Ch 19 - Infected
Zell hopped off the transportation device, Emily's unconscious body slung over one shoulder.
President Justice and Squall stood before him. Justice stepped forward, looking splendid in a black trench coat and scarf, guarding him against the harsh cold. "An excellent fight, Zell. I can hardly believe some of the manoeuvres you showed off."
Zell smiled, slightly embarrassed. "Well…she put up quite a fight."
President Justice gestured to a small team of men, a pair of them carrying a stretcher. "If you don't mind, we'll allow the medial team to take her to the medical tent now."
"Oh yeah…right." Zell joked, looking at her as if she had suddenly appeared on his shoulder. The pair of men walked forward, and Zell gently placed her on the stretcher.
She slept quietly, her pale skin bruised in some places, her mouth and nose bleeding freely, her cloths dirty and torn from the battle. She didn't seem to be in any pain.
Zell watched her get carted off before turning back to Justice and Squall. "She had me a little worried for a second there…I didn't even feel her draw Diablos off me, she was so good."
Justice placed his hands in his pockets. "Yes, well, her main skill is magic…she can take down most major monsters with simple magic techniques, not to mention her Blue magic. She used her 'Kiss Of Death' on you, didn't she?" He shook his head. "I've seen the results of that trick…messy."
"It's a good thing she had a drawable cure for it…otherwise my brains would have been splattered all over the place right now."
"Quite…" The President of Galbadia said, suddenly becoming distracted as he saw something over Zell's shoulder. "Could you please excuse me for a minute, Zell? Someone needs to talk to me."
Zell was slightly surprised by the President's sudden want to leave, and shrugged. "No skin off my nose, Prez."
Justice nodded to him and Squall apologetically and walked off into the crowd, seeming to follow the medical team. Zell watched him go before he felt Squall's hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Squall present him with a jacket. "Put this on and follow me."
Zell did as he requested and they walked together, moving through the crowd slowly, taking their time. Squall seemed to be busy thinking of something, his hands firmly jammed in his pants pockets, his brow furrowed as he thought his thoughts. Zell took the time to regain some strength, placing his own hands in his own pockets and taking his time in their walk.
After a few minutes it became apparent to Zell that they were walking away from the Tournament zone, the icy field spanning out around them, and he tapped Squall on the shoulder. "Squall…"
"I know. Just keep going."
The continued to walk on for a few minutes, Zell suddenly beginning to feel very cold. His ears began to feel frosty, and he reached up to rub them. Placing his fingers in the canals, he found that he still wore the input/output devices, and he removed them, looking down at them in his hands.
He frowned. Do they use them with other people? Or do they simply throw em away? He shrugged and placed them in his pants pocket. Hell…they wont miss two. Besides, it'll be a good souvenir…
They could see the ocean now, the waters frozen from the intense cold. It looked rather strange – the layer of ice looking like icing on a watery cake, the snow falling all around.
Zell was beginning to feel tired, his stomach starting to hurt. She must have gotten to me more then I thought… he thought to himself as he felt another stabbing pain in the gut.
Squall suddenly stopped, Zell almost running into him. Squall turned, looking Zell straight in the eye. "Zell…who do you think the Assassin is?"
Zell blinked. "You made me walk all the way out here to ask me that?"
"We needed privacy. I don't trust anywhere in the Tournament Zone, and we've already seen how easy the Ragnarok can be compromised…plus with the bug in Shooting Star's cuffs…" Squall sighed. "I just can't trust any Galbadians right now."
"Ok…"
"So. Do you have any ideas?"
"Well, I know for sure that it's a man. Emily has called him a 'he' several times, and she knew things only the assassin would know."
"Right…so we know that he's male…anything else?"
Zell thought for a second. "Uhh…he's got access to high tech equipment. The voice scrambler, the denotation device for my place, the way he got into the Ragnarok…he's pretty well funded."
"Right…"
Zell watched as Squall rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and narrowed his eyes. "Who do you think it is?"
Squall looked up suddenly. "You might not believe this…but I think its…"
"Zell!!"
The two SeeDs turned to see President Justice drive up to them on a snow ski, his entourage of bodyguards following close behind. "You have to get back soon, the advancement announcements will need to be called out shortly."
Squall took a step forward. "How did you know we were here?" he asked suspiciously.
"Zell still has the input/output devices, I take it?" Justice asked innocently. Zell blinked, before reaching into his pocket and pulling the two earplugs out. "Yes, those ones. They have built in tracking devices, in case the fighter falls out of the fighting arena." Justice explained.
Squall looked down at the plugs, before looking back up at Justice. "We weren't told that Zell would be bugged."
"It's just a precaution, Mr. Leonheart, for the fighter's safety, and for regulations."
Squall paused…before nodding. "Fine. We'll be back in a minute."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Leonheart, but Zell needs to get back now." He turned to Zell. "You can ride with me, Zell. Hop on."
Zell took a step forward before pausing. "What about Squall?"
"Don't worry about me, Zell. I'll walk back." Squall said with a shrug.
"Are you sure, Mr. Leonheart? It's a long walk back."
"I know…I can take care of myself."
"As you wish…" The President of Galbadia gestured to the back of the ski, and Zell hopped on. He waved briefly to Squall, before they sped away.
Squall placed his hands in his pockets and began the long trudge back to the Tournament area.
* * *
"I have to say, Zell, I didn't think you'd come back after that little mix up in Centra." Justice said over the sound of the snow ski, the snow flying past their faces as they jumped another mound.
"Well, I've had a few days to think things over, Mr. President…and all my options led back to the tournament. So here I am." Zell shouted back.
"Zell…" The President seemed lost for words. "…What do you know about Blue magic?"
Zell didn't know where this was going, but decided to answer truthfully. "I know that each and every Blue user has their own unique Blue talents…I know that the magic is derived from monsters and is unlimited…and I know that their talents are unlocked when the Blue user uses any of their five sense to acknowledge the presence of a monster part." Zell frowned. "Why do you want to know, Mr. President?"
"Emily…she kissed one of the medical team. Jumped right on him before the rest of the team could force her off." Justice said, his voice harrowed. "They had been fully briefed on her special talents, but the man kissed by her thought he had enough time to get someone to draw that unique cure from her, much like you did." Justice lowered his head to the brunt of the snow. "His chest exploded and his head blew up exactly five minute after someone cast the magic on him."
Zell blinked. "What?!"
"Of course, the caster didn't nearly have the same kind of magical power as you do…you're casting was also on yourself, guaranteeing a longer relief from the effects of the magic…but ultimately, it seems you will share the same fate as the medic."
* * *
They arrived at the Tournament area, and Zell jumped off the snow ski and began to run for the medical tent.
"Zell! Wait!!" Justice screamed, but Zell was long gone.
Ripping the flap aside, horror burrowing through his skin and into his mind, Zell looked about to see a pair of pale bare feet on a table surrounded by doctors and nurses. He looked to his left, and saw the messy results of the Blue magic.
A pool of blood and internal organs, framed by a pair of legs and two arms, thrown out as if they were blown apart.
Zell turned his head away from his future fate, the disgust overwhelming, and he strode purposefully to the table.
The doctors and nurses all looked up as one. A doctor, needle and thread in hand, began to speak. "You're not supposed…"
Zell placed his gauntlet-covered hand on the edge of the table. "You're relieved." He growled. When they didn't respond, his hand flexed, crushing the heavy metal in a single squeeze. "Now!"
The doctors and nurses quickly fled the tent, leaving Zell and Emily alone.
Zell looked down at her. She lay on the table like a pale mannequin, save for two sheets to cover her breasts and organs. Her body was covered in scratches and bruises from the punishing that Zell had given to her…as well as other things.
Large scars adorned her torso, what seemed to be deep gashes, which looked sewn together by an unskilled hand. Not only that, arcane symbols were also scratched in – pentagrams, crosses, and several others that were foreign to Zell.
She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Hello, Hunter…" she said slowly, as if it took all her strength just to talk. "I've been waiting…for you to come back…are you ready for you're answer now?"
Zell looked down at her. Even in her state, she's still playing mind games. I have to be careful of what I say. "The Disuna I drew from you…it didn't cure the Kiss of Death, did it." He stated carefully.
She shook her head, her jet-black hair playing out from where the doctors had tucked it back. "Nope…" she said with a smile. "It only prevented the inevitable."
Zell narrowed his eyes. Now the big question…do I ask who our guy is, or do I find out how to cure myself?
Justice walked into the room. "Zell! You can't just come in here, she needs her rest!!"
Zell looked at the President, he's mind a blur. Shit! Now I have no choice! I can't reveal why we're really here, and he wont leave until I do!!
He turned back to Emily. "Quick! Tell me how to cure myself!!
Emily smiled, lifting her arms and rubbing her stomach. "Too bad hunter…too bad…" she said, running her hands up her body seductively.
"Just tell me!"
"You need to survive the technique for exactly two days. After that, your body will have worked up a spiritual resistance to the poisonous magic. Until then, you'll have to cast Disuna on yourself or have someone of equal or greater power to cast Disuna on you every hour, on the hour – or else your head will blow up, and your heart will explode."
Zell narrowed his eyes. "Anything else I should know?"
She smiled happily. "It'll keep attacking your body until you work it out of your system…you wont be at your maximum strength for a few days." She giggled. "And if you want to find out more, you'll have to give me another kiss! But I'd advise against it."
"Why's that?"
"Because anybody infected with the magic will die the instant I kiss them again." She smiled a final time. "That's two questions you got for free, Sorceress Hunter, just because I love watching the worry on your cute face." Her smiled turned into a frown. "But don't expect to get anything else from me…unless you really wanna try?" She began to remove the towel on the lower part of her body, but Zell stopped her with a hand. "What's wrong, Hunter? Don't you wanna find out?" she asked, smirking with her black lips as she ran her pink tongue over them.
Zell bit his bottom lip and fought the impulse to put a fist through her smirk. She's got me cold… "Damn you…" he muttered, before storming out, pushing past Justice easily.
Emily sighed and laid back on the table, before beginning to laugh, the sound carrying outside and stinging Zell's ears as he walked back to where the others were.
* * *
Back on the Ragnarok, Zell sat on the edge of his bed, his stomach beginning to hurt once more.
Damn her! Her whole strategy must have been in incapacitating me long enough to infect me with this damned illness! Now I'm in no position to fight or search for the Assassin!!
He began to cough violently, holding his hand to his mouth.
When he took it away, he saw blood staining his palm.
"Damn it!!" he growled, curling his hand into a fist, watching the blood ooze out from between his fingers.
The door opened, revealing Squall standing on the threshold. "How you feeling, Zell?" he asked quietly.
Zell looked up at him painfully and laid himself back on the bed wearily. "Weak as a day old kitten and feeling just as smart."
Squall walked further in and sat on the edge of the bed. "You didn't know that she could have done that. There's no point in blaming yourself."
Zell raised a hand and placed it on his face. "If I'm in here then I can't continue in the tournament. If I can't continue in the tournament, then there's no point in me being here. I'm screwed, Squall."
Squall looked down at his own hands. "So that's it. You're giving up." He smiled. "I thought you never gave up."
Zell smiled. "There's a difference between giving up and being unable to carry on, Squall. You should know that." He laughed out loud, but suddenly his chest began to hurt, and he coughed violently.
Squall turned, shocked, as Zell suddenly curled up into a ball, his coughing getting worse and worse. He stood and ran to the intercom system next to the door, switching it to broadcast on all the systems in the Ragnarok before slamming his fist onto the broadcast button. "Rinoa! Get over to Zells room right now!!"
Squall ran back to Zell, who had laid out straight now, every muscle in his body taut as he fought to keep his head and his heart intact, his body twitching with the strain.
"Must…focus…body…" Zell grunted through gritted teeth, sweat beginning to bead on his head.
Squall blinked, unable to think of anything to do, helpless as his friends writhed in agony.
Rinoa ran into the room, closely followed by Selphie and Irvine. "What is it?!" Rinoa asked as Squall grabbed her and dragged her over to Zell.
"He has a unique spell that can stop this, but he cannot cast it in his condition!"
"Way ahead of you…" Rinoa interrupted, pushing past Squall and placing her hands on Zell's chest. She blinked in surprise. "He's straining with every fibre in his body to keep together…he must be in agony." Frowning in concentration, she closed her eyes and drew the magic from his body into hers, before redirecting the magic back into him, her Sorceress powers boosting the magic's potency.
They all watched as the magic flowed through him, his body glowing a dull purple, before he finally relaxed, his breathing sporadic, sweat running down his face.
They all let out a breath of relief. Squall placed a hand on Rinoa's shoulder. "Stay with him. If he has a relapse, he'll need you by his side."
"Ok…" she said, placing her own hand on his.
Their eyes held for a second, before Squall turned and walked out, gesturing for Irvine and Selphie to follow.
The door slid shut silently, and Rinoa turned back to Zell, her eyes full of worry. "Oh, Zell…" she murmured, wiping some sweat form his brow. "…You poor thing…"
* * *
"What do we do now, Squall?" Irvine asked, taking a sip of the hot chocolate that the Ragnarok's drink maker had spewed out. "Without Zell in the tournament, there's no point in us staying. Our cover will really be blown then!"
Squall shrugged, sitting on the sofa with his arms crossed. "We have to stay in. Our objective may have changed, but we still have to make sure that the assassination doesn't go through."
Selphie pouted. "Who cares if Justice dies?! I mean, he's a nice guy and all, but there'll be another guy to fill his place! The only reason we decided to take the mission was because of Laguna! If he dies, there's no one to take his place!"
Squall frowned. "That has nothing to do with it, Selphie, and you know it. If Justice dies by the hand of this Assassin, there'll be international turmoil. The trust Galbadia and Esthar have been building over the last three years will be smashed in a single day, and another war will break out! In short, we simply can't allow Justice to die either!!"
She sighed. "Ok then…but what are we gonna do now? Zell can't continue in his condition, and we'll have to change location tomorrow!" She leaned forward. "Not only that, but have you heard? There's only five people left in the tournament, and there's gonna be a tally of the points they have been accumulating throughout the fights! The person with the less points will be kicked out!"
"I know, Selphie…" Squall said tiredly. "What's your point?"
"My point is, if Zell is sick, they might not have to tally up the point, hey? They might just kick him out on default and simply continue without him!" Selphie stood, her arms rigid by her sides, her voice heated wit emotion. "We can't let that happen! Zell would be destroyed if that happened!!"
"What do you want us to do, Selphie?" Irvine asked, sympathetically. "Send someone in as a replacement?"
"Don't be silly!"
"Then what?!" Squall asked, his voice agitated. "Do you want us to force Zell to fight?!"
"We might have to."
Irvine and Squall looked at Selphie as if she had said she was a pixie from the moon. "You're crazy. He can't fight in the condition he's in!" Irvine exclaimed.
"No, wait…" Squall said, narrowing his eyes.
Irvine and Selphie turned to him. "What are you thinking, Squall?" Irvine asked slowly.
"Maybe…if we speak to Dr. Odine…" Squall said slowly, his mind running at blinding speed as he took in and rearranged the facts. "He's foremost in magic research, and the last I heard he's been researching Blue magic in a bid to find out where it comes from and how it's formed."
Selphie jumped up and down. "Then what are we waiting for!! Let's go right now!!"
Irvine jumped up with Selphie. "Good idea Squall! Let's move, Selphie! We can be up in the air and at Esthar in less the an hour if we leave right now!"
Squall sat there, his arms still crossed, not excited in the least. "Maybe we should think this over, however." He said slowly. "We ought to tread slowly around Odine…remember what he did with Ellone?"
Irvine stopped celebrating with a start. "Hey, yeah, you're right. He might try pick Zell apart, like he tried to do with Ellone!" He held up his fist. "But don't you worry, Squall. I'll guard Zell with my life!"
"Me too! Me too!" Selphie joined in.
Squall looked at the two of them, before standing. "Whatever…just don't blow up the place whilst you're there."
Irvine and Selphie hugged each other with glee as Squall left the room.
* * *
"You want to do WHAT?!"
"I'm sorry, Dr. Kadowaki, but it seems like a good idea."
"Squall…please, reconsider. The Garden is only one day away from Esthar. Fly over here and I'll treat Zell properly!"
"Doctor…no insult intended, but do you have much experience with Blue magic effects?"
"…"
"I thought so. Dr. Odine, although very unorthodox and not to be trusted, is the best in his field when it comes to magic research. He has to have something on this kind of attack."
"Very well, Squall. But I'll ask you to reconsider one last time."
"I'm sorry doctor. It seems like the best thing to do in these circumstances."
"…Ok then. We'll see you in Esthar, Squall. I hope Zell is feeling better by then."
"So do I, Dr. Kadowaki…So do I."
* * *
When the Ragnarok touched down, Squall and Irvine walked out to meet thirteen Esthar guards, shotgun-blades drawn and ready. Irvine looked at Squall with worry in his eyes and loosened his shotgun shell pouch. Squall flicked the clip on his gun blade hilt off, but stepped forward.
"I need to see the President." He shouted over the dying whir of the Ragnarok's turbines.
A guard stepped forward. "The President isn't seeing anyone, sir. I would like to know how you acquired this ship, however."
"It was borrowed from the President, not a week and a half ago." Squall narrowed his eyes. "My name is Squall Leonheart, son of Laguna Loire. I need to see him now!"
"Nice bluff, son, but he's not seeing anybody." He saw the clip of Squall's gunblade hilt open, and stepped back slightly. "Sir, please come with us."
Squall grimaced, deciding to change tact. "Very well…but we have a very sick man on board. We need to see Dr. Odine in order to heal him."
The guard seemed wary. "First the President, then the doctor? Who are you?"
"I told you…"
"C'mon, Squall." Irvine said impatiently, stepping forward, his shotgun raised. "Let's just plow through em and go see Odine by ourselves."
Squall rolled his eyes as he saw the rest of the guards load their weapons. "Nice, Irvine…very nice."
The first guard stepped forward, his unique gunblade raised. "Sir! Please drop your weapons and come with us – "
His words were cut off as Squall suddenly drew the Lionheart, the blue energy blade flicking out with a 'shing'. With a single swipe the Estharian guard's weapon was neatly sliced in two, and Squall kicked him over effortlessly. He turned to Irvine. "Try to disarm or wound – do not kill!"
"Way ahead of you!" Irvine said, grinning manically as he lifted the shotgun and blew the weapons from two Estharian's hands. Flipping to the side, off the loading ramp, he cracked the shotgun open and reloaded calmly as bullets and shells whistled around his cover.
Squall was in amongst them, his blue energy blade flashing as he weaved in and out of the group, hands and limbs flying as his gunblade twisted and twirled, the Lionheart disabling five guards with ease.
Irvine leant out once more, picking off two more guards with ease. The open ground made it easy to aim and fire, as the guards had nothing to take cover behind.
There were only three guards left, and Squall turned to them with his gunblade held in one hand, pointing at them with the other. "Leave, now, and get these men medical attention! And when you do, run back to the President and tell him that we'll be at Odine's research laboratory!"
"We'll get you yet, boy!" One man yelled back as they ran for the main road.
"Whatever." Squall muttered as he placed the gunblade back in its holster, the blue blade flicking off as easily as turning off a light switch.
