Chapter IV
"Sniff… this part is awfully leaky…" Lotar said.
"It's not leaky! It's just touching…" Boko said.
"Are you through arguing about feelings?" TK sarcased both.
~*~*~*~
"So, what's our next move?" Vermillion asked Squall.
"I'm not sure… There's a lot at hand right now." He replied.
They had all gathered at Biggs' office to discuss what to do next; it was two days after
that party the guys had been to.
"I suggest we go find Serpent. It'll take time to get him give us the info he has."
Quistis said.
"No, Zelenick might wanna have Squall fight again like the way he had him against
that fucking Iron Giant." Zell said. "And if Squall's not around, he might get
suspicious."
Duke made a few nods, and grimaced.
"Duke thinks Squall has already became a pain to Zelenick, and he'll want to get rid
of him." Quistis translated.
"Yeah, Duke's right." Biggs said. "However, Tedious thinks Zelenick is losing it.
Rinoa is still holding on, thank God, and won't give in to him, not to mention the rest
of the resistance factions. They're starting to get more active."
"Yes; just last night a faction in Deling attacked a storage house and stole four crates
of weapons and ammunition." Wedge said.
"If things are going like this, Zelenick is in real trouble." Selphie commented.
"Yeah, but he's still kicking back." Irvine said. "After the attack at the storehouse,
Zelenick had ten captured men shot; not a very pleasant view, believe me." Irvine had
been present at the execution, to take pictures secretly and record the situation.
"Right…" Vermillion said.
Squall thought intensively. "I have the feeling we're running out of time."
"What? Time? Why, is anyone chasing us?" Zell asked.
Duke made a few nods again. This time, Squall understood them.
"Duke's right. Zelenick's gonna go outta control. There's no tell what he could do if
he goes berserk. No matter how hard she resists, Rinoa is always under Zelenick's
threat. He can always kill her to take her Sorceress powers. He's a cruel man; if he
can't get both, he'll content himself with just Rinoa's powers. And if he does, who
can stop him…"
"That means…we go looking for Serpent?" Selphie asked.
"Yes. And the sooner we get to him, the better." Squall said. "Vermillion, I want you
stay here, and if Zelenick asks for me, pretend to be me. You're a good fighter,
although I doubt he'll want a rematch. We're gonna play all of our cards now, before
it's too late. If we're gonna do something we'll do it now, before everything gets torn
down."
Vermillion nodded. "Don't you worry about me, I'll handle that baby."
~*~*~*~
Squall and the others headed for the shipwreck of the 'Evening Star' to find the man
that could help them, or lead them to disaster. They used a small ship to reach the old
shipwreck that was still halted on a coral reef. It was old and rusted, and Squall
doubted if there was anything living on it. They got close, and Zell saw something
moving on it.
"Guys, stay here, I'll first go on my own. He may not trust a big group." Squall said.
He went on board the tilted ship. The whole deck was rusted and in shambles. He had
to walk carefully. A dart flew by him, and plunged in the deck.
"Shit." He thought. "Hello! Serpent, are you here! I'm a friend, my name's Squall
Leonhart, I'm here to talk with you!"
A mid aged man revealed himself from the shadows. He was thin and awfully pale.
"Who d' ya say you are? Squall Leonhart? Neva heard of you. I've been stranded on
this ship for eight years!"
"I know! I need to talk to you!"
"Oh really? And whose sending ya? My old buddy Zelenick perhaps?"
"No! But, I'm here to talk to you about him!"
Serpent came close to Squall.
"Whatdaya want?"
Squall explained.
~*~*~*~
"Yikes, that Serpent guy must have been awfully creepy!" Boko said. "My feathers
stood on end when I imagined him!"
"Hah! I wasn't sacred a bit!" Lotar said.
"Quiet." Angelo growled.
~*~*~*~
"So, you wan the files I made on this fucking wreck to bring him down?"
"Yes. I'll get you off it, and give you anything you need in exchange."
"…" Serpent thought. Then he suddenly coughed and fell to a knee. "Arg…I'm
awfully sick, but I don't want anything." He said. "Listen, I reckon you're doing this
for the sake of protecting something. I admire that. I never had such a chance. So I'll
give it to you. I'll die in a few days anyway due to my illness. It's my punishment for
my life, so I abide with it. Now listen. The disc you want, I've stored it in my chest.
So, give me a quick end, and then take it. Nah, don't worry; you'll do me good, just
do it quick. The password to unlock the file and translate the data is 'Vengeance is
mine'. Yeah, the part from the Bible. Now, gimme a minute to pray, and then get rid
of me." Serpent said and knelt down.
He prayed for a moment, under Squall's eyes.
He felt admiration for this man, and as much as he didn't want to do it, he would grant
his request. Serpent waited for his end. Squall drew his Gunblade and closed his eyes.
A tear flew as the blade made a sound, cutting the head.
After finishing his sad task, he took the disc, and left, the regrets on his mind. "I
could have saved that man…"
~*~*~*~
"Gee…now I really feel sorry for that Serpent guy…he was good after all." Boko
said.
"Well, it's usually the innocent ones that pay the price of others' rise in power, feather
bag." TK said, annoyed with Boko's continuous interruptions.
"Come on TK, don't be so hard on them…" Angelo said.
"If they decide to let me finish, I'll be very nice to them." The robot replied, looking
at the wry faces the two little creatures had pulled.
"Anyway, the story is halfway through, and by that time, things had gotten rather tight
around master Squall and the others. All of Galbadia knew him as Jeremiah the
gladiator, and many rumors spread about him. Others claimed to have seen his face,
but no one was close to the truth. Meanwhile, the one named Tedious Avan died in
the Palace's dungeons, because Zelenick found out-somehow- Tedious was betraying
him." Angelo said.
"Oh no! That's not fair! Why should he die when he helped master and the rest so
much?!" Boko said disappointed.
"As I've said before, Zelenick was a cruel man, and his paranoia had started to show.
And it was a sick, inhuman paranoia. He ordered slaughters in the colosseum arena,
throwing unarmed prisoners from the D-District Prison the monsters. The people
started fearing him, but the higher classes still were loyal to him, because he let them
do as they pleased." Angelo continued.
"Angelo, I have a question…" Lotar said. "What about the other countries? Estar,
Balamb? What did they do?"
"A sensible question Lotar, bravo. Well, President Laguna was watching his son's
activities from afar. Master Squall had asked him not to interfere, and Laguna had
obeyed him, fearing mostly about staring a new Sorceress War, than just putting the
lives of many people in danger. So he had sighed a treaty with Galbadia, agreeing
over diplomatic and commercial activities between the two countries. As for
Balamb…Zelenick wasn't interested in that 'little island' as he called it, unless they
were sheltering any of his enemies, that's why Balamb gave away any rebels on its
land. Trabia…Trabia kept a distance from all that. Trabia Garden had been re-located,
and hidden in snowy mountain plains, unapproachable by Zelenick's reach, but
following the advice of the Shumi Elder; it had also signed a treaty with Galbadia. As
for the Shumis, they had their village safe underground, and Zelenick knew they had
some sort of power of their own to protect themselves from any harm, and preferred
to leave them alone for the time being." Angelo said.
"(Sigh)…It's hard to believe all this happened in such a short period of time." Boko
sighed.
"Indeed; but, let me continue now…" TK said.
~*~*~*~
"Rinoa! Rinoa!" Squall shouted.
"I'm here Squall!! Can't you hear me!?" Rinoa cried back. "Keep calling me Squall!
I'll find you!!"
"No." he said. He was near her, but she couldn't see him. She turned, her hair being
taken by the wind, and wiping her face. The man in black from the party was standing
before her, but the face under the white mask was invisible, as if the costume were
empty.
"W-who are you?" Rinoa said.
"You know me."
"Asmodeus?"
"…"
"Isn't it…isn't it you…the guy from the party?"
The man nodded.
"WHO ARE YOU!?" Rinoa yelled at him. "Who are you goddamn it?! I keep seeing
you in my dreams and I can't figure who you are!"
"You know me." The man repeated.
"…Squall?…" No response. Rinoa was all-alone on the flower field, but with a
promise echoing in her ears.
"I'll be waiting for you, like I always do, and like you always do."
Waiting…He always waited for her when she slept late on Sundays, or when they
raced around Garden…he'd almost always slow down at the end, to let her win, but
there were days he was depressed and would just speed off, his hair flying like a mane
over his face. He was a better runner than her… he always waited for her inside a
shop when she took long to pick what she wanted, and never complained. He never
grudged her or complained to her about her odds, but instead, he always said her odds
were one of the millions of things he liked on her, and so he put up with them, as she
put up with him in overall, and always said those words with a hint of a smile, and an
amusing glitter in his eyes.
Waiting…She always waited for him at their dates, and was never ever in time…she
always waited for him when he was challenged by other card players, or when he'd
knock something over and stop to pick it up. And Squall often knocked things,
especially when she was around…he was clumsy, but strangely, it hadn't showed
much during the time they were all together. It was a boyish clumsiness, that came
back from his childhood and Rinoa adored it, just like she adored sneaking in his
room to see him sleep. He was so cute when he slept, calm and tranquil.
…Waiting…
"Squall?…I…I can't wait any longer! I'm so tired! And, I'm scared. I want you to
hug me; I want to see you so bad!! Why can't you get with Ellone and come to me,
like back then?!" Rinoa cried out, but knew it was hopeless.
After the events with Ultimecia, Ellone had mysteriously lost her special power. Dr. Odine said the power was given to her for the purpose of defeating Ultimecia, and since it's duty was over,
it had left her. He couldn't find any other explanation.
"Squall!!!" Rinoa cried out as it became dark again, like it always did in her dreams
lately…
~*~*~*~
"Squall!" Rinoa cried out as she sat up in bed quickly. She was sweating, and panted.
Her hair stuck on her wet face. She tried to get a hold of herself, but she knew she was
crying. She saw this dream almost every night, and she always woke shouting out
Squall's name.
The door opened with a crack, and Remus' peeped in.
"…Rinny…" he said, sleepily.
"Oh, I'm sorry Remus, I woke you up again…"
"It's ok…" the boy said with a yawn, and went over to Rinoa's bed. "I'm not sleeping
well either."
"Why?"
"I keep thinking about Uncle Zelenick…he's…really mean lately…He slapped me the
other day…cause I cheered for Jeremiah at the colosseum…"
"I know Remus…I know…He yelled at me too."
"I'm starting to hate him too…"
"Remus…"
"I know you hate him, Rinny. You're almost yelling it out. I'm getting to hate him
too."
"…"
Angelo also woke up, yawned, scratched himself, and then leapt on the bed with
Rinoa and Remus. Rinoa stroked his thick, soft fur.
"We woke you up too, huh…?" she said.
Angelo whined.
"…Maybe I can make your mood a little." Remus said.
Rinoa turned to him. "Hmmm? What?"
Remus searched his pijama's pockets a little, and then took out a ring. "Here…Squall
gave it to me yesterday, but with that slap uncle gave me, I forgot about it. Sorry."
Rinoa took it, gasping. "This is my dad's wedding ring." She said. "That means he
saw him. I hope dad's ok…" she felt more blue than before.
"Are you feeling better Rinny?"
She didn't want to disappoint the boy. "Sure I do Remus. Thank you. Hey, you can
sleep on my bed if you want…yes Angelo, so can you." Rinoa giggled. "Just don't
wet my bed, any of you!"
Remus burst a laughter, and blushed. He sometimes wet his bed.
~*~*~*~
"I bet you my feathers Zelenick is in a real thunderstorm by now, huh?" Boko said.
"Yes. He was." Angelo replied.
~*~*~*~
Squall was skeptical when he and the rest returned to Deling City, and Biggs'
academy. He was planning his next move. There were many things at hand. First of
all, Zelenick wanted to see Jeremiah fight again, and this time, it was versus a
Behemoth, suffering from ravies. Jeremiah got seriously injured during the process,
but he managed to kill the Behemoth after making it fall to the ground by throwing his
shield at its legs. Due to it's heavy weight, it couldn't get up easily, and Squall
managed to run up to it, and cut a big wound on it's throat, before it could get up and
cast a Meteor spell on him, which he managed to withstand, as the Behemoth finally
died of bleeding.
"Another outstanding battle Jeremiah…I am impressed…" Zelenick said to himself,
as Jeremiah staggered to the dungeons, supported by Duke. "You're starting to
become a pain in the ass idiot…but, once you give me a reason, I'll kill you with my
own hands…"
Rinoa looked at Zelenick, trying to read his thoughts. She knew it
wasn't good, and it was about the gladiator named Jeremiah.
~*~*~*~
"AHHHH!" Squall yelled as Vermillion pulled a Behemoth claw from his side.
"Ah, shit! This fucking claw won't come out!" Vermillion said, wiping his forehead.
Squall bit hard the cloth he put in his mouth, trying not to yell in pain as Vermillion
kept pulling the claw harder, making Squall groan, the sound being chocked by the
cloth.
"Gosh Vermillion, hurry up. He's losing blood, and the pain is killing him!" Quistis
said.
"I know, but if I pull hard and quickly, I'll pull out his bone too!" Vermillion said.
The claw had plunged right on the side bone, and had broken it.
The claw finally came out, with a terrible sucking sound, and a crash, making Squall
gasp from pain. "Finally! We're almost over buddy, keep calm!" Vermillion said.
A fountain of blood pumped out.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Vermillion cursed as he placed a thick cloth on the wound.
"Quistis, your turn!"
Selphie came staggering from the bathroom, where she had been vomiting from the
sight of Squall's wound, with the big, black claw stuck in his flesh.
"Are you over?" she said.
"Almost. But keep away, it's still disgusting." Quistis told her.
"Oh…" Selphie moaned and fell on a chair, looking away.
They had moved Squall to Biggs' office, where they could take care of him. It was
really late at night, and everyone else was sleeping.
"Good thing we have Quistis' White Wind." Selphie said.
"White Wind!" Quistis casted as Vermillion removed the cloth from the wound. The
blood stopped, and the wound was closed.
Squall breathed deeply. "…I still hurt like hell."
"You'll be fine in a little." Vermilion said, wiping his hands.
"I say you get some rest, till Zell and Irvine get into those files." Biggs said, nodding
with his head at the two guys that were working over the computer.
Zell was trying as much as he could. After entering the first password, he had to do
many unzipping, clear the files from viruses, and crack other passwords.
"Got it! We're in!" Zell said in the end and everyone cheered. He had managed to get
into the files Serpent had created. Pictures, articles, secret documents and anything
they needed were recorded on the disc.
"Great job Zell!" Irvine told him.
"Good job. Now that we have the files, all we need to do is broadcast them."
Vermillion said.
"The only channel left is the Imperial Channel, but Zelenick has it under his control."
Quistis said. "They'll only broadcast what he allows."
"I suggest a thunderbolt operation: You go in, you broadcast, and you're gone with
the wind before they know it." Biggs said.
"It's a good idea, and with the Ragnarok we can pull it off." Irvine said.
"Ok, we'll go, but I want us to split in two teams after we leave the channel. You will
head to the palace to get Rinoa and Remus outta there, and I go to the colosseum of
Deling. I'll wait for Zelenick there." Squall said.
"W-what?" Zell gasped.
"I'm going to challenge Zelenick to a personal duel. The winner takes it all."
"Are you mad or something!?" Selphie screamed. "Who knows if Zelenick won't
appear with five truckloads of soldiers to get rid off you!?"
Squall smiled. "Do you really think the army will obey a criminal Selphie?"
Selphie gasped.
"Let's assume that Zelenick will eventually appear alone. What the fuck will we do if
he kills you!?" Vermillion said.
"…That's something I haven't thought of, so simply, I'll make sure he loses. I'm not
going to kill him." Squall replied.
"WHAT!?!?!" They all gasped and Duke made illegible gestures with his hands and
weird exclamation sounds.
"After all he's done to you, you'll let that piece of shit live!?" Zell bawled.
"Yes. If I kill him, I'm no better than him. He'll be given to the people to trial him.
That's the right thing to be done. I think their gonna kill him anyway."
"…Fine, it's your decision man." Irvine sighed. "We'll take the Ragnarok, and go get
Rinoa and Remus outta that ditch Zelenick's got them in. But first, it's show time!!"
~*~*~*~
The Imperial Channel's major broadcast building was based on the west coast of
Galbadia. The building distinguished in the horizon, as the Ragnarok flew silently
across the skies to reach it, through the dim, red light of the sunset.
Zell and Selphie were piloting, the rest wondering the horizon ahead of them, Squall
thinking about the bust-in they were gonna make. It was very dangerous, and the risk
to be caught was great, but that least bothered him. Duke, in his silence, read Squall's
mind. He made a few gestures to assure the young man. Squall smiled.
"Thanks Duke. I guess you're right. Everything's gone fine till now. Why should it
screw up now?" he said.
"Activating Retro-Deviation System. Everyone stand by, we're nearly there!" Quistis
reported.
They got ready, and their senses were enticed, their hearts beating faster from anxiety:
what they were about to attempt was clear madness.
"If anyone knew about this, he'd think we've flushed our brains down the toilet…they
oughta lock us up in the looneytick house!" Zell said.
"No kiddin'!" Vermillion agreed.
The Ragnarok, undetected under the Retro Deviation System, landed on the roof of
the channel. They all unboarded. Squall gave out some last, silent orders, and they ran
to the hatch that led downstairs, to the main station.
~*~*~*~
"I'm so anxious about what's gonna happen that I'm gonna chew on my claws!" Lotar
commented.
~*~*~*~
Rinoa and Zelenick were again arguing at the palace, this time, about Remus.
"No, no and no, I won't accept you treating Remus like you are just because he
admires someone!" Rinoa said loudly.
"He admires a man I hate, but can't get rid off! He's a thorn in my side!" Zelenick
replied.
"I wish he was a thorn up your ass!!" she said sternly, surprising even herself.
Zelenick was also dumbfounded of her language.
"Look what you forced me say. I hate you for that, and I hate you for all you've done
to me." Rinoa said, more calmly now, having taken control of herself.
Zelenick half closed his eyes from anger. "I still love you."
"No, you don't and I know it well Nick. All you love is power. Power brings
responsibilities and need for clear thought, but you lack both."
"…" Zelenick did not reply.
The TV in the room was on, although none of them watched it. There was a news
broadcast, and the announcer was saying something about the recent discovery of a
new gold mine. Suddenly, there was noise in the studio, and someone placed a knife
on the announcer's neck.
"GULP!!" he groaned.
"Step back, and everything's cool…" a voice said. Rinoa and Zelenick turned to the
screen, gasping.
The man that came ahead on the screen wore that white plaster mask, and he spoke
softly and smoothly, but yet strongly. The other man that was with him was Irvine.
"I-Irvine!!" Rinoa gasped in a whisper.
"People of Galbadia, listen to me." The man with the mask said. "The time for you to
know the truth about the person ruling you has come. Open your eyes and ears, and
open your minds. The pictures and articles you'll see now, prove that your former
Emperor, Emperor Zelenick is a criminal, having started from early age, and till today
being the same criminal he was before: Black Jack."
"WHAT!?!?!" Zelenick yelled in anger, but remained motionless.
Rinoa was silent; she listened to that man, guessing who it was, and letting tears flow
down her eyes.
The screen switched to pictures and short videos of Zelenick in different crimes.
"People of Galbadia, stand up to the man that is nothing but a life taking murderer;
stand up to him, and win your freedom, and your right for a democratic government,
which you will have chosen. Don't let him rule you as Vinzer Deling did, as the
Sorceress did, manipulating you with tricks, and fooling your minds with pleasure."
He said and took the mask off. He lifts his other hand and moved a strand of hair off
his eyes.
"Zelenick, you know who I am, and who I am not. Come and confront me alone at the
Colosseum of Deling. I know you want me. I'm giving you a change to get me. Come
duel me, if you have the guts." Squall said.
"We have to flee now, as the guards are already on our tails, so excuse us." Irvine
added in, as Zell came in the picture, pulling them saying: "Cm'on we gotta hit it
now!!"
"I'll be waiting…" Squall said as he dashed after the rest.
Rinoa looked at Zelenick.
His face was deformed from anger.
~*~*~*~
"Shit-shit-shit! They caught us!!" Vermillion said as a bullet flew over his head.
"Run to the roof! Don't stop!" Zell yelled. There were too many guards for them to
handle.
"Squall! Hurry up! They may send patrol aircrafts!" Quistis said through the
communication. She and Selphie had stayed in the Ragnarok, ready to take off.
"Oh, shit! They're ahead of us!" Vermillion said.
"Outta my way!" Irvine said out loud and fired at the guards that tried to cut their
way.
Five men fell, and Zell kicked one off the staircase, while Duke sent another flying
with a punch.
"They're tagging us!" Vermillion said.
"Leave it to me!" Squall said, and quickly reached for a dead soldier's vest, and took
a grenade from there. He pulled the trigger, and drooped in the way of the troop that
pursued them.
"Wow, duck for cover!!" Zell yelled, as the explosion demolished the lower end of
the staircase, cutting the way off.
They secured themselves on the top end of the staircase, and fired spells at the
surviving soldiers below, which answered with gunfire.
"My game baby!" Irvine said and opened a case he carried with him. "A Bazooka!!"
He loaded it with a missile, put it on his shoulder, and after a careful aim, fired.
"There! From production to consumption!!" he laughed as the missile blew up the
troop that had them cornered.
Squall giggled secretly. "Man…that Irvine. He almost never looses his good spirit…"
Taking advantage of the ruckus, they fled through the corridors, as the stair was now
out of order.
"Quistis! Get off the roof and come by the main exit!" Squall told her through the
communication.
"Roger!" she replied and with Selphie took off.
They ran as fast as they could, avoiding or surprising guards in their way. They had
almost reached the exit when a bullet hit Duke on the back. He fell face down, and
Squall turned back to help him.
"Go ahead!! I'll buy some time!" he shouted at the rest.
He unleashed a Renzokuken at the troop, hitting each soldier just once, but blowing
them all off. He helped Duke get up.
"Duke! Are you alright!?" he told his friend. "Duke!"
Duke looked at him through the eyes, and Squall felt Duke entering his mind.
"D-Duke?" Squall said.
"This is where my road has ended Squall." Duke said in Squall's mind.
"W-what's this?"
"I have the gift, to enter the minds of people that open their minds to me. Thank you
for allowing me to know you Squall and opening your mind to me, but my time has
come."
"N-no! You can't just die!!"
"Oh, yes I can. Everyone must, even the immortals. But, you have to live now, for the
sake of Galbadia. I know I've created you many questions now, but it is better they
remain questions without answers. Go, get out of here Squall, there's nothing you can
do for me."
"N-no! Duke!" Squall said, as he regained hold of himself again. Duke was dead, and
a troop was approaching him.
Determined, he left Duke's body behind, and ran out of the doors ahead of him. The
guards pursued him, and the Ragnarok and the others were flying above, with the
entrance door open and Zell and Vermillion yelling at him.
Squall couldn't jump up, cause Quistis had to gain height as the soldiers fired at the
aircraft. So, he ran, and then a crazy idea hit him. He darted straight to the cliff. The
sea splashed under it, and the waves somehow promised safety. Squall quickly passed
his Gunblade to his belt, and jumped. He stretched out his hands with a cry of
triumph, and a wild smile on his face. Bullets flew by him, but he just laughed…He
stretched his arms over his head as he reached the water surface, and dived in the blue
with a loud splash.
He swam underwater for a little, and got his head out a little further, and grabbed the
ladder the guys dropped from the Ragnarok to pull him up. As he went up, he turned
to the soldiers who stood gasping at the edge of the cliff, and made the 'fuck-you'
gesture at them with a laugh.
Once he was up, and Zell and Vermillion pulled him up, Vermillion said: "An
excellent fall my man! I'd say a 9.5 on the 10 scale, hehe!"
"Where's Duke?" Irvine asked him.
"He didn't make it…" Squall replied, taking the towel Zell gave him. He preferred not
to tell the others about Duke's ability. "They shot him on the back. I tried, but I
couldn't get him."
Vermillion cursed and Irvine went blue. "Aw man…that's not cool…" Zell said.
"Forget about it. We can't do a thing now, and it's no use getting depressed and sad."
Squall said.
"How the hell can you be so cruel?" Vermillion asked him.
"Because I bet my Leonhart Duke is sitting in Heaven and laughing at us mourning
him when we should be acting." He replied.
"The hell…I guess you're right." Irvine said.
"Guys, we're approaching Deling. Get on the bridge! You gotta see this!!" Selphie
said in the intercom of the Ragnarok and the guys after looking at each other ran to
the bridge.
"Oh man! OH FUCKING MAN!!" Zell said with a wide smile.
They flew over the center of Deling, and there were crowds under them, yelling and
cursing Zelenick. They held banners with quotes against him, and even a puppet of
the Emperor on a stake.
"Wo-hoooooo! We did it! The people are fighting him!" Selphie cheered.
"Yes! Look! Even the soldiers are turning against him!" Quistis said.
"Look! Aircrafts!" Vermillion said, pointing in the horizon.
"GFT-36 to Ragnarok, please respond." The radio beeped.
Squall turned it up.
"Ragnarok here. We're listening GFT-36." He said.
"Whoa! Didn't think you'd actually respond. I'm Commander Staff from the G-50
Flight Troop. We're here for support. We should have known that behind this
revolution were the SeeDs! Glad to work with ya!" Staff said.
"Pleasure to be with you Commander Staff. Didn't think the army would be on our
side." Squall said.
"Who are you?" Staff asked.
"I'm Squall Leonhart."
"Oh, so it's you! I thought you were dead. Keep contact, I'm going to connect you
with the Head General." Staff said.
A moment of pause.
"This is General Caraway…"
"S-sir!" Squall said surprised. "You're alright?"
"Yes Squall, thanks to you. Right after your message on TV, the soldiers took down
Zelenick's General in no time, and called me up as the rightful General. I'm glad to
hear you Squall. Please hurry, you haven't got much time. Rinoa may be in danger."
"Don't worry Sir. Rinoa will be safe. My friends are gonna go get her now."
"What about you? You're going to the colosseum? Squall, that's insanity. Zelenick is a
very good fighter."
"That's ok, I've been looking forward to a worthy opponent."
"I wish you best of luck."
Squall closed the radio, and Selphie flew to the colosseum. They dropped Squall off
there, and they headed for the Palace.
"It's payback time." Squall thought and put on his necklace. He took his Leonhart at
hand, and ran in the colosseum.
~*~*~*~
Getting into the Palace was easier than they thought. The people had gathered outside
the palace, and the guards on the roof didn't oppose them. On the contrary, they
helped them, warning them that Zelenick's mercenaries were guarding Rinoa, Remus
and a few more from the servants who were locked up in the dungeons. They asked
them to hurry, as Zelenick had ordered some scientists to remove Rinoa's Sorcery
powers. They got into the palace, and fought their pretty long way to the dungeons.