The Thing That Should Not Be
Messenger of fear in sight, Dark deception kills the light.
Metallica, The Thing That Should Not Be.
'What the hell happened?' Squall asked as he reviewed the recent data on the attack on Garden.
'One guy did all this?' he asked Seifer in disbelief.
'One powerful guy. He's made Dana his target.' Seifer told him.
'This isn't good. This guy can get in here without detection and carve his way out through a crowd of armed SeeDs like butter.' Quistis muttered.
'I'll guard Dana.' Seifer offered.
'He wants you too.' Dana said softly having been silent up to that point.
'True. That way we can minimalise casualties.' Seifer said seriously.
'What are you talking about? Do you even think you can stop him?' Quistis snapped.
'Quistis.' Squall said sternly aware of Seifer's pride and Quistis fell silent.
Seifer seemed unfazed. 'I was just being logical. He wants just us two so if we stay together there will be less people between us when he comes.' He explained.
'Fine. But there will be others backing you up.' Squall told Seifer, then turning to Dana. 'Are you okay?' he asked softly for the umpthteenth time worried by her pale face.
'Yes sir.' She replied looking up into his eyes.
Squall let out a deep breath and slipped his hand into his desk drawer and pulled out an electronic key-card and tossed it to Seifer.
'What's this?' he asked looking at the white oblong in his hand.
'Your new room. Since the two of you need to be close you can have the double room on F wing.' Squall explained.
'What?!' Seifer and Dana yelled in unison whilst Quistis said 'Squall!' in a raised voice as she realised what room that was.
Squall grinned 'Don't worry it's been split into two.' He told them. 'Not that I need it anymore.' He added to himself softly.
'Okay I guess we'd better go move in.' Seifer said holding his hand out to Dana who blushed slightly.
'Great... everyone will talk.' She mumbled.
'Let them, though I doubt they'd be talking about this. I think our little friend will occupy them enough.' Seifer told her.
Dana nodded standing up by his side and they both turned to leave.
'Wait. Dana you're off library duties, Seifer you're off security okay?' Squall told them.
They turned back to him giving a quick salute.
At that moment Squall tilted his head to one side as if listening to an inner voice, his lips moving slightly much to the confusion of the others. A few moments later his eyes unglazed and he looked at Seifer again.
'And another thing... I've had a request that you have a GF. Go to the classroom and pick up Siren.' Squall told him.
'Yes sir.' Seifer replied with a smile and turned to leave once more.
When they had left, Quistis turned to Squall. 'What was that all about?' she asked.
'What?' Squall asked sitting at his desk wondering what was strange with the orders he had given.
'The tilt of the head.' She replied leaning over the desk looking into his eyes.
He stared back not to be intimidated by her aquamarine stare like when he was a cadet.
'I was talking to Shiva. She was passing on a message.' He told her.
'What message?' Quistis enquired her arms resting on the desk her face inches from his.
'Siren was demanding to be junctioned to Seifer. I have no idea why but a stroppy GF is not what I need right now.' Squall told her not moving, not folding to Quistis' game.
'So is the interrogation over?' he asked grinning causing Quistis to smile and break away.
'For now. I have a class now but maybe we can do something later?' Quistis said the casualness of the suggestion was tempered by the longing and urgency in her eyes.
'We'll see, okay?' Squall replied glancing at the pile of paperwork on his desk.
'Okay. Don't work too hard okay?' Quistis said playfully as she left his office leaving Squall to go through all the damage this character had left in his wake.
Meanwhile a figure sat in the branches of the forests of Balamb, his black trench coat dangling down his back whilst his legs swung idly at the front. He rested a gunblade on his lap, religiously wiping blood from its blade, the blackness of the metal revealed from under the scarlet fluid.
His face was impassive, deep in thought as his hands continued their caress of cold metal. A single tear dropped onto the blade, splashing and mixing with the blood. He hadn't meant to kill those youths but nothing could stand in the way of his mission. His target my be innocent but if the taking of two innocent lives would save the thousands later then that's what he resolved to do.
He had been trained from youth to do this, a heartless mercenary at sixteen years of age. A solitary warrior who must stay emotionless at all times but sometimes he had to cry, to shed a tear of sorrow for what he had to do but still he also had to finish this whatever it took, no matter what happened.
Below him bushes rustled and he sat stock still, gripping his weapon and tensed. A caterchipillar flopped into the clearing, wounded, as a blond SeeD crashed after it.
'They sent someone after me?' the figure thought in disbelief.
The SeeD finished off the Caterchipillar, the bulbous insect slumping to the ground with an ear-rendering screech and dissolved. The SeeD looked around the clearing scratching his cheek with a gloved hand.
There was a creak and a shower of leaves as the figure dropped to the ground.
'What the hell?' Zell yelled, surprised as a black gunblade was pointed at him.
'You were foolish to come alone.' The figure said softly.
'Huh? What are you talking about?' Zell asked confused, his body tensed to spring.
The figure cocked his head to one side 'You didn't come for me?' he asked.
'I don't even know you... why are you attacking me?' Zell asked trying to keep calm.
'No matter, I shall kill you anyway so you don't tell Almasy where to find me.' The figure replied ignoring Zell's question and started to lunge when a feminine voice called from the foliage.
'Zell?' she cried appearing from around a tree.
The figure stopped mid-lunge, his sword dropping. 'Dinct?' he murmured to himself and looked at the girl 'Feyr?' he mumbled noticing her black hair and twin gun daggers.
Zell didn't take his eyes off the figure and started walking to Jade.
'Who's that?' she hissed pulling her gun daggers up.
'No idea.' Zell told her watching the immobile figure carefully.
'The Untouchables.' The figure spat sheathing his weapon.
Zell grit his teeth in anger assuming the remark was aimed at Jade.
'What did you say?' he yelled angrily.
The figure snapped his face round his eyes burning into Zell. 'You're lucky I'm forbidden to harm you. Tell Almasy that Crave will see him soon.' The figure told him and leapt up into a tree, disappearing through the branches.
Zell and Jade looked up at the canopy dazed and confused until Zell broke the silence.
'I think we'd better get back to Garden.' He told Jade and broke into a run.
'You said he called himself Crave?' Squall asked an out of breath Zell who was slumped in a chair, Jade standing behind him hovering nervously.
'Yeah, he was going to kill me until Jade called out my name. Seemed like he knew us, mentioned something about not being able to touch us.' Zell elaborated between breaths.
'I see. So he's on a mission then.' Squall said rubbing his temples to relieve the tension.
'Looks like. How are the kids?' Zell asked inquiring about the casualties caused by Crave.
'Stable so far. Kadowaki is seeing to them so they should pull through.' Squall told him.
'Thanks for telling me what happened Zell. I'll pass it on to Seifer.' He added.
'Want us to help?' Zell offered.
'No, we don't want to push Crave.' Squall replied looking up, his eyes shadowed with tiredness.
Zell gave him a hurt look as he sat up in his chair finally getting his breath back.
Squall sighed 'It's not because I don't think you're good enough Zell, I just don't want Crave being tempted to break his mission if you get in his way. I don't want to see any more deaths.' He explained.
Zell brightened up, pride glowing in his cheeks from Squall actually admitting he cared.
'No probs then. I'll keep out of trouble.' He assured Squall.
'I'll make sure of it.' Jade added and pulled Zell out of the chair leading him out of the office, leaving Squall to slump at his desk feverishly trying to think of what else he could do about Crave.
Deep in the MD level of Garden, an Oilboyle slammed against a metal ladder, bending and buckling the rungs. It collapsed to the ground lifeless, a large gaping slash the cause of death. Crave groaned in annoyance at having nothing to wipe the blood off his blade and settled for the Oilboyle's own skin.
Satisfied, Crave basked in the pale orange/yellow light that filtered through the rusted metal structures. He knew he could sleep safely here now, no SeeDs came down here and he'd slaughtered any monsters that he came across. Shaking brown soil dust from his clothes, the evidence he had tunnelled into Garden, he cast around for a possible sleeping place.
He climbed the bent ladder, scaling up the central pillar of the MD level. He knew that he wouldn't be able to take the lift up in the morning, SeeDs would swarm on him like wasps.
Besides he had to pay a visit on an old enemy, give him a little wake up call. With a happy smile at that thought, Crave lay down on the metal grid floor, laying his blade by his side and wrapping his coat around him he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep, dreaming of a better tomorrow.
Messenger of fear in sight, Dark deception kills the light.
Metallica, The Thing That Should Not Be.
'What the hell happened?' Squall asked as he reviewed the recent data on the attack on Garden.
'One guy did all this?' he asked Seifer in disbelief.
'One powerful guy. He's made Dana his target.' Seifer told him.
'This isn't good. This guy can get in here without detection and carve his way out through a crowd of armed SeeDs like butter.' Quistis muttered.
'I'll guard Dana.' Seifer offered.
'He wants you too.' Dana said softly having been silent up to that point.
'True. That way we can minimalise casualties.' Seifer said seriously.
'What are you talking about? Do you even think you can stop him?' Quistis snapped.
'Quistis.' Squall said sternly aware of Seifer's pride and Quistis fell silent.
Seifer seemed unfazed. 'I was just being logical. He wants just us two so if we stay together there will be less people between us when he comes.' He explained.
'Fine. But there will be others backing you up.' Squall told Seifer, then turning to Dana. 'Are you okay?' he asked softly for the umpthteenth time worried by her pale face.
'Yes sir.' She replied looking up into his eyes.
Squall let out a deep breath and slipped his hand into his desk drawer and pulled out an electronic key-card and tossed it to Seifer.
'What's this?' he asked looking at the white oblong in his hand.
'Your new room. Since the two of you need to be close you can have the double room on F wing.' Squall explained.
'What?!' Seifer and Dana yelled in unison whilst Quistis said 'Squall!' in a raised voice as she realised what room that was.
Squall grinned 'Don't worry it's been split into two.' He told them. 'Not that I need it anymore.' He added to himself softly.
'Okay I guess we'd better go move in.' Seifer said holding his hand out to Dana who blushed slightly.
'Great... everyone will talk.' She mumbled.
'Let them, though I doubt they'd be talking about this. I think our little friend will occupy them enough.' Seifer told her.
Dana nodded standing up by his side and they both turned to leave.
'Wait. Dana you're off library duties, Seifer you're off security okay?' Squall told them.
They turned back to him giving a quick salute.
At that moment Squall tilted his head to one side as if listening to an inner voice, his lips moving slightly much to the confusion of the others. A few moments later his eyes unglazed and he looked at Seifer again.
'And another thing... I've had a request that you have a GF. Go to the classroom and pick up Siren.' Squall told him.
'Yes sir.' Seifer replied with a smile and turned to leave once more.
When they had left, Quistis turned to Squall. 'What was that all about?' she asked.
'What?' Squall asked sitting at his desk wondering what was strange with the orders he had given.
'The tilt of the head.' She replied leaning over the desk looking into his eyes.
He stared back not to be intimidated by her aquamarine stare like when he was a cadet.
'I was talking to Shiva. She was passing on a message.' He told her.
'What message?' Quistis enquired her arms resting on the desk her face inches from his.
'Siren was demanding to be junctioned to Seifer. I have no idea why but a stroppy GF is not what I need right now.' Squall told her not moving, not folding to Quistis' game.
'So is the interrogation over?' he asked grinning causing Quistis to smile and break away.
'For now. I have a class now but maybe we can do something later?' Quistis said the casualness of the suggestion was tempered by the longing and urgency in her eyes.
'We'll see, okay?' Squall replied glancing at the pile of paperwork on his desk.
'Okay. Don't work too hard okay?' Quistis said playfully as she left his office leaving Squall to go through all the damage this character had left in his wake.
Meanwhile a figure sat in the branches of the forests of Balamb, his black trench coat dangling down his back whilst his legs swung idly at the front. He rested a gunblade on his lap, religiously wiping blood from its blade, the blackness of the metal revealed from under the scarlet fluid.
His face was impassive, deep in thought as his hands continued their caress of cold metal. A single tear dropped onto the blade, splashing and mixing with the blood. He hadn't meant to kill those youths but nothing could stand in the way of his mission. His target my be innocent but if the taking of two innocent lives would save the thousands later then that's what he resolved to do.
He had been trained from youth to do this, a heartless mercenary at sixteen years of age. A solitary warrior who must stay emotionless at all times but sometimes he had to cry, to shed a tear of sorrow for what he had to do but still he also had to finish this whatever it took, no matter what happened.
Below him bushes rustled and he sat stock still, gripping his weapon and tensed. A caterchipillar flopped into the clearing, wounded, as a blond SeeD crashed after it.
'They sent someone after me?' the figure thought in disbelief.
The SeeD finished off the Caterchipillar, the bulbous insect slumping to the ground with an ear-rendering screech and dissolved. The SeeD looked around the clearing scratching his cheek with a gloved hand.
There was a creak and a shower of leaves as the figure dropped to the ground.
'What the hell?' Zell yelled, surprised as a black gunblade was pointed at him.
'You were foolish to come alone.' The figure said softly.
'Huh? What are you talking about?' Zell asked confused, his body tensed to spring.
The figure cocked his head to one side 'You didn't come for me?' he asked.
'I don't even know you... why are you attacking me?' Zell asked trying to keep calm.
'No matter, I shall kill you anyway so you don't tell Almasy where to find me.' The figure replied ignoring Zell's question and started to lunge when a feminine voice called from the foliage.
'Zell?' she cried appearing from around a tree.
The figure stopped mid-lunge, his sword dropping. 'Dinct?' he murmured to himself and looked at the girl 'Feyr?' he mumbled noticing her black hair and twin gun daggers.
Zell didn't take his eyes off the figure and started walking to Jade.
'Who's that?' she hissed pulling her gun daggers up.
'No idea.' Zell told her watching the immobile figure carefully.
'The Untouchables.' The figure spat sheathing his weapon.
Zell grit his teeth in anger assuming the remark was aimed at Jade.
'What did you say?' he yelled angrily.
The figure snapped his face round his eyes burning into Zell. 'You're lucky I'm forbidden to harm you. Tell Almasy that Crave will see him soon.' The figure told him and leapt up into a tree, disappearing through the branches.
Zell and Jade looked up at the canopy dazed and confused until Zell broke the silence.
'I think we'd better get back to Garden.' He told Jade and broke into a run.
'You said he called himself Crave?' Squall asked an out of breath Zell who was slumped in a chair, Jade standing behind him hovering nervously.
'Yeah, he was going to kill me until Jade called out my name. Seemed like he knew us, mentioned something about not being able to touch us.' Zell elaborated between breaths.
'I see. So he's on a mission then.' Squall said rubbing his temples to relieve the tension.
'Looks like. How are the kids?' Zell asked inquiring about the casualties caused by Crave.
'Stable so far. Kadowaki is seeing to them so they should pull through.' Squall told him.
'Thanks for telling me what happened Zell. I'll pass it on to Seifer.' He added.
'Want us to help?' Zell offered.
'No, we don't want to push Crave.' Squall replied looking up, his eyes shadowed with tiredness.
Zell gave him a hurt look as he sat up in his chair finally getting his breath back.
Squall sighed 'It's not because I don't think you're good enough Zell, I just don't want Crave being tempted to break his mission if you get in his way. I don't want to see any more deaths.' He explained.
Zell brightened up, pride glowing in his cheeks from Squall actually admitting he cared.
'No probs then. I'll keep out of trouble.' He assured Squall.
'I'll make sure of it.' Jade added and pulled Zell out of the chair leading him out of the office, leaving Squall to slump at his desk feverishly trying to think of what else he could do about Crave.
Deep in the MD level of Garden, an Oilboyle slammed against a metal ladder, bending and buckling the rungs. It collapsed to the ground lifeless, a large gaping slash the cause of death. Crave groaned in annoyance at having nothing to wipe the blood off his blade and settled for the Oilboyle's own skin.
Satisfied, Crave basked in the pale orange/yellow light that filtered through the rusted metal structures. He knew he could sleep safely here now, no SeeDs came down here and he'd slaughtered any monsters that he came across. Shaking brown soil dust from his clothes, the evidence he had tunnelled into Garden, he cast around for a possible sleeping place.
He climbed the bent ladder, scaling up the central pillar of the MD level. He knew that he wouldn't be able to take the lift up in the morning, SeeDs would swarm on him like wasps.
Besides he had to pay a visit on an old enemy, give him a little wake up call. With a happy smile at that thought, Crave lay down on the metal grid floor, laying his blade by his side and wrapping his coat around him he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep, dreaming of a better tomorrow.