Disclaimer: I do not own, "To be, or not to be. That is the question." Shakespeare does, and it's in Hamlet. Read it. Good play. Really morbid. ^v^ mhmmmhmmmmhhmmmmhmhmmhmmmmm.....

Note:

Chapter 56: Temptation

Ocea sat down in the pilot's seat of the Venus. Her head slumped down onto her arms on the controls. She rose, tears in her eyes, and noticed the blood on her hands, and face. An expression of terroe crossed her face, and she stood up quickly. She fell backwards, and her head began to bleed. Next to her lay a dagger, and a black bow wrapped around it.

She picked it up, and on the tag said, "May Death Come On Swift Wings," in her ancient tongue. The tongue of the Guardians. She looked at it, and saw the inscription on the blade, the markings ancient as well. A look of relief, and confusion filled her face. She stroked the blade carefully, seeing an escape in its metal.

Her eyes closed, and a feeling of numbing pain ran through her fingertips. Blood trickled down her hand, and arm. The blade was a torment, and yet a joy to her. The blade could end her life, a mortal's way of ending the race of immortals. Forged milleniums ago in the long forgotten War of the Heavenlies, mortals revotled against the immortals. She was in hell at the time, and only heard of the carnage, and saw the souls entering her abode.

Hades was busy, and complained quite often of how his work had increased. The mortals one day attacked hell, and all died within moments. Latisha watched that terrible day, and a piece of her warmed up to her captor. The century after the war, the Crystal Pillar was given to her, and the first Lunar Cry summoned.

The blade in her hand was a relic from the war, and could end her life right then. The wounds on her hands lingered, and eventually faded. Minor wounds could still be healed easily, but fatal wounds were either long healing, or death for her breed.

She opened her palm, and quickly cut along her life line. Fresh blood trickled down, and Hades stood behind her.

Hades: Got my present?

Ocea (rises): Yeah. Get the hell away from me. Oh, wait, you live there.

Hades: Your humor has always been an attribute.

Ocea: You never have had much of one save for torment. But that doesn't really count.

Hades: Hyne's daughter, a beauty, and a beast.

Ocea: Hades, lord of the underworld, and bane of man as well as me.

Hades (takes her into his arms): Why are you so cold to me?

Ocea (pulls away): A common attribute to my element is ice.

Hades: Cruelty is common for your lineage.

Ocea (seething): Cruelty is common for most immortals. Corruption, and greed plague our kind.

Hades: And lust.

Hades took her into his arms again, and began to kiss, and bite her neck. She sunk her teeth into his, and began to drain his lifeforce. He pulled away, and held her neck, his thumb caressing her cheek, and chin.

Hades: None of that. Don't try to kill me yet. I have uses for you, and do not wish to harm you. There is a bit of spirit in you left unbroken... I do not wish to shatter that... Or to strengthen it.

Ocea (breaks away; grabs dagger, and holds it against his throat): My will shant waver to suit thee.

Hades: Latisha, how you always try to deny me.

Hades pushed the dagger away, and took it into his own hand. His other held her around the waist, and kissed her. He cut a small gash in his neck, and tossed the blade away. Latisha, angry with Squall, hurt, and many other things that causes weakness, began to drink his blood. Relishing the red warmth, she cared not whose neck it was, as long as she was satisfied.

_+_+_+_+_+_+_+

"My Hyne, "Ellone thought as she gasped in disgust at the corpse on the morgue table. The brown hair was wet, and streaks of red in it. His slender nose was cold, and without life, his blue eyes closed, his leather coat in shreds.

Quistis: We know Ocea did this. (hands Ellone photos of the crime scene) The writings seem to imply that Squall is the victim. We believe that he is the lion, and that the other animals are us. We have not been in contact with him in days.

Ellone: I see. Can you lift the body on its side? I wish to make sure.

Quistis: Yes.

An orderly comes, and turns the body on its side. He removes the remnants of the leather coat, the sounds nauseating as it peeled away from the flesh. Ellone turned away, and he lowered the body back, and dashed for the bathroom.

Ellone: (sigh of relief) It is not Squall. Look at his back. There isn't a scar.

Quistis: Scar?

Ellone: Yes, since he was a baby he has had a large lion scar. That is why he has a fetish for the lion.

Quistis: I see. Then, if this isn't Squall, who is he? And where is Squall?

Ellone: I'll use Connect. Why didn't I think of that before?

Quistis: You were too scared to find out for yourself. He means a lot to you. So does Ocea, and Dewn. Go to her. Dewn needs you.

Ellone: I know. I will. I will call you when I find Squall, okay?

Quistis: Okay.(smiles) You should go before you vomit.

Ellone: Bye. (leaves, hand on mouth)

_+_+_+_+_+_+

Hades stood, shirtless before Ocea, her shirt removed as well, his sweaty chest against hers. He kissed her passionatly, almost getting what he has wanted for milleniums. They moved against a wall, and continued. Before he knew it, his was clutching his side. Ocea stood over him as he slid to the ground, holding a bloodied blade.

Ocea: I would never do that with you. I love Squall, and loathe you. Also, I remember what you did to me... to us...

Hades: Latisha?

Ocea: Ocea. It was me the entire time since you came.

Hades: Ocea? How not typical of you.

Ocea: Leave, or die.

Hades: You cut throat? How odd. Fine, I shall leave for now, but know that one day I shall have you.

Ocea: You shall have nothing but the desolate wasteland of your mind.

Hades (suave): Harsh.

Ocea (holds the knife near his throat): Leave, or I shall slaughter you myself.

Hades: Adieu for now (vanishes).

Ocea: Bastard.

Ocea sheethed the dagger in the holder in her boot, and the dagger that was in her boot in the back of her belt. She picked up her shirt, dusted it off, and put it on. She sat down in her seat, and lifted off. The Venus streaked across the sky, its master in a new rage.

_+_+_+_+_+_+_+

Squall stood at Raine's grave, fresh light blue morning glories on her tombstone. A gentle breeze blew across the land, and the skies grew darker. "Mother...," his lips trembled, barely audible. Perhaps he saught devine intervention, or perhaps he was just collecting his thoughts, but at any rate, he was there.

He walked up the hill, hands in his pockets, and boarded the Adonis. He had to hurry, time was against him, and he had wasted too much time already. But he felt better, even if it did nothing but hinder his purposes. The loading ramp rose with a groan, and he stared at the grave marker from it. It sealed, and airlocked, and Squall sat at the controls.

A picture of Ocea, Selphie, and Quistis was taped on the dash. His gloved fingers ran down the picture, and rose to caress the image of Ocea's face. It was pure hell to get a good picture of her. Her image always came out distorted for cloaking purposes, and it took a great deal of carefully hidden magick to undo her defense.

The girls stood in front of the renovated Trabia Garden, now a popular moving tourist trap, the weather cloudy in the background, but clear above them. Behind them Zell was buying Quistis a hot dog, and Irvine was looking at some "interesting" female apparel, picturing Selphie in it. Squall, succeeding in evading a picture, took the photo.

He now sat, remembering the day to a degree. The GF summons have decreased recently, but thier effects still remained. He remembered only big details about Rinoa's death. A pain ran through his side where he had been wounded before, and held the slight scar.

Tha Adonis left the ground, and went towards the woodlands of southern Esthar, where the blip on the screen flashed.