**The usual disclaimers apply**
~In the last chapter…
Galaxia smiled as she saw how good the pillars fought. But she knew that they weren't
enough to give her enough fun. "I'm going to give you time to train for me....
but be ready at all times....I'll be back.." and she disappeared.
"she'll come back soon." Yue said, "I can feel it. She won't give us even a month."
"let's plot time." Lantis added, "shall we say 2 weeks?"
Cloud smiled. "that would be enough."
Notes:
~*~ - dream state
*...*- thoughts
* * * - another place, time, space,...etc.
THE LEGEND OF ATLANTIS
By: Rhys Icewind
Chapter 18 - A Race Against Time
After having a good rest, the others were properly introduced and they explained
the situation. At first, many coudn't believe what Presea had just explained
(especially about the part that Fuu was Sakura and Hikaru was Shayla-shayla) but
in the end, there was understanding.
Cid on the other hand, immediately contacted the other three gardens in order
to tell them to train their SeeDs at once - telling them that there was going
to be a great battle and maximum participation was required.
The SeeDs in Balamb garden worked day and night. And the Training Center was now
off limits to junior classmen and non-SeeDs due to the stronger level monsters
that was now located there. The instructors worked in explaining to the junior
classmen what they could do if ever danger arrives.
The Basement level of the garden where NORG used to stay was re-build and re-designed
to look like a big, spacious room, complete with learning facilities, a mini snack
bar and foldable beds. While the M.D. level was fixed and upgraded (with help
from the technicians of F.H.).
If the inside of the Garden was pretty busy, the outside was even more so. With
Rinoa reccuperated and the darkness still around, she and Clef were magically
putting or strenthening the old charms of protection placed below each city by Pluto,
about a million years ago. While Emeraude and Presea, travelling with Cloud, Umi and
Zell in the Ragnarok, were visiting each town and city doing the same thing.
Meanwhile, back in the Garden...
"are you feeling OK?" Xu asked Quistis, who was a pit pale.
Quistis smiled at her. "I'm fine. Just tired, I guess."
"then you should rest... you don't look so good." Xu replied.
"And rest you must do quickly, or the poison in your body will get worse." Yue
suddenly said from behind them.
"what poison?" Xu asked, "Quistis?"
Quistis was as surprised as Xu when Yue told them the she was poisoned. "what?...
me? poisoned?"
"yes. Let me ask you, did you happen to go out without my or Lantis' consent?"
Quistis was silent for a moment and finally remembered. "I did once, I was such
in a hurry that I forgot to tell you guys."
"Then this is the poison of the dark pleague. You have to rest at once!" Yue
said, with a little anger in his voice.
Xu looked at Quistis while Quistis looked at her.
They were both speechless.
Lantis then arrives, bringing a small, intricately designed bottle. It had something
inside it that made the bottle glow white. "I have come to your calls, Yue. Come,
Quistis, I must take you to the infirmary. Here, drink this."
Quistis took the bottle in her hands and opened it. It smelled sweet and vibrant it
was as if the very essence of life was trapped in the bottle. Putting the bottle near
to her lips, the smell of the concoction made her feel light-headed. Then, she drank
it. The taste was far worse than the smell. Though it glowed white and smelled of
various sweet things, it tasted like something you wouldn't want to drink. It almost
made her vomit.
"Quistis!!" Xu shouted, noticing the obvious disortion in Quistis' face. The people
walking along the hall stopped and watched.
Yue looked at Lantis and nodded. "Take her to the infirmary."
Lantis was about to take Quistis when Xu blocked his way. "what did you made her
drink?"
"It is a potion. It prevents the further effects of the poison." Fuu suddenly said
from behind. "It's the best we've got, Xu. It may taste awful but it's better than
dying." Fuu put a hand on Xu's shoulders and calmed her down.
"You take good care of Quistis.." Xu said.
* * *
"Let's rest here." Cloud told Zell, who was driving the Ragnarok.
"This place?!" Zell exclaimed, "But this is the Island Closest to Hell!!! This place
is full of monsters!!!"
"I know." Cloud simply said.
Sighing, Zell landed the Ragnarok, hoping that it would be strong enough to whitstand
the onslaught of monsters that would sure to come their way.
Upon landing, the group saw the skeletons of once powerful beasts.
"what happened here?" Zell asked, looking at his passangers.
Emeraude's eyes were filled with sadness. "This is the work of the Dark Plague,
the darkness that surrounds us now. How heartless Galaxia has truly become!"
"We cannot change that. Queen Serenity once did that, but to no avail. Even her power
could not change what Galaxia has become." Umi said.
"Is there hope in defeating this 'Galaxia' person?" Zell asked.
"There is. But, we do not know yet what it is." Cloud said.
"Then how can ya'll be so sure that something can stop her? You saw what she did
when she was at the Garden."
"Pluto told us that there is a way. But telling it to us would alter things in the
future. She cannot risk it." Presea told him.
"THIS IS USELESS!!!" Zell shouted.
"So it is..." a voice said.
All were startled as the Ragnarok rocked to and fro. Zell tried to start up the
engines but it was no use, because the engine had stalled.
"SHOW YOURSELF, GALAXIA!!!" Umi shouted
"then show I will..." the voice replied.
And before them appeared the sorceress, looking the same way as before.
The small group readied their weapons in preparation for a battle that was sure
to come.
"what do you think of youselves? able to battle me at such an early time? There's
no fun if you can't torture your enemies..." she gave them an evil smile that sent
chills running through their spine.
Presea walked infront of everybody, placing herself between Galaxia and the others.
Staring defiantly at Galaxia, she spoke in an arcane language that only Emeraude,
Cloud, Umi and Galaxia could understand. After the short speech, Galaxia snarled at
her, spat on the flooring of the Ragnarok and dissaparated.
"Lady Emeraude, I must assist you to the quarters below. You are still weak."
Presea said, breaking the ominous silence.
Emeraude nodded and walked away, Presea closely following behind.
After they left, Zell's curiosity got the best of him. "wha'd she say?"
Cloud turned a serious gaze on him. "she just happened to challenge Galaxia."
"oh? that's enough to make that witch spit on the ground?" Zell said.
"when someone lower than you challenges you, how do you feel?" Cloud asked.
"I'd certainly feel insulted!!" Zell replied.
Umi smiled at him, "there, you just answered your own question." She said,
walking out of the room.
Zell was dumb-struck.
Cloud laughed, breaking the tension. "Zell, you better rest too. We need our
energy to definately show Galaxia that we're not weaklings!" he winked, stepping
out of the room as well.
* * *
With the momentary break that was given to them, Rinoa went into the library
to make a research on Guardian Forces. Sitting on one of the tables with a couple
of books she thought related to the subject, Rinoa picked up the topmost book
and read. After a few hours of reading, Rinoa finally reached the last of the
books she gathered.
Leaning back on the chair with a sigh, Rinoa put down the book and closed her
eyes that needed the break badly. She had been searching for hours but wasn't
able to find any significant information about GFs.
"hey! so that's where you were!!" a uplifting voice said.
Rinoa slowly opened her eyes and looked at the stranger. It was Squall, smiling
at her.
"what are you doing here?" he asked, then noticed all of the books surrounding her.
"researching? on what? this is no time for that!"
Rinoa stood up and smiled "OH! but it is!" she answered, "I just can't seem to
find the right book..."
"even in the SeeD Library?" he asked.
"SeeD library?" she echoed.
Squall smiled and chuckled a bit. "you're already a SeeD for a year and six months
but and you don't know about THAT library?"
Rinoa just shook her head.
"get your I.D. card and I'll show you the room." Squall said as he led the puzzled
Rinoa out of the Library.
======================================================================================
END.
~In the last chapter…
Galaxia smiled as she saw how good the pillars fought. But she knew that they weren't
enough to give her enough fun. "I'm going to give you time to train for me....
but be ready at all times....I'll be back.." and she disappeared.
"she'll come back soon." Yue said, "I can feel it. She won't give us even a month."
"let's plot time." Lantis added, "shall we say 2 weeks?"
Cloud smiled. "that would be enough."
Notes:
~*~ - dream state
*...*- thoughts
* * * - another place, time, space,...etc.
THE LEGEND OF ATLANTIS
By: Rhys Icewind
Chapter 18 - A Race Against Time
After having a good rest, the others were properly introduced and they explained
the situation. At first, many coudn't believe what Presea had just explained
(especially about the part that Fuu was Sakura and Hikaru was Shayla-shayla) but
in the end, there was understanding.
Cid on the other hand, immediately contacted the other three gardens in order
to tell them to train their SeeDs at once - telling them that there was going
to be a great battle and maximum participation was required.
The SeeDs in Balamb garden worked day and night. And the Training Center was now
off limits to junior classmen and non-SeeDs due to the stronger level monsters
that was now located there. The instructors worked in explaining to the junior
classmen what they could do if ever danger arrives.
The Basement level of the garden where NORG used to stay was re-build and re-designed
to look like a big, spacious room, complete with learning facilities, a mini snack
bar and foldable beds. While the M.D. level was fixed and upgraded (with help
from the technicians of F.H.).
If the inside of the Garden was pretty busy, the outside was even more so. With
Rinoa reccuperated and the darkness still around, she and Clef were magically
putting or strenthening the old charms of protection placed below each city by Pluto,
about a million years ago. While Emeraude and Presea, travelling with Cloud, Umi and
Zell in the Ragnarok, were visiting each town and city doing the same thing.
Meanwhile, back in the Garden...
"are you feeling OK?" Xu asked Quistis, who was a pit pale.
Quistis smiled at her. "I'm fine. Just tired, I guess."
"then you should rest... you don't look so good." Xu replied.
"And rest you must do quickly, or the poison in your body will get worse." Yue
suddenly said from behind them.
"what poison?" Xu asked, "Quistis?"
Quistis was as surprised as Xu when Yue told them the she was poisoned. "what?...
me? poisoned?"
"yes. Let me ask you, did you happen to go out without my or Lantis' consent?"
Quistis was silent for a moment and finally remembered. "I did once, I was such
in a hurry that I forgot to tell you guys."
"Then this is the poison of the dark pleague. You have to rest at once!" Yue
said, with a little anger in his voice.
Xu looked at Quistis while Quistis looked at her.
They were both speechless.
Lantis then arrives, bringing a small, intricately designed bottle. It had something
inside it that made the bottle glow white. "I have come to your calls, Yue. Come,
Quistis, I must take you to the infirmary. Here, drink this."
Quistis took the bottle in her hands and opened it. It smelled sweet and vibrant it
was as if the very essence of life was trapped in the bottle. Putting the bottle near
to her lips, the smell of the concoction made her feel light-headed. Then, she drank
it. The taste was far worse than the smell. Though it glowed white and smelled of
various sweet things, it tasted like something you wouldn't want to drink. It almost
made her vomit.
"Quistis!!" Xu shouted, noticing the obvious disortion in Quistis' face. The people
walking along the hall stopped and watched.
Yue looked at Lantis and nodded. "Take her to the infirmary."
Lantis was about to take Quistis when Xu blocked his way. "what did you made her
drink?"
"It is a potion. It prevents the further effects of the poison." Fuu suddenly said
from behind. "It's the best we've got, Xu. It may taste awful but it's better than
dying." Fuu put a hand on Xu's shoulders and calmed her down.
"You take good care of Quistis.." Xu said.
* * *
"Let's rest here." Cloud told Zell, who was driving the Ragnarok.
"This place?!" Zell exclaimed, "But this is the Island Closest to Hell!!! This place
is full of monsters!!!"
"I know." Cloud simply said.
Sighing, Zell landed the Ragnarok, hoping that it would be strong enough to whitstand
the onslaught of monsters that would sure to come their way.
Upon landing, the group saw the skeletons of once powerful beasts.
"what happened here?" Zell asked, looking at his passangers.
Emeraude's eyes were filled with sadness. "This is the work of the Dark Plague,
the darkness that surrounds us now. How heartless Galaxia has truly become!"
"We cannot change that. Queen Serenity once did that, but to no avail. Even her power
could not change what Galaxia has become." Umi said.
"Is there hope in defeating this 'Galaxia' person?" Zell asked.
"There is. But, we do not know yet what it is." Cloud said.
"Then how can ya'll be so sure that something can stop her? You saw what she did
when she was at the Garden."
"Pluto told us that there is a way. But telling it to us would alter things in the
future. She cannot risk it." Presea told him.
"THIS IS USELESS!!!" Zell shouted.
"So it is..." a voice said.
All were startled as the Ragnarok rocked to and fro. Zell tried to start up the
engines but it was no use, because the engine had stalled.
"SHOW YOURSELF, GALAXIA!!!" Umi shouted
"then show I will..." the voice replied.
And before them appeared the sorceress, looking the same way as before.
The small group readied their weapons in preparation for a battle that was sure
to come.
"what do you think of youselves? able to battle me at such an early time? There's
no fun if you can't torture your enemies..." she gave them an evil smile that sent
chills running through their spine.
Presea walked infront of everybody, placing herself between Galaxia and the others.
Staring defiantly at Galaxia, she spoke in an arcane language that only Emeraude,
Cloud, Umi and Galaxia could understand. After the short speech, Galaxia snarled at
her, spat on the flooring of the Ragnarok and dissaparated.
"Lady Emeraude, I must assist you to the quarters below. You are still weak."
Presea said, breaking the ominous silence.
Emeraude nodded and walked away, Presea closely following behind.
After they left, Zell's curiosity got the best of him. "wha'd she say?"
Cloud turned a serious gaze on him. "she just happened to challenge Galaxia."
"oh? that's enough to make that witch spit on the ground?" Zell said.
"when someone lower than you challenges you, how do you feel?" Cloud asked.
"I'd certainly feel insulted!!" Zell replied.
Umi smiled at him, "there, you just answered your own question." She said,
walking out of the room.
Zell was dumb-struck.
Cloud laughed, breaking the tension. "Zell, you better rest too. We need our
energy to definately show Galaxia that we're not weaklings!" he winked, stepping
out of the room as well.
* * *
With the momentary break that was given to them, Rinoa went into the library
to make a research on Guardian Forces. Sitting on one of the tables with a couple
of books she thought related to the subject, Rinoa picked up the topmost book
and read. After a few hours of reading, Rinoa finally reached the last of the
books she gathered.
Leaning back on the chair with a sigh, Rinoa put down the book and closed her
eyes that needed the break badly. She had been searching for hours but wasn't
able to find any significant information about GFs.
"hey! so that's where you were!!" a uplifting voice said.
Rinoa slowly opened her eyes and looked at the stranger. It was Squall, smiling
at her.
"what are you doing here?" he asked, then noticed all of the books surrounding her.
"researching? on what? this is no time for that!"
Rinoa stood up and smiled "OH! but it is!" she answered, "I just can't seem to
find the right book..."
"even in the SeeD Library?" he asked.
"SeeD library?" she echoed.
Squall smiled and chuckled a bit. "you're already a SeeD for a year and six months
but and you don't know about THAT library?"
Rinoa just shook her head.
"get your I.D. card and I'll show you the room." Squall said as he led the puzzled
Rinoa out of the Library.
======================================================================================
END.