(¯`'·
·'´¯)
All You Wanted
(_.·'`(_.·'`(_.·'`´'·._)´'·._)´'·._)
(¯`'·
·'´¯)
( If you
want to, )
( I can save you, )
( I can
take you away from here. )
(_.·'`(_.·'`(_.·'`´'·._)´'·._)´'·._)
-- *Chapter 9: What Have I Done* --
"The Trabia mission was a bit rocky, but when we got back- that was when the real hell broke loose."
"I remember, a bit more clearly than I wish I did."
-- ** --
Squall and Minako woke early to the noise of rain. Squall muttered something about paint jobs and walked into the cockpit. He had been nice enough to not ask anything about the day before, but Minako suspected he knew he wouldn't get anything anyway. A strange feeling fell over Minako, and she shuddered. Squall returned to the passenger room, where Minako was rummaging through her stuff.
"We're going home," he said.
"What?" Minako asked, for a second unsure of what he was saying. "What happened?"
"Shumi Village suspended their contract with Garden. I think Zell and Seifer were kicking up a fuss," Squall figured, a little peeved. "Go get the rest of the squad. I'll start the Ragnarok up."
Minako stuck her tongue out at him. "That's right. Make the woman go out for a walk in the rain. Yes, o' divine Commander." Squall ignored her; he had gotten good at that. Minako scowled at his silent response. She shrugged and left the Ragnarok, taking the blankets and pillows they had borrowed.
In her absence, Squall started up the Ragnarok. He considered having another look at that compact of hers, but he decided against it. He knew Minako would go into quite a fit if she caught him looking through her things. He waited in the cockpit, drumming his fingers and thinking about a few things. Ten minutes later, Squall heard Seifer, Zell, Rei, Ami and Minako come aboard the Ragnarok. He got over the intercom and warned them not to drip water over everything. Seifer replied with something that sounded a lot like, "Yes mommy..."
A little while later, the rest of Squall's squad came to the cockpit looking damp and gloomy. Zell hopped into the pilot's seat and flew the thing away from Shumi Village.
The ride back home seemed short, but it was pretty quiet. The girls stayed in the passenger room the whole trip, discussing home and Tokyo- I mean, home and Balamb Garden.
-- ** --
!! two days later !!
After arriving home, Squall gave the traditional mission report, but it was a bit empty, since the mission consisted mostly of walking in never ending snow. He did include the bit about the Ruby Dragon carrying Gravija, and at this, Cid showed a bit of concern. However, he dismissed Squall, giving the whole squad a 'job well done'.
Presently, the girls were in the Library, looking up information on Gravija. They found out that it was sort of an extremely beefed up version of Demi. That would explain why the Ruby Dragon had it. Ami had said it was very high level, so perhaps Demi was just refined? Maybe not, it was a bit farfetched, but it would explain some things. Minako yawned loudly. They had been going at it forever, it seemed. They had found a small list of people and creatures who could cast it, but they were all dead, in prison, captured or missing.
Ami looked at her watch. "Oh! It's almost time for class. We better get going, or else we'll just barely make it."
"Why don't they have bells at Balamb Garden?" Minako quizzed, closing a book. "Two years and I haven't gotten used to it. I'm forever late to all my classes..."
"Watches work just fine, you know," Ami said, putting a few books back into their shelves. "Do you think we'll ever get back home?"
Rei shrugged and Minako sighed. "No..." Rei replied grimly. "I'm really starting to think we're stuck here. It's not so bad, but...I miss my grandfather. I'm sure he was worried...It's hard thinking they might have already buried me..."
Minako shook her head. "Usagi and Makoto haven't given up. I'm sure they were able to see me on the communicator that day, at least hear some of what I was saying. They'll keep trying to find us."
Ami nodded, looking at her watch again. "Let's go."
-- ** --
Rei couldn't sleep again. Since the mission had started- no, before that, since she had become a SeeD, Rei started having trouble sleeping. She didn't really know why, but she guessed it was just stress. Now she was staring up at the ceiling. It was white, with two dark greenish spots from who knows what near the window. Yes, that's exactly how long she had been staring. Rei had tried everything- counting sheep and spots on the wall, thinking of dreams she used to have- everything, but she still found herself utterly awake. When she couldn't take the dullness of it all, she got off her bed and paced for a while. That quickly lost Rei's interest, so she decided on going where she went when she couldn't sleep.
The Training Center had become as familiar to Rei as her dorm had. She spent an awful lot of time there, despite her problems with curative magic. You see, Rei wasn't ever helped by Cure magic, it made her feel sick and whoozy and she just didn't like it, so she mostly slept off her aches and pains. Sometimes it was a bit of a nuisance whenever she got a major injury, but Rei was normally able to sleep her pains out and they would eventually heal themselves. She dressed herself, picked up her trusty bow and left her dorm, careful not to wake Minako.
She was walking down the main hall when a shadow attracted her attention. It was going in the direction of the Library, but it had disappeared down the bend. She shrugged, deciding it was one of those damn staff members. She would never get used to them- they swept around the halls, telling students off depending on their moods. And they had the students numbered! Rei couldn't even remember her own ID...Her sleeping problem was beginning to move its way into her daily life, too. She had been scolded several times for falling asleep in class. It seemed like she was always tired except for when she was supposed to be.
Walking cautiously into the Training Center, Rei loaded her bow with an arrow. She learned quickly that the monsters were a bit more on edge at night. She stepped over the small, steel bridge, examining the rust with bored interest. Nothing had attacked her so far, so she decided to go a bit deeper into the Training Center. She normally didn't if there were enough creatures to wear her out in the beginning; T-Rexaurs still lurked in the darker, deeper parts of the Training Center. A bush nearby moved, and she was about to shoot when her memory returned to her. Seifer. It was his spot. She had forgotten. Rei wondered if he had been there the other nights she had come to the Training Center- she certainly hadn't seen him.
He came out of the bush, his foot got caught on something and he jerked it away. He brushed a few twigs off his trench and said, "Hey. What're you doing up?"
Rei shrugged. "Can't sleep. You, too?"
"Eh, you could say that." He sniffed. "Not much out tonight. There hasn't been for a while. Somethin's out there."
Rei arched an eyebrow. "Like what?"
Seifer shrugged. He ran his hand through his hair. "What's the matter?"
She shook her head. "Nothing. Why?"
"Yeah, I'll bet," Seifer said, a little more forcefully than he meant to. "You've been coming here almost every night since the mission ended. Even before that. Somethin's bothering you. What?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. I've just been oversleeping a lot lately, and I haven't been sleeping at night."
"No, because then you wouldn't be falling asleep in class."
"Ok. So I'm having a bit of a sleeping problem," Rei shot back defensively, "but lots of people have sleeping problems. What's your problem, huh? You're always here."
"That's-"
"None of your business," Rei snapped. "Look, Seifer, I appreciate your concern, I really do....but...there's nothing wrong with me. I'm perfectly fine. I always have been. You should know that- I mean, you've always protected me. You're like the older brother I never had. Always there, making sure no one looks twice at me, and if someone does, he gets shot. Or sliced, whatever you're feeling like at the moment."
"That's not true," Seifer said, crossing his arms and looking at her.
"Uh, yeah it is. But don't take it the wrong way- I love having you around," Rei said. She smiled at Seifer.
"Maybe I'm a little...protective. But admit it- you would've killed yourself on accident if I hadn't have been there to save your ass," Seifer protested, a cocky grin gracing his lips.
Rei laughed, "Whatever you say, Seifer."
"Exactly! Whatever I say. Bend over, sweetie."
"Seifer, you're such an ass," Rei snorted, throwing Seifer a playful glare. Seifer laughed. "I've got to train. So if you don't mind..."
"Whatever. If you get yourself into trouble- which you have a habit of doing- I'll be over there," he said, jerking his head in the direction of his bush.
Seifer turned around, his white trenchcoat swaying dramatically. He was walking back slowly, carefully guessing at what could be bothering Rei. He was sure there was a reason for her sudden nocturnal habits, and he was determined to find out what. What she had said was true- Seifer had always been there protecting her. He guessed his childhood dream of becoming a knight still lingered inside his subconscious somewhere. But why the heck is she-
"Seifer!" she shouted. He turned around almost instantly. She was standing in the same spot she had been, but Rei was holding up her loaded bow and it was aimed at him.
"What-" Seifer started, but Rei let go of the arrow and it fired at him. It hit him in the center of his chest, and Seifer was at a sudden loss for breath. He tried to inhale, but every time he did, stabs of horrible pain registered in brain. He doubled back, nearly blinded by pain. Rei walked to him, an angry flare in her eyes. She grabbed the arrow and wrenched it out of his chest, not caring whether she hurt him or not. He fell onto his back.
"Fuck," Seifer hissed. He was clutching the bloody spot on his chest. "Fuck, fuck! Damn it Rei, what the FUCK was that for?"
Rei sat down on top of Seifer and put one hand on his forehead, forcing his head down. "What was that for? What was THAT FOR?! Let me tell you what it was for, Seifer. It was for four years of wandering around without any sort of power of my own. I lived four miserable years as a goddamn parasite! These entirely helpless people housed me in their bodies just so I would give them dreams. That's what so funny, Seifer. There are more like you- more that are hungry, starving for the dreams they lost when they turned into adults. But you-! You are the most pathetic- patheTIC- PATHETIC- PATHETIK- pathetik person I know. Kouldn't defeat that poor exkuse for a SeeD-"
"Stop it!" Seifer exclaimed. His chest was still aching, but Rei's words were doing an unimaginable amount of damage on their own. "Rei- WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?"
"She was gone a long time ago, Seifer," Rei said. "The minute she passed over into this time, I had her. And now I've got you, and I"m going to kill you. You sad, konfused little boy..."
Seifer closed his eyes, not wanting to see what he was about to do. He lifted a fist and smacked Rei in the jaw. The sheer force of the blow made her dizzy, and her hands gripped her jaw. Seifer was able to sit up and push Rei off of him. She looked at him, utter hate and anger in his eyes. For a second he lost his bearings- Rei hated him. He clutched his burning chest again and cast a Curaga on himself quickly. As the warm, fluid feeling washed over him, he had an idea.
"Esuna!" he called, hand tossed in the direction of Rei.
"What are you...ohhh..." Rei started. Then she started laughing again. Seifer went over to her and grabbed her to hold her up. She was smiling and laughing. Her hands were beginning to roam over Seifer's chest, and that devilish smile Seifer so loved seeing was on her face again. He moved her bangs out of her face, and suddenly she stopped laughing. A look of pure terror was on her face, and she moved away from Seifer.
"I-I-I hurt you," she cried, head shaking, "I saw it all with my eyes. I c-couldn't c-control myself. I was scr-screaming for her to stop b-but I c-couldn't. I-I felt hate f-for you. I w-was going to k-kill you." As Seifer tried to step toward her, Rei stepped back. "No! Don't come near me. I'll attack you again, and what if I can't stop myself? I- I don't want to kill you. I don't want you to leave me...Wh-what have I done?" At this, Rei broke down into tears. She fell to her knees, sobbing.
"I want to go home," she muttered through tears.
-- ** --
Ami was asleep, but a beeping noise woke her up. She jumped awake, and she almost went back to sleep, figuring that her watch was doing something....
But it beeped again.
And that's when she recognized it. Her heart was pounding as she went to her drawer and pulled out her communicator. It was beeping alright. She flipped it open, and a fuzzy, almost completely white screen greeted her. Just like Minako said, though, it was very fuzzy and she could only make out vague shapes. Toward the top of the screen were two yellowish-whitish blobs and Ami knew exactly what they were. Odangoes.
"Usagi!" she exclaimed, a little more loudly than she had meant to. "It's Ami! It's me, Ami! Can you hear me at all?"
Then, the fuzz cleared up. The resolution was suddenly crystal clear. Sailor Moon's distressed face came over the screen.
"Sailor Mercury? Sailor Mars? Sailor Venus?!" she cried. "We need you- wherever you are, Jupiter and I need you. Tokyo is going to-"
A huge explosion occured behind Sailor Moon. The communicator dropped, but Ami saw a gigantic spider crawl out from behind a building. She recognized it as the one that had sent her, Rei and Minako into this time. Tears were beginning to flow down Ami's cheeks.
My home...my home needs me, and I'm not there...I can't be there...She watched what was happening in the communicator like it was a horror movie. There were screams- she heard Sailor Moon's clearly. Ami shook her head, shutting the communicator. She didn't want to see more. She was frightened, and she hugged herself. There was a knock at the dorm door. She opened it. Minako was standing there, her cheeks were tear stained. She was holding her communicator in her hand, and light projected onto her face.
"Did you see it, too?" Ami asked, her voice tight.
Minako nodded. "They were...they can't handle it on their own, Ami," Minako said weakly. "They need us..."
"Rei?" Ami asked.
Just then, sobbing down the hall caught their attention. Seifer was walking Rei down the hall. She was crying in his arms, beating on his chest every now and then.
Minako turned angry. She had never liked Seifer, and he had never liked her. "What did you do to her?" she asked coldly.
Rei answered, "Nothing...he didn't do anything. I-I need help. I'm- I'm a schizo- or something. I d-don't know-"
Ami and Minako ran to Rei, and they pried her off of Seifer. Minako walked her back to her dorm while Ami asked several questions of Seifer. He nervously explained all that happened.
"She was talking to me like- like Ultimecia did," Seifer said. Ami saw him shudder.
"So it's true then?" she said.
"What?"
"You are the infamous Sorceress Knight," she said. "I thought it was you, but I wasn't certain. The pictures- you did- you did terrible things."
"You think I don't know that?!" Seifer exploded. "You think I haven't lived with that on my shoulders my entire life?! Don't give me that crap- I have spent every waking moment of my life trying to pay for the things I did, anything to make people stop looking at me like they're afraid of me! To forget the damn Knight..."
Ami winced. She inhaled deeply, and then said slowly, "Can you help her?"
Seifer shook his head. "I-I don't know. Headmaster Cid might know something...I don't know..."
(¯`'·
·'´¯)
| End of Chapter 9 |
(_.·'`(_.·'`(_.·'`´'·._)´'·._)´'·._)
I'm considering a sequel....I'm not sure though, so...tell me in a review, will ya?
