Decisions
Rinoa was trying to work things out in her head. She looked at the SeeDs milling around her and marvelled again how much effort Laguna had gone to save Squall and Ellone- from what she didn't understand. Her instincts were saying something wasn't right about the situation and not for the first time since she had boarded the Ragnarok she wondered whether going along was a good idea after all.
Her fears were based on a number of reasons and the fact that everyone had been against her joining in the mission so far only added to the worry. But however much she hated it she had to admit herself that she found it difficult to fight without Squall.
Her powers had developed and she could confidently defeat any monster that Balamb Garden had to offer in the training centre. But she usually went with Squall so she didn't feel the small amount of nervousness she usually felt when she fought alone. It was a tiny self doubt that she could not dispel and even as a Sorceress she could not get over it.
But she wasn't alone here. She had her friends around her and they were supporting her even if she wasn't a SeeD. They were real friends and after all she had been through with them and Squall she seriously felt it was a relationship that would withstand decades.
She glanced around. Such a short while ago- a few days in fact- she had been at Garden. Her fears about her powers had manifested themselves once more and she had managed to distil fear or doubt into Squall when he had visited the Quad.
It felt like ages ago, days without his irritation at her attempts to get him to talk. Days without trying to persuade him to dance with her. Days of not trying to get him to socialise with his friends.
She twisted her hands in her hair in frustration, I accuse him of being too serious- what have I been like since we fought Ultimecia? Her self doubt was still there, Edea had told her that it would take a while to adjust to the powers. But it was harder to deal with when she had just entered a relationship with someone. Even her 'relationship' with Seifer hadn't been this difficult.
She looked out of the window to gain some idea when they would be nearing Centra. To her surprise she realised they were already there, Selphie was flying the Ragnarok over the mottled brown green that was the remains of the continent which was once covered with cities and green fertile soil.
Rinoa's mind took a quick history lesson and she remembered some fragments of her old lessons in a private school in Galbadia. Her teacher had read some published diaries of the survivors who had survived the lunar cry somehow so long ago. The monsters had cleared the land of all life excluding some tough trees that survived in such conditions. The site of the old city was visible still and Rinoa saw this as the Ragnarok glided across the continent.
She felt more than a little pity for the ghosts of the civilians who had once lived there. They had had their own language but the few people who had made it off the continent had to surrender their own language and culture to live in Dollet. And so had many other cultures who had been invaded. Like Timber.
Her insides literally squirmed at the thought. How long had it been since she had been fighting against her father's army along with Zone and Watts. When did she give up her promise that she would liberate Timber with them? She had all but completely forgotten her promise to her old friends.
The GFs. When this was over she would give Squall an order, he would stop junctioning the GFs. They were damaging her own memory and she had only used them for a fraction of the time he had. He had been using them his whole life.
Quistis was waiting outside the door, and giving orders for everyone to get moving toward the exit, they were almost there. Rinoa took a deep breath just before Quistis walked in, her stomach felt as though she hadn't eaten in days.
"Are we ready to land?" She asked the blonde haired woman who opened her mouth to repeat an order that she was sick of saying. Quistis closed her mouth and nodded. Rinoa left her seat and began to head out of the door. Her legs were starting to feel unsteady, she didn't know what for, she was nervous but she could face the danger. The Ultimecia battle had held more at stake.
But that battle she had fought alongside Squall. With the victims possibly at risk here she was personally involved and that made it so much harder than it had ever been in time compression.
Watching Quistis jog to catch up to her she walked slower, making her mind up to get to know Quistis after the danger. Quistis was someone she didn't know very well and it would be nice if she did seeing as Quistis was one of Squalls friends.
She held her breath as the SeeDs who were wearing camouflage uniforms returned from the coordinates given to them by Quistis. They evidently agreed and Quistis smiled at Rinoa who had became suddenly aware of the danger and turned pale.
"We move, we split up into three teams, you know the details of each team as you've been assigned positions already. The team who are going to try to rescue the prisoners will be going in behind us, when we have distracted them enough so they can sneak in. Are there any questions?" The whole group of SeeDs solemnly shook their heads.
Rinoa knew she was on the team who were going to help Squall and Ellone escape and almost laughed at the simultaneous shaking of heads. At the same time it was sad that they acted so similarly, like machines. Cid didn't train them as well as he thought he did. He didn't want machines for SeeDs. She could remember that from a conversation with Edea about the origins of Garden once.
The team of SeeDs went in, the first- the largest group of SeeDs ran into the small, new building that was merely a way of heading underground without leaving a trapdoor in the middle of the continent for anyone to see from the air. The guards were quickly overwhelmed by the attacking SeeDs and backup was called for.
But that was all part of the plan, Rinoa watched frightened from the Ragnarok which was too large not to be noticed. Some of the soldiers who swarmed out of the ground ran towards the airship, the plan was to draw the soldiers out of the ground and then let the rescue team infiltrate the caves without so many odds stacked against them.
"Come on," Selphie murmured savagely to the poorly organised team mixed up of Estharian and Galbadian unformed soldiers. Rinoa looked alarmed at Selphie, the side of her she never usually saw.
In fact it was with all of them, Zell, Quistis, Irvine as well as Selphie had determined looks on their faces. She and the orphanage gang made up the rescue party. They were behaving like SeeDs when they were out for vengeance. That Squall needed to be helped as well as Ellone was foremost on their minds, but it was startling to see their expressions. Year's worth of training had created these people. What sort of people were they when they were angry?
"When do we go Quistis?" Rinoa asked, she watched Quistis' face settle into a relaxed expression. The soldiers could not be seen anymore, they were closer to the entrance of the Ragnarok than ever. The worst thing to happen would be to be backed into a corner. Which they would be if the soldiers come any closer to the ship's entrance.
"Now." Quistis said quietly. They swiftly headed down to the ramp; Rinoa watched the SeeDs in fascination as they moved into single file and headed to meet the soldiers. Their calm organised behaviour contrasted immediately with the opponents. They had been untrained to fight as a group; they had belonged to two different armies.
That was why they had no chance against a group of highly trained SeeDs and a Sorceress. Rinoa nearly flinched at the thought and forced herself to concentrate on the opponents. They only had a small number of people heading to the Ragnarok and Rinoa found it was easy to cast a thunder spell on the remainder of the soldiers who had not been knocked out by the others.
The spell struck the soldiers as soon as she cried 'thunder' they slumped to the ground. Their energy gone for the time being.
"Let's go." Quistis yelled above the din of shouts and cries of falling soldiers, the SeeDs had the advantage. The memory of their escape form prison kept Rinoa from thinking about the odds of being able to help Squall. They had escaped from the top security prison in Galbadia alive and they could get out of this situation alive.
They ran toward the cluster of buildings, Rinoa resisted the strange urge to send her arms out as though she were flying. The sheer sense of unreality surprised her- she was out to save her boyfriend and Ellone and she wanted to revert to old games of her childhood. Looking at her friends for support they made their way to the cells where they thought Squall and Ellone would be.
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Tehn was no fool. As soon as he realised he was being attacked he ordered a group of soldiers stay behind, they were more specially trained than the ones who were out doing the fighting and they could protect him far better than the ones out fighting at the present.
He looked toward a scientist who was as cowardly as most Esthar scientists were, he was muttering nervous sentences and running his hands through his hair. Classic signs of desperation- well, they were in trouble.
Not yet. I will finish the plan. He turned to a pair of soldiers awaiting orders. "Fetch the two prisoners, the girl is the most important, we need her to test out the theory, if that fails we need to seal her once she receives the powers." The soldiers saluted and left the room breaking into a run.
Tehn turned to the doors. There was no way out now, he was sealed in and the SeeDs were approaching, he didn't want to die but the hope that he would finish the experiment; he wanted to know what would happen once Ellone inherited the powers. If he could prove the power was a sentient life force that needed a host he would be famous. Plus it would pave the way for the rest of the plan.
Ellone could move minds across time. She could transfer intelligence across time, if that was possible what if she could transfer it into some container which could hold the 'power'. The world would be rid of the sorceress and the last knight as well, Almasy may have believed himself to be the sorceress' knight but he was a puppet.
Tehn smiled, he knew more about the legends than anyone knew. The knight was only a knight if he and the sorceress loved each other and that was why he was counting on Rinoa's wanting to bargain with him for the life of her knight.
There were sounds of a struggle outside in the corridor, two shots were released and someone was running away, Tehn was afraid to ask as he saw the guards dragging Ellone into the room. But it was easy enough to guess.
"You let him go!" he said, shaking with fury at their incompetence. "We needed him to bargain with the sorceress! How do you think she'll agree to the terms now?" The guard looked worried.
"He wasn't going-" He started, but Tehn signalled to him to be silent. He was thinking and pacing when the other guard spoke, his hand firmly griping Ellone's left arm.
"He was heading to the cells again. His friends are coming from the other direction." He loosened his grip on Elle's arm as he felt fear from the expression on Tehn's face.
"We could bluff them sir." The nervous scientist said quickly, "Rinoa won't give her life if she knows he got away but if we tell her-" He too was cut off as Tehn shouted back in an angry voice fuelled by months of preparation gone wrong.
"We are not going to tell her she'll die for this! Do you think she'll agree to die? Even if she did there's no way her friends would let her!"
He was quiet, the sound of falling guards sounded outside, Tehn watched the guards restrain Ellone who was squirming, desperate to shout out something. Her mouth was gagged however so she could only shake her head. Her eyes were wide with fear she hadn't felt since she had been held hostage by Seifer's friends. Laguna had made sure she was safe before. She never should have gone to explore the city.
"Not long now." Tehn muttered.
I was going to add to this chapter but I thought too much happening at once would be too much. I hope people review me, I know lots better fics have only a few reviews at times but I'm working as hard as possible to maintain the characters personalities. If you think it ends after the rescue you're wrong. There will be conflicts of Rinoa's powers before long. Precisely what I aimed there would be earlier in the story.
Sorry for going on like this, it's so easy to recognise a good fic, much harder to write one so I'm sorry I can't write so well.