She couldn't believe it. They were gone…both of them… Quistis admit that her feelings for Squall hadn't changed but she was glad that Rinoa won his heart in the end because she was able to bring great changes to him. Although, Quistis hated to admit it, Rinoa probably did a better job than she could ever have done. After all, Rinoa melted the ice around Squall's heart and won it as well.
Quistis sobbed silently – once in her life she felt alone. Everyone else had someone to confide his or her feelings in and to draw strength from, but she had no one… Irvine and Selphie had each other as Zell had the library girl, finally, Squall and Rinoa. It was true that they were inseparable – even in death.
A part of Quistis wished that Squall never fell for Rinoa but another side felt happy that he was able to find someone. But what about her? Alone…
It was true that she had the Trepies, her infamous fanclub at the Garden, but she didn't want admirers. She wanted someone that could challenge her… And possibly someone she could love…
Headmaster Cid received the news of Rinoa and Squall's death an hour later. He sighed sadly. Cid had warned Squall about loving a Sorceress, after all, he knew from experience. The future seemed bright for the young couple – who seemed perfect for one other as soul mates and as Sorceress and Knight.
No one knew that under Rinoa's smiles and delicate looks that the ice was cracking slowly. It was sad that the ice finally was broke, three days before her wedding.
The arrangements were all in order… Cid recalled when the couple informed him that they were going to get married.
It was bright in the afternoon and Edea was in the office when a knock came on the door.
"Come in." Cid said as he sipped his coffee. Squall and Rinoa came in side by side. Rinoa had a bright smile on her face, as Squall was the same – except for a twinkle in his eyes.
"Good morning Headmaster." Said Rinoa as Squall gave a perfect SeeD salute.
"Please do have a seat." Said Edea who was smiling. To her it seemed as if one of her 'children' were about to get married.
Squall pulled a seat out for Rinoa and then took a seat. They were silent, waiting for Cid's answer.
"I've read your letter that you've sent me." Said Cid calmly. "I am sorry to tell you this but having a marriage between a SeeD and someone who isn't is against SeeD regulations…"
Rinoa bit her lip as Squall placed a hand on her shoulder.
"However… I have discussed this matter with Edea and we have reached an agreement over this matter… You two will be allowed to get married on one condition. *He looked to Edea* If you have a child, we get to be godparents."
Rinoa jumped from her seat and nearly tackled Cid with a hug. Edea shook her head and turned to Squall.
"You have contacted your father haven't you?" she asked.
"Of course Matron. Rinoa was quite insistent on that matter." He replied simply as a tone of annoyance made it clear that Rinoa had forced him to tell Laguna about their plans for marriage.
The two picked out a date and everything was set until…
Selphie called back from Timber and reported that Rinoa had run off on the way back to the Garden after picking up the wedding dress.
'She burned a hole in the side of the train.' Said Selphie. 'She seemed to be screaming too.'
Squall was called to the office where he was informed of the situation. He seemed unsurprised that it would happen and withdrew back into himself – once again the lone wolf from five years ago instead of the man who had emerged from his shell for the past five years.
"…I know how you feel about this Squall. It may be hard but…" said Cid in comfort when Squall finally lost control on the outburst.
"No you don't. I don't have a rock to hide under like you did. I will actually be forced to fight the one I love – face to face and her blood will be on my gunblade." Said Squall icily. "Don't talk about feelings. I apologize Headmaster but I have a mission to carry out."
The only thing that haunted Cid were the eyes… It was filled with sadness, hurt, and a heart that was about to shatter…
Getting up, Squall left.
When Cid saw him again, he was carrying Rinoa in his arms as they left the Ragnarok.
It was true that these children faced more death and sadness that a normal man would never have faced in his lifetime but it was for the good of the world. But was the price worth paying? The idea plagued the headmaster.
A phone call interrupted his train of thought.
"Hello, Balamb Garden, Headmaster Cid speaking."
"Hey Cid! What's up? Anyways, Ellore had a bad feeling about Squall. Is he alright?" asked Laguna.
"Umm…" Cid sighed. "Well, he passed away this morning…"
The conversation was long and filled with grief. No one had seen it coming… Laguna and Ellore wanted to move Squall and Rinoa's body to Esthar for a funeral service and finally a burial after that. After all, the two had insisted that they be together. It was the least that they could do.
*****************************
The bodies were treated with great care and respect. It pained the Ultimecia team members to see their Commander in this state. The wounds that he sustained mysteriously were still visible but skillfully treated and bandaged by Dr. Kadwoski.
Zell sighed as he pushed the cart to the transport headed for Esthar. As Zell looked down as Squall's face, it reminded him when he shared a dorm with him. The only difference was, the stormy eyes wouldn't open again. After the Ultimecia Incident, no one suspected that if death came, it would have taken Squall and Rinoa first.
At a private party celebration to commemorate the fall of Ultimecia, they had even toyed with the idea of death. The responses were all in the direction of the future. Except now, two routes that were to the future were crushed.
The sudden 'Rinoa-turning-evil' incident still seemed to be a surprising twist of fate. After all, Squall and Rinoa overcame so many obstacles just to get together and in a blink of an eye, they were separated. And now, they were dead.
Zell felt sorry toward the young couple. He was the only one that knew what ran through Squall's head when he fought against the second evil Sorceress that threatened to rule in Ultimecia's steps – Rinoa. Or her body at least. On the Ragnarok, before they arrived to the Sorceress's hideout, Zell went to check on the Commander and the sight he saw was one that no one ever saw.
It was getting late and the next day, they would have to face the woman that they had come to call a close friend through the past few years. Zell tried to sleep but he couldn't. Deciding that it was a bit late and he could still hear the footsteps from Squall's quarters, Zell decided to check on him.
Walking over to the quarter, he knocked and the door opened. He saw Squall standing near the window – holding his gunblade.
"Hey Squall are you ok?" he asked. Zell already knew the answer, Squall was about to get married to this woman and now, she was his worst enemy…
"I believe you have the answer already Zell." Replied Squall quietly. His back was still facing Zell. "You should go and get some rest for tomorrow." Zell nodded and was about to walk out of the door when he saw a teardrop fall and splatter on the hard surface of the Ragnarok's floor.
"Squall?" Zell heard his best friend take a deep breath before turning around.
Squall faced Zell. "I just don't feel comfortable carrying out this mission but that's my occupation isn't it?" Said Squall soft and calmly. Even in a time like this… "I love her and would gladly spend eternity in Ifrit's fires if I saw that she was safe. I always protected her but I couldn't this time…" Disappointment…regret…sadness…
"It wasn't your fault. No one noticed either." Said Zell as he watched his friend sadly.
"It is…" said Squall. "I was her fiancé and knight. I should have been there and………perhaps something could have been done and…" He paused. "I am beginning to sound delusional aren't I?"
"You'll get Rinoa back… Once you defeat the evil Sorceress." Zell placed a hand on the Commander's shoulder.
"I hope so Zell." Replied Squall. "But I don't think that will happen… According to the scans, the Sorceress powers have been too integrated within her body… I suppose that feeling hurt isn't a new experience but a gash in my heart hurts deeper than any physical pain. Some people say that SeeDs are cold-blooded killers that lack a heart. Do you agree with that Zell?"
Zell was taken back by this question. "I don't think so. After all, we are this for the people and many of us are innocent. As for a heart, we all have one. Since we all have feelings."
"Perhaps, but the moment we stepped in the Garden and signed ourselves to SeeD, we were stripped of that innocence and we lived by death's rules. I never felt like this before… So helpless… But tomorrow, I'll keep my promise to her and to SeeD." Zell noticed that Squall was holding Rinoa's necklace with the two rings hanging from it. It fell off when Rinoa lost control of her powers… "A SeeD always keeps his oath to protect the world."
The world… The same world that was kept safe with the slaughtering of innocence, blood, tears, and broken hearts. Zell hoped that the Squall that had emerged from the icy cold barrier would stay – even if the mission did have painful consequences.
"Goodnight Squall." Said Zell as he decided that his friend should get some time alone to sort out his burden.
"Goodnight Zell."
Zell heard the door close behind him and walked back to his own room. A sight remained in his mind though… The tears that flowed down the Commander's cheek - Squall was shedding tears of a broken heart for Rinoa.
The old sayings said that in order to reach his full potential, a warrior had to have strength within himself – regardless of whatever happened, they had to have faith in their actions and not be concerned of the feelings in their heart. Many brave warriors had icy appearances so they could be the best.
But this saying was wrong. Zell had seen proof of that – now he wondered if all the great warriors had a pool of loneliness that hides a broken and bleeding heart.
Squall had set his difference aside for the next day as he said. His performance astonished even the Ultimecia Team members. They fought the Sorceress with reluctance and expected Squall to fight with half the effort but he didn't. The determination and focus that Squall showed made it seem that he never kissed Rinoa or met her... Every muscle and joint moved in one objective – to defeat the Sorceress…regardless of who she resembled or was… The iciness that flashed within Squall's eyes had frightened the Ultimecia Team. It seemed that Squall had lost his sanity within the bloody rage that was delivered through the wrath of his gunblade.
But Zell knew that the reason was a different one. After all, he had seen the tears in the Commander's eyes and knew that each blow that the Lionheart delivered to Rinoa recoiled and stuck a wound in Squall's heart. His real self became shielded with the icy appearance that had disappeared for five years. But in reality, Squall was killing himself emotionally when he fought Sorceress Rinoa.
However, the real Rinoa returned. But she was already dying and when they got back to the Garden, she was locked up in an anti-magic containment building since the powers remained within her. Squall had stayed by her until the end.
'I hope you find peace, bud.' Thought Zell.
The Team had tasted the bitterness of Death – twice. It hurt them to know that they couldn't have prevented either incident from happening… They couldn't save their friends from what took away their lives...
****************************
She was pale and cold.
Selphie hated the sight of Rinoa on the cart.
She hated it because her friend was so lifeless…
It was Fate and Death she directed her hatred to. Fate had brought them together and now Death had taken them.
Rinoa shouldn't be like this. Cold and unmoving… She should be smiling. Selphie shook her head; it was too much for two of her close friends to leave like this…
The happy times remained in her heart but she still couldn't help but hope that perhaps Squall or Rinoa would just get up and everything would be normal again right? After all, there were cases in which the person was presumed dead but wasn't truly deceased…
'Since the powers weren't passed, Rinoa must be still alive and if she was, she'll find a way to bring back Squall! Then we can get over this and…' Selphie paused as a black feather drifted from the sky and landed on Rinoa's face. The comparison with the dark feather shattered the hopes. Her friend was as pale as a marble slab in other words, dead.
Selphie wanted to just leave and hide. It was just so unfair… Why had all of this happened? Especially to Squall and Rinoa. Why did Fate separate them by cutting the thread that severed them from what would have been a lovely pattern of the future?
Questions of 'Why?' flooded her head. It was true that they were SeeDs and the occasion of lost, blood and death shouldn't bother them.
Since they have killed, wounded others before. But when it's someone that you know whom you see on a cart – waiting to pass through the morgue's lacquered black polished doors, it's real.
It would have seemed that someone had woke you up for the first time in which the grief and sorrow is tangible. The reality in which we live in is ignored down to death.
Death had been interpreted through art, plays, expressions and movies but when the real Death comes, it hurts and affects us more than anything that a book or movie can ever inspire.
Selphie bit back her tears. She had to stay strong. For them and for herself…
*************************
Zell arrived at the transport first. He wheeled the cart in the Ragnarok and set it aside as attendants gentle placed the Commander's body in a temperature-controlled coffin for the trip to Esthar.
Looking down one final time, Zell had hoped that the stormy eyes would open once again but it never happened. Footsteps sounded on the ramp as Selphie walked in with Rinoa's body. Rinoa was placed in a coffin beside Squall and both lids were closed.
Zell noted that Rinoa looked certainly dead as Squall seemed knocked out when in reality he was dead as well. The color remained within the SeeD Commander's face so he didn't look dead, but as for Rinoa, she was white as marble.
"Zell, are you all right?" asked Selphie. Zell shook himself from his musings.
"Yeah. Let's go." He said. Nodding to Nida, Zell and Selphie got off as the Ragnarok started up and sped off toward Esthar.
"Are you sure about this?" asked a man. "I mean with all this Sorceress nonsense that had happened, are you sure we can trust her? And are you sure she's even who she says she is?"
"She seems sane enough." Said another. "Besides, we have nothing to loose."
"Are you sure? I mean, no offense but Balamb Garden and Esthar… They'll be hard to defeat. "
"Precisely. Which is why we need the Sorceress. Balamb and Dollet are still weak from Sorceress Rinoa's attacks earlier and Balamb Garden had suffered another lost. Of their Commander – Squall Leonhart."
"So with him out of the way and the Garden in the mist of lost…"
"…They'll be open to an attack…"
"A well organized attack with our weapons that we have developed will definitely be their downfall…"
"And if that happens, we'll gain more than we can ever imagined…"
Suited men laughed as a pair of reddish yellow eyes glowed.
'Soon mortals, you WILL pay!!'
"What do you think of this plan Sorceress?"
"It sounds effective… But must I remind you gentlemen; you must keep your end of the bargain…" replied the Sorceress. 'Soon, the only end they'll keep up will be the end of their race's reign among the Planet…'
Nida glanced at the time and sure enough, the city of Esthar came into view. Looking at the two coffins in the back, he shook his head. It had come so quickly…and unexpected. He shivered momentarily. Even through with the sadness hanging within the air, he felt as if something was about to happen… Something that would leave an impact on history…
'Am I imagining things? I feel something… But what is it?' Thought Nida. Little did he know that there were gray clouds looming in the distance…threatening and ready to strike.
"Esthar air station to Ragnarok, do you copy?" came a voice of an Estharian soldier. Nida grinned. Maybe he was just imaging things…or probably read too many horror novels…
"Ragnarok, here." Replied Nida as a buzzing sound came over the radio.
"Ragnarok, we didn't copy that. Please repeat…"
Nida frowned as he adjusted the radio. It was in fine condition… The lights flickered as the power input decreased and the Ragnarok lost altitude… Nida pressed at the buttons frantically. This couldn't be… Death couldn't have come three times could he? Nida closed his eyes, as the view of a tiny island grew bigger by the second…
They were going to crash….
~*~Comments~*~: Woah! This is the longest chapter/segment of a story I ever written… Sorry for the long wait for those of you who anticipated another chapter to this one. ^^; I kind of wrote the chapter last month but I wasn't satisfied with the plot so I switched it around.
Yeah, and I apologize for the cliffhanger but I just ran head-on with a writer's block on the plot even though I got the future part of the plot worked out but connecting them is a different situation… Hopefully, I'll get the next part up soon…
Anyways, thanks for the very encouraging reviews from the first part and I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. ^_^