The Commander

by Selphie Leonhart

Six months after the defeat of Ultimecia, a new evil threatens the SeeD's, this time as one of their own.

3. Default Chapter Title

The Commander

Part Three ~ The Sorceress' Knight

This is a sequel to FF8. In parts one and two, Quistis was abducted, and possessed by an evil Sorceress named Oriscala. Squall was convinced by Oriscala to leave Rinoa and become her Knight. Squall did, thinking he was protecting Rinoa.

Balamb and Esthar are on the brink of war, and Xu is singlehandedly trying to run a collapsing Garden. Rinoa has other problems though, as she tries to forgive Seifer for what he did to Quistis, knowing that he is truly a changed person. She also has to figure out how to get Squall back, and face up to her own responsibility of defeating the Sorceress.

This is the final part of the trilogy.

Rating: 15 for violence, bad language and adult subject matter.

Comments, suggestions etc. to: Selphie_Leonhart@day-dream.co.uk

Part Three ~ The Sorceress' Knight

Cid and Edea entered the silent halls of Garden, feeling a little disturbed at the peace. Usually, the Garden was buzzing with the chatter of hundreds of students, but today there was absolute silence. The only sounds their own footsteps on the marble floors. The couple went from facility to facility, finding each one deserted.

Eventually, a sound was heard. They heard a woman's voice, speaking clearly and confidently from the main hall, which was the largest room in the Garden, and where all the balls and gatherings were held. Cid opened the door cautiously, and the woman's voice got louder. He was met with the sight off every single pupil in the Garden staring at Xu, who was reading from a sheet of paper which she held. When she finished reading, she paused, gauging her audiences reaction. They appeared to be stunned. Cid decided to listen to what she had to say before revealing himself.

"So. You all see we don't have a lot of options open to us. We have no choice but to go to war with Esthar." she said gravely. There were murmurs from the students, but no-one spoke up directly.

"We already have information from intelligence that Esthar's army is gathered on the Trabia coastline. They can attack within hours. Preparations have already been started for our defence. Nida and Dr Kadowaki will be leading two teams. Nida is the attack team, and Dr Kadowaki, along with the members of faculty, will organise the rest of the defence and medical support. Are there any questions?" she said. Cid noticed that she seemed very tired. One student spoke up.

"Where is the Commander?" he asked curtly. Xu shut her eyes briefly. She had been dreading this question.

"We don't know where he is. Squall Leonhart and his comrades disappeared while on a mission last week. We have had no contact with any of them since." she said solemnly. The student didn't look impressed.

"Why don't we just cooperate with Esthar and agree to find Squall for them? Then we can avoid bloodshed." he said, an edge to his voice which Xu didn't like.

"No way. Squall is our leader, and we will remain loyal to him." she said angrily. Cid decided now was the time to step in, before the student decided to rebel further.

"That's enough! Xu, you've done a good job here." he said to her, walking briskly towards the stage. The students stared at him as he went, as if they were seeing a ghost. Xu smiled gratefully at him as he took her place on the stage.

"I spoke to the missing students last week. Not all of them, but I was able to speak with Selphie Tilmitt, Zell Dincht, Irvine Kinneas, Seifer Almasy, and Rinoa Heartilly. They have informed me of the current situation, and they have a great deal more insight into it than anyone here. Squall Leonhart, unfortunately, is under the control of a Sorceress, Sorceress Oriscala. Everything which has happened since the disappearance of Instructor Trepe has been because of this woman. She is evil, and the five students are trying to defeat her. But they will need our help. Esthar is NOT under the control of Ellone Loire. It is under the control of the Sorceress. It is she who ordered the execution of Squall Leonhart. Ellone is Squall's sister, she would never do such a thing.

But, it is true that Squall killed the President of Esthar. But he was under the control of the Sorceress at the time. You must all understand, Laguna Loire was Squall's father, and Squall knew that. He wouldn't have killed him. It just proves the extent of power the woman has over him." he said, giving the student who had challenged Xu a meaningful look. The boy refused to meet the headmaster's gaze.

"As most of you know, Rinoa Heartilly, who is now a student at Garden, is a Sorceress. My wife, whom many of you will recognise as Sorceress Edea, has been training her to combat this Sorceress and defeat her. It is them we should be supporting, not Esthar. We have the advantage of knowing exactly what is going on here. Most likely, Esthar is under the control of Oriscala's underlings. They should not be a threat. The Estharian Army, however, is. But you are all elite mercenaries. You will easily be able to defeat the Esthar Army. Despite their size, they are demoralised due to President Laguna's death, and lack the vitality of the students here. Time is short, so I won't go on. But, please, do your best. For Squall, for Garden, and ultimately, for the world." he said. His voice was drowned towards the end by the cheers of the students.

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"Rinoa...."

Fujin turned to him as she heard Squall talk in his sleep. The pair of them were sleeping in the same room on the Palace, Oriscala had told them to stay together. Fujin guessed she was afraid Squall was becoming immune to her mind control, and might remember too soon what he was doing there. Fujin had no objections to this. She could see no reason for continuing this charade.

Fujin, unlike Seifer, had no wish for personal glory or gain. All she had lived for before was the respect of her two closest friends, Raijin and Seifer. Now both of them had gone, and all she had left was Squall. And the Sorceress, but she knew it would be stupid to give her heart to Oriscala. Squall, he already held someone else's heart. That much was obvious. Fujin needed to live for someone, and she felt wasted here. Used.

Watching Squall as he slept, Fujin felt sorry for him. She could see he was suffering, not only mentally, Oriscala gave them so little time to eat or rest, both of them felt exhausted most of the time. Fujin suspected she did this on purpose, to ensure they were as acquiescent as possible, so that neither would challenge her authority. Fujin pushed her head back further into the cushion angrily, wishing she could find a way out of this situation.

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Caraway paused by the double doors to the Palace. He glanced at Seifer, then gave his daughter an intense look.

"Rinoa...are you sure you want to do this?" he asked her in a low voice. Rinoa nodded, and he thought how much more mature and resplendent she was now. She was no longer the slightly spoiled, stubborn girl who had run away to become a princess of her own resistance group, surrounded by weak willed men who were too lazy or subservient to go against her petulant nature. He felt proud of her.

"Yes. I have to do it. I must get him back." she said in a quiet voice, but the restrained energy in her voice was very apparent. Seifer pushed open the door for her.

"My Sorceress." he said with a hint of a smile. Rinoa bit her lip, and gazed into his dark blue eyes.

"Seifer, it will be the last time I am ever your Sorceress." she told him gently. He nodded solemnly.

"I know. You will never be mine Rinoa." he said gravely. Rinoa touched his arm gently.

"I know what you did, Seifer." he hung his head.

"I...Matron told me. I'm so, so sorry," he said, in a genuinely remorseful voice. Rinoa smiled weakly at him.

"I think I'm ready to forgive you." she said, and put her arms around his neck, pulling him into an embrace. Seifer held her close, shutting his eyes tightly, feeling the emotion of the moment welling inside him.

"Thankyou," he whispered, barely audible. Rinoa heard it and smiled. She pulled away from him.

"Let's get this over with." she said with a tight smile, looking round at her friends. Selphie twirled her nunchaku confidently, and gave Rinoa a smile. Irvine checked his rifle was loaded, and Zell punched the air.

They stepped into the Palace.

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Oriscala's eyes shot open. There was silence in the dark palace, but she sensed the presence of an enemy. She sat up, running a hand through her golden curls before walking to the door. She opened it, and stepped out into the hallway. There was a thick silence, and Oriscala's reptilian eyes searched the darkness for any threat. She walked to the room which she knew Squall and Fujin were sleeping in and opened the door without knocking.

"Get up." she said in a harsh tone. Fujin, who hadn't been asleep, sat up. Almost tenderly, she laid a hand on his chest and shook Squall awake, as he was lying beside her. He looked up, confused, into her face, and she gave him a meaningful look. Glancing at the doorway, he saw the tall figure of Oriscala standing there, looking at the two with contempt. "Isn't this sweet," she said sarcastically. Squall sat up, and he and Fujin took a few steps towards Oriscala, bowing to her, mostly out of fear, as she looked angry.

"Get up, you fools," she said, her voice full of contempt. Squall glanced at Fujin, and from the look she gave him it was obvious that she felt the same way. Oriscala's powers of charm and seduction were certainly wearing off. She stalked to the window, frowning as she looked out to the illuminated arch. It was almost two in the morning, and the streets were empty.

"There is someone here. That insolent, weak little girl who likes to pretend she is a Sorceress. Squall, tonight we will destroy her finally. She is becoming a nuisance." Oriscala said with a tight smile, turning back to her servants. Fujin didn't hide the look she shot Squall this time, and Oriscala frowned as his mouth dropped open in shock.

"Quistis...you can't be serious! I can't harm Rinoa!" he said, confusion in his voice. Fujin watched him as he struggled. She could sense he was close to throwing off the enchantment. Fujin decided to stick her proverbial oar in.

"Rinoa is evil after all." she said maliciously, smiling smugly at Oriscala. The Sorceress looked troubled. Squall clutched his head.

"No...Rinoa isn't. I remember now..." he said, exhaling sharply. His head jerked up, and he pushed his bangs away from his eyes, frowning at Oriscala.

"You...you're the evil Sorceress...you are possessing Quistis! You are evil!" he said, his voice growing in volume. Oriscala scowled, This was the last thing she needed, especially as Sorceress Rinoa was so close...

"Squall, get over it. I am your mistress, you are my Knight. Live with it. Rinoa is nothing, she will soon be crushed when I assume full power. It is only a matter of time, my sweet, until all the women on this planet die, except Fujin and myself. I will have no other Sorceress' challenging me. You, you will be a prince Squall. Think of it! The Sorceress' Knight! Isn't it the stuff of dreams?" she said in a sickly sweet voice, coaxing him into loving her again. He looked at her coldly.

Fujin's stoic heart leapt as she recognised the old Squall coming back.

"That isn't my dream. That was Seifer's dream. I don't want glory, or to be the toy of a wicked queen." he said bitterly, picking up his silver gunblade from where it lay beside the couch. Oriscala hissed as if he had struck her.

"Stop it! Squall, she is nothing! Look at what I am offering you!" she cried to him. He shook his head.

"You are nothing. Rinoa...I almost died for her once, and I would do it a thousand times. Doesn't that show you anything?" he asked her, looking at her with something akin to pity. She clenched her fists into claws, looking desperately at Fujin for help. She was shocked to see her handmaiden gazing at Squall with the kind of open adoration she had only reserved for Seifer before now. Oriscala felt even more bitter than before.

"Go then. Run to your little witch." she spat at him. Squall bowed once, but the gesture infuriated Oriscala.

"Go before I kill you." she said, her voice shaking with rage. Squall stared at her, feeling conflict inside. Most of him wanted to go, but in Oriscala he still saw Quistis, and that made it harder for him to leave her unprotected. Eventually, he turned and walked out the door without a backward glance.

Fujin watched him go, and decided to go for it. "Please..." she said, but the words caught in her throat as Oriscala gave her a flashing glare.

"You want to join him? Continue your little affair? Do you think he would love you instead?" she asked, her voice dripping with venom. Fujin shook her head.

"We weren't...I don't like him in that way..." she stammered. Oriscala flew at Fujin, striking the girl hard across the face. Fujin went crashing into the couch, hitting it with a crack. She fought unconsciousness, and struggled to get to her feet, her lip cut and her cheekbone stinging from the blow. She looked at Oriscala with hate.

"I want to go with him!" she screamed at her. Oriscala let out a cry of rage and her beautiful face twisted into an ugly mask as she began to kick the defenceless Fujin as she lay helpless by the couch. Fujin cried out in pain, and tried to summon her guardian force to protect her, but she couldn't focus her mind in such pain. Her attempt to defend herself were futile, as Oriscala had inhuman strength, and she was livid that Squall had left her. So she took it out on Fujin.

Let me go!" cried Fujin, her body curled up, her arms across her face as she instinctively tried to make herself a smaller target. Oriscala seemed like a demon, attacking, punching, kicking, even tearing at Fujin's hair. All the time she sobbed furiously. It was terrifying to listen to.

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Squall shut the door to the bedroom behind him, and sighed in relief. Everything became clearer now, and he suddenly had an urge to find Rinoa, to check she was alright. Unconsciously, he began running down the long corridors, hoping to find her. Oriscala had said she was there, ordered him to kill her. Squall shuddered inwardly at the thought. Only in his worst nightmares had he ever dreamed such a thing could happen. He rounded another corner, his eyes gradually adjusting to the dark. He bumped into a small desk, and hissed in pain as he bruised his hip. His pullover snagged on something, and while freeing it, he realised he was not in his own clothes. He was still wearing the strange, asexual clothes Oriscala had made him and Fujin wear back in Esthar.

He continued down the corridor, until he heard hushed voices. His heart began to beat faster in his chest, and he felt an ache as he realised one of the voices was Rinoa's. He stepped round the corner, and could see them, with their backs to him, walking cautiously down the corridor.

"Rinoa.." he said in a trembling voice. All five of them turned around, Rinoa with her jet black eyes wide and sparkling. Squall stood at the end of the corridor, gazing at her. Feeling like something had been released inside her, Rinoa ran to him. Squall opened his arms to her, and held her tightly as she clung to him. He buried his face in her neck, finally allowing himself to show emotion in front of her as he cried quietly, privately, his face hidden from the others. But Rinoa knew, she herself was unable to stop the tears as she pressed her cheek against his shoulder, her arms around his neck. She could feel his irregular breath on her neck, his hot tears as they fell on her skin. She could feel his emotion as he shuddered in her arms, releasing all the hurt, the pain, and sadness of the past few days.

She just held him tighter, respecting and loving him all the more for showing her how he felt.

The others watched, Selphie hugged Irvine joyously as they watched the couple. Seifer sheathed his sword, which he had been carrying with a wry smile. "Guess my stint as the *good* Sorceress' Knight is over then. I officially retire from this field." he said, with a trace of a smile. Selphie grinned at him.

"Seifer, you were an excellent Knight." she said graciously. Seifer grinned back at her, and she hugged him to show there was no longer any bad feeling between them. Irvine began to get impatient.

"Come on you two. We've got a Sorceress to defeat." he reminded them with a smile. Squall and Rinoa didn't budge.

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Caraway waited anxiously outside the huge Palace. He hated having to send his daughter in there with only, as he thought, a bunch of kids who carried weapons far too advanced for teenagers. Silently, he cursed Squall for capturing his daughter's heart. If it wasn't for him...Rinoa wouldn't even be at Garden. If he hadn't been so weak to join the evil Sorceress, Rinoa wouldn't be putting herself at risk.

He reproached himself, because deep down he knew that it wasn't Squall's fault. And anyway, if he knew his daughter at all, it would have been her who did all the capturing in their relationship, he thought with a hollow laugh. Rinoa was always forceful, and headstrong. And from what he knew of Squall, he was a decent, hardworking SeeD. Very hardworking, he had read in a newspaper that Squall Leonhart, as well as being the Commander/Headmaster of Garden, was still a student there as well. He must be a good person, if he was willing to do all this for a place he loved.

Caraway glanced at his watch. It was 2 am. It had been fifteen minutes since he had sent his daughter and her friends into that Palace, and he was beginning to worry about whether he was doing the right thing, by just waiting for her. Sitting down on a stone bench which was placed outside the doors to the Palace, Caraway sighed. He wished he had been a bit more understanding in the past towards Rinoa. True, at times she was out of line, and stubborn. But he knew he should have spent more time with her. After Julia's death...he couldn't bear to look at Rinoa.

She had been such a beautiful, cute child. That was the problem. He and Julia had doted on her so much, and when Julia was killed in that horrible car accident, he couldn't bear to look at the little girl who had been pulled from the wreckage crying, covered in blood from numerous superficial cuts and scratches. He couldn't stand listening to her cry alone in the nursery, but couldn't make himself go and comfort her. When Rinoa grew up, and used to sing to her toys, he would yell at her to shut up, and gazing at him, pale and scared, with her innocent jet black eyes. She would never ask why he wouldn't let her sing, but would silently obey.

Her voice was almost identical to her mothers. When he first heard that sweet, childish voice singing in the nursery, it brought back such a hideous feeling of remembrance, conjuring up images of Julia when they had been happy together. Rinoa never sang, even now. She hid in the nursery, and never saw her father except for the occasional dinner, or when he was forced to show her off to various officials who wanted to see the 'family' side of General Caraway. Rinoa had been a polite child. When she around seven or eight, she was quiet, but polite, and would sit quietly at in the huge banquet hall while her father discussed politics with superiors. Their young, pretty wives would fuss over Rinoa, calling her a poor little thing, patting her hands, playing with her raven black hair, smoothing her silk and satin dresses. The young Rinoa, who was sweet looking and chubby, would sometimes perform the dances her ballet teacher made her recite, or show them her paintings, which even Caraway had to admit were far from stunning. But she never sang for them.

Everything changed when they went on a day trip to Timber. Rinoa had been about thirteen, and was sulking because her father refused to let her have the puppy she wanted. She was growing up, and was looking even more beautiful. Her father didn't notice though, nowadays he was always too busy with his work to take much time out to be with Rinoa. It appeared to suit her fine, she never complained.

Then, while in Timber, he had allowed her some time to explore while he spoke to some of the local officials. Rinoa had met Watts and Zone, and they had become friends with her. Rinoa instantly warmed to them, because she had never had any friends before. Unlike most children, she had never been to school, but was tutored at home by various governesses and teachers. She didn't mix with other children, her father had never thought of it. It was strange, and new to her to have someone interested in her. They had told her about their fledgeling resistance group, the Timber Owls. Rinoa was fascinated, and immediately asked if she could join.

At first they were reluctant, as she was the daughter of a very prominent military figure, and if she joined them it would appear like a kidnap. But eventually, they agreed, only if Rinoa left Deling City, after deciding this was what she really wanted. She had to give her father one more chance, they said. Rinoa had agreed, and spent the rest of the day buzzing with excitement. When she got home to Deling City, she had thought long and hard about what she should do. She had even spoken to her father. They had been eating one of their rare dinners together, and she had asked him if he would come to her dance recital the next day. Rinoa had been practising for ages, with another girl, daughter of one of Caraway's superiors, and a very snobby girl. The two of them were putting on a performance in the evening with the rest of their teachers students, normal girls, who couldn't afford private tuition. Rinoa was excited about it, because it would give her a chance to meet some new people. And, she had always loved dancing. She had been reminding her father about it for months now, and he had promised he would be there.

On the actual night, Rinoa had dressed in her best ballet tutu and rose coloured leotard. The audience was small, but full of proud parents, and a small number of officials there to support the girl Rinoa danced with. Rinoa wasn't surprised that her father wasn't in the audience when she arrived there, he said he would be a little late.

She had butterflies in her stomach from excitement, and could barely keep still as her dance teacher arranged her hair and smoothed her skirt, helping her tie on her dancing shoes etc. Rinoa had been flushed with excitement. When her turn came to dance, about an hour into the performance, she was tense with excitement, and when the curtain rose, she scanned the audience for her father. The smile left her face as her eyes darted around the room, searching for him. The taller, older girl nudged her cruelly, reminding her people were watching.

Rinoa stood there, completely still as the piano played, looking for her father. The other girl danced, hissing at Rinoa to get herself together. Rinoa didn't, and her arms fell from the outstretched position she had them in, and sadly, she walked off the stage, ignoring the pleadings from her dance teacher, the angry hissing from her fellow pupil, and the murmurs of the audience.

She undressed, and waited backstage for the performance to finish. Her dance teacher had attempted to cheer her up, but Rinoa hadn't listened. The other girl, the snobby one, had spitefully reminded Rinoa that both her mother and father were there, and they were very annoyed that Rinoa had made a fool of her infront of Deling City's elite. Rinoa had stared into space, ignoring her too. She sat there, blocking everyone out, until the performance was over. The dancers left, the teachers left, Rinoa remained sitting on a pile of crates waiting for her father to pick her up and take her home. The people came to sweep the stage after the performance, and still Rinoa sat there.

Eventually, they had told her they were locking up, and Rinoa had to leave. A janitor had sat with her until a bus came, taking her right outside her house. The guard at the door of the mansion had told Rinoa her father was at home, and slightly surprised, she went in. He greeted Rinoa with his usual listless fashion, and, forcing herself to remain composed, she asked him where he had been that night. He replied, going over some paper work, and why did she ask? Rinoa didn't say anything, but went to her room without saying a word.

Caraway had regretted that night ever since. It marked the beginning of four years where he wouldn't see his daughter, not until she was seventeen. He had gone into her room the next morning, after being told by a worried maid that her bed hadn't been slept in. He had found her clothes gone, her dance costume thrown in the corner, a picture of her father thrown face down on the bed. He could only guess at what had happened, as there was no note. She had also taken around 50,000 gil from her own personal account.

Sighing, he stood up from the stone bench, wishing he had realised in time what damage his constant work and cold attitude had done to his little girl. But, he thought wryly, she did turn out well. Checking his watch again, he promised himself that one this was over, he would apologise, and try to undo some of the damage done over the past seventeen years. He hoped it wasn't too late.

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They walked down the corridors, Squall retracing his steps. He walked close to Rinoa, his sword drawn. It glinted in the moonlight filtering through from the large windows. They were silent as they walked, all could sense the strange energy which almost crackled in the air. Seifer walked at the back of the group, feeling uncomfortable, and incredibly guilty, in the presence of Squall. The two still hadn't spoken, only exchanged meaningful looks. Rinoa hadn't spoken to Seifer either, but had given him a smile when she and Squall finally broke apart.

"This is it." said Squall, pausing in front of the door to the bedroom. Rinoa smiled tightly at him, and he pushed open the door, stepping in before her. The room was dark, the curtains were drawn and it was completely silent in the room. Suddenly, the silence was broken by a low moan. Squall gasped, and rushed over to the couch, where he could just make out the prone figure of Fujin. He helped her sit up and gazed at her in horror. Her face was covered in blood. Selphie and Rinoa knelt down beside her.

"What happened to you?!" asked Selphie. Fujin didn't speak. Squall lifted her, and put her on the couch. She smiled at him weakly, her eye welled up with tears. Squall swallowed hard.

"This is my fault, isn't it?" he said grimly. Fujin shook her head, wincing in pain.

"Fujin...why did she do this to you? Where is she now?" he asked her gently. She sighed.

"She was angry....because I wanted to go with you. She's gone..I don't know where." she said with difficulty.

"You stay here, Fujin. Don't move. We'll come back as soon as we can." Squall said to her. Seifer pushed him away, concerned and unable to hold back any longer.

"Fujin, I'm so sorry I left you," he said, on one knee beside the couch. Fujin's eye went wide when she saw him.

"Seifer?" she whispered incredulously. He smiled at her.

"Do you forgive me?" he asked her. She nodded, tears falling down her bruised cheeks now. He hugged her, cautiously because of how battered she was. Fujin hissed in pain, but smiled.

Squall stood up, and turned back to the others.

"We have to go. She can't have got far." he said gravely. Rinoa and Selphie got up from their kneeling position and followed him. Seifer glanced back at them.

"I'm staying with Fujin." he said. Squall nodded.

"Good." he said, and turned away.

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Xu smiled at Cid and Edea joyously as the students filed out of the hall. She ran towards them.

"Thankyou! Oh, I can't believe you're back!" she said happily. Cid laughed at her enthusiasm.

"I'm glad you're happy, Xu. I had to come back once I heard what happened to the Commander." Xu nodded.

"Yeah...I didn't know what happened to Squall myself. Is he alright? Do you know what happened to Quistis?" she asked anxiously. Cid shook his head.

"No, I haven't got a clue. Rinoa...she was very concerned about him. But, she's on her way to rescue him." he said with a smile. Xu looked surprised.

"Squall'll love that!" she said with a small laugh. Edea stepped forward.

"Squall will be happy she cares that much. And Rinoa is a lot stronger than she was when she left the Garden." she said in her soft voice. Xu nodded.

"That's good. But, I'm afraid we haven't got much time to wonder about what happened to Squall and the others. We have a war on." she said, glancing at the giant map on the wall behind them. Cid looked troubled.

"Yes. How long until the attack?" he asked. Xu too a deep breath.

"About twenty minutes." she said. Cid nodded.

"Xu, I think it's time you got back into command of your squad. Defence, isn't it?" he asked her with a smile.

"Yes," she said, pleased to relinquish leadership of the Garden. Xu saluted Cid and bowed to Edea, before leaving the hall at a brisk pace to help Dr. Kadowaki with the defensive team. Nida was leading the attack team, and she knew he would do a good job of it. The battle field was set, the Trabia coastline. Balamb Garden had the advantage over Esthar in that they were more experienced, and had a great naval unit. Xu hated fighting like this. She was used to it, and had fought hard in the battle against Galbadia Garden last year. But she was glad to be on the defence team this year.

Walking down the corridors, she could hear the anxious talk about the upcoming battle, and the nervous cadet's murmuring. Xu smiled at the younger SeeD's and cadets as she passed them. All the cadets under the age of ten were in the classroom, under the supervision of a couple of the younger SeeD's. Xu stopped as she passed one of the cadets. It was a young girl, one of Xu's own students. She looked at the older SeeD standing next to her.

"What unit is this?" she asked. He saluted her.

"Defence Squad B." he replied. Xu frowned. She bent down to talk to the tiny girl next to the SeeD.

"Leila, what are you doing here?" she asked. Leila looked frightened.

"I was told...I am old enough," she said. Xu smiled at her.

"Go to the classroom Leila." she said. The 11 year old ran. Xu smiled. The younger ones were enthusiastic, but she couldn't allow them to fight. She finally found Nida standing at the front gate, giving a pep talk to the SeeD's under his command.

He stopped as he saw Xu. "Xu! Are you here to fight?" he asked her. She nodded.

"Of course. Cid is in control now." she said with relief. Nida smiled at her.

"Great. You can take over control of the defence then." he said, saluting his superior. She smiled at him.

"You seem to be doing a good job. I'm leading the defence." she said. He nodded, and resumed his talk. Xu glanced around at the others, feeling butterflies in her stomach again as she thought of battle. There was no backing out now. Nida finished his talk, and raised his voice to address all of the waiting SeeD's. There was around five hundred students gathered for the attack.

"Move out!" he called, leading the first wave. Xu shouted orders and reminders as the running SeeD's passed her, encouraging them. This was it, now the adrenalin was flowing. She thought with pride how enthusiastic the brave teenagers were, none over the age of twenty- two. As the final line passed, she turned back to the Garden, and went to give her own talk to the defence teams. This was going to be a long day.

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As they neared the main hall of the Palace, Rinoa tensed. Squall, sensing a change in her, turned to his girlfriend, concerned.

"Is she in there?" he asked her quietly. Rinoa nodded. He looked ahead grimly, checking his gunblade was loaded. Rinoa put a hand on his arm.

"Squall..." she whispered. He gazed at her. She took a deep breath, and lowered her voice so that only he could hear her.

"We've never said it...but I love you. You need to know this, Squall, otherwise you wont be certain, and you might fall to her again. Trust me." she whispered. Squall gazed into her warm eyes, watching as they changed, like swirling liquid, from black to amber. Smiling at her, he replied.

"I know you love me, Rinoa. You don't need to say it." he said quietly. Rinoa smiled.

"Yes, I did. Because you need to hear it. I told Edea, I hate using that word. It is so meaningless. But you understand, until we find a better word, that is the only one I can use," she whispered, feeling her throat tighten as she looked into his face. She was so happy that finally they were complete, finally together, but she knew the biggest test of their relationship was just ahead. Was it possible, that just as they reached nirvana they would be separated? Rinoa prayed this wouldn't happen.

"Do you need to hear it to?" he asked her with a trace of a smile. Blinking back tears, she nodded. Squall wrapped his arms around her, his mouth close to her ear, so she could feel his hot breath on her skin, sending a shiver down her spine.

"I love you." he whispered. He held her for a moment, her hands crushed between their chests as he hugged her. Gently, she pushed him away, freeing her arms.

"Let's get this over with," she said with a smile.

***************************************************************************

Oriscala sat by herself on the throne. For a minute, images flashed into her head, of her mother, of her village. She shut them out. Thinking of her mother always made her feel bad. Squall had left her, and she had driven Fujin away in her anger. All her wonderful plans, her vision of the resurrected empire, they were gone...all gone. She was already defeated. For an instant, Oriscala wondered if it was worth it. She could have the empire she dreamed about, but she wouldn't have Squall, Fujin, or even Seifer. She would be left with only those dwarves to love her, and that useless doctor.

Clenching her fists in anger, Oriscala silently damned Squall for leaving her. If only she had killed Rinoa in Esthar, when she was weak, then Squall would have forgotten her. He would never have shaken off the enchantment, never have inspired Fujin to rebel. Oriscala felt a horrible empty feeling inside her as she realized how much she had lost. People often forgot, Sorceress' were still human. They had feelings, they needed friends as much as anyone else.

Oriscala shut her eyes, wishing there was some way she could change the past. She often wished that, more in this life than in her past one. Before she had died, she had fuelled the fire inside her with sacrifices, the joy of seeing others experience the pain and loss she felt everyday made it easier to bear. Not a day went by when Oriscala didn't feel the sick sense of injustice, and an insatiable desire for revenge. Throughout the years, Oriscala's desire to avenge her mother's senseless murder grew and distorted, until it wasn't just against the villagers anymore, it was against all humans. The anger which still burned her inside, her own overwhelming grief at losing the person she loved most in the world still scorched her. She wanted others to feel that pain, to know what the loss did to her.

Opening her eyes again, Oriscala resolved there would be more sacrifices. More than ever. And it would start with six SeeD's....

***************************************************************************

She looked up as they entered the hall. A fire was burning at the far end, behind Oriscala. The flickering red light made the dark figure look as if she was drenched in blood, reflecting crimson sparks off her satin dress and golden hair. Squall faced her stonily, and Rinoa stepped forward. The rest of the SeeD's stepped into the hall, standing silently behind Squall and Rinoa. Oriscala stood.

"Well, you've found me. What now? Order Squall to pierce my heart?" she asked bitterly. Rinoa shook her head. The stone set in her turquoise headdress emitted a soft glow.

"No. We are not here to fight you." she said gently. Oriscala raised an eyebrow.

"Really? Then why are you here?" she asked. Rinoa smiled.

"To recover Quistis. Your time is up, Oriscala. Let Quistis go." she ordered. Oriscala laughed hollowly.

"And return to oblivion? I don't think so." she said harshly. Rinoa took another step forward.

"I said we were not here to fight. That can change, if you want." she warned. Oriscala stepped down from the dais on which she had stood, glaring at the younger Sorceress.

"Rinoa, give it up. You are no match for me! You are merely a child! A headstrong adolescent who thinks she has found true love." Oriscala mocked. Rinoa didn't rise to the bait.

"Give back Quistis." she ordered for a final time. Oriscala gave her a look of contempt.

"Never." she growled. Rinoa sighed, and raised a hand. Oriscala furiously shot magic attacks at Rinoa, before the girl even began casting.

Not one hit it's target. Rinoa looked at Oriscala with a hint of a smile. Oriscala cried out in rage. Rinoa dropped her arms to her sides. "Sorceress Oriscala, please give up. I don't want to fight you." Rinoa said. Oriscala was livid.

"You don't want to fight me?" she hissed, casting Ultima with enough force to level the building. Rinoa was unhurt.

"I wont hurt Quistis." she said softly. Oriscala smiled.

"That was your problem before, wasn't it? Your pathetic boyfriend wouldn't hurt his teacher, so he abandoned his girlfriend!" she spat. Rinoa glanced at Squall. He was staring back at Oriscala, but Rinoa could tell he wasn't falling for it.

"I don't want to have to hurt you," Rinoa said. Oriscala summoned a huge ball of energy, and sent it towards Rinoa. This time, it threw Rinoa backwards, and she fell to the floor with a gasp. Squall itched to run to her, but he didn't. Instead, Rinoa got to her feet unaided, and looked back coolly at Oriscala.

"I see I have no choice." she said quietly. Her lip was split, and blood ran down her chin. Rinoa shut her golden eyes and raised both hands above her head. A massive sphere of blue light gathered above her head, seemingly drawn from the crystal on her forehead. The beautiful light radiating from Rinoa filled every corner of the room with it's pulsating coolness, and refreshed the tired SeeD's. Oriscala, on the other hand, shied away from it, shielding her eyes from the glow. Rinoa opened her eyes, and sent the ball of light towards the Sorceress, encompassing her completely.

"No!" she shrieked as the light touched her. The beautiful sphere swallowed Oriscala, and she appeared to absorb it. Rinoa dropped her arms to her side once more, exhausted and drained. Oriscala swayed, and then collapsed to the ground unconscious.

***************************************************************************

Seifer gently wiped the blood away from Fujin's face. She felt a sob catch in her throat, she was not used to Seifer being tender with her. Usually he was rough, pushing her around, asserting his authority over her. And she usually acquiesced straight away, lest he became angry with her. To others, Fujin Athen was tough, almost a bully, but Seifer knew better. He owned her heart, and even now she was respectful of him almost to the point of fear.

Seifer stopped as she shuddered, taking the cloth away from her face. She looked at him, and he frowned.

"What is it, Fujin? What's wrong?" he asked her. She shook her head.

"You've changed." she murmured. Seifer sighed, turning his face away from her.

"I know. I'm glad." he said quietly. Fujin smiled. He resumed his gentle cleaning, wiping the blood away from her cheeks, her forehead, her eyes. He looked around, and on the floor saw her black velvet eye patch. Seifer picked it up and dusted it off. He put it on her face, under her hair. She laughed quietly, and he wondered why. She smiled up at him.

"What is this Seifer? Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked with a trace of bitterness in her voice. Seifer looked hurt.

"I realized a lot of things while I was away. One of them was that you are very important to me. I...I treated you so badly in the past. You are my equal, Fujin, if not better than me. Let me make it up to you, please," he said, staring at her with his dusky blue eyes. Fujin smiled.

"Seifer, you know how I feel about you. It hurt me, when you preferred a Sorceress over me. It hurt me even when Raijin was alive, and you and he would talk about the girls you liked. I've always wanted you Seifer. Just you. I don't care if you are evil, if you are with Garden or against it. I know the real value in you." she said in a hushed voice. To Seifer, kneeling beside her, her words were painfully accurate.

"I know how much it hurt you to see Squall commander of the Garden. He gets the power you've always dreamed of, while you get humiliation. And I knew you were in pain when Raijin died." she said, watching his face intently as he tried to turn from her. Fujin touched his hand.

"Don't hide from me Seifer." she said gravely. Fujin sighed. "Do you want me?" she asked, her voice faltering. Seifer stared at her, gazing into her open face. A bruise was rising on both cheeks, and her lips were split open and swollen. But to Seifer, she looked more resplendent than he had ever seen her.

"Of course I do," he whispered, kissing her softly.

***************************************************************************

Squall caught Rinoa's body gracefully as she fell, kneeling to the ground with her limp body in his arms. It was like a dance step, the two of them perfectly in time, as she fell into his waiting arms, her eyes falling shut, her ornate headdress tumbling, freeing the cascading raven strands of hair over her shoulders. He dropped to one knee, supporting her as she fell, staring into her peaceful face. To those watching, it seemed in slow motion as the two assumed a dramatic, and elegant, stance.

"Rinoa....you did it," he whispered to her as her eyes flickered open. As she lay in his arms, she reached up with one hand to his face, touching his smooth, pale cheek with her gloved hand. She smiled at him, and blinking, her eyes slowly transformed to onyx, the yellow in them melting away like liquid gold before Squall's eyes. He smiled at her, kissing her fingers as she brushed them over his lips. She sighed with a tiny smile, and closed her eyes. After gazing at her for a few seconds, he slipped a hand under her legs, lifting her up.

Selphie ran to him, a wide smile on her face. He met her dancing eyes with his own, and grinning, she looked at the exhausted Rinoa in his arms, before bending over to collect the beautiful headdress from where it had fallen. As Selphie watched, the stone in it began to glow, then faded. Irvine crossed the aisle to her.

"We should get her," he said, looking over to the fallen Sorceress. Selphie sighed.

"I guess. You or Zell will have to carry her back to Caraway's." she said, admiring the feathers in the headdress. Irvine sighed.

"Fine," he said with a shrug, and crossed to the Sorceress. Lying unconscious, she looked so unlike the threatening monster of a few minutes ago, and more like their own Quistis. Irvine knelt to pick her up, cradling her gently. She was lighter than he expected, and didn't move as he touched her. He half expected her eyes to fly open, and for her to perform some horrifying new stunt which would annihilate them all. But it never came, and her body remained that of a defeated enemy.

"Let's go," he said, turning back to the others. Selphie smiled at him warmly, and walked by his side as they left the dark Palace. Squall was ahead of them, carrying the sleeping Rinoa. They looked so happy, so sweet together, Selphie felt elated. Everything seemed like it was going to work out fine. Then, she remembered. They still had to find a way to get Quistis back. She glanced at the unconscious Sorceress in Irvine's arms. She looked so innocent, and deceptively exquisite. Selphie wished she had a fraction of the Sorceress' beauty.

Selphie knocked on the door to one of the bedrooms as they passed it, remembering Fujin and Seifer. She opened the door, and was met with the site of Fujin and Seifer embracing by the window, bathed in the moonlight. Selphie grinned, but, forcing herself to keep a straight face, cleared her throat. Seifer looked at her over Fujin's shoulder, and smiled. Selphie winked at him, and he pulled away from Fujin.

"Selphie. Is everything..." he said, almost afraid to ask. Selphie grinned.

"The Sorceress is unconscious. Rinoa is asleep, and everyone else is fine. We're going back to Caraway's, and we will keep Oriscala there until we find a way to get Quistis back." she said, smiling at the two. Fujin nodded.

"I might be able to help you there." she said in her husky voice. Selphie looked surprised. Fujin continued. "I know where the doctor is who implanted the Crystal Ashen. He might be able to reverse this." she said. Selphie clapped her hands.

"That's great! Come on, lets go." she said, rushing out of the room to tell Irvine. Fujin turned to Seifer.

"Let's go," she said softly, with a private smile to him. He grinned back, and stroked her jagged grey bangs, smoothing her hair behind her ear. She gave him a softly reproaching look, and turned away with a smile. Seifer put his arm around the petite girl's shoulder's, and they walked after Selphie and the others.

***************************************************************************

"Go! Now!" Xu yelled at the top of her voice. All she could hear were explosions, cries of pain and anger, and the clash of swords. The battle was intense, and although most of the Estharian Army had been defeated on the beaches of Trabia, and even more in the waters of Balamb, a good two hundred troops had managed to get through to attack the Garden.

Xu yelled orders until her voice was hoarse, and even then she didn't stop. Running until she thought her heart would give out, pulling the wounded SeeD's to relative safety, fighting for her life when she came across a soldier. She almost felt like crying, there seemed no end to this battle. She could hear explosions from machine guns, and every now and then she heard a grenade go off, and she knew a few more students were dead. SeeD's didn't use grenades. Running from facility to facility, she checked on the SeeD's there, ensuring they had enough ammunition, and helping to remove the dead and wounded.

Eventually, Xu saw a familiar figure through the fighting. Celesa, the librarian, was attacking an Esthar soldier with her long staff. The young SeeD was powerful, despite her diminutive size and calm looking exterior. It hid a vitality and strength not many knew about. Avoiding the combat, Xu came to the aid of Celesa, who she noticed was wounded. Xu kicked the soldier hard in exactly the right place to make him fall. Then, while he was still falling, she brought her arm down hard on his neck, killing him instantly. Celesa flashed her a grateful smile, and immediately leapt back a step, then flipped forward to knock away the soldier who had been creeping up on Xu.

"Thanks!" Xu gasped, staring at the huge knife the soldier held, obviously intending to plunge it into her. Celesa breathed in deeply, wincing in pain as she felt her cracked ribs. Xu looked sympathetic.

"Go to Dr Kadowaki!" Xu shouted over the fighting. Celesa shook her head.

"No! I've got to keep fighting!" she yelled back, swinging her staff round to injure another soldier. Xu aided her by using a powerful kick and punch combination. Celesa watched her in admiration. Xu was well known as one of the best martial artists in the Garden. Second only to her Zell, thought Celesa with a smile.

Xu turned back to Celesa. Celesa was looking around the Garden, a troubled look on her face. Xu saw why she was confused, and sighed in relief. Almost all of the Estharian soldiers were either dead, or were in the process of being severely thrashed by SeeD members. Xu smiled.

"It's over," she breathed.

***************************************************************************

"She looks so...innocent," Selphie said in wonder, gazing at the beautiful Sorceress lying on the couch where Irvine had laid her. They were in Caraway's mansion, and all of them appreciated the transition from the dark, gothic Palace to the warm, well lit house, which was full of helpful servants. Irvine put his arm around Selphie's shoulders casually.

"Yeah...well, it's always the ones who look innocent...turn out to be the worst of all. I mean, look at you," he said with a grin. Selphie punched him lightly.

"I do not look innocent." she said. Irvine tipped his hat to her.

"Course not. Big green eyes...earnest little face....small, but beautifully shaped..."

"Irvine!"

"What? I was talking about your....nose," he said innocently. She glared at him, and turned away. He laughed, and hugged her from behind. She smiled, putting her hands over his.

Across the room, the other Sorceress was also lying on a couch. Rinoa's father watched from afar as Squall knelt beside her. He decided it was best to let him be with her. Caraway wasn't going to interfere.

Rinoa eventually opened her eyes. Blinking, she smiled, and let out a little gasp of delight as she saw Squall near her. Sitting up, she flung her arms around Squall, pressing her face against his neck. He wrapped his own arms around her, stroking her jet black hair. She sighed happily, breathing in his scent, burying her fingers in his hair. Pulling away slightly, she looked him in the eyes, and then kissed him lightly on the mouth. He held her tighter as she parted her lips, allowing him to kiss her the way he had longed to since the were reunited. She almost cried again, realising this was all that she ever wanted.

Eventually, the silence in the room let the entwined couple know that they were the centre of attention. Pulling away from Rinoa, Squall glanced up to see his friends, all watching him and Rinoa delightedly. Selphie could barely contain her excitement. Looking back down to Rinoa, Squall saw that she was smiling at him. He laughed, and kissed her cheek before getting to his feet. Giving his friends a mock annoyed look, he smiled at them. Irvine began to clap. Selphie and Zell joined in, and eventually everyone in the room, with the exception of the unconscious Sorceress, was clapping to welcome Squall back. He almost blushed.

"Thankyou." he said in a low voice. Rinoa stood up, and smiled at him. Selphie ran over to Squall and threw her arms around him. He staggered back a few steps at the force at which she hurled herself at him. He laughed as she squeezed him tightly.

"I'm so glad you're back and we didn't have to kill you!" she said tactfully. Squall patted her head.

"I'm sure you are. Selphie, could you let me breath now?" he asked dryly. Selphie stepped back with a grin, and surprised him by wiping away a tear. Squall's expression softened.

"Selph?" he asked gently. Her bottom lip trembled. He smiled at her. "Oh, Selphie," he murmured as she burst into tears. He put his arms round his friend, holding her as she cried against his chest. After a moment she pulled away, and smiled weakly at him.

"I'm sorry, I'm being stupid," she said, wiping her eyes. Squall smiled at her, and she swallowed hard.

"I was so worried," she said, and turned back to Irvine and Zell. They were both looking at her sympathetically. Selphie felt really awkward. Rinoa stepped up to her.

"Selph, I know how you feel. You held it in all this time..." she said with a smile. Selphie grinned.

"Well, I had to take care of these two, didn't I?!" she said, gesturing towards Zell and Irvine. The two guys looked a little indignant, but neither protested, because they knew Selphie really was the boss around there, when Squall wasn't around. She had proved that on the mission to the missile base. Squall sighed.

"What are we going to do about her?" he asked, looking over to the Sorceress. Fujin took a deep breath.

"I think I can help." she said quietly. Everyone listened to her. She looked a little nervous.

"The doctor who implanted the Crystal Ashen is still alive. Oriscala made me put him a cell, and he is guarded by those dwarves." she said. Squall nodded.

"We must get him. He might be the only one who knows how to get Quistis back." he said gravely. Everyone agreed. Seifer stepped forward.

"Squall, with your permission I would like to lead the team to recover the doctor. I think you and Rinoa should stay here, in case she wakes up. Anyway, both of you need a break," he added in a lower voice. Squall looked at Seifer hard, his piercing blue eyes trying to figure out what was going on in his old enemy's mind. Seifer met his gaze with his own dark blue eyes. Finally Squall relented.

"Okay. Take Selphie, Fujin and Irvine with you." he said with a sigh.

***************************************************************************

Tired, and aching, Xu and Celesa managed to get back to the main hall. It was full of the wounded SeeD's and the medical students darting around them. Dr Kadowaki was over seeing the whole thing. Xu walked up to her quickly. Dr Kadowaki looked flustered.

"Xu! How's it going out there?" she asked, bending over a moaning student. Xu tried not to look at the gaping wound on the SeeD's stomach. Celesa on the contrary, was staring at it in fascination. Xu cleared her throat.

"It's over. We won." she said with barely suppressed delight. Dr Kadowaki smiled.

"Wonderful!" she said. Xu sighed.

"But there are many wounded. And some Esthar soldiers with injuries which aren't fatal," she said. Dr Kadowaki glanced up from her work.

"What are you suggesting, Xu? That we treat them?" she asked. Xu shook her head.

"No. If they were Esthar Garden students then yes. But these are grown men." she said. Dr Kadowaki nodded.

"Take them outside the Garden. Leave them in the plains." Dr Kadowaki said with a trace of bitterness. Xu agreed. She turned to Celesa, who was just using an elixir on her wound. It healed as Xu watched.

"Come on. We have work to do." she said.

***************************************************************************

It too almost five hours to get to Esthar. All of them slept on the way, Selphie in Irvines arms. Seifer watched the couple almost jealously. There was an unspoken love between the two, which was obvious to anyone who saw them. They had grown up together, and although separated between the ages of five and seventeen, they still retained the strong bond they had when they were children. Seifer wondered why Edea and Cid had seen it fit to send them all to different Gardens (with the exception of Quistis and Zell, they had been adopted and joined Garden on their own decision) It was something which had troubled Seifer for a while.

Eventually, they reached Esthar, at about mid morning. They didn't stop to eat, but headed straight to the cave laboratory, where Fujin knew Dr Mitchell was being held. When they got there, the caves seemed empty. It was slightly disturbing, as they knew the hideous little dwarf people had to be somewhere, and Seifer and Fujin knew all too well how good they were at hiding and ambushing unsuspecting people. But Seifer had a plan. Stepping into the cave he yelled.

"Hari! Lika! Get out here!" he roared, his voice echoing round the labyrinth of caves. Selphie glanced around, trying to see through the darkness. Her sea-green eyes eventually detected a small movement ahead. Lika came scuttling into view. Seifer gave the small thing a look of contempt.

"Show us to Dr Mitchell's cell." he ordered imperially. Lika murmured something, and bowed several times. The effect was comical, but no-one felt like laughing. The caves were dark, and full of odd noises which were at the least disturbing. And as Seifer an Fujin knew, they were treading dangerous ground. If Lika had any idea they were now against the Sorceress, then they were done for. Luckily, she seemed to perceive the two SeeD's as prisoners, and paid no heed to them. Seifer and Fujin silently followed Lika through the labyrinth, grateful for the guidance, as they could never quite tell the direction in these dark caves.

They reached the white, well lit lab after a dew minutes. Lika glanced at Selphie and Irvine, and Seifer felt obliged to explain.

"New test subjects. The Sorceress' orders," he added. Selphie and Irvine got the hint, and began to do their best to look dejected and betrayed. Lika said nothing, but pushed open the door. Eventually, after walking down many identical corridors of pure white, they reached what was obviously a prison. A thin, gaunt looking man was behind the bars. A look of hatred came over him as he saw Lika.

"You little bitch! Let me out of here, you freak! I'll kill you!" he threatened. Seifer groaned inwardly. It seemed Dr Mitchell wasn't all that far from insanity. Although who in their right mind would resurrect an evil Sorceress, he didn't know. Seifer stepped in front of Lika, who was eyeing the trapped doctor with glee.

"I am Seifer Almasy," Seifer said. The doctor glanced at him.

"I know. I recognize you, I'm not stupid!" he said angrily. Seifer nodded. He turned to Lika.

"Leave us." he ordered. Lika turned and left obediently. Seifer turned back to the doctor.

"You are to come with us." he said, and began to enter a code on the digital lock which secured the bars. The doctor watched in amazement as Seifer opened the door, and he was free. He took a step forward, but Seifer and Fujin blocked his way.

"Not so fast. We are taking you to Oriscala." Seifer said. The doctor looked at them in terror.

"No! No...leave me here...I don't want to see her!" he cried. Seifer and Fujin grabbed his arms simultaneously. Fujin hissed angrily at him.

"Do not struggle! Otherwise we will be forced to knock you unconscious and take you to her. Your choice," she whispered menacingly. He stopped trying to free himself and Fujin relaxed her vice like grip.

"Let's go," said Seifer. The doctor reluctantly allowed himself to be led back out of the caves.

***************************************************************************

Caraway felt strangely uncomfortable in the presence of his daughter and her boyfriend. Squall and Rinoa were talking quietly, and he didn't want to interrupt, but at the same time had so many questions he wanted to ask both of them. Eventually, Rinoa looked up at him, and smiled nervously. He smiled back at her warmly.

"Are you feeling better now?" he asked her. She nodded.

"Yes. I feel great," she said with a shy glance at Squall. Caraway cleared his throat as Squall stood to face him.

"I owe you an apology, I'm sorry for what I said back there" he said sincerely, holding out his hand. Squall shook it, looking the older man in the eye.

"It's no big deal. I wasn't thinking straight back then." he said quietly. Caraway nodded.

"I can see you really care about Rinoa. And I know she loves you," he said, feeling a flush creep over him. Squall seemed uncomfortable.

"Um, yeah," he replied, glancing at Rinoa, who was grinning at the pair of them. Caraway sighed.

"Thankyou for taking care of her," he said, and turning, walked out of the room. Rinoa began to giggle. Squall sat back down on the sofa next to her and sighed in relief.

"That was awkward," he said with a small smile. Rinoa giggled and put her hand on his arm.

"Yeah, he didn't know what to say to you!" she said. Squall smiled at her. Rinoa leant back, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I wish we could go back to Garden," she murmured. Squall sighed.

"I know. But there is so much left to do," he whispered. Rinoa nodded, and put her hand on his.

"But we did it Squall. We managed to use Oriscala's weapon against her." she said seriously. Squall nodded with a hint of a smile. He too remembered Oriscala's talks on 'love being a weapon as strong as hate'. No-one realized at the time, but she was being more accurate than they had thought. Love was a weapon, for Sorceress'.

She had wanted to use that weapon against Rinoa, thinking that in her despair over losing the only person she truly loved she would collapse. But Rinoa was able to use that weapon to her advantage. Only she and Squall knew, but the blue sphere she had created, was not solely her powers alone. It was something Edea had only taught her how to do in theory, the mythical physical manifestation of the love between a Sorceress and her Knight. Only a handful of mortals had ever seen the phenomena, as it was a very rare thing for a Sorceress ever to use this power, or to want to show it. It was a private, intimate expression of their love, and was very rarely used as a weapon.

Rinoa smiled at the thought. What a glorious moment that had been, her crafting the electric blue sphere, drawing on Squall's emotions and thoughts, pouring her very soul into the magic. The feeling, of their spirits actually uniting, had been a thousand times better than any physical pleasure. But it had been necessary to knock out the Sorceress, and Rinoa was glad the spell was as effective as Edea had promised it would be.

***************************************************************************

Calmly, Seifer entered the mansion again. By the time they got back to Deling City, it was late evening. They had been forced to stop in Esthar to eat something, because the doctor hadn't been fed for days, and the SeeD's themselves were on the brink of fainting from hunger. When they finally got back to the mansion, Selphie was longing to sit down and rest her aching feet and legs. Irvine, smirking had offered to carry her, but she refused his offer. But after walking miles to the mansion (the buses were out) she was beginning to seriously consider his offer.

The door was opened by the same young female servant whom Rinoa had been so rude to before. Without a word she ushered them inside, and showed them to the parlour where the Sorceress lay. The room was empty save for Zell, who was guarding her in case she woke up. But, like some kind of Sleeping Beauty, the Sorceress remained in a serene state of slumber. Seifer watched as Zell rose silently. He rightly guessed it was a bit unnerving to sit in silence with only a sleeping Sorceress for company.

"She hasn't moved." said Zell, looking at the doctor. The doctor was gazing at Oriscala with something akin to terror on his face.

"She...when did this happen?" he asked tentatively. Seifer shrugged.

"About sixteen hours ago. Our Sorceress defeated her. Sorceress Rinoa." he said with a glint in his eyes. The doctor looked even more scared.

"There's another Sorceress?! One more powerful than Oriscala?" he asked, his eyes darting around the room as if some evil witch was going to leap out of the shadows at him. Seifer suppressed a wicked laugh.

"Yes. Sorceress Rinoa is far more powerful. But for now, you are safe. We want you to reverse the possession." he said. Dr Mitchell gasped.

"But that...do you realize the consequences?" he asked. Seifer looked bored.

"What?" he asked, glancing at Oriscala.

"If the Crystal Ashen is removed, then the Sorceress will die," he said. Seifer laughed bitterly.

"What a shame. Just do it." he said in a bored voice. Dr Mitchell laughed nervously.

"So will the girl Oriscala was possessing." he said in a tremulous voice. Seifer's eyes opened wide.

"What? Quistis will...die?" he asked incredulously. The doctor nodded.

"Yes. Her body wont be able to survive without the Sorceress. The power in the crystal sustains the girl, keeping her alive while Oriscala is using her body. Because in order to work, the Crystal needs such a large amount of energy, it took almost all Quistis had even before Oriscala possessed her. If the Crystal is removed, then so is Quistis' energy." he explained. Seifer turned to Zell.

"Go get Squall. Tell him what we've just heard," he said grimly.

***************************************************************************

Squall and Rinoa stared at the Sorceress as Dr Mitchell explained again what would happen if the Sorceress was to die. Rinoa shook her head.

"There must be some way," she said, concern etched on her features. She had changed out of her Sorceress clothes into a short blue cotton dress and a white linen shirt which hung open. Dr Mitchell obviously didn't now she was the Sorceress he was so terrified of. Squall pushed back the strands of hair which fell over his eyes.

"There has to be another way," he said grimly. Mitchell looked anxious.

"I...I really don't know. I could attempt to remove the crystal...but she would surely die," he said. Squall gestured angrily.

"No! We're not going to lose Quistis...not after all this," he said. Everyone was really depressed. There seemed no way out of this. Rinoa stood up.

"I'm going to try and contact her." she said determinedly. Squall frowned.

"What?" he asked softly. Rinoa gulped.

"Let me speak to Quistis. Maybe she know a way..." she said, her voice faltering. She hadn't dreamt of Quistis for days. But she was fairly confident she could do it now, because she was now far more powerful than before. Squall nodded, and she smiled tightly at him, before leaving the room. Dr Mitchell looked confused.

"What did she mean, 'contact'?" he asked nervously. Seifer smirked. Squall looked up, and realized from what Zell had said that the doctor was terrified of Sorceress.

"She is Sorceress Rinoa." Squall said, a trace of a smile on his lips. The doctor's eyes went wide in shock.

"Really?! She is?! She doesn't look like a Sorceress....but she was able to fight Oriscala, and win? Amazing..I must study her. Er, she's not dangerous, is she?" he asked Squall. Squall bit his lip.

"Well, if she gets into one of her moods..." he began with a smirk. The doctor looked like he was going to wet himself.

"Maybe I'll just stay out of her way then..." he said, glancing nervously at the door Rinoa had gone out of. Selphie felt mischievous.

"This is her house, you know...she defeated the former occupant, a General of the Galbadian Army. And she didn't even use magic," Selphie said, her green eyes wide. The doctor looked even more scared.

"What...what did she do to him?" he asked. Selphie shook her head.

"Some say he's still here...still wanders the corridors of this house..." she said convincingly. The doctor gulped. Squall laughed.

"She's only joking. The General is Rinoa's father. Rinoa isn't a bad Sorceress." he said. The doctor didn't look convinced.

"How do you know?" he asked, in a voice just above a whisper. Squall raised an eyebrow.

"Because she's my girlfriend." he replied.

***************************************************************************

Rinoa drew the curtains to her bedroom. The room was light and airy, and when she had arrived, she was surprised to see it exactly the way she had left it four years ago. It was sad in a way, to think that her father hadn't been able to change anything. Maybe he hoped she would come back one day. Rinoa didn't know, but for now she was glad of a space to herself. Caraway had let Squall sleep in the bedroom next to Rinoa's, not as large or luxurious, but still nicer than his room at Balamb.

Sitting on the lemon-coloured bed, Rinoa shut her eyes, focusing on Quistis. Eventually, she felt lightheaded, and realized she was nearly there. Then an image slowly melted into her mind. A field of flowers.

"Quistis." she called in her mind. She couldn't see her anywhere. Then she heard a voice.

"Rinoa!" she cried. Rinoa spun around to see two women. Quistis, and Oriscala. Rinoa swallowed hard.

"Quistis, I need to talk to you," she said. Both women looked at her. Oriscala looked strangely calm.

"Rinoa...I know what's happened." Quistis said. Rinoa nodded.

"Do you know what we can do to save you?" she asked. Quistis smiled.

"You can't." she said in a bittersweet tone. Rinoa frowned.

"There must be a way..." Rinoa said, feeling a lump in her throat. Quistis smiled. Oriscala remained silent. Rinoa ignored the other Sorceress.

"Please, Quistis, don't give up..." she said, feeling a horrible sinking feeling of despair. Quistis waled up to Rinoa until she was only a foot away from her.

"Rinoa..I used to be jealous of you. Because you captured Squall's heart, and you made him what he is today. I envied your spirit." she said. Rinoa felt tears force themselves into her eyes.

"Don't say this Quistis," she murmured. Quistis sighed.

"I do wish...that I had the chance to say goodbye to everyone. Especially Squall." she said sadly. Rinoa reached out to Quistis, but the other girl moved away.

"Say goodbye to them for me," Quistis said softly. Rinoa wiped away her tears angrily.

"No! Quistis, we'll save you, there must be a way..." she said desperately. Quistis smiled lovingly at her.

"Rinoa, I know you've done your best, but this is real life. Not everything works out like a fairytale. You have no real choice. Either you revive the Sorceress, and you can have both of us, but her more than often, or you remove the Crystal, and we both die. You know in your heart that there is no real choice. It..it is better that I die than Oriscala reigns again." she said softly. Rinoa hugged her middle, choking back a sob.

"You..you're just going to leave us? Without even trying?" she asked Quistis. Quistis shook her head.

"I'm not trying to be a martyr, Rinoa. But I've had a lot of time to think about this. This is the only option left to us!" she said, looking troubled. Rinoa nodded.

"I understand." she said, her bottom lip trembling. Quistis smiled at her.

"Take care of Squall for me," she said quietly, with a smile. Rinoa nodded, wiping her eyes.

"I will," she promised. Quistis smiled, and turned back to where Oriscala was silently watching. Rinoa glanced at the other Sorceress.

"I'm going now." she said clearly. Quistis smiled at her.

"Goodbye," she whispered. Rinoa smiled at her weakly, and before she could say anything else, the connection was broken, and she found herself lying on her bed.

***************************************************************************

Dr Mitchell almost jumped out of his skin when Rinoa entered the room again. Squall glanced up as he heard the door open, and was concerned to see her pale, tear-streaked face. She crossed the room to him, and sat down on the sofa next to him.

"Did you speak to Quistis?" he asked her. Rinoa nodded, but didn't say anything. There was a painful silence in the room. Dr Mitchell stood behind the sofa, next to Fujin and Seifer. Zell, Selphie and Irvine were sitting on the other sofa in the room, watching Rinoa anxiously. She looked terrible.

"I spoke to her." she said softly. Squall looked worried.

"Does she know a way to end all this?" he asked her. Rinoa laughed hollowly.

"Oh yes. The problem is, this isn't a children's story, or a game." she said bitterly. Squall frowned.

"What do you mean? Is there no hope?" he asked. He didn't know it, but he was echoing Quistis' words, spoken to him while he was enchanted. Rinoa shook her head.

"Of course there is. She's given us hope. The only way we can be free of Oriscala is if Quistis dies." she said quietly. Squall shook his head.

"No...there must be another way," he said, refusing to accept it. Rinoa covered her eyes with both hands, resting her elbows on her knees.

"There isn't. She said to me, 'this is real life.' I understand now. Not everything turns out the way it should. Not everything is fair." she said. Her friends were all looking at her in disbelief.

Squall stood up, his eyes downcast.

"Then we have to do what she wants." he said, despair in his voice. Selphie moved to object, but Irvine forced her to remain seated. She closed her mouth, unable to look at Squall or Rinoa. Dr Mitchell stepped up to Squall.

"Do you want me to perform the operation now?" he asked him. Squall glanced at Rinoa, and then at all his friends. They were all staring at him,all their eyes held the same glistening hope, longing for him to say no, that they would find another way. Those hopes went unanswered.

"Yes," Squall said, utterly defeated.

***************************************************************************

They sat in silence in the other room, while Dr Mitchell performed the operation. Squall and Rinoa both felt incredible guilty, even though they really had no choice. Selphie, Zell and Irvine were all in a state of depression, Selphie particularly seemed to be feeling pain. Fujin and Seifer felt hollow. They both knew, if they hadn't played their part in all this Quistis would not be dying. There was such stillness in the room, the only sound the clock ticking, that already it felt like a morgue.

Eventually, the door opened, and one of the servants walked into the room. She murmured that Dr Mitchell had finished, and he was asking for Squall. Glancing at Rinoa, Squall stood and followed the servant. He entered the room where Oriscala/Quistis lay. He was surprised to see Dr Mitchell standing by her, looking down into her face. He glanced up as Squall entered the room.

"She's awake," he said cryptically, and left the room. Squall frowned. What could he mean? The Sorceress...had he tricked them into letting him revive her? Squall rushed to the woman's side. Looking down, he gasped to see Quistis open her eyes. He dropped to his knees, staring into her face.

"Squall..." she whispered. He grabbed her hand, feeling a lump rise to his throat. Quistis gasped, and coughed. Squall stared into her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheeks.

"I wanted to say goodbye..." she whispered. Squall swallowed hard, unable to speak. Quistis smiled.

"But I guess I don't have to anymore," she said in a slightly stronger voice. Squall's mouth dropped open as Quistis laughed hoarsely. He gasped.

"Do you mean..." She nodded.

"I'm not going to die," she whispered joyously.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Epilogue

The winds rolled over the Winhill Bluffs, battering the long grass down as the eight SeeD's walked over it. Squall and Rinoa headed the procession. As they neared Raine's grave, the wind died down, and became only a fresh breeze. Gazing at the grave for a moment, Squall turned back to his friends. Behind them, he could see Ellone, and several other people from Esthar. Squall and the others stepped aside to let the coffin pass. Ellone looked pale, but she smiled weakly at Squall as she passed him. Squall shut his eyes, trying to block out the overwhelming guilt he felt over Laguna's death.

The funeral procession gathered around Raine Loire's grave. Next to it, a freshly dug grave, which they slowly began to lower Laguna's body into. Ellone watched sadly, as she finally released the only father she had ever known. For Squall, this was also true, except Laguna was his real father, even though Ellone had known him better. He watched as the oaken casket disappeared forever into the earth, and the people gathered round stepped up to pay their respects. Kiros and Ward were among them, and they glanced awkwardly at Squall as they bid goodbye to Laguna. Rinoa squeezed his hand reassuringly, she knew what pain he was in.

Finally, only the SeeD's and Ellone were left at the grave. Rinoa released Squall's hand, and as he watched her, she and the others turned and slowly began to walk back towards the village, leaving him and Ellone together. Ellone stepped up close to Squall, he opened his mouth to say something, but the words caught in his throat. It was all he could manage to hoarsely whisper "I'm sorry,". Ellone smiled gently at him.

"It's ok. It wasn't your fault. Squall shut his eyes in pain. Ellone sighed. "Really, Squall, you couldn't help it. Forgive yourself. I have," she added in a whisper. Squall opened his eyes, the wind blowing his hair across his face. Ellone smiled at him.

"Squall, he wanted to tell you..."

"Please, Ellone, don't," he said hoarsely, the lump in his throat making talk painful. She ignored him.

"He was proud of you. He was sorry..so sorry he didn't find you before. He didn't want to mess up your life by suddenly introducing himself as your father." she said in a whisper. Squall shut his eyes, listening to every word, and feeling his heart ache.

"I never listened to him, when he tried to tell me," he said painfully. Ellone cut him off.

"He understood. Laguna wasn't as dumb as he sometimes acted." she said with a wry smile. Squall attempted to smile, but failed miserably. Ellone hugged him gently.

"Squall...promise me you wont forget him. Or Raine," she whispered in his ear. Squall shook his head.

"How could I?" he whispered back. Ellone felt tears in her eyes.

"Both of them...really loved you," she said, her voice trembling with sadness. Squall held her tighter. "They..they were your parents. And in a way, mine. I know you grew up an orphan, so did I, but you always had Raine and Laguna. Even though both of us truly are orphans now, they are still with us," she whispered. Squall nodded, not saying anything.

The two stood in the field, the winds caressing the two as they stood at their parents grave. Rinoa watched from the village, where to her the pair looked tiny. She turned, and went back to the others.

***************************************************************************

Selphie moaned in pleasure as she threw herself back on her hard, standard issue SeeD bed. It was wonderful to be back in her own room again, having all her friends back again. She was even grateful to have back her hard, uncomfortable bed. Smiling, she lay back, her eyes shut, and sighed in contentment. Unfortunately, she didn't have peace for long. Irvine was at the door.

"What?" she asked, without opening her eyes. Even though he hadn't said anything, she could sense his presence. He walked into the room. Selphie sat up, pulling her skirt down.

"What?" she asked again. He smiled at her, removing his hat and dusting it off.

"D'ya want to go get something to eat?" he asked her casually. Selphie shook her head.

"No. Leave me alone." she said wearily. Irvine sighed.

"Selphie, you've been in here for two hours. Even Squall and Rinoa have come out of their room." he said Selphie's eyes shot open.

"Room?" she asked. Irvine laughed.

"I meant rooms. God, you have a dirty mind," he teased her. Selphie blushed. Reluctantly, she swung her legs off the bed and put her boots on.

"Fine. I'll go with you." she said. Irvine grinned.

"Great. I'm starving." he said. Selphie stood up. Even in two inch heels she was way shorter than him. The two walked out of the room. Passing the library, Irvine paused.

"Shall we go check on Zell?" he asked innocently. Selphie grinned.

"Yeah...I'm sure him and Celesa are making up for lost time!" she said with a smile. Walking into the library, they were surprised to see Zell and Celesa engaged in what appeared to be a serious conversation. Celesa smiled at the two SeeD's over Zell's shoulder. He turned round to see them.

"Hi! What's up?" he asked them. They had only been back at Garden a few days. Selphie shrugged.

"Nothing. We were going to the canteen. Wanna come?" she asked him. Zell glanced at Celesa.

"No, it's ok. I'll stay here." he said. Selphie laughed and turned away.

"How did I know you'd say that!" she laughed. Irvine followed her out of the library.

"Poor sucker, he's got it baaad." said Irvine, shaking his head in mock sadness. Selphie laughed.

"Yes, isn't it terrible when guy's show how they really feel." she said pointedly. He didn't rise to the bait, but she could practically hear him grasping for a rejoinder. Smiling to herself, she continued walking down the marble corridor. It was so good to be back in their beautiful Garden. The streams and fountains scattered around made it such a peaceful place, no-one would guess it was a military academy.

In the canteen, they were surprised to see the usual queue for hotdogs was missing. Irvine and Selphie were able to get the legendary snack straight away. Sitting at an empty table, they ignored the whispers and nudges from admiring students and began to eat their meal. They were interrupted by a female cadet.

"Excuse me..you're Irvine and Selphie, right?" she asked. Selphie sighed, but Irvine switched into flirt mode straight away.

"Yes, we are, What can I do for you?" he said with a charming smile. Selphie fought the urge to kick him and smiled sweetly at the younger girl.

"I was wondering...is the Commander dating anyone? I think he's really cute!" she said dreamily. The smile left Irvine's face and Selphie burst out laughing.

"The Commander! Ha! And you thought she was going to ask you out!" she shrieked with laughter, holding her sides. She was also relieved. Irvine gave her a dirty look. He didn't answer the student. Selphie turned to her.

"Yes, Squall is dating someone," she replied, trying to keep a straight face. The girl shrugged and walked away. Selphie began to giggle again at Irvine's embarrassment.

"Oh, shut up," he said to her, pretending to be angry at her. She only laughed harder. Irvine scowled at her, then it occurred to him.

Selphie's laughter turned into a cry of surprise as Irvine leaned over the small table and kissed her passionately. Pulling away, he sat back down and looked at her shocked expression with a smile of satisfaction, his own heart thudding. She looked at him, her earnest face full of questioning. He smiled at her, and she looked delighted.

Finally, he realized what Selphie really wanted.

***************************************************************************

Quistis sat in the empty classroom. She wasn't alone, Fujin was with her. Quistis shuddered as she remembered the events leading up to her possession. Fujin felt guilty, but didn't know what to say.

"Quistis..I..." she murmured. Quistis smiled at her.

"Fujin, it's over. You don't need to say anything." she said. Fujin smiled tentatively. The girl had a hard time being liked, and it was unusual for her to actually have female friends. She didn't want to lose them.

"Thankyou Quistis. You have no idea what it means to me, to be forgiven like this," she said sincerely. Quistis smiled to herself.

"Yes, I do. I realized a lot of things while I was possessed. And, I realize everyone has a motive. No-one does anything for no reason. Your reason was your love of...Seifer." she said, her voice faltering towards the end of her sentence. Fujin shut her eye briefly. She knew Quistis still had a hard time dealing with *that* aspect of forgiveness. Fujin placed a hand on Quistis' shoulder.

"You don't have to forgive everyone," she said softly. Quistis didn't react. Fujin sat beside her at the desk. "What he did to you...it would have destroyed a lesser person. I know you don't want to hear this, but he has changed." Quistis sighed.

"That's what makes it so hard. I am fully aware that he's changed, but however much I want to, I can't forgive him," she said, her voice painful. Fujin nodded. Quistis continued.

"I really want us all to be friends, especially after all that has happened, but I can't bear to see him," she said, her voice cracking. Fujin rubbed her back as Quistis began to cry, remembering. Fujin felt so sorry for her.

"I just...it was so horrible," Quistis sobbed. Fujin bit her lip, and didn't say anything. She knew, she had been outside the room while Seifer had committed his sin. Fujin had condoned it, and knew she herself was partly to blame.

"I wake up in the middle of the night...reliving it..feeling as if it was actually happening....terrified that it might happen again," she whispered through her sobs. Fujin passed her a tissue from the box on the desk. Quistis shuddered, her body racked with sobs.

"I don't understand why he did it..." she gasped. Fujin sighed.

"I don't know either. I'm not sure if he knows," she said gently. Quistis looked up at her.

"Have you spoken to him about it?" she asked Fujin, her blue eyes misted with tears. Fujin shook her head.

"Not really. I think...he's very, very guilty about it. I can tell." she said softly. Quistis sighed, pulling herself together.

"I know he is. That's what makes it so difficult. Edea...she told me he cried about it when he confessed to her what he had done. I know in my heart he truly regrets it, I know he has changed, but I can't handle this right now. It's still too painful. Not all scars heal with time." she added in a low voice. Fujin nodded.

"I don't blame you." she said huskily. Quistis stood up, throwing her sodden tissue in the waste paper basket. Fujin watched her as she crossed to the door.

"Quistis, one day you'll be able to live with this." she reassured her. Quistis gazed into Fujin's colourless, but compassionate eye. Quistis smiled weakly.

"I hope so," she murmured.

***************************************************************************

"Xu, tell my secretary I'm taking her to dinner tonight," Squall said as Xu toyed with the flowers Rinoa had put in Squall's office. The older woman smiled, and glanced over to Rinoa as she crossed the room to his desk.

"Why don't you tell her yourself?" Rinoa said with a smile, placing a stack of papers on his desk. Squall smiled at her.

"I thought you were busy. Have you really finished all that already?" he asked, surprised to see all the work she had done in only an hour. Rinoa smiled.

"I'm going to the training centre. Unless you need me for anything else?" she asked. Squall shook his head. Rinoa was really serious about becoming a SeeD. He smiled as she left the room. Xu smirked as she saw the expression on Squall's face.

"You are so smitten!" she said with a little laugh. Squall blushed.

"Hey, I worked hard to get that Sorceress." he said with a smile. Xu nodded.

"And we are all very grateful." she said seriously. Squall flicked through the papers Rinoa had put on his desk. Every single one was perfect. He smiled to himself.

"Xu, I'm going out for a while," he said. Xu grinned.

"Go get her," she said softly. Squall smiled at her, shrugging on his leather coat. Xu laughed as he rushed out of the office, grabbing his gunblade on the way.

***************************************************************************

Rinoa managed to fight her way to the secret area. Slightly out of breath, she leaned on the crumbling stone wall, looking out to the awesome sight of the well-lit Garden in the early evening. The place looked so beautiful, and she was completely alone. She place only came alive after curfew, when the older SeeD's went there to talk, among other things.

Rinoa leant on the wall, the breeze blowing her raven black hair away from her shoulders. She shut her eyes, thankful she was still able to come here, and that all her friends were still in the Garden with her.

"Do you mind company?" Squall asked her. She spun around, slightly startled. She smiled as she saw him.

"I don't mind," she said softly. Squall dug the point of his gunblade into the ground, leaning on it.

"What were you thinking about?" he asked her. She shrugged, and turned back to the view.

"Everything," she murmured. He walked up close to her. She shut her eyes, enjoying the breeze.

"Why happened to the Crystal?" she asked him softly. Squall sighed.

"It's gone. Don't worry about it." he said. Rinoa opened her eyes, and looked hard at him.

"But I do. It contains Oriscala. If someone was to..."

"Rinoa, I put it in a safe place." he said gently. She nodded, trusting him.

"Okay." she murmured, looking out to the Garden. Squall followed her gaze. He too felt proud, and relieved, to look out at the Garden. He knew about the battle which had taken place, and he all the more glad that his SeeD's were able to combat an enemy as strong as the Estharian Army.

"Squall..." she murmured. He smiled at her.

"Don't worry." he whispered. She smiled back at him, leaning her head against his shoulder as they looked at their home. Squall wrapped his arms around her from behind, hugging her stomach. She rubbed his arms, smiling as she leant against his shoulder, tucking her head in against his neck. Rinoa sighed happily.

Finally, she hoped they would have peace.

***************************************************************************

Ellone knelt beside Laguna and Raine's grave, smiling to herself as she polished the inscription. Now, under Raine's name, there was that of her husband. Laguna and Raine Loire.

Ellone prayed that they were finally together again. Kneeling in the long grass, the wind ruffling her short brown hair, the President of Esthar wondered what was in the box Squall had thrown into his fathers grave, asking Laguna to keep it safe. She knew it was important.

Standing up, Ellone blew a kiss to her adopted parents, and turned back to the helicopter waiting to take her back to her palace. She hoped her little brother was alright now, and hoped he had peace. Stepping into the chopper, she glanced back at the grave as it took off, heading back to Esthar.

Raine and Laguna watched their daughter leave. Raine had an arm around Laguna's waist, and rested her hand against his shoulder.

"She's so good," Raine whispered. Laguna smiled proudly.

"Yes, she is. She's going to be a good president. I feel sorry for anyone who opposes her," he said with a smile. Raine hugged him tighter.

"As long as she and Squall are happy." she whispered. Laguna looked into her face. She was gazing after the retreating chopper, as if she could still see Ellone. He knew she wished she could be with her children, wished she could be more than a shadow of a memory for them. Laguna took Raine's hands, and she smiled at him, her eyes glistening damply with tears.

"Come on. Let them get on with their lives. We've got a whole new one ahead of us," he reminded her with a smile. They turned, and slowly faded away.

The End

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whoo hoo! Finally finished! What did you think? This is by far the longest fanfic I have ever written! And I loved (almost) every second of it. I hope I handled the whole rape thing sensitively...and that I didn't offend too many of you. I don't think it would have been realistic for Quistis to have forgiven Seifer at the end...after all, what he did to her was monstrous. But hey, I'm talking about reality in a fanfic about Sorceress' and magic...

I have a question...do y'all want a sequel to this? I have a fiendish little idea....it involves a triple wedding (only joking)

Thankyou to Demiath, without your input this would have been a *very* short fic indeed! I really needed the encouragement you gave me, and I am very grateful.

Please send all comments to Selphie_Leonhart@day-dream.co.uk

I love feedback!

The sequel to The Commander is called Forsaken. You will find it on my website. In this new story, Squall and the others are back in Balamb Garden, a few weeks after the events in The Commander. Slowly, they begin to come to terms with what happened there, and settle down. Not all of them are comfortable with the new alliance between Squall, Seifer and Fujin, not least of all Quistis. A strange sickness begins to creep over the SeeDs, and once they find out it is a deadly illness with no cure, it is a race against time to discover what exactly happened in their past to cause this disease. Shocking revelations and new bonds are formed in Forsaken. Find it here:

http://www.RinoaLeonhartFF8.homestead.com