Chapter Twenty-Three
The Lengendary SeeD
Squall and Quistis were sitting in the General's den and comparing their experiences during the interrogation sessions at the D-District Prison.
"I can understand they had me blindfolded in order to strike terror in me," admitted Quistis, "and it did! But what I can't understand is why you weren't blindfolded, but instead the interrogator was during your session."
"I think initially it was to physically intimidate me by allowing me to see the size of my opponent" explained Squall. "But later, of course, it was to allow me to see you and what they were doing to you in order to make me talk."
"So the common factor in both of our experiences was being unable to see who the interrogator was," Quistis mused.
"Which means," Squall continued in the same vein of thought "they thought we might recognize him and didn't want us to be able to."
Squall," Quistis asked, "Do you think it possibly could have been Mamoru?"
Squall's face broke into a huge smile. "Of course it was! You're a genius, Quisty."
Quistis smiled in return. "I'm pretty damn smart, but I wouldn't go as far as genius."
As Quistis and Squall sat and continued their conversation, the issues of Quistis's embarrassment over Squall witnessing her being stripped naked in public and Squall's guilt over not being able to save Quistis from public humiliation were not touched upon, but nevertheless lay very near the surface of their interactions and in the very forefront of their minds. When they both chose to ignore their true feelings out of fear of rejection if they articulated them and instead continued to make small talk, the issues were destined to remain unresolved to another time.
Several hours later, as Squall stepped back into the General's den returning from his trip to the kitchen to acquire some lunch, he observed Selphie and Quistis huddled together talking softly.
"Something wrong?" Squall inquired.
"Uh" Quistis began, "We weren't going to mention this, but Rinoa appears to be missing. We can't seem to locate her anywhere in the mansion and no one has seen her for a while."
"And we're worried because we think she went out into the city by herself" Selphie added.
Squall smiled. "No need to worry. I'd be the first to admit, if this was six months ago, I'd be extremely worried. But the changes I've seen her go through over the last couple of months and the incredible things she has accomplished has convinced me she can take care of herself."
As Rinoa was just stepping into the den from the hidden passageway, she overheard everything Squall had just spoken. It gratified her more fully than anything ever had previously in her young life.
"Dom Arigato" she replied.
Squall turned toward her and smiled his bishonen smile.
Rinoa spoke excitedly "Wait 'til you hear what I discovered! The President is having a political rally tonight."
"Wait, Rinoa," Squall suggested, "Let's get everybody together to hear this."
"Good idea" Rinoa answered.
After the nine SeeDs had assembled in the General's den and were seated anywhere they could find including the top of the General's desk, Squall began, "Rinoa has some new information, regarding our mission."
"Where's Akane?" Mishima wondered.
"She's sleeping in my bedroom" Rinoa answered. "She experienced quite a severe trauma today" Rinoa elaborated, while glaring at Irvine.
"I went into the city and talked with some of the same people, who helped me get into the D-District Prison," Rinoa began. "And they informed me, there is a special political rally scheduled for 8 o'clock this evening, at which the President is going to speak."
"So this means the President is revealing his identity to the general public" Squall interrupted.
"Uh, huh" Rinoa agreed, never missing a beat in the conversation. "They said it's because he's worried about the flagging public enthusiasm toward the war and the increase of resistance against the government."
"But how will this help us?" asked Zell. "Obviously we're not going to attempt to trade Akane for Laguna at a political rally, are we?"
"Yes, we are" was Rinoa's surprising answer. "The President is going to be presenting Laguna in chains to the public, as proof that Galbadia is winning the war."
"What nerve" muttered Quistis.
"Well, that settles it," Squall said flatly, "We're going in. Rinoa, Zell, Akane and myself will leave here at six. That will leave us plenty of time."
"But how are we going to get close enough?" Zell asked.
"I know a passage through the sewers that will bring us directly behind the balcony the President will be speaking from" Squall answered.
Squall spoke warmly, "You did a fine job, Rinoa. I suggest everybody get some rest this afternoon. You never know what might happen this evening."
At 6 o'clock exactly that evening, the nine SeeDs were reassembled in the General's den. This time, unlike earlier, Akane was present.
"That's a very hot outfit you're wearing, Akane" Mishima complimented.
Akane, who was wearing a pair of extremely abbreviated red hot pants and a see-through white midriff blouse, through which her cute red bra was clearly visible, blushed and explained, "It's something Rinoa found for me from her closet."
"It's very becoming on you, dear - I'm sure" replied Quistis prissily, while thinking "What hideous taste Rinoa used to have!"
Squall asked, "Everybody ready?" When Rinoa and Zelled nodded, Squall instructed the others, "We're going in now. When it comes close to 8 o'clock, see if you can find the rally broadcasted on that radio over there behind the General's desk. I imagine it will be and possibly you can monitor our progress from it. If things go horribly wrong, I expect you all to come get us. I've given Quistis a detailed map, regarding the route to take through the sewers to come up behind the balcony where we should be."
Squall nodded to Rinoa and Zell and the three SeeDs, along with Akane disappeared into the hidden passageway leading back to the sewers. Selphie exclaimed, "Let's get that radio tuned in."
Squall led the two SeeDs and Akane down the staircase and into the sewers. The party of four set off on their intricate weaving through the maze of hallways and corridors. Once when bats besieged them, Akane sprang forward from behind the frontline of Squall, Rinoa and Zell and pummeled a bat to death with her fists.
After the last bat had fallen dead, Rinoa turned to the ebullient teenager and admonished, "I thought we agreed you would stay back from the fighting. We don't want you to become injured and, besides, you don't want to ruin your outfit, do you?"
Akane, with a huge smile spread across her face, replied excitedly, "I just can't help myself. It's so much fun!" Rinoa smiled lovingly in return.
As they approached the location where turning left would lead them out of the sewers, Squall led them straight instead. Running down two hallways, they came upon a fallen ladder and after crossing it, Squall guided them to a ladder attached to the wall.
"Wow! What this?" Zell questioned.
"This ladder leads to the top of the clock tower and the balcony, from which the President will be speaking" Squall explained. "We need to wait here, until it's close to the time the rally will begin."
Sitting down on the floor, Squall spoke "Might as well take a load off, while we wait."
The three SeeDs and their young charge made small talk among themselves, as the time seemed to stand still for all involved. Finally after what seemed an eternity to Rinoa, Squall arose and spoke, "It's time" and began climbing the ladder.
Followed closely by Rinoa, Akane and finally Zell, Squall realized Zell always managed to position himself under an attractive female posterior while climbing ladders. "Must be a coincidence," he thought. After attaining the top of the ladder and standing in Deling City, Squall reached down and assisted Rinoa and Akane off the ladder. Zell quickly followed.
The tremendously loud din emanating from the crowd could be heard readily by them and Squall suggested, "It sounds as if it will start any minute. We need to hurry."
Guiding the rest of the party up over the stacked wooden crates on the back of a large truck, leading to the second story roof he and Irvine had clambered up what now seemed so long ago, Squall couldn't help but remember that fateful night when, after he and Irvine rescued Rinoa, he instructed her to stay close to him. How little did he really know then, what he was asking for, he thought with a grin.
Attaining a position on the small second story roof, the party of four moved rapidly around the side of the building and Squall led them up another ladder. They were now standing on a slightly slanted half roof. Continuing to guide them, Squall climbed up a short wall and, once reaching the level immediately behind the Presidential balcony, Squall reached down and helped Rinoa and Akane up beside him. Zell soon followed.
Squall heard a familiar deep voice intone over the loudspeaker system "Welcome, Galbadian citizens, I come to you tonight as your President to humbly ask your forgiveness for keeping my identity hidden from you as long as I have."
Squall thought, "Quistis was right! It was Mamoru all along."
Squall began moving rapidly toward the sound of the President's voice and waved the others behind him to follow as the President continued. "The sole reason I remained incognito was to insure my personal safety from the clutches of the Evil Esthar Empire. But because of the nefarious plot between Esthar and Garden," - here the President spat out the word Garden, as if it was an expletive - "my identity is now known to our enemies, so there is no longer any reason for me to not step forward and address you, my citizens of our brave new world."
As a huge roar rose from the crowd, Squall stepped up on the small balcony followed closely by Rinoa, Zell, and Akane. Glancing quickly around the balcony, Squall espied the President, a stack of radio equipment and an announcer sitting behind a microphone at a small desk, a coterie of Galbadian Secret Police and Laguna standing in chains, shackled hands and feet, just as Rinoa had predicted. One of the secret police noticed the invasion of the party of four and he began reaching under his coat for his weapon. Even though the President still had his back to them, he seemed to somehow sense who was behind him and waving off the secret policeman he turned and greeted "Squall, how nice to see you again. I'm not surprised you arrived a day early to crash out little party. I halfway expected to see you tonight, but I'm perplexed. I don't observe my daughter with you." The President apparently didn't recognize Akane in her strange outfit and because she was standing partially hidden behind Rinoa and Zell.
Before Akane could acknowledge her presence, Squall questioned, "What do you hope to accomplish from this fiasco?"
Mamoru answered slightly puzzled, "I expect to have my darling daughter returned to me."
"No, I don't mean that," replied Squall. "I'm talking about this senseless war with Esthar. What do you hope to accomplish fighting such a needless war that is taking its toll in lives and property on both sides?"
The President realizing the crowd was listening to everything being conveyed and, was beginning to murmur unpleasantly, understood he needed to do something quickly to quiet Squall. Mamoru didn't want to turn the loudspeaker system off, because he realized it would appear suspicious to the crowd, and, besides it was still being broadcast nationwide over the radio. He attempted to answer Squall's question. "I expect to achieve world peace." The crowd behind him roared its approval.
"Oh, come now!" Squall replied. You expect to achieve peace through war? Isn't that a little like expecting life through death?"
Mamoru responded, sensing he was verbally losing to this teenage upstart, "You're just too much of a peasant to understand the true grandeur of my plans."
"Anyone compared to you is a peasant, aren't they?" Squall replied.
The President flared, "Don't put words in my mouth! I will explain this so even a simpleton such as yourself can readily understand it. I have a vision of one unified world with no conflicts or wars guided by a benevolent government that will respond to the true needs of its citizens."
"And of course," Squall responded sarcastically, "the benevolent government will be a dictatorship by you. You are truly mad!"
At Squall's last statement, the gigantic crowd hushed in anticipation of their President's response to such audacity.
The anger bubbled out of Mamoru as lava erupts from a raging volcano and he drew his gunblade. "Since you come here to mock me in front of my own people without bringing me my daughter, I will be forced to kill you as an example for all those who would think to cross me!"
When the huge crowd began to scream, as though it were suddenly present in ancient Rome at the gladiator games, Akane screamed in vain "Stop, daddy!" She could not be heard above the din of the crowd. She attempted to rush forward between Squall and Mamoru, but was held back by Rinoa, who feared for Akane's safety.
Mamoru glanced at the secret police and instructed them to not interfere no matter what occurred and then informed Squall, "Draw your weapon, sir!"
Squall drew his gunblade with much misgiving. He realized too late he had overplayed his hand. He had allowed his anger at this posturing madman to overcome his common sense. Now he had to fight the best gunblade specialist Cid had ever seen, instead of just pointing out to him they had brought Akane. It had grown far too late for that simple solution.
Mamoru towered over him standing, at least, six feet, six inches tall. Squall recognized he would be at a distinct disadvantage, because of the President's reach advantage. Squall realized he better forumlate a strategy quickly to offset that.
Not waiting for Mamoru to make the initial move, Squall stepped suddenly inside of him hoping to tie him up by not allowing him the full extent of his reach. Squall quickly learned Mamoru had probably observed that move against him a hundred times, as he just easily glided away from Squall and whipped his gunblade in a savage stroke, which Squall just barely blocked at the last possible second. The man's power shook Squall to the very essence of his being and it took every bit of his strength to retain his gunblade. "He's too strong!" Squall thought wildly.
Behind him, Rinoa's heart was in her throat, as she murmured encouragement only she could hear "Come on, Squall." Beside Rinoa, Akane had begun sobbing.
Squall attempted to step inside of Mamoru again in hope of leaning into him and throwing him off balance somehow, but this time Mamoru stood his ground and, timing it perfectly, brought the butt of his gunblade down in the middle of Squall's forehead knocking him senseless for a moment.
"I tire of this," the President announced more to the roaring crowd than to Squall. "I had heard you were good, but I now discover this was just a rumor; much like the rumored power of Esthar. I will now end this charade," Mamoru stated.
Mamoru then launched into an attack the likes of which Squall had never encountered. It was almost as if the President was giving him and the crowd a lesson on the correct usage of a gunblade. Seemingly striking Squall at will, he was left bleeding from a dozen wounds. As Squall was left slumped on the floor, he could hear Rinoa sobbing and Zell shouting encouragement, as if the sound were traveling through a long tunnel far away.
Squall realized his life was slipping away and he only had one chance left. Gazing at Mamoru, he watched as the President feinted right, left and then right again. Remembering Cid's final words to him, Squall seized the last opportunity that was going to be offered him in his lifetime and called on the power of Lion Heart.
As Mamoru began his line of attack from his left, Squall leaped forward and struck him - BANG! knocking him back. Mamoru attempted to catch his balance, but Squall was already attacking him - BANG! BANG! SWISH! - once, twice and three times across the head knocking him flat on his back. When Mamoru struggled back to his feet, Squall attacked four more times brutally disabling his legs and than crashing one, two and three times across his arms rendering him totally defenseless.
Squall came down across him for the final time delivering the killing blow and then slumped on the floor next to him. Rinoa ran sobbing to Squall and quickly cast several couragas on him. She then looked questioningly at Mamoru and then back to Squall, who shook his head indicating to her that couragas wouldn't have any affect on the massive internal injuries he had inflicted on Mamoru.
Akane ran weeping to Mamoru and, throwing herself down across him, cried "Oh, Papa! Why did you have to fight Squall? He didn't come here to fight."
The President finally recognized his daughter and realized she had been present the entire time. "Akane, why are you wearing such a hideous outfit?" he gasped.
As Akane continued to be racked with sobbing, Mamoru stroked her hair and softly intoned, "Don't weep, my child. All things must die."
Akane screamed "No! I won't let you die."
"It's too late for that" Mamoru insisted.
Rinoa ran to the sobbing Akane and helped her stand and embraced her in a hug. "Oh, Mommy" Akane cried into Rinoa's shoulder.
The President motioned to Squall, who had recovered enough to kneel by Mamoru's side. "I desire you to take Akane back to the Garden with you. It will be the best place for her, after I'm gone. Inform General Caraway he needs to return to Deling City and oversee the running of the government. Tell him he should not desert his native soil, at this time of crisis."
As Squall nodded his understanding, Mamoru raised his right hand. Squall clasped it and Mamoru spoke softly, "Please tell Akane I was possibly misguided, but my intentions were always the best." And Squall watched, as the light faded from Mamoru's eyes. Squall leaned over and closed Mamoru's eyes and then stood up.
He approached the Galbadian Secret Police and demanded they release Laguna, which one of them complied with. When the shackles fell from Laguna, he stepped forward and shook Squall's hand saying, "I am proud to be your father. You handled yourself with great dignity and grace." A tear came to Squall's eye, which he quickly wiped away.
Squall demanded the Galbadian Secret Police escort them quickly from Deling City and rounding up the rest of his party, Laguna included, they followed the secret police down from the balcony and through the almost completely deserted city streets, as the great majority of the crowd had already dispersed to their homes.
Less than two hours later, everyone was safely ensconced back at the Garden. Squall and his entourage had been led by the Galbadian Secret Police from the immediate vicinity of the Presidential Palace, when they were met by Quistis, Kazuya and Irvine, who, upon their hearing the final outcome of the encounter between Squall and Mamoru via the radio broadcast, had immediately vacated the General's mansion and began to search for Squall's party on the then totally deserted Deling City streets.
Selphie had already left with Mishima and Kasumi and, renting an automobile, they drove as speedily as humanly possible to the beach area, where Selphie set off a prearranged flare signaling Nida, who had been patiently standing on the bridge all day searching for such an eventuality with high-powered binoculars.
Upon perceiving the flare, Nida guided the Garden directly to the beach area, where Selphie, Mishima and Kasumi quickly entered the Garden, and then piloted it to just ouside of Deling City, where Squall and company soon appeared.