Chapter 8 Digging Bones
His head was pounding rapidly. but it began to clear, and soon the effort of trying to open his eyes became easier.

"Awake?"

It was bright, he thought groggily. Too bright. And that voice. he opened his eyes to see an intricately decorated ceiling. intricately familiar too. He turned his head to the left and spotted a man in a leather coat with a wide cowboy hat. "Kinneas?" He growled, but his voice came out parched.

Irvine fixed his own cool eyes onto Seifer's clear green ones. "You've been out for hours," He stated simply. Seifer groaned and rubbed his head. "What happened.?" He muttered. The last thing he remembered was being in Winhill, and then a bunch of Eshtar soldiers came and. "Hyne."

How the hell did he get to Garden? Did the Eshtar soldiers take him? But something in his mind told him he had been in deep shit.

"Look," Irvine interjected his realization. "I haven't been with the guys for long, and I don't know this animosity between you guys, except that you were once the enemy. Matron and Ellone said something about you not being conscious, and I take that to be the reason why you tortured Quistis?" Irvine continued smoothly. He could swear that Seifer's horror was genuine. "I did what?! What are you yakking, cowboy?"

Irvine chuckled. "Cool it, old man. Mind telling me what's going on?"

Seifer groaned. "I can't remember. I just remember being in Winhill, then I was captured, but that was about it. maybe there was something else, but I can't recall."

"Maybe a good square meal can help refresh your memory," Announced Dr. Kadowaki as she came in with a tray piled high with food. "Make sure he finishes, Irvine."

"Will do," Irvine winked. Seifer stared a him for a moment. "You're from Galbadia Garden, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Irvine tipped his hat. "But I'm happy here now, with the gang and all. Wonder what made you go, huh?"

Seifer chose not to answer.

Irvine sighed. "We can't hate you, Seifer. Just thought you wanted to know that. Squall doesn't hate you, well maybe he's still a little sore, but. neither does Rinoa, or Quistis. Seffie in the least."

"Chicken-wuss?" Seifer smirked. Irvine sighed. "If you stop calling him that, he might forgive you."

"Who says I need forgiveness?" He snapped. Irvine tipped his hat as he got up. "You never did. We gave it to you. Good day, Seifer."

Seifer suddenly felt that the steaming tray did not seem so appealing anymore.

"Rinoa."

She felt cold hands nudging her awake. Darn it, it was so cold. "What.?" She mumbled.

"Rinoa, wake up."

She groaned and reached out for Squall's reassuring presence. Instead her hand skimmed cold metal surface. Instantly she was wide awake. 'Squall?!"

"Commander Leonhart's not here, Rinoa," A bedraggled voice said weakly. Rinoa cried in alarm at the sight of Cody. The man was slumped against the metal wall, dried blood caked to his face and clothes. "What happened to you?"

"I went to a masquerade," He grinned wryly. "Of course I was tortured; what did you expect?"

"Oh." Rinoa was close to tears as she looked around her. "What's going on? Where are we?"

"The giant airship you saw," Cody screwed up his face in pain. The blood was the first hint - they broke his right arm and twisted his leg, not to mention the feel of several broken ribs pressing against his bruised chest. In short, he was barely alive than dead. Rinoa noticed his pain and came closer, but he harshly pushed her away. "Don't!"

"You're really hurt," She stubbornly touched his face. A bitter laugh escaped his lips. "Do you believe it? I get worse when I'm at home."

"Why?" Rinoa burst into tears. "Why does your father do this to you? What's going on?"

Cody closed his eyes. He could feel Tiamat in him, slowly healing his wounds. "Because I have this GF." He said slowly. "Tiamat.

"You defeated Tiamat three years ago, but he didn't die. He left Ultemecia to search for a new life - as a GF. I don't know why, but he chose me," He gulped in pain. "He chose me to be his master. At that time I was a SeeD cadet, and I told my father about it. That was my biggest mistake.

"I knew my father hungered for power, but I didn't know that I had unwittingly given him the means to get it. He locked me at home, letting me go out only with guards who knew how to subdue me. Tiamat became my GF, and I became a prisoner. I learnt how to harness his powers, and soon I discovered my father's plans to overthrow the Gardens. With the help of General Caraway and several other figures I did not know. That's when I decided to run away. I figured that if I ran, then he couldn't attack Garden as planned, and I'd be safe too."

Silence, and then Cody smiled. "You don't have to worry about my injuries - Tiamat will heal me soon enough. The problem here is getting you out of here."

Rinoa hugged her knees to her chin. "I always get into these things." Tears filled her eyes. "Squall was always there for me."

"You can't depend on Commander Leonhart forever," Cody said gently. "He's probably out looking for you now, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go out there and look for him."

"He never expects me to anyway," She sulked. "He's always expecting me to wait, even when I'm a SeeD. He doesn't trust me."

A chuckle. Cody knew he was asking for trouble if he said this, but he knew he should anyway. "How can he trust you if you don't trust in his love?"

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Rinoa furiously slammed her hand on the floor. Cody jerked at the pain that motion made. He still had that smile. "You know what I mean, Rinoa. I was once in love too, and I didn't trust in my love until. I lost her."

Rinoa was still glowering when a wall slid open and a uniformed man entered the room. "Cody Rye?"

"Yeah." Cody grunted.

"Rinoa Heartilly?"

"What?" She threw him a murderous glare. The guards seemed startled. He had never met a prisoner who snapped at him like she meant it. 'Er.um. Come with me," The guards flanking him adjusted their weapons to make their presence felt. Rinoa got up in a huff and was about to stomp off when she stopped, turned on her heel and helped Cody up. The latter was surprised, but he let himself be supported anyway.

Once they were out of the room, Rinoa was able to sneak a peek through the small windows sparsely lining the walls. All she could see was the deep blue sea, but after a lot of squinting, she made out what seemed to be an island made of metal. Island made of metal? Her mind reeled. That's the Deep Sea Research Centre!

"Move it." A jab in the back reminded her not to be idle. How she wished she had brought her transmitter along! But at this point it seemed kind of useless though.

They were marched down a long corridor until they came to a low room lined with tables. Rinoa shivered - was it the sudden drop in temperature, or is it because of the frightening-looking locks on the tables?

"Lock them there," A man pointed to two tables. He looked like a doctor in a white lab coat, but Rinoa suspected he was nothing less than a criminal. She was unceremoniously pushed against the table and her hands and feet bound. "Let me go!"

"Tut-tut. keep quiet while I fill in your particulars," The man peered into a computer screen and breathed sharply. "Rinoa Heartilly? Daughter of General Caraway? Sorceress too?"

"Glad you know me," Rinoa snapped. "Now let me go."

"On the contrary. this is excellent," the man beamed. "I'm sure Dr. Odine would love to have you as his experiment."

Rinoa felt like a stone had just been dropped into the pit of her stomach. "Experiment?"
The Ragnarok slowly landed just outside of Trabia Garden, spraying snow everywhere. Even before they landed, the team knew this was a battlefield. A plain of blood-soaked snow, littered with dead bodies. As the door to the Ragnarok opened, they were assaulted by the thick stench of blood. "Hyne." Selphie choked, her hand covering her nose. Zell too looked slightly green. Squall was oblivious to the nauseating scenery, instead he picked his way from between the bodies using a Fira spell to melt the snow, Quistis trudging behind him. It wasn't halfway through when a tattered Mage raised his head and saw Squall passing near him. "SeeD. Curse you SeeD. Ultim - " He couldn't finish his spell, because Quistis' whip had snatched whatever little life that was still in him. Selphie shuddered, and a sickening thought struck her. Squall and Quistis were treating this like this was normal. it's like going out to a restaurant, ordering soufflé and ripping it apart . It was brutal, but ironically this was what SeeD was all about. Those two in front of her - they've been in this shit for far longer than any of the rest. They know what its like to be among the dead. They know it's better to die than live in eternal agony.

"Commander Leonhart!"

Squall looked up at a Trabian girl coming towards them and saluted to Squall. "Rhea. Cadet Rhea reporting."

"Noted. What happened." Squall said curtly. Rhea took a deep breath and began explaining. "Trabia was hit by Dark Mages at about thirteen hundred hours. About two hours later, Sorceress Rinoa came, with a stranger and gave assistance."

"Who's the stranger?" Quistis interrupted. Rhea shrugged. "He did not give identification, but he seems to be a SeeD, because he could summon a GF. They didn't fight very long, because an alien airship came and attacked them - we were helpless."

"Rinoa?" Squall felt the anger bubble again. This is stupid! Rhea could only nod. "Our communication system was severely hit after we sent a message to Balamb Garden, requesting you to come, we could not inform you of the developments."

Squall clenched and unclenched his fists, jaws working silently. "Report to Headmaster Cid of the damage sustained, and if necessary, arrange any transfers with him." He said at last. Rhea saluted Squall. "Thank you, Commander."

Quistis sank into thought. Night had fallen, and any search done right now, especially with the Ragnarok would be pointless. Besides, she had been captured - meaning they would have to find her captor first. She turned her questioning eyes to Squall, and he understood. "We'll search for her first thing at dawn," He said at last. He tapped his transmitter. "Squall to Garden. Where are you?"

"We'll be arriving in half an hour. Location, Squall?" Nida's voice came on. "Track the Ragnarok and land there," Squall said in a voice that made Nida shudder. "Yes, Commander."

Trabia was scarred, but the spirits of their students weren't tarnished. As the group milled around, they saw students helping those who were injured into the building. Thankfully Trabia Garden wasn't destroyed in the battle. Being an ex-Trabian herself, Selphie immediately went to the rescue, helping with Curaga spells and such. Quistis, though exhausted herself, could not stay away, and soon she herself was seen with the injured SeeD cadets.

"How many are there?"

Quistis looked up to see Squall kneeling beside her. Her attention went back to the injured cadet. "Almost three quarter of Trabia, I think. But mostly mild injuries - those who needed medical attention were shipped off to Shumi Village."

Squall uttered what must have been a very soft sigh. Quistis chuckled. "Thinking about the princess, huh?"

"Worried sick."

"Excellent display of emotion there. Didn't think you were capable."

Squall nearly smiled. "We'll find her soon."

"You're the one who needs reassuring, Commander. I have faith in her."

"Faith isn't enough." His voice tightened. "I feel like she's slipping through my fingers. Like she's slowly running away from me."

Quistis slowly bandaged the cadet's arm. Dull thud of footsteps told her that someone was coming.

"Commander Leonhart?"

Quistis looked up at the stranger with a frown. The voice was. familiar. A heavy, thickset man stood above them, clad in a suit, over which were Trabian Gear. He must have come from outside, because there were icicles in his beard and eyelashes. Squall got up. "Headmaster."

"I'm glad to see ya," The man beamed, and in a flash, Quistis remembered. "Raijin!!!"

The man was startled to see her, and she saw him visibly blanch. "Uh, well."

"He's Headmaster, Quistis," Squall said firmly. Quistis opened her mouth to say something, but somehow, she lost it. "Headmaster."

She watched as Squall and Raijin talked, and she got more confused. But Squall had stopped her, which means he knew. he knew from the beginning. He must have some part in this.

"Balamb Garden's coming huh?" Raijin scratched his beard and a shower of icicles fell on top of Quistis's head. 'Oh, sorry, Instructor."

"Still can't get rid of that name." Quistis shook her head ruefully.

"Well, old habits die hard, as they say."

"We've seen Seifer." Squall said suddenly. 'Do you people know anything?"

"NEGATIVE."

Quistis turned to look at the new speaker. She was silver-haired and wore an eye patch, but she still had a soft look around her. "Fujin."

"INSTRUCTOR." Fujin greeted her. "WELL?"

"As well as you can see," Quistis smiled and hugged the girl. So Fujin and Raijin are running Trabia. how ironic. But - "You haven't seen Seifer?"

"NO. DISAPPEARED."

"He vanished after the whole thing, y'know?" Raijin scratched his neck. "All three years been looking' for him. dunno where he is. Been to Deling, Timber, all the places, but he's nowhere."

"He's at Balamb Garden now," Squall said quietly. "It's a little hard to believe, but he's at it again."

"LIES!" Fujin shouted, her face red with anger. "MANIPULATED!"

"He's a pretty easy target for it then, to be caught twice," Quistis snorted. 'Look, I think so too, but there's no evidence yet."

"PROOF." Fujin nodded and turned to Raijin. "WE."

"We can talk to him," Raijin said awkwardly. "Y'know, we were his posse and all - if he still remembers us, then maybe things will work out, ya know."

Quistis was too tired to think much, but she still had to work out the questioning look Squall threw at her. "Why don't you go visit him when the Garden arrives?" She suggested, hoping her fatigue didn't show.

Balamb Garden rose above the waves and hovered onto the snowy shores of Trabia. Slowly it made its way through forests and snowcapped hills, Nida keeping their destination in sight. Irvine hung over his shoulder, watching the boy move controls his own size. "How much nearer?"

Nida sneaked a peek at the radar on the control panel. "Behind that forest over there," He indicated. "The Ragnarok is parked near Trabia Garden anyway."

Irvine nodded and headed back down to the Infirmary where Dr. Kadowaki was attending to Seifer. The sullen blonde was sitting at the edge of his bed, reading something. Irvine silently approached him. "What's that?"

Seifer looked startled. "Iliad."

"The epic of Gilgamesh?" Irvine cocked an eyebrow. "That's pretty heavy stuff."

"Well. I have a lot of time on my hands." Seifer smiled. It struck Irvine that he had never seen Seifer smile before. He could count with his fingers how many times he had actually seen him - but still, from what h heard from Selphie, Seifer seems to be a complete jerk. Looking at him now, dressed in comfortable shirt and slacks, he didn't have a hint of the Sorceress's lapdog he was three years before.

"Once we land, you'll have to answer to a lot of people," Irvine said at last. 'Especially Quisty."

A haunted look came over his face. "I can't tell you much, okay? I can't remember much, except that I was caught and brought to some kind of laboratory, and then suddenly I'm here. Will that help?"

A slight bump told them that the Garden has landed. Irvine got up. "I'll go and meet them. You might want to stay here."

But a crackle over the intercom said otherwise. Edea's voice came over the speakers. "Irvine Kinneas, please bring the patient to the Headmaster's office."

Edea shut the system. "Do you think he will say much?" Cid asked his wife. Edea shook her head. "He won't remember much, isn't that so, Dr?"

Dr. Kadowaki nodded gravely. 'We haven't been able to send his blood for further tests, but the ones I've done shows that he was under a powerful drug. a mind-controlling one."

Cid pursed his lips. With both Squall and Quistis gone, Garden was slightly disorganized after the Mage attack. Now with Seifer on board, things could be unpredictable. "Any chances of him remembering anything useful?"

"Possible." Dr. Kadowaki sighed. "The drug wears off after a while, and the only way to keep him in control is to give him regular shots. Now he's free, but whoever did that to him would want him dead if they knew Seifer is here."

The door slid open and Irvine and Seifer entered. "Headmaster, Matron," Irvine nodded. Edea motioned for the both of them to sit down. "How are you, Seifer?"

"Thank you, Matron," Seifer said stiffly. "I'll tell it straight - I don't remember much. Can you let me go now?"

Cid laughed, but it was hollow sort of laugh. "Seifer, my boy. you're now in grave danger. Once your enemies know you're free, they'll hunt you down."

"That's why I need to leave." Seifer argued. 'I can't put Garden in danger -"

The door slid open again and Squall entered with Quistis. "Headmaster, Matron," Squall and Quistis said in unison. Matron looked in alarm at Quistis. 'What happened to you?!"

"Battle, Matron," Quistis smiled tiredly. Matron noticed that Quistis was trying hard to avoid Seifer's gaze. "Report to the Infirmary, Quistis," Cid said kindly. "Squall will brief you later."

Quistis saluted in resignation and walked out.

Read and review please! It'll help me figure out what to write next!