Best Laid Plans
Part Two
By Selphie Leonhart
Argh! I'm sorry for making you all wait...but as I said before, I don't plan my fanfics. I honestly had no idea what I was gonna write next! Well, I think I've come up with a passable plotline now...enjoy....:)
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"Seifer..." he said darkly. His rival grinned, pressing the ebony-black edge of the Hyperion closer to the President's throat. He glanced down at Rinoa, who was standing next to Squall, a look of confusion on her face.
"Rinoa!" he yelled. She appeared to snap out of the trance she was in, and stumbled over towards Seifer. Squall watched, a slight frown creasing his brow. Rinoa gazed back at him dumbly. They were separated by a pool of blood, *her* blood, and the fallen Galbadian soldiers. Squall felt a sharp nudge, and saw Quistis staring at him.
"Squall! Do something!" She hissed. Squall looked at Seifer.
"Release the President, Seifer. You've got nowhere to run to." He said calmly. Seifer laughed.
"If I kill him, it will solve a lot of problems for my girl here." He smirked. Squall's gaze flickered to Rinoa. She was his girlfriend? Somehow....that didn't seem right. But he didn't have time to contemplate his next move as a strange buzzing filled the room. Quistis, Selphie and Zell fell to their knees, clutching their heads. Squall felt himself being forced to his knees, and although he wasn't in agony like the others, he was unable to rise. Instead, he looked up, staring over to where Seifer, Rinoa and the President were standing. Seifer appeared to be staring open-mouthed at the wall to the side of Squall.
When Squall followed his gaze, he got the shock of his life. The wall appeared to be...rippling. Then, a woman stepped through. Squall blinked, surely this couldn't be happening? But it was, and Seifer dropped his gunblade from the President's throat, and Squall saw him bow to this strange woman. Her presence carried with it a sense of horror and fear, but at the same time a familiarity that was even more disturbing. Squall watched as Seifer followed the woman behind a screen, obscuring them from view. Squall now saw Rinoa, who throughout this had been standing perfectly still, swaying as if she was hypnotised. With massive effort, he fought off the spell to get to his feet, and reached her side just in time to catch her as she fell dangerously close to the razor blade of Seifer's Hyperion.
Squall couldn't tear his eyes off her as she lay in his arms, her beautiful eyes shut, her raven hair falling over his arm like liquid silk. She was light, and it was no effort to lift her, to carry her over to a safer place. He laid her on a couch which had been provided for the President, and stepped back, turning to the others. The President was standing, looking on in slight surprise, but he didn't seem concerned. Squall didn't have time to question him however, he was too worried about his team-mates, who were all unconscious.
"Quistis," he said, kneeling beside the tall girl. Her eyes flickered briefly, and she made an effort to rise, shaking off the enchantment. Squall slipped an arm around her, helping her into a sitting position. She stared at him, unspeaking. He frowned.
"Quistis? Are you all right?" he asked, trying to inject some feeling into his words. He did mean it, but it was hard to stop himself sounding cold. She shut her eyes briefly, as if she was in pain, and nodded.
"I'm fine," she said quietly, getting to her feet. Squall rose as she did, and whilst she attended to Selphie and Zell, he faced the President.
"Who was that woman?" Squall asked coldly. The President smiled.
"Beautiful, isn't she? That is Galbadia's new ambassador. Sorceress Edea." He said darkly. Squall frowned. The Galbadian government, appointing a Sorceress as their ambassador? There was something terribly wrong with this. Squall had been taught about Sorceresses in Garden, and ever since the Great Hyne, Sorceresses were feared, respected women. But the last of them had disappeared during the Sorceress Wars, around the time of his birth. Was she one of these great witches?
He didn't have time to further question the President before he began to address the SeeD's.
"Well, that was a brilliant job you all just did as my bodyguards." He said sarcastically. Squall bit his lip to stop himself retaliating. Instead, he gazed at the President with a stony expression, remaining silent. Quistis walked to his side, touching his arm lightly. He almost drew away from the contact, it was the first time she had voluntarily come close to him since...
He looked towards her.
"The others are fine. The magic isn't long lasting. What are we to do with her?" she asked softly, so only he could hear her. Squall shut his eyes briefly.
"She...the President must decide. She isn't in a fit state to fight, she isn't a threat." He said. The President appeared to hear him.
"This little bitch...attacking me! Take her away!" he said, addressing the two guards who had just entered the room. They lifted Rinoa, and carried her from the room. Squall frowned as they took her, but said nothing. The President turned back to the SeeD's.
"Go, now. I've got no further need for you." He said rudely. Squall narrowed his eyes.
"Fine." He said tritely, and turned. Quistis nodded to the President, and left the room, followed by Selphie and Zell, who were unsteady on their feet, feeling the effects of the heavy magic placed on them. Quistis caught up to Squall, and walked by his side.
"Wait!" called the President. Squall turned. The President narrowed his eyes.
"Who was that boy who attacked me? You knew his name." The President said. Squall shrugged, knowing how delicate this situation was. Zell, however, didn't seem to realise.
"Seifer? He isn't even a SeeD. He's crazy, he should still be in the discipline room at Garde..."
"Zell...no!" yelled Quistis. Zell frowned, and then realisation dawned on him as the President smirked.
"No! I didn't mean..." he stammered. The President laughed.
"Garden? That explains why you didn't defend me...he was one of your own. Treachery...I should have expected that from mercenaries...you are pathetic." He said. Squall drew his gunblade as guards began to fill the room. The President seemed livid.
"Take them!" he cried. It was useless to resist, there were simply too many guards. Squall let his gunblade drop to the floor with a clang muffled by the shouts and cries from his friends as the soldiers roughly tied their hands behind their backs and pushed them to their knees. Squall fell forward, his hair falling over his eyes as he dropped to his knees. He let his head hang, not wishing to meet the jeering eyes of the Galbadian soldiers. Quistis was pushed next to him, her head banging against his shoulder. He turned his face to her, her blue eyes were shut for the same reason he was hiding his. He heard indignant cries from Selphie and Zell, as they too were subjected to the same rough treatment.
But before the soldiers could take them away, the same buzzing filled the air which had a few minutes ago. The soldiers dropped to the floor, screaming, clutching their heads. But this time, the buzzing didn't affect Squall and his friends, instead energised them, giving them the strength to get to their feet. Squall glanced round quickly, searching for any sign of the Sorceress, but there was none. No wishing to wait for her to reappear, he ordered his SeeD's to withdraw, and as rapidly as they could, the mercenaries fled the building.
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Rinoa felt herself being thrown onto a hard surface. She opened her eyes, and heard a door slam. She looked around her, and realised she was in a bare cell. She felt her bottom lip tremble, and a hot anger rise inside her. Furiously, she checked for her weapon, but it had been taken from her. "Of course," she said caustically, her features contorted in anger. She put her hand in her pocket, relieved that her cell phone was still there. She dialled a number on speed dial, and cried out in rage as she realised there was no signal inside the cell. Throwing the piece of useless plastic down on the bed she flopped down next to it, burying her face in her arms as she sobbed in anger and frustration.
"Seifer!" she screamed, but the sound was muffled by her sobs. Finally, she sat up, her face blotched by tears, but she felt better for the release. Sighing, she did as Seifer had taught her, and checked the room for anything which might be used as a weapon. She searched for sharp objects, heavy items, anything, but found nothing. She lay back down on the hard bed, staring at the metal ceiling. Then she felt something digging into her. Frowning, she sat up, and felt on the rough blanket for what it could be. It was a safety pin. Rinoa almost laughed at its uselessness, but pocketed it anyway, it may come in handy.
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"Galbadia Garden?" Squall said doubtfully. Quistis nodded. The house they were in was deserted, and they were hiding from the many soldiers outside.
"Remember? If it is impossible to return to your home Garden..."
"Report to the nearest, in this case Galbadia." Squall finished for her. She smiled.
"I did teach you something then," she said quietly, smiling to herself. Squall didn't reply, instead turning to Selphie and Zell.
"Let's get going. We've got a long way to walk." He said. Selphie flicked her hair, sighing.
"Shouldn't we wait for nightfall? I mean, this place is crawling with soldiers." She said. Zell nodded, agreeing with her. Squall glanced out of the window. He could see five soldiers just from where he stood.
"Fine. We'll wait for dark, then get going." He said, walking up the stairs to get some rest. Selphie and Zell trudged after him. Quistis stood by herself for a moment in the kitchen, then followed them.
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It seemed to Rinoa as if days had passed in the prison cell. She was starving, her throat was parched, and she desperately needed a wash. She couldn't tell how much time had passed, because her watch was broken, but in between bouts of crying and fitful sleeping, hours had flown by. Finally, she heard a sound from outside her cell. Instinctively, she got into a crouching stance on one side of the door, ready to attack any who entered if they posed a threat. Then she realised how futile the gesture was. The guards obviously would be armed and prepared for an assault.
Instead she stood, shaking her hair back from her shoulders, trying to remain dignified, even though her head was killing her, and she was filthy from the dust which clung to her, sticky from her tears. Two guards entered the room. They didn't look at Rinoa, but stood either side of the door. Then Seifer walked in. She had an inkling it was him, just by the sound of his boots clanking on the metal grill outside the cell. She stared at him, her mouth dropped open in shock.
"Seifer!" she gasped. He grinned at her, resting his gunblade on his shoulder. She ran towards him, throwing herself into his embrace.
"How you doing?" he asked her, holding her at arms length so he could examine her. Rinoa sighed.
"Tired, filthy, and I have a splitting headache. Apart from that, I'm feeling great." She said flatly, living him a slightly annoyed look. He shrugged, and even though the gesture infuriated her, she kept a false smile on her face.
"Sorry, babe. I couldn't get here sooner, Edea needed me." He said. Rinoa raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow.
"Edea?" she said archly. Seifer smiled.
"Sure. The Sorceress. She's very powerful...and I'm her Knight," he said, his eyes shining with something which disturbed Rinoa. She moved away slightly.
"A...Sorceress?" she asked, her voice faltering slightly. Seifer nodded eagerly.
"Yeah. But I told her I gotta go rescue my girl, so here I am." He said with flourish. Rinoa nodded, her attitude now cool.
"Then get me out of here." She said without emotion, pushing out of the cell and past him.
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It was cold on the plains as they walked, difficult to get their bearings. Luckily, Quistis knew the way, she'd been to Galbadia Garden before. But even for her, it was difficult in the harsh wind and biting cold of the moors, not to mention the dark. She walked close to Squall, occasionally telling him how far it was, which direction they were headed in, but not actively engaging him in conversation.
Selphie and Zell walked behind them. Both normally exuberant in character, the two were subdued through lack of sleep and miserable at the conditions. Selphie was dreaming of her hard, thin bed back at Garden, the warm Cafeteria...they seemed so far away, now that they were actually out on a mission.
Finally, the red-gold structure of Galbadia Garden was visible on the horizon. The sun was just beginning to rise, giving the place an eerie look as it was bathed in silvery light. The weary SeeD's trudged forward, not knowing that they themselves looked ethereal in the moonlight-sunrise of dawn. Eventually, they got to the gates. Quistis turned to Squall.
"I'll go and talk to the headmaster. I suggest you wait in the reception room. It's on the second floor." She said, and turned to go into the Garden. Selphie sighed, and rested her head on Squall's shoulder.
"I'm tired," she whined. Squall frowned and moved away from her, uncomfortable with the touch. He began walking into the Garden after Quistis, not giving his comrades a second glance. Zell and Selphie exchanged a look, and walked after him.
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Rinoa stared out the window as Seifer drove, not speaking a word, trying her best to appear as is she didn't give a damn as he declared how wonderful the Sorceress was, and how glorious this was going to be for him. She narrowed her eyes as he spoke, watching the bare landscape pass by, the few skeletal trees swaying in the mild dust storm. She hated this. A Sorceress? And one which had managed to capture all of Seifer's attention...this wasn't good. He seemed different somehow, if possible, more arrogant, less sensitive to her subtle words and gestures. Rinoa was usually quiet around him, loving to drink in his sense of invincibility, his air of being untouchable. But for some reason, he had been irritating her ever since they got back from the Desert Prison.
Her thoughts went back to the strange boy...the one who had nearly taken her life, but revived her just as her heart began to fail her. She didn't understand why. He was a SeeD, and was there to kill people like her, she knew that. Why then, had he spared her? Even helped her back to life? It kept playing on her mind...it didn't make sense. She remembered feeling warm in his arms as he lifted her, even though she was barely conscious, remembered how he nestled her head against his shoulder as he laid her on the couch, his lingering touch on her arm as he leant over her for an instant before returning to the President. She closed her eyes in recollection, allowing herself to imagine his touch again. He was undoubtedly the best looking guy she had ever seen, but that wasn't why she couldn't get him off her mind. It was something intangible, something she couldn't explain.
She let a sigh escape her parted lips, feeling her cheeks redden as she jolted back to reality when the car went over a bump in the road. She frowned as Seifer put his hand on her thigh, but made no effort to remove it.
"So, what do you think?" he said to her. Rinoa glanced at him.
"What?" she said absently. He laughed, and that made her relax. She loved his laugh. Rinoa attempted to smile.
"Sorry, I drifted off," she said gently, putting her hand on his. He nodded, cursing as it began to rain heavily.
"It's okay. You're probably tired after all that fighting." He said. Rinoa raised an eyebrow, smiling slightly. Sensitivity didn't come naturally to Seifer, but when he did make the effort, she couldn't help but think how sweet he was.
"What I was saying was that I'm going to Deling. To be with the Sorceress. I wanted you to come...you're a good fighter, you could come in useful. Besides, I want to keep an eye on you. SeeD know who you are now." He said with a trace of bitterness. Rinoa sighed.
"SeeD won't be a problem, I know how to stay out of their way." She said confidently.
"Rinoa, I know SeeD. If they want to find you, they will." He said impatiently. She sighed again, this time exasperated.
"And why would they want to find me? What have I done?" she said, irritated. Seifer laughed hollowly, making Rinoa frown.
"You only tried to attack the President. Their employer. If he finds you have escaped, he may well order his new bodyguards to go and find you." He said. Rinoa made no reply, but pressed her lips together and stared out of the window. The dust storm was building, and it was hard to see the road ahead. She shut her eyes against the sight of swirling sand clouds, and with one hand curled around the single ring hanging from a silver chain round her neck, slowly drifted off to sleep.
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"He may well be dead." Quistis said flatly. Squall frowned slightly. Seifer, dead? Of course, he attacked the President. But it was still hard to imagine Seifer.
"No way," said Zell excitedly. "Seifer would never let them...he wouldn't. Aw, man..." Zell flopped down on the sofa. Quistis gazed at him coolly.
"I mean, he was one of us," Zell said, looking perplexed. Squall was beginning to lose patience. Quistis folded her arms, and stared out the window.
"I never really liked him. I don't have any good memories of him. But still, he wasn't all bad." She said with a tiny sigh. Squall frowned even more. One of us? Wasn't all bad? Did they even remember who Seifer was?
Squall stood, feeling something like anger, or fear, surging in him. 'No-one's going to talk about me in past tense,' he said under his breath, the words inaudible to anyone else in the room. Quistis looked at him strangely, her eyes narrowed.
"Squall? Are you all right?" she said, the barest trace of concern lacing her voice. He looked at her, as if seeing her for the first time. She was so young, beautiful, caring, Why had he thrown all that away, just for one night? I could have had her, she already gave me her love...Squall thought, feeling his heart leap.
"Sorry," he said abruptly, and walked briskly from the room.
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The air in the hotel room was chill, Rinoa's breath misted in tiny clouds as she stepped into the luxurious Presidential Suite of the Galbadia Hotel. Seifer walked next to her, his arm possessively round her waist. She hardly noticed him, the atmosphere was too thick, the air too cold. It was as if they were walking into the web of a huge and venomous spider, or as if she was a virgin sacrifice brought by her obedient father to the lair of the dragon. She didn't like it one bit.
The lights were off in the room. Only a thin ray of light fell from under the blinds, illuminated by the orange street lights outside. Suddenly, she was thankful for Seifer's closeness, the weight of his hand on her waist reminded her she was not alone here. Her footsteps sounded loud on the marble floor, the thudding of her heart almost audible. Reluctantly, she allowed him to guide her to the main room, where a dim glow could be made out from the half-shut door. Sorceress Edea waited inside.
"Sorceress," Seifer said, bowing low as he entered the door. Rinoa stood there stiffly, her eyes drinking in the magnificent sight of the Sorceress. Her slim figure was suspended in the air, in a reclining position, her slender limbs poised elegantly as she defied the laws of physics. The dim glow came from the Sorceress herself, as in the gloom she radiated an aura of gold, although the light was cold and murky. Rinoa saw the fingers on the Sorceress' hand slowly flexing, and noticed with a trace of disgust that they were clawed, like a predators. Although the Sorceress had her back to them, Rinoa could see how beautiful the dress she wore was, the black angora hugged the Sorceress' figure, and was trimmed with black feathers which fluttered slightly, although there was no breeze in the room.
To Rinoa's horror, the Sorceress began to move. Like an awakening, the headdress of the Sorceress came alive first, glowing with supernatural energy, the long coils of the Sorceress' hair began to glow, and retreat into the headdress before disappearing completely. Her arms raised, the long, cruel claws clearly visible under the long black leather gloves she wore. The Sorceress stood.
Rinoa took a step back, involuntarily. Her heart was thudding, and she felt in awe of this being, which radiated power and a sense of godliness. As a descendant of the Great Hyne, perhaps that is what Sorceresses are. Edea stretched her arm, and turned slowly to face the couple. Seifer smiled as he met his mistress' eyes, the caramel of the Sorceress' eyes striking against her pale skin. Rinoa felt frozen as the Sorceress turned her attention to her, regarding her without smiling, her eyes so piercing Rinoa felt as if her very soul was being scrutinized. The Sorceress was beautiful. Her black dress shimmered in the unnatural light she radiated, contrasting with the marble pallor of her skin. Rinoa couldn't hold the Sorceress' gaze, and found herself lowering her head in a gesture of defeat.
The Sorceress moved towards Rinoa. Her walk was confident, her heels clicking on the marble floor, the movement made almost sensual by the slight swaying of her hips and the fact that her dress clung to her, dipping low in the front to reveal a hint of what was underneath. She raised her hand, and touched Rinoa's chin lightly, bringing her face up to meet her eyes.
"Rinoa." She said softly. Rinoa stared into those golden orbs, enthralled by the strange shape of Edea's pupils, and the flecks of light, like sparks, in her irises. The Sorceress released her, and turned to Seifer.
"She is the reason you had to leave so urgently?" The Sorceress asked flatly. Seifer made a sweeping bow, and did not look into the Sorceress' face.
"Yes. I had to rescue her from SeeD, and the Galbadian government." He explained. Edea nodded.
"I will let it go this time. But, in the future, do not leave me for such a long time. I do not like fighting for my own honour." She said, the barest hint of malice lacing her words as she directed her gaze at Rinoa. The younger girl suppressed a shudder, and bowed to the Sorceress.
"Seifer brought me here to help you." Rinoa said tentatively. The Sorceress raised an eyebrow, but didn't smile.
"Did he?" she said in a low voice. "I can't see how you can help me. I do not need a handmaid." She said in a voice devoid of emotion. Rinoa lowered her head. She couldn't wait to get out of there, and yell at Seifer for bringing her to this witch. The Sorceress brushed past them in a swirl of chiffon and raven's feathers, leaving the air chill in her wake. Rinoa and Seifer followed her automatically into the dark bedroom, Edea glowing as if she was a candle in the gloom.
"She is a good fighter, Mistress." Seifer said to the Sorceress Edea. Edea laughed coldly.
"You are a talented fighter yourself, Seifer. That's why I chose you as my Knight, you are the best. Are you saying you need support?" she asked condescendingly. Seifer bowed again, and the gesture irritated Rinoa. Where was the old Seifer, the one who had no respect for anyone? Her Seifer?
The Sorceress appeared bored. With a languid gesture of dismissal, she crossed to the window.
"Leave me now. But do not go far. We have much to do. She may stay here, but she mustn't get in our way." She said. Rinoa and Seifer both bowed low, and left the Sorceress. They walked out of the hotel room, and into the lesser one Seifer had got for them.
Rinoa was livid.
"What are you doing, Seifer?! Why did you bring me here...she...she's evil!" Rinoa cried. Seifer slammed the door shut and shoved her out of his way as he walked to the bedroom.
"Rinoa, it's not like I had a choice. She wanted to see you, that's the only reason she let me go and get you." He said, throwing himself down on the bed. Rinoa folded her arms, sighing in annoyance.
"Seifer, she's horrible! Didn't you feel it...I wanted to run as fast as I could away from her." Rinoa said with a shiver. Seifer laughed, a hoarse sound which was unlike his usual deep laugh.
"Rinoa, don't exaggerate. She's not evil, you're just being melodramatic. She's simply a Sorceress, the ambassador for Galbadia. She needs a Knight, she picked me. That's all there is to it. She's got big plans for Galbadia, Rinoa, ones which you of all people should be pleased about." He said angrily. Rinoa glanced at him.
"What plans?" she asked, slightly curious. Seifer smirked.
"Let's just say, Galbadia's gonna be under new management. Think about it Rinoa. She's not like those greedy bastards in power now. She won't be interested in conquering land for the Galbadian Empire. You can have Timber back. Maybe, maybe she'll let you have Timber for yourself."
"What do you mean, for myself?" she asked quietly, but her mind was ticking over. Seifer grinned.
"Princess, you know exactly what I mean. Soon your nickname could be a legitimate title." He said smoothly. Rinoa gasped. Visions of herself on floats, at the head of parades at Timber's liberation ran through her mind, beautiful gowns, power...it could all be hers, plus her beloved Timber would be free of military presence.
"So Rinoa, are you with us?" Seifer asked, pulling her into a sitting position on the bed next to him. Rinoa gazed into his face, seeing a new light there.
"Yes," she whispered as he kissed her gently.
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Squall ended up facing Raijin and Fujin, and they didn't look happy. He sighed in irritation as they approached him, the stoic Fujin looking more harsh than usual.
"Seifer. Where." She stated, her rough voice grating like sandpaper on his ears. Squall tried to look as sullen as possible, and simply shrugged. This infuriated the grey-haired girl, and she took a step forward, her pinwheel raised menacingly. Squall merely stared back at her, wondering absently what happened to her other eye.
"Where." She repeated. Her speech impediment really annoyed him. He knew she could talk normally when she wanted, he had heard her several times in the training centre talking to Seifer when she thought they were alone.
"For Hyne's sake Fujin, how the hell should I know? I'm not one of his posse, it's you guys who are meant to be at his every beck and call," Squall said nastily, turning away from her. He heard Fujin make a high-pitched noise of irritation. Then he felt a heavy hand fall on his shoulder.
"Hey, Squall, come on man, you know where Seifer is, doncha?" Squall shut his eyes, barely suppressing his rage at Raijin touching him.
"No, I don't. He's dead, apparently. He attacked the President." Squall said coldly, giving Raijin a look of pure hatred. Raijin jumped back, a look of absolute horror on his face. Fujin's mouth dropped open, and she pushed her hair back from her one eye, staring at Squall. He was surprised to notice her one eye was a brilliant crimson, then he realised it was because she was albino.
"No." Fujin said, her voice deeper than usual. Squall felt a hint of remorse at the way he had broken the news to them, after all, they were Seifer's closest friends.
"No, I mean, Seifer would never stand for a trial and all, ya know," Raijin said, but his voice was uncertain. He glanced at Fujin for support. "Fuj, tell him!" he prompted her. Fujin gazed at Squall, and he glanced down as he saw tears welling in her usually hard eyes. She turned to Raijin and kicked him viciously in the shin.
"Go!" she yelled at him, her voice cracking. Squall watched as Fujin stalked off, followed by a cursing Raijin.
Squall sighed as he saw Quistis walking towards him. She glanced at Raijin and Fujin, but then turned her attention back to her former pupil.
"Are you alright?" She asked gently. Squall stared at her in amazement. He turned and walked away. Quistis stood there for a moment, and then hurried after him as he walked out of the Garden and into the sunshine.
"Squall!" she called, unable to keep up with him as his long strides took him further away from her. Eventually he paused, and sat down on a low grass bank outside the Garden. The sun was newly risen, and the quiet over the Garden was slowly transforming to a low murmur. The light was pink, and put gold highlights into Squall's hair as he sat, his arms around his knees, his head bowed. Quistis sat next to him, staring out to the sunrise.
"Talk to me." She said softly. Squall sighed.
"Why do you care? Haven't I caused you enough pain?" he asked her bitterly. Quistis shook her head.
"Squall, we've talked about this. I thought you understood..." she began, then realised she herself didn't understand what was going on.
"Of course I don't." He retorted. Quistis sighed, picking a blade of grass and twirling it absently.
"I...Squall....I'm not mad at you. I just want us to get along. Regardless of what happened in the past. What matters is now." She said with a little smile. Squall looked up, gazing at the sunrise.
"I don't know...I don't like talking like this." He said, but didn't elaborate. Quistis smiled to herself.
"Because you might tell me how you really feel, and not steal lines from soap operas like the other night?" she said with a tiny laugh. Squall hid his blush by lowering his head until his face was obscured by his arms again.
"I'm not used to this," he admitted. Quistis moved a little closer, praying he wouldn't move away. He didn't.
"Neither am I. At the graduation dance, I was a little drunk, I was upset...I don't usually go around telling my students I'm in love with them," she said, blushing herself. Squall looked up again, glancing at her.
"I know." He said. Quistis sighed, toying nervously with the end of her whip.
"It was just...losing my teaching license, seeing all of you graduate, and knowing that even after all my hard work, I was right back to square one, it hurt. Telling you what I had been bottling up for ages felt like the only thing I could do to stop myself going insane." She said softly. Squall looked at her curiously.
"How long did you....feel like that?" he asked tentatively. Quistis laughed quietly.
"Months. Do you remember, when I first took over your class, we had those interviews?" she said, smiling at the memory. It was to find out which were ready to take the SeeD exam, and was between the teacher and the individual pupils.
"Yeah, I remember." He said. He had been incredibly rude to her, refusing to answer some questions, and replying to others with less than satisfactory answers. Quistis however, had remained unfazed.
"I found you intriguing. I wanted to find out why....you were so cold, and whether I could help you or not. It's each teacher's duty to take an interest in her pupils, but I guess I took it a bit too far..." she said, looking down. Squall sighed.
"I'm sorry for what I did. I know I acted like a jerk." He said, feeling his cheeks redden. He was showing more emotion now than he could ever remember. And he wasn't all that comfortable with it. Luckily for him, she seemed to be able to read his mind.
"Squall, I can forget it ever happened, if you want to. We can get along, as friends, as allies. There need not be this tension between us." She said, her voice barely audible. Squall turned to her, a slight frown on his face.
"You want to forget?" he said, wondering how she was capable of it. Quistis nodded.
"Let's try and be friends." She said gently. Squall nodded.
"Okay." He said at length, staring out to the sun, which was just breaking over the line of forest and shed gold light over both of them. Quistis stood, offering her hand to him.
"Let's go." She said softly, a smile on her face as he looked up to her. He stood up, and she let her hand drop to her side, smiling at him.
Together, they walked back towards Galbadia Garden, and to their waiting friends.
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"Ok. You've got a new mission. Assassinate the Sorceress Edea." Martine said, walking up and down in front of the four SeeDs. Squall glanced down at the note he had been handed.
"This note says by means of a sniper. We have no-one with that ability here." He said. Martine nodded.
"Galbadia Garden will provide you with one. Kinneas! Irvine Kinneas!" he yelled. After a few minutes, a tall teenager appeared. Squall looked at him, restraining his disapproval. Irvine didn't exactly look like a professional. He was too busy examining Quistis and Selphie, quite openly, to listen to what Martine was saying.
"Kinneas will be your sharpshooter. He's the best of all the three Gardens. Should he fail..."
"Hey, I wont fail. I never miss my target," he said, smirking at Quistis, he turned her face away. Martine glared at him.
"Should he fail, you will have to execute the Sorceress in a direct attack. At all costs, get the job done, and if possible, conceal your identities." He said. Irvine shrugged, and went to stand next to Quistis, closer than she would have liked. Martine looked at Squall.
"Do you have any further questions?" he asked. Squall shook his head. Martine nodded.
"Dismissed." He said, and the SeeD's saluted him before walking from the Garden.
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Rinoa sat up straight in bed, gasping. She was shivering uncontrollably, and although it had been warm in the room when she fell asleep, now her breath misted as she exhaled. Her eyes were wide as she tried to stare through the dark, and her arms began to prickle with goose bumps.
"Seifer..." she whispered, finding it hard to talk. He didn't stir, and she bit her lip as she felt her heart beat faster. There was someone else in the room.
Gingerly, she pushed back the covers, and grabbed her dressing gown from the chair next to the bed wrapping it around her to stop the shivers. She advanced into the sitting room, one hand reaching for the light. Rinoa suddenly let out a little shriek as a pair of glowing amber eyes appeared a few feet in front of her, staring malevolently into her face. As quick as they came, they disappeared, and she felt a hand on her shoulder. She jumped, whirling around, her eyes wide with terror. Seifer flicked on the light, taking her hand away from the switch.
"Rinoa, what is it?" he asked sleepily. Rinoa drew in a deep breath, her heart thudding.
"Nothing," she said, turning briskly and walking back to the bedroom. Seifer followed. She got into the bed, throwing her wrap over the back of the chair, not meeting his gaze as he stood at the foot of the bed, looking down at her.
"Babe, what's wrong? You've been acting strange all evening. It's three in the morning, what were you doing?" he asked, rubbing his eye. Rinoa glanced up at him. All he was wearing was a pair of boxer shorts, and she couldn't help smiling at him, he looked so cute. He grinned back at her, but her smile faded.
"I'm leaving tomorrow Seifer." She said wearily, folding her arms around her middle. Seifer frowned.
"Why?" he asked, a cold edge to his voice. Rinoa shrugged.
"I can't stay here. Not if she's here." She said, looking at him with wide eyes, pleading with him to understand.
"Rinoa, you must stay. You're needed here." He said flatly. Rinoa sighed.
"No, I'm not You're the important one here. I'm going tomorrow Seifer. I don't want anything to do with Sorceresses." She said, feeling a chill at the thought of Edea. Seifer made a sound of disgust.
"You're staying here, Rinoa, don't argue with me." He said, a dangerous tone to his voice. She looked up, an eyebrow raised. Seifer knew he had crossed a line.
"Because you said so? I don't think so, Seifer. You go and play your little game with Edea, I'm going back to Timber. Where I'm really needed." She said, narrowing her eyes at him. He moved swiftly next to her, leaning over her. Rinoa felt a little afraid as he put his arms either side of her, effectively pinning her to the bed. He looked angry.
"If you leave, then it's over. I won't save your ass anymore, Rinoa. You'll be on your own. Hell, you don't even have a resistance group to back you up anymore. As I remember, they were killed in your amateur attempt to capture the President. You aren't freeing anyone, Rinoa. You're taking the lives of men and women who trust in you, a mere teenager, to lead them to freedom. And you think you're doing something fine, something noble? Don't make me laugh." He said maliciously, standing up straight, leaving her shocked and upset by his words.
She got out of the bed, and stood facing him, anger clearly etched on her features.
"Fine." She hissed. "Become a lapdog for that witch." She said, furious. She made to leave, but Seifer grabbed her arm, his fingers digging into the soft flesh. Rinoa bit her lip in pain, but refused to cry out. He threw her backwards onto the bed. She sat up, glaring at him. He looked down at her with contempt.
"You won't leave me Rinoa. Or Edea. You're as much a part of this as I am. I won't let you go." He warned her, his voice strangely calm. Rinoa stared at him. Somehow, she knew this was going terribly wrong.
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Finally, the train arrived in Deling City. By now, they knew their way around it, and were able to find Caraway's Mansion with no problem. Fortunately, they had no trouble getting in, and were soon waiting in the comfortable drawing room. Squall waiting impatiently by the window, while Zell paced, and Selphie daydreamed. Quistis was sitting down, re-reading the note from Balamb and Galbadia Gardens on their mission.
Assassination....Quistis had never been on a mission like this before. Of course, she had taken human life before, but never outside combat. This was different somehow, this was taking a life without giving the other a chance to defend themselves. It made her feel ill. She glanced at Squall. She suppressed a smile as she looked at him, even after all this time, her heart still quickened when she saw him. And as he stood, leaning against the window pane, his face half in shadow from the dim light in the room, he looked like a marble statue, his fine, almost delicate features shaded deeper by the shadows playing across his face.
She turned away, unable to look at him anymore. Even after all that had happened, after their talk this morning...she couldn't deny her emotions. He was still cold, still uncaring. She couldn't change him, and she didn't plan on trying. But for now, he was a big problem for her. Inwardly, she shouted for joy every time she saw him, and she hated herself for that. But however hard she tried, she couldn't make herself hate him. He was full of contradictions, his coldness, and harshness, hid a vulnerability she longed to see, to repair. She longed to remove whatever caused him that pain, whatever stopped him from showing emotion.
Sighing to herself, she glanced at the ornate clock on the wall, noticing with a slight frown they had been waiting almost twenty minutes. She looked towards Squall, but as before, he was staring out the window, a look of deep thought etched on his brow, a crease in his forehead as he contemplated their situation. She guessed he was having doubts about the assassination too, this was his first real mission. He wasn't unused to taking human life, like her, he had been in battle situations many times. But they had always been against attackers, to not kill them would have resulted in his own death, or that of his friends. This was....this was murder.
She herself had trained him for this kind of situation. When she was a student, her instructors had told her many times that it was her duty to carry out orders without question, without hesitation. It didn't stop her thinking of the families of the soldiers she killed, wondering, as she curled her whip around their necks and snapped their vertebrae, whether they left behind parents who loved them. And when she asked herself that question, it was invariably followed by, if you were defeated in battle, would anyone miss you?
She had no parents. Quistis knew she grew up in an orphanage, and after reading her own file, knew that she had been abandoned as a toddler. She had no memories of her natural parents. Or in fact, any of her childhood. She did know, that she had been adopted at the age of five or six, but she didn't like to dwell on that too much. Her foster parents...it was a very painful subject for her, even now. They were the reason she had run away to Garden at the age of twelve, and in a way, it was because of them she worked so hard. She wanted to make sure she would never, ever have to go back 'home' again.
But that left no-one who cared. Sure, she had friends. Xu, perhaps. Members of her little fan-club, maybe they would mourn her loss for a few days, weeks maybe, before they found a replacement idol. But no-one would be crippled by her death, no-one would miss her. It made Quistis feel very lonely.
She was shaken out of her thoughts by the sound of the door opening, and General Caraway stepped into the room. She turned to look at him, standing. He looked very conservative, dark hair, greying at the temples, a dark charcoal suit with a maroon tie, and piercing green eyes. Squall walked towards him, and Caraway extended his hand. Squall didn't take it, and Quistis felt slightly embarrassed on his behalf. Instead, Squall nodded to the General, and eyed him coldly.
"I assume you are the SeeD members?" he said, glancing round at them. Irvine stepped forward.
"Yeah. We're here for the assassination, right guys?" he said, grinning at Selphie. She frowned and turned away. Caraway nodded.
"I'll brief you on your mission. We'll divide into two teams, the Gateway Team and the Sniper team..." he said and explained to them what they had to do. Squall nodded.
"Are we free until then?" he asked. Caraway nodded.
"Come with me, and I'll show you the exact positions. Then you can explore the city. But please, try not to get into any trouble." He said. Squall frowned slightly. Did he think they were children?
"We're SeeD's, not kids." Squall said icily. Selphie grinned at him. Caraway gazed back at Squall, and turned to the door.
"Follow me." He said flatly, and led them out into the city.
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Rinoa stood there as the Sorceress prepared to go out and make her announcement. She had managed to shake the chills Edea gave her whenever they were in the same room together, but the older woman still made Rinoa feel on edge whenever she was close.
"Child, pass me that ring." She said, gesturing lazily towards the small table. Obediently, Rinoa picked up the ring, and looked at it in admiration before handing it to Edea. It was beautiful, a deep garnet colour set in fine gold. Edea slipped it on over her glove, and the ring seemed to glow for an instant. Rinoa took a step back from Edea. The Sorceress turned and smiled at her.
"What is it? Nervous about this evening?" Edea asked in a soft tone. To Rinoa, the gentle voice was like a snake hissing, and she recoiled slightly, but was too aware of the danger to retort.
"No. I'm fine." She said, in a voice just above a whisper. Edea nodded and turned back to the balcony.
"It's going to be a fantastic event. Crowds, the parade...all for me. And Seifer, of course." She said as an after thought. Rinoa smiled stiffly.
"Great," she murmured. Edea smiled at her.
"He likes you. He told me, you were special. Are you special?" Edea asked her. Rinoa shrugged.
"I don't think so." She replied. Edea laughed.
"What a demure answer. Befitting that of a Princess." She said, with a glance at Rinoa. She saw the younger girl tense.
"That is...what you want, isn't it? Power, ruling Timber. Your beloved Timber." Edea said in a soft, seductive voice. Rinoa found her mouth dry, and was only able to nod.
"I want to free Timber of Galbadian rule," she said with difficulty. Edea smiled at her.
"And I'm sure they would be happy under the rule of a Princess, such as yourself, who had campaigned for their freedom. You, of all people are worthy of such an honour," she said, gazing at Rinoa with innocent eyes. Rinoa nodded.
"I guess," she said reluctantly. Edea smiled, and walked to the balcony. From where she stood, she could see the crowds gathering already for the parade, the cheers rising on the sultry evening air through the balcony doors, making the gauze curtains shift and flow in the warm breeze. Despite her trepidation over being the confidante of the 'evil' Sorceress, Rinoa couldn't stem the feeling of excitement at the thought of being at the head of the parade, with all those people looking. All those people...maybe her father would be one of them. Perhaps, her childhood friends, the few she had, perhaps they too would be lining the streets.
Rinoa smiled, and stepped up to the Sorceress, gazing down at the people, whose excitement was mounting as the light faded and the lanterns switched on. Absently, she wondered where that SeeD was, the one who had saved her. She closed her eyes, smiling slightly as she recalled the image of him. Edea glanced at her.
"You should go and get ready. It won't be long now." she said flatly. Rinoa opened her eyes, and sighed slightly.
"Yes, mistress." she said quietly, and drifted out of the room, lost in her daydreams.
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"It's almost 8:00"
Quistis turned away from the window and stepped closer to the crank. They had made it to the gateway control room with no problems, and all of them were on edge with the anticipation. They could hear the low roar of the crowds, the sea of people surging closer to the Presidential Residence, hoping to get closer to the parade, to the glorious Sorceress. Quistis herself was curious. She had seen the Sorceress before, but her view had been obscured, all she remembered clearly was that voice, the chilling tone which held something eerily familiar.
She glanced over to Selphie. The younger girl was hopping up and down, stretching, doing warm up exercises which were totally unnecessary, but Quistis understood why. She was nervous, and had too much pent up energy.
"I hope Irvine's properly prepared," Selphie said, checking her weapon for the hundredth time. Quistis didn't smile.
"He'd better. Otherwise, he and Squall will have to attack her head on." she said grimly. Selphie frowned slightly and turned away. Zell turned from the window, looking pale.
"Quistis, there's twenty seconds to go until the parade starts. Which gives us about five minutes." he said. Quistis nodded.
"Okay." she said. No sooner were the words out of her mouth than a tremendous cheer arose from the masses, and a haunting music began, blasted through the loudspeakers hidden in the trees lining the streets. Fithos....Lusec....Wecos....Vinosec....
Zell and Selphie stood, cheek to cheek at the small window, gazing open-mouthed at the parade. At this, Quistis did smile. They were like a couple of children, their eyes wide, both clutching onto the window ledge as the dancers went past.
"Wow..." Selphie breathed, her deep green eyes shining. The dancers were strangely disturbing, macabre figures, dancing in perfect time. But what caught everyone's attention was the float behind the dancers. It was huge...glowing, neon lights and giant gold curlicues. On the float was mounted a huge throne, and on it, the Sorceress.
She was beautiful. The ornate gold piece she wore on her shoulders looked like a rising sun, it's sharp rays tipped with arrows. This caught the light, deflecting sparks from the fire torches on wither side of her, making the gold seem almost molten. From this gold structure flowed gauze, which fluttered elegantly behind her as she was transported slowly through the streets, and ever nearer to the gateway. Her face was in shadow however, so this was hidden from the onlookers. But nonetheless, she was a fascinating figure.
On either side of Edea were her servants. One stood proud, his hair glinting golden highlights in the flame light, his sword flashing sparks. Seifer smiled, his expression one of pride, superiority, and power.
The other, stood with her head bowed. Rinoa was dressed in black satin, a skin tight outfit which was sleeveless, hugging her chest closely, and low enough to reveal the curve of her breasts. It was floor-length, but slit up to the hip on one side. Her raven hair was piled on her head in a mass of intricate coils, styled by Edea herself. Rinoa's eyes stood out dark against the paleness of her skin, the alabaster tint of which was made even starker by the fact she was dressed almost entirely in black.
Almost, but not quite. On her head, resting on the glossy nest of curls was a gold tiara. A circlet of metal, with long peacock's feathers curling majestically from either side, giving Rinoa the image of a young goddess. In the centre of this head piece, held in place by two spirals of gold, was a dark turquoise gem, which reflected the firelight strongly, emanating an aquamarine glow.
It was on this Irvine adjusted his sights.
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"I've got a clear shot of her." he said to Squall. The other SeeD frowned.
"I can see two females. Are you sure it's the right one?" he said in a low voice. Irvine shrugged.
"The one wearing a crown, right?" he said nonchalantly. Squall raised his hand to his forehead in a gesture of disgust at Irvine's stupidity.
"Not the one standing up. The one in the throne. Irvine...the other one's far too young to be a Sorceress." he said impatiently. Irvine re-adjusted his aim, and fell silent. Squall glanced at him anxiously. The sniper seemed to be in a deep state of concentration, sweat was breaking out on his forehead, and his breathing was fairly audible. Squall prayed to Hyne he wasn't choking on this. But Squall only spoke when Irvine began to shake.
"Kinneas! What are you doing?" he said sharply. Irvine didn't reply immediately, but pressed his lips together, his eyes closing briefly.
"My bullet...my name...they'll change Galbadian history forever. If I take her life..." he said, his voice faltering. Squall closed his eyes, trying to stop himself from yelling at the Galbadian student.
"I'm a sniper...a loner by nature. I have to pour my whole being into a single bullet...if I fail, then our one good chance at this mission remaining clean is over. If I succeed, someone's life is over, and my name will go down as the man who killed her....I can't live like this," he said, his voice full of emotion. Squall stared at him in astonishment. This man...who only hours before had been molesting Selphie and Quistis on the train, who had acted so shallow and self-obsessed throughout his whole time with the other SeeD's, was now expressing a sense of...trepidation? Guilt? Squall didn't care, he just wanted him to regain his composure fast before the chance to kill the Sorceress was lost forever, and he, Squall, would have to attack her himself.
"You can do it, Irvine. Martine himself said you're the best sharpshooter of all the Gardens," he said, struggling to keep his voice even. Time was running out, he could already hear the cheers as the Sorceress' float drew near. Irvine shrugged.
"It doesn't matter if you miss. Just think of your bullet as a signal. A signal for the others to act," he said. Irvine looked up.
"Just....just a signal?" he repeated, his voice slightly stronger. Yes, thought Squall with relief.
"Just a signal," he said gently. Irvine nodded, and shouldered the sniper rifle, peering through the sights.
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"Quistis! Now!"
Quistis felt her heart quicken as she pressed the button to lower the gate. Images flashed through her mind, what if the gate was too rusty to fall, what if it stopped half-way...what if Irvine missed...? But it was over in an instant, he felt the vibration as the gate came crashing down, and the Sorceress was trapped.
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Squall heard the gate fall. It had a definite crash, the metal chiming slightly as it came into contact with the tarmac road below. Over Irvine's shoulder, he saw the Sorceress rise, and her servants look around as if bewildered. She stepped forward, gliding to the front of the float, her caramel eyes sweeping the still cheering on-lookers, as if one of them was responsible for this.
Squall glanced down at Irvine. He was silent, but completely still. He didn't even appear to breath. "Now," whispered Squall. He saw Irvine tense, for a split second, then he squeezed the trigger. There was immediately a loud crack as the bullet flew.
Squall's eyes were on the Sorceress. He saw her raise her arm quickly, and frowned as the bullet appeared to miss her, deflected by a green shield she somehow rose. His mouth opened slightly in shock...she could turn aside bullets? But then, he narrowed his eyes in determination. He was clear on what he had to do.
"Your aim was perfect." he said to Irvine, who was slumped in a depression. The other guy didn't even acknowledge him, but closed his eyes, holding the rifle close to him. But Squall didn't have time to discuss this with him.
Drawing his gunblade, he leapt off the clock tower, and preparing to strike the soldiers below, brought the blade down hard on the riot police below, knocking at least three of them to the ground, and simultaneously breaking his own fall. He saw the convertible Caraway had left on standby for him if this situation occurred, and leapt over the side, hitting the accelerator hard. He sped through the crowds, his heart thumping, adrenaline mounting as he tried not to think of the up-coming battle.He turned the car, slamming it hard into the dropped gate. The impact shook his body, but he jumped out, and landed on one knee the other side of the bars. Facing him, was Seifer.
"Squall. You thought I was dead, huh? Well, guess what? I'm not," he said with a sneer, smirking evilly at Squall. The younger teenager stood from his kneeling position, holding his weapon in one hand.
"I'm here to kill the Sorceress. Don't try and stop me, Seifer," he warned him, although he was beginning to feel uneasy. Did killing the Sorceress mean killing Seifer? He hoped it wouldn't come to that. Seifer laughed bitterly.
"But I'm her Knight. I'm here to *protect* my Sorceress." he said with a smirk. Squall stared back coldly at Seifer. The other boy frowned.
"Fine, Squall. Have it your way." he said, and lunged forward with his gunblade. Squall blocked it, barely, but was shocked by Seifer's strength. He was much stronger than before, and faster. But so was Squall, and it didn't take him long to counter Seifer's attack with a powerful slash.
The battle was long, as both were evenly skilled, and it was just a matter of luck that Squall was able to pull off a limit break before Seifer, and eventually defeat him. Seifer dropped to one knee, breathing heavily. He glanced up at Squall, a frown on his usually cocky face.
"You....defeated me?" he gasped. Squall looked back, unspeaking. Just then, a chill wind wrapped around them, and Seifer stepped back. Squall stared at the Sorceress as she stepped closer to him.
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Seifer drunk an Elixir, feeling himself energised as the medicine began to work. He glanced over to the fight, and knew it would be futile to join in. Edea would beat them anyway, she was far stronger than they, mere SeeD's, were.
He stood, clutching his chest as pain ripped through him. He grimaced, but the pain subsided, and he managed to walk round to the other side of the float, where Rinoa was still standing, or so he thought.
"Rinoa...?" he said, a frown of confusion on his face as he saw her, lying on the ground. Slowly, the realisation that she was lying in a pool of her own blood dawned on him, and he rushed to her side, ignoring the pain it caused him.
"Rinoa!" he yelled, pulling her lifeless body onto his lap. Her lips were almost white, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Gently, he touched the blood saturated dress she wore, running his fingers down her back. Eventually, he found the wound. A bullet hole.
"Shit..." he whispered, pressing his fingers over the wound, trying to stop the flow of blood. It was futile, her life fluid trickled out between his fingers, staining his white trench coat dark crimson. All too clearly, he could imagine what had happened.
As Edea deflected the bullet with her shield, she sent it ricocheting ahead of her. Into Rinoa's back. He hadn't noticed Rinoa fall, he was too pre-occupied with Squall. No-one...No-one had noticed Rinoa lying wounded. Seifer felt desperate.
"Oh...Hyne, please let her be alright..." he whispered, holding Rinoa close to him. He stared into her face, terrified when he saw how waxy her features already were. Then, her eyes appeared to flicker open.
"Rinoa! Rinoa...you're going to be alright...I promise," he said to her, praying she could hear him. She opened her eyes, gazing at him. He noticed, they were completely black. Never before had he seen her eyes this dark. Usually, they were the colour of plain chocolate, but know, they were black as raven's wings.
He felt a chill as she regarded him, her skin paper white, her eyes large on black. The blood trickled obscenely from her mouth, making her look like something out of a horror movie. Seifer wanted to push her away suddenly, but he didn't, and felt guiltily relieved as she shut her eyes again.
"Rinoa...?" he whispered, shaking her slightly. Her eyes remained shut, and her head fell to one side, at an unnatural angle. Repulsed, Seifer pushed her from his lap, and stood, horrified at the amount of dark blood around them, disgusted that it touched him. He looked down at her corpse in horror, watching as the wide circle of her blood spread, and the broken doll in the middle of it remained perfectly still.
Choking back a gasp, he turned from the sight, and ran back to Edea, unable to stand the sight of Rinoa's cadaver any longer.
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"Weak child." she hissed, her voice like a cobra's, but still beautiful. "Worthless Knight," she whispered, her voice cold as ice. Squall frowned. He had heard her talk before, but now, her voice disturbed him. It was like poison, sweet sounding at first, but with a bitter resonance that chilled him. Her amber eyes seemed to pierce him, and he narrowed his own against their glare. He didn't speak, but rushed towards her, gunblade raised. This time, the shield around her failed, and he slashed her, not very deeply, across the stomach. She hissed in pain, but swiftly cast strong Ice magic on him, causing Squall intense pain. Just then, Squall felt a presence beside him.
"I have to redeem myself," Irvine said, his voice sincere, as he levelled his shotgun at Edea. Squall took the time to cast Cura on himself, then launched into another attack. This time, the fight was over fairly quickly, as it was two against one, and the Sorceress was weakened by the constant bullets Irvine shot at her from his limit breaks. Eventually, she faltered.
Squall glanced up, recovering from a Fira attack, and saw the Sorceress looking at him with an expression of intense hatred. His eyes were fixed on her face, even though he would rather be looking at anything else. She seemed to hold his gaze, swallowing him in those golden orbs, pools of stagnant water. She raised her slender arm, and Squall watched as sparks flew above her head, and she formed three spears of ice, huge, and incredibly sharp. With lightning speed, these flew towards him. He almost sighed in relief as he saw them go either side of him, then felt himself falling backward. Looking down, his mouth dropped open in horror as he saw the largest of the three spikes embedded deeply in his chest. Simultaneously, he felt a sharp burning pain, and intense cold creeping over him. Then, mercifully, he slipped into blackness as his body fell from the float.
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Ohh...a cliff hanger...hehehehe. Well, this is gonna be the last part for a while. The only reason I'm writing this really is to put off finishing Forsaken, because I'm really bored with that now. Oh well. Although I say that, I know I wont be able to stop myself from adding to this one...hehe. Ok, well, thanx for reading! Visit my site for more FF7/FF8 fanfic at www.RinoaLeonhartFF8.homestead.com