Disclaimer: As the same with all the other chapters, we don't own anything we didn't come
up with. That belongs to Square. We do this for no profit. Blah, blah, blah.
Chapter 15: Insane Lament
Squall and Quistis came back into the infirmary and Rinoa gave Squall a questioning
look. He shook his head slightly and turned back to the group. "Well, we need to find out where
Xana is now. No one's seen the Silver Siren since Draconia."
"We could probably do some arial reconaissance of the area. If it's in the vicinity of
Deling, we could probably find it," Martine answered.
"Two people would probably be good for this," Quistis suggested. "Too many people would
get suspicion."
Squall nodded. "Agreed. You and Seifer go. We'll stay here and monitor your progress."
Seifer nodded. "So if we do find the Siren, what do we do? We can't exactly mount a
frontal assault on it."
Squall nodded again and then said, "When you see it, come back here and tell us. Take
note of where it should be heading."
Seifer and Quistis left the infirmary for the air pad. At that moment, Martine's comm
beeped. Martine took it out and thumbed it on. "Yes?"
A brief hiss of static came through on the other end. "There's a message coming through
for Squall Leonhart, sir."
"Very well, patch it through," Martine answered. He gave the comm to Squall and waited
for the patch to open. After a bried hiss of static, a familiar voice came through.
"S'up, Squall!" Zell yelled.
Squall shook his head, remembering how Zell was the only person who could ever get away
with addressing him like that. "What is it, Zell? Any news on Xana?"
"Yeah," he answered, his voice becoming a little more serious. "It's real weird and
far fetched. Plus...there's...uhm...some recent stuff Dr. Odine found out too."
"Let's hear it," Squall said.
"Well, first off, Vira is the daughter of Xana. Well, here's where it gets weird. Turns
out Xana is actually Anarix, the old sorceress that used to rule the world. She got here in our
time by warping time when she was defeated.
"Anyway, she's also Draconian, because Dorin said that Draconia was Anarix's seat of
power. And since Vira's father was Galbadian, Vira is half Galbadian and half Draconian. Not
only that, she's also half sorceress!"
Squall shook his head. "Okay, Zell. Slow down a little bit. So Vira is half sorceress?
How is she taking this?" Squall glanced at Rinoa, who looked rather tense at the mention of the
half sorceress information.
Zell paused, "I'm not sure. She was sort of caught for words when Odine told her. There
was something about how she's the only one who can kill Xana with the self destruct white spell
in her kamagunblades. When we got back here she went to go sit in the garden for a while. I
haven't seen her since."
"Ah," Squall answered. "That was what happened to Xana in Draconia, right? Vira used the
spell and it almost took the two of them out."
"Exactly. It was something they used to use in Galbadia. But she can't control it," Zell
answered.
Squall paused and thought for a second. "Well, you should probably keep an eye on her.
This must be a lot to take in."
"Will do, Squall. See ya guys back at Garden." The transmission ended.
Rinoa looked Squall, worried, "Squall, how do you get half a sorceress?"
Squall shrugged. "I'm not sure. I hadn't heard of that being possible before."
"That's a little much to handle, isn't it?" Rinoa asked.
Squall shook his head. "Probably. But at the same time, Vira can't do anything about
it." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I just hope Dorin and Zell help her out."
"I remember finding out I was a sorceress...it's very hard to come to terms with things
like that. But I was able to because I had you," Rinoa said.
Squall smiled, turning red a little bit. "Yeah, well...I couldn't let them seal you up."
Selphie giggled. "Awwww, look Irvy, Squall's turning red!"
Irvine laughed. "Yep, that's a Squall blush if I ever saw one."
Squall gave them a dirty look. "Shouldn't you two be resting?"
Selphie giggled again. "I am resting, but I couldn't resist the urge to point out your
blushing. It's funny."
"Yeah, it is," Irvine agreed.
Squall rolled his eyes. "All right, that's enough. We've got to get back to the task at
hand."
Squall and Rinoa left the Infirmary. Once they were away, Rinoa laughed softly. "You do
look cute when you blush."
Squall tried to give her a dirty look, but he melted into a smile when he looked at her.
"And you look pretty all the time."
It was Rinoa's turn to blush. "Awwww. Thanks, Squall." She took Squall's hand as they
entered the command center of Galbadia Garden.
"Squall?" Rinoa paused before continuing. "What are we going to do when we find Xana? If
everything Zell found out is true, then there's only one way to kill her and...that would be
sacrificing one of Garden's SeeDs."
Squall was silent for a long while. "I don't know," he said finally. "I just...don't
know..."
Vira sat alone on one of the garden's wooden benches. It was a beautiful garden. Laguna
obviously had people taking good care of it. Flowers were in bloom everywhere, their sweet
fragrance lingering in the air. Their colors were staggering. Vibrant violets and vermillions,
with golden yellows and soft pinks. Lush green grass was spread around Vira, except for the
stone pathway the benches were on. It was all very beautiful. It reminded Vira of the first time
she had set foot in the Quad. And that was only a few days ago. A few days that felt like a
lifetime ago. Somewhere and sometime where she was someone else in a life that was totally
different. Now it seemed like everything was on her. The world, the people who live on it,
everything. If she ran away, to some dark corner of the planet, she could hide, she could just
leave it all to everyone else. There had to be some other way to kill Xana, her mother....there
just had to be. Squall and the others would find it out. And they'd kill her and that'd be the
end of it.
-What if it isn't? Maybe there isn't any other way. There isn't, you know. Deep down
inside, you know this is the only way. Girl, you're going on a suicide mission. There is no other
way around it. You wouldn't want to be responsible for the death of millions by your mother's
hand, would you?-
Vira sighed, picking up a vermillion rose nearby. Carefully, she began plucking each
delicate petal off, ony by one.
-And how can you kill your own mother? The only family you have? You can't kill her. You
don't even know her...and how is it possible that she was able to have you in the first place.
You want to get to know her, understand why she did what she did....after all, she is your
mother. But you can't!-
"I can't," Vira mumbled, picking another petal off. "I can't get to know her. She's evil.
She tried to kill me. Kill everyone. I can't let her do that. I have to stop her. No one will
miss me. That's why I never got attatched to anyone. Keep it simple. Just give your life to save
the planet. It's a fair trade off. You're not going to be missed....no one will miss you, you
might as well just find her now and get it over with..."
The last petal fell from Vira's fingers and floated gently to the ground. Accompanied
with that petal was a solitary tear that splatter lightly on the ground and glistened in the
light. Vira's mind began to wander again, right to a song she had heard. This time with a tune.
"I don't wanna be the one..." Vira softly said to herself, rocking back and
forth on the bench. She could feel her sanity slipping away.
-Yes, that's right. You're losing your sanity. That's just great. You can be just like
Mom; insane. Vira: the half sorceress, half Draconian, self destructing, crazy girl. If only I
could just crawl into a hole somewhere and disappear...-
"Oh, yes. And let's not forget you're half Draconian, half Galbadian. That's going to go
over really well with Draconia, isn't it? I can just see it now. They'll wanna kill me for the
fact that I exist. No such thing as half breed...not there. They're all proper about it and this
certainly isn't proper. I suppose my father didn't know about mother...didn't know what she was,
where she came from. Draconia isn't going to like this...not at all. Well, it doesn't matter if
they want me dead. I'll probably be that way soon. Here lies Vira Eronwil: she saved the world
to keep us alive, but was also half everything and insane. Who the hell wants a half sorceress,
half Draconian, half Galbadian nutcase on a suicide mission?"
Vira looked up for a moment, still rambling on and on. "No one. I guess that was my
purpose. Be created, have no relations and then die taking out the woman who created me...that
makes sense when I think about it...sort of..."
"Not exactly," a deep voice in her head replied.
She looked around to see if there was anyone else around talking to her, but there wasn't
It was just herself, and now she was hearing voices. "What are you talking about?" Vira asked.
"Just get it over with now. Do it yourself. It's not like you'll actually make it out
here to finish me off," the voice murmured.
Vira's eyes widened, now she was hearing her own mother's voice in her head. She had
totally lost it. "Xana? What?"
The voice laughed. "Just kill yourself now, get it over with. No one will care that
you're gone and you'll save lives by not engaging in war. Who cares if you die? You don't have
any friends, do you?"
"No," Vira replied softly, rocking back and forth again. "I have no friends..."
"Then just get it over with! Forget a suicide mission. Save yourself the humiliation and
just do it right now. Take the bloody blade and slit your wrists! No one will care!" Xana's voice
shrieked, echoing through Vira's mind. She wasn't sure if it was really Xana's voice, or just her
insanity creating new voices in her head. Either way, the voice was convincing her.
Dorin walked down the path that lead to the garden when he saw Vira. He began to say
something when he noticed that she was rocking back and forth and mumbling to herself.
-Oh balls, she'd better not be doing what I think she is...-
Quietly, he crouched down next to a tree and watched her carefully.
Vira continued talking to herself. "I should probably just get it over with before the
whole damn planet finds out who I am and wants me dead for it...and what did I do to deserve
this? I have no idea. It's always me. Always my problem, isn't it? Finally have some family and
they turn out to be evil. That's just great, just great. Yeah, just get it over with. Shut up
and just do it. The sooner you do it, the sooner it'll be over and everyone can just go on with
their lives."
Slowly, as he watched, she drew one of her kamagunblades and rolled up the sleeve of her
jacket and put the blade on her wrist. Dorin was shocked.
-Dear Hyne, she's gone nutso.-
Dorin lept up from his hinding spot and ran down the path. He grabbed Vira's hand before
she could slash her wrist. Vira began to struggle against him, but his grip remained firm.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Vira yelled, trying to wrestle her weapon
back from Dorin.
"What does it look like?!" Dorin shouted back. He twisted her wrist and the blade
dropped to the ground with a metallic ting.
Vira stopped struggling and looked down, trying to stop any tears she might have from
coming out. "Just leave me alone..."
Dorin became very furious. "What the bloody hell were you trying to do?! You think all
your problems will go away if you do that?!"
"I'd be dead, what do you think?!" Vira looked back down to the kamagunblade on the
ground. She sighed heavily. "I guess you're right...I have a responsibility to uphold. Might as
well die a hero than a nutcase...can't trust the voices in my head...might not've been mine in
the first place..."
Dorin sighed and shook his head. "There's nothing to say that you'll die. I still think
there's a way around it. We just have to find it. Don't give up hope yet!" Dorin let go of
Vira's wrists and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Ha!" Vira laughed bitterly. "I doubt it. This is why I'm here. The whole damn reason
I'm here is just to destroy her and me. End the whole thing."
"Vira, bullshit. The future is not a set course on a road. It's an ocean of endless
possibilities. You can change the path you're on if you want to. And don't believe that this is
the only way to destroy her." Dorin's voice became softer, tinged with heartfelt concern.
"Even if there was another was, how can I even live in the world anymore? Everyone is
going to know sooner or later, and find out that I'm just...half everything. Not even a full
person, just fragments and pieces." Vira frowned. "And I don't think your country is going to be
too happy about this. That really improves relations to the rest of the world, doesn't it? I
should just kill her and myself, and make things uncomplicated for everyone else...I mean, it's
not like I've made that many friends at all. So who's going to miss someone who was just cold to
everyone? Most people will probably be glad about it..." She closed her eyes and sighed again. A
sigh ladened with depression.
Dorin hesitantly put a hand on Vira's cheek. "Me for one."
Vira looked straight at Dorin, seeing that he meant it. "Why?" She asked. "It's not like
we entirely get along. Heh, it's not like I get along with anyone."
Dorin nodded. "Well, join the club. I've been an overbearing bastard ever since I
arrived."
"And I've been the "Ice Bitch" since I was a kid," Vira admitted. "Why would people miss
that?"
"Because underneath you are a good and decent person."
Vira shook her head. "And how would anyone know that if I've been so cold to everyone?
What kind of decent person acts like this?" She gestured down to the kamagunblade, glistening
brightly.
Dorin sat Vira down and sat down beside her, putting an arm around her. "Every person
has their limit. But it is the strong that over come their demons and move on. And you are a
strong person, Vira. Very strong, and honorable.......and beautiful."
Vira squinted and looked back at Dorin. "What?"
Dorin kicked himself mentally for being so stupid. "Er, nothing." He quickly took his
arm off of Vira, turning a few shades red.
Vira continued to squint at him, and tilted her head to the side a bit. "You're...red. I
don't think you have anything to be embarrassed about."
Dorin shifted uncomfortably. "Erm...you think so?"
She shrugged. "I don't know why you would be." Vira then sighed again. "I'm the one who
should be embarrassed...."
"Why's that?"
Vira pointed back to the kamagunblade. "That...and I feel like I'm just totally losing
it...hearing voices in my head..."
Dorin nodded. "I understand. But..." Dorin took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"You know the curse of the Rage. There may come a time where I might not come out of it. I
become nothing more than an animal in human form. In Draconia, there is no worse a fate." Dorin
sighed heavily. "You cannot control it, you cannot predict when it comes. But I have not stopped
living because of that. I've gone on with my life and lived it, in spite of the Rage."
"Boy...are they gonna hate me..." Vira almost sounded like she was talking to herself
again as she shook her head.
"How do you know that?" Dorin asked. He put a hand on her shoulder again, still unsure
of what the hell he was doing.
-Bloody hell, man, just act, don't think!-
"Think about it," Vira explained. "Half Galbadian, half Draconian. You can add, right?
Put that together and you get a problem."
Dorin shrugged. "I still don't see how they could be mad at you. Think about how they
feel. At least you know who your parents are. Most of them are orphans. They have no idea where
they even came from."
Vira looked back at Dorin. "Well, I don't think your country is going to be real happy
about this. I wish I didn't know my parents..." Her frown deepened.
Dorin squeezed her shoulder. "They don't have to know."
Vira shook her head, her tone turning slightly angry. "How are they not going to find
out? Eventually everyone's going to know. This isn't going to go over well with everyone, you
know."
"Quite bluntly, who cares what other people think? If what I've heard about Seifer is
true, he has a lot to answer for. But they accepted him back as one of their own, didn't they?"
Vira smirked slightly. "And how happy do you think he feels right now?"
"Happier than you I'll wager."
Vira paused and almost chuckled. "Probably..." She rose from her seat, walking over to
the fallen weapon and picking it up. "I still have to face my fate...what I'm supposed to do. I
wish I knew where Xana is right now..."
Dorin shrugged. "I wouldn't worry about it at the moment. If she wants us to know,
she'll make it known in some way."
"I want to get it over with so they can start erecting my tombstone. If she's taking her
time, I'll go find her myself," Vira stated, starting to walk back inside the palace.
Dorin sighed and followed her. "You're very hard to dissuade, you know."
"I can't hide," she reasoned. "If I don't find her, she'll find me. And that's worse. I
want it over and done. Before I really do crack..." Vira opened the door, stepping inside to the
palace. She casually glanced down the hall in both directions; noting that no one was there. "I
just can't take this...it's too much..." Quickly she began walking towards the front entrance,
her stride looking hurried.
Dorin hurried after her and finally caught up with her. "Then I'm going too."
"No," she firmly shot back, pushing the front doors open.
Dorin stopped in front of her and pulled the doors closed again. "I can be just as
stubborn as you. I'm going. If nothing else because you saved many in Draconia. I owe you that
much."
Vira crossed her arms, angrily. "You are not going. And you don't owe me anything. You
don't want to get yourself killed, do you? Because if you come, that's probably what would
happen."
Dorin crossed his own and put on his emotionless face. "It wouldn't be the first time I
faced death," he said simply.
"I am not letting you go," Vira frowned up at him.
"You and what army?" Dorin countered.
"Just myself," she returned. "Now move. Don't make me hurt you."
Dorin sighed and mumbled a few words. In an instant, Vira was floating off of the ground
a few feet.
"Hynedammit, put me down!!!" she yelled.
"Not until you let me come with you," Dorin replied, a slight smile on his face.
She stared back at him, furious. There was absolutely nothing going right for her today.
Everyone had to just be opposed, didn't they? Vira growled a little, yelling back, "No! You
can't come, dammit! Now put me down!"
Dorin sighed and motioned up with his hand and Vira floated a little higher. "Not until
you let me. Even if you don't, I'm still coming."
Vira crossed her arms and let out an exasperated sigh. "You're not coming. There is no
way I'm letting you come. This is something I have to do myself."
Dorin crossed his arms and Vira floated a little higher. "Even when Vorhallen fought
Mordor, he was not alone."
"Why are you doing this?!" She yelled, now wishing she had junctioned Dispell before
leaving Garden.
"Because I'm coming, whether you like it or not." Dorin shrugged. "And because I've
promised myself I'm seeing this thing to the end."
"What the hell are you talking about?! Seeing this thing to the end?" Vira frowned
again, but it was more out of confusion now than frustration.
"Because you saved Draconia, I've been ordered by the Grand Magistrate to see this
through. So that means I'm coming, whether you like it or not."
"You could see it through by staying with everyone else, too. You don't have to come
with me," Vira spat back, hoping that no one comes down the hallway. What a strange sight it
would be to see her floating in the air, whining.
"Sorry, I got my orders." Dorin was smiling now. "You know you look rather funny right
now."
Vira huffed. "Yes, I'm sure this is all very amusing. Not everyday you send someone
floating in the air. You're just lucky I don't have Dispell on me and that no one's come around
here. Now put me down!"
Dorin shrugged. "Very well."
Vira felt the force holding her up give way and suddenly she was falling towards the
ground fast. As she braced for the impact, she felt herself land in something soft, then
realized that Dorin had caught her.
Vira opened her eyes and stared at Dorin, annoyed. "You guys have to work on the landing
of that thing. Now put me down."
Dorin chuckled and stood her up. "So what do we do now?"
"You go back to Zell, I go out." Vira pushed the doors open, running down the stairs
quickly.
* * * *
Their hands intertwined, Squall and Rinoa entered the office where several pieces of
complicated looking machinery lined against the steel gray walls. One of them was a neon green
colored radar screen, one that Martine was now haunched over. He turned to look up at Squall
and Rinoa, nodding in greeting.
"They're headed over Monterosa Plateau now," he said.
"Okay," Squall answered, turning on the comm. "Quistis, Seifer, can you hear me?" He
spoke into the microphone.
Seifer's voice came over the crackled static. "Loud and clear, Squall. We're over
Monterosa Plateau now."
"I know. Do you see anything?" Squall asked.
"Negative," came Quistis' voice. "Nothing yet."
The SeeD tech adjusted the radar screen. A red blip showed Quistis' and Seifer's
position.
"Turn north 29 degrees. That should take you over Dingo Desert."
"Copy that. Turning 29 degrees north," Quistis replied. The red dot on the screen
shifted slightly, taking them over the large expanse of the desert.
"See anything now?" Squall asked.
"No...nothing yet..." Quistis replied, but then added, "Wait...I think there's something
up ahead."
Seifer's voice came through. "Yeah. We got visual. Sector Aya, mark four-five. It's the
Silver Siren, alright."
"Have they spotted you?" Squall asked. Rinoa walked over beside him and leaned in to see
the radar screen.
"No, it doesn't look like it," Quistis replied.
"Alright, get back here. Try and stay out of sight of it."
"Roger-wait a second." Quistis' voice became urgent. "Damn. They've spotted us. We've
got several missle locks on us!"
"Confirmed! Incoming missiles, eight o'clock high!" Seifer sounded tense as he read off
the coordinates.
Squall consciously gripped Rinoa's hand. "Quistis, get out of there, now!"
"Believe me, Squall, I'm trying!" Quistis' voice crackled over the radio. Suddenly,
there was a burst of static, and Squall felt his heart jump up into his throat.
"Quistis? Seifer? Do you read me?!" Squall yelled into the microphone, but the only
thing he got back was radio static. "Damn...the comm radio must have been shorted out. We've got
to do something to help them!"
The tech brought up the area where the last transmission was made from. "Looks like they
were headed toward Winhill. With any luck, they might've ditched there."
"If they hadn't been blown to pieces in the sky," Martine said darkly. At that moment, a
larger blip on the radar screen came to life. It began moving the direction Quistis and Seifer
had been taking before they had lost contact.
"The Siren," Rinoa said fearfully.
Squall nodded. "There's no way we can get to them in time before they do."
Rinoa looked at him, shocked. "Squall, you don't mean-"
Squall held up one gloved hand. "No, I don't. But it's suicide to move in there while
the Siren is there." He bowed his head. "I've lost two SeeDs, I can't put more at risk." He
turned and walked out of the command center, Rinoa following him.
"Stay here with Irvine and Selphie. I'm going to look for them myself," Squall said over
his shoulder.
Rinoa's mouth hung open, her face looking completely shocked. "Look for them yourself?
But-you can't-I mean, you could get-"
"Rinoa," Squall turned back to her, looking into her eyes deeply. He took her hand one
last time and squeezed it gently. "I'll come back. I promise. And I'll bring Quistis and Seifer
back with me." Squall kissed Rinoa goobye, silently walking away.
Rinoa stood alone, waving her hand at him slowly. "Be careful...you promised you'd come
back..."
* * * *
As Vira stormed out, her mind began whirling with so many thoughts and emotions she
barely was able to stay standing. Everyone was making her frustrated, and it just only kept
getting worse. Except that there was a small voice telling her that Dorin was only trying to be
nice, although the way he did it was stubborn as hell. It wasn't that she didn't entirely want
the company, but she wasn't ready to let someone else die when this seemed to be strictly a
family matter to her. She slumped down on the hoverchair and was prompted by its computer if she
wanted to leave the palace.
Zell walked down the hallway, watching Vira run out of the palace, leaving Dorin behind.
Confused, he turned to Dorin, "Yo, Dorin! Where's Vira goin'?"
Dorin took off down the stairs without answering Zell's question. He turned the corner
and saw the lift begin to glow as Vira sat on it. He ran and lept aboard as it floated upward
and began it's journey.
Vira turned, frowning at Dorin. "I told you, you can't come."
Dorin merely looked at her. "Told you I was a stubborn SOB."
"I can't let you come with me, Dorin," Vira shook her head. "Can't let you get killed.
This is my problem."
"And since when has that stopped me? Look, you'll need backup at least to get to her. I
mean it's not like you can go up to the Galbys and say 'Excuse me, I need to fulfill my destiny.
Could you please let me in to see Xana so I can kill her?' The soldiers may be dumb, but they're
not that dumb."
"I can't take back-up for this. And as soon as this thing stops, I'm getting off and
you're going back to the palace," Vira argued back.
"I'd like to see you try," Dorin remarked.
"Don't make me," Vira answered.
"Then don't."
Vira sighed exasperatedly and then yelled, "You are not coming!"
"Yes I am, Vira. And you know there's nothing you can do to stop me." Dorin gave her a
hard look.
"There isn't?" Vira raised an eyebrow. The next moment, the hover cart stopped in the
front of the palace. Staying seated, Vira pressed the button to go back to the palace. "Then I'm
not going," she stated.
Dorin shrugged. "Well, that was easy."
"Was that your plan all along? To make me turn around?" Vira asked.
Dorin smiled. "Maybe."
"You are so....frustrating," Vira pointed a threatening finger at Dorin as the hover
cart arrived back at the palace.
"That's what they tell me," Dorin said. He stood up from the hover cart and sighed at
Vira. "Vira....you can't do everything yourself. Sometimes you need other people to help you,
whether you want them to or not."
"That's what everyone keeps telling me. But no one realizes I have no people skills at
all so having someone around just makes things more complicated for me," she explained,
following him off the hover cart.
"Bloody hell, you think I have any? The only reason they picked me is because I fought
and won against the Galbadians."
"I've never had friends...none that I can remember..." Vira said quietly.
Dorin nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I think that's changed."
Vira arched an eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"
"Because you've got me."
Vira opened her mouth to say something, but there were no words that could come out.
Sure, Squall had seemed like someone she could be friends with, but besides that one talk, they
really hadn't had the time to get to know each other. A friend...that was something Vira wasn't
quite sure how to react to.
Dorin smiled and queezed her shoulder. "I think Laguna wanted to see us before we left."
"....okay..." Vira mumbled, walking back into the palace.
Lagauna and Kiros were talking to Zell as Ward stood by, following the conversation as
Dorin and Vira entered.
Zell looked at the two entering and yelled, "Guys, where have you been? I just got done
talking to Squall."
Dorin nodded. "What did he have to say?"
"He said that we should just keep an eye on Vira for a while," Zell answered.
Dorin raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure if that's what's needed right now."
"Still that's what he said," Zell countered.
"I'm not sure if Squall wanted that known to everyone, though." Kiros commented.
Vira folded her arms. "I say we should go back to Garden. Didn't he say anything else,
Zell? Like what's going on with the Silver Siren? Where it is? Something?"
"No..." Zell answered. "Not really."
"Did he say anything to you at all except to keep an eye on me?" Vira asked.
"Not really...no..."
Dorin shook his head. "Well, then we're back to square one."
Zell shook his head. "No, no. I can call him again! I'll ask him what we should do now."
"Yeah, that might be a good idea," Vira agreed, her arms still crossed.
Zell thumbed the comm on and waited for Squall to answer. Only this time, it wasn't
Squall.
"H-hello?" Rinoa's voice sounded unsure on the other end.
"S'up, Rinoa. Where's Squall?" Zell asked into the comm.
"He..." Rinoa paused, static coming through for a moment. "He went to go help Quistis
and Seifer. They've been...attacked by some of Xana's troops when they were out looking for the
Silver Siren. We think they're landing near Winhill."
Zell looked troubled as Vira tensed up. "Are they alright?"
Rinoa sounded worried. "We don't know. We lost contact with them."
"So...Squall's out lookin' for them?" Zell asked, sounding more worried by the second.
"Yes," Rinoa replied. "He left a few minutes ago to find them. The Silver Siren is
moving towards them...I think...they could be somewhere else right now..."
Zell fell silent. "They'll be alright, Rinoa. What about Selphie and Irvine, are they
there?"
It was Rinoa's turn to fall silent. "Yeah. Selphie was shot and Irvine was wounded when
he went after the shooter. There's just too much to tell you all right now. Just get back to
Garden soon."
"Don't worry, Rinoa. We're on our way." Zell thumbed off the comm and turned to Dorin
and Vira. "Shall we?"
Vira and Dorin both nodded. "Let's go," Vira said.
Author's comments: Well, that's all for this chapter. Not quite as long as some of the
other's, but still it ain't short. Coming up are a few chapters written mainly by Nighstalker
more than myself, so give him a hand, okey? :) It's the story of Seifer and Quistis' trip
through the forest while dodging the hazards therin. It takes a little while so it'll be a few
chapters. So, get ready for a different "story arc" within this larger story. To explain it,
this story is a bit like a comic book, each chapter being an issue itself. While Vira is the
main character, there are times when you gotta focus on the others for character development.
Understand? Good. So, see you all soon with the beginning of Seifer and Quistis' journey. 'Till
then, please R&R! :D
