Ch. 9
Efforts in Vain
With Selphie, Irvine, and Trabia's support Squall quickly returned to Galbadia. Things there were defiantly starting to boil over. The city was in utter chaos citizens were running around wild. Small fights had broken out between rebels and Galbadian soldiers. War was defiantly right around the corner.
Squall when arriving in the city went directly to Caraway's mansion. In his office Emma and the General were having a private conversation. Squall cleared his throat to announce his presence. Both Emma and Caraway turned to him.
"Leonhart," Caraway addressed him skipping formalities. "I'm glad to see you've returned so soon. Do we have Trabia's support?"
"They'll be arriving shortly."
"Excellent," Caraway said thrilled.
Squall in the mean time looks around the room. "Where are the others?"
"With the troops," Caraway answered him. "Miss Winston and I were just going over some final arrangements."
"Alright should I go join the others?"
"In a moment," Caraway turns to Emma. "Would you give us a minute?"
"Of course, I think I'll just go meet up with everyone."
"Very well."
Emma leaves the two men. Caraway who waste no time to awkward silences immediately began to speak.
"Squall," he said, it was the first time Caraway ever used his first name. "I'm going to make this short. If anything is to happen to me I want you to take control or rather leadership over Galbadia."
Squall looks up at the general flabbergasted. "Sir.sir," he stammered "There must be someone better suited." "I don't want to heat it Squall just promise me."
Squall suddenly remembered the last promise he was asked to make. He wasn't able to promise that, but this.
"Sir you have my word."
The two men saluted each other. Squall walks away, but stops at the door. He turns to Caraway.
"I pray it doesn't come to that sir."
Squall left the generals office to join the others. He arrived at the military courtyard a few blocks from the mansion in no time. Thousands and thousands of men where there waiting. Squall recognized some as his own SeeD's. In the midst of the crowd Squall found Seifer and Quistis.
"Hey," he said joining them. Both Seifer and Quistis jumped. Squall was surprised by their reaction. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."
"Don't worry about it Seifer and I were just talking."
Squall was a bit curious to what they where talking about that would make them jump like that, but in the end he decided it was none of his business.
"Are the troops ready?" He asked them instead.
"As ready as there gonna be." Seifer told him.
"How was Trabia?" Quistis asked.
"Selphie and Irvine have given there full support. They should be joining us soon."
"That's great!" Seifer exclaimed.
Just then Emma joined them. "What's great?"
"Trabia's coming to our aide." Seifer answered.
"Oh I already heard, isn't that fantastic?"
The four of them were wrapped in conversation when they saw Zell along with Kira running towards them both their faces frantic and nervous. Zell was holding his right arm; blood was dripping over his hand."
"My god Zell what happened?" Quistis cried.
"There her, Kira came to tell me and on our way over here we where ambushed." Zell told them his voice shaky.
"Vince is already out there fighting we must hurry!" The sense of urgency in Zell's voice was undeniable. Squall immediately took action.
He commanded all the troops to attention. Quickly he ran through the circumstances with them. At last he shouted.
"This is it!" Fight hard, fight smart and please lets all come back together!" The troops roared as they left the courtyard.
The war head begun.
Squall along with his friends were quick to join the fight. The rebels had swarmed the city. Everywhere Squall had looked there was chaos. Citizens running with their children in their arms, bodies falling from both sides, screams of agony. It was the atmosphere of war and even still to this day after all Squall had seen and done it still made him feel sick.
With his gunblade firmly in hand Squall made his way through the crowds striking every rebel in his way. He injured most, but not all.
The battle went on for hours. Deling city was up in flames. At one point Squall took a brief moment away from the fighting to look around him, it was all so surreal.
He was stepping through the broken city when he saw a sight that made him want to hurl. Lying dead on the ground was Vincent and Kira their arms reaching for each other, but not quite connecting. His heart went out to them; they were good people who deserved more then that. Squall went over to them and connected the hands of his lost comrades.
"Till we meet again." He whispered to them before moving on.
Shortly later Squall caught sight of Seifer; he had Quistis lying in his arms. Squall sprinted over to them. Quistis chest had blood pouring from it. Seifer had his hand over the wound and was speaking to her in a soothing voice.
"You're going to make it Quistis. Were going to make it and when this is all over"- Seifer stopped talking upon seeing Squall.
"What happened?" Squall asked heart stricken with concern.
"A rebel got her across the chest." Seifer answered as Quistis winces in pain. Squall bends down. "Come on Seifer," he instructed. "Let's bring her to safety." At that moment they heard a blood curling scream from down the street. Squall thought the scream sounded familiar, but it was Seifer who recognized it.
"Emma!" He cried.
Squall quickly turns to Seifer. "I'll take of Quistis you go get her."
"No." Seifer said firmly taking Squall's hand. "Please Squall I'm staying here with Quistis. You.you go save her."
Squall would have argued that it shouldn't be him to go rescue her but, not wanting to waste another moment Squall got up from the ground running blindly to where he thought he heard her voice.
Seconds later he spotted her huddled in an alley with four rebels approaching. Squall wasted no time, he ran with everything he had to reach her. Arriving at the alley he raised his gunblade striking and defending each foe. Once every rebel lay on the ground he ran over to Emma. Her face was red and she was looking embarrassed.
"Are.are you alright?" Squall asked her while trying to catch his breathe.
Emma nods standing up and wiping the dirt from her cloths.
"Thanks." She said not able to look him in the eyes. "If.if you hadn't come.well.again thanks."
Emma starts to walk away when she stops and her whole body starts to shake impulsively. Squall walks up to her.
"Are you alright?" He asks her again this time more tenderly.
"Squall this isn't what I imagined. I always knew war was awful, but.all the life lost even the rebels." She looks at the four bodies lying on the ground. "Is all this loss worth it? Is it worth Timber's freedom?"
Squall look at her sympathetically. He wondered that question everyday, even before he became a SeeD. He didn't know the answer until he met Rinoa.
"We fight because we believe in it. We fight for freedom from those who claim it for themselves. We fight because sometimes there's no other way, but mainly we fight to protect those we love and care for. Why do you think I'm here?"
Emma smiles, but then suddenly stops when a thought strikes her.
"Seifer!?" Is he alright!?" Where is he!?"
"Don't worry he's with Quistis. She had been wounded and he was taking care of her when we heard your scream." Squall bit his tongue when he saw Emma's hurt expression.
"He's taking care of Quistis."
"Yeah.well he had no other choice. He sent me to save you."
She takes a moment then still frowning Emma says to him. "We better be on our ways. There's still a war going on after all."
Emma only takes a few steps when Squall grabs her arm. "Let's go together."
"I don't need to be baby sat Squall." Emma told him angrily.
"I would like to know someone's watching my back out there." He told her. "Wars awful enough frankly I don't want to bare it alone."
Emma looks at him earnestly. "Neither do I."
Squall raises her gunblade and Emma picks up her sword from off the ground. Together they ran of to the midst of battle.
No one ever said war was easy and everyone says that it is hell, but no one unless you've been there can truly describe what war is truly like. The battle went on for three long days. It was an even fight until Trabia arrived. The tides after that turned and despite that battle's horrible experiences Squall and the so many others came out victorious.
After three days the rebels surrendered. Deling City was back under its own government, Galbadian garden was to go back as its original use and Timber was officially liberated.
The night after the surrender everyone gathered at Caraway's. There was a lot of talk about rebuilding and such, but for the most part everyone was just laughing and giving great big hugs. Squall didn't understand this celebration he didn't think he ever would. There was so much death how could anyone be so happy so soon?
When all was said and done Squall wondered away from the others and went to Caraway's balcony.
He smelt the air as it breezed by. He felt its crisp coldness against his skin.
"Rinoa," he said to the open sky. "We did it, Timber's free."
Despite the effort and victory to Squall it still didn't seem good enough. Squall fell to his knees leaning against the railing. "I'm sorry." He whimpered knowing now that no matter what he did it never do justice to the woman he loved.
Everything to Squall Leonhart, including his existence, was in vain.
Efforts in Vain
With Selphie, Irvine, and Trabia's support Squall quickly returned to Galbadia. Things there were defiantly starting to boil over. The city was in utter chaos citizens were running around wild. Small fights had broken out between rebels and Galbadian soldiers. War was defiantly right around the corner.
Squall when arriving in the city went directly to Caraway's mansion. In his office Emma and the General were having a private conversation. Squall cleared his throat to announce his presence. Both Emma and Caraway turned to him.
"Leonhart," Caraway addressed him skipping formalities. "I'm glad to see you've returned so soon. Do we have Trabia's support?"
"They'll be arriving shortly."
"Excellent," Caraway said thrilled.
Squall in the mean time looks around the room. "Where are the others?"
"With the troops," Caraway answered him. "Miss Winston and I were just going over some final arrangements."
"Alright should I go join the others?"
"In a moment," Caraway turns to Emma. "Would you give us a minute?"
"Of course, I think I'll just go meet up with everyone."
"Very well."
Emma leaves the two men. Caraway who waste no time to awkward silences immediately began to speak.
"Squall," he said, it was the first time Caraway ever used his first name. "I'm going to make this short. If anything is to happen to me I want you to take control or rather leadership over Galbadia."
Squall looks up at the general flabbergasted. "Sir.sir," he stammered "There must be someone better suited." "I don't want to heat it Squall just promise me."
Squall suddenly remembered the last promise he was asked to make. He wasn't able to promise that, but this.
"Sir you have my word."
The two men saluted each other. Squall walks away, but stops at the door. He turns to Caraway.
"I pray it doesn't come to that sir."
Squall left the generals office to join the others. He arrived at the military courtyard a few blocks from the mansion in no time. Thousands and thousands of men where there waiting. Squall recognized some as his own SeeD's. In the midst of the crowd Squall found Seifer and Quistis.
"Hey," he said joining them. Both Seifer and Quistis jumped. Squall was surprised by their reaction. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."
"Don't worry about it Seifer and I were just talking."
Squall was a bit curious to what they where talking about that would make them jump like that, but in the end he decided it was none of his business.
"Are the troops ready?" He asked them instead.
"As ready as there gonna be." Seifer told him.
"How was Trabia?" Quistis asked.
"Selphie and Irvine have given there full support. They should be joining us soon."
"That's great!" Seifer exclaimed.
Just then Emma joined them. "What's great?"
"Trabia's coming to our aide." Seifer answered.
"Oh I already heard, isn't that fantastic?"
The four of them were wrapped in conversation when they saw Zell along with Kira running towards them both their faces frantic and nervous. Zell was holding his right arm; blood was dripping over his hand."
"My god Zell what happened?" Quistis cried.
"There her, Kira came to tell me and on our way over here we where ambushed." Zell told them his voice shaky.
"Vince is already out there fighting we must hurry!" The sense of urgency in Zell's voice was undeniable. Squall immediately took action.
He commanded all the troops to attention. Quickly he ran through the circumstances with them. At last he shouted.
"This is it!" Fight hard, fight smart and please lets all come back together!" The troops roared as they left the courtyard.
The war head begun.
Squall along with his friends were quick to join the fight. The rebels had swarmed the city. Everywhere Squall had looked there was chaos. Citizens running with their children in their arms, bodies falling from both sides, screams of agony. It was the atmosphere of war and even still to this day after all Squall had seen and done it still made him feel sick.
With his gunblade firmly in hand Squall made his way through the crowds striking every rebel in his way. He injured most, but not all.
The battle went on for hours. Deling city was up in flames. At one point Squall took a brief moment away from the fighting to look around him, it was all so surreal.
He was stepping through the broken city when he saw a sight that made him want to hurl. Lying dead on the ground was Vincent and Kira their arms reaching for each other, but not quite connecting. His heart went out to them; they were good people who deserved more then that. Squall went over to them and connected the hands of his lost comrades.
"Till we meet again." He whispered to them before moving on.
Shortly later Squall caught sight of Seifer; he had Quistis lying in his arms. Squall sprinted over to them. Quistis chest had blood pouring from it. Seifer had his hand over the wound and was speaking to her in a soothing voice.
"You're going to make it Quistis. Were going to make it and when this is all over"- Seifer stopped talking upon seeing Squall.
"What happened?" Squall asked heart stricken with concern.
"A rebel got her across the chest." Seifer answered as Quistis winces in pain. Squall bends down. "Come on Seifer," he instructed. "Let's bring her to safety." At that moment they heard a blood curling scream from down the street. Squall thought the scream sounded familiar, but it was Seifer who recognized it.
"Emma!" He cried.
Squall quickly turns to Seifer. "I'll take of Quistis you go get her."
"No." Seifer said firmly taking Squall's hand. "Please Squall I'm staying here with Quistis. You.you go save her."
Squall would have argued that it shouldn't be him to go rescue her but, not wanting to waste another moment Squall got up from the ground running blindly to where he thought he heard her voice.
Seconds later he spotted her huddled in an alley with four rebels approaching. Squall wasted no time, he ran with everything he had to reach her. Arriving at the alley he raised his gunblade striking and defending each foe. Once every rebel lay on the ground he ran over to Emma. Her face was red and she was looking embarrassed.
"Are.are you alright?" Squall asked her while trying to catch his breathe.
Emma nods standing up and wiping the dirt from her cloths.
"Thanks." She said not able to look him in the eyes. "If.if you hadn't come.well.again thanks."
Emma starts to walk away when she stops and her whole body starts to shake impulsively. Squall walks up to her.
"Are you alright?" He asks her again this time more tenderly.
"Squall this isn't what I imagined. I always knew war was awful, but.all the life lost even the rebels." She looks at the four bodies lying on the ground. "Is all this loss worth it? Is it worth Timber's freedom?"
Squall look at her sympathetically. He wondered that question everyday, even before he became a SeeD. He didn't know the answer until he met Rinoa.
"We fight because we believe in it. We fight for freedom from those who claim it for themselves. We fight because sometimes there's no other way, but mainly we fight to protect those we love and care for. Why do you think I'm here?"
Emma smiles, but then suddenly stops when a thought strikes her.
"Seifer!?" Is he alright!?" Where is he!?"
"Don't worry he's with Quistis. She had been wounded and he was taking care of her when we heard your scream." Squall bit his tongue when he saw Emma's hurt expression.
"He's taking care of Quistis."
"Yeah.well he had no other choice. He sent me to save you."
She takes a moment then still frowning Emma says to him. "We better be on our ways. There's still a war going on after all."
Emma only takes a few steps when Squall grabs her arm. "Let's go together."
"I don't need to be baby sat Squall." Emma told him angrily.
"I would like to know someone's watching my back out there." He told her. "Wars awful enough frankly I don't want to bare it alone."
Emma looks at him earnestly. "Neither do I."
Squall raises her gunblade and Emma picks up her sword from off the ground. Together they ran of to the midst of battle.
No one ever said war was easy and everyone says that it is hell, but no one unless you've been there can truly describe what war is truly like. The battle went on for three long days. It was an even fight until Trabia arrived. The tides after that turned and despite that battle's horrible experiences Squall and the so many others came out victorious.
After three days the rebels surrendered. Deling City was back under its own government, Galbadian garden was to go back as its original use and Timber was officially liberated.
The night after the surrender everyone gathered at Caraway's. There was a lot of talk about rebuilding and such, but for the most part everyone was just laughing and giving great big hugs. Squall didn't understand this celebration he didn't think he ever would. There was so much death how could anyone be so happy so soon?
When all was said and done Squall wondered away from the others and went to Caraway's balcony.
He smelt the air as it breezed by. He felt its crisp coldness against his skin.
"Rinoa," he said to the open sky. "We did it, Timber's free."
Despite the effort and victory to Squall it still didn't seem good enough. Squall fell to his knees leaning against the railing. "I'm sorry." He whimpered knowing now that no matter what he did it never do justice to the woman he loved.
Everything to Squall Leonhart, including his existence, was in vain.