access to the missile control system. It seems easy in the game, but if there´s something I´ve learned by being with all of you... is that this reality is far more complex than they portrait it.
I´m not taking chances anymore.
Selphie nodded, still shocked by the recent news.
"We´ll have to hurry... because they´re attacking Trabia first." said Rosie as she handed the tiny SeeD a key. "This is from the yellow Galbadian vehicle inside the hangar. There are some uniforms inside, that way we´ll be able to slip pass the Base´s security."
"What about Balamb?" asked Zell, his gaze settled on Rosie.
"Squall should head there to warn everyone." replied the raven-haired SeeD as she turned to look at their squad leader. "He´s in charge of the mission and it should be him who goes back to Garden."
"I agree." said Quistis nodding. The blonde woman turned to look at Squall and continued "You´re the leader Squall, it´s only fitting that you go back and report to Cid. Besides, you have to take care of your client. We can´t have Rinoa go with us in such a dangerous mission."
"But I want to help!" replied angrily Rinoa
Rosie´s heart ached as she forced herself to speak the next words "And you can... by warning everyone at Balamb Garden while we try to stop the missiles." She had finally reached a decision and - though she wanted nothing more than go with the brunet - Rosie knew the lives of the Trabian students worth much more than her selfish desire.
Even if that meant allowing Rinoa time with Squall.
The squad leader had been silent for the whole conversation, his mind analyzing the possible outcomes of their new predicament. After a minute, he finally nodded and said "Fine. Quistis and Zell will go with Selphie and Rosie, they´re going to need all the help possible. Irvine and Rinoa will come with me back to Balamb." He turned to look at the cowboy "If things get hairy, you´ll get Rinoa safely to Dollet."
The sharpshooter nodded and before anyone could add anything else, Rosie said "Well, let´s hurry! We´ve got very little time left."
ooo ooo
"Headmaster!" Xu´s lithe frame strode inside Cid´s office. "Sir, we´ve been informed the attack on the Sorceress failed. Moreover, she´s taken control of Galbadia Garden."
The Headmaster´s face hardened "How about the students and SeeDs?"
"Most of the students have been evacuated and are hiding at Dollet and Timber." Her voice softened as her face turned down to look at the floor. "However, almost all of the SeeDs have been killed... they stayed in order to protect the Garden... the ones that survived were away at the time the attack took place."
Cid slowly raised from his seat and took a couple of steps towards the huge window-like walls of his office. "So this is how it begins..."
Xu´s frown deepened "Sir?"
The Headmaster sighed deeply before frowning and turning his attention towards his second in command. "Xu, get all the SeeDs out of here at once."
"You think Galbadia would attack us too?" asked the young woman "And isn´t it better to have them around just in case?"
Cid shook his head energically. "No. SeeDs are the future, Xu. The Sorceress´s aim is to get rid of them, that´s why we can´t afford them to die defending this Garden as they did in Galbadia."
"What about the students?"
"We won´t be able to evacuate all of them before NORG makes his move." replied Cid as he turned and walked towards his desk again. "It´s only a matter of time before he knows about the mission´s failure. I´m sure the bastard will try to cover his ass. He fears Galbadia and most of all he fears her."
"So, we´ll stay with only the students?" asked the veteran SeeD folding her arms.
The Headmaster nodded. "SeeDs are less in numbers and with the training they´ve endured, I´m sure they´ll be able to disperse in the wind safely until the time comes." He opened a drawer and produced a minidisk "Here, this is the list of all our SeeDs, including their rank and number ID. Organize a group of 5 low to middle ranking candidates. They´ll stay here to help us with the attack, the rest will have to leave Garden in the next 6 hours. Make it gradually, so NORG´s Faculty don´t realize what´s going on until it´s too late."
"Yes, sir" Xu saluted Cid before turning around and leaving the office.
As the door closed behind his second in command, the Headmaster turned his attention to the blue skies again, his mind already traveling hundreds of miles from Balamb towards the one who plagued his daily nightmares.
Nightmares that had started to come to life.
ooo ooo
"Go! Go! GO!" shouted Irvine as he fired the incoming soldiers, Valiant´s demmolition ammo had been replaced by explosive rounds, the bullets melting iron and bones as though they were mere butter.
The SeeDs were still at the 12th level, they had just exited the interrogation room when a whole Galbadian garrison, along with the remaining SAMs and GIMs came into view. Rosie had summoned Carbuncle´s protection as her friends covered her with their attack spells, electric charges and fiery hot blasts injuring several soldiers.
The teenagers had rushed upstairs to the control room where they intended to take defensive positions. Selphie bolted towards the HD comunication panel, the tiny SeeD started working on the system, trying to establish connection with the Garden network while the others halted the Galbadian attack.
Suddenly, a powerful blast struck the room´s interior, fortunately for the SeeDs, Carbuncle´s protection absorbed most of the attack.
However, the control panels hadn´t been so lucky.
"NO!" yelled Selphie as she crawled back to the HD station she had been working on, the entire system had been destroyed, the cables were burnt and smoking. "The com device is down!"
Damn! We can´t warn neither Garden now... thought Rosie as she sent another electric blast against a bulky SAM unit, hitting its 'head' and causing the machine´s AI system to burn.
"Fall back!" ordered Squall, his mind finally finishing his summoning.
As the SeeDs and Rinoa ran along the metallic corridor connecting the tower where the hangar was, the control room went completely dark. The galbadians were stunned, all of them waiting for the emergency lights to turn on, however after half a minute passed, the room remained the same. A sudden, unearthy shriek echoed through the walls, freezing the hearts of the troopers, some of them clutched their weapons tighter, while others scrambled to hide behind the remaining mobile machines.
The following seconds were a complete confusion as Diablos´s attack came from all around the soldiers. The dark Guardian slashed several bodies with its powerful claws, disappearing into his realm of shadows as the Galbadians tried to injure it with their machineguns, the blast only managing to incapacitate their fellow troopers.
Some soldiers dropped their weapons and ran in blind panic towards the corridor where the SeeDs had escaped, however, a wall of shadows quickly blocked their way, trapping the desperate troopers inside Diablos´s mortal spell.
Rosie was relieved as the cargo lift´s doors closed, muffling the Galbadian´s pained shrieks as Squall´s Guardian continued its onslaught. As they arrived to the hangar, Diablos's energy returned to his summoner´s mind, the Dark Lord´s bloodthirst had finally been quelled.
"Selphie, the yellow car!" said Rosie as she look at her friend. A strong hand closed around her upper arm, the raven-haired SeeD´s head turned, her gaze locking with an icy blue one.
"See you at Balamb Garden." said Squall as he slowly released her.
Rosie smiled warmly and nodded before saying "We´ll be there. I promise..." then she gave him the SeeD salute, which he returned.
"Good luck."