Disclaimer: I swear they don't belong to me and that one day, just one day, I'm gonna go through that damned game without throwing coffee mugs at Rhino- aaaAAAAHHH!!

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Chapter 17: Where bitches are broken

When Rinoa entered the cell, she was confronted to a blonde mass of pure fury, luckily enough chained to the wall and with what seemed to be a rubber ball stuck in his mouth. As he tried to get it out in hope to at least succeed to spit in the young sorceress' face, several electrical shocks left his breathless and shivering in the damp air. Rinoa smiled and closed the door behind her, then bolted it. She was wearing the classical junior SeeD uniform, with a black trench coat carelessly flung over her shoulders to block the cool air. Slowly, she walked to the defeated form, and gently laid a hand on his cheek. The ex-knight stiffened immediately, leading to another round of electrical pain. Rinoa couldn't help smiling at the enraged growls the suffering caused him. Always so proud. How she ached to break him. That would come soon enough.

"So," She began, "I will be very concise. I can break you in zillions of bone shards, and then use the most powerful curaga spells to glue you back together, and then start over. We can spend hours and even days doing that. And don't even think I will let you escape through death, 'cause I won't. You will not win, Seifer. Try my nerves and you'll be happy to ever walk again. You'll be happy to ever escape this place."

As she thought, Seifer chuckled.

"You're so fucking stubborn, Almasy." But Rinoa removed the electric ball from Seifer's mouth, causing him to chuckle louder and almost bite her fingers off.

"I think that's the first time I ever hear you swear, Rinny. Have the little daddy's girl finally grew up? Or are you just slowly turning into a heartless bitch out of frustration that your so-called boyfriend is fucking guys?"

Rinoa slapped him so hard the plain silver ring she wore in her ring finger broke through his skin. No longer sparkling with sick glee, the chocolate irises shoved whirling spirals of hate in his green ones. She cannot be the teenage sweetheart I fucked, and he dated.

"Fine, then, you want it rough, Seify?" Rinoa snarled in his ear, soon followed by a wicked bite at his earlobe. "I'll play dirty. Just remember who asked for it."

Moving slightly aback, Rinoa removed her coat and slapped her hands together in a mimic of her usual cheerful self from the past.

"Let's start then shall we? FLARE!!"

The unbearable heat hit Seifer with an incredible strength. Seifer had been hit by flare spells before, but never that strong. He bit his lower lips to bleeding in a rather useless attempt not to scream. The spell had turned all of his clothing to ashes, leaving him completely nude. "That was a little bit too hot, sweetie. Let's cool down a bit." He couldn't see her through his tears, but he could tell she thoroughly enjoyed this.

"BLIZZAGA!"

The abrupt change of temperature lit his body on cold fire, as he watched his chest cover in icicles and sleet. He lost himself in the pain, screaming to the top of his lung, and hoping he would still be able to make the difference between a friend and a foe by the end of this.

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(Meanwhile, in another part of Balamb Garden.)

Allen woke up to the smell of breakfast, and for a while he really believed he was back home, with his mother waiting for him with a steaming cup of coffee, and toasts. He felt happy.

Then something reminded him of something, like his mother being a murderer, his home being a mass grave, and himself not even knowing who was his mom anymore. Just so perfect.

He grumbled and sat on the bed, slowly massaging his temples which had started to ache the day before. Too much stress, he guessed. He had no idea where Seifer had been put, but he hoped it was as nice and cozy as this room, on the upper deck of Garden, with huge windows that let heavy amount of sunlight stream and reverberate on the immaculate white walls. Even better, a tray had been brought while he was out in another world, filled with all kind of breakfast food. The delicious smell made his stomach grumble angrily. He couldn't even tell when was the last time he had a normal meal.

Again, the strange stirring sensation in his head. He'd have to ask for painkillers later.

The door creaked open, and a pretty heart-shaped head, crowned by long dark hair and showing one of the sweetest smile he had ever seen. The young woman closed the door behind her and walked like she floated over the floor. A slight perfume of peaches and strawberries came from her hair, and he briefly closed his eyes to smell better while she sat beside the bed.

"Hi!" She squealed in a light, delighted voice. "I'm Rinoa. I rule this Garden."

"You RULE?" Allen repeated, quite surprised. "You're way too young to be a ruler."

"Oh don't be fooled by that." She tapped her nose. "I am a sorceress. I received my powers from Ultimecia-you remember that sorceress now, don't you? She was."

The words drowned in the sound of his own suddenly quickened heartbeats. Rinoa was a sorceress. His mother was a sorceress too. In his childish, innocent mind, the two persons lines under a huge flashing red word. DANGER.

"I.uh."

"You were with my boyfriend, right?" The over-cheerful voice chirped again.

"Your...uh? Who?"

"My boyfriend! A bit tall, longish hair, gray eyes! His name his Squall."

"Ah yes, I." Allen's mouth automatically shut in mid-sentence. Squall was with the little blonde man. Zell. Squall couldn't be Rinoa's boyfriend! She was tricking him!

"Yes?"

"I mean, I think I know who you are talking about. He was a friend of Seifer right?"

Rinoa beamed. "Yes! They were more like rivals, but they knew each other very well! So, have you seen him?" She sounded more than hopeful. Like she was playing a part of a play, and knew exactly what he was about to reply.

"No, I never seen him." The boy replied, secretly smiling. "Seifer talked a lot about him, 'though."

Rinoa's sweet exterior creaked, and he swore he saw the venomous snake looming underneath.

"I know you were with him, boy. Why don't you tell me? I've been missing him so much. It's not funny being alone! Separated from the one you love. You know that?"

A cold sweep of anger lifted Allen's spirit. Oh she was playing a little game. Like his mother. No way.

"I don't know him. Never saw him. And certainly can't tell where he is, or with who."

Rinoa's face turned sour.

"I know you're lying, little one." She warned

"I know you're nothing good for him. For anyone." Allen retorted, dumbfounded by his own guts.

"Oh is it?" The now-turned-glacial voice chided. "Well good for you. CONFUSE!"

The spell was highly unexpected. Allen thought she'd inflict pain, insults, but certainly not that. As the maelstrom of confusion hit him, he cried for the only person he could think of.

"SEIFER!!"

Then blackness engulfed him.

And retreated, as swiftly.

He was sitting in a stuffed chair, in a luxury room filled with paintings and what seemed to be rare, expensive trinkets put on even rarer and more expensive furniture. He could see city lights against night sky by the large, uncovered windows. But inside, only candles spread light, uncertain light.

"Had enough thinking already?"

Allen's head snapped from the sight of the outside, to the man he hadn't seen. "Seifer?"

"Damn but you are clever, boy." The blonde smirked bitterly.

"What are you doing here? You can't be here! Where are you?"

"Fucking unconscious, in a cell." He replied. "Bitch knocked me over."

"Bitch?"

"The Black Bitch in Velvet Panties."

"Oh, Rinoa."

Seifer sneered. "Seems like you met her already."

"She cast a confuse spell on me. I shouldn't be there."

"Confusion and unconsciousness are close. I just hope you aren't babbling away all you know about Squall right now."

"I hope so. I hate her."

"Me too, kiddo. Me too."

"Seifer?"

"Uhn?"

"Do you think I have powers too? I mean, I'm a sorceress' son after all.well I think."

"Oh come on, you were luring people from trains down to her place, what do you think that is? Charm?"

"Mhhhm."

"You're underestimating yourself."

"Maybe."

"Honestly, and I only say that because we are in a desperate situation, and because I think I am going to wake up from my painful daze soon, but I think you are at least as powerful as she is."

"Come on, she got her powers from Ultimecia! I got them from a low-life sorceress who couldn't even get out of her ranch."

"That's harsh, kiddo. But I maintain what I just said. Don't let her walk over you. Oops, my back is starting to hurt real bad. Guess the chit-chat is over. Good luck."

Seifer stood from the chair and walked to the door, then put a hand on the golden knob.

"SEIFER!" The child had jumped on his feet and ran to the tall man, and before the blonde had the time to wonder what on Gaia the kid was thinking, he had a pair of thin but strong arms circling his mid-section, and a bald head buried against his chest. The boy seemed in deep panic

"Don't leave alone with her please!!" He cried, afraid to go back on his real self, and meeting that pair of angered eyes again. "Please take me with you!"

Seifer laughed softly and laid a warm, almost too real hand on his 'son's head. "I wish I could be there to defend you, boy. But I'm chained to a wall in Garden's basement, and I'm too weak to do anything beside whining. I wish."

"I want you to get better! I WANT YOU TO HEAL AND GET BETTER AND COME GET ME!!!!!!!!!!"

The word resonated in the room, and this time Seifer's smile was wide and genuine.

"May your wish be granted, boy. Now I suggest opening your eyes."

With that, he patted the bare skull a last time, and walked out, leaving a sobbing boy behind.

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Rinoa had no idea what hit her when she found herself almost splattered against the wall by the powerful wind. She tried to move but then discovered she was literally stuck there-stretched and barely able to breathe under the attack. The boy had been babbling nonsense under the influence of the confuse spell, then all of sudden it was like a bomb ticking off. He started screaming like someone was ripping his guts off. Then this tornado blew out of his mouth! The sorceress struggled against the slowly forming bounds that held her limbs tighly against the wall, but it was useless. She had never encountered such kind of magic, thus had no idea on how to counterattack. Even worse, the magic seemed to have an effect on her brain, and soon enough she felt herself drifting off consciousness, with only the sound of swirling wind in her ears.

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(B-Garden's basement cell, same moment...)

Seifer was pulled off his pain-induced unconsciousness by a soaring electricity, running through every nerve in his body. It was not nearly as painful as Rinoa's ministrations, but still highly uncomfortable.

His eyes shot open. To see both his hands in front of his, cradling the steel chains that held them bound against the wall, minutes ago. The trimmed nails were now replaced by four-inches-long sharp claws. The already solid muscle under tanned skin was visibly growing, blossoming into bulges powerful flesh, soon covered by golden, shiny fur.

Highly unnatural, and certainly alarming. But he felt very, very good. Even thought he had fallen on his knees on the moist ground, and found himself unable to stand back up. He stalked around the room on all fours, with newfound grace. He marvelled at the grace of his demeanour, the comfort he found in his new form.

He stopped over a puddle of water that came from a dripping track on the wall. The surface reflected perfect almond-shaped green eyes, nestled amongst a debauchery of white and yellow-striped fur. A long muzzle replaced the usual smirking lips, and long, white whiskers. Large triangular ears twitched in surprise.

Alarming. But nice.

With a brief bark of laugher, the large golden wolf ripped the door open and followed the scent of his protégée.

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Allen woke up feeling very cold, very messed up and undeniably very wet. The sun was high in the sky, and beating against his darkly-clothed back, but the downward parts of his body felt numb and glacial. The wind filled his nostrils with the smell of salt and seaweeds. A brief moment, he thought that it was it, he was dying from Rinoa's ministration, and his almost-cadaver had been thrown in the sea, and he was floating toward Dollets where the remnants of his body would be scooped with a shovel and...

"That's rather pointless you know." A deep, not really human voice huffed in front of him. Allen's eyes popped open. Meeting the back of a huge golden canine head, topped with long pointy ears. His head had been cradled on the powerful neck of the creature, and its heat, despite the freezing ocean water, had kept him from hypothermia. The boy could still feel it running against his chest, like an internal fire. Both his hands clutched the long wet fur distinctly.

"What..." He tried his best to stop the shacking of his jaw "What is pointless?"

"Thinking about your own death." The creature barked. "You ain't going anywhere but where I am taking you."

"And where exactly are you taking me?"

"Up North, kiddo, and definitely West. We have friends to meet, and yet another bitch to break."

Kiddo??

"Seifer?"

This time the bark certainly sounded like laughing. "How did you figured me out?"

"Hyne above...it is really you?"

"Damn right. I think I am pretty cool like this. Thanks for the help!"

"I....what? what help?"

"I told you, didn't I, that you were stronger than you thought."

"I...made you this?"

"Ain't I sexy? Damn I really like it. Seems like you merged me with an unknown GF named Fenrir. He lent me his powers and his body. I broke through my cell like it was a damned inflatable house!"

"I can't do that!"

"You are a sorceress' son. Sure you can. Stop underestimating yourself."

"Yeah...well I guess I should..."

"Yes you should. Now please be a peach and cast a Sleep on yourself. I keep getting water in my nose from all that talking."

Allen smiled, his head buried in the soft fur. The Sleep spell wouldn't be necessary. He simply closed his eyes and let himself drift off the face of the world again.

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I was a bit quicker this time don't ya all think? *wink wink* Given that my winword ate my file like 4 times, I feel very lucky I didn't threw the computer out the window :(

Next chappy will be what happens back in Dollet while Seifer and Allen were stuck in B-Garden. Just so you don't get mixed up.

On a totally different topic, THE NEW MY LITTLE PONY ARE OUUUUUT *dances dances*

Aherm....see you soon ;)