Chapter 31

Chapter 31

*yawn* Zell opened his eyes, "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!" The last thing he expected to see when he first opened his eyes were a bunch of White SeeDs staring at him. I'm not wasting anymore time with these raving psychopaths. Zell stood up and headed for the door when the leader said, "Are we going to build the boat that can sail on ice now?"

Zell froze in his steps. Damn! They still remember my promise. Oh well…"Y-Yeah, let's go!" The White SeeDs scampered into the snow outside and awaited Zell's instructions. I need to think quickly. A boat that can sail on ice, a boat that can sail on…land…that's it! Zell divided them into 4 groups. "Group A, go into the forest and get us some wood. Group B, you will go into the forest and capture several Blitzes. Group C will work on the wood provided by Group A according to the blueprints I'll give you in a while. Group D, you will have the messiest job of all, you will dissect the Blitzes and leave their metal to be used for the boat, which Group A will use in building the boat. Group B will convert the leftovers of the dissection into fuel. While Group D waits for the Blitzes, they will build the motor from the scrap in the orphanage."

This guy is obviously an expert! The leader supervised the different groups while Zell worked on the blueprints.

I have to admit, Seifer did pretty well this time. Seifer had created an almost foolproof defense. Powerful explosives attached to a flare launched at the intruder would detonate most likely killing an enemy, that is, assuming they managed to get past the energy barrier generated by Crystal Pillar. Quistis walked up to Kiros, "I forgot to mention that the antidote for Laguna would be a moon stone. It must be administered in…2days" Kiros, who was feeling horrible about Laguna's predicament chattered, "There is a moon stone in Crystal Pillar! If we can go back home, break off a piece and give it to Laguna, he'll be better! We have to work quickly!"

Cid stepped out of the jet Ward had provided and started asking around, and then he came upon the hospital records. "Are we done yet?"

"Not yet" replied a frustrated Cid, "I found something on Zell…clinically dead?!" Poor Zell, he was like a son to me. I should have let Edea stay with me in Garden early. Then this would have all been averted. Cid wept his way back to the jet. "Umm, are you gonna fly the jet?"

Cid did not answer Raijin; he was in too much pain. "Yes! I get to fly the cool jet, ya know"

Raijin is great, volunteering to help me with everything including flying the jet, something he knows absolutely nothing about. Wait a minute, oh no! Did I just do what I think I did?

"Sir, we have a problem," chattered Wedge

"What is it this time?"

"Apparently, all of the regions have created new leaders. What should we do?"

It seems that I have underestimated their ability to regroup and generate leaders. Time for plan B. "Have Ultimecia employ plan B."

"Yes sir"

The illusion was that Ellone was on the brink of death. On the contrary, her soul was just away from her body, searching for Squall. She convinced Seifer to change his ways. She discovered that Squall was not on their planet. He was elsewhere. She also discovered that Ultimecia was looking for her, probably to have her compress time again. Ellone woke up in the emergency room, feeling tired. Nobody's looking, time to make my escape!

"I'm not dead?" The darkness collapsed around him as Hyne stood there, inviting him. He drifted back into a cold dark sleep. There he dreamed about the truth he once knew, his past…

Junction Machine Ellone…Junction Machine Ellone…manipulated by Ultimecia…Time Compression…Ellone's Ring…Given to Squall…summoned my existence…Adel…Attempt to kill Ellone…Objective…Quash Hyne…Failure…Ellone, divine summoner…Squall and Seifer, greatest of descendants…Quash Hyne…Seifer manipulated…Rinoa, final sorceress…Final Sorceress…Quash Hyne…Body of Hyne, Power of Rinoa…Hyne's Objective…Destruction of Creation…Eve of power…Time Compression…Ellone…Protect…Halt…Destruction…Armageddon…

He awoke once more, his mind clear of the manipulation. Hyne once more appeared, inviting him. He disappeared and reappeared in reality, "I must stop Hyne before it is too late!"

Chapter 32

"Raijin! Please let me take the wheel!"

"I know what I'm doin, ya know"

In Dollet, several kids were playing hide and seek…

"Hey, check it out. There's something in the sky"

"It's a bird"
"No, it's a plane"

"And it's heading straight for us!"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!" The kids on the beach ran away as Raijin pulled off the most decent landing he could, setting the plane on fire as it touched the ground. Cid and Fujin had jumped into the water when the plane was 50 feet from the ground. "RAIJIN!!!!!" screamed Cid as he swam to the crowded beach, shaking his fists. Raijin leaped out of the burning plane and casted Blizzaga on the plane, causing the aluminum to become brittle and collapse. "Whew!" said Raijin as he sweated buckets. Cid's face upon reaching shore frightened the bystanders away. Fujin was about to kick him, when Cid stopped her. "Never mind, Fujin. It was a simple mistake. Just don't do that again, okay. Raijin?"

"Y-Yeah, I'll fix the plane while you guys go to Deling and get us some fuel"

Cid and Fujin stomped away angrily as Raijin went to get some tools. As Cid and Fujin left, Cid wondered, for some reason my instincts are telling me that going to Deling City is a big mistake. I wonder why…

"So, what do we do know?"

The White SeeD Hydrofoil was completed and ready to go. The question was…where?

"I don't really know" replied Zell, "Maybe we oughtta get some more food and matches"

"So we should get more necessities?" asked the confused leader

"Y-Yeah. We'll go to FH and get some necessities"

"Okay. I'll have them prepare to leave"

Who the hell…Zone scratched his head as he walked up to Squall. "Umm, Squall, who is that person walking up to Lunatic Pandora?"

Squall turned around and saw someone lurching towards Lunatic Pandora. Oh no! Don't tell me he's here. I have enough problems trying not to make Rinoa feel any worse. Squall sprinted for the cockpit and collided with Rinoa who was on the way out. Before Squall could react, Rinoa stood up and stomped away. What was that about? Squall shrugged it off as mood swings and walked up to Watts. "Head East!"

"Excuse me, sir" Watts politely replied

"I said, Head East!"

"How far east?"

"Hmmm, about 3000 miles. ASAP"

"Yes, sir" Watts maneuvered the steering mechanism expertly as the craft began to hover.

I see that I may have to prove my innocence. I think I will pay Ellone a visit.

I can't. I just can't. Ward stood at Lunar Gate, his hands on the phone, his eyes dashing from the radar screen to the snowy exterior. I've lost everything. Laguna cannot be sent here because he is too sick to be transferred and we can't send Esthar doctors in this weather. Laguna only has a few more days left. Kiros and Ellone are both missing, not to mention Laguna's son, Squall. Face it, Ward, you will be better off this way. His eyes fixated on the radar screen, Ward picked up the telephone and dialed a number from the Esthar Yellow Pages. "HELLO, THIS IS THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR MENTAL HEALTH. PRESS 0 IF YOU WISH TO…" Ward was no longer listening to the computer-generated message. He put down the phone with delight. It will be sunset in a few hours, but Ellone should not be too hard to find in Southern Trabia. Ward, ecstatic with relief, double checked the radar position of Ellone and sprinted away.

"GRAGH!!! Dr. Odine was furious. He had found no trace of Cid anywhere. His jet hovered above the Missile Base when he saw someone walking below. "Yes! Cid is so stupid he came back!"

The jet instantly landed. Dr. Odine leaped off with his bodyguard and ran towards his unsuspecting captive. The bewildered Cid ran away and was chased by Dr. Odine's body guard. Dr. Odine casted Sleep on Fujin before she could attack. Cid struggled in chains as Dr. Odine's bodyguard carried him back to the jet. Dr. Odine fiendishly told Cid, "You and your friend here vill work vith my propagators on my machines"

"You bastard-"

"As I see it you have two choices, either you work for me, or I turn you in as ze conspirators who killed ze world leaders. Mwahahahahahaha"

"What is it?" asked Dr. Kadowaki, pointing at the moon

Balamb Garden's top meteorologist replied, "It appears to be an annex, three times its size. I have a feeling that annex comprises mainly of monsters"

Xu asked, "So a Lunar Cry is possible?"

"Not possible, definite. And this one will probably encompass the whole planet"

Hyne sat in his throne laughing, "Ha! I'll show you who is boss! Now to begin with my plan!"

Hyne swiftly raised then lowered his hand. A flash of light enveloped the planet.

The greatest Lunar Cry the planet shall ever witness has just begun.

The entire world was thrown into a state of calamity. Men, women, and children ran amok in the streets. Tears were shed and fear was prevalent. Chaos had ensued and suicides were committed. An old man standing on one of Esthar's skyscrapers watched the ensuing panic. Clutching his cane, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Armageddon is here. Armageddon. Armageddon!!!" before he leapt from the edge and plummeted into the abyss…

In the Kashkabald Desert, Irvine and Selphie stood under the falling monsters. Selphie sat on the snowy sand crying uncontrollably, "Are we gonna die?!"

Irvine replied, "Selphie, I need to tell you something. I-I lo-"

Irvine never got to finish. The air pressure caused by the falling monsters caused them to collapse, while the monsters above got ready to feast on their flesh!

Chapter 33

"Oh no! That Hyne has gone insane!!!" Hovering over Trabia Crater, he focused all his energy into a brilliant holy web which enveloped the planet, repelling the monsters back to the moon. Having lost most of his energy, he flitted onto a forest north of the crater.

"Ellone?"

"Are you…"

"Yes, Ellone, it is I"

"Why…what are you doing here?"

"I need your help"

"How can I help you?"

"Tell Squall that I come in peace"

Ellone sat down and looked at him, "But I don't know where Squall is?"

"I do. He is in another dimension. He shares our time but not our space"

Ellone then eyed him curiously, "Does that mean you transcend time and space?"

"No" he replied, "only space"

Ellone then said, "Why? He doesn't even have the ring anymore"

He was startled, "Then who has the ring?"

"Rinoa does. Oh wait, you don't know who she is"

"The only sorceress left?"

"Yes, but how do you know?"

"I just happen to know" he said, "so can you help me?"

He then realized something, "Were you aware that there was a Lunar Cry taking place right before you arrived?"

"Yes, I was probably going to die so I decided to go in peace"

A leaf floated onto Ellone's lap, "You stopped the Lunar Cry, didn't you?"

He nodded as Ellone went to sleep, "Leave me here. I have my own mission. Good luck"

"I will" He replied as the unconscious Ellone attempted to deliver the message of peace.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaah!!!" screamed the White SeeDs as the web repelled the monsters away.

Zell called their attention and made them dash into the heated room aboard the "boat" docked in an island in Centra. "There is something very wrong here" said Zell, "we have completely…ummm…what's another word for ignored and forgotten?"

"Neglected" piped up a White SeeD.

"Uhh, yeah, neglected something" Zell then looked through the window and saw Tears Point towering nearby. "…And it's about time we check it out"

Ward frantically flew the helicopter through the blizzard-ridden southern Trabia. Oh no! It's becoming dark. I'd better head back. I've had enough flying for one day; I think I'll let the pilot bring me back to Esthar. Ellone, where are you…

As Dr. Odine stepped aboard his jet, he shouted to his shivering captives, "Don't worry. Your work will be done tomorrow." As will your lives!

Raijin had fixed the jet easily as only the body had been cracked and bent. Flying a battered plane was better than not flying at all. He then found himself past Dr. Odine's jet. Raijin caught a glance of Dr. Odine from his window seat laughing. He sure is happy. Mebbe that's because he found Cid and Fujin! "I'd better inve…investig…check it out"

"How do you suppose he ended up here?" asked Quistis

"Probably the same you did" replied Squall

"He could be on our side"

"You did the right thing, Squall," said Seifer as he walked up to the cockpit, "It wasn't worth the risk"

"Where are the others?"

"Asleep. Have you noticed that Rinoa seems a little frustrated with you?"

Quistis smiled. Finally, I see Seifer's sensitive and observant side.

"Yeah, you don't suppose that she was angry for not consoling her that day, do you?"

Seifer shrugged then yawned. Then a piercing sound echoed through their ears and each one of them drifted into a deep sleep.

He flew aboard Lunatic Pandora and watched them sleep. Ellone, I really hope you are able to convince them.

Hyne shrieked at his misfortune, "Only one person could have possibly done that…Griever!"

Chapter 34

"Were you trying to tell me something?"
The shocked Irvine was startled out of his half-awake stance.
Oh no! We're not dead! "Umm, I wanted to say that…" Irvine hesitated in agony. Selphie nodded encouragingly to the trembling young man. "…That I…have learned a lot from you"

"Wow, thanks Irvy!" She cheerily replied. Irvine immediately calmed down. Sefie, one day I will tell you how I really feel, I promise. Irvine stood up, shook the remaining grains of sand from his clothing, and stared at the stars above. I've never been scared of showing my emotions before. What's happening to me? Selphie stood up from her knelt down position and sighed. Something inside me tells me that I wanted him to say something else, that he loved me. I love him too. But…I'm feeling afraid and shy. I've never felt this way before. The duo blocked the topic from their minds and continued walking.

"Where do we go now?" asked Selphie drearily, "Maybe we should go and get the Ragnarok"

"But isn't the Ragnarok supposed to be here?"

Selphie sighed and shook her head, "I saw it over at Tears Point"

She then realized what she had just said. Oh no! He'll get so angry!

She kicked the nearby sand, waiting for the gunman's reply.

Irvine sighed and frowned, "Why didn't you tell me this earlier! We could have saved ourselves the long walk"

Selphie searched her head for a reply, "I…forgot"

Irvine looked at the young woman who was on the brink of tears, "Ahh, never mind. Tell ya what, here…take this" Irvine handed Selphie the scroll with a Phoenix emblem imprinted on it which he found lying in the sands. "This thing teaches my GF a new ability. Thanks Irvy!" the spunky young woman replied as she gave him a light kiss on the cheek.

"So we're off to Tears Point now, right?"

"Yep" Irvine crossed his arms as he followed his shivering comrade.

"Raijin! You are a sight for sore eyes!" Cid silently uttered, "Is the jet working?"

Raijin had managed to sneak into the facility easily, getting out would be the tough part. "Yep"

"Great!" Cid grabbed Fujin by the arm and tiptoed out of the room. Raijin knew that the guards would check the room any minute so he set off the alarm beforehand. "Are you crazy!" Cid trembled as he ran through the corridors. Raijin stuttered above the din of the siren, "They'll be too confused to know where the problem is and won't be able to find us in time"

I seem to have underestimated the boy. Cid smiled as the trio ran towards the sealed exit. As they arrived, Cid casted Flare on the seal destroying it. "HURRY!" shouted Fujin as the shivering Cid stared into Dr. Odine's window, where he could see the doctor shaking his fists. Cid then ran in stride with the teenagers. The wheezing Cid then asked the breathless Raijin, "Where is the jet?"

"In the desert" replied Raijin

The trio ran blindly into the night, across the snowy plains, the stars their only source of warmth.

"It doesn't look like Ellone was successful," said Griever as he stared at Lunatic Pandora.

It has been an hour and none of them has decided to invite me aboard. I'll have to check it out for myself. Griever hovered high above Lunatic Pandora and flew aboard.

Squall had just waked up. He yawned and stared at the hazy figure hovering in front of him. "Bahamut? I thought you were junctioned to Selphie" Squall then rubbed his eyes, "Aaaah!" He grabbed his gunblade as the others awoke. "Squall, Ellone said that Griever isn't going to hurt us" Quistis said as the Zone, Watts, and Kiros stumbled into the room. "Quistis is right. I mean no harm" Griever quietly said. Squall returned the glowing gunblade to its sheath. "Where is the woman who has the ring?" asked Griever sternly

"This ring?" replied Rinoa, who had just walked in. "Yes. Ultimecia had managed to take control of me, but I am not on her side. She is working for a higher power"

"HYNE!" replied the others in unison. "Yes, Hyne. She extracted me from that ring"

Everyone turned around to look at the glowing ring on Rinoa's hand. "Don't be scared," Griever said quietly, "It won't hurt you". Rinoa nodded in fright and stepped back. "Anyway, I was infused in that ring. I can only be junctioned for good intentions, not for evil ones. Hyne managed to perform a mind warp on me and manipulated me to serve Ultimecia. All of Hyne's current servants were brought back to life to serve him."

"Why are you good again?" asked Zone

"Don't assume that he is on our side yet" Seifer glared at the hovering Guardian Force.

"My defeat destroyed the mind warp" Griever curtly replied

"Oh, I see" said Squall, who was eyeing him with suspicion.

"Hyne intended to get me to serve him. Fortunately, my memory and judgment had returned. I seeked Ellone's help in getting you on my side. I can help you get home so that we can defeat Hyne" Griever then added, "And for those of you who don't know yet. I am Griever. I'm sure Squall will be kind enough to explain our encounter with Ultimecia"
Squall nodded. Griever then hovered towards Rinoa, "Would you be kind enough to junction me"

Rinoa then said playfully, "Only if Squall kisses me"

Squall was bewildered, why does she want me to kiss her. After the way I acted that day I think she deserves it. Squall puckered his lips as Rinoa junctioned Griever.

"Squall, why didn't you console me that day, when they said that they shot father again?"

Squall decided that it would be best to tell her the truth, "Rinoa, I can console you but my consolation won't get us home. The best I could do was to get to work. The others followed and got some work done. Now we are a day ahead of schedule. Rinoa, you know I'll be here for you no matter what" Rinoa smiled as she grasped Squall's hand and kissed him lightly on the cheeks. The others then decided to go back to work. Kiros remained standing there, watching the dust fly by. Laguna, you'd be so proud of your son. Kiros wiped a tear from his eye as he pulled his schematics from his pocket and headed for the engine room.

"Come on!" shouted Zell to the four White SeeDs behind him. They had climbed to the very top of Centra Ruins. With their little fuel, the 5 jetpacked their way to Tears Point. Upon arriving, Zell noticed something running towards them. It had a sword and was about to attack them. "Go back to the ship and get out of here!" screamed Zell. "But sir-"

"Go now!!!" The SeeDs gave Zell a salute as they parachuted to the ground. Zell brought out his knuckles and got ready to go to battle with Hyne's knight, Odin.