Jayson and Meia stepped out of the chamber to find Quistis and Kiros
waiting, alert.
'So?' Quistis asked simply.
'Had a run in with Gilgamesh.' Jayson replied.
'Gilgamesh?' Kiros asked puzzled.
'An uncontrollable Guardian Force armed with four different powered swords.' Quistis answered and her expression flickered as realisation dawned. 'He was the key wasn't he?' he asked Jayson.
'Yep. Seems like magic is what lets Spore out.' Meia replied for him.
'That can't be right or he'd have been out sooner. Behemoths can cast Meteor surely that would be strong enough?' Kiros said, his brow creasing.
'Oh it gets better, ANY magic can release him.' Jayson replied heading down the stairs.
'Okay now I really don't want to think why Spore isn't free.' Kiros answered walking behind the others.
Quistis turned round and grinned at him. 'Hurts you head?' she asked him playfully.
Kiros gave a wry smile in reply privately thinking of how much he'd give to be eighteen years younger.
'Let's just get back to Esthar and discuss what we do next. Hopefully Squall hasn't noticed us gone.' Jayson told them.
In the Ragnarok, Quistis and Kiros went up to the Pilot's cabin to fly the dragonesque airship, leaving Jayson and Meia alone in the passenger deck. Jayson stood next to a silent Meia who gazed out the window, sunlight highlighting strands of her hair making them appear golden.
'Are you okay?' Jayson asked softly.
I can't believe it. How can it be?' she whispered in reply.
'Well I'm sure Gilgamesh wouldn't lie, why should he?' Jayson tried to reassure her.
'Not that, you...' she told him slowly.
'What about me?' he asked puzzled and fearful.
'You fought a GF and won! Can anyone have such power?' Meia replied speculatively.
'Well Seifer killed Odin and Squall and the others have fought and captured many GFs during the Sorceress Incident.' Jayson told her, downplaying his achievement.
'But Seifer had the Sorceress' power behind him and they never fought any of them alone. You fought an uncontrollable GF and you were on your own!' Meia retorted her voice tinged with awe and also guilt.
'He might not have had her power.' Jayson answered and after recognising her guilt added. 'You shouldn't feel bad about not realising I was attacked. It would've been over before you reached me.'
'Exactly! And you pretend you are like everyone else?' she said triumphantly and then turned back to the window adding softly in a voice laced with bitterness. 'You don't need me.'
Jayson flinched at her words. 'That's not true. I need you to keep me strong otherwise I'd never be able to protect you or myself against anything we face.' He whispered into her ear wrapping his arms around her waist.
'You're just saying that.' She replied pushing back against him.
'No I mean it. I fight because I never want to see you hurt. I'm still me because of you.' He said softly, resting his head on hers, her scent and warmth soothing all his pains.
Meia closed her eyes not replying, just revelling in his touch. She could still sense the power he was hiding inside, the power he denied but she didn't fear it, she only wondered why he kept it away from her, his secret.
They arrived back in Esthar, Quistis breaking them from their silent pose as she entered the room, the electric door hissing and she told them they were there with a look of guilt on her face.
'Okay Quistis.' Jayson replied softly, reluctantly loosening his grip on Meia.
They walked out of the room and headed through the cargo bay to the exit ramp.
'I guess we'd better go to Squall and tell him what's happening.' Jayson started saying until he walked into Quistis as she stopped suddenly.
'Or we could tell him now.' Quistis said softly as Jayson looked over her shoulder to see an enraged Squall heading towards them.
'I'll deal with it.' Jayson told the others as he slipped past Quistis and down the ramp.
'Where the hell have you been!?' Squall yelled as Jayson approached.
'Intel excursion to Centra, sir.' Jayson replied formally.
'Why wasn't I told?' Squall asked angrily.
'I assumed you wouldn't want to be disturbed.' Jayson replied holding Squall's gaze.
'So you decided this?' Squall demanded.
'Yes. I took charge of it.' Jayson replied evenly.
'So you want to challenge my authority?' Squall hissed.
'Are you feeling okay sir?' Jayson replied confused by Squall's behaviour.
'Don't mock me.' Squall snapped.
'I'm not mocking sir. I just took leader-ship, as it was required. That was your intention for me anyway wasn't it?' Jayson replied softly.
Squall's hand reached for Lionheart undoing the clasps on the sheath. Jayson gazed flicked to this motion and back to Squall's eyes as he sighed softly.
'Is this what you really want Commander? To prove to yourself that it was Spore and not me that beat you?' Jayson said and Squall's expression hardened.
'We don't have time for this we must stop Spore. There's no need for confrontation or do you want to lose the respect we have for you?' Jayson continued hinting to the others.
Squall released his grip on Lionheart.
'You have a way with words. Fair enough. Just let me know next time. I'm the Commander I have to be in on the loop. Don't forget I'm responsible for your safety.' Squall told him more calmly.
'It's not your fault.' Jayson said softly.
'What?' Squall breathed.
'Rinoa... You made the decision Squall, she doesn't blame you.' Jayson told him.
Squall's brow creased as he put the pieces together and then smiled faintly.
'Anyway, what did you find out about Spore?' Squall asked changing the subject.
'We'll discuss it at the Presidential Palace, yes?' Jayson suggested and looked round for Meia.
As if sensing his need Meia strolled over to him, surreptitiously touching the back of his hand with her fingers. Her touch made his arm tingle, goose-pimples creeping up his arm and he wished he could take her hand but he felt it wasn't right just yet, as he didn't want to ruin what was developing between them by taking it from the privacy that had nurtured it.
They walked back to the Presidential Palace, the others in to and Jayson led them to the library, stopping at the table where the two scholars pored over the books. Meia sat beside him glancing idly at the open incomprehensible texts. The scholars glanced at them and waddled wordlessly out the doors leaving them to themselves.
'So what's the plan?' Squall asked resting his palms against the table, Kiros leaning against the wall silently watching his best friends son and noting the differences. Quistis stood between Squall and Jayson and glanced nervously at them both.
'Well it'd be a simple seek and destroy. We'll need to kill all of Spore's minions before we do anything, but we have to do it without magic.' Jayson informed them.
'Why's that?' Squall asked, not fully informed.
'Well we don't want them healing Spore when we let him out.' Jayson said calmly.
'WHAT?!' Squall and Quistis exploded in Jayson's impassive face whilst Kiros raised a stoic eyebrow.
'If we release Spore in the right way we can kill him.' Jayson replied softly.
'But first we'll need some special equipment.' He added looking in Kiros' direction.
'Such as?' Kiros replied simply.
'Get Dr. Odine and I'll tell you.' Jayson told him and turned back to the others.
'I know you probably think I'm crazy... but you have to trust me. Also we won't be able to have any magic, no GFs, therefore no junctions. Which means that all healing will have to be done by items.' He told them and sat down in a chair shooting Meia a quick concerned glance.
'Zo what iz going on?' Dr. Odine said wearily as he entered the room moments later.
Jayson stood and motioned for Dr. Odine to come to the table.
The short man looked up into Jayson's eyes. 'Now what do you want?' he asked irately.
'Look I know you took the parasite after I killed it so don't pretend to be mad at me!' Jayson told him.
Odine gulped and backed down. 'Yes well...' he stammered.
'Look that doesn't matter, what we want is some armour that will prevent any parasites attaching.' Jayson said.
Odine visibly relaxed and replied 'That iz easy. You need them now?'
'Yes.' Jayson and Kiros said in unison.
'No problem.. I'll have them done zoon.' He told them and waddled out the room.
'So?' Quistis asked simply.
'Had a run in with Gilgamesh.' Jayson replied.
'Gilgamesh?' Kiros asked puzzled.
'An uncontrollable Guardian Force armed with four different powered swords.' Quistis answered and her expression flickered as realisation dawned. 'He was the key wasn't he?' he asked Jayson.
'Yep. Seems like magic is what lets Spore out.' Meia replied for him.
'That can't be right or he'd have been out sooner. Behemoths can cast Meteor surely that would be strong enough?' Kiros said, his brow creasing.
'Oh it gets better, ANY magic can release him.' Jayson replied heading down the stairs.
'Okay now I really don't want to think why Spore isn't free.' Kiros answered walking behind the others.
Quistis turned round and grinned at him. 'Hurts you head?' she asked him playfully.
Kiros gave a wry smile in reply privately thinking of how much he'd give to be eighteen years younger.
'Let's just get back to Esthar and discuss what we do next. Hopefully Squall hasn't noticed us gone.' Jayson told them.
In the Ragnarok, Quistis and Kiros went up to the Pilot's cabin to fly the dragonesque airship, leaving Jayson and Meia alone in the passenger deck. Jayson stood next to a silent Meia who gazed out the window, sunlight highlighting strands of her hair making them appear golden.
'Are you okay?' Jayson asked softly.
I can't believe it. How can it be?' she whispered in reply.
'Well I'm sure Gilgamesh wouldn't lie, why should he?' Jayson tried to reassure her.
'Not that, you...' she told him slowly.
'What about me?' he asked puzzled and fearful.
'You fought a GF and won! Can anyone have such power?' Meia replied speculatively.
'Well Seifer killed Odin and Squall and the others have fought and captured many GFs during the Sorceress Incident.' Jayson told her, downplaying his achievement.
'But Seifer had the Sorceress' power behind him and they never fought any of them alone. You fought an uncontrollable GF and you were on your own!' Meia retorted her voice tinged with awe and also guilt.
'He might not have had her power.' Jayson answered and after recognising her guilt added. 'You shouldn't feel bad about not realising I was attacked. It would've been over before you reached me.'
'Exactly! And you pretend you are like everyone else?' she said triumphantly and then turned back to the window adding softly in a voice laced with bitterness. 'You don't need me.'
Jayson flinched at her words. 'That's not true. I need you to keep me strong otherwise I'd never be able to protect you or myself against anything we face.' He whispered into her ear wrapping his arms around her waist.
'You're just saying that.' She replied pushing back against him.
'No I mean it. I fight because I never want to see you hurt. I'm still me because of you.' He said softly, resting his head on hers, her scent and warmth soothing all his pains.
Meia closed her eyes not replying, just revelling in his touch. She could still sense the power he was hiding inside, the power he denied but she didn't fear it, she only wondered why he kept it away from her, his secret.
They arrived back in Esthar, Quistis breaking them from their silent pose as she entered the room, the electric door hissing and she told them they were there with a look of guilt on her face.
'Okay Quistis.' Jayson replied softly, reluctantly loosening his grip on Meia.
They walked out of the room and headed through the cargo bay to the exit ramp.
'I guess we'd better go to Squall and tell him what's happening.' Jayson started saying until he walked into Quistis as she stopped suddenly.
'Or we could tell him now.' Quistis said softly as Jayson looked over her shoulder to see an enraged Squall heading towards them.
'I'll deal with it.' Jayson told the others as he slipped past Quistis and down the ramp.
'Where the hell have you been!?' Squall yelled as Jayson approached.
'Intel excursion to Centra, sir.' Jayson replied formally.
'Why wasn't I told?' Squall asked angrily.
'I assumed you wouldn't want to be disturbed.' Jayson replied holding Squall's gaze.
'So you decided this?' Squall demanded.
'Yes. I took charge of it.' Jayson replied evenly.
'So you want to challenge my authority?' Squall hissed.
'Are you feeling okay sir?' Jayson replied confused by Squall's behaviour.
'Don't mock me.' Squall snapped.
'I'm not mocking sir. I just took leader-ship, as it was required. That was your intention for me anyway wasn't it?' Jayson replied softly.
Squall's hand reached for Lionheart undoing the clasps on the sheath. Jayson gazed flicked to this motion and back to Squall's eyes as he sighed softly.
'Is this what you really want Commander? To prove to yourself that it was Spore and not me that beat you?' Jayson said and Squall's expression hardened.
'We don't have time for this we must stop Spore. There's no need for confrontation or do you want to lose the respect we have for you?' Jayson continued hinting to the others.
Squall released his grip on Lionheart.
'You have a way with words. Fair enough. Just let me know next time. I'm the Commander I have to be in on the loop. Don't forget I'm responsible for your safety.' Squall told him more calmly.
'It's not your fault.' Jayson said softly.
'What?' Squall breathed.
'Rinoa... You made the decision Squall, she doesn't blame you.' Jayson told him.
Squall's brow creased as he put the pieces together and then smiled faintly.
'Anyway, what did you find out about Spore?' Squall asked changing the subject.
'We'll discuss it at the Presidential Palace, yes?' Jayson suggested and looked round for Meia.
As if sensing his need Meia strolled over to him, surreptitiously touching the back of his hand with her fingers. Her touch made his arm tingle, goose-pimples creeping up his arm and he wished he could take her hand but he felt it wasn't right just yet, as he didn't want to ruin what was developing between them by taking it from the privacy that had nurtured it.
They walked back to the Presidential Palace, the others in to and Jayson led them to the library, stopping at the table where the two scholars pored over the books. Meia sat beside him glancing idly at the open incomprehensible texts. The scholars glanced at them and waddled wordlessly out the doors leaving them to themselves.
'So what's the plan?' Squall asked resting his palms against the table, Kiros leaning against the wall silently watching his best friends son and noting the differences. Quistis stood between Squall and Jayson and glanced nervously at them both.
'Well it'd be a simple seek and destroy. We'll need to kill all of Spore's minions before we do anything, but we have to do it without magic.' Jayson informed them.
'Why's that?' Squall asked, not fully informed.
'Well we don't want them healing Spore when we let him out.' Jayson said calmly.
'WHAT?!' Squall and Quistis exploded in Jayson's impassive face whilst Kiros raised a stoic eyebrow.
'If we release Spore in the right way we can kill him.' Jayson replied softly.
'But first we'll need some special equipment.' He added looking in Kiros' direction.
'Such as?' Kiros replied simply.
'Get Dr. Odine and I'll tell you.' Jayson told him and turned back to the others.
'I know you probably think I'm crazy... but you have to trust me. Also we won't be able to have any magic, no GFs, therefore no junctions. Which means that all healing will have to be done by items.' He told them and sat down in a chair shooting Meia a quick concerned glance.
'Zo what iz going on?' Dr. Odine said wearily as he entered the room moments later.
Jayson stood and motioned for Dr. Odine to come to the table.
The short man looked up into Jayson's eyes. 'Now what do you want?' he asked irately.
'Look I know you took the parasite after I killed it so don't pretend to be mad at me!' Jayson told him.
Odine gulped and backed down. 'Yes well...' he stammered.
'Look that doesn't matter, what we want is some armour that will prevent any parasites attaching.' Jayson said.
Odine visibly relaxed and replied 'That iz easy. You need them now?'
'Yes.' Jayson and Kiros said in unison.
'No problem.. I'll have them done zoon.' He told them and waddled out the room.