Thanks to everyone who was kind enough to review! You guys are my
inspiration! Arigato!
I don't own FF8, of course.
LEGACY Chapter Three Storm
Squall stepped into the room, Rinoa and Zell backing him on either side. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded, old hurts and betrayals making his voice harsher than he intended. The boy was so much like a small Seifer, in spirit if not in physical appearance, that he couldn't help his hostile attitude. Everything from his cock-sure, I-can-take-on-the-world stance, to the amused contempt in the steely blue eyes, mirrored his old rival perfectly.
The boy stretched with nonchalant grace, Hyperion winking at Squall like some malicious enemy, reminding him of what the blade had done. "Name's Storm," the boy offered, keeping his gaze on Squall and no one else. Their gazes locked, and the boy's thin smile told him he was enjoying this. "Storm Almasy.
"Yeah, you like that, don'cha Dintch?" he continued, as Rinoa recoiled with a gasp, and Zell gathered himself to spring at the boy. A sharp "Stand down, Zell!" from Squall stopped him just in time.
"You're lying," Squall told the boy calmly, his voice cold and precise as they faced each other again. "We knew Seifer from childhood. He didn't have any family. We would know. Even if he never told us, we would know."
"You're talking about the past," Storm countered, grinning like they were idiots for not knowing what the hell he was talking about. "And you don't know anything. Bet'cha can't explain why the lights suddenly went all haywire, either. Or how in Gaia I landed on this dump of a ship, when this morning, there was only you six on board? Yeah, that's right. I know Trepie, Tilmatt, and the cowboy are here as well. How do you explain that, Fearless Commander?"
"I can't," Squall said evenly, moving closer, his eyes flat and dangerous. "But, you're going to tell me everything you know, right now, or I'm going to cut you in half."
Rinoa and Zell exchanged a brief glance; Squall could feel their eyes on him as he approached the boy. They were a little worried, but they would follow whatever choices he made without question. The commander knew he wasn't acting exactly like himself; threatening the boy like that, but the mere mention of his arch rival's name threatened his life, his friends, and the peace they had fought so hard to acheive. The image of Rinoa standing beside him, pale but determined, sparked a fierce protectiveness he hadn't known he possessed. He would not let her be taken from him; he would fight to keep her, whatever the cost. He had lost far too much already.
Storm sighed, raking a hand through his messy black hair. "Fact is, you wouldn't believe me if I told you," he stated, sounding tired all of a sudden. Leaning against one of the seats, he gazed out the window, as if debating something within himself. After a moment, he looked back at Squall, his face losing some of that maddening arrogance. "First things first, though," he began. "I'm not here to fight you, Leonhart. Despite my name, despite everything you may believe about me, I am not your enemy."
Squall's expression didn't change. "Why are you here, then?"
"Just gotta save the world," Storm replied, and the superior grin was back on his face. "All right, all right, I'll be serious. But, this story is gonna take awhile to explain, so maybe we could go somewhere a little more comfortable? I want the rest of the Brady Bunch to hear this as well. It involves everyone here."
Squall held his ground a moment longer, than dropped Lionheart with a sharp nod. "Fine. We'll join the others. But, Hyperion stays here. Otherwise, you're not setting a foot out of this room."
Storm's lopsided smirk told him the boy was expecting him to say something like that. Reverenly, Storm placed the enemy blade on one of the seats, stepping away and raising his hands to show they were empty.
"Any magic or GFs?"
"Valefor. And a few Curagas."
"Unjunction them."
Storm sighed irritably, but did as he was told. A white sphere of magic rose into the air and disappeared, as the unknown GF vanished from Storm's mind, back to whatever plane it came from.
Storm crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at Squll. "Happy now?"
Squall said nothing, but turned on his heel and walked away, motioning Zell and Rinoa to follow him. After a moment's hesitation, and a final glance at Hyperion, Storm followed.
****************
Aaaaah, another chapter. Sorry this one is so short. The next'll be longer, I promise, and I WILL explain what's going on with Storm. Until then, keep reading and reviewing. (I'm so spoiled, I know.)
Arigato, Silverkitsune
I don't own FF8, of course.
LEGACY Chapter Three Storm
Squall stepped into the room, Rinoa and Zell backing him on either side. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded, old hurts and betrayals making his voice harsher than he intended. The boy was so much like a small Seifer, in spirit if not in physical appearance, that he couldn't help his hostile attitude. Everything from his cock-sure, I-can-take-on-the-world stance, to the amused contempt in the steely blue eyes, mirrored his old rival perfectly.
The boy stretched with nonchalant grace, Hyperion winking at Squall like some malicious enemy, reminding him of what the blade had done. "Name's Storm," the boy offered, keeping his gaze on Squall and no one else. Their gazes locked, and the boy's thin smile told him he was enjoying this. "Storm Almasy.
"Yeah, you like that, don'cha Dintch?" he continued, as Rinoa recoiled with a gasp, and Zell gathered himself to spring at the boy. A sharp "Stand down, Zell!" from Squall stopped him just in time.
"You're lying," Squall told the boy calmly, his voice cold and precise as they faced each other again. "We knew Seifer from childhood. He didn't have any family. We would know. Even if he never told us, we would know."
"You're talking about the past," Storm countered, grinning like they were idiots for not knowing what the hell he was talking about. "And you don't know anything. Bet'cha can't explain why the lights suddenly went all haywire, either. Or how in Gaia I landed on this dump of a ship, when this morning, there was only you six on board? Yeah, that's right. I know Trepie, Tilmatt, and the cowboy are here as well. How do you explain that, Fearless Commander?"
"I can't," Squall said evenly, moving closer, his eyes flat and dangerous. "But, you're going to tell me everything you know, right now, or I'm going to cut you in half."
Rinoa and Zell exchanged a brief glance; Squall could feel their eyes on him as he approached the boy. They were a little worried, but they would follow whatever choices he made without question. The commander knew he wasn't acting exactly like himself; threatening the boy like that, but the mere mention of his arch rival's name threatened his life, his friends, and the peace they had fought so hard to acheive. The image of Rinoa standing beside him, pale but determined, sparked a fierce protectiveness he hadn't known he possessed. He would not let her be taken from him; he would fight to keep her, whatever the cost. He had lost far too much already.
Storm sighed, raking a hand through his messy black hair. "Fact is, you wouldn't believe me if I told you," he stated, sounding tired all of a sudden. Leaning against one of the seats, he gazed out the window, as if debating something within himself. After a moment, he looked back at Squall, his face losing some of that maddening arrogance. "First things first, though," he began. "I'm not here to fight you, Leonhart. Despite my name, despite everything you may believe about me, I am not your enemy."
Squall's expression didn't change. "Why are you here, then?"
"Just gotta save the world," Storm replied, and the superior grin was back on his face. "All right, all right, I'll be serious. But, this story is gonna take awhile to explain, so maybe we could go somewhere a little more comfortable? I want the rest of the Brady Bunch to hear this as well. It involves everyone here."
Squall held his ground a moment longer, than dropped Lionheart with a sharp nod. "Fine. We'll join the others. But, Hyperion stays here. Otherwise, you're not setting a foot out of this room."
Storm's lopsided smirk told him the boy was expecting him to say something like that. Reverenly, Storm placed the enemy blade on one of the seats, stepping away and raising his hands to show they were empty.
"Any magic or GFs?"
"Valefor. And a few Curagas."
"Unjunction them."
Storm sighed irritably, but did as he was told. A white sphere of magic rose into the air and disappeared, as the unknown GF vanished from Storm's mind, back to whatever plane it came from.
Storm crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at Squll. "Happy now?"
Squall said nothing, but turned on his heel and walked away, motioning Zell and Rinoa to follow him. After a moment's hesitation, and a final glance at Hyperion, Storm followed.
****************
Aaaaah, another chapter. Sorry this one is so short. The next'll be longer, I promise, and I WILL explain what's going on with Storm. Until then, keep reading and reviewing. (I'm so spoiled, I know.)
Arigato, Silverkitsune