AN: I'm baacckk! *hears crickets chirp in the background.* Whoa. That long, huh?
Anyway, I just started my sophomore year of university…main reason why I haven't updated. BUT I am writing, it's just a matter of time for me to get to the computer and type…
Valefor: Or, you just rot your brain cells playing Kingdom Hearts and Legaia 2: Duel Saga when you are SUPPOSED to be typing!
Lady t: HEY! How did you get in this?
Valefor: :p
Lady t: *kisses teeth.* Never mind. AND, if anyone's played or is playing those 2 games, I don't think they would blame me! Yeesh…how the heck did I get stuck with you?!
Lady t's roommate: *sticks head through door* T.K.? Who are you talking to?
Valefor: *disappears*
Lady t: Nobody!
Chapter Nineteen
Quistis eyed Squall. The group had left Esthar early that morning, and was currently enroute to Trabia. Squall had reverted to his normal silent self, and hadn't said a word since they had left. Quistis was sure that the main reason was Rinoa. Before they had left, Laguna had informed them that Rinoa's condition had taken a turn for the worse, and she had been moved into the special chamber designed for her and Julia.
"Hey." Zell said, interrupting Quistis' train of thought. "I'm getting something from Trabia Garden." He flipped a switch, and the voice of Byron Alexander filled the cockpit.
"Trabia Garden to Ragarnok, do you read?"
"This is the Ragarnok. Go ahead, By!" Selphie chirped.
"We've got a problem here. I'm afraid that you can't come to the Garden."
"WHAT?!"
"We're being besieged by monsters."
"Can't you handle a couple of Mesmerizes and Gaylas?!" Irvine asked, exasperated.
"Not when the Mesmerizes look like they're been drenched in black ink, are sporting fangs, and are casting double Ultimas back to back, and the Gaylas are casting Flare and Pain spells." Byron retorted. "At least a third of my SeeDs are in the Infirmary with wounds ranging from cuts and bruises to third-degree burns."
"Oh my…" Quistis said.
"We think the monsters are starting to spread out."
"Squall, what are we gonna do?" Zell asked.
"We have to continue as planned. I'd like to help them out, but we can't. Bryon, can you get the Garden out of there?"
"Yes."
"See if you can head for the coast. We'll see if we can get some help for you."
"Right. Trabia out." Squall turned to Zell.
"Get in touch with the White SeeDs and Balamb Garden. Tell them to head for Trabia, it's a Level Three emergency."
"What about Galbadia Garden?" Quistis asked. Squall shot a look over at Irvine, who nodded.
"Let them know."
"Raine! Raine, wake up!"
"Mmmpphh…wha?"
"We're moving! Wake up!" Raine blinked.
"Wha…what's going on?" She asked, sitting up.
"We're flying. I think everyone's on board."
Squall rolled his shoulders.
"You okay?" Irvine asked.
"Yeah, I just got a funny feeling, that's all." Unbidden, the image of the bruntte-haired girl he had chased earlier flotated to the surface of his mind.
"Huh?" He shook his head. "Where did that come from?" The spaceship suddered, causing him to grab onto a seat for balance.
"What the…"
"All the controls are out!" Selphie exclamined.
"I'm not picking anything up on the radar!" Zell said.
"Can you get us down?" Quistis asked.
"Yeah, but it's not gonna be easy. Get in your seats and buckle up!"
Raine grabbed onto a railing.
"What's going on?"
"I dunno, but I don't think it's safe for us to be here!" Celes said. Moving sideways across the wall, the trio left the room and headed for the passenger deck.
The massive spaceship plummeted towards the ground. Inside, Selphie was manuipluating the controls, trying her best to level out the ship so that they could land safely.
"Hang on!" There was a massive jolt as the Ragarnok hit the ground, belly-first. The ship plowed forward, uprooting trees and upturning earth. A loud screeching sound sound could be heard throughout the cabin as Selphie activated the brakes, trying to bring the Ragarnok to a stop. Finally, after what seemed an eternity to the passangers inside, the spaceship shurddered to a halt.
Lights flickered on and off on the passenger deck as Raine pulled herself up from the floor.
"Oww…Guys? Celes? I.J.?"
"Mommy, I wanna get off now."
"Raine? I think I.J. hit his head." Celes called.
"Now you just see that?" Raine muttered, moving towards the sound of I.J.'s voice.
"Tifa?"
"No fool, it's me, Raine!"
"Go easy on him girl." Celes said. Her groping fingers found the door switch, and pushed it.
"Everybody alright?"
"Yeah."
"I'm ok."
"I never want to do that again."
"Join the club." There was a hiss as the door opened.
"Ssshh!" Raine, Celes, and I.J. all froze as the sound of voices echoed throughout the ship.
"The eleveator's stuck."
"Well, what do you expect? The power's out!"
"I am suddenly afraid for any girl you met, Zell." At the sound of Quistis' voice, the teens pressed themselves into the wall as closely as they could, Raine's hand clamping around I.J.'s mouth to keep him quiet. In front of them, two shillotes dropped down.
"Guess we better see how bad the damage is." Raine inhaled sharply as she saw her father nod in response. I.J. shifted position.
"Mmmph."
"What was that?"
"Aw crap!" Moving as quickly and quietly as possible, Celes and Raine backed into the passenger deck, Raine dragging I.J. along. Just momets later, a flashlight beam hit the spot where they had just been.
"Nothing's there. Must have been in the ship or something." Raine let loose the breath she had been holding as the footsteps receded away.
"Too close. Let's get out of here."
The pognosis wasn't good. When Squall and Irvine returned to meet the others, who had then relocated outside, bad news accompanied them.
"The main and secondary systems are out. In fact, the only thing working is the emergency beacon, and that's only because it runs on battery. Other than that…"
"We can't get out of here." Quistis finished. Irvine nodded. "The becaon's activated, so help should come shortly."
"We can't wait around." Squall said. "Selphie, see if you can leave anything telling the resue party where we are." The girl nodded and went back into the ship. "Quistis, you and Zell grab whatever's svangeable from the supplies."
"Not hanging around for long?" Irvine asked, understanding. Squall nodded.
"You're lucky this is just a bruise." Raine said, casting Cura on I.J.'s head.
"Aahhh…much better."
"I got the stuff!" Celes called, holding up the bags. She walked over to them. "How's I.J. doing?"
"Better. Did you see them?"
"Yeah. They're starting to get their stuff together too." Raine loaded the bullet chamber of her Gunblade.
"Right, let's go then."
The five friends left the Ragarnok shortly afterwards, Raine, I.J., and Celes trailing not too far behind. Making sure that the monsters that roamed the area didn't notice them, Squall and the others soon arrived at the entrance to the castle.
"Jeez…" Selphie whispered, moving closer to Irvine.
"I agree….I can feel it too." Irvine said, pulling Selphie closer to him.
"This place makes Utlimecia's castle look like a doghouse." Quistis said, looking up. The spires of the towers seemed to sterch on forever.
"How are we gonna find the sorceress in this? It looks hopeless…no, don't think that way! We're gonna find her, and save Rinoa!" Squall didn't say anything, just looked at the double doors that made up the entrance.
"Rinoa's in there…" Automatically, his left hand curled as he stroked the finger where Griever had been.
"Hang on…I'm coming…"
Raine took a deep breath.
"You ok?" I.J. asked.
"Yeah…Jeez! There's so much evil energy around this place it's not even funny!" The girl thought.
"Your dad and everyone else are at the doors." Celes said, looking through a pair of bincoloars.
"What's the plan from here on in?" I.J. asked. Raine straightened.
"I…I don't know really. All I know is that we have to protect my dad."
"From what?" Celes asked. Raine hung her head.
"I…I don't know."
"The new sorceresss?" I.J. asked.
"No…" Raine shook her head. "Not from her."
"Something else?" Celes inquired. Raine paused for a minute, brows knitted together in concentration, then looked up and nodded.
"Maybe…I'm really sorry guys."
"Sorry for what?"
"I've dragged you into a dangerous situation and I don't even know what the danger is. Maybe I should send you back."
"Uh uh. No way." I.J. said. "We knew you didn't know exactly why you had to come here, the only thing you knew was that you had to protect your dad."
"You're not putting us in any danger, Raine. We know that you'll figure it out sooner or later." Celes piped in. "And in the meantime, we'll watch your back." Raine smiled.
"Thanks guys."
"Well then ladies…" I.J. said, rubbing his hands together. "Shall we?" Raine looked ahead. The doors had opened, and her father and his friends were going in. She turned to face I.J. and Celes.
"Let's go." Turning her face forward, she sighed.
"Daddy…"
Squall suddenly stiffened. Whirling around, he stared at the hill overlooking the castle.
"Squall? What's wrong?"
"I thought I heard that girl's voice again…"
"Squall?" Squall quickly shook his head and looked over at Quistis.
"I thought I heard something, that's all. Might have been my imagination."
"Wow, I didn't know you had an imagination, Squall." Zell remarked.
"What was that?"
"Nothing!" Everybody snickered quietly as Squall hit Zell upside the head.
"Hey! Watch the brain cells!"
"Last time I checked, you didn't have any." Squall retored, walking down the hallway.
"HEY!" Zell bellowed, running after him. Irvine, Selphie, and Quistis took up the rear, snickering.
Somewhere above the castle…
The creature that had haunted Squall and Raine in their dreams watched as an image projected the five friends walking down the hallway.
"Soon…soon…" A clawed hand reached out and crushed the image of Squall, causing it to turn into mist. "Your time will soon be up, Leonhart…"