Sorry this is so late getting up. I've had problems and problems with this chapter on my disc that I had it saved on. I had to retype the whole thing from memory this past weekend. So here it is.
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Chapter 10--On the Road Once Again
***Zell's POV***
The light....
God, there's so much light....
I couldn't see anything it was so bright. All around me there was nothing but pure white, slamming into my eyes and blinding me. Where am I...?
Where will I go from here.....?
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"Irvine, get his legs!" Squall yelled, holding onto Zell's upper body.
Zell's body was jerking, trying to break free of his friend's grip. Irvine grabbed his legs and pinned them down to the bed.
"How long is this going to last?" he asked. He was holding down Zell's legs, while they still protested their bondage. Squall looked down and watched his face turn from one emotion to another, his eyes wide open. That was unnerving, even for Squall Leonhart. He could have handled it if his eyes were shut, but they were wide open, not seeing anything but the vision.
"I don't know," Squall replied. "It could last anywhere from five to ten minutes."
"God...." Irvine said, watching Zell. "What is he seeing....?"
"I wish I knew," Squall answered. "But, he's not making a sound....I'd rather have him screaming and crying instead of this. It's just....unnatural." Zell's arm muscles started to convulse, contracting and relaxing rapidly. Squall held onto him as tight as he could, trying to keep him from hurting himself. "God protect him...."
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"There's a cave..." Selphie said, looking out over the cold reaches of the Trabian Ocean. "It's not on the map, either," she explained, looking at the Ragnarok's map on the monitor. She zoomed in on the cave with the ship's outer camera, hoping to get a better picture. Out in the northeast was a small island with a cave set in a large single mountain.
"That's it," Ondine said, pointing at the monitor. "It has to be."
"Well, we won't have long to get in there and get out," Quistis said from her seat near the back of the cockpit. "Our radar is showing an intense storm to the southwest. It'll hit us in about an hour and a half. We have to get in and get out, and get airborne or we'll get stuck here."
"How cold is it out there?" Ondine asked.
"It's about -35 degrees," Quistis said.
"Geez, that's cold," Rinoa complained, crossing her arms. "Do we have to go out in that?"
"If we want to go see D'Ken, I guess so. And you certainly can't go outside in that," Quistis said, looking at Rinoa's skimpy outfit. "C'mon, everybody, down to the supply room. There should be some extra coats and pairs of boots we can wear outside."
"I'm going down to the barracks to see if Squall, Irvine, and Zell want to go. With Zell the way he is right now, I don't know if he'll be able to go out," Rinoa said, walking over to the lift. She pressed the button and the small elevator carried her down through the hole to the first floor.
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Squall sat on the bed next to Zell. He was unconscious, but his body had calmed down considerably. Irvine sat down in the chair next to him and took his cowboy hat off. He put his hands together and leaned forward.
"Is he gonna be alright?"
"He should be just fine," Squall answered. He was about to speak again, but was interupted by the intercom.
#"Hey, you guys, let me in!!"#
"That's Rinoa," Squall said, looking at the small speaker next to the door. "Go let her in."
Irvine put his hat back on and walked out the door. He never went anywhere without his hat on. He came back in a second later, with Rinoa following behind him.
"We found the cave," she said and then saw Zell on the bed. "Did he...I mean, did it happen? Is he okay?"
"He'll be fine after he wakes up," Squall said. He stood up. "You found the cave?"
"Yeah, we found it. Quistis says we'll have to get in and get out as quick as we can to miss a storm that's southeast of us. It'll hit in about an hour and a half and we have to get out or we'll get stuck," Rinoa said.
"We're not all going," Squall said. "We can't risk it, no matter how friendly Lucca says D'Ken is. Irvine, you and Selphie'll stay here. Selphie has to stay and pilot the ship because I want Quistis with me. You'll stay down here and keep an eye on Zell."
"I have to go get changed," Rinoa said, turning to go back out in the hallway. "Quistis said it's -35 degrees outside!"
"You're staying here," Squall said tonelessly. "I don't want you out there."
"You don't want me--? Why not?! I'm just as able as Quistis is to fight!!" Rinoa exclaimed, outraged at the mere thought of being inferior to someone like Quistis.
"I'm not discriminating, Rinoa. I know you're just as able as Quistis is and there's no one I'd rather fight beside than you, but I need you to stay here with the others, with Selphie," Squall explained, trying not to get angry. "You know what I would do better than anyone else and if anything happens to me, I need you to take care of things."
"Okay, but nothing's gonna happen," she corrected him. She raised herself up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. "Not to *my* lion."
"We'll discuss pet names for each other when I get back," Squall replied. "But, for now, I have to go and get a thicker outfit on."
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Squall, Seifer, Fujin, Ondine, and Quistis walked down through the ice cavern, looking around. Fujin simply would not stay in the Ragnarok unless Seifer stayed, too. Seifer knew how she got when she didn't get her way, so he let her come. Squall had split up the entire group for safety's sake, not wanting everyone in the same place at the same time.
Crystal and ice together lined the inside of the cave, the crystal turning it into a hall of mirrors. Seifer, of course, had to stop. He fixed his hair and didn't realize the rest of the group was far ahead of him. Squall looked back to make sure he had everyone.
"Come on, mirror boy! Catch up!"
Seifer turned and looked where the voice had come from, his face scarlet red with indignation. "I've got half a mind to--"
"That's all you have is half a mind, now come on!" Quistis yelled, her voice echoing through the cave's tunnels. (What am I going to do with him....?) she thought. She put her new whip around her neck, her fingers stroking the tip. She cursed as she finally pricked her finger on the sharp barbed end.
"D'Ken...?" Ondine called, looking around. It was nearly impossible to tell one tunnel from another because of all the ice and crystal. "We request your presence...!"
"Who summons me?!" an accented voice boomed, so loudly in fact, that icicles fell from the ceiling, exploding into shards as they hit the ground. The group dodged them the best they could, pulling each other out of the way of the largest ones.
"My name is Ondine, sire...my friends and I wish to speak with you," Ondine said. "We came here by the blessing of the Dileja Lucca. She sent us here for guidance."
"If such is true, lay your weapons on the altar and back away. Then, I will show myself you you," the voice said. It was a very refined voice, sounding like it would belong to a rich person and not to a dragon.
(Altar?) Squall thought, confused. (There's no altar--)
The ice on the floor extended up to construct a knee-high platform. Quistis placed her whip on the ice platform and others followed, being wary of their surroundings. They looked around while they backed away. Seifer was the last to put his weapon down, mumbling something about 'being unarmed'.
Suddenly, icicles fell from the ceiling again with no sound to make them fall.
"That's an impact tremor," Quistis said shakily. She didn't like not having a weapon. She didn't like it at all.
A skeleton appeared out of the darkness of the tunnel in front of them, a shield clutched in its flesh deprived fingers. The girls screamed.
"If you've come to kill me, I'd leave! And if you have proof of the Dileja's blessing in that you were sent here by her, place it on the altar!"
Squall took out the large tooth that he had taken from Zell's room before he left. He tossed it onto the altar.
A large cerulean blue dragon appeared from the darkness, ivory spikes rolling down his back to the tip of his tail. The tail resembled an double-headed ax. He had several horns on the top of his head, but none so large as the two above his eyes. There were ridges under his yellow-orange eyes that faded to white.
He stepped in front of the altar, blocking the group from their weapons and he lied down on his belly. Propping his chin up in his 'hand', he looked around the group, obviously amused.
"Well, well," he said, chuckling. "Aren't you a funny-looking group of humans. I haven't seen one in centuries, so that would explain why you look funny, wouldn't it? Now, what business do you have with me?"
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"And that's how we came to be here," Squall explained. D'Ken lay on his back, staring at the ceiling of the cave. White smoke came out of his nostrils as he breathed and he turned over onto his side to face the group once again. He propped his chin up in his clawed hand and watched the group through slit eyes.
"Hmmm.....You know," D'Ken said calmly, drawing circles in the ice with a claw, "I should eat the lot of you."
The group jumped back at this, becoming defensive. D'Ken didn't look up from his drawing.
"I mean, you invade my home and my privacy all for some silly crusade against evil that took place once over a few millenia ago," he said. "But, what bothers me the most is that although I just said I should eat you, you still stand there and listen to me, unafraid of what I might do. You humans are weird creatures. If I were in your position, I would be running as fast as I could out the way I had come. But, instead you stand here and wait. Why?" The blue dragon asked.
"We can't let this happen," Kildare said. "You're our only hope at getting help."
"Hmm...true...true," D'Ken admitted. "If Jasper is released, then I guess that I would be out of a home, wouldn't you say? Therefore, I have no option but to help you. I will find my three brothers and meet with them over this matter. Meanwhile, you will go to the Chocobo Holy Forest and speak with the Chocobo Mothers. They will open the way to the Elven Kingdom. Once there, speak with the King. But, in Grandidi Forest, beware of Nicnivin."
"Who is Nicnivin?" Quistis asked, adjusting the hood on her large fur coat. It indeed was cold outside.
"Nicnivin is the Queen of the Unseen Court and also Queen of the Bad Faeries. She is harmful most of the time, but can be unusually and unexpectedly helpful. She will judge whether you pass through her part of the forest or not. You must pass through her part to get to the Chocobo Holy Forest and get the Chocobo Mothers to speak to you. You must have passed her before they will talk to you," D'Ken explained to them. "Otherwise, they are ordinary chocobos that only say 'wark'."
"We understand," Squall said.
"We had better all get a move on," D'Ken said, listening to the wind begin to howl outside. "I must get airborne and so must you. The storm is almost here."
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"Ohhhhh......." Selphie squealed in frustration and watching out the window as the wind blew snow around so much the cave couldn't be seen. She started to pace back and forth in the cockpit. "Where *are* they....?!"
"We must leave them! We will never get out of here in time if we don't leave now!" Kildare declared.
"We can't leave them!" Rinoa told her forcefully. "They'll be here soon, I know it...."
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Outside the Ragnarok....
"C'mon," Squall yelled behind him. The group had formed a line, holding hands so no one would get left behind. Seifer was at the tail end of the line, making sure everyone stayed together. Ondine fell and he grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her up.
"C'mon, Ondine," Seifer said. "There's the ship." He pointed up ahead where the exterior lights of the Ragnarok could be seen. One red light up at the nose of the ship shone lighter than the rest.
They reached the ship's hangar door and Squall gripped the handle. He turned it and the door slid open, letting them inside. After everyone was inside Squall shut the door. He turned to Seifer.
"Do we have everyone?"
"Of course," Seifer said with is trademark smirk attached to the statement. Squall pressed the button on the intercom and spoke.
"Selphie, get us outta here!"
#"Gotcha! Up, up, up and away we go!!"#
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"How are we gonna get inside Grandidi Forest? Chocobos are the only way and they won't go anywhere in the storm up north," Seifer said. Everyone sat at a large round table in the briefing room in the Ragnarok. Selphie had parked the ship on a ridge just above the Chocobo Holy Forest. The ship was a fortress; no one got in or out without her knowing it.
"We'll just have to get creative, then," Zell said. He had woken up just after the group had gotten back from D'Ken's cave. He hadn't told anyone what he had seen and they hadn't asked. They knew he would tell them when the time was right.
"Why not go and get chocobos from other forests and bring them with us on the ship?" Irvine suggested, leaning back in his chair. He yawned. His cowboy hat covered his face, blocking the light that was over the table. He was tired and wanted to go to sleep. He crossed his arms over his chest and started to doze.
"That would definitely solve a problem," Quistis admitted, but then leaned forward, propping herself up on the table with her elbow. "But, we don't have time to catch them ourselves. Catching chocobos takes time and money, no less."
"What about that choco boy, the one who charges you a fee if he just gives you one?" Irvine said, half asleep. He proceeded to put his feet up on the table and scooted his chair back to a more comfortable position.
"No," Quistis said. "That would cost too much money. Money we might need later for something more important like supplies and weapons."
"We've got the money," Squall said to her. "That's not a problem. I can cover that, no problem."
"How...? You gonna beg your dad in Esthar for money?" Seifer said. Every head at the table turned to look at Squall.
(Uh-oh.....) Quistis thought as she watched Squall's expression changed to a scowl pointed in Seifer's direction. (He has just struck a nerve.)
"Don't talk to me about Laguna, Seifer," Squall stated. "He's not my father, nor will he ever be. I don't like him and I don't care if I ever see him again."
Seifer shrugged. "Whatever suits you." Rinoa looked at him from her chair to the left of Squall.
"Seifer, just leave it alone, please? We have too much to do," she said to him. He didn't say anything else.
"So, that's what we'll do," Squall said, returning to the subject at hand. "We'll go down south to Centra and get some chocobos there. How many?"
"Ten," Seifer said, having already counted the group.
"I thought there were eleven of us?" Kildare said, recounting.
"There are," Squall said. "But we've already got Boko and he's able to be ridden now that he's older. I guess that little choco boy is good for something after all for giving him to us. Everyone go and get some sleep. Quistis, Selphie: which of you wants to take us to Centra?"
Both of the girls were worn out physically and mentally. However, they were the only ones who could pilot the Ragnarok. Except...
"I'll do it," Zell said. "I've had plenty of rest and I can do it. Let everyone else go and get some sleep."
"If you're sure you're up for it," Squall said. "But, I'll stay up there with you, just in case. We should be there in a few hours, if we leave now. We can't afford to waste the fuel using the ship's hyperdrive."
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Zell sat in the pilot's seat of the Ragnarok, watching the controls. He had it on autopilot, but he still had to watch to make sure nothing went wrong. Squall sat by him in the co-pilot's seat with his eyes closed and his hands behind his head.
Zell made the seat recline back so he could lie down. He stared up through the glass of the cockpit at the sky, watching the clouds.
Neither of them said anything for a few moments.
"It'll be different when it happens," Zell said. Squall opened his eyes and looked at him from his reclined position.
"What do you mean?" he asked. He had to move his lengthy brown hair out of the way so he could see his blonde companion.
"The prophecy that I saw. It'll be different when it happens," Zell answered. "It has to be."
"What did you see?" Squall asked him.
"Everybody. You, me, everybody. Danda, Ondine, Kildare....." Zell said, remembering the horrific 'dream'. He sat up in the seat and pulled his knees to his chest.
"The thing is, I don't know which fork this prophecy is *on*....the one where the world's saved or the one where the world ends." Zell spoke quietly; if he had spoken any lower it would have been a whisper. He looked at Squall, his eyes filled with fear. "That prophecy scares the *hell* outta me, Squall. I can't even tell you exactly what I saw and that makes it worse."
Zell looked at the control panel and didn't say anything. He swallowed so hard, Squall heard it.
"I can't TAKE it anymore!" he exclaimed. His eyes were shut tight and he gritted his teeth, making his words sound rough. "I fought you! You, Rinoa, Quistis, Irvine, everybody! Jasper took control of me and made me fight you....."
Squall sat stunned. "Did you kill us...?"
Zell shook his head. "I don't know. I didn't see what happened. I just saw myself fighting you." He opened his eyes and looked at the control panel. "I don't know what *fork* it's on!!!"
"It can't be on the fork we're on right now," Squall said, sitting up and leaning forward. "You said Jasper took control of you, right? That can't be unless Danda actually releases him. And if he does that, we're screwed, anyway."
"I'll kill myself before I let it happen," Zell said, without a trace of emotion in his voice. "I can't fight you, Squall. Not you, not Irvine, Rinoa, none of you! I can't do it and live with myself! If we come to the time that Jasper's released, I'll kill myself before he takes a hold of me."
"Don't worry about that right now," Squall said. "I know what you're saying. I'd do the same thing. But, you can't worry about it now or it will cripple you. You won't be able to do what we need you to do when the time comes. You'll freeze up. Trust me, I know. It was like that for me when Rinoa was in a coma. I didn't think about anything but her and I split up from the rest of you and we lost time because you went to look for me."
"You're right," Zell said, leaning back in the seat again. "I just can't think about it. I wasn't even supposed to tell you, but it just got to me...."
"It stays between you and me, then," Squall said. He smiled. "I know how to keep my mouth shut."
"Oh, shut up," Zell mumbled.
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"Is everybody ready?" Squall said from chocoback, holding onto Boko's reins. Once the choco boy heard about their predicament, he loaned them saddles for free, but the chocobos themselves had costed their regular price.
They were all on the beach in front of the entrance to Grandidi Forest. It was only a small opening on the map, but in reality there was a huge space between one canyon wall and the other. The trees came right up to the beach. They would have to ride uphill for a few minutes into the forest. There was a high tide and a low tide; the tides had pushed the soil up into a mound between the canyon walls, keeping out excess water and preventing the canyon from being flooded.
"I guess so," Quistis said. She leaned forward and patted her chocobo's feathered neck. "It's been so long since I've ridden a chocobo.....But, you won't let me fall, will you, ol' girl?" The chocobo seemed to have an objection to being called old, but the expression quickly disappeared.
"Warrrk! Wark, wark, waaaarrrrrkk!!" it squawked happily. She flapped her yellow wings slightly and walked in place for a moment, ready to go. Chocobos were naturally friendly creatures, but could have a nasty disposition if chicobos were in danger. Chicobos were baby chocobos, much smaller than full grown chocobos.
"Everybody stay with a friend. Don't go anywhere alone," Squall said.
"Not even to pee?" Selphie exclaimed. Squall sighed. Now was not the time to try and be funny.
"No, Selphie," he said. "Not even to pee."
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"I don't like the looks of this place," Rinoa said, riding next to Squall as close as she could. They stopped where the forest began to get unfriendly. Fortunately, they had had no random encounters in the forest. Not a Malboro or even a Bite Bug. That was strange. *Very* strange.
The group looked back at the normal forest they had just passed through and then forward into this wasteland. There were animal and human skulls mounted on poles in the ground. And the dense fog didn't help, either.
"God, that fog is as thick as peanut butter," Zell said.
"That's 'pea soup', moron," Seifer snorted.
"You eat what you like and I'll eat what I like!" Zell retaliated.
"Don't call him a moron, Seifer," Squall said while he looked at the large gateway. It was two trees with skeletons wrapped around them so thickly the bark couldn't be seen.
"Since when is telling the truth a crime?"
Squall looked up and saw that the skeletons went high up on the trees, forming an arch over the space between them. There were Malboro tentacles hanging from the arch, dangling above their heads. It was like a door.
"Shut up, Seifer," Squall warned again.
Zell was fuming. "I'm tired of this with you all the time, Seifer. If you wanna fight, let's fight, but quit with the name calling. I don't go around callin' you names all the time, why do you gotta do it to me?"
"You fight with me?" Seifer laughed. "That's a joke, right?"
"I kicked your butt twice and I can do it again!"
"That was three on one, CW," Seifer said. "It wasn't exactly fair. And you couldn't come up with a name for me if your life depended on it."
"Since when have *you* ever played fair, Seifer?" Zell retorted. "And for the love of Hyne, stop calling me chickenwuss, you.....*lapdog*!!"
"Chickenwuss." This only made Zell more angry. Seifer kept repeating it over and over like clockwork until Squall finally turned his chocobo around and rammed into Seifer, forcing his ride backward. He looked up at Squall, surprised. Boko was bigger than Seifer's chocobo by a long shot. The smaller chocobo cringed.
"....wark...?" it squeaked.
"I won't say it again," Squall said. "I don't take up for *anyone* who doesn't deserve it, Seifer. Shut your mouth, or you're out of here. Three to eight isn't very good odds."
Wisely, Seifer said nothing.
Squall was tired of his constant picking at Zell. He couldn't resist it anytime he was around Zell, he had to pick on him about something. Seifer was more immature than anyone Squall had ever seen.
"I don't think you want to go in there!"
Everyone looked to find the source of the voice. They hadn't ever heard it before and it certainly didn't belong to any of them.
"Down here!"
Zell looked down to his left to a log. A raven sat perched on the rotten tree.
"That's right. I wouldn't go in there if I were you," the little bird said.
Everyone looked forward into the wasteland and back down at the bird.
"We have to go to the Chocobo Holy Forest and we have to pass through here to do it," Squall said, shaking himself mentally. Here he was, the commander of SeeD, talking to a bird!
"Well, my name is Lilandra," the black bird said. "I used to be human until I passed through this part of the forest doing a documentary on Grandidi Forest. She came to me one night and decreed that since I had trespassed in *her* forest, I should be punished. And here I am. In the feathers, so to speak."
"Well, we have to pass through here," Zell stated. "There's no way around it."
"I'll help you through it, then," Lilandra said. "Quickly, if you want to get through before dark."
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"We need to stop," Rinoa said. Lilandra flew next to her and spoke.
"No, it's not much further! Can't stop now!"
It was nearly dark in the forest. There were chimes made of human bones hung in the trees, adding to the spooky environment of the forest. The wind blew, making them knock together, producing a hollow clicking. "We can't afford to stop now," Squall said. "We're almost there."
"Squall, the chocobos are worn out," Quistis said, patting her chocobo's neck.
"Wark....." it squawked quietly.
A wicked laughter echoed through the trees, sending chills down the spines of the entire group. The chocobos started to walk in place nervously and the teenagers gripped the reins, trying to control them.
Leaves swirled and the bone chimes knocked together, which drove the chocobos nearly mad with fear. Lilandra panicked.
"She is coming!" she squawked. "And I am leaving!"
Lilandra flew back the way the group had come as fast as her wings would carry her. But it was to no avail; a pale blue light surrounded her and pulled her backward, no matter how hard she flapped her wings.
In front of the group, the leaves swirled together and dissolved into a blue light. From it, a woman dressed in a black hooded robe emerged. Lilandra had no choice but to land on her arm.
"Hello, Lilandra..." the woman said. "Pretty bird, who have you brought to me?" She pointed to the group of teenagers before her. She pulled her hood back. She had curly black hair, and jutting from the side of her head were long ears. Not ugly, notched ears, but clean, whole ears.
She walked around the group, studying them each individually. She stopped at Squall.
"Squall Leonhart....if I ever failed at anything, it was changing you," she said. She stroked Lilandra's head with her index finger. "But, you will succumb in time....in time."
She looked at Zell. "Zell Dincht....my rage faery does well with you," she said. "But, why do you listen to him? He only causes you problems. And your friends problems." She chuckled.
"Seifer Almasy, the brave and noble Knight of Ultimecia," she said, mock bowing to him. "If you only knew how many nights I whispered sweet nothings into your ear, teasing you with that foolhardy dream.....How angry you would be with me...."
She stopped and looked at them all.
"I know why you're here," she said. "Jasper is about to be released. And you want me to let you pass through my forest, correct?"
"Yes," Kildare replied. "Will you please let us pass?"
"Child, you need not speak with me that way," the woman said. "I cannot be swayed by pretty words. I am Nicnivin!! Queen of the Unseen Court and all Bad Faeries! I rule over all creatures that are mischievious and trouble-making! Pretty words and phrases annoy me very much."
"Well, then if that's the case, let us pass, old hag!" Seifer declared.
Nicnivin ignored this. "I am not evil, like Jasper. At least, not pure evil," Nicnivin said. "I delight in making mischief, not misery. Go through my forest and to the Chocobo Holy Forest. Go see my brother, Weslan, King of the Elves. He will help you."
She backed away from them. "For now, we are temporarily allies. I will help you in any way that I can. But, after this is all over, our alliance is dissolved, whether Jasper is released or not. If you enter my forest after that, you are fair game. For now, my temporary friends, travel by day or night. After this, travel by day, for the night belongs to me!"
She was surrounded by leaves again and she disappeared, the leaves turning blue and flying away.
The chocobos settled down considerably after that, but were stirred up again after a echoing laughter was heard.
"Don't you all feel a little lighter?" Nicnivin's voice asked them.
The group looked around in confusion for a moment, until Seifer's voice rang out from the back.
"Hey!! My potions are gone!"
"And my Ultima stones!" Squall cried. "And my remedies!"
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!! My kindness has a small fee, my temporary friends! If you had been in my forest for any other reason, I would have plucked your pockets more deeply! Safe journey to you!"
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Chapter 10--On the Road Once Again
***Zell's POV***
The light....
God, there's so much light....
I couldn't see anything it was so bright. All around me there was nothing but pure white, slamming into my eyes and blinding me. Where am I...?
Where will I go from here.....?
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"Irvine, get his legs!" Squall yelled, holding onto Zell's upper body.
Zell's body was jerking, trying to break free of his friend's grip. Irvine grabbed his legs and pinned them down to the bed.
"How long is this going to last?" he asked. He was holding down Zell's legs, while they still protested their bondage. Squall looked down and watched his face turn from one emotion to another, his eyes wide open. That was unnerving, even for Squall Leonhart. He could have handled it if his eyes were shut, but they were wide open, not seeing anything but the vision.
"I don't know," Squall replied. "It could last anywhere from five to ten minutes."
"God...." Irvine said, watching Zell. "What is he seeing....?"
"I wish I knew," Squall answered. "But, he's not making a sound....I'd rather have him screaming and crying instead of this. It's just....unnatural." Zell's arm muscles started to convulse, contracting and relaxing rapidly. Squall held onto him as tight as he could, trying to keep him from hurting himself. "God protect him...."
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"There's a cave..." Selphie said, looking out over the cold reaches of the Trabian Ocean. "It's not on the map, either," she explained, looking at the Ragnarok's map on the monitor. She zoomed in on the cave with the ship's outer camera, hoping to get a better picture. Out in the northeast was a small island with a cave set in a large single mountain.
"That's it," Ondine said, pointing at the monitor. "It has to be."
"Well, we won't have long to get in there and get out," Quistis said from her seat near the back of the cockpit. "Our radar is showing an intense storm to the southwest. It'll hit us in about an hour and a half. We have to get in and get out, and get airborne or we'll get stuck here."
"How cold is it out there?" Ondine asked.
"It's about -35 degrees," Quistis said.
"Geez, that's cold," Rinoa complained, crossing her arms. "Do we have to go out in that?"
"If we want to go see D'Ken, I guess so. And you certainly can't go outside in that," Quistis said, looking at Rinoa's skimpy outfit. "C'mon, everybody, down to the supply room. There should be some extra coats and pairs of boots we can wear outside."
"I'm going down to the barracks to see if Squall, Irvine, and Zell want to go. With Zell the way he is right now, I don't know if he'll be able to go out," Rinoa said, walking over to the lift. She pressed the button and the small elevator carried her down through the hole to the first floor.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Squall sat on the bed next to Zell. He was unconscious, but his body had calmed down considerably. Irvine sat down in the chair next to him and took his cowboy hat off. He put his hands together and leaned forward.
"Is he gonna be alright?"
"He should be just fine," Squall answered. He was about to speak again, but was interupted by the intercom.
#"Hey, you guys, let me in!!"#
"That's Rinoa," Squall said, looking at the small speaker next to the door. "Go let her in."
Irvine put his hat back on and walked out the door. He never went anywhere without his hat on. He came back in a second later, with Rinoa following behind him.
"We found the cave," she said and then saw Zell on the bed. "Did he...I mean, did it happen? Is he okay?"
"He'll be fine after he wakes up," Squall said. He stood up. "You found the cave?"
"Yeah, we found it. Quistis says we'll have to get in and get out as quick as we can to miss a storm that's southeast of us. It'll hit in about an hour and a half and we have to get out or we'll get stuck," Rinoa said.
"We're not all going," Squall said. "We can't risk it, no matter how friendly Lucca says D'Ken is. Irvine, you and Selphie'll stay here. Selphie has to stay and pilot the ship because I want Quistis with me. You'll stay down here and keep an eye on Zell."
"I have to go get changed," Rinoa said, turning to go back out in the hallway. "Quistis said it's -35 degrees outside!"
"You're staying here," Squall said tonelessly. "I don't want you out there."
"You don't want me--? Why not?! I'm just as able as Quistis is to fight!!" Rinoa exclaimed, outraged at the mere thought of being inferior to someone like Quistis.
"I'm not discriminating, Rinoa. I know you're just as able as Quistis is and there's no one I'd rather fight beside than you, but I need you to stay here with the others, with Selphie," Squall explained, trying not to get angry. "You know what I would do better than anyone else and if anything happens to me, I need you to take care of things."
"Okay, but nothing's gonna happen," she corrected him. She raised herself up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. "Not to *my* lion."
"We'll discuss pet names for each other when I get back," Squall replied. "But, for now, I have to go and get a thicker outfit on."
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Squall, Seifer, Fujin, Ondine, and Quistis walked down through the ice cavern, looking around. Fujin simply would not stay in the Ragnarok unless Seifer stayed, too. Seifer knew how she got when she didn't get her way, so he let her come. Squall had split up the entire group for safety's sake, not wanting everyone in the same place at the same time.
Crystal and ice together lined the inside of the cave, the crystal turning it into a hall of mirrors. Seifer, of course, had to stop. He fixed his hair and didn't realize the rest of the group was far ahead of him. Squall looked back to make sure he had everyone.
"Come on, mirror boy! Catch up!"
Seifer turned and looked where the voice had come from, his face scarlet red with indignation. "I've got half a mind to--"
"That's all you have is half a mind, now come on!" Quistis yelled, her voice echoing through the cave's tunnels. (What am I going to do with him....?) she thought. She put her new whip around her neck, her fingers stroking the tip. She cursed as she finally pricked her finger on the sharp barbed end.
"D'Ken...?" Ondine called, looking around. It was nearly impossible to tell one tunnel from another because of all the ice and crystal. "We request your presence...!"
"Who summons me?!" an accented voice boomed, so loudly in fact, that icicles fell from the ceiling, exploding into shards as they hit the ground. The group dodged them the best they could, pulling each other out of the way of the largest ones.
"My name is Ondine, sire...my friends and I wish to speak with you," Ondine said. "We came here by the blessing of the Dileja Lucca. She sent us here for guidance."
"If such is true, lay your weapons on the altar and back away. Then, I will show myself you you," the voice said. It was a very refined voice, sounding like it would belong to a rich person and not to a dragon.
(Altar?) Squall thought, confused. (There's no altar--)
The ice on the floor extended up to construct a knee-high platform. Quistis placed her whip on the ice platform and others followed, being wary of their surroundings. They looked around while they backed away. Seifer was the last to put his weapon down, mumbling something about 'being unarmed'.
Suddenly, icicles fell from the ceiling again with no sound to make them fall.
"That's an impact tremor," Quistis said shakily. She didn't like not having a weapon. She didn't like it at all.
A skeleton appeared out of the darkness of the tunnel in front of them, a shield clutched in its flesh deprived fingers. The girls screamed.
"If you've come to kill me, I'd leave! And if you have proof of the Dileja's blessing in that you were sent here by her, place it on the altar!"
Squall took out the large tooth that he had taken from Zell's room before he left. He tossed it onto the altar.
A large cerulean blue dragon appeared from the darkness, ivory spikes rolling down his back to the tip of his tail. The tail resembled an double-headed ax. He had several horns on the top of his head, but none so large as the two above his eyes. There were ridges under his yellow-orange eyes that faded to white.
He stepped in front of the altar, blocking the group from their weapons and he lied down on his belly. Propping his chin up in his 'hand', he looked around the group, obviously amused.
"Well, well," he said, chuckling. "Aren't you a funny-looking group of humans. I haven't seen one in centuries, so that would explain why you look funny, wouldn't it? Now, what business do you have with me?"
________________________________________________________________________________________________
"And that's how we came to be here," Squall explained. D'Ken lay on his back, staring at the ceiling of the cave. White smoke came out of his nostrils as he breathed and he turned over onto his side to face the group once again. He propped his chin up in his clawed hand and watched the group through slit eyes.
"Hmmm.....You know," D'Ken said calmly, drawing circles in the ice with a claw, "I should eat the lot of you."
The group jumped back at this, becoming defensive. D'Ken didn't look up from his drawing.
"I mean, you invade my home and my privacy all for some silly crusade against evil that took place once over a few millenia ago," he said. "But, what bothers me the most is that although I just said I should eat you, you still stand there and listen to me, unafraid of what I might do. You humans are weird creatures. If I were in your position, I would be running as fast as I could out the way I had come. But, instead you stand here and wait. Why?" The blue dragon asked.
"We can't let this happen," Kildare said. "You're our only hope at getting help."
"Hmm...true...true," D'Ken admitted. "If Jasper is released, then I guess that I would be out of a home, wouldn't you say? Therefore, I have no option but to help you. I will find my three brothers and meet with them over this matter. Meanwhile, you will go to the Chocobo Holy Forest and speak with the Chocobo Mothers. They will open the way to the Elven Kingdom. Once there, speak with the King. But, in Grandidi Forest, beware of Nicnivin."
"Who is Nicnivin?" Quistis asked, adjusting the hood on her large fur coat. It indeed was cold outside.
"Nicnivin is the Queen of the Unseen Court and also Queen of the Bad Faeries. She is harmful most of the time, but can be unusually and unexpectedly helpful. She will judge whether you pass through her part of the forest or not. You must pass through her part to get to the Chocobo Holy Forest and get the Chocobo Mothers to speak to you. You must have passed her before they will talk to you," D'Ken explained to them. "Otherwise, they are ordinary chocobos that only say 'wark'."
"We understand," Squall said.
"We had better all get a move on," D'Ken said, listening to the wind begin to howl outside. "I must get airborne and so must you. The storm is almost here."
________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Ohhhhh......." Selphie squealed in frustration and watching out the window as the wind blew snow around so much the cave couldn't be seen. She started to pace back and forth in the cockpit. "Where *are* they....?!"
"We must leave them! We will never get out of here in time if we don't leave now!" Kildare declared.
"We can't leave them!" Rinoa told her forcefully. "They'll be here soon, I know it...."
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Outside the Ragnarok....
"C'mon," Squall yelled behind him. The group had formed a line, holding hands so no one would get left behind. Seifer was at the tail end of the line, making sure everyone stayed together. Ondine fell and he grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her up.
"C'mon, Ondine," Seifer said. "There's the ship." He pointed up ahead where the exterior lights of the Ragnarok could be seen. One red light up at the nose of the ship shone lighter than the rest.
They reached the ship's hangar door and Squall gripped the handle. He turned it and the door slid open, letting them inside. After everyone was inside Squall shut the door. He turned to Seifer.
"Do we have everyone?"
"Of course," Seifer said with is trademark smirk attached to the statement. Squall pressed the button on the intercom and spoke.
"Selphie, get us outta here!"
#"Gotcha! Up, up, up and away we go!!"#
________________________________________________________________________________________________
"How are we gonna get inside Grandidi Forest? Chocobos are the only way and they won't go anywhere in the storm up north," Seifer said. Everyone sat at a large round table in the briefing room in the Ragnarok. Selphie had parked the ship on a ridge just above the Chocobo Holy Forest. The ship was a fortress; no one got in or out without her knowing it.
"We'll just have to get creative, then," Zell said. He had woken up just after the group had gotten back from D'Ken's cave. He hadn't told anyone what he had seen and they hadn't asked. They knew he would tell them when the time was right.
"Why not go and get chocobos from other forests and bring them with us on the ship?" Irvine suggested, leaning back in his chair. He yawned. His cowboy hat covered his face, blocking the light that was over the table. He was tired and wanted to go to sleep. He crossed his arms over his chest and started to doze.
"That would definitely solve a problem," Quistis admitted, but then leaned forward, propping herself up on the table with her elbow. "But, we don't have time to catch them ourselves. Catching chocobos takes time and money, no less."
"What about that choco boy, the one who charges you a fee if he just gives you one?" Irvine said, half asleep. He proceeded to put his feet up on the table and scooted his chair back to a more comfortable position.
"No," Quistis said. "That would cost too much money. Money we might need later for something more important like supplies and weapons."
"We've got the money," Squall said to her. "That's not a problem. I can cover that, no problem."
"How...? You gonna beg your dad in Esthar for money?" Seifer said. Every head at the table turned to look at Squall.
(Uh-oh.....) Quistis thought as she watched Squall's expression changed to a scowl pointed in Seifer's direction. (He has just struck a nerve.)
"Don't talk to me about Laguna, Seifer," Squall stated. "He's not my father, nor will he ever be. I don't like him and I don't care if I ever see him again."
Seifer shrugged. "Whatever suits you." Rinoa looked at him from her chair to the left of Squall.
"Seifer, just leave it alone, please? We have too much to do," she said to him. He didn't say anything else.
"So, that's what we'll do," Squall said, returning to the subject at hand. "We'll go down south to Centra and get some chocobos there. How many?"
"Ten," Seifer said, having already counted the group.
"I thought there were eleven of us?" Kildare said, recounting.
"There are," Squall said. "But we've already got Boko and he's able to be ridden now that he's older. I guess that little choco boy is good for something after all for giving him to us. Everyone go and get some sleep. Quistis, Selphie: which of you wants to take us to Centra?"
Both of the girls were worn out physically and mentally. However, they were the only ones who could pilot the Ragnarok. Except...
"I'll do it," Zell said. "I've had plenty of rest and I can do it. Let everyone else go and get some sleep."
"If you're sure you're up for it," Squall said. "But, I'll stay up there with you, just in case. We should be there in a few hours, if we leave now. We can't afford to waste the fuel using the ship's hyperdrive."
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Zell sat in the pilot's seat of the Ragnarok, watching the controls. He had it on autopilot, but he still had to watch to make sure nothing went wrong. Squall sat by him in the co-pilot's seat with his eyes closed and his hands behind his head.
Zell made the seat recline back so he could lie down. He stared up through the glass of the cockpit at the sky, watching the clouds.
Neither of them said anything for a few moments.
"It'll be different when it happens," Zell said. Squall opened his eyes and looked at him from his reclined position.
"What do you mean?" he asked. He had to move his lengthy brown hair out of the way so he could see his blonde companion.
"The prophecy that I saw. It'll be different when it happens," Zell answered. "It has to be."
"What did you see?" Squall asked him.
"Everybody. You, me, everybody. Danda, Ondine, Kildare....." Zell said, remembering the horrific 'dream'. He sat up in the seat and pulled his knees to his chest.
"The thing is, I don't know which fork this prophecy is *on*....the one where the world's saved or the one where the world ends." Zell spoke quietly; if he had spoken any lower it would have been a whisper. He looked at Squall, his eyes filled with fear. "That prophecy scares the *hell* outta me, Squall. I can't even tell you exactly what I saw and that makes it worse."
Zell looked at the control panel and didn't say anything. He swallowed so hard, Squall heard it.
"I can't TAKE it anymore!" he exclaimed. His eyes were shut tight and he gritted his teeth, making his words sound rough. "I fought you! You, Rinoa, Quistis, Irvine, everybody! Jasper took control of me and made me fight you....."
Squall sat stunned. "Did you kill us...?"
Zell shook his head. "I don't know. I didn't see what happened. I just saw myself fighting you." He opened his eyes and looked at the control panel. "I don't know what *fork* it's on!!!"
"It can't be on the fork we're on right now," Squall said, sitting up and leaning forward. "You said Jasper took control of you, right? That can't be unless Danda actually releases him. And if he does that, we're screwed, anyway."
"I'll kill myself before I let it happen," Zell said, without a trace of emotion in his voice. "I can't fight you, Squall. Not you, not Irvine, Rinoa, none of you! I can't do it and live with myself! If we come to the time that Jasper's released, I'll kill myself before he takes a hold of me."
"Don't worry about that right now," Squall said. "I know what you're saying. I'd do the same thing. But, you can't worry about it now or it will cripple you. You won't be able to do what we need you to do when the time comes. You'll freeze up. Trust me, I know. It was like that for me when Rinoa was in a coma. I didn't think about anything but her and I split up from the rest of you and we lost time because you went to look for me."
"You're right," Zell said, leaning back in the seat again. "I just can't think about it. I wasn't even supposed to tell you, but it just got to me...."
"It stays between you and me, then," Squall said. He smiled. "I know how to keep my mouth shut."
"Oh, shut up," Zell mumbled.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Is everybody ready?" Squall said from chocoback, holding onto Boko's reins. Once the choco boy heard about their predicament, he loaned them saddles for free, but the chocobos themselves had costed their regular price.
They were all on the beach in front of the entrance to Grandidi Forest. It was only a small opening on the map, but in reality there was a huge space between one canyon wall and the other. The trees came right up to the beach. They would have to ride uphill for a few minutes into the forest. There was a high tide and a low tide; the tides had pushed the soil up into a mound between the canyon walls, keeping out excess water and preventing the canyon from being flooded.
"I guess so," Quistis said. She leaned forward and patted her chocobo's feathered neck. "It's been so long since I've ridden a chocobo.....But, you won't let me fall, will you, ol' girl?" The chocobo seemed to have an objection to being called old, but the expression quickly disappeared.
"Warrrk! Wark, wark, waaaarrrrrkk!!" it squawked happily. She flapped her yellow wings slightly and walked in place for a moment, ready to go. Chocobos were naturally friendly creatures, but could have a nasty disposition if chicobos were in danger. Chicobos were baby chocobos, much smaller than full grown chocobos.
"Everybody stay with a friend. Don't go anywhere alone," Squall said.
"Not even to pee?" Selphie exclaimed. Squall sighed. Now was not the time to try and be funny.
"No, Selphie," he said. "Not even to pee."
________________________________________________________________________________________________
"I don't like the looks of this place," Rinoa said, riding next to Squall as close as she could. They stopped where the forest began to get unfriendly. Fortunately, they had had no random encounters in the forest. Not a Malboro or even a Bite Bug. That was strange. *Very* strange.
The group looked back at the normal forest they had just passed through and then forward into this wasteland. There were animal and human skulls mounted on poles in the ground. And the dense fog didn't help, either.
"God, that fog is as thick as peanut butter," Zell said.
"That's 'pea soup', moron," Seifer snorted.
"You eat what you like and I'll eat what I like!" Zell retaliated.
"Don't call him a moron, Seifer," Squall said while he looked at the large gateway. It was two trees with skeletons wrapped around them so thickly the bark couldn't be seen.
"Since when is telling the truth a crime?"
Squall looked up and saw that the skeletons went high up on the trees, forming an arch over the space between them. There were Malboro tentacles hanging from the arch, dangling above their heads. It was like a door.
"Shut up, Seifer," Squall warned again.
Zell was fuming. "I'm tired of this with you all the time, Seifer. If you wanna fight, let's fight, but quit with the name calling. I don't go around callin' you names all the time, why do you gotta do it to me?"
"You fight with me?" Seifer laughed. "That's a joke, right?"
"I kicked your butt twice and I can do it again!"
"That was three on one, CW," Seifer said. "It wasn't exactly fair. And you couldn't come up with a name for me if your life depended on it."
"Since when have *you* ever played fair, Seifer?" Zell retorted. "And for the love of Hyne, stop calling me chickenwuss, you.....*lapdog*!!"
"Chickenwuss." This only made Zell more angry. Seifer kept repeating it over and over like clockwork until Squall finally turned his chocobo around and rammed into Seifer, forcing his ride backward. He looked up at Squall, surprised. Boko was bigger than Seifer's chocobo by a long shot. The smaller chocobo cringed.
"....wark...?" it squeaked.
"I won't say it again," Squall said. "I don't take up for *anyone* who doesn't deserve it, Seifer. Shut your mouth, or you're out of here. Three to eight isn't very good odds."
Wisely, Seifer said nothing.
Squall was tired of his constant picking at Zell. He couldn't resist it anytime he was around Zell, he had to pick on him about something. Seifer was more immature than anyone Squall had ever seen.
"I don't think you want to go in there!"
Everyone looked to find the source of the voice. They hadn't ever heard it before and it certainly didn't belong to any of them.
"Down here!"
Zell looked down to his left to a log. A raven sat perched on the rotten tree.
"That's right. I wouldn't go in there if I were you," the little bird said.
Everyone looked forward into the wasteland and back down at the bird.
"We have to go to the Chocobo Holy Forest and we have to pass through here to do it," Squall said, shaking himself mentally. Here he was, the commander of SeeD, talking to a bird!
"Well, my name is Lilandra," the black bird said. "I used to be human until I passed through this part of the forest doing a documentary on Grandidi Forest. She came to me one night and decreed that since I had trespassed in *her* forest, I should be punished. And here I am. In the feathers, so to speak."
"Well, we have to pass through here," Zell stated. "There's no way around it."
"I'll help you through it, then," Lilandra said. "Quickly, if you want to get through before dark."
________________________________________________________________________________________________
"We need to stop," Rinoa said. Lilandra flew next to her and spoke.
"No, it's not much further! Can't stop now!"
It was nearly dark in the forest. There were chimes made of human bones hung in the trees, adding to the spooky environment of the forest. The wind blew, making them knock together, producing a hollow clicking. "We can't afford to stop now," Squall said. "We're almost there."
"Squall, the chocobos are worn out," Quistis said, patting her chocobo's neck.
"Wark....." it squawked quietly.
A wicked laughter echoed through the trees, sending chills down the spines of the entire group. The chocobos started to walk in place nervously and the teenagers gripped the reins, trying to control them.
Leaves swirled and the bone chimes knocked together, which drove the chocobos nearly mad with fear. Lilandra panicked.
"She is coming!" she squawked. "And I am leaving!"
Lilandra flew back the way the group had come as fast as her wings would carry her. But it was to no avail; a pale blue light surrounded her and pulled her backward, no matter how hard she flapped her wings.
In front of the group, the leaves swirled together and dissolved into a blue light. From it, a woman dressed in a black hooded robe emerged. Lilandra had no choice but to land on her arm.
"Hello, Lilandra..." the woman said. "Pretty bird, who have you brought to me?" She pointed to the group of teenagers before her. She pulled her hood back. She had curly black hair, and jutting from the side of her head were long ears. Not ugly, notched ears, but clean, whole ears.
She walked around the group, studying them each individually. She stopped at Squall.
"Squall Leonhart....if I ever failed at anything, it was changing you," she said. She stroked Lilandra's head with her index finger. "But, you will succumb in time....in time."
She looked at Zell. "Zell Dincht....my rage faery does well with you," she said. "But, why do you listen to him? He only causes you problems. And your friends problems." She chuckled.
"Seifer Almasy, the brave and noble Knight of Ultimecia," she said, mock bowing to him. "If you only knew how many nights I whispered sweet nothings into your ear, teasing you with that foolhardy dream.....How angry you would be with me...."
She stopped and looked at them all.
"I know why you're here," she said. "Jasper is about to be released. And you want me to let you pass through my forest, correct?"
"Yes," Kildare replied. "Will you please let us pass?"
"Child, you need not speak with me that way," the woman said. "I cannot be swayed by pretty words. I am Nicnivin!! Queen of the Unseen Court and all Bad Faeries! I rule over all creatures that are mischievious and trouble-making! Pretty words and phrases annoy me very much."
"Well, then if that's the case, let us pass, old hag!" Seifer declared.
Nicnivin ignored this. "I am not evil, like Jasper. At least, not pure evil," Nicnivin said. "I delight in making mischief, not misery. Go through my forest and to the Chocobo Holy Forest. Go see my brother, Weslan, King of the Elves. He will help you."
She backed away from them. "For now, we are temporarily allies. I will help you in any way that I can. But, after this is all over, our alliance is dissolved, whether Jasper is released or not. If you enter my forest after that, you are fair game. For now, my temporary friends, travel by day or night. After this, travel by day, for the night belongs to me!"
She was surrounded by leaves again and she disappeared, the leaves turning blue and flying away.
The chocobos settled down considerably after that, but were stirred up again after a echoing laughter was heard.
"Don't you all feel a little lighter?" Nicnivin's voice asked them.
The group looked around in confusion for a moment, until Seifer's voice rang out from the back.
"Hey!! My potions are gone!"
"And my Ultima stones!" Squall cried. "And my remedies!"
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!! My kindness has a small fee, my temporary friends! If you had been in my forest for any other reason, I would have plucked your pockets more deeply! Safe journey to you!"