Chapter II: Legacy of the Lionhearted
The magical cell lowered to the ground and the walls disappeared. Fujin and Raijin ran over to Seifer, congratulating him. Zell was the first one to make it over to Squall's lifeless body, Rinoa second. Zell knelt by his side, sighing and cursing lightly under his breath. Rinoa, however, dropped by his side and threw herself on him, crying and using whatever cure spells she could, to no avail. Zell glanced around at the others, who stood, staring at Squall's body, wearing sad, somber looks on their faces. He clenched his fists, wondering why nobody else cared like he and Rinoa did. Zell, in a blind fury, wrenched Lionheart from Squall's hands, spinning it several times to get used to the feel, and rushed at the "Disciplinary Committee", with Lionheart held high. Fujin turned just in time to throw her pinwheel at him, slowing him down some, but not nearly enough. Zell felt Fujin's pinwheel slice him, but ignored the pain, vowing upon his life to avenge Squall. Raijin quickly turned and tried to attack him, but Zell dodged with a quick pivot and slashed at him with the flat of Lionheart's blade, knocking Raijin to the ground. Zell turned to see Seifer running away, apparently too tired from his previous battle to continue fighting. At that moment, Fujin hurled her pinwheel at Zell, but not fast enough. Zell calmly positioned the blade of Lionheart at the correct block angle, stood unmoving. Fujin's pinwheel struck the blade of Lionheart square onto the blade, and split in half before it managed to reach Zell's body. Raijin scrambled up to stand, and dashed off after Seifer, as did Fujin.
Irvine, still standing next to Squall's body, noticed something immensely different about Zell. There was a calmer, more controlled air about him, and it made him less "Zell-like". Irvine gasped to himself as he realized who Zell now reminded him of, "Squall!" he shouted out loud. The others around him heard, turning to face him. Irvine turned to look at them and tried to explain. "Zell's becoming just like Squall! Can't you guys tell?" He looked around at everyone, seeing their eyes widen as they began to understand… Squall's spirit had been moved to Zell. They stared as Zell walked back over to them. Zell let out a sigh and stared at Squall's body, kneeling down as he took Squall's necklace and ring, putting them on himself. He held Griever in his palm, shutting his eyes for a moment. Without a word, he walked off, resuming his hunt for Seifer and the rest of the Disciplinary Committee.
Seifer, Fujin and Raijin rushed back to Galbadia Garden as fast as they could. Seifer and Raijin cursed wildly, never expecting to see Zell become so serious. He was different; that much was clear. Seifer, despite his exhaustion, reached the entrance to Galbadia Garden first. He rushed inside and made his way to the old, run down cafeteria, Raijin and Fujin following close behind. The two of them saw Seifer, his hands on his knees, gasping for breath. "He's never been like that. That's not the chicken-wuss I used to know…" Seifer managed to say through heavy pants for air. Raijin nodded, fetching several glasses of water for himself and two extra glasses for Seifer and Fujin. "Yeah…" was all he could manage to say. Fujin took a seat at a table, apparently deep in thought. Seifer took the glass of water from Raijin graciously, yet with a sense of urgency, finishing it in only several gulps. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he sat down at the table, motioning for Raijin to take a seat. "We have to plan… they're not taking Squall's death like I expected – not all of them, at least."
The magical cell lowered to the ground and the walls disappeared. Fujin and Raijin ran over to Seifer, congratulating him. Zell was the first one to make it over to Squall's lifeless body, Rinoa second. Zell knelt by his side, sighing and cursing lightly under his breath. Rinoa, however, dropped by his side and threw herself on him, crying and using whatever cure spells she could, to no avail. Zell glanced around at the others, who stood, staring at Squall's body, wearing sad, somber looks on their faces. He clenched his fists, wondering why nobody else cared like he and Rinoa did. Zell, in a blind fury, wrenched Lionheart from Squall's hands, spinning it several times to get used to the feel, and rushed at the "Disciplinary Committee", with Lionheart held high. Fujin turned just in time to throw her pinwheel at him, slowing him down some, but not nearly enough. Zell felt Fujin's pinwheel slice him, but ignored the pain, vowing upon his life to avenge Squall. Raijin quickly turned and tried to attack him, but Zell dodged with a quick pivot and slashed at him with the flat of Lionheart's blade, knocking Raijin to the ground. Zell turned to see Seifer running away, apparently too tired from his previous battle to continue fighting. At that moment, Fujin hurled her pinwheel at Zell, but not fast enough. Zell calmly positioned the blade of Lionheart at the correct block angle, stood unmoving. Fujin's pinwheel struck the blade of Lionheart square onto the blade, and split in half before it managed to reach Zell's body. Raijin scrambled up to stand, and dashed off after Seifer, as did Fujin.
Irvine, still standing next to Squall's body, noticed something immensely different about Zell. There was a calmer, more controlled air about him, and it made him less "Zell-like". Irvine gasped to himself as he realized who Zell now reminded him of, "Squall!" he shouted out loud. The others around him heard, turning to face him. Irvine turned to look at them and tried to explain. "Zell's becoming just like Squall! Can't you guys tell?" He looked around at everyone, seeing their eyes widen as they began to understand… Squall's spirit had been moved to Zell. They stared as Zell walked back over to them. Zell let out a sigh and stared at Squall's body, kneeling down as he took Squall's necklace and ring, putting them on himself. He held Griever in his palm, shutting his eyes for a moment. Without a word, he walked off, resuming his hunt for Seifer and the rest of the Disciplinary Committee.
Seifer, Fujin and Raijin rushed back to Galbadia Garden as fast as they could. Seifer and Raijin cursed wildly, never expecting to see Zell become so serious. He was different; that much was clear. Seifer, despite his exhaustion, reached the entrance to Galbadia Garden first. He rushed inside and made his way to the old, run down cafeteria, Raijin and Fujin following close behind. The two of them saw Seifer, his hands on his knees, gasping for breath. "He's never been like that. That's not the chicken-wuss I used to know…" Seifer managed to say through heavy pants for air. Raijin nodded, fetching several glasses of water for himself and two extra glasses for Seifer and Fujin. "Yeah…" was all he could manage to say. Fujin took a seat at a table, apparently deep in thought. Seifer took the glass of water from Raijin graciously, yet with a sense of urgency, finishing it in only several gulps. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he sat down at the table, motioning for Raijin to take a seat. "We have to plan… they're not taking Squall's death like I expected – not all of them, at least."
