BREAKING THE MIRROR
Disclaimer – I don't own any of the FF8 characters etc, but I do however own some original characters that are going to be included in this story, and the imagination I have to give them life. Hope you like it…
(A/N – A reviewer wrote about where Seifer had 'vanished to'. The prologue is taken from this chapter, which explains what the prologue is all about and how Rinoa and co find Seifer and Squall. Hope that clears things up.)
Chapter 5 – Mirror Image
'Actions, not words, make the person'
(Zell – Garden)
Zell dashes up to the Headmasters office. Everyone stops and stares as he tears by them. Some with shock on their faces.
Cid, oblivious as to who is coming, speaks to Selphie, Irvine, Quistis and Rinoa.
"So now you know why Squall is away with Zell. He is going to find out what is going on-" He breaks off as Zell bursts into his office. The others stand in shock.
"Zell!" shouts Cid. "How did you-"
"Sir, we've no time! I need the guys help! Please!"
"What's happening Zell?"Asks Quistis.
"I'll tell you on the way! We need to get to Deling City!"
They say no more, and all file out, leaving Cid alone.
(Squall – The Tower – Cells)
"Seifer?" asks Squall, tilting his head to one side. A prisoner? But I thought…
"Squall? What the hell?" he returns.
Squall hears a noise coming from outside."No time," he says quickly. We'll get answers later. Let's get out of here."
"Too bloody right" says Seifer, his familiar smirk present, "let's-" he breaks off as he goes first out the door. Squall runs into him. Without asking anything, he looks up and sees the sight in front of him.
A boy of about 19 stands in front of them. His head is cocked to the left slightly, observing Seifer and Squall. He is fairly tall, just about 6 foot. Reddish-blonde hair sits on his head, in a perfect middle part. The hair goes down to his shoulders, neatly cut. He wears a simple T-shirt/jeans combo, and trainers. But the most striking feature about him was his eyes. Squall really didn't register the rest of his face. It was his eyes.
They were a peculiar blue/green hybrid. And seemed to glow.
Squall did think nothing of it, assuming he was another prisoner, but one glance at Seifer quells that.
Seifer's face isn't one of curiosity. It is one of fear.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are, follow me if you think you're a man. Yes, it is a taunt, but believe me Squall, I have been waiting for this. You too Seifer."
Squall is bout to ask how he knows his name when Seifer throws an arm out to stop him. The boy gets on the lift, presses a button and simply lets the lift doors close.
"What's going on Seifer?" asks Squall quietly.
"It's one fucker of a story, but just answer me this. Where's my gunblade?" He strolls up to a locker and bashes it open. Hyperion sits there. He takes it and sheathes it. He looks up as Squall speaks.
"Is he dangerous?"
Seifer looks straight at him. "By Hyne yes Squall, he is."
(Zell – The return to Galbadia)
Zell hastily tells them a quick rendition of what Squall has done.
"So what's the big deal then? Sounds like he can take care of things himself." Says Irvine.
"No, because he doesn't know what he's up against."
"Fill us in then," says the cowboy.
The others pant as Zell takes off at high speed. The others race after him.
"Zell! Hold up!" screams Rinoa. This causes Zell to stop and turn. They are standing outside the door to the 2F Balcony.
"What Rinoa? Please-"
"Zell, I can take us there in an instant! Sorceresses can render objects lightweight and we can fly there using my powers! Also while I concentrate on that, you can tell us all!"
Zell says nothing, merely looking at her as she enfolds her wings, a beautiful white color. Her eyes, a lovely sunshine color, glow highly. Pointing a finger at each SeeD in turn, they find themselves floating.
"Wow! Cool!" says Selphie laughing.
"Now Zell, fill us in!" She shouts, as, taking off from the 2F balcony, she motions and the others follow her. Zell is about to open his mouth as Rinoa speeds up, some of the scenery becoming a blur. She can already see Deling City, but it will take a few minutes to get there.
"When I was kidnapped, they drugged me to forget. Indeed I have, all of it, except the guy who captured me in the first place."
Quistis asks, "Do you know them?"
Zell shakes his head, trying not to look down. "No, damn, but it was the way they fought. That's what I remember."
"The way they fought? Like fighting style?" enquires Selphie, stopping from doing acrobatics.
Zell nods his head. "Yes."
There is a silence as Zell says it.
"He fought, exactly like Squall. I think it was even the same weapon. A gunblade."
"Sounds like Seifer!" yells a curious voice, this turns out to be Rinoa's, magnified via her power.
"No, because I know how Seifer fights. I know all of your fighting techniques, well, the stances and that you use, but this was like a carbon copy. Hell, if I didn't know better, I would have said it was Squall."
"Then we must make haste!" Shouts Rinoa. Suddenly she stops as she spies a huge tower type structure. Stopping in mid-air. She looks down on it.
"That's it, Rinoa, the tower." Says Zell, next to her.
"Tense your leg muscles, I'm going to land." She says simply, before tearing off to the tower, its huge structure dominating them as they get closer. Rinoa spots a walkway linking the tower to the Presidential palace, and lands on it. The other SeeD's grunt as they land.
"What now?" asks Irvine, drawing Exeter. Quistis and Selphie also draw their weapons.
"Wait…" Rinoa says, her sorceress powers still around her. She stands perfectly still. Closing her eyes, she hears something.
Sounds like a battle, a major one. Between 3 people. Someone is hurting badly. She cannot see whom, but she feels it as….
"Let's go! She screams and tears off towards the tower. The others follow quickly.
(Seifer/Squall – The Tower - Cells)
Seifer and Squall stand side-by-side, waiting for the lift to return. They both hide in Seifer's cell. In case something unpleasant comes out the doors. Squall turns to him.
"A quick explanation, if you please."
Seifer looks at him incredulously. " Simply put, I'm here because I came here."
Squall's eyes narrow. "You came here? Then get captured?"
Seifer grunts. "That wasn't part of the plan. But at the same time, I was ready for it. It is a huge story Squall. Please, let's just concentrate on getting the hell out of here."
Squall is disturbed by the non-mocking-deadly-serious tone in Seifer's voice. The lift 'pings' gently as it reaches the floor again.
They wait. Nothing.
Squall peeks his head out and there is nothing of any kind. Taking the handle of the door he broke earlier, he tosses it to the lift.
Nothing.
"Looks alright to me," mumbles Squall. "But he may have rigged the lift with a weight explosive."
Seifer's face is serious to a tee. "No, no Squall, he wants us to go to him." With that, he walks out, gunblade in hand, coat over his shoulder as he goes to the lift.
"What's going on Seifer?" asks Squall again as he joins him in the lift. As they look at the buttons, Squall notices something.
Only Floor 20 is available. It wasn't before. Seeing no option. He presses it, the lift takes a while to get there. Seifer speaks.
"I'll keep this brief. I was hired by a party to investigate the backgrounds of the various candidates, and alert them if there was a possibility of another Deling taking the helm," he says. "While doing that, I found out that someone has funded a laboratory to be built here."
"What is the lab for?" asks Squall.
Seifer looks him in the face. "It is a project to train, learn, teach and basically 'create' the perfect assassin. Capable of doing anything anyone else can do, but better."
Squalls eyes narrow. "How far have they gotten with this project?"
Seifer says nothing as the lift stops. Then the doors open. With one last glance at Squall, he says simply:
"They already have him."
"Welcome gentlemen." Says a voice. Both of them do not know where it I originating from, as the room is very dark. "Ah Seifer, how nice of you to break out of your cell and join us, and no, I know you won't say that Squall 'got' you out, because I know you are too arrogant to admit it." The voice drips with sarcasm.
"Cut the shit, where are you?" snarls Seifer. Squall slowly draws Lionheart. He can somehow feel something about to happen. He looks ahead as a light is switched on. The floor is empty, save for a huge square light in the ceiling. The height of the room and the flatness/width of the floor immediately give Squall the image of a training room. The room is not entirely square. One of the corners, the wall comes in. There is a door there. Leading off to the right.
All around them apart from that however, are glass windows. Stretching from floor to ceiling.
The man in the suit stands before them. He is fairly handsome, standing about 5 foot 10, he smokes a cigarette, flicking it casually away. Squall memorizes the face: clean shaven, broad shoulders, square jaw, and dark blue eyes. Seifer speaks up.
"I know why you led us here. Just for the record asshole, your memory-altering substances didn't work on me."
The mans smile falters. "Bullshit. You know nothing."
Seifer laughs. "No? Then you didn't capture a SeeD named Zell? You didn't inject him with shit that caused him to forget? You didn't tell him a story about how you're going to claim vengeance for your father.?" He snickers. "I know everything about you."
"You don't know my name boy, and you will not live long enough to get it. Well, let's not beat about the bush." He turns his face to Squall.
"Squall Leonhart. The greatest of them all. Best gunblade fighter. Best sorceress slayer. Best SeeD. Time for you to prove it."
Squall says nothing, merely leveling his gaze at him. His eyes flicker as the door to the mans right opens. The boy he saw at the lift steps out. Seifer's smile vanishes in an instant, to be replaced by determination.
"Squall, meet 'Mirror'"
Squall studies him. He is now wearing a trenchcoat like Seifer's. But his has a high collar. Squall immediately recognizes that, whatever weapons this guy has, he has it strapped to his back. The boy named Mirror says nothing, but an evil glint in his eye tells him he wants to fight Squall.
"Oh, Seifer, feel free to join in, he can handle the both of you. Easily."
"Whaaaaaaat? Bullshit!" Seifer yells.
The suited man smirks. "Fine. If you say so. Mirror, enlighten them." He walks to the door Mirror came out of, Walks in, and close it behind him.
Mirror smiles slightly, then whispers something under his breath. In a split second he jumps in the air, leveling a two-footed propeller kick at the two of them. Both Seifer and Squall are flattened by the mans kicks.
Shaking his head quickly, Squall springs to his feet. Raising Lionheart, he takes up a fighting stance. Mirror then does the same, copying Squalls stance, down to the movement.
What the hell? Squall thinks, but has no time to think, as Mirror quickly stands upright. Removing his jacket. Seifer, who has already stood up and stands just ahead of Squall, backs up slightly. Squalls eyes widen slightly as Mirror removes a sword from a holster strapped to his back.
It is a Lionheart. But instead of being the same color as Squalls, his is made of pure silver.
"I want Leonhart only. Almasy, you stay out of this, join in at your peril!" says Mirror.
Seifer looks at Squall, his eyes saying no, don't fight him alone. Squall decides to try his luck. Seifer grabs him.
"No Squall, you can't win."
"Why not?" he asks.
"I know what he can do."
"Watch my back, I take your word for it Seifer. Jump in if you want. But only if need be," says Squall, as Mirror uses float to put his coat back on. He could have sworn he saw another-
He is cut off as Mirror flies for him, Squall races out of the way and dodges it. Mirror stops suddenly, then runs backwards, sword outstretched. Seifer ducks the blade and stands to one side, watching.
Fine Squall, fight him if you must, but you are wrong. It WILL take both of us.
Squall stands in his battle position, ready. Again, Mirror copies it, down to the right foot out, left foot back a bit, sword rested outward at waist level. Squall goes for him. Mirror smiles as Squalls blade comes down on his.
Squall crashes his blade into Mirrors, and looks into those eyes. They are no longer glowing, instead, they are normal, but Squall thinks of this for only a split-second. He uses his various techniques. But as he goes on, he become increasingly aware of the familiarity of Mirrors fighting technique. He was expecting a unique way of fighting, but he couldn't be farther from the truth as he recognized a familiar low block that Mirror utilizes to stop a low parry from Squall.
It was his technique.
His eyes widen for only a second, then suddenly it is his turn to look surprised as Mirror comes back at him. Squall immediately recognizes his own parry/thrust/swipe/low attacks. Mirror then dives back a bit and simply smiles. Squalls eyes narrow.
Now. I know why he is called Mirror.
All of a sudden Squall is blown off his feet as Mirrors blade collides with such ferocity that Squall is sent skidding along the floor and crashes into one of the windows. The glass does not break, but instead, when he dives out the way and Mirror chops the sword down where Squalls head was 10 seconds earlier, the silver blade actually scythes into the glass. It does not shatter, merely leaves a huge cut. As if the glass was skin.
Squall dives to his feet, and attempts to keep Mirror against the glass wall. Mirror is fast though and spins around so fast that Squall is once again blown to the ground. He watches in amazement as Mirror spins at a huge velocity of speed: clearly faster than anything else. Squall suspects he is using haste, but he isn't. As if he was, Squall would have registered a purple glow coming from him. Mirror uses this technique as a propeller to blow him down again. Squall gets up and is shocked as Mirror lands perfectly: but it is the way he stands when he lands. Only one other person ever uses that pose for fighting, and, coupled with the fact it is a Lionheart he has, it looks even more stranger,
Mirror stands, his side almost completely facing Squall, one hand, his left, is down at his side. His other is outstretched at a perfect 90-degree angle, Lionheart pointing outward at him.
Seifer's fighting stance. Mirrors smile has disappeared from his face. Squall readies himself, glancing over at Seifer, who looks simply astonished at Mirror.
Mirror then crouches slightly and points Lionheart upwards: Seifer's striking pose. Squall goes for him, and Mirror follows suit: Mirror spins around once and Squall, immediately recognizing an echo of the fight that got both he and Seifer their scars, brings his blade downward to block it. As Mirror backs up, he spins again so fast that he is just a blur: but this time he does not knock Squall down, as he wasn't even going for him.
Seifer's face is numbed as Mirror uses his own Lionheart to stop Seifer's blade from taking his head off: Then with one kick, which he bashes into Seifer, he sends him tumbling down. His serious face still intact.
"Fine, the two of you it is. Squall, you disappoint me. Strong you are, but your technique was harder to learn, not go up against."
Squall says nothing as Seifer gets up. "Right Squall. Together. He can't take the both of us."
Mirror says nothing as they stand side by side: he smiles slightly.
"Let's see what you can do then," he says removing his coat. Seifer's eyes widen as Mirror pulls out a perfect replica of Hyperion: with the exception being his is made of gold.
"Gold…Hyperion?" Seifer blurts, but he quickly comes to as once again, Mirror utilizes the 'propeller' technique: this time outstretching both blades. He screams as he does this. Suddenly the room is alight with gunfire as he sends bullets everywhere.
Squall seen this coming: and quickly casts protect on himself: as does Seifer. Wasting no time, he goes for him. Mirror is ready and this time, Squall knows he is outclassed as both blades bear down on him. This was unfamiliar territory for Squall: he didn't think it was possible for anyone to master 2 gunblade. It took him years just to master the one, and even then, he almost gave up.
Suddenly Mirror is thrown a bit by surprise as Seifer dives in, but he merely uses both blades to stop both attacks. His face is one of hate as he pushes Squall away, then concentrates on Seifer. Seifer seems to be holding him up, fighting as if he has seen this before. Squall dives to his feet and wades in again. Mirror spins wildly, keeping both at bay. He goes low and uses the side of Hyperion to swat Seifer to the ground. In the same motion he steps on Seifer and places the swords as an 'X' shape as Squall suddenly opens fire. The bullets tear from Squalls gunblade and bash into Mirrors. Mirror uses his speed to deflect most of them with his weapons while simultaneously running, moving so Squall can't hit him as much. Seifer dives up and Mirror stops, arms outstretched as Seifer and Squall flank him at opposite sides.
He never anticipated taking on the two of us Squall thinks, but its too late. With breakneck speed again, Mirror scythes his Hyperion into Squall shoulder, while using his Lionheart to drill Seifer. Squall calls out in agony as the sword goes into his shoulder. He brings his own Lionheart up in time to block Mirrors and stop him from taking his head off but the two blades clash ferociously and Squalls head is whacked by the side of his own sword. He feels skin split open in his head and there is blood. He collapses as Seifer attempts to spear him, but Mirror spins and scythes up Seifer's chest, ripping his clothes. As Mirrors sword reaches the top, he drives it into his shoulder. Using his own Hyperion for a lever, he jumps horizontally and kicks Seifer full force in the ribs: Squall hears an audible snap coming from Seifer. Seifer seems to stand there for a minute in mid air, and then he is careening across the room, and smashes into the glass wall. There is a boom as the window caves in and Seifer flops to the floor.
Squall feels something from within as his head lolls about. Energy. He gets up. Mirror spins around and watches as Squall, with blood pouring from a wound in his head, mutters a word.
"Haste."
Mirrors eyes widen as Squall vanishes, then reappears again right in front of him. Mirror sees nothing but red and blue as Lionheart bashes into his own sword. Mirror grits his teeth more and uses both blades to parry all of Squalls attacks. Squall thinks quickly.
Shit, he is damn fast, even keeping up with this. I have to get one of those blades from him.
Mirrors arms are practically a blur now as he jumps and cartwheels backwards in mid air horizontally. Each of his blows clattering Squalls sword, who, sped up with haste, is able to parry every one of them. Mirror moves unbelievably fast, backing off. Squall quickly dispels the haste.
Mirror is panting a fair bit now. "See…" he gasps. "You're losing Squall, I have dealt with Seifer, now I shall deal with you. I know everything about you, all your moves, all your techniques, and all your magic's. Everything."
Squalls ears prick. There was something he didn't mention, and Squall was glad, as he was busy charging it…
"Everything?" he asks slowly.
"Everything."
"How about…THIS!" screams Squall, as blue, yellow and white lightning crackle around him. Mirrors face is one of shock, almost confusion.
"RENZOKUKEN!" cries Squall, and launches himself at Mirror. Mirror scythes his sword into Squalls bad arm, but Squall merely kicks him back and lays into him. Mirrors face is twisted as Squall bears down on him, his swords barely taking the blows. He has to use both blades joined together to stop the barrage. Mirror is able to actually stab his sword in Squall a few times, one dangerously close to Squalls heart, but as he looks into Squall manic eyes, he drops his guard, and that is all Squall needs. He boots him with a force unknown to even himself, and Mirror rams into the glass wall, shattering and breaking 3 panels completely.
Seifer meanwhile, gets up groggily, and he sees what Squall is about to do. He grabs something hopefully tied down through his blood stained eyes, and hangs on.
"FATED…CIRCLE!" Screams Squall and launches into the air. Blood pours from his wounds but he feels nothing. A beautiful golden glow emanates from nowhere it seems and he charges his blade. Spinning once, he unleashes it. Mirror, no idea as to what to do, merely crosses the swords over him. He mutters something, but screams himself as the force of the attack rips into him .His blades pivot outward so he himself looks like and X. The ground of the floor rips up and bashes into him. Mirror yells more as a particularly huge chunk of floor whacks him in the face. He then feels himself being torn from the ground also. All he feels after that is a huge shockwave in his back as he is thrown into the wall where the other door was, where the suited man left. The ferocity of the blow destroys every window left on the floor. Mirrors eyes close. He slumps to the ground, dropping his weapons at his sides.
"Thought you knew everything about us you …bastard…" mumbles Squall. He can't stay awake any longer, he falls onto his back, and collapses unconscious.
Seifer crawls over to Squall. Blood pours from his wounds also. He tries to rouse Squall, but something causes him to look up.
Mirror was getting up.
"I'll get you…SeeD…You're no match for me…" even though Squall was unconscious, the panic in his voice was all too apparent. He was afraid. In case Seifer also to had these techniques…
Seifer gets up to his feet, he can barely stand, but he manages to.
"Why not try me then fucker?" he pants.
Suddenly a huge helicopter appears outside. Mirror spins round as the helicopter lowers as close as it can.
"I'll kill you all!" he screams and dives out the window, landing with a thump on a platform attached to the chopper. It takes off. The noise dies out. There is nothing, not even a wind.
Seifer then spins round as the door is ripped off its hinges. And Rinoa races in.
Oh, no…
(Rinoa – The Tower - Floor 20)
The SeeD's run through the hallway, after disembarking the lift. To Rinoa it seems like an endless corridor, with the door leaping further back as she reaches for it, as if to mock her. But she kicks that thought out of her mind and runs faster…
"Rinoa! Slow down!" Quistis shouts as the others up the pace to keep up. Thy eventually reach the doors. Rinoa, not bothering to open it the conventional way, rips it off it hinges with her power, tossing it over her head and the others. What she sees causes her to freeze to the spot.
Seifer stands over Squall, who is lying covered in blood. Seifer himself is bleeding too; the look on his face is one of surprise and shock. But no words are spoken as the others also assess the view. To Seifer, he knows what they are assuming, and he knows Squall hasn't told them…
He just hoped and prayed that they would let him explain… as they don't know what they are up against…
All done! I would like to think I did a pretty good job with the fight. Took me ages to try to get correctly. All reviews welcome thanks J .