Author's note: for some obscure reason, I cut the middle of this out and saved it, before uploading, this is the revised Chapter 5 with that section returned. Heh, here's hoping the additions improve it rather than detract from it.

Chapter 5: Questions

The shuttle had arrived late evening, Kiros and Ward would been quiet happy to crash out in a dorm, or on the floor knowing them, Ellone wanted to speak with the sorrceress' Laguna suspected she too was to tired for the conversation. He was, he knew that, but It didn't matter, he could talk to Cid and feel sleepy, Cid would understand.

"I'm sorry your not authorized," The girl blinked, then she snapped a hasty salute, "President Loire, Sir." Laguna shook his head, and grinned.

"Laguna, this is unofficial, where are Cid and Edea Krammer?" Laguna didn't wait for the answer, he was too tired to wait for the answer, he was just going up to the headmasters office, and use the Pa system, yeah, that would help to get him an answer. Ellone stepped quickly after him; she too wanted answers, though, from the look on her face, she disagreed with what ever he was planning.

"You don't even know what I had in mind," he protested lightly, she raised an eyebrow questioningly. He floundered slightly, as if it mattered whether she agreed with his tactics… well, for some reason it did. Still he was too tired to think rationally about that.

***

Luckily for Cid, he had still been in his office working later, the administrator and headmaster of garden's work never seemed to be done. Laguna was glad it had been Esthar not SeeD that had voted him all commanding authority figure…

"Listen Laguna, I am sorry about Squall, he's a good SeeD, a good Commander, a good companion, but there's nothing I can do, except, have him drummed out of Balamb garden, and I don't wish to do that."

"Cid, don't give me that, you must have some idea where he is! Where he's been!" Ellone sat quietly watching them, Edea had been notified, she would arrive shortly, though Ellone wasn't sure if she was fully prepared for this sort of conversation, then again, was she ever going to be prepared for it?

"All I know President Loire, is that he has been selected for several missions in those four years, and rarely turned up, never replied, he hasn't ventured into one of the three Gardens in all that time."

Edea pushed the door open, the once proud sorceress looked like any other now, unless you looked deep enough into her eyes, and there was the memory, the sadness, the power, dormant, passed on, Edea had tried to explain it once, a vassal for the power, and Edea, unlike most had survived, what did that say about her strength as a sorceress?

She smiled as she slunk down into one of the soft armchairs, "Luxuriant" as Laguna had observed in a hushed whisper and a slight grimace. She looked at Ellone expectantly, "I, wanted to talk to you about… my gift, my abilities…" Edea nodded and Ellone proceeded to relate some of her recent dreams.

"I see," Is all Edea said once the narrative was finished, then she lent back, fingers messed together to prop up her chin. They all waited patiently, Ellone hoped that the years of sorceress powers would provide some form of explanation as to the dreams and what they meant.

They waited, Edea seemed deep in thought, then Cid yawned, and she roused from her contemplation, "I think, we should wait for Rinoa to return, my experience will be of little use without access to strong magic." She stood gracefully, all the demure and authority of a Sorceress never left her, maybe she had It before, Ellone remembered vaguely how the Orphanage had been run.

"When Rinoa returns I suggest we try some experiments, with magic and memory projection, At any rate, it's late, I think we should all seek rest, we can continue this conversation tomorrow."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kiara enter the chambers, a meeting hall of sorts about which sat three friends, or rather three allies, they were arguing they always seemed to argue, not that it mattered, the decision they came to were often the wisest course given what they knew, which was little in comparison with what they face, life was like that.

"It's suicidal, time diluting, I recommend any other course but this." The calm, ever calm Synthrial, explained, pushing his glass up the bridge of his nose, "I could explain the finesse to you all again if you wish,"

"Oh hell no!" he exclaimed, fingers curling about the nape of his neck in irritation, his temper was flaring again, "I don't need another of your lectures! I never wanted any of them!" The third, sat in a chair between the two arguing guys, an amused smile on her bloodless lips, she beckoned Kiara to sit.

"You can see my objection then." Synthrial demanded, his voice still calm, his thoughts collected, "or is the concept to difficult for you Devran?"

"Your just afraid you'll cease to exist bookworm," bookworm was obviously meant as an insult though Synthrial didn't seem to take it as one, "and besides, what's the difference between this and what you have done?"

Synthrial raised a grey eyebrow, though he looked to be no more than forty, he had started greying young, and looked much older than his years, "There is no difference," he conceded at last, "As to my continued existence, I willingly jeopardize it to bring the commander my experience and knowledge, a fact he is appreciative of."

Devran's lips parted as he ready another angry remark but Synthrial proceeded without pause, cutting off the blond youths protests, "I know the risks, and I know the precautions, you know neither, you are children playing a game of experience you should not."

"Come with us then," Kiara suggested quietly, "Help us not to slip up, your words won't stop us."

"The commander's would."

Kiara nodded, he was correct, he could stop them, and he would, he could be so stubborn at times, "You could tell him, but if you were going to you would have done so by now," she shrugged lightly, "It doesn't matter, you couldn't stop us now."

Synthrial stood, he nodded once to Kiara, "Your right, I couldn't, watch your backs, tell no one anything about yourselves that can be avoided, remember what you've been taught about this." beneath his breath he whispered something, perhaps a prayer to Hyne? Kiara shivered as she watched him walk away, effectively turning his back on there future actions.

"Chin up Kiara-girl," Devran responded resolutely, then looked to the albino girl, her bloodless lips had kept the same amused smile through the conversation, "Let's do it." She flicked white blonde hair from pale pink eyes and nodded.

Colours swirled in front of Kiara's eyes; the focus of them went way off, the far distance vision, her hand dropped to the table, then the other, a perquisite to her head falling, she was unaware that her head fell to her hands.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hazel eyes stared coldly at the silver reflection within the mirror, slender fingers slipped the mask free of his delightful visage, the mask crashed against the tile floor as it dropped, his hands traced tenderly along the left cheek bone, a blue purple bruise marred the perfection.

The eyes turned cold, the venom and hate on his features was blatant, his fists clenched in anger, "You'll pay Leonhart," he hissed, belying the silkiness of his voice. Soft steps on the smooth tiles, as a second form stepped out of the shadows, an absolute twin in every detail save pigmentation.

"You were wrong about your facts!"

He shook his head, blood red braids flying loosely behind him, "I wasn't wrong, I do not make mistakes, you know that."

"In which case, what went wrong?"

He laughed, a gentle sound, yet rich, full of power, the laugh of one whose confidence is not only infinite, but also grounded on fact, "Do you think I am the only one to harness this skill? That is not the case, there are others," he shrugged, "It is of no matter, whoever they are they cannot compare with me. Even without the transformation."

He bunched both blood red braids together in one hand before asking, "You visited the right location?" cautious, there was no sense risking names a second time.

"I have, I was planning to return." He turned back to the mirror, when hazel orbs ceased to rest on the other he was gone, the mirror only showed the presence of a single person within the room, he grinned coldly, repeating, "Watch your back Leonhart…"