(P.S implications of rape in this one. If you don't like that kind of thing, don't read.)
(~*~*~*~ = memories)
Inner Voice T-T
"Well, we want you to go and
find Seifer. He is the key suspect in this case, and we want you to bring
him back here for questioning. Now, Rinoa's death has not been made public
yet, remember that. I he knows anything about her death that you did not
tell him, we'll know he is guilty. Do you accept this mission?" Cid asked
them.
"Accept? Don't we just have to do it?" Zell
asked, confused.
"No, because this is not a normal mission. You won't
be paid for it, I just thought you would like to help find Rinoa's killer.
So you do not have to accept it if you do not want to."
"Well, I'm going!" Zell said forcefully.
"So will I," Quistis added.
Irvine looked down for a second, then nodded.
"And you, Squall?" Cid said, for Squall had not
spoken yet.
"No," he replied.
"What?!" Zell exclaimed.
"Just because she was cheating on you, your not
even going to help us?" Quistis asked.
"It's not that. I have a lot of work to do. I don't
have time to go looking for Seifer," Squall said, starting to walk out
the door.
"Please Squall. We need your help. You knew Seifer
better than anyone," Quistis said, holding onto his arm.
"No," he replied flatly, shaking off her arm and
leaving.
"I can't believe he's not even going to help," Irvine
said quietly.
"Well, onto business. Seifer's last known location
is Deling City. Look for him there first. It's unlikely, but he still may
be there. You can leave right away if you wish," Cid said.
"Yes Sir," all three said, then saluted and left.
***
'So, they are all leaving. That is not good.'
"Why?" Squall asked when he was alone in
his room again.
'They should have been the first to die. But
we will get them later, don't worry.'
"When should I begin?"
'As soon as the Garden Masters call curfew. Then
begin. Start in the Training Center.'
"Okay," Squall said, then turned on his stereo
and waited for 12:00 to come.
***
"Why do you think Squall wouldn't help?" Zell asked,
sticking his hand out the window and feeling the fast, cool air run over
it.
"Maybe he really does have lots of work to do. He
is taking all those extra classes, and I bet the work really piles up.
Especially with him being Commander and all," Irvine said.
"I don't know. It just seems odd to me," Quistis
commented from the front.
"I know. When we told him about Rinoa, his expression
didn't change one little bit. And he said 'Oh,' so casually. It was like
he was just listening to someone talk about their trip to the store," Zell
said, bringing his now cold hand back inside.
"Yeah. I knew Squall was kinda cold, but not even
he usually acts that heartless," Irvine said, looking out the window, watching
the stars flicker overhead.
"Wish Rinoa or Selphie was here, We all need a little
cheering up," Quistis said, thinking of her two optimistic friends, both
not there when they were needed the most.
***
"Attention students, it is now curfew. The Training
Center is closed for tonight due to... certain circumstances. All students
found out of their dorm will be punished," the Garden Master's droning
voice came over the intercom.
"Now? Squall asked.
'Yes, go to the Training Center.'
"But it is closed for tonight. How am I going
to get in?"
'Just say you are there to find the monster that
killed her. The people guarding the Training Center don't know the Headmaster
thinks it was a murder. They will let you in because you are the Commander.'
Squall hesitated, rethinking what he was
about to do.
'Do it NOW!' the voice commanded, sending
him the savage memory of when his mother was killed as a warning.
'I could destroy you with some of these memories,
never forget that.'
Squall got up and left his room, heading for the
Training Center.
***
"So where do we start?" Zell asked his friends, looking
around at all the tall buildings and apartments Deling had.
"Well, he was spotted frequently at nightclubs here.
Let's start at that one," Quistis suggested, pointing to a large, brightly
colored building to the right of them.
"Okay," Zell said, and the three of them entered
the nightclub.
A few minutes later, the trio walked out.
"Well, I don't think ever Seifer would go to a place
like that," Quistis said, frowning.
"Yeah. I mean, the people in there were wearing
practically nothing, or nothing at all!" Zell exclaimed.
"Um... yeah, really bad in there," Irvine said throwing
a mournful look at the door.
"Oh be quiet! We all know you wanted to stay," Quistis
teased.
"Did not!" Irvine said non convincingly.
"Whatever. Let's go to that place now," Zell said,
heading to a nondescript building on the end of the street.
"This is gonna be a long night," Quistis said, hurrying
to catch up with Zell.
***
Squall stood alone in the Training Center. He had
managed to get past the guards quite easily. They were new SeeD's and much
in awe of him.
'Now, use your toxic spell then light it with
a fire spell. Hurry!'
"But, why?" Squall said, beginning to sound
like his old self. He was coming out of the voice's grasp.
'DO IT!' the voice commanded, sending him
unbearably painful memories until he was completely under control again.
Squall concentrated until he felt the familiar power
flow through him and come out concentrated in his hand.
'Good. Now the fire spell. After you do, go to
the secret area and jump off the balcony there.'
"But it's too high," Squall retorted.
'You don't want me to destroy you, do you Squall?'
JUST LISTEN!'
Squall once again concentrated and felt a
rush of power flow through him.
As soon as the ball of fire from his palm came out,
a cloud of fire shot out twenty feet in front of him, starting the ferns
and trees on fire and flushing out many unhappy creatures who were asleep
in them.
"What's going on?" Squall heard one of the guards
yell, before he was ripped apart by many angry animals.
'Go now.'
Squall then hurried off into the darkness,
leaving the fire to spread.
***
"Is that him? Oh... never mind. It's a girl."
"Zell! Your elbow is jabbing into my stomach!"
"Whoops! Sorry Quistis! It's too dark in here."
"Let's get out of here."
Quistis, Irvine and Zell tumbled out of a small
nightclub, filled to the brim with people.
"Woah. I don't know how people can even move
in
there, let alone dance," Irvine said, picking his hat up off the ground.
"Yeah. Well, there's the last place. Over there,"
Quistis said, pointing to a classy building across the street.
"If he's not in here, we'll report back to the Headmaster
and talk about where he should search next," Irvine said, jogging across
the street and narrowly avoiding two cars.
"Wait up!" Zell called after him, preferring to
use the crosswalk. He was not used to getting around in a city, and could
not dodge the traffic as easily as the others could.
"Zell, you gotta be quicker than that if we want
to find Seifer sometime in the next year," Irvine said when Zell finally
got across the busy street.
"Well sorry if I don't want to end up a pancake,"
Zell said.
"Oh stop bickering," Quistis said, walking into
the fancy building.
"Yeah townie," Irvine said, following her.
Zell glared at Irvine's retreating back for a few
seconds, then rushed in before the doors closed behind him.
***
Squall sat on the dew wet grass of the field and
watched the Garden become slowly engulfed by flames. A part of him wanted
to go in immediately and put out the fire somehow, but that part was being
squashed by the part that forced him to relish the fire, in all it's destructive
glory.
'Very good. Very, very gooooood,' the voice
hissed, snapping him out of his trance.
"What do I do now?" he asked, getting up and brushing
himself off.
'Head for Esthar. He ruined your whole life.
It's his fault your so fucked up.'
"You mean Laguna? But, Ellone loves him.
I don't want to hurt her," Squall said, shaking his head and trying to
refuse the voice's cruel words.
'You WILL do it.'
"No!" Squall shouted.
'Then you give me no choice.'
Squall then fell to the ground, clutching
his head with tears streaming down his face.
~*~*~*~
A four year old Squall sat beside his best friend's
body, which was covered in blood and not moving.
"Krista! Krista! Wake up! We have to go before
the p'lice get here," he sniffled, grabbing her shoulder and shaking it.
Suddenly, the sound of trucks hit his ears. He
ran to the window and looked out. A Galbadian army truck was there.
Everything in Squall's head screamed at him to
run away as fast as he could, that Krista was dead. But the more stubborn
part, his heart, would not allow him to leave her. So he sat on the floor
next to her and held her hand, which was still a little warm.
"It'll be okay Krista. I won't let them hurt
you," he whispered, mostly to himself.
The loud thuds of feet now came to him. They
were coming up the stairs.
"What the hell happened here!" the first person,
a tall man, thundered.
"Looks like the little girl killed our guy,"
another said, checking the bloody man on the floor, confirming that he
was dead.
"Frig. All he had to do was collect her for the
orphanage, and he gets killed. What a wimp," the tall man snarled.
"Well, they're both dead, but who's the kid?
I thought there was only one of em' here," the other soldier asked.
"Hmmm... I'm not sure."
The smaller of the two approached Squall.
"What's your name kid?" he asked, bending his
face close down to Squall's and giving him an evil glare that would have
sent any kid but Squall running.
"Daemon," he lied, knowing not to give them his
real name from what Krista had taught him.
"Daemon. Nope, he's not on our list Dave," the
smaller man said, checking a small sheet of paper the he had in his pocket.
"Good. I'd hate to have to give such a pretty
one to that shithole orphanage right away anyway," Dave said, smiling reaching
a hand down and brushing Squall's long chestnut bangs out of his face.
"Um... okay Captain," the other said, looking
away with distaste.
"What? You don't think he is?" Dave asked, fondling
a long strand of hair from Squall's thick braid.
"I'm gonna go back to the truck," the soldier
replied, heading back out the door and down the stairs.
"Good. I didn't want ya here while I did this
anyway," Dave said, looking at Squall with a predatory look on his face.
***
Squall was crouched on the ground, clenching his
fists and sobbing without restraint.
'I told you Squall. Don't get on my bad side.
There are things in your memory that could destroy you if you ever relived
them. Just do as I tell you and you will be safe.'
Squall stopped crying as the horrible memory
stopped looping in his head, and then got up and headed for Balamb.
'Good Squall. Just remember, I am the only one
who can protect you from yourself.'
Squall just dumbly nodded and kept on walking.
***
Hey people. I know it kinda drags on, but it gets wayyy more exciting
in the next chapter. So don't lose faith in me yet! T-T