Disclaimer: I do not own FF8 in any way and all the characters from the
game are not mine.
AN: Sorry for the long update, I've been pretty busy these few days. Thanks for all your wonderful reviews and ideas. Like I said, any constructive criticism or ways in which I can improve are greatly appreciated. Well, here's Chapter 12, enjoy.
Chapter 12: Trouble at Balamb Rinoa's POV
Alright, as much as I'd love to tell you that I stayed calm and collected throughout the evening, I can't. The truth is, Squall scared the shit outta me. The whole time I was trying to act like nothing happened but I was talking like a robot or something and I was so stiff.
When he took me in his arms and I felt the cool smooth armor of his, I was shocked. I actually told him the truth, I never expected a metasite to feel that way. Zell never let me touch his armor and I never wanted to since his armor was all spiny. Squall's armor looked almost like some sort of artist's sculpture. Another thing I didn't expect.
Once I got home I raced up the stairs and took a shower. I was debating whether or not I should tell my dad about Squall. You see, Squall could be a renegade metasite that just moved into Balamb and could easily wipe us out from the inside out. But there was also something in the way he spoke that caused me to trust him. Eventually I decided to wait until I had a little talk with Squall.
I was really too tired to do much so I just fell face down on my bed and slept. Tomorrow, I'd get more info out of Squall.
"Hey Rinoa! You look kinda tired. You ok?" Irvine was giving Selphie, Squall, and myself a ride to school. I swear, Selphie can ALWAYS tell when I've had a rough night.
"Yeah I'm fine." I was in the back seat with none other than Squall and Selphie was in the front with Irvine. She turned around looked at Squall who was staring out the window, then mouthed to me "bullshit". I put my hand to my mouth to stifle a giggle.
Once we got to the Garden, Squall immediately took off. I told Selphie to wait for me in class and then I ran to catch up with Squall.
"Hey" I said cheerfully "how's it going?"
"I'm fine" he replied casually
"Good, but you said you'd answer my question from yesterday remember?" I don't know why but I felt much safer talking to him today. Maybe because so many people were around us. Or maybe 'cause he didn't have his metasite armor activated.
He sighed and took my arm. I was kinda surprised and just a little bit scared by his touch. He didn't grab my arm really rough or anything. Actually, it was quite the opposite, very gentle.
"Come with me to the cafeteria. We can talk there." then he let go. I walked side by side with him getting some very weird looks from some of the other girls. I had a feeling there were gonna be some nasty rumors spread very soon especially when people hear that Jason got beat up.
We still had about 20 minutes before class started. I knew that Jason sometimes went to the cafeteria in the morning and I didn't want to see him. Luckily, when we arrived at the cafeteria the place was nearly empty. Squall and I grabbed a seat at the very back where people wouldn't likely see or hear us.
"Ok, I'm not going to lie to you Rinoa. I am a metasite. I've been living by myself in different places every month. Sometimes just in run down huts in the forest. A metasite doesn't need anything fancy. I've been launching guerrilla attacks against the Galbadian government because they killed my family. I just decided that it was time to join up with you guys so I enrolled here as a cadet. I couldn't let you know I was a metasite because if the Galbadian government got a hold of a picture or something of my metasite, I'd be screwed over. I'm terribly sorry Rinoa." I almost cried. His normally cloudy eyes looked hurt and hopeful at the same time.
"It's ok Squall. You can trust me, I won't tell anyone. I know that once you're enrolled as a metasite, your metasite's picture and all the other specifics are kept in folders within the Garden. It's quite safe really. But I guess you don't want to take the chance." he really was cute. I was still staring into those icy blue eyes of his.
"Thanks Rinoa. I've done my research and I know that a highly trained hacker could easily break into those files. Plus, metasites are always featured in the news and stuff and I think it'll only be a matter of time before something leaks out about me."
Right at that moment, Squall quickly stood up and spun around. Jason was standing right in front of him.
"Leonhart. You're a dead man." Jason had a huge bruise right across the right side of his face.
"I didn't do anything." Squall had a monotonous voice and he kept it cool.
"Don't give me that BULL! You're trying to get it on with my girl!" what?!
"Hey! Didn't I tell you yesterday that I'm not your girlfriend anymore?!" geez this guy is impossible!
"Shaddup Rinoa! This is between me and Squ-"
"Would all SeeDs and level 3 Cadets please report to the front gates. All SeeDs and level 3 Cadets report to the front gates. This is an emergency." We were level 3 cadets. And we were being called to the front gates. Not the headmaster's office. This could only mean that we were being called on an emergency mission. "We'll finish this later Leonhart." our own battle was temporarily forgotten as we raced towards the front gates.
Quistis, Selphie, and the rest of our class were already there along with full SeeDs. Quistis addressed us all.
"Everybody! We have an emergency situation! A rebel metasite is in Balamb right now. He's going a little crazy and blowing things up. So far, Commander Kinneas and his strike team have been sent out to contain the metasite. Reports say that it is not very strong so we didn't have to dispatch our own metasites. Instead, we are giving our SeeDs and Cadets a little bit of training. Now everyone, remember, guns are useless against metasites so only bring your close combat weapons. Alpha team can leave now followed by Delta." oh shit. We were actually going into battle against a metasite. Quistis was handing out the briefings.
Good, the metasite was a class five. No wonder why they weren't dispatching our own metasites. A single class five metasite was nothing. Probably just some nut head who decided to wreak some havoc. It's really a shame 'cause even a class five metasite is very strong compared to a normal human. Oh well, it's his fault.
I walked aboard the bus that we were gonna be traveling on. It was heavily armored and had urban camouflage. I was sitting beside Selphie with Quistis and Squall in the seat in front of me. I was so nervous. At the same time I kept thinking how sad Squall's life was. I wondered if he would fight as a normal human or as a metasite.
Even Selphie wasn't talking. The tension was building so fast I could literally feel it. Have you ever fought before in a war? In a fight where you could actually be killed? Not some video game where you'll just get revived when you're dead. I'm talking about the real deal. You see kids everywhere pretending to fight with imaginary swords and guns. You see movies of wars and duels but the real thing is totally different. The atmosphere of the whole thing is different. Guns are about 50 times louder in real life than in the movies and the feeling you get when dueling with swords is so scary you'd shit your pants. One wrong move and your head could go rolling across the floor. It's scary stuff.
I didn't have to wait long. We arrived at Balamb and instantly I saw a huge flash in the background followed by a loud bang.
"Rinoa, let's stick close ok?" Selphie was shaking so bad her voice was cracking.
"Yeah ok." it wasn't exactly a good tactic but in desperate times you'd do anything for a little support.
Quistis, Selphie, and I stuck together in a tight knot. The others all fanned out and prepared to attack at different angles. Luckily, Balamb is a big town and the side the metasite was attacking was almost directly opposite from where I lived.
As we creeped closer I could hear people screaming and more loud bangs. And then I saw the fight. I turned a corner and could see a large clearing in the middle of the road. I knew this place, it was a park in downtown. But a large hole was in one of the buildings and smoke was billowing from it. Smashed up cars were strewn everywhere and wounded or dead soldiers lay unmoving in random areas of the road. A group of four soldiers were surrounding the metasite in a square formation with swords pointing in. I could see out of the corner of my eye a few more soldiers coming to help. Irvine was with them. The metasite was sleek and deadly looking. It had a sharp antenna pointed directly upwards and spines arched from it's back and shoulders. It's arms were long and were also covered in spines. However, it had not drawn it's metablade yet. The armor was a deep orange almost crimson color and it's compound eyes shone a deadly blood red.
"Wow, it's amazing." Selphie whispered to me.
"How did he do this?" Quistis had a quizzical look on her face.
"Do what?" I had no idea what the hell Quistis was talking about.
"THIS, he practically wiped out the team sent here. And Irvine was part of it. He's only a class five. Not supposed to be able to take out an elite group of SeeDs." I thought about it. It made sense. Why didn't anyone rendezvous with us at the drop off point? Things must have been bad.
Suddenly, the four soldiers attacked at once! They were so coordinated! These were expert SeeDs, they were a few of our best. Two of the soldiers swiped their swords in a horizontal slash trying to take the metasite's head or legs off while the other two stabbed head on.
The metasite looked like it wasn't even trying. He used the two insect- like wings on his back and the twin boosters that covered them to easily maneuver out of the tight attack. Then in mid air, he delivered three quick kicks to the soldiers and one round house to the remaining one. I thought the SeeDs were good until I saw this amazing display of speed and accuracy. I barely even saw it.
"Oh crap." Quistis was worried now. Not a good sign.
"STAND DOWN! I ordered you already!" Irvine's western accent boomed out across the now still park.
"It'll be alright. Irvine's here now." I was trying to comfort Selphie as well as myself. But I knew that even the best SeeD couldn't win against such an opponent.
"Irvine! We're here!" Quistis waved at him and signaled for the rest of the SeeDs in hiding to show themselves.
"Quistis, we've underestimated our foe. Somehow, he blocked his power from our sensors so we picked him up as a class five. But in fact, judging from his ability he's at least a class two." Irvine's tone was grim. He knew reinforcements could not arrive soon enough to save us. If the metasite decided to attack, we were all goners.
"It's alright Irvine, you may have underestimated my group of SeeDs as well. Let's hope for the best." then the metasite started to draw his blade.
The blade materialized slowly before our eyes. VERY slowly. He spoke while he drew that bright flaming yellow blade.
"All I want is Squall Leonhart. I know he is here." everyone was shocked. "Allow me to duel Squall Leonhart and I will not attack. If you deny, I will kill you all." his voice was bitter, cold, and merciless. When he spoke, nobody doubted that he WOULD kill us all if given half the chance. He was giving us a way out so we would not be slaughtered. I highly doubted that Squall could even stand a chance against such a foe.
"None of us have heard of this Squall Leonhart. We are not hiding him. You can either turn yourself in or you will be arrested with force." Irvine said it convincingly but we all knew that all of us combined could not kill the metasite.
"My name is Raijin. All I wish is to duel Squall. You lie to me. And you will die." then he drew his blade.
CRACK! TSEEK!
A blur shot by all of us. Then a blinding light. Standing in front of me was Squall. But in his metasite armor this time. That same cool blue armor I saw the day before. And in his left hand was the same icy blade that rested on the fine line between beautiful and deadly looking.
Squall stood a good few feet between Raijin. He had delivered a hammer blow to Raijin's blade and pushed him back.
"Is that....Squall?" Selphie was awed by Squall's hidden secret. Gasps were heard all around us. People wondering if this new metasite was really the cold, lonely, almost nerdy farm boy that just came to school a few months ago. But the gasps were silenced quickly.
"I'm here Raijin, you know I can't back down to a challenge. You can also sense a metasite signature in the crowd and could guess that it's none other than me. Well, I'm here now and now we duel."
AN: Alright, hope this chapter wasn't as disappointing as the last one =P I thank each and every one of you who review this story good or bad. I'm just running out of time to keep posting everyone's name down here hahaha but you know who you are. Please keep em' coming! Thanks!
AN: Sorry for the long update, I've been pretty busy these few days. Thanks for all your wonderful reviews and ideas. Like I said, any constructive criticism or ways in which I can improve are greatly appreciated. Well, here's Chapter 12, enjoy.
Chapter 12: Trouble at Balamb Rinoa's POV
Alright, as much as I'd love to tell you that I stayed calm and collected throughout the evening, I can't. The truth is, Squall scared the shit outta me. The whole time I was trying to act like nothing happened but I was talking like a robot or something and I was so stiff.
When he took me in his arms and I felt the cool smooth armor of his, I was shocked. I actually told him the truth, I never expected a metasite to feel that way. Zell never let me touch his armor and I never wanted to since his armor was all spiny. Squall's armor looked almost like some sort of artist's sculpture. Another thing I didn't expect.
Once I got home I raced up the stairs and took a shower. I was debating whether or not I should tell my dad about Squall. You see, Squall could be a renegade metasite that just moved into Balamb and could easily wipe us out from the inside out. But there was also something in the way he spoke that caused me to trust him. Eventually I decided to wait until I had a little talk with Squall.
I was really too tired to do much so I just fell face down on my bed and slept. Tomorrow, I'd get more info out of Squall.
"Hey Rinoa! You look kinda tired. You ok?" Irvine was giving Selphie, Squall, and myself a ride to school. I swear, Selphie can ALWAYS tell when I've had a rough night.
"Yeah I'm fine." I was in the back seat with none other than Squall and Selphie was in the front with Irvine. She turned around looked at Squall who was staring out the window, then mouthed to me "bullshit". I put my hand to my mouth to stifle a giggle.
Once we got to the Garden, Squall immediately took off. I told Selphie to wait for me in class and then I ran to catch up with Squall.
"Hey" I said cheerfully "how's it going?"
"I'm fine" he replied casually
"Good, but you said you'd answer my question from yesterday remember?" I don't know why but I felt much safer talking to him today. Maybe because so many people were around us. Or maybe 'cause he didn't have his metasite armor activated.
He sighed and took my arm. I was kinda surprised and just a little bit scared by his touch. He didn't grab my arm really rough or anything. Actually, it was quite the opposite, very gentle.
"Come with me to the cafeteria. We can talk there." then he let go. I walked side by side with him getting some very weird looks from some of the other girls. I had a feeling there were gonna be some nasty rumors spread very soon especially when people hear that Jason got beat up.
We still had about 20 minutes before class started. I knew that Jason sometimes went to the cafeteria in the morning and I didn't want to see him. Luckily, when we arrived at the cafeteria the place was nearly empty. Squall and I grabbed a seat at the very back where people wouldn't likely see or hear us.
"Ok, I'm not going to lie to you Rinoa. I am a metasite. I've been living by myself in different places every month. Sometimes just in run down huts in the forest. A metasite doesn't need anything fancy. I've been launching guerrilla attacks against the Galbadian government because they killed my family. I just decided that it was time to join up with you guys so I enrolled here as a cadet. I couldn't let you know I was a metasite because if the Galbadian government got a hold of a picture or something of my metasite, I'd be screwed over. I'm terribly sorry Rinoa." I almost cried. His normally cloudy eyes looked hurt and hopeful at the same time.
"It's ok Squall. You can trust me, I won't tell anyone. I know that once you're enrolled as a metasite, your metasite's picture and all the other specifics are kept in folders within the Garden. It's quite safe really. But I guess you don't want to take the chance." he really was cute. I was still staring into those icy blue eyes of his.
"Thanks Rinoa. I've done my research and I know that a highly trained hacker could easily break into those files. Plus, metasites are always featured in the news and stuff and I think it'll only be a matter of time before something leaks out about me."
Right at that moment, Squall quickly stood up and spun around. Jason was standing right in front of him.
"Leonhart. You're a dead man." Jason had a huge bruise right across the right side of his face.
"I didn't do anything." Squall had a monotonous voice and he kept it cool.
"Don't give me that BULL! You're trying to get it on with my girl!" what?!
"Hey! Didn't I tell you yesterday that I'm not your girlfriend anymore?!" geez this guy is impossible!
"Shaddup Rinoa! This is between me and Squ-"
"Would all SeeDs and level 3 Cadets please report to the front gates. All SeeDs and level 3 Cadets report to the front gates. This is an emergency." We were level 3 cadets. And we were being called to the front gates. Not the headmaster's office. This could only mean that we were being called on an emergency mission. "We'll finish this later Leonhart." our own battle was temporarily forgotten as we raced towards the front gates.
Quistis, Selphie, and the rest of our class were already there along with full SeeDs. Quistis addressed us all.
"Everybody! We have an emergency situation! A rebel metasite is in Balamb right now. He's going a little crazy and blowing things up. So far, Commander Kinneas and his strike team have been sent out to contain the metasite. Reports say that it is not very strong so we didn't have to dispatch our own metasites. Instead, we are giving our SeeDs and Cadets a little bit of training. Now everyone, remember, guns are useless against metasites so only bring your close combat weapons. Alpha team can leave now followed by Delta." oh shit. We were actually going into battle against a metasite. Quistis was handing out the briefings.
Good, the metasite was a class five. No wonder why they weren't dispatching our own metasites. A single class five metasite was nothing. Probably just some nut head who decided to wreak some havoc. It's really a shame 'cause even a class five metasite is very strong compared to a normal human. Oh well, it's his fault.
I walked aboard the bus that we were gonna be traveling on. It was heavily armored and had urban camouflage. I was sitting beside Selphie with Quistis and Squall in the seat in front of me. I was so nervous. At the same time I kept thinking how sad Squall's life was. I wondered if he would fight as a normal human or as a metasite.
Even Selphie wasn't talking. The tension was building so fast I could literally feel it. Have you ever fought before in a war? In a fight where you could actually be killed? Not some video game where you'll just get revived when you're dead. I'm talking about the real deal. You see kids everywhere pretending to fight with imaginary swords and guns. You see movies of wars and duels but the real thing is totally different. The atmosphere of the whole thing is different. Guns are about 50 times louder in real life than in the movies and the feeling you get when dueling with swords is so scary you'd shit your pants. One wrong move and your head could go rolling across the floor. It's scary stuff.
I didn't have to wait long. We arrived at Balamb and instantly I saw a huge flash in the background followed by a loud bang.
"Rinoa, let's stick close ok?" Selphie was shaking so bad her voice was cracking.
"Yeah ok." it wasn't exactly a good tactic but in desperate times you'd do anything for a little support.
Quistis, Selphie, and I stuck together in a tight knot. The others all fanned out and prepared to attack at different angles. Luckily, Balamb is a big town and the side the metasite was attacking was almost directly opposite from where I lived.
As we creeped closer I could hear people screaming and more loud bangs. And then I saw the fight. I turned a corner and could see a large clearing in the middle of the road. I knew this place, it was a park in downtown. But a large hole was in one of the buildings and smoke was billowing from it. Smashed up cars were strewn everywhere and wounded or dead soldiers lay unmoving in random areas of the road. A group of four soldiers were surrounding the metasite in a square formation with swords pointing in. I could see out of the corner of my eye a few more soldiers coming to help. Irvine was with them. The metasite was sleek and deadly looking. It had a sharp antenna pointed directly upwards and spines arched from it's back and shoulders. It's arms were long and were also covered in spines. However, it had not drawn it's metablade yet. The armor was a deep orange almost crimson color and it's compound eyes shone a deadly blood red.
"Wow, it's amazing." Selphie whispered to me.
"How did he do this?" Quistis had a quizzical look on her face.
"Do what?" I had no idea what the hell Quistis was talking about.
"THIS, he practically wiped out the team sent here. And Irvine was part of it. He's only a class five. Not supposed to be able to take out an elite group of SeeDs." I thought about it. It made sense. Why didn't anyone rendezvous with us at the drop off point? Things must have been bad.
Suddenly, the four soldiers attacked at once! They were so coordinated! These were expert SeeDs, they were a few of our best. Two of the soldiers swiped their swords in a horizontal slash trying to take the metasite's head or legs off while the other two stabbed head on.
The metasite looked like it wasn't even trying. He used the two insect- like wings on his back and the twin boosters that covered them to easily maneuver out of the tight attack. Then in mid air, he delivered three quick kicks to the soldiers and one round house to the remaining one. I thought the SeeDs were good until I saw this amazing display of speed and accuracy. I barely even saw it.
"Oh crap." Quistis was worried now. Not a good sign.
"STAND DOWN! I ordered you already!" Irvine's western accent boomed out across the now still park.
"It'll be alright. Irvine's here now." I was trying to comfort Selphie as well as myself. But I knew that even the best SeeD couldn't win against such an opponent.
"Irvine! We're here!" Quistis waved at him and signaled for the rest of the SeeDs in hiding to show themselves.
"Quistis, we've underestimated our foe. Somehow, he blocked his power from our sensors so we picked him up as a class five. But in fact, judging from his ability he's at least a class two." Irvine's tone was grim. He knew reinforcements could not arrive soon enough to save us. If the metasite decided to attack, we were all goners.
"It's alright Irvine, you may have underestimated my group of SeeDs as well. Let's hope for the best." then the metasite started to draw his blade.
The blade materialized slowly before our eyes. VERY slowly. He spoke while he drew that bright flaming yellow blade.
"All I want is Squall Leonhart. I know he is here." everyone was shocked. "Allow me to duel Squall Leonhart and I will not attack. If you deny, I will kill you all." his voice was bitter, cold, and merciless. When he spoke, nobody doubted that he WOULD kill us all if given half the chance. He was giving us a way out so we would not be slaughtered. I highly doubted that Squall could even stand a chance against such a foe.
"None of us have heard of this Squall Leonhart. We are not hiding him. You can either turn yourself in or you will be arrested with force." Irvine said it convincingly but we all knew that all of us combined could not kill the metasite.
"My name is Raijin. All I wish is to duel Squall. You lie to me. And you will die." then he drew his blade.
CRACK! TSEEK!
A blur shot by all of us. Then a blinding light. Standing in front of me was Squall. But in his metasite armor this time. That same cool blue armor I saw the day before. And in his left hand was the same icy blade that rested on the fine line between beautiful and deadly looking.
Squall stood a good few feet between Raijin. He had delivered a hammer blow to Raijin's blade and pushed him back.
"Is that....Squall?" Selphie was awed by Squall's hidden secret. Gasps were heard all around us. People wondering if this new metasite was really the cold, lonely, almost nerdy farm boy that just came to school a few months ago. But the gasps were silenced quickly.
"I'm here Raijin, you know I can't back down to a challenge. You can also sense a metasite signature in the crowd and could guess that it's none other than me. Well, I'm here now and now we duel."
AN: Alright, hope this chapter wasn't as disappointing as the last one =P I thank each and every one of you who review this story good or bad. I'm just running out of time to keep posting everyone's name down here hahaha but you know who you are. Please keep em' coming! Thanks!