Chapter 4: The Power Of Trust
As the exhausted students were having some rest in a corner of Akuma's cave, the gang was sitting around him and Maureen. The GF, too big to stand in the cave with all this people around, was just staying in the pond. Maureen has dried back into a human and was sitting close to Akuma. She was a bit nervous. She haven't seen many humans this close for more than a century.
"Now," Squall started. "Can you explain why you two seem to know each other?"
He looked from Coran to Akuma. Coran looked at Akuma then at her brother.
"Remember I told you I wandered the world a while before I started looking for you?" [For those wondering what the hel this is about, read my other fanfic Squall's Sister, the prequel to this story.]
Squall nodded. The others also knew what she meant.
"One night I had stopped close to the sea. I never went close before because I was afraid of the sea monsters. After all, I was just a kid. I was dragged there for some reason. Another side of my powers I guess. I found... Akuma there on the shore, hurt."
"I came too close to the surface and some monster hunters saw me and took me for a target. I managed to flee but not without a scratch."
"But aren't you a GF?" Seifer asked holding Coran possessively, apparently afraid she would disappear if he would let go of her. "You could have wiped them out!"
"I could have, but that's not why I'm on this world. I'm not here to kill but to help. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Coran treated me for a few days, always avoiding to use her powers. She kept calling me Water Friend. Even though she didn't want to, she sometimes used her powers unknowingly so I called her Little Magic Girl, because she didn't want to tell me her real name."
"Once he was back to health, he left but..."
She frowned then looked at him.
"He said we would meet again..."
Then everyone turned to Akuma.
"You knew..." Squall trailed off.
The GF nodded.
"Yes. I knew who she was and I knew I would meet both you and her again. The only thing I didn't know was under which circumstances."
"Did you also know you would meet his children later when you saved our father?"
Now it was Squall's turn to be the center of attention. Everyone was wondering what he meant.
"Remember Father had an accident on the Centra continent and that he ended up in Winhill after where Raine treated him?"
Everyone noticed Squall called Laguna 'father' but called Raine by her name.
"Who do you think brought him there? I mean Winhill is quite far from Centra!"
Coran shivered. Thinking she was cold, Seifer took off his dried coat and placed it on her shoulders but she was not cold. Where did that shiver came from, she didn't know. She only knew it wasn't good. Was this all planned or what? Are they playing a role in some crazy scenario?
Busy talking, no one noticed Maureen was gone. They noticed when they heard a splashing sound close to Akuma. Some startled turning to her.
"Good news everyone!" She said with a wide smile. "The storm has passed and a beautiful sun has replaced it!"
Once Akuma was done taking everyone to the surface, on a shore not too far from where Garden sank, on Galbadia continent, there were no smiles on the people's faces. Some kids were crying.
"Where are we gonna live now?"
Some girls too.
"I left everything I had in my room!"
Some guys were mad.
"Dammit!"
Squall and the others were powerless. Zell punched the ground.
"Hell! We can use GFs, we saved this world but we couldn't even save our home! Damn!"
They were orphans without a family, now they were orphans without a home.
"At least everyone's alive," Irvine said still with a sad tone.
"Yeah, but..." Quistis sarted looking at the sea.
Squall walked closer to the water, thoughtful. Coran was looking at him, held by Seifer. She was so tired she was having a hard time just standing. Rinoa was also looking at him but everyone was silent except for the complaining people.
A shadow enwrapped Squall. He wasn't startled as if he's gotten used to this by now. He turned around looking up.
"Zell's words are finding a way in your mind aren't they? You have an idea but you don't know if it will work."
Squall sighed, pushing his soaked hair behind his ear.
"You can read minds too?"
"Not everyone's. But yours is like your father's. So clear and simple. You never think about a lot of things in the same time so seeing an idea isn't so hard. Besides, Coran and Rinoa know what you think as well and they think it's a good idea."
Squall turned his back on the GF.
"You know, for someone who hasn't been in contact with humans for a long time, you talk a lot."
"All this time spent with Maureen, we haven't talked that much. We don't have to to comunicate. Talking openly is good."
"..."
"What Zell said about the GFs, that you saved the world... They trusted you into saving this world. There wasn't any reason for them to show up in a while, they'll help. They trust you, so trust them."
"You think so?"
"What have you got to lose? I'll stick around so if they disagree, I'll interfere."
"And they'll listen to you?"
"I'm the elder and in a way, the leader. But I won't have to interfere."
Squall decided to trust this creature once again and walked to his gang.
"Let's call the GFs." He simply said.
They looked at him.
"Huh? Why?" Zell asked.
"Which?" Selphie asked back.
"All of them."
Everything suddenly turned silent.
"All of them?" Quistis asked nervously.
"This is insane!" Seifer exclaimed. "There never were more than one or two GFs summoned in the same time at the same place!"
"This is the occasion for a first time."
"But... why?" Irvine asked.
"To get our home back! We'll ask the GFs to pull Garden out of the water."
Rinoa and Coran were smiling.
"You think they'll agree?" Selphie asked hopefully.
"Akuma thinks they will. Might as well give it a try..."
Then Squall turned to the rest of the students and took on his commander role.
"Listen everyone! We're gonna try something never done before... We're gonna ask the GFs for help but this time, not for battle. To get our home back! I'm asking for all your cooperation. I want some of you to go to the nearest towns, rent cars and reach Galbadia Garden to borrow some big chains, huge and long."
Some of the older students volunteered right away, a light of hope shining in their eyes. They left right away, running. Then Squall turned to his friends.
"Selphie, you and Irvine take a boat at Dollet to reach Balamb island. Then you take the Ragnarok to Trabia Garden. Maybe they have some to spare as well. Selphie, you drive and Irvine you help. Anyone else wants to go?"
"I'll past," Seifer said. "I gave the order to fire the missiles on Trabia, I don't think I'd be welcomed there..."
"Booya!! I don't hold a grudge against you, Seifer!" Selphie exclaimed.
"Thanks, but you know the circumstances. I don't think they would believe me."
"Besides," Squall cut before the conversation would involve too many painful memories. "I want you to stay with Coran... Wait! Irvine and Quistis you'll go to Galbadia since you know them. Zell will go with Selphie."
But first..."
He turned around and concentrated. He placed his hand in front of his face then send it in front of him as green balls appeared around him and rolled around then vanished.
The sky turned grey and a shadow appeared through the clouds then broke the clouds and Bahamut flapped his wings to break his fall over the water.
"There is no fight," he said with a deep voice.
Some of the remainig students had a move backward but those knowing Bahamut knew he was pleased to be there.
"That's right," Squall said. "We're gonna summon the others then we'll explain everything."
"I may as well land then..."
He flew past the students, sending sand all over and bringing some people on their knees. He landed farther. The remaining students coughed a bit then stared at the amazing GF with fear and admiration as well.
"Keep going, master," Bahamut stated.
Squall shook his head.
"I'm not your master. You're giving me a hand but I don't hold your life in my hands. The best I can come up with is comrades."
"Why not try 'Friends'?" Coran said freeing herself from Seifer's grip.
Squall looked at her and she smiled. Yes, friends, always there to give hand if needed. Friends...
"Alright! Let's call the rest of our friends!"
"Yeah!"
Rinoa, Selphie, Irvine, Quistis, Zell and Seifer stood by Squall's side. The SeeD leader looked each side of himself. Behind them, the students have taken a few steps backward, waiting with excitement.
"Ready?" Squall asked.
"Yes, sir!"
They all placed a hand in front of their face then placed it in front of them. The ground started shaking when the green balls disappeared. A whirlpool was formed in the sky, lightnings struck, the waves went berserk.
They started worrying a bit.
"Was it such a good idea?" Zell asked nervousely looking around.
"Maybe we should have summoned them one at a time..." Quistis said.
"No, we're losing time," Squall assured.
Coran walked to them.
"You should stay behind," Seifer said with a soft and worried tone.
"I'm fine. Look!"
She pointed the sea and through one og the raging waves, something came. Leviathan broke the surface of water with force splashing. Further, something was coming out of the sea, something big: Alexander. A hole opened in the ground and Carbuncle appeared and jumped in Selphie's arms. Lightning struck the ground close to the gang and Quezacoatl appeared flapping it's wings; an iron gate appeared and Cerberus came through. On a rock in the sea, Siren was sitting. She went in the water to join the others. From a dark corner of the sky, Diablos appeared.
Some screamed, impressed to see so many GFs at the same time. That included Squall's gang. Quezacoatl was still flapping to stay still, like Diablos. Alexander came forward with Cerberus, Leviathan stayed in the water but he was quite long so he was easy to spot. Selphie let go of Carbuncle and Siren slowly came out of the water.
The gang remained silent. There were no words to describe the magnificence of this scene... Including Bahamut, there were now eight GFs standing close to each other...
"You summoned us," Siren started.
"But it seems like there is no fight," Diablos continued
"There is a good reason for your presence here," Akuma interfered.
All GFs turned to him as if they just noticed him. Hard to think considering how big he was.
"Akuma..." Leviathan said.
"So you're still alive," Diablos added.
"Does it mean... it's the time?" Quezacoatl asked.
Everyone turned to Akuma... The time for what?
"No... Not yet. But there are still some of our friends missing. Squall if you would..."
"Let's call the others."
They summoned one more time, this time calling Shiva, Ifrit, the Brothers, Pandemona, Tonberry, Cactuar and Doomtrain. They managed to summon the Queen of Ice away from the Fire master, thinking that would be very bad.
Seeing them all there, with their magical respective aura, they were far more impressive than when they would just attack then leave.
Squall turned to his friends.
"Thanks for helping the summoning, guys. Now proceed with the plan."
They saluted then Zell, Selphie, Quistis and Irvine left in two different directions.
"Hope they won't be too long. Meanwhile, I'll tell you all what I'm expecting from you... my friends..."
The GFs listened silently. Quezacoatl decided to land, like Diablos. Sometimes, Doomtrain would give a smoking sound.
"So now, I'm asking for your help but not to fight, to help us get our home back. I know it a lot to ask, but please! I'm asking in all the SeeD's and candidates name!"
Some GFs looked at each other and some at Akuma. He kept his opinion to himself. He would speak only if needed.
"I think we should do it," Shiva said walking forward with a freezing mist following her.
"Why?" Ifrit asked.
"Because they deserve it," Siren answered. "Some of us, including me, were trapped for a long time before beeing freed by these people. They didn't treat us as fighting machines, but as comrades, friends. As their friends, it's our duty to help."
"But I don't want to force anyone to stay and help. I f any of you want to leave, go. I'm asking for volunteers, not forced workers."
Siren turned to the others.
"They helped us get free in the past and treated us as equal. The least we could do is help them while they're in need. Any of you want to back out?"
After a quick look around, the GFs all nodded and showed what looked like a smile in some cases. They were agreeing.
Behind Squall, his friends and the students were jumping with hurrays.
"Thank you," Squall said bowing. "Thank you very much."
"No, thanks to you for freeing me," Siren said walking to him.
Despite the fact she was female, she was a GF and a little bigger than Squall. She placed a hand on his face and winked. Squall blushed.
"Thanks for never giving up hope as you fought for the sake of this world."
Squall was red as a tomato as Siren walked around him seducively. Rinoa frowned and Coran giggled.
"What are we waiting for then?" Tonberry asked with a small voice.
"We need chains. Some SeeDs went to get some. We'll start as soon as they get here. Meanwhile, I'll tell you what you'll have to do."
Squall told the swimming GFs, Leviathan and Akuma, that their part was the most important. Once they'd get the chains, the two GFs would first take Garden off the bottom, then the flying GFs would finish taking it to the surface. Pulling Garden all over could take it apart so Carbuncle would cast a Ruby Light on it to protect it. Then the others would have to pull it ashore. Shiva would cool down Doomtrain's wheels to keep it from overheating. Siren would sing to reinforce her comrades. It would be a different song of course.
"Hey," Seifer said. "Why didn't you called Eden? It would be done in a flash!"
"With it's velocity? Garden would never be able to handle the pressure. It's much too big!"
"I guess you're right."
The people sent to Galbadia Garden were coming back... with Galbadian vehicles pulling heavy looking chains behind them. The vehicles stopped and Quistis came down, saluting.
"Galbadian team back successfully, sir!" she said with a smile.
Irvine came down just behind her.
"I've lost the interest in Galbadia Garden, my home's Balamb."
Cid decided to leave the kids and join the winning team.
"So? How is it going?"
"We're waiting for Selphie to come back then we'll begin."
They didn't have to wait very long. They heard the caracteristic sound of the Ragnarok before they could see it. It landed far enough not to spread dust and sand around. Once it stopped, Squall and company ran to it. The hatch opened and Zell came down with Selphie.
"So?" Squall asked.
"So, give us a hand here, will ya? We don't have much but what we have is too heavy for us alone to carry."
Some heavy footsteps closened on them. They turned around and saw three pair of eyes looking at them.
"I'll help you," Cerberus offered.
Squall nodded.
They went inside to take chains out then Cerberus' three heads each grabbed a piece of some chains and pulled it to the shore.
Once everything was set, Squall took his leader part once again.
"Alright, now this will get tricky. We can't just fix the chains on Garden, we have to fix some inside as well. Akuma's too big and I don't think Leviathan could do it either. What we need to get down there is a human to fix them real carefully around strong structures or it won't hold together."
"I'll go," Coran offered.
"No way!" Seifer objected. "You travelled close enough to death today!"
"But!" she started.
"I'm not asking anyone to do this, I'll do it myself."
"Yeah right, you nearly died about as often as Coran today if not more!"
It seems Seifer had more to say so no one interfered. He took off his recently put on coat.
"I'll go. Let me be useful for a change."
Squall wanted to object but there was no way he could do it and Seifer volunteered so...
"Alright, Seifer, you're in."
Seifer looked at him and his lips pronounced a silent 'thank you' that only Squall saw.
"But the thing is you can't breath underwater and we don't have enough air left..."
"Yes we do!" someone cut in.
Xu broke through Squall's gang still trying to figure out what to do and handed him one of the breathing devices they used for the evacuation.
"This one's full of air, enough for an hour, but maybe you won't need that much."
"Hey!" Zell exclaimed. "I thought we used it all!"
"We did, but I recharged this one. It takes some time to get full, but it's not complicated. It has a pomping system so it fulls by itself."
"Thanks, that will keep me from drowning," Seifer said taking the device.
Akuma walked closer.
"Leviathan and I will give a hand. I'll take the chains and Leviathan will take the guy to save his strength."
"Fine with me," Seifer said.
Akuma grabbed a few chains in his mouth and walked to the water. Seifer walked to Leviathan already waiting for him when someone grabbed his arm. He turned around to meet a girl's scared face.
"Coran..."
"Be careful okay? If something happens... I don't think I'll have the power to take you out..."
"I'll be fine. I'll have too great GFs to watch my back."
"But if you get stuck, they won't be able to help..."
"You're telepathic aren't you? Is it taking too much of your energy? You could keep a link between us so if anything happens, you'll know."
Coran closed her eyes then nodded before opening them again. Seifer could feel her presence in his mind like before.
"See ya!" Seifer said before putting the breather in his mouth and diving along with Akuma and Leviathan.
Squall turned to Coran.
"I want you to keep contact with her, Rinoa, can you give her a hand?"
He didn't want to put too much pressure on his sister after so short time to recover.
Rinoa nodded and came to Coran's side.
"Of course!"
"Good. When you know Seifer is done, you tell me."
The girls nodded and stood next to each other on the beach and focused. Nothing would disturb their concentration.
Meanwhile, Seifer has reached Garden and was looking for some good spots to tie the chains to. He found a few stronger looking spots and started working. Once he judged it was strong enough, he went back to the swimming GFs and raised a thumb up.
"He's done," Coran and Rinoa said in the same time.
Coran fell on her knees but it was not from exhaustion as Squall and Rinoa first thought. It was from relief.
"Alright!" Squall said. "Carbuncle, can you cast your magic on Garden even if it's underwater? We can't afford to see it break down now."
"No problem," the little green guy said jumping up.
The red jewel on it's head started glowing then got bigger and spread a light on the spot where Garden sank. At this spot, the water started giving off a greenish light.
"Perfect! Quezacoatl, Bahamut and Diablos be ready to grab the chains as soon as the others surface with it."
The three flying GFs growled then flapped their wings to leave solid ground.
"It's up to you from this part. Then the others will take it over."
Leviathan and Akuma came through the water, Seifer on Akuma's back. Diablos being the only one with hands was the one to grab the chains and hand them to the other two. Then they started pulling with Leviathan and Akuma.
"We'll see what Garden's made off..." Squall said.
The only thing was to see if Garden would hold together or not. Some candidates were holding their breaths.
The chains were stiff and the water was giving off bubbles. They had long way to go until it would be close enough to let the ground GFs give a hand.
"They're not strong enough to pull it alone," Zell said.
"But what else can we do?" Squall asked turning to him. "They're the only water and flying GFs we have!"
A red light appeared behind them on the ground. Everyone moved away as a picture was drawn out of fire on the ground. Once it was complete, a red bird came out and spread it's wings.
"Phoenix!" Squall exclaimed with a smile.
The Gf flew to the others to lend a hand.
"Wow! He's come!" Selphie exclaimed.
"Huh?" Coran said clueless.
"Phoenix isn't really tamed," Squall explained. "He shows up randomely, when he feels like it."
"Maybe he thought it was necessary for him to show up," Rinoa supposed.
Phoenix went to join Quezacoatl, grabbind his chain with him.
The chains were shaking but it was working. When the top of Garden broke the surface, everyone jumped up with exclamations. Akuma went under to give it a push while Leviathan was trying to reach the shore and give the chain to the ground summons. Seifer jumped down and joined his friends as they were making some distance between them and the working GFs.
They all started pulling on the two chains they had. Carbuncle was keeping his light around Garden while the others were making two teams. Doomtrain at the end of one and Alexander at the end of the other. Shiva and Ifrit avoided being close to each other. Not that they didn't like each other just that they knew their weakness.
Shiva was using her magic sometimes on Doomtrain to cool him down while Siren was standing in front of the two pulling lines to sing a strength song.
"That's amazing..." Quistis said.
"I never saw anything like that!" Irvine stated.
"I did," Coran said.
Everyone turned to her.
"What did you say?" Seifer asked.
"I said I saw this before. In a book, all GFs working together to build this world under Hyne's command."
Squall walked close to her.
"Coran... where...?" he started.
"In a book, silly!" she said with a smile. "What? Did you think I saw this with my own eyes? Come on!"
She looked back at the scene.
"But this is much better than fade drawings..."
As the GFs were pulling, someone else decided to grant them with his presence: Gilgamesh. With his four arms, he had it to pull!
It took a long time to pull Garden far enough from the sea to be sure it wouldn't fall back in. It was surprising but it was back it's first shape, the way it was in the beginning before it could fly. That would help a lot to repair it.
The Brother dug a giant hole to place Garden inside so it would stand straight. Since their was an underground level, it had to be underground.
Everyone started clapping and jumping with exclamations.
The crew walked to the exhausted GFs.
"Well done," Squall said. "Thank you, thank you very much," he said bowing.
Everyone did the same.
"You earned a rest, a long rest," Squall added. "Thanks again."
"It was a pleasure," Shiva said.
"We're glad we could be of some help," Cerberus added.
"You can call on us again whenever you need us."
Squall saluted, mimiced by the others.
"We will."
Then all the GFs except for Akuma disappeared.
Note: Hey it's not over yet! The Epilogue is coming and it woun't be long! This chapter was the longest! At first I didn't want to make an epilogue, but I always had before so I decided to cut here. Wait for the epilogue!