Original characters, world and backstory belong to Squaresoft, lucky folks.

This is a toned-down version with (most) smut removed: see www.scribblemoose.co.uk for full version. (This chapter was hard to censor without reducing to yuk, I hope it reads OK.)

Feedback welcome, thanks very much for the reviews so far ;-) glad you like it.

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Chapter 6 - Junction

Rinoa had never felt so strong, so alert. Her skin tingled, her reflexes so sharp she killed the first bitebugs before Squall had even noticed them. She walked ahead of him; although part of the exercise was to prove she could work with another as part of a team, it was also important that she showed herself capable in battle. Besides, it would be so easy for Xian to dismiss her abilities in Squall's shadow. Suddenly it was the most important thing in the world to her that she was seen as strong and capable in her own right.

This one she had to win for herself.

Her eyes gradually became used to the dark and she could make out small, flickering movements at the edge of her vision. The heat was building up now as they crossed bridges over the underground lava flows that had earned the Caverns their name.

A fire bomb hissed up in front of her; she quickly channelled water magic through her pinwheel and span it at the monster, steam boiling as it made contact. Before it could rally to counter attack – which usually meant an explosion – she threw again, mixing ice with the water magic. It collapsed into a pool at her feet. Resisting any urge to celebrate this minor victory, she kept her focus, looking for the next challenge.

It wasn't long in coming: two more fire bombs and a lava eel. Well, she'd proved she could deal with fire bombs.

"Squall, get the bombs, I'm on the eel."

A look of surprise crossed Squall's face: it was a long time since anyone had given him an order in battle. But he obediently drew his gunblade and she heard LionHeart sing as Squall shot ice magic down its length with practised ease.

The eel was ethereal, glowing deep ruby red, searing lava moving like blood beneath what might have been its skin. Riona's lips tightened into a satisfied smile. This was home territory.

She reached into that part of herself that was raw power, and with all the control and precision Zell had taught her she took just enough, formed a ball of ice in her hand and infused it with energy. She was dimly aware of Squall demolishing first one bomb, then the other, before she pitched her spell at the eel with all her might. Glowing shards of ice pierced the creature, quenching its fire: it screamed in pain and flopped helplessly to the ground.

Without hesitation she plunged forwards, hurling bolts of ice through an onslaught of fire lizards and salamanders, leaving Squall to catch the very few that weren't quite dead. He ploughed his way methodically through, LionHeart slicing as if through butter.

Finally they reached the fire pit, the huge volcanic crater where Squall had subdued Ifrit a lifetime ago. Rinoa stood on the lip of the hellmouth, breathing hard in the terrific heat, sweat running into her eyes and between her breasts. She looked deep into the fire, growling low in her throat like a war cry.

Slowly something started to stir in the volcano: Rinoa glimpsed what looked like molten rock seething and writhing in the flames. Slowly, the magma took form, arms, legs and a face, horns and a gaping mouth. It rose from the volcano, fire and lava streaming from its shoulders, wings unfurling, and with a roar it thrust a fireball straight at Rinoa's heart.

Instinctively, Squall gathered a curative spell, but it wasn't needed. In an instant Rinoa reflected the spell with a dismissive wave of her hand and showered her opponent with hailstones and vicious arrows of ice.

The creature staggered a little, but quickly regained its balance, striking Rinoa across the face with one fiery hand. Squall cured her this time, unable to stop himself. She flashed him a bemused look and then dipped back inside herself for more power. She was tempted to finish this quickly, but her aim wasn't to kill the creature, just to subdue it and bend it to her will. The anticipation of that power gave her goosebumps. She raised her hand and brought wave after wave of icy water to wash over her enemy, steam rising above them, drenching them in warm rain.

It lunged at Rinoa again, but this time Squall didn't rush to heal her. Trusting her strength he attacked her enemy instead, distracting it long enough for Rinoa to draw its magic and heal herself. Then she gathered her power one last time and crashed a blizzard around the volcano.

"HOW… DARE… YOU!" The creature roared. Rinoa watched, panting, as it writhed in the agony she had created for it.

"Do you want more?" she challenged, "or will you be mine?"

Squall flinched, it wasn't usual to demand submission from a Guardian like that. Oddly enough, though, it seemed to work.

"I AM YUJAN! I WILL BE YOURS!"

The monster faded as it surged at Rinoa, not to attack her this time, but to enter her mind. She gasped with sudden pain and the rush as its presence thrust itself into her consciousness. This was nothing like the gentle entry of Leviathan, a gift from Squall, already tamed, flowing into her mind like cool honey. This was raw heat and energy, subdued – but only just. Overwhelmed, Rinoa slumped, and almost fell, but Squall was ready and caught her.

"It's okay. Just breathe. Give it a moment."

Rinoa smiled gratefully and leaned into his body, grasping his hand. He ignored the pain of her nails digging into his palm and brushed wet hair from her forehead. Silent as ever, his eyes were full of pride and his touch soft and soothing. Her breathing slowed, and Yujan settled in her mind.

Then Xian was in front of her, offering her hand to help Rinoa up.

"Congratulations, Rinoa," the gentle squeeze of Xian's fingers added enthusiasm to her softly spoken formalities. "I'm pleased to tell you that you have passed the challenge."

Rinoa nodded, still not trusting herself to speak but flooding with elation.

"Return to Garden when you're ready, and report to your instructor. He'll give you your full results. Well done Rinoa." Xian smiled warmly. "It's a long time since I've seen anyone take on a Guardian with such skill and style," and she winked knowingly at Squall, who blushed rather appealingly, even as he treated Xian to a half-smile for her compliment.

"Thank you," managed Rinoa, and watched as Xian made her way out of the Cavern.

"You OK?" Squall was leaning casually on his gunblade, concern and respect mixed on his even features.

She nodded. "You?"

"Fine," he said, "Is Yujan settled?"

"I think so. It was… scary," she admitted, "was Ifrit like that?"

"Fuck, yeah. They often are, the elementals. All that feeling and emotion." He shuddered. "It gets better, though."

"Good." She said, with feeling. "Well, we'd better get back."

He nodded, hoisted LionHeart on his shoulder. "Let's see what Zell has to…"

But before he could finish they were almost deafened by a sound like the ocean crashing in, and a flash of light so intense they were blinded for a second. When Squall had blinked away the whiteness there were rainbow ribbons swirling around them, rippling into a circle. Instinctively Squall and Rinoa sprang together, back to back in the centre of the ring of colour. Squall racked his brains but he'd never come across anything like this before: it was like raw energy. He sensed Rinoa gathering her power for a spell, and heard the whisper of her voice as she incanted: ~scan~

"Fuck," she reported, her voice reassuringly grounded and real in the ethereal hiss that surrounded them, "no signs. What is it?"

No sooner had she spoken than the light began to change and the circle divided, colours streaming to shaped two vaguely female forms, one in front Rinoa and one in front of Squall, ephemeral hands holding cruel-edged swords that pulsed purple and red and black.

It started to dawn on Squall what was happening. "It's Chet's Guardian," he said, cursing himself for not realising before, "this isn't good."

"Funny, I was starting to gather that part," Rinoa's sarcasm irritated him but he fought the urge to snap back: this was no time to start a slanging match. He put his effort instead into charging LionHeart with magical energy, the blade changing colour from its usual electric blue to deep black as it became infused with darkness.

Rinoa was already pulling her energy together to form a silence spell, tinged with flame from the remnants of Yujan's blending with her, and directed it to flow over the Guardian in front of her. She felt Squall behind her, aware of him lunging at his opponent, heard LionHeart's song as it sliced through light and ocean waves to produce an eerie scream.

Then the attack began, multi-coloured blades thrusting towards them. Squall parried neatly, Rinoa dodged, retaliated, streaming a lethal mix of fire and ice through her pinwheel. Squall was in his stride now, blade flashing, the sound of his shots strangely hollow next to the silence she'd created. Again and again she attacked, varying the mixture of magic, trying different elemental combinations; aware of Yujan in her mind, anxious to join the fight, but resisting the temptation to call him, the pain of that first junction still fresh in her mind. Finally her opponent stumbled and fell, fading to nothing, but as she turned to help Squall she heard the ocean's song again, a flash, and the figure in front of Squall divided into two.

"Fuck! Squall, what's happening? What can we do?"

"I don't know," he admitted, panting, "maybe if we kill both at the same time?"

They renewed their attacks, but this time Squall's target fell first, and Riona's divided. They fought on, until eventually they timed their final blows to perfection and both bodies fell to the floor at the same time. For a moment it was quiet and still, but before they had even begun to relax there was a now-familiar flash and roar of sound, and the writhing colours in front of them formed and divided not once but twice, four sword-equipped warriors facing them. Rinoa's shoulder stung from its last encounter with one of those vicious blades. ~Enough, she thought.

She reached a hand to touch Squall's swordarm, and he obediently lowered his gunblade, trusting her instinctively, any protest unspoken.

"As one!" Rinoa commanded, her voice deep and rich as thunder. Power crackled from her fingertips and simultaneously struck each of the forms before them. They pulsated and writhed in a million colours, and finally with a snap merged back to one being. The air grew still. Squall heard Rinoa breathing hard, felt the magic buzzing around her body. He turned to see her raise her hand, energy crackling along her arm.

"Be mine!" The force of the blast Rinoa threw at the creature knocked it back a full ten feet or more.

"Rinoa…" Squall's warning came out as a harsh whisper; he braced himself, gripping his gunblade, ready to strike as the Guardian recovered its balance and looked about to charge. Commanding a Guardian to junction when you'd matched it in battle was unorthodox, to say the least, but this opponent didn't even look injured. But Rinoa held out her hands, palms upwards, and repeated her invitation to the multicoloured form.

"Be mine," she repeated, her voice husky, seductive.

"Riona Heartilly," its voice sounded like tearing silk, "I will be yours. You are worthy." And it rushed at Rinoa, coloured lights racing up her arms, through her body, turning her eyes to rainbows.

There was less pain, but Rinoa felt the power rush through her with a greater intensity, to the very core of her being, and a soft, sensual voice in her mind. "I am Gemini Pandora. I am yours."

Rinoa gasped, the rush starting to settle. She realised she was still in the cavern, still alive, every sense awake and tingling. Squall's piercing grey eyes were boring into her, a mixture of concern and admiration on his beautiful, beautiful face. He was slightly out of breath still, lips softly parted, soft ragged hair dripping into his eyes. Lust flooded her body and she launched herself at him, wrapping her legs around his slim hips, arms round his neck, gunblade clattering to the ground as he caught her. She engulfed him in a kiss, plunging her tongue into his soft, warm mouth. He made a groaning noise deep in his throat and kissed her back, his hands sliding under her vest top and stroking her back with sensitive fingertips.

"Rin," he husked into her mouth, "oh, fuck, Rin."

She stopped kissing him for a moment, stroked his face with one finger, his eyes alight with lust and more than a little surprise.

"Here," she said, "now."

He looked at her, a moment's confusion before he realised what she meant.

"Now?"

She nodded.

"Here?"

She kissed him again, and he moaned desire into her kiss, a deep rumbling growl. She writhed against him with an expertise he hadn't expected, but he had no time to question how Rinoa might have learned to set his soul on fire. She made love to him standing there in the Cavern, with a passion he'd suspected but never seen, oblivious to any still-lurking monsters. When their desire was satisfied they sank with surprising grace to the floor; he held her close to him. She was kissing tears from his face he didn't remember shedding.

He opened his eyes, still gasping for breath, still hungry for the sight of her.

"Fuck," he said, eloquently, "Rin."

She smiled at him, lips so soft and wet, eyes sparkling.

"Are you OK?" she brushed the hair out of his eyes.

"I may never walk again," he returned her smile with a grin so broad, so warm and so rare that it took her breath away.

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Rinoa re-tied her boots, Squall kneeling behind her, kneading her shoulders.

"Let me cure you," he breathed into her hair, "you've still got a cut," he brushed his lips softly over her wounded skin, "on this shoulder."

"Okay." She felt his fingers whisper over her skin, warm comfort soothing the ache. "Thanks."

She leaned back into him, enjoying a closeness she'd never dared to hope she might have with Squall. She'd imagined this scene countless times, albeit usually with considerably more in the way of romance and pillows, but she wasn't sure what she'd expected afterwards: awkwardness, maybe; polite thanks, possibly; a gentle led-down almost certainly, given Squall's usual reluctance and especially now, after the day's events. Even on the Ultimecia mission, when he'd rescued her - so many times it made her cringe inside at her own weakness, now – even then, when it was clear he was growing to love her, his affection was always restrained, a gift to address her need, just as he gave Zell a cure after battle, or told Selphie how clever she was when she was feeling down. Something he'd learned to do as part of his role, not something from his heart. But this was a Squall she hadn't seen before: warm, gentle, holding her with a tenderness she'd never believed him capable of. It occurred to her that she was starting to understand why he was usually so cold and detached: if he felt this much, this deeply, no wonder he was frightened of getting hurt.

"We ought to get back," he whispered in her ear, reluctance clear in his voice. "Zell will be waiting for us."

"Mmmm." She felt too languid to move, enjoying the warmth of the cavern, the pleasant afterglow of sex and battle suffusing her body. She stretched and yawned, testing her newly-cured shoulder.

Squall watched her, overwhelmed by unfamiliar feelings, for once trying not to think too hard.

"You're beautiful," he breathed.

She settled back with a satisfied little smile, pulling his arms around her middle. "You're quite passable yourself."

"I have a question."

"Fire away."

"Did you plan this?"

"How d'you mean?"

"Well, when you got up this morning, did 'seduce Squall' appear on your to-do list right after 'break all test records' and 'whip Irvine into a frenzy'?"

She laughed. "No." It seemed like a long time since she'd got up that morning, brushed her hair in the spring sunshine. "Just about all I had was 'pass exam' and 'survive Fire Cavern'. The rest kinda just happened."

"I'm not sure that subduing two Guardians and ravishing your Commander 'just happens'." His nose nuzzled into her neck, implying that he was very pleased it had.

She shrugged. "I don't know, somewhere between leaving your office and eating all Selphie's ice cream I just thought 'fuck the lot of them, I'm going to graduate today and I can do it by myself.'" She reached behind her to ruffle his hair. "It seems to have turned out okay, anyway."

"Mmm." He licked behind her ear with the tip of his tongue. "I'm glad. I was thinking of maybe a long and painful conversation, mostly one-sided, a bit of soul searching and then asking you out for dinner and a movie, but," he gently sucked her earlobe, "I think this is better."

"Oh yes." She smiled to herself, trying with some difficulty not to sound too smug. "Were you really? Going to ask me out? You were so mad at me."

"I know. But I had a long talk with Irvine. Cleared a few things up."

"Did you hurt him?" she chastised gently. "It wasn't entirely his fault, you know."

"I don't think so. I did kind of hit him, but he was okay. It doesn't seem to matter now."

"Poor Irvine."

"He's got Selphie."

~No, thought Rinoa, actually he hasn't. But somehow she couldn't say anything: she didn't want to destroy this rare moment of well-being for him.

"So," he cleared his throat, "Ms Heartilly, will you do me the pleasure of coming with me to the party tonight?"

"Why Commander Leonhart," she replied, batting her eyelashes at him, "what a surprise! But," she added hastily, almost worried he might change his mind, "I would be delighted. Providing I graduate, of course. I could've flunked the written."

"Bollocks," said Squall dismissively. "As if." He noticed a moment of worry cross her features. "Come on, let's go find out."

He pulled her to her feet and reached for his gunblade, brushing dust of his jeans.

"Squall…"

"Uhuh?"

"Are we… together? Really, I mean…" ~fuck, that sounds so clingy, I didn't mean that; she grappled for words, "in public and stuff?"

"Well, we've got a date tonight," he flashed her a grin, "we'll have to see."

He may not be used to teasing on purpose, thought Riona, but he's very good at it.

"I just wondered, with… um… you being Commander, and" ~come on, Riona, get your act together, you're supposed to be the articulate one here, "my second and.. everyone.. um…"

Squall's eyes widened as he realised what she was trying to say.

"You mean," he said slowly, "you're worried people will say you fucked me to make sure you passed the test?"

She scuffed at the dirt with her boot, sheepishly. "It's just … well, yes, I don't want any special privileges."

"You know I wouldn't do that, right? You earned your success, just like the rest of us. Xian passed you, not me. Fuck, Rinoa, you subdued two Guardians. All by yourself." ~And how, he thought. "It's your day."

"So…"

"I won't tell anyone. Ever. But," he took her hand and kissed it chastely, "whatever happens at the party is beyond my responsibility."

She hugged him gratefully.

"That's fine. Let's go then."

"We need to think of an alibi," he said, as they started down the path to the Cavern entrance. "Xian left us more than an hour ago." He saw a lava eel wriggle out a little ahead of them, but it turned and scuttled off before he'd even got his hand to his gunblade.

"I know," her eyes sparkled mischievously, "we could say you got wounded and I'd run out of curagas."

"But you never run out. You're a sorcer…"

"Or, that we had a blazing row about Irvine."

"That sounds more likely. But no fair on Irvine. He'd feel bad."

"Mmm.. you're right. I know," she raised a triumphant finger, "you decided to look for Chet's Guardian. And I helped you. And we found it."

"Okay, that sounds plausible, but I don't really want to make a fuss about that until I've had a chance to talk to Chet. And besides…"

"What?"

"I didn't know it was missing. It was his student's Guardian we lost this morning, and it was found down by the beach. It was just kind of… sulking. I only realised Gemini was Chet's when she split in two."

"Oh." Rinoa frowned in confusion. "So Chet didn't say anything about losing his Guardian too?"

Squall shook his head. "No. But thinking back I should've realised. He was so flustered and beat up. She would've cured him if he'd asked, surely? It's not like Chet to risk losing any dignity by appearing before his Commander looking like he got defeated on a student exercise. No wonder he was mad."

Rinoa was very quiet for a while, before finally whispering in a small voice, "so, he'll want her back?"

Squall saw the regret in her face, and smiled. "No, you daft geezard, it doesn't work like that. She's yours now. She likes you."

A smile of relief lit up Rinoa's face. "Yes. She does, rather."

And in a corner of her mind, Gemini Pandora purred with satisfaction.

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