Chapter 24 The End of the Road
Author's note: it's coming to an end, how sad. But I'm happy to finally wrap this up and call it a good job done. Just one or two more to go, I reckon. But on with the show!
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How lonely it is to be alone... suffering loss and tragedy -
I'm with you, Mistress... I hear your voice and answer your despair.
...Who are you...?
The manifestation of your unhappiness...
Once again the image of a ring floated in front of her eyes, becoming clearer every second, shining so brightly it hurt.
Became a conviction.
"Griever."
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Xu critically surveyed the bridge. It was evident Nida had been on one of his Gyashal Scotch sprees; bottles were everywhere. "Nida!"
A gurgle, and then the man stumbled out of the toilet, looking slightly green. "Don't shout so, old woman."
"You're lucky we're not mobile at the moment, AND Squall is still not in office." She grit her teeth angrily. "I don't know what he'll say when he sees the control bridge in such conditions - "
"Good morning." A pleasant voice cut her tirade and she turned white as sheet. Nida turned even more green. "C-Commander!"
Squall blinked as he looked around. He reacted exactly like Xu predicted he would. "Ten bottles?! Pushing it too far, Nida?!"
"Uh..." Nida stumbled back into the toilet and Xu grimaced as she heard him retch. Squall shrugged helplessly. "Each to his own, I guess."
Mean while Xu was examining the radars. It was a usual procedure, even though it wasn't necessary. Ever since the Mage attack, she had been paranoid about being ambushed again.
"Wasn't the sky clear a moment ago?"
Xu looked up to see Squall frowning at the huge glass panel. True enough, the sky was slowly turning a murky gray. "The weather said it was supposed to be sunny." She commented, feeling puzzled. But that wasn't the most of their worries. The Garden control panel began to display an alarming reading. "Temperature rising; forty degrees, fifty?!" She gasped and looked around the panel. "Squall! Radar detected several unknown objects coming at us, full speed! Collision in thirty minutes!"
"What in hell...?!" He thumped on the panel. "Initiate Mobile Mode! Defense Mode - shields up!"
The Garden was suddenly thrown into a mass of activity. Quistis, who was still in the corridors looked up in alarm. "Defense Mode?!"
Garden shields were raised and all energy reverted to strengthen them. Which means almost all electrical supply was reverted to the defense mechanism. Lights were cut off, and the only source of light was the red alert siren, blaring for all's worth. On top of that, Squall's voice came on the air, calming the pandemonium. "Attention all resident SeeDs - prepare for infiltration. All cadets head to the hangar. Selphie, get in the Ragnarok! I repeat, Selphie, get in the Ragnarok!"
Quistis came to the elevator and was nearly knocked over by the mass of students pouring out from it. Even though Squall had directed them, but they were still in a state of confusion. "Calm down!" She yelled and cracked her whip. That got their attention. "Stop acting like children! Attention, cadets! Follow me!" She lead them at a run to the hangar, where the Ragnarok awaits. Selphie had apparently got in and the huge ship was ready.
Quistis herded the cadets into the ship and wondered just how many could they fit; the Ragnarok was big, true, but this procedure had never been practiced. But strangely enough the students did fit.
"Where's Squall?!" Zell yelled over the roar of the Ragnarok. Quistis shook her head desperately. "I'll get him!" She mouthed and turned back inside. As she ran she heard the engines rev up and the Ragnarok take off from the Mobile Garden.
"I can't believe it!" Xu yelled as she typed furiously. "Every living form on Balamb is heading for us!"
"What do you mean living form?" Squall growled as he monitored the evacuation. The radar had shown an alarming threat - a shower of meteors were headed right for them. And Xu's new report was distressing.
"I mean monsters; coming at us by the thousand!"
Squall looked out of the window and froze as he saw a dark cloud ahead - or at least he thought it was a cloud. Zooming in with binoculars, he swore when he realized it was a mega-huge swarm of Bite Bugs; and crawling right at them was an army of Cacherpillars. "What's going on?!"
Garden lurched as the first wave of monsters hit them. The bite bugs splattered against the shield, covering Garden in a layer of bug mush. "Head to the sea!" Xu directed to Nida, and the still queasy pilot swung the Garden round, heading to the beach. "They're coming after us!"
"The Cacherpillars are slowing us down!" Xu yelled as the pesky bugs began to spin their deadly web around the Garden. "Engines at full power!" Squall directed. Out of the blue they heard an incoming beep and Selphie's voice came on air. "Ready or not, here we come! Laser beams at medium heat!"
"Squall!" Quistis burst into the bridge just as The Ragnarok opened fire, and the Garden shook. But it worked - the bugs were fried, and Garden was still holding. Quistis stumbled and hit the wall. "What's going on?!"
"I don't believe it!" Xu yelled in terror. "Squall, look up!"
Squall ran to the glass panel and nearly stumbled in shock. A large could of Dragons! "Selphie, watch out!" He yelled into the transmitter as he saw a wave heading for the Ragnarok. The red airship suddenly put on a burst of speed and zigzagged in the air, spinning and firing its guns at the same time. But the added weight was probably taking its toll - the airship couldn't move at full speed. "Selphie, take the cadets away! Don't let them get to you!" Quistis cried and saw the Ragnarok stop zigzagging and blast away. The Dragons didn't give chase. But that only meant Garden had lost its' offensive front; and now remains the only aim to the monsters.
"Garden has been completely evacuated." Xu said softly. Nida had entered the waters and the Garden was moving at full speed, leaving the trails of monsters behind. But the Dragons were still hovering above them, a menacing cloud of destruction.
"The meteors have altered course and still tracking us." Xu said in dread. 'Squall - "
Quistis felt a sudden chill down her spine. Meteors?
Squall was quiet. All the sudden the Garden shook violently. "The Dragons have begun attacking!" Nida yelled as he struggled to keep Garden under control. The mobile military base was rocking violently in the water, and was under threat of sinking. "Take to the air!" Xu yelled desperately. "Try and ram into them!"
No use, Quistis thought frantically as she clutched the side panel. Suddenly there was a loud explosion and the Garden was cloaked in darkness. "Shields are down! One of the dragons had destroyed the security centre in the MD Level!" Xu yelled. In a split second Quistis saw a flash of blue and a Blue Dragon hovered right in front of the glass panel. "Duck!" She yelled and pulled Squall down, just split seconds before the glass froze and shattered to splinters.
"Ultima!" Xu yelled and the dragon was shot to Hell. Behind the roar of the dragons, they could hear something else...
"Can't you go any faster?!" Irvine shook Selphie, which caused the Ragnarok to tilt dangerously. "What are you doing?!" She yelled and pulled the Ragnarok straight. They had deposited the students at the nearest destination - Fishman's Horizon and turned back. They weren't about to leave the others.
"Open fire!' Zell shrieked and the laser guns fired at the dragons that swarmed around the Garden. But to their shock the shot made a hole in the Garden hull. "Stop! Stop! Their shields are down!" Irvine was yelling like a demented man. Surprisingly Selphie still hadn't lost her head yet. "I can see the Bridge! I'll make a dash for it! You two, get out there!"
Zell and Irvine ran to the hatch and watched as Selphie opened it. "If she gets any closer we'll be ripped to shreds," Irvine growled, but Selphie apparently had a thrill chase in mind. Irvine aimed and hit as many as he could, while Zell continuously fired spells at them. Soon their assault had attracted attention, but still many were crowding around the Garden. "Selphie, Pull Back!!!!" Zell screeched as a swarm of Ruby Dragons began to fly towards them. With a burst of turbo boosters the Ragnarok shot away, followed by the dragons. "Whoo-hoo!!!!"
"Why can I imagine Selphie yelling 'whoo-hoo'?" Quistis muttered as Squall helped her to her feet. But the danger was far from over. From somewhere behind them, they heard the roar and clatter of things - in the heart of Garden.
"They've entered the Garden." Xu said quietly. She was thinking deeply. Then she turned to Squall. "Commander," She said with a sad smile. "I really enjoyed working for you."
Squall furrowed his brow. "What are you saying - "
"Yeah, even if you forget my name sometimes." Nida smiled - the same sad smile. "But it's time to say goodbye."
Realization dawned on Quistis and she started to lunge at her but it was too late. Xu had inserted her card into a hidden slot and pressed a sequence. The Garden's siren began to blare again. "SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE INITIATED. PLEASE EVACUATE IN ONE MINUTE AND COUNTING"
"Xu!" Squall yelled but it was no use. The Lieutenant had made up her mind. "I've lived here all my life." She whispered brokenly. "Garden has done so much for me. Isn't that the same for you, Squall?!"
"What are you saying?!" Squall yelled furiously but Nida was grinning as he opened the communications channel. "Garden to Ragnarok. Can you hear me?"
"Hear you."
"Come back and get your Commander."
"On our way!"
"You're not doing what I think you're doing." Squall hissed but Nida was still grinning. "Can't let you keep on being the hero, you know."
"THIRTY SECONDS."
"We're not leaving you!" Quistis yelled furiously but Xu too, was smiling as she grasped her hands in hers. "Go on. The world needs you."
The Ragnarok came within sight and Nida grinned at it. "I'm not abandoning the Garden."
"You, on the other hand, still have something to do." Xu poked Squall in the chest as the Ragnarok leveled with the smashed panel. "Get in!" Zell yelled, beckoning them.
Tears flowed freely as she Quistis hugged Xu. "You're the hero. Not us..."
"Aww, shucks," Nida grinned and he patted Xu's back. "We love the Garden. No monster's gonna tear it apart. Besides, I don't think it can survive after this."
"TEN SECONDS"
Squall took a long look at Nida. "We'll win for you." He said quietly, and saw the tears beginning to form in the pilot's eyes. But He remained jovial.
"If not now, you'll win in the future," He winked as Squall and Quistis clambered out. Once landed in the Ragnarok he yelled. "Out!!!!"
The Ragnarok pulled away - seconds before the Garden exploded in a spectacular display of color. A great show of courage, Quistis sobbed silently as the ruminant carcasses turned the surrounding sea into a scarlet bath. She kept on hanging at the hatch, tears falling freely. "Xu..."
Squall gently touched her shoulder and she turned to his jacket. "What have we done?! Squall, what have we done...?!"
That was a question nobody had an answer to, Squall thought as he held the sobbing Quistis. What have we done?
But the worst is not over yet.
"What in frickin' hell?!" Zell yelled as he looked at the radar. "Meteors aiming at us!"
"I don't understand it. The meteors were headed at Garden earlier. How could they change course?!" Irvine growled in frustration.
Feel my fury...
Quistis jolted up in surprise. "Rinoa?!"
Squall looked puzzledly at her. "Rinoa?"
Quistis scrambled out of his arms and looked outside, the wind whipping at her hair. Where is she?! Her heart was pounding hard. Was it you, Rinoa?!
You betrayed me...
"Rinoa!!!!!" Quistis screamed. "Where are you?!!"
I'll be waiting...
Squall jolted up. "Rinoa?" He could have sworn he heard her voice...
I'll be waiting 'here'...
"Selphie, to Matron's house!" Squall suddenly yelled. The girl obediently turned the ship around.
Why...? Quistis sunk to the floor.
"We're going at full speed. It should take us two hours to get there." Selphie said tiredly. Squall sat in a seat, looking haunted. "And the cadets?"
"We left them at Fishman's Horizon with several SeeDs."
"I can't believe Xu and Nida..." Zell m uttered, clutching his head. "I can't believe it."
"Rinoa's behind this, isn't she?" Irvine asked quietly. "Controlling monsters and meteors - Squall?"
"It's not Rinoa." Squall said heavily.
"Ultimecia has awakened." Quistis said quietly, tears falling again.
Author's note: It came in a dream, and I thought, Nida and Xu deserve as much spotlight as the others. Besides, it would explain the Garden's disappearance after they went into Time Compression, and for me who didn't finish all the CC Club, I didn't find Xu in the Ragnarok. So farewell, dear friends, I'll revive you in time for my next story!
Author's note: it's coming to an end, how sad. But I'm happy to finally wrap this up and call it a good job done. Just one or two more to go, I reckon. But on with the show!
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
How lonely it is to be alone... suffering loss and tragedy -
I'm with you, Mistress... I hear your voice and answer your despair.
...Who are you...?
The manifestation of your unhappiness...
Once again the image of a ring floated in front of her eyes, becoming clearer every second, shining so brightly it hurt.
Became a conviction.
"Griever."
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Xu critically surveyed the bridge. It was evident Nida had been on one of his Gyashal Scotch sprees; bottles were everywhere. "Nida!"
A gurgle, and then the man stumbled out of the toilet, looking slightly green. "Don't shout so, old woman."
"You're lucky we're not mobile at the moment, AND Squall is still not in office." She grit her teeth angrily. "I don't know what he'll say when he sees the control bridge in such conditions - "
"Good morning." A pleasant voice cut her tirade and she turned white as sheet. Nida turned even more green. "C-Commander!"
Squall blinked as he looked around. He reacted exactly like Xu predicted he would. "Ten bottles?! Pushing it too far, Nida?!"
"Uh..." Nida stumbled back into the toilet and Xu grimaced as she heard him retch. Squall shrugged helplessly. "Each to his own, I guess."
Mean while Xu was examining the radars. It was a usual procedure, even though it wasn't necessary. Ever since the Mage attack, she had been paranoid about being ambushed again.
"Wasn't the sky clear a moment ago?"
Xu looked up to see Squall frowning at the huge glass panel. True enough, the sky was slowly turning a murky gray. "The weather said it was supposed to be sunny." She commented, feeling puzzled. But that wasn't the most of their worries. The Garden control panel began to display an alarming reading. "Temperature rising; forty degrees, fifty?!" She gasped and looked around the panel. "Squall! Radar detected several unknown objects coming at us, full speed! Collision in thirty minutes!"
"What in hell...?!" He thumped on the panel. "Initiate Mobile Mode! Defense Mode - shields up!"
The Garden was suddenly thrown into a mass of activity. Quistis, who was still in the corridors looked up in alarm. "Defense Mode?!"
Garden shields were raised and all energy reverted to strengthen them. Which means almost all electrical supply was reverted to the defense mechanism. Lights were cut off, and the only source of light was the red alert siren, blaring for all's worth. On top of that, Squall's voice came on the air, calming the pandemonium. "Attention all resident SeeDs - prepare for infiltration. All cadets head to the hangar. Selphie, get in the Ragnarok! I repeat, Selphie, get in the Ragnarok!"
Quistis came to the elevator and was nearly knocked over by the mass of students pouring out from it. Even though Squall had directed them, but they were still in a state of confusion. "Calm down!" She yelled and cracked her whip. That got their attention. "Stop acting like children! Attention, cadets! Follow me!" She lead them at a run to the hangar, where the Ragnarok awaits. Selphie had apparently got in and the huge ship was ready.
Quistis herded the cadets into the ship and wondered just how many could they fit; the Ragnarok was big, true, but this procedure had never been practiced. But strangely enough the students did fit.
"Where's Squall?!" Zell yelled over the roar of the Ragnarok. Quistis shook her head desperately. "I'll get him!" She mouthed and turned back inside. As she ran she heard the engines rev up and the Ragnarok take off from the Mobile Garden.
"I can't believe it!" Xu yelled as she typed furiously. "Every living form on Balamb is heading for us!"
"What do you mean living form?" Squall growled as he monitored the evacuation. The radar had shown an alarming threat - a shower of meteors were headed right for them. And Xu's new report was distressing.
"I mean monsters; coming at us by the thousand!"
Squall looked out of the window and froze as he saw a dark cloud ahead - or at least he thought it was a cloud. Zooming in with binoculars, he swore when he realized it was a mega-huge swarm of Bite Bugs; and crawling right at them was an army of Cacherpillars. "What's going on?!"
Garden lurched as the first wave of monsters hit them. The bite bugs splattered against the shield, covering Garden in a layer of bug mush. "Head to the sea!" Xu directed to Nida, and the still queasy pilot swung the Garden round, heading to the beach. "They're coming after us!"
"The Cacherpillars are slowing us down!" Xu yelled as the pesky bugs began to spin their deadly web around the Garden. "Engines at full power!" Squall directed. Out of the blue they heard an incoming beep and Selphie's voice came on air. "Ready or not, here we come! Laser beams at medium heat!"
"Squall!" Quistis burst into the bridge just as The Ragnarok opened fire, and the Garden shook. But it worked - the bugs were fried, and Garden was still holding. Quistis stumbled and hit the wall. "What's going on?!"
"I don't believe it!" Xu yelled in terror. "Squall, look up!"
Squall ran to the glass panel and nearly stumbled in shock. A large could of Dragons! "Selphie, watch out!" He yelled into the transmitter as he saw a wave heading for the Ragnarok. The red airship suddenly put on a burst of speed and zigzagged in the air, spinning and firing its guns at the same time. But the added weight was probably taking its toll - the airship couldn't move at full speed. "Selphie, take the cadets away! Don't let them get to you!" Quistis cried and saw the Ragnarok stop zigzagging and blast away. The Dragons didn't give chase. But that only meant Garden had lost its' offensive front; and now remains the only aim to the monsters.
"Garden has been completely evacuated." Xu said softly. Nida had entered the waters and the Garden was moving at full speed, leaving the trails of monsters behind. But the Dragons were still hovering above them, a menacing cloud of destruction.
"The meteors have altered course and still tracking us." Xu said in dread. 'Squall - "
Quistis felt a sudden chill down her spine. Meteors?
Squall was quiet. All the sudden the Garden shook violently. "The Dragons have begun attacking!" Nida yelled as he struggled to keep Garden under control. The mobile military base was rocking violently in the water, and was under threat of sinking. "Take to the air!" Xu yelled desperately. "Try and ram into them!"
No use, Quistis thought frantically as she clutched the side panel. Suddenly there was a loud explosion and the Garden was cloaked in darkness. "Shields are down! One of the dragons had destroyed the security centre in the MD Level!" Xu yelled. In a split second Quistis saw a flash of blue and a Blue Dragon hovered right in front of the glass panel. "Duck!" She yelled and pulled Squall down, just split seconds before the glass froze and shattered to splinters.
"Ultima!" Xu yelled and the dragon was shot to Hell. Behind the roar of the dragons, they could hear something else...
"Can't you go any faster?!" Irvine shook Selphie, which caused the Ragnarok to tilt dangerously. "What are you doing?!" She yelled and pulled the Ragnarok straight. They had deposited the students at the nearest destination - Fishman's Horizon and turned back. They weren't about to leave the others.
"Open fire!' Zell shrieked and the laser guns fired at the dragons that swarmed around the Garden. But to their shock the shot made a hole in the Garden hull. "Stop! Stop! Their shields are down!" Irvine was yelling like a demented man. Surprisingly Selphie still hadn't lost her head yet. "I can see the Bridge! I'll make a dash for it! You two, get out there!"
Zell and Irvine ran to the hatch and watched as Selphie opened it. "If she gets any closer we'll be ripped to shreds," Irvine growled, but Selphie apparently had a thrill chase in mind. Irvine aimed and hit as many as he could, while Zell continuously fired spells at them. Soon their assault had attracted attention, but still many were crowding around the Garden. "Selphie, Pull Back!!!!" Zell screeched as a swarm of Ruby Dragons began to fly towards them. With a burst of turbo boosters the Ragnarok shot away, followed by the dragons. "Whoo-hoo!!!!"
"Why can I imagine Selphie yelling 'whoo-hoo'?" Quistis muttered as Squall helped her to her feet. But the danger was far from over. From somewhere behind them, they heard the roar and clatter of things - in the heart of Garden.
"They've entered the Garden." Xu said quietly. She was thinking deeply. Then she turned to Squall. "Commander," She said with a sad smile. "I really enjoyed working for you."
Squall furrowed his brow. "What are you saying - "
"Yeah, even if you forget my name sometimes." Nida smiled - the same sad smile. "But it's time to say goodbye."
Realization dawned on Quistis and she started to lunge at her but it was too late. Xu had inserted her card into a hidden slot and pressed a sequence. The Garden's siren began to blare again. "SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE INITIATED. PLEASE EVACUATE IN ONE MINUTE AND COUNTING"
"Xu!" Squall yelled but it was no use. The Lieutenant had made up her mind. "I've lived here all my life." She whispered brokenly. "Garden has done so much for me. Isn't that the same for you, Squall?!"
"What are you saying?!" Squall yelled furiously but Nida was grinning as he opened the communications channel. "Garden to Ragnarok. Can you hear me?"
"Hear you."
"Come back and get your Commander."
"On our way!"
"You're not doing what I think you're doing." Squall hissed but Nida was still grinning. "Can't let you keep on being the hero, you know."
"THIRTY SECONDS."
"We're not leaving you!" Quistis yelled furiously but Xu too, was smiling as she grasped her hands in hers. "Go on. The world needs you."
The Ragnarok came within sight and Nida grinned at it. "I'm not abandoning the Garden."
"You, on the other hand, still have something to do." Xu poked Squall in the chest as the Ragnarok leveled with the smashed panel. "Get in!" Zell yelled, beckoning them.
Tears flowed freely as she Quistis hugged Xu. "You're the hero. Not us..."
"Aww, shucks," Nida grinned and he patted Xu's back. "We love the Garden. No monster's gonna tear it apart. Besides, I don't think it can survive after this."
"TEN SECONDS"
Squall took a long look at Nida. "We'll win for you." He said quietly, and saw the tears beginning to form in the pilot's eyes. But He remained jovial.
"If not now, you'll win in the future," He winked as Squall and Quistis clambered out. Once landed in the Ragnarok he yelled. "Out!!!!"
The Ragnarok pulled away - seconds before the Garden exploded in a spectacular display of color. A great show of courage, Quistis sobbed silently as the ruminant carcasses turned the surrounding sea into a scarlet bath. She kept on hanging at the hatch, tears falling freely. "Xu..."
Squall gently touched her shoulder and she turned to his jacket. "What have we done?! Squall, what have we done...?!"
That was a question nobody had an answer to, Squall thought as he held the sobbing Quistis. What have we done?
But the worst is not over yet.
"What in frickin' hell?!" Zell yelled as he looked at the radar. "Meteors aiming at us!"
"I don't understand it. The meteors were headed at Garden earlier. How could they change course?!" Irvine growled in frustration.
Feel my fury...
Quistis jolted up in surprise. "Rinoa?!"
Squall looked puzzledly at her. "Rinoa?"
Quistis scrambled out of his arms and looked outside, the wind whipping at her hair. Where is she?! Her heart was pounding hard. Was it you, Rinoa?!
You betrayed me...
"Rinoa!!!!!" Quistis screamed. "Where are you?!!"
I'll be waiting...
Squall jolted up. "Rinoa?" He could have sworn he heard her voice...
I'll be waiting 'here'...
"Selphie, to Matron's house!" Squall suddenly yelled. The girl obediently turned the ship around.
Why...? Quistis sunk to the floor.
"We're going at full speed. It should take us two hours to get there." Selphie said tiredly. Squall sat in a seat, looking haunted. "And the cadets?"
"We left them at Fishman's Horizon with several SeeDs."
"I can't believe Xu and Nida..." Zell m uttered, clutching his head. "I can't believe it."
"Rinoa's behind this, isn't she?" Irvine asked quietly. "Controlling monsters and meteors - Squall?"
"It's not Rinoa." Squall said heavily.
"Ultimecia has awakened." Quistis said quietly, tears falling again.
Author's note: It came in a dream, and I thought, Nida and Xu deserve as much spotlight as the others. Besides, it would explain the Garden's disappearance after they went into Time Compression, and for me who didn't finish all the CC Club, I didn't find Xu in the Ragnarok. So farewell, dear friends, I'll revive you in time for my next story!