They walked in the village, arm in arm. Each of them had two suitcases in their hand for their first nights. There would be a lot of work to do renovating the old place. They had both agreed on this place. Rinoa had proposed it. They had called the mayor and asked whether the house was still free. The answer was that noone had lived there since the previous inhabitant had died. The neighbouring house had been empty too, but had recently been occupied. Rinoa and Squall had inmediately bought the house with bar. And now they had arrived.
...
It had been two months since Rinoa's father had attempted to kill himself. The general had asked to be alone for 5 days, to think. Rinoa hardly slept during this whole period, and if she slept it was lightly with many sobs. Squall had just managed to keep himself from suggesting tranquilizers. Instead he had calmly told her that he was quite sure her dad, their dad, would be fine. Rinoa had felt reassured for a while, knowing that Squall would only say such things if he was pretty sure, but she'd start sobbing half an hour later. Squall had hardly slept either, sitting next to Rinoa drinking coffee and staring down the personell that might suggest something like a hotel. It took him till the third day to fall asleep, and he somehow managed to make noone notice it, sitting in his usual slump so his eyes were covered. It wasn't untill a nurse noticed he hadn't drunk his coffee she reported it, and it resulted in all noisy traffic avoiding that corridor to keep 'that cheeky brat', as they called him when he was out of earshot, from waking up.
Than in late in the evening of the fifth day Caraway had terrorized all the docters by getting out of his bed, walking to Rinoa, kissing her on both her cheeks, congratulating her with her marriage, and shaking Squll's hand. He than excused himself for not supplying an adequate wedding present on time, and assured her he would remedy it. He than demanded his uniform. A doctor had arrived at the scene assuring General Caraway that he wasn't fit yet to fullfill his job and should go back to bed. General Caraway had replied that his bed couldn't be spared. As the docter started to form the obvious question general Caraway had hit him hard in the nose. A shaking attendant had arrived with the green uniform. Squall had remembered how nervous the Forest owls had been, terrified to wake 'Princess'. He looked at his side and saw Rinoa beaming with pride. As the unforunate docter was carried away Caraway had taken over command over that part of the hospital, demanding a conference room to be set up in the hall of the hospital and a mobile phone, laced with threaths of bodily harm in case of failiure. Nurses and attendants had routed in a full panic, begging other patients if they could borrow their mobile phone untill they found one. Caraway had retreated in his room, sending away the bodyguards, who needed only a short order. He had than closed the door, not needing to forbid anyone to enter the room, since the personell would rather jump trough a window than enter that room without his order. Squall and Rinoa couldn't hear what was said, but they could hear Caraway was yelling a lot. He had than left the room and smiled at Rinoa, commented that she looked like something the dog dragged in. (Angelo was with a friend) and decided that they'd go eat something while the 'lazy buggers that called themselves officers' would arrive. During the following meal Squall was subjected to questioning. Squall answered short and to the point as usual. He did however avoid answering with the typical 'whatever' When a mortified nurse came to tell him his officers had arrived Caraway told her to tell them to wait a bit. Caraway finished his meal. and drank a cup of coffee. Than he excused himself and went for the main hall of the hospital, where the officers were waiting. Squall and Rinoa were told to come with him.
The general had entered the conference room, allowing the officers, who looked very tired, to sit down. He had given his orders, and the officers had left, giving their own orders by their own phones. 7 minutes later whole batailons of soldiers were hauled out of their bed. 10 minutes after that they were all ready in uniform and armed and heard their orders. 12 minutes later Deling City was full of soldiers. Caraway himself had gone to the radio station to give a speech.
"Citizens of Galbadia. This is General Caraway, commander of the Galbadian armed forces speaking. My apologies for the rough wake up call, and the soldiers outside, but things have run out of hand. Untill now, I have not allowed the soldiers under my command to interfere in the battle, since the Galbadian people have to choose what the military does, and not the other way around. It has become clear to me however, that elections are made impossible by militia that are using force to gain control. I serve Galbadia and I will end this. For this I will need to use some measures that may remind the elder of you about the first measures of resident Deling. I guarantee that these measures will not last longer than one week. The measures are: a curfew from 21.00 to 8.00, authority of any Galbadian soldier to hold someone in custody for this week without pressing official charges, and the authority to use lethal force against groups they deem threathening. I advise you to stay in your house as much as possible. This broadcast will be repeated every hour. I wish everyone much courage for these troubled times and bid you goodnight...." HE turned off the mike and turned to Rinoa.
"There, the die has been cast. We'll see what happens now."
...
The grey Galbadian cars blocked tthe main streets, and fully armed soldiers were everywhere. They didn't have to wait long. The years of tyranny, the short period of complete domination by Adel and later Seifer, and the following anarchy had giveen rise to many small militia who didn't allow for any other oppinion than their own. The GAMMA (Galbadians Against Magic Militia Attackgroup) who wished to ban all magic. the Knights of the Round Table, who wanted a sorceress, Adel, Rinoa, Edea, whoever, to become ruler again. The Young Revolutionaries, youngsters awed by Seifer, who wanted nothing else than making Seifer leader,. wherever he was. The Moon Cult, who worshipped the moon and the monsters coming from it. The Loyalists, who followed Ronald Deling, son of the murdered ex-president. A group that called itself SeeD,and proclaimed to be from Balamb Garden with orders to take control of the city, and got quite a lot of support. They erupted from their rooms and gathered in mobs faster than the soldiers could disperse them. That would be to easy. The first confrontation was in the shopping mall, where Loyalists started throwing stones and shooting at the soldiers. The soldiers were better equipped and trained, but were ordered to use non-lethal methods if they could. With constant throwing of fire, ice and lightning between them and the group they kept them at bay, slowly starting to encircle them. People that succeeded in breaking trough and attacked were arrested or shot. Some soldiers went down too however. In different parts of the city battles started too. Some fires had started already, and terrified citizens ran on the street and were sometimes killed in the storm of battle. The Cult had let loose monsters they had captured and added to the chaos. The Knights and GAMMA had encountered eachother and were fighting bitterly now. Some of Deling jr. soldiers used to be guards of his father, and were dressed the same way as Caraway's soldiers, adding to the confusion. The Young Revolutionaries had stormed the palace, killing soldiers there. They rose a white flag with a red cross and claimed Galbadia to be under Seifer's control now. Current President Graving was hanged under the flag.
Squall heard the reports in the hospital and remained seated. Things weren't going that good. If the fighting wouldn't stop soon there wouldn't be anything left to fight for. Rinoa rose from her seat.
"I can't just sit here while this city is destroyed!"
Squall sighed.
"What do you care about this city? If they grow weaker, Timber will become independant for sure, even if our dad has to run"
Rinoa shook her head. "My dad never runs Squall, not while Galbadia depends on him, and don't forget, I grew up in Deling city. I AM a Galbadian. This is my home."
Squall nodded. He took the key fom the chain around his neck, where his ring used to be. He went to the reception where they had left their luggage. Between the suitcases was one long box with the same image on it as his ring. He unlocked the box and opened it. The sword shone it's usual blue glow. Squall took it and made a few practice slices. 'Still got it, I'll probably never lose it.' he though with a touch of bitterness. He saw Rinoa, who had already gathered her Angel Wings. They were ready to fight. Ready to kill. Squall thought about the survival chances. Without a GF? Slim at best. But this was Rinoa's home, and so as precious to him as Garden. He went for the door. He walked outside and saw two dead soldiers on the ground. A thought struck him. He turned over the bodies and ripped off the grey helm He than tossed it at Rinoa.
"These things contain magic Rinoa. Put it on. You can't draw with it, but you can use the third level elementals and curaga's."
Rinoa took the helm and put it on. Squall did the same. Only their mouths were visible.
"You look silly Squall."
"Whatever..."
They ran across the streets, avoiding the dead and ignoring the wounded, though Rinoa stopped now and than to cast a curaga on someone who looked particulary worse for wear. Squall thought hard while running. What to do first? Well, the loyalists had been the first to attack, so they could might start as well on them. What could they do? He snapped his fingers.
"We've got to get Deling, if we take HIM out or even better, take him hostage, the loyalists will surrender. But where is he?"
Rinoa's face contoured in contempt. "I know him. He's a spoiled brat. Can't live for 5 seconds without the most decadent of luxuries. It was quite a shock for him when his father died." Her face softened. "I've read some newspapers. He has remained hidden untill Seifer was out of the picture. Than he started to look for support, and found it in some officers and people who had been high under his father, but lost it all in the wars. He was residing in the palace untill 9 days ago, keeping 'president' Graving imprisoned in his room, but 9 days ago, he took all his soldiers and dissapeared."
Squall thought. Luxury kid. 9 days ago? Than, the quarter fell.
"9 days ago? But of course! He's even more arrogant than his father!"
He beckoned Rinoa to follow him and started to run.
5 minutes and three Cultmembers and a monster later, they arrived at their destination.
Rinoa gaped. "My father's mansion? Why that little..."
Squall brought a finger to his mouth and jumped over the wall. he had been right. The mansion was full of uniformed soldiers. No soldiers of Caraway had been ordered to go here, so it had to be Loyalists. The door was heavily guarded. No way they could get trough that without GF's.. Rinoa silently signaled him to follow her. They silently sneaked trough the bushes untill they reached a piece of wall, looking like all the other pieces of wall. Rinoa pushed against it, and the wall turned around it's axis, showing an entrance.
"I've grown up here, remmeber?" Rinoa whispered.
The entrance went towards the kitchen. Rinoa pushed the wall back into place and they silently walked on. Suddenly a cook walked around the corner and saw them. Squall was ready to jump but Rinoa held him back with one hand and put her finger to her mouth with the other. The cook ran towards Rinoa and kissed her on the cheeks whispering.
"I'm so glad your back Rinoa. That little brat is ruining your father's house. You must stop him. And he gave my chocolate surprise cake I made under protest to a pet Geezard he has. The pig!"
Rinoa smiled. "He's also destroying the city, but don't worry, we'll put a stop to it."
The man smiled gratefully and left. Rinoa and Squall sneaked further untill they saw the door to the study. Two soldiers were guarding it. He brought his hands to his visor and signaled Rinoa to do the same. He than pushed a button on the helm and concentrated. At the same time one of the soldiers erupted into fire, the other froze solid. They were killed instantly. Even without GF's Squall and Rinoa were excellent magic users. Rinoa ran towards the door and, with strength one would not expect in her lithe form, kicked in the door.
"DELING! I want to talk to you!" Deling and the two officers were surprised and terrified. Squall took advantadge of this and cut down the two officers were they stood. Deling grabbed a gun however and aimed it for Squall's head. he wa spulling the trigger as the winged projectile hit his hand. He dropped the weapon and cursed.
"DAMN you witch. My hand is bleeding!"
Rinoa glared at him, took him by collar and pushed him against the wall.
"You steal MY father's house while he's ill, terrorize MY friends in it and destroy MY city and you think you can afford some insults? THINK AGAIN Deling." She put him back in the chair Now Let's begin, serious negotiations shall we? How about an order to your 'loyalists' to surrender?"
Deling glared defiantly "Never, you..."
He stopped because of the feeling of cold metal to his neck.
Squall'svoice sounded neutral and uncaring. "We can also cut your head off and show it to your followers if you like? Maybe that's even a better idea."
Deling gulped. "On second thought..."
Rinoa smiled.
To be continued.
...
It had been two months since Rinoa's father had attempted to kill himself. The general had asked to be alone for 5 days, to think. Rinoa hardly slept during this whole period, and if she slept it was lightly with many sobs. Squall had just managed to keep himself from suggesting tranquilizers. Instead he had calmly told her that he was quite sure her dad, their dad, would be fine. Rinoa had felt reassured for a while, knowing that Squall would only say such things if he was pretty sure, but she'd start sobbing half an hour later. Squall had hardly slept either, sitting next to Rinoa drinking coffee and staring down the personell that might suggest something like a hotel. It took him till the third day to fall asleep, and he somehow managed to make noone notice it, sitting in his usual slump so his eyes were covered. It wasn't untill a nurse noticed he hadn't drunk his coffee she reported it, and it resulted in all noisy traffic avoiding that corridor to keep 'that cheeky brat', as they called him when he was out of earshot, from waking up.
Than in late in the evening of the fifth day Caraway had terrorized all the docters by getting out of his bed, walking to Rinoa, kissing her on both her cheeks, congratulating her with her marriage, and shaking Squll's hand. He than excused himself for not supplying an adequate wedding present on time, and assured her he would remedy it. He than demanded his uniform. A doctor had arrived at the scene assuring General Caraway that he wasn't fit yet to fullfill his job and should go back to bed. General Caraway had replied that his bed couldn't be spared. As the docter started to form the obvious question general Caraway had hit him hard in the nose. A shaking attendant had arrived with the green uniform. Squall had remembered how nervous the Forest owls had been, terrified to wake 'Princess'. He looked at his side and saw Rinoa beaming with pride. As the unforunate docter was carried away Caraway had taken over command over that part of the hospital, demanding a conference room to be set up in the hall of the hospital and a mobile phone, laced with threaths of bodily harm in case of failiure. Nurses and attendants had routed in a full panic, begging other patients if they could borrow their mobile phone untill they found one. Caraway had retreated in his room, sending away the bodyguards, who needed only a short order. He had than closed the door, not needing to forbid anyone to enter the room, since the personell would rather jump trough a window than enter that room without his order. Squall and Rinoa couldn't hear what was said, but they could hear Caraway was yelling a lot. He had than left the room and smiled at Rinoa, commented that she looked like something the dog dragged in. (Angelo was with a friend) and decided that they'd go eat something while the 'lazy buggers that called themselves officers' would arrive. During the following meal Squall was subjected to questioning. Squall answered short and to the point as usual. He did however avoid answering with the typical 'whatever' When a mortified nurse came to tell him his officers had arrived Caraway told her to tell them to wait a bit. Caraway finished his meal. and drank a cup of coffee. Than he excused himself and went for the main hall of the hospital, where the officers were waiting. Squall and Rinoa were told to come with him.
The general had entered the conference room, allowing the officers, who looked very tired, to sit down. He had given his orders, and the officers had left, giving their own orders by their own phones. 7 minutes later whole batailons of soldiers were hauled out of their bed. 10 minutes after that they were all ready in uniform and armed and heard their orders. 12 minutes later Deling City was full of soldiers. Caraway himself had gone to the radio station to give a speech.
"Citizens of Galbadia. This is General Caraway, commander of the Galbadian armed forces speaking. My apologies for the rough wake up call, and the soldiers outside, but things have run out of hand. Untill now, I have not allowed the soldiers under my command to interfere in the battle, since the Galbadian people have to choose what the military does, and not the other way around. It has become clear to me however, that elections are made impossible by militia that are using force to gain control. I serve Galbadia and I will end this. For this I will need to use some measures that may remind the elder of you about the first measures of resident Deling. I guarantee that these measures will not last longer than one week. The measures are: a curfew from 21.00 to 8.00, authority of any Galbadian soldier to hold someone in custody for this week without pressing official charges, and the authority to use lethal force against groups they deem threathening. I advise you to stay in your house as much as possible. This broadcast will be repeated every hour. I wish everyone much courage for these troubled times and bid you goodnight...." HE turned off the mike and turned to Rinoa.
"There, the die has been cast. We'll see what happens now."
...
The grey Galbadian cars blocked tthe main streets, and fully armed soldiers were everywhere. They didn't have to wait long. The years of tyranny, the short period of complete domination by Adel and later Seifer, and the following anarchy had giveen rise to many small militia who didn't allow for any other oppinion than their own. The GAMMA (Galbadians Against Magic Militia Attackgroup) who wished to ban all magic. the Knights of the Round Table, who wanted a sorceress, Adel, Rinoa, Edea, whoever, to become ruler again. The Young Revolutionaries, youngsters awed by Seifer, who wanted nothing else than making Seifer leader,. wherever he was. The Moon Cult, who worshipped the moon and the monsters coming from it. The Loyalists, who followed Ronald Deling, son of the murdered ex-president. A group that called itself SeeD,and proclaimed to be from Balamb Garden with orders to take control of the city, and got quite a lot of support. They erupted from their rooms and gathered in mobs faster than the soldiers could disperse them. That would be to easy. The first confrontation was in the shopping mall, where Loyalists started throwing stones and shooting at the soldiers. The soldiers were better equipped and trained, but were ordered to use non-lethal methods if they could. With constant throwing of fire, ice and lightning between them and the group they kept them at bay, slowly starting to encircle them. People that succeeded in breaking trough and attacked were arrested or shot. Some soldiers went down too however. In different parts of the city battles started too. Some fires had started already, and terrified citizens ran on the street and were sometimes killed in the storm of battle. The Cult had let loose monsters they had captured and added to the chaos. The Knights and GAMMA had encountered eachother and were fighting bitterly now. Some of Deling jr. soldiers used to be guards of his father, and were dressed the same way as Caraway's soldiers, adding to the confusion. The Young Revolutionaries had stormed the palace, killing soldiers there. They rose a white flag with a red cross and claimed Galbadia to be under Seifer's control now. Current President Graving was hanged under the flag.
Squall heard the reports in the hospital and remained seated. Things weren't going that good. If the fighting wouldn't stop soon there wouldn't be anything left to fight for. Rinoa rose from her seat.
"I can't just sit here while this city is destroyed!"
Squall sighed.
"What do you care about this city? If they grow weaker, Timber will become independant for sure, even if our dad has to run"
Rinoa shook her head. "My dad never runs Squall, not while Galbadia depends on him, and don't forget, I grew up in Deling city. I AM a Galbadian. This is my home."
Squall nodded. He took the key fom the chain around his neck, where his ring used to be. He went to the reception where they had left their luggage. Between the suitcases was one long box with the same image on it as his ring. He unlocked the box and opened it. The sword shone it's usual blue glow. Squall took it and made a few practice slices. 'Still got it, I'll probably never lose it.' he though with a touch of bitterness. He saw Rinoa, who had already gathered her Angel Wings. They were ready to fight. Ready to kill. Squall thought about the survival chances. Without a GF? Slim at best. But this was Rinoa's home, and so as precious to him as Garden. He went for the door. He walked outside and saw two dead soldiers on the ground. A thought struck him. He turned over the bodies and ripped off the grey helm He than tossed it at Rinoa.
"These things contain magic Rinoa. Put it on. You can't draw with it, but you can use the third level elementals and curaga's."
Rinoa took the helm and put it on. Squall did the same. Only their mouths were visible.
"You look silly Squall."
"Whatever..."
They ran across the streets, avoiding the dead and ignoring the wounded, though Rinoa stopped now and than to cast a curaga on someone who looked particulary worse for wear. Squall thought hard while running. What to do first? Well, the loyalists had been the first to attack, so they could might start as well on them. What could they do? He snapped his fingers.
"We've got to get Deling, if we take HIM out or even better, take him hostage, the loyalists will surrender. But where is he?"
Rinoa's face contoured in contempt. "I know him. He's a spoiled brat. Can't live for 5 seconds without the most decadent of luxuries. It was quite a shock for him when his father died." Her face softened. "I've read some newspapers. He has remained hidden untill Seifer was out of the picture. Than he started to look for support, and found it in some officers and people who had been high under his father, but lost it all in the wars. He was residing in the palace untill 9 days ago, keeping 'president' Graving imprisoned in his room, but 9 days ago, he took all his soldiers and dissapeared."
Squall thought. Luxury kid. 9 days ago? Than, the quarter fell.
"9 days ago? But of course! He's even more arrogant than his father!"
He beckoned Rinoa to follow him and started to run.
5 minutes and three Cultmembers and a monster later, they arrived at their destination.
Rinoa gaped. "My father's mansion? Why that little..."
Squall brought a finger to his mouth and jumped over the wall. he had been right. The mansion was full of uniformed soldiers. No soldiers of Caraway had been ordered to go here, so it had to be Loyalists. The door was heavily guarded. No way they could get trough that without GF's.. Rinoa silently signaled him to follow her. They silently sneaked trough the bushes untill they reached a piece of wall, looking like all the other pieces of wall. Rinoa pushed against it, and the wall turned around it's axis, showing an entrance.
"I've grown up here, remmeber?" Rinoa whispered.
The entrance went towards the kitchen. Rinoa pushed the wall back into place and they silently walked on. Suddenly a cook walked around the corner and saw them. Squall was ready to jump but Rinoa held him back with one hand and put her finger to her mouth with the other. The cook ran towards Rinoa and kissed her on the cheeks whispering.
"I'm so glad your back Rinoa. That little brat is ruining your father's house. You must stop him. And he gave my chocolate surprise cake I made under protest to a pet Geezard he has. The pig!"
Rinoa smiled. "He's also destroying the city, but don't worry, we'll put a stop to it."
The man smiled gratefully and left. Rinoa and Squall sneaked further untill they saw the door to the study. Two soldiers were guarding it. He brought his hands to his visor and signaled Rinoa to do the same. He than pushed a button on the helm and concentrated. At the same time one of the soldiers erupted into fire, the other froze solid. They were killed instantly. Even without GF's Squall and Rinoa were excellent magic users. Rinoa ran towards the door and, with strength one would not expect in her lithe form, kicked in the door.
"DELING! I want to talk to you!" Deling and the two officers were surprised and terrified. Squall took advantadge of this and cut down the two officers were they stood. Deling grabbed a gun however and aimed it for Squall's head. he wa spulling the trigger as the winged projectile hit his hand. He dropped the weapon and cursed.
"DAMN you witch. My hand is bleeding!"
Rinoa glared at him, took him by collar and pushed him against the wall.
"You steal MY father's house while he's ill, terrorize MY friends in it and destroy MY city and you think you can afford some insults? THINK AGAIN Deling." She put him back in the chair Now Let's begin, serious negotiations shall we? How about an order to your 'loyalists' to surrender?"
Deling glared defiantly "Never, you..."
He stopped because of the feeling of cold metal to his neck.
Squall'svoice sounded neutral and uncaring. "We can also cut your head off and show it to your followers if you like? Maybe that's even a better idea."
Deling gulped. "On second thought..."
Rinoa smiled.
To be continued.