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Perfect Soldier 01 - I'm glad you see it that way, Writing for me is a coping mechanism, so most often when I come out with something new it's to work something out. I just hope that others can think and possibly learn something from what they read.
savggrl - thanks for the love! I took a gamble, and I guess its paying off? I'll update as soon as I can
Riverwood - Glad you have decided to take a gander. I hope you stay for a while, too. I just started this fic, so 3 reviews is pretty good so far. I'm glad you don't like Edea, I needed something evil-ish. Hope you approve of the next chapters
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"I don't want more," Seifer breathed, looking at the doorway Fujin had diminished from. Edea motioned to the table and the plates therewith,
"You know I do not like your 'posse'. They take attention away from me, and I cannot have my Sorceress Knight focussing on one silver haired cycloptic minnow when I might be in danger. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Sorceress Edea. This is why they were moved, right?"
"Yes. Now get ready, I am impatient of waiting." Edea said, her voice dripping like aloof poison as she turned to leave.
"Oh, and Seifer? Do not forget my kindness"
"Kindness?" Seifer asked, facing the sorceress.
"Yes, I saved them, and gave them a key role while keeping them away from the dangerous action."
"Thank you. How can I repa..."
"You can repay me by following my orders. Now come, no more dawdling. take what you need, we will be gone for some time" the dark lady said, snipping every word short, dripping with distain yet combined with an element of something else, something electrifying and so utterly manipulative Seifer could do nothing but follow. He swung his greatcoat on, grabbing his pack from beside the bed and packed an extra pair of clothing, ammo, his personal affects, and the journal Fujin had left in her rush to leave the Sorceress' presence. He threw his boots on, grabbed Hyperion's case with the gunblade securely tucked inside and left without another word. By now Fujin and Rajin will be on the other train, heading with a unit to Balamb, and me? Seifer thought, the only sound emanating from his boots on the cold stone floor, and I am going to destroy the past.
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'The past cannot be changed. Just as the future is dreamt, and the present is rolling through our minds, draining, draining, forever emptying its glory onto the dusts of the past without anything more than a whimper. Why do we fight? Why do I find myself thinking 'if only'? What if the past could be changed? What then? Would I be different? Would I exist? Would the world be worth saving? Am I saving it? Too long have I looked back and seen only my reflection, my eyes heavy with the burden of knowing that I changed things, that I could have done something to save the ones I love. What is the purpose of the beggar on the street corner? What is his hope? What is it that gives him the strength and peace to get up on his creaking, sodden limbs and cry out to people who won't listen. WHY WON'T THEY LISTEN?!? If the past is changed, the future is lost, what happened in the past is the only hope the beggar has left! If he loses his past, or it never happened, he has nothing to fall back on, nothing to wrap around him at night, like the old decrepit blanket he had when his life was perfect. If someone takes the blanket away, what will he do? Yes there is pain, yes there is sorrow, and bad times and tragedy wrapped in that blanket, but there were also good times, happy times, wonderful gifts woven into the fabric.
If given the chance to love but once and be hurt ever more, or live your life alone and cold, what would you do? What will I do? Will he listen?'
- Nobus Ordo Saeclorum "A New Order of Ages"
On the train, Seifer read the pages over and over, flipping and soaking up every word, every line sketched in by Fujin's faithful hand. It took Fujin's actions the night and hours before to realise she really didn't think they would see each other alive. All Seifer wanted to do was curl up with her, tell her that it's all okay, that the fighting can be over and they would manage somehow, Fujin, Rajin and Seifer, a posse; but it was clear that Fujin had to fight, she had to do her part in the tapestry of time, even if it did end in tragedy for the sole purpose of the single hope that things just might turn out alright in the end. Edea had given Seifer a chance to get away from the childish squabbles, to let him become a man. Here he was, sitting in a grandiose train car, guards posted at every door and the great Sorceress, Champion of his freedom sitting on a throne at the other side of the room, and all Seifer could do was look out the window and clutch Fujin's journal wishing with all his ability that he was somewhere else. Reality sucks. Fujin understood, she knew reality was a painful substitute for fancy, but she continued on, at peace with the knowledge that this might be the end, but at least for someone, the end will be happy, and isn't one truely happy person enough to fight and die for?
Edea cleared her throat, shaking Seifer from his repose,
"Are you ungrateful?"
"Ungrateful?"
"I know what I said, answer the question" she snapped, eliciting a jolt from the guards as Seifer wiped his hand down his face, shoked to find tears on his cheeks.
"No, I am grateful, you gave me the opportunity to grow up, become a man, reach my destiny. What could be better than this?"
"From the tears on your face, having that silver minnow in your arms." Seifer sighed heavily, taking control of his body and waiting for what Edea was inevitably going to say,
"Can I depend on you? I know I can depend on her"
"I am your Sorceress Knight"
"Yes, I know that, but if the choice came between me and that animated statue who would you save, I wonder?"
"I chose to follow you"
"Aah, but there are bonds stronger than loyalty and choice. Do you honestly think I will let her live if you so much as step out of bounds once?"
"No"
"And why wouldn't I"
"I am your Sorceress Knight, it is my solemn duty to protect you no matter the cost"
"Excellent. And if the cost was greater than you expected?"
"Nothing is greater than I expect"
"That remains to be seen" For a second, Edea seemed to turn warm, to have a flush of caring on her cheeks, like she wanted to wrap up Seifer's pain and give him whatever he wanted.
"So young. So promising, do you want to throw it all away? Do you want to give everything you have spent your life to build to the wind? Do you want to follow?"
It took Seifer a second to realise that this Edea was closer to a human being, that she was giving him a chance to back down, escape, and take off after Fujin. She's letting me go... Seifer thought, seeing the kind twinkle in Edea's eyes, before noticing the twitch in her lips, so she was fighting, too. She was fighting to play her part in the present and future, while it suddenly occured to Seifer that she had been given the choice to disengage, but rather than disengage and change the future, she would fulfill her purpose, she would allow the story to sweep her away. If there is anyway of saving this Edea, he thought, I will stay with her until I find it. Maybe there is still hope.
Maybe that was what Fujin was saying, that yes, people can be cowards, and take the easy, pleasurable way out, live life seemingly happy, but that no one would remember that. No one would remember the guy who quit Garden or the girl with the silver hair, and even if it meant death, even if it changed everything, at least he had to try, at least he had to let whatever fate there was in the world take him to the place where his purpose could be fulfilled. Then after his part was done, what did he have to lean on? What hope is there in the end of all things?
"I am here by choice, my life has brought me to this place and I am not going to back down. I am here till the end" for a brief moment, he thought he saw a tear shrinking down Edea's face, a tear of protective sadness, but just as quickly,
"Good. You know how inconvenient it would be for me to find a new knight, and we can't have people who know our plans turn against us, now can we?"
"Yes, Sorceress."
"We will search for Garden. We make our way to Centra"
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Rajin could smell the ocean, peppering the air with salt, and seaweed baking in the sun with lemon and a Balamb Fish. He smiled to himself, this was home, no matter how he left, or how he was returning, this was where he belonged. Looking over at the woman beside him, he noticed her eye shut peacefully, the other draped in its blue-black patch, and knew that the sea air was doing her good. The occupation had been quick enough, practically painless, the only resistance coming from a few youth caught outside the town. Rajin and Fujin stood leaning on the dock, given a few precious moments as the troops cleaned up any more difficuilties within the little villiage. No one there had yet seen their faces, and that was how Fujin wanted it to remain. She had been appointed Commander, and stationed in the Balamb Hotel to deal with the logistics, and command of the town. Rajin was her Captain, and that was fine with him, it meant he still was pretty important, but didn't have the responcibility and only had to follow Fujin's orders.
"Commander?" a Lieutenant asked, saluting the pair, and giving Fujin a clipboard,
"Both sweeps of the town have come up with nothing on Ellone, and here is the initial report on the population, resources and uses of the town."
"AGAIN"
"Sir?"
"She said, sweep the town again, ya know. Leave nothing out, ya know" Rajin said, leaning back into the railing. Fujin kicked Rajin in the buttox,
"GO"
"Me, too ya know?"
"AFFIRMATIVE"
"Okay, whatever ya know, I'll go, ya know... gees, where'll you be, ya know?"
"HOTEL" Fujin said, holding the clipboard up threateningly.
"RAGE!"
The Lieutenant saluted quickly and took his leave, with Rajin close behind,
"Hey, wait for me, ya know! That's ya know, an order, ya know!" Fujin heard Rajin yelp, as he ran off to search the little town again. As she walked to the hotel, and returned the salutes of her troops, Fujin knew that Ellone wasn't in Balamb, but she simply needed some time for herself. Since leaving Seifer's room, there had been no time for anything other than picking up her pinwheel and her pack. It took her all the way to Balamb Hotel to notice that the journal she had worked on with Seifer wasn't there, she panicked, and ended up hurting two Privates before Rajin grabbed her minute frame and carryed her off to the beach where she could hunt Fatiolocans until her rage had subsided. She had gone back to the hotel and laid down sweating, hoping that Seifer had it, that he hadn't just left it there on the floor, before the thoughts in her head ebbed away. Finished, she picked up a pen and began inking in some bamboo shoots and leaves rusting in the wind on the red leather cover before blowing on it and writing on the first page, before Rajin came bounding up the stairs heaving and wounded.
"HAPPEN?"
"It's them, ya know, they came back, ya know, Squall ya know, to free Balamb, ya know"
"FIGHT"
"But Fu..." Rajin pleaded, holding his bruised gut.
"NOW!" Fujin said, lunging for her pinwheel as she healed Rajin and careened out of the room just in time to meet Seifer's arch enemy, Squall. After the battle, Fujin and Rajin bolted licking their wounds and hoping Seifer wasn't wrong, hoping that the three of them still had hope. The order to withdraw came and the Galbadian soldiers vacated quickly, already taken heavy losses from SeeD. Edea was not going to be happy, but then again, was she ever?
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"Report has come in that the opperation in Balamb failed, milady. The Commander and Captain met with SeeD resistance, the order to withdraw came after they lost the battle."
"Did the SeeDs give chase?"
"No ma'am."
"I see... Lieutenant? Next time Fujin or Rajin flea or do anything autonomous outside my specific orders, you know what to do"
"Yes Ma'am" the Leutenant said, eyes dancing with enticement as he saluted,
"Oh, and Lieutenant?"
"Yes Ma'am?"
"You and your troop may have your way with the girl. Just make certain you torture them well before they die. But if I hear word that you have taken her for any other reason, or hampered them from doing their job, I will personally end your existence in the most painful way possible, understand?"
"Yes Ma'am" the Lieutenant left, licking his lips slightly threateningly before bumping into something in the shadows. It was Seifer and he was not happy.
"GET OUT" Seifer seethed intensely, sprawling his gunblade into action, spitting on the Lieutenant who was increasingly scared, and couldn't wait to comply.
"EDEA!"
The Sorceress turned on her throne, giving Seifer the steadfast emotionless stare he had been acustomed to, before edging her voice with enough seductive malace the Pope would be privy.
"My Knight! I suppose you heard every word, your little minnow ran. She bolted faster than I gave her credit. We can't have supplicants dissobeying us, now can we?"
"Why.."
"Can we?" she shouted, before rising and pacing to Seifer before leading him to her throne. Forcefully sitting him on her throne, she turned to its back, placing her bony, clawish fingers firmly on his shoulders.
"They must obey, and what happens to supplicants who dissobey?"
"They are punished" Seifer said, complete and utter blackness draining his eyes as he sat on the throne.
"Exactly. I wil make a ruler out of you, yet my young Knight. I have to enact a punishment on Fujin when she retreats again, don't I?"
"She had to, the... Squall was too strong"
"So it was Squall, was it not?"
"You know it was." Seifer spat, leaning to rise. She stopped him with a squeeze of her fingernails.
"Yes, and what am I going to let you DO to Squall when we win?"
"Whatever I want"
"What do we have to do to win?"
"Complete every mission successfully"
"Did Fujin and Rajin complete their mission successfully?"
"No. But"
"Ah! Don't interupt. For you, I give them a second chance, for you I allow them to live, I keep Fujin chaste and safe for you. Think of her as a present upon successful completion. That's what you want, isn't it?" Edea said, manipulating every word with an ether of controlling magic, breaking his will, opening his thoughts to him.
"I see you, all of you. I know your nature, she does not. And she never will unless you do what you are ordered. Nothing more, nothing less. Am I clear?"
Seifer pondered her words for an everlasting moment, before responding,
"What must I do?"
"Follow me. Obey me, keep me safe, destroy Garden, and after the war, you will have your minnow, and Squall with his flounder of a girl to do whatever you wish."
"The Lieutenant?"
"Will do nothing unless you or she fails. Think of it as... an added impulse to complete my will. Now go, I tire" she drawled, pushing Seifer out of her throne before sitting on it and looking at Seifer's position kneeling on the floor.
"Seifer, I do everything for you. Remember that. You hold the Fates in your hands" Seifer got up slowly, rising without another word, after exiting, he found the Lieutenant and punched him hard, leaving a scar thick with blood from the metal edging of his greatcoat before sitting in his room and opening the journal to where he was in the beginning.
Perfect Soldier 01 - I'm glad you see it that way, Writing for me is a coping mechanism, so most often when I come out with something new it's to work something out. I just hope that others can think and possibly learn something from what they read.
savggrl - thanks for the love! I took a gamble, and I guess its paying off? I'll update as soon as I can
Riverwood - Glad you have decided to take a gander. I hope you stay for a while, too. I just started this fic, so 3 reviews is pretty good so far. I'm glad you don't like Edea, I needed something evil-ish. Hope you approve of the next chapters
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"I don't want more," Seifer breathed, looking at the doorway Fujin had diminished from. Edea motioned to the table and the plates therewith,
"You know I do not like your 'posse'. They take attention away from me, and I cannot have my Sorceress Knight focussing on one silver haired cycloptic minnow when I might be in danger. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Sorceress Edea. This is why they were moved, right?"
"Yes. Now get ready, I am impatient of waiting." Edea said, her voice dripping like aloof poison as she turned to leave.
"Oh, and Seifer? Do not forget my kindness"
"Kindness?" Seifer asked, facing the sorceress.
"Yes, I saved them, and gave them a key role while keeping them away from the dangerous action."
"Thank you. How can I repa..."
"You can repay me by following my orders. Now come, no more dawdling. take what you need, we will be gone for some time" the dark lady said, snipping every word short, dripping with distain yet combined with an element of something else, something electrifying and so utterly manipulative Seifer could do nothing but follow. He swung his greatcoat on, grabbing his pack from beside the bed and packed an extra pair of clothing, ammo, his personal affects, and the journal Fujin had left in her rush to leave the Sorceress' presence. He threw his boots on, grabbed Hyperion's case with the gunblade securely tucked inside and left without another word. By now Fujin and Rajin will be on the other train, heading with a unit to Balamb, and me? Seifer thought, the only sound emanating from his boots on the cold stone floor, and I am going to destroy the past.
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'The past cannot be changed. Just as the future is dreamt, and the present is rolling through our minds, draining, draining, forever emptying its glory onto the dusts of the past without anything more than a whimper. Why do we fight? Why do I find myself thinking 'if only'? What if the past could be changed? What then? Would I be different? Would I exist? Would the world be worth saving? Am I saving it? Too long have I looked back and seen only my reflection, my eyes heavy with the burden of knowing that I changed things, that I could have done something to save the ones I love. What is the purpose of the beggar on the street corner? What is his hope? What is it that gives him the strength and peace to get up on his creaking, sodden limbs and cry out to people who won't listen. WHY WON'T THEY LISTEN?!? If the past is changed, the future is lost, what happened in the past is the only hope the beggar has left! If he loses his past, or it never happened, he has nothing to fall back on, nothing to wrap around him at night, like the old decrepit blanket he had when his life was perfect. If someone takes the blanket away, what will he do? Yes there is pain, yes there is sorrow, and bad times and tragedy wrapped in that blanket, but there were also good times, happy times, wonderful gifts woven into the fabric.
If given the chance to love but once and be hurt ever more, or live your life alone and cold, what would you do? What will I do? Will he listen?'
- Nobus Ordo Saeclorum "A New Order of Ages"
On the train, Seifer read the pages over and over, flipping and soaking up every word, every line sketched in by Fujin's faithful hand. It took Fujin's actions the night and hours before to realise she really didn't think they would see each other alive. All Seifer wanted to do was curl up with her, tell her that it's all okay, that the fighting can be over and they would manage somehow, Fujin, Rajin and Seifer, a posse; but it was clear that Fujin had to fight, she had to do her part in the tapestry of time, even if it did end in tragedy for the sole purpose of the single hope that things just might turn out alright in the end. Edea had given Seifer a chance to get away from the childish squabbles, to let him become a man. Here he was, sitting in a grandiose train car, guards posted at every door and the great Sorceress, Champion of his freedom sitting on a throne at the other side of the room, and all Seifer could do was look out the window and clutch Fujin's journal wishing with all his ability that he was somewhere else. Reality sucks. Fujin understood, she knew reality was a painful substitute for fancy, but she continued on, at peace with the knowledge that this might be the end, but at least for someone, the end will be happy, and isn't one truely happy person enough to fight and die for?
Edea cleared her throat, shaking Seifer from his repose,
"Are you ungrateful?"
"Ungrateful?"
"I know what I said, answer the question" she snapped, eliciting a jolt from the guards as Seifer wiped his hand down his face, shoked to find tears on his cheeks.
"No, I am grateful, you gave me the opportunity to grow up, become a man, reach my destiny. What could be better than this?"
"From the tears on your face, having that silver minnow in your arms." Seifer sighed heavily, taking control of his body and waiting for what Edea was inevitably going to say,
"Can I depend on you? I know I can depend on her"
"I am your Sorceress Knight"
"Yes, I know that, but if the choice came between me and that animated statue who would you save, I wonder?"
"I chose to follow you"
"Aah, but there are bonds stronger than loyalty and choice. Do you honestly think I will let her live if you so much as step out of bounds once?"
"No"
"And why wouldn't I"
"I am your Sorceress Knight, it is my solemn duty to protect you no matter the cost"
"Excellent. And if the cost was greater than you expected?"
"Nothing is greater than I expect"
"That remains to be seen" For a second, Edea seemed to turn warm, to have a flush of caring on her cheeks, like she wanted to wrap up Seifer's pain and give him whatever he wanted.
"So young. So promising, do you want to throw it all away? Do you want to give everything you have spent your life to build to the wind? Do you want to follow?"
It took Seifer a second to realise that this Edea was closer to a human being, that she was giving him a chance to back down, escape, and take off after Fujin. She's letting me go... Seifer thought, seeing the kind twinkle in Edea's eyes, before noticing the twitch in her lips, so she was fighting, too. She was fighting to play her part in the present and future, while it suddenly occured to Seifer that she had been given the choice to disengage, but rather than disengage and change the future, she would fulfill her purpose, she would allow the story to sweep her away. If there is anyway of saving this Edea, he thought, I will stay with her until I find it. Maybe there is still hope.
Maybe that was what Fujin was saying, that yes, people can be cowards, and take the easy, pleasurable way out, live life seemingly happy, but that no one would remember that. No one would remember the guy who quit Garden or the girl with the silver hair, and even if it meant death, even if it changed everything, at least he had to try, at least he had to let whatever fate there was in the world take him to the place where his purpose could be fulfilled. Then after his part was done, what did he have to lean on? What hope is there in the end of all things?
"I am here by choice, my life has brought me to this place and I am not going to back down. I am here till the end" for a brief moment, he thought he saw a tear shrinking down Edea's face, a tear of protective sadness, but just as quickly,
"Good. You know how inconvenient it would be for me to find a new knight, and we can't have people who know our plans turn against us, now can we?"
"Yes, Sorceress."
"We will search for Garden. We make our way to Centra"
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Rajin could smell the ocean, peppering the air with salt, and seaweed baking in the sun with lemon and a Balamb Fish. He smiled to himself, this was home, no matter how he left, or how he was returning, this was where he belonged. Looking over at the woman beside him, he noticed her eye shut peacefully, the other draped in its blue-black patch, and knew that the sea air was doing her good. The occupation had been quick enough, practically painless, the only resistance coming from a few youth caught outside the town. Rajin and Fujin stood leaning on the dock, given a few precious moments as the troops cleaned up any more difficuilties within the little villiage. No one there had yet seen their faces, and that was how Fujin wanted it to remain. She had been appointed Commander, and stationed in the Balamb Hotel to deal with the logistics, and command of the town. Rajin was her Captain, and that was fine with him, it meant he still was pretty important, but didn't have the responcibility and only had to follow Fujin's orders.
"Commander?" a Lieutenant asked, saluting the pair, and giving Fujin a clipboard,
"Both sweeps of the town have come up with nothing on Ellone, and here is the initial report on the population, resources and uses of the town."
"AGAIN"
"Sir?"
"She said, sweep the town again, ya know. Leave nothing out, ya know" Rajin said, leaning back into the railing. Fujin kicked Rajin in the buttox,
"GO"
"Me, too ya know?"
"AFFIRMATIVE"
"Okay, whatever ya know, I'll go, ya know... gees, where'll you be, ya know?"
"HOTEL" Fujin said, holding the clipboard up threateningly.
"RAGE!"
The Lieutenant saluted quickly and took his leave, with Rajin close behind,
"Hey, wait for me, ya know! That's ya know, an order, ya know!" Fujin heard Rajin yelp, as he ran off to search the little town again. As she walked to the hotel, and returned the salutes of her troops, Fujin knew that Ellone wasn't in Balamb, but she simply needed some time for herself. Since leaving Seifer's room, there had been no time for anything other than picking up her pinwheel and her pack. It took her all the way to Balamb Hotel to notice that the journal she had worked on with Seifer wasn't there, she panicked, and ended up hurting two Privates before Rajin grabbed her minute frame and carryed her off to the beach where she could hunt Fatiolocans until her rage had subsided. She had gone back to the hotel and laid down sweating, hoping that Seifer had it, that he hadn't just left it there on the floor, before the thoughts in her head ebbed away. Finished, she picked up a pen and began inking in some bamboo shoots and leaves rusting in the wind on the red leather cover before blowing on it and writing on the first page, before Rajin came bounding up the stairs heaving and wounded.
"HAPPEN?"
"It's them, ya know, they came back, ya know, Squall ya know, to free Balamb, ya know"
"FIGHT"
"But Fu..." Rajin pleaded, holding his bruised gut.
"NOW!" Fujin said, lunging for her pinwheel as she healed Rajin and careened out of the room just in time to meet Seifer's arch enemy, Squall. After the battle, Fujin and Rajin bolted licking their wounds and hoping Seifer wasn't wrong, hoping that the three of them still had hope. The order to withdraw came and the Galbadian soldiers vacated quickly, already taken heavy losses from SeeD. Edea was not going to be happy, but then again, was she ever?
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"Report has come in that the opperation in Balamb failed, milady. The Commander and Captain met with SeeD resistance, the order to withdraw came after they lost the battle."
"Did the SeeDs give chase?"
"No ma'am."
"I see... Lieutenant? Next time Fujin or Rajin flea or do anything autonomous outside my specific orders, you know what to do"
"Yes Ma'am" the Leutenant said, eyes dancing with enticement as he saluted,
"Oh, and Lieutenant?"
"Yes Ma'am?"
"You and your troop may have your way with the girl. Just make certain you torture them well before they die. But if I hear word that you have taken her for any other reason, or hampered them from doing their job, I will personally end your existence in the most painful way possible, understand?"
"Yes Ma'am" the Lieutenant left, licking his lips slightly threateningly before bumping into something in the shadows. It was Seifer and he was not happy.
"GET OUT" Seifer seethed intensely, sprawling his gunblade into action, spitting on the Lieutenant who was increasingly scared, and couldn't wait to comply.
"EDEA!"
The Sorceress turned on her throne, giving Seifer the steadfast emotionless stare he had been acustomed to, before edging her voice with enough seductive malace the Pope would be privy.
"My Knight! I suppose you heard every word, your little minnow ran. She bolted faster than I gave her credit. We can't have supplicants dissobeying us, now can we?"
"Why.."
"Can we?" she shouted, before rising and pacing to Seifer before leading him to her throne. Forcefully sitting him on her throne, she turned to its back, placing her bony, clawish fingers firmly on his shoulders.
"They must obey, and what happens to supplicants who dissobey?"
"They are punished" Seifer said, complete and utter blackness draining his eyes as he sat on the throne.
"Exactly. I wil make a ruler out of you, yet my young Knight. I have to enact a punishment on Fujin when she retreats again, don't I?"
"She had to, the... Squall was too strong"
"So it was Squall, was it not?"
"You know it was." Seifer spat, leaning to rise. She stopped him with a squeeze of her fingernails.
"Yes, and what am I going to let you DO to Squall when we win?"
"Whatever I want"
"What do we have to do to win?"
"Complete every mission successfully"
"Did Fujin and Rajin complete their mission successfully?"
"No. But"
"Ah! Don't interupt. For you, I give them a second chance, for you I allow them to live, I keep Fujin chaste and safe for you. Think of her as a present upon successful completion. That's what you want, isn't it?" Edea said, manipulating every word with an ether of controlling magic, breaking his will, opening his thoughts to him.
"I see you, all of you. I know your nature, she does not. And she never will unless you do what you are ordered. Nothing more, nothing less. Am I clear?"
Seifer pondered her words for an everlasting moment, before responding,
"What must I do?"
"Follow me. Obey me, keep me safe, destroy Garden, and after the war, you will have your minnow, and Squall with his flounder of a girl to do whatever you wish."
"The Lieutenant?"
"Will do nothing unless you or she fails. Think of it as... an added impulse to complete my will. Now go, I tire" she drawled, pushing Seifer out of her throne before sitting on it and looking at Seifer's position kneeling on the floor.
"Seifer, I do everything for you. Remember that. You hold the Fates in your hands" Seifer got up slowly, rising without another word, after exiting, he found the Lieutenant and punched him hard, leaving a scar thick with blood from the metal edging of his greatcoat before sitting in his room and opening the journal to where he was in the beginning.