Chapter 10 Switch Identities

Author's note: Apologies about the last chapter! When I was breaking the stories into chapters, I must have been too sleepy to realize what I did, and the result was such. Thanks for pointing it out, I'll repost it later on, though there won't be any additions to that chapter.

In this chapter, there will be cameo appearances from another Final Fantasy game, hope you don't mind them, since I thought they would make a pretty interesting addition. They won't have any effect on the story however, though I think they'll pop up once in a while. Thank you, and enjoy!

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Ellone gasped for breath as she leaned against the wet walls of the passage. This is a nightmare, she thought. Just a few hours ago everything had been fine, and then suddenly Galbadian troopers were everywhere, breaking into the castle like they owned it. Queen Edea had shown Ellone the secret passage, telling her it would lead to a small cove, with an escape ship. Edea told her to go to Balamb, where there would be Esthar people to protect her. Why the Galbadians are after her was perplexing. The thought of running in the dark and then surviving the ocean on her own was far worse, but she preferred not to think about it.

Seeing light up ahead, she sighed and urged her tired legs to keep walking. She should have worn shoes...

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Squall frowned as they settled in one of Trabia Canyon's many caves. This one seems to be the old lair of a Ruby Dragon and they were several rotten bones and the air was heavy with dragon smell.

"Don't grumble, you've been through this before haven't you?" Irvine snapped at Selphie. She was sitting beside a fire she had conjured and was clearly angry at the unexpected delay. "Darn chocobos."

Squall stood in the shadows, watching the entrance. "We should rotate guards; who knows what might sneak up on us."

"Yeah, like those annoying Bite Bugs." Irvine chuckled. "Well, hate to disappoint you, but I'm too tired to take the first shift."

And Selphie was already asleep, Squall noted. He watched as Irvine pulled his hat over his eyes and fall asleep, his sniper gun between his legs.

He silently stepped outside and saw Quistis standing at the edge of the small ledge that lead to the cave. She shifted to face him when he accidentally kicked a pebble. "Are you still up? Have some rest; I'll guard."

"If anyone needs sleep it would be you," He pointed out gruffly. True enough, her complexion was paler than before, and she looked tired. But she was as stubborn as he predicted.

"I'm not tired. Besides, I'm supposed to guard Rinoa and I failed - I shouldn't rest."

He uttered an obscene word that Quistis chose to ignore. "Her disappearance wasn't your fault. Stop being so stiff and go to sleep."

She felt her anger rise. Forgetting all etiquette, she glared at him - if looks could kill he would have been dead. "Look at the pot calling the kettle black. Who was angry when we discovered her missing earlier?" She took a deep breath and collected herself. If only she could see, she could have laughed at his stupefied expression. "Prince Leonhart - I've served royalty since I could remember. You're the first I've met who acts like a commoner and denies acting so! To add to that, you could have been created from granite." She paused for effect and suddenly the realization of what she was doing and to who she was talking off hit her. But she wasn't about to back down. She inclined her head slightly and walked away.

Squall blinked thoughtfully. She was easily angered, that one. Or did he touch a nerve? He looked down below, into the valley, where the Pass runs. Rinoa and Seifer passed through there earlier - did they make it safely? Are they on their way back to Esthar?

Unfortunately not, Rinoa thought murderously as several guards ushered her into Trabia Castle's Throne Room. Regent Cid and Queen Edea were there, looking pale but still regal. If Galbadian soldiers are here, there's a chance that her father was here, or worse...

Worst, Rinoa suppressed a groan as the red-swathed figure of the Empress came into view. She stood tall in the centre of the room, eyes narrowed as she regarded the entrance of her step-daughter.

Rinoa glared at the guards and they let her go. She executed a stiff courtesy and stood before the Empress.

"It seems like you have a lot to answer to." Ultimecia said at last. "Running to Esthar, and then getting into trouble with my guards. What do you have to say?"

"Where's father?" Rinoa demanded. Ultimecia waved aside the question. "And who is this?" She stared beadily at Seifer, who scowled in return.

"He's Prince Almasy of Esthar, mother." Rinoa said and the guards quickly unhanded the man.

"Prince Almasy?" Ultimecia regarded him for a moment. He knelt in greeting, thought anyone could see he didn't want to.

"Empress, the princess is nowhere to be found!" A soldier came to report, looking agitated. Ultimecia's eyes flashed. "Fool! She must be here! Find her!" She turned to Regent Cid, who all this while had kept quiet. "Where is the princess, Cid?"

"...I have no idea."

"You'll regret what you've done." She snarled and turned to one of her guards. "Set Soldiers everywhere! Search every house in the city and the suburbs! Tell the Octagon Knights to be on the lookout for her." She seemed pleased at the last command. Rinoa's flesh crawled. Octagon Knights?! Oh Hyne no...

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Squall was busy examining his blade when he heard it - a loud roar and explosions coming from the entrance of the Pass - where they came from. He got up and saw flashes of light and heard muffled roars, but what attracted him was why would anybody try to cross the Pass at such an hour? Everybody knows Ruby Dragons hate to be disturbed while sleeping.

'What's that noise?" Irvine mumbled as he came out of the cave, followed by Quistis and Selphie. "Someone's attacked at the entrance," Squall pointed. Quistis listened awhile and shook her head. "Not someone - a whole lot of people. And they're in trouble." She took out her whip and followed suit as Squall slid down the side of the mountain. Going down was much easier than up, Selphie decided as she slid down. The only problem was keeping her shirt up - Irvine kept staring her way.

Squall landed deftly and began running almost immediately. Quistis frowned as she followed. There's more than four dragons, judging from what she's hearing, but the men were almost three times as many.

"Oh wow." Selphie breathed as they came within sight of the attacks. It wasn't just a bunch of people - it was a whole procession of caravans, complete with chocobos. And they were losing to the dragons.

"It's those performers we saw in Esthar, and they need help." Irvine tipped his hat up. "Let's go!"

Quistis felt a rush of hot air and jumped out of the way as a stream of fire blazed her way. "Blizzaga!" She aimed and heard a crackle and fizz as the spell came within range.

Squall was furiously hacking away at one sorry beast when he heard an exclamation on surprise. "Prince Leonhart?!"

Squall swung around and saw - the Great Dincht. He was covered in dragon blood and looked disheveled, but he was grinning! "Whoa! This must be some lucky star! I get to meet you again!"

"Save the friendly recollections!" A girl came between the two and swung at a dragon who was trying to tiptoe on Squall. "Climhazzard!!!"

"Right." The Great Dincht said promptly and continued to drive the dragons away.

"Why are they coming at you?!" Selphie shouted as she fought alongside a tall brunette. "I think that stupid thief must have angered them," The girl growled as she swung an iron staff, sending it crashing into a dragon's skull.

Selphie blinked. Wow.

Quistis ducked and struck a dragon that was coming her way. Just a few more...

"Done!" Irvine yelled in triumph as he personally dispatched one dragon to Heaven. He looked around and grinned. "Everyone okay?"

"I need a bath." Selphie grumbled as she tugged at her bloodied hair. "Darn blood."

Squall drove his blade deep into the ground and pulled it out, clean. Dincht was whistling. "What a lot of skin and meat! Yo, Xu, got a place to store these?"

The tall brunette referred to as Xu stared at the carcass. "One or two, but not all," She prodded a frozen chunk of dragon. Quistis had hit it with a Blizzaga spell right in the eye, and she had smashed it to pieces. "Alright, what's the damage?" She called out to nobody in particular.

The girl who had come between Squall and Dincht stepped forward, her sword still dripping with blood. Squall noticed she had an eye patch. "The Chocobos are safe, none of our people are too badly injured. But we can't find Zidane."

"Serves him right." Xu scowled. "I bet he started this."

"All the same, he's missing."

Xu sighed and waved the girl away. She turned to Squall, Irvine, Selphie and Quistis, who stood, watching the mess. "Not the way we'd want to greet royalty," She bowed at Squall. "We're sorry to trouble you, Prince Leonhart."

"Are you going to Trabia?" Selphie said with interest. Xu nodded. "Before we left, we heard that Trabia was under attack by Galbadians - "

"WHAT?!" Irvine yelled. Squall shot him a look and he collected himself. "When?"

"A few hours ago, but we're not sure..."

"Princess..." Quistis whispered to herself, dread choking her and making her spin. No, the Guardians...

"We need to go to Trabia," Irvine spoke after silence. But if it has been occupied, and if Prince Almasy and Princess Heartily has been captured; then we need to sneak in."

"I know!" Xu smiled. "You can come with us! It's the least we can do to repay you," She added, smiling at Squall. But her smile quickly faded when he remained stony.

"Great!" Dincht yelled. He grinned at Squall. "By the way, the names' Zell. Zell Dincht. Put it there man," he held out his hand, but Squall merely frowned. To avoid uncomfortable situations, Irvine smoothly stepped in and shook Zell's hand with a dazzling smile. "Great. When can we leave?"

Xu sighed. "I suppose we should look for Zidane..."

"Aw, that guy can find his way home," Zell waved the question. "We're ready to go Prince Leonhart!" He made a mock salute and chuckled as he grinned at Xu. "He's the guy who gave me that adorable bruise."

"I didn't say it was adorable," Xu retorted. "It was 'admirable'."

"You're admirable," Irvine sided up to Xu, giving her one of his most melting smiles. "Do you have a personal caravan?"

He was promptly hit over the head with a nunchaku. "What was that for?!" He glared at Selphie, who stood with arms akimbo. "Now's not the time to flirt, you pighead!"

"Well boo-hoo for you." He snapped. "I guess you're just jealoud cause I didn't mutter your name in my sleep huh?"

Selphie turned red with anger. "I don't understand why they made you a Knight in the first place!" She shouted furiously, ignoring the fact that people were beginning to look their way. Squall sighed and rubbed his forehead. Things are not looking up.

Author's note: Thanks to all who read this fic, please review! I need to see if there's anything to amend and improve!