Disclaimer: I do not own FF8 or any of the characters from FF8.
AN: Wow! Didn't expect that many reviews since I didn't write for so long. Thanks for caring and not forgetting about this story! Shouts will be at the end so stay tuned =)
Chapter 12: Shame and Horror
By the time I had returned to the Garden, the whole neighborhood knew about the deaths of the Retrieval Squad members. I was actually feeling GOOD about it all, something I would make sure I'd never feel again.
I can still remember it, a raw sense of power like nothing I had ever experienced. It was the darkness within me unleashed. I killed those three men not for justice or even revenge, but for sport. At the time, I thought I was avenging my parents. But Kiros made me see what I had REALLY done.
I walked into my dorm with a skip in my step, feeling very pleased with myself. But I jumped about a foot in the air when I saw Kiros sitting at my desk just staring at me with a fierce glare in his eyes. Now, Kiros is the nicest guy you'll ever meet, but if you get him mad, you do not want to be on the receiving end of the argument.
"Sit down." he said. The command had been simply said but it had a chilly ring to it that made me feel a slight tremble down my spine. I hastily obeyed and sat on the edge of my bed.
"Squall, I know what you did" he said it calmly but coldly.
"What? What're you talking about?" I said. I spoke as if I really had no clue, I didn't show him anything. But Kiros wasn't stupid, he saw through me like I was a jellyfish on the other side of a glass fish tank.
"Shut up Squall. I know you killed the Retrieval Squad." he said. There was no way I could argue with him. He said it too surely and in a way that would have made me look stupid if I tried to steer him from the truth.
What did I do then? Absolutely nothing. I just stood there like a rock.
"Squall, listen to me. I don't EVER want you to do something like that ever again." he spoke softly but he put a dangerous accent to every word the came from his mouth.
"I did it to get rev-"I was about to say revenge but Kiros held up and hand while shaking his head.
"No. You didn't do it for revenge." I was puzzled. Surely I would know myself better than Kiros knew me. The whole reason I went to all that trouble was to get even.
"What? Of course I did it for revenge! They killed my parents! Kiros, I finally accomplished what I was trying to do all this time." I was starting to get mad at him at this point because he treated me with no respect.
"No, you didn't. You THINK you did, but you didn't. I've been trying to teach you this whole time about honor and you just threw it all out the window today. I'm very disappointed." he said.
"What do you mean?! Everybody in the Garden thinks he committed suicide so that the people in that building would live. I let him die honorably." I explained.
"You would not have killed him if you were thinking about honor. You let rage and hatred consume you and that is why you murdered those men today." he said softly and then stood up and walked towards me to the door. He put a hand on my shoulder and gave me a comforting pat, something I didn't expect. "Everyone makes mistakes, and this will be your first and last. I hope you never let the darkness engulf your heart...your father wouldn't want that to happen." he added.
I was left standing there dumbstruck as Kiros left my room. I didn't know what to say, because now that I thought back to the event, I could see that it was indeed the anger and pain inside of me that caused the deaths of those three men that day. The scariest part was that it actually felt good when I launched them from the window. I learned then and there just how easy it was to let the darkness within take control of oneself.
I knew Kiros wasn't going to tell the Garden what I had done. I wasn't worried about it at all, Kiros was not only my mentor and teacher, but also one of my most trusted friends, he would never do something like that to me. But something kept nagging at the back of my mind that night. Something I neglected to ask Kiros about before he left my dorm.
What did he mean by my father not wanting me to let darkness engulf my heart?
How would he know what my father would have wanted? As far as I knew, nobody in the Garden knew about my dad. I made it a point to ask him about it the next day. I got about two hours of sleep that night because of all the things going through my head. But one thing was decided, I would rather die than lose myself to the shadows.
The next day, I finished my training with Kiros just like every other day. I was tired and beat up but happy because Kiros never mentioned anything about the night before.
"Good work today Squall. Go get some rest and I'll see you back here tomorrow." he said just as briskly as he usually did. I took a deep breath and then looked him in the eyes. I really didn't want to bring back memories of the night before because I was so ashamed of myself. But I just had to ask him if he knew anything about my dad. The question had been burning in my mind since the previous night.
"K-Kiros, you mentioned last night that my dad would not have wanted me to avenge his death by killing the Retrieval Squad." once again, I didn't get a chance to finish because Kiros jumped in.
"Never mind about that, that was the past and as I've told you many times before, you should forget about the past." he said simply then he walked out on me again.
I was flabbergasted and was once again left with the same question. Not being one to give up, I asked him again the day after. Kiros avoided answering again and we continued this little game every day until three weeks later even the mighty Kiros couldn't take it anymore.
"Alright fine, you win. I'll tell you." he said. I was laughing out loud when I heard those words. Kiros took me to a small café in Deling, a rather unknown place called "George's Diner". The inside was quite roomy with round tables spaced out evenly around the restaurant and a TV playing some old music videos in the back. I walked in and was about to sit at a center table but Kiros put a hand on my shoulder and led me to a table in the upper left corner of the room. We both sat down and Kiros ordered a coffee while I asked for a glass of orange juice.
"Always choose a corner table, that way, you can see everyone and noone can sneak up on you." he said. I made a mental note of the tip and leaned back in my chair awaiting Kiros' story.
"Okay, I didn't want to tell you before, because I didn't want you to be thinking about your past. I gave you a new identity not only so that YOU would forget but also so that I would. Your father was a good friend of mine, probably the best friend I ever had. We knew each other as kids and grew up together, then they found out I was a metasite and I was taken to the Garden. Laguna was drafted into the army later on and we met up once again. He was never much of a fighter, always preferred a peaceful solution. Ward and I were the top metasites at the time but we still hung out with your father simply because we knew each other so well. It was an unusual pairing, two of the most powerful metasites and a lowly "D" class soldier. But Laguna eventually spent enough time in the army to finally retire. Once he quit, he began to pursue a career he was always interested in: Journalism. It was funny how our paths would cross again, because once your father completed his Journalist training, he rose to the top very quickly and was soon doing interviews and reports on the top soldiers of Galbadia Garden. It was one of those friendships that never faded, unlike some people, Laguna never changed; he was still the same guy that he was when I first met him. Eventually he moved to Winhill and married your mother, Raine. Shortly after, they had you. I even met you when you were only a few months old although you probably don't remember me since you were too young and your metasite had not began to develop yet. When I heard that you were a metasite, I was afraid. I knew how the Retrieval Squad handled things and I didn't want that to happen to your family. But I was cowardly. Probably the only time where I chickened out of doing something important. I was going to stop the Retrieval Squad, probably how you would have done it. At the same time, I didn't want to jeopardize my job and my position at Garden and at the last minute, I didn't go. I wanted to trust that Laguna would be alright, that he would give up his son freely and not have to fight. But it was inevitable. When I heard the news about your parents' deaths, I broke down. I felt like it was my fault entirely that they were dead and so I decided to take you as my disciple. There is nothing I can do to change the past, but I owed it to your dad to change his future, which means changing you. Like I said, I gave you your new name so that you would be able to get as far away as possible from your past. That new name also keeps me from being haunted every time I hear your father's surname. I'm training you the way your father would have wanted you to be brought up, unfortunately, Garden policy gets in the way and you're forced to kill, something Laguna would have never wanted you to do. But I say, it's better to kill than to be killed and those were the only two choices that were given to you." he sighed and looked down at his hands. "I'm sorry Squall."
The orange juice in the cup started to look a lot more interesting and I kept staring at the pulpy liquid to keep the tears from flowing. I couldn't believe what Kiros was telling me, yet it all made sense. The more I thought about it, the more the pieces of the puzzle started to come together. High class metasites don't just "pick" a student out of the blue and start training them. Kiros had seen my potential but also my horrific past. He shared the pain of losing my father. For a fleeting moment, I was mad at Kiros. I was angry because he had kept all of this information from me for so long. But then I remembered what he had told me weeks ago and I calmed myself down to look at it from a different perspective.
"It's alright. There was nothing you or anybody else could've done. I'm sure my dad would forgive you." I finally managed to choke out the words. It was difficult, but like I had experienced three weeks ago, it's always more difficult to forgive.
Kiros smiled, a satisfied grin that was accompanied by a nod of his head.
"Good Squall, you've already learned how to control your emotions. I'm glad I wasn't wrong about you." he said as he let out a little chuckle.
I grinned and finished my orange juice but just as the last drop of the drink trickled down my throat I heard the TV switch to a sudden breaking news report. Kiros heard it too because I saw him jerk his head up from the table and fix his eyes on the screen.
The reporter stood in front of a pile of smouldering ruins. It took me awhile to realize that she was actually standing in front of a part of Galbadia Garden.
"Just in, an unknown metasite believed to be from Balamb has just been apprehended by the Garden's top forces. The metasite is a long range ballistic weapon specialist that was launching a sneak attack on the Garden from afar. Two teams of high-class metasites rushed out and intercepted the foe before he could get away. The enemy metasite is now in custody and further information will be disclosed when the interrogation is complete. The metasite launched three rounds of high energy bolts from a distance of 3 kilometers and destroyed a large portion of Galbadia Garden's left wing. All humans in the proximity were killed but no metasites suffered serious injuries. More on this story when we come back."
I nearly choked on the orange juice I had just drank. A whole wing was almost destroyed. There were at least two hundred people there at the time. But that was the least of my worries. What I feared was that my friends had been killed. I knew Emi was at the opposite side of the Garden at the time, but Zone was having lessons in Left Wing. Then I thought more clearly and was relieved to remember that no metasites were killed. That brought me to my next thought, which was even more horrible: Ellone. Ellone's office was in Left Wing. She should've gone out for lunch right? Or at least gone to treat some other patients. There wasn't much to do in her office, she probably wouldn't be there unless a new metasite had just been discovered.
I tried to think of every possibility, every loophole that would keep Ellone alive. She meant the world to me, the one person in Garden who helped me when I needed it the most. I kept turning the scenario over in my mind. She would be alright...right?
Kiros decided to do things the practical way.
"Let's go Squall." he said. There was no hint of concern, worry, or fear in his voice. Just cold, hard, determination.
I got up from my seat and shook off all the bad thoughts that had been creeping into my mind. I was going to face whatever the world had to throw at me, no matter how difficult. I would not back down or run away from the truth like I had tried to do when my parents died. If indeed another person whom I cared about had been taken from me, then this time, things would be different. I was no longer a child.
Kiros left some gil on the table and we both walked out of "George's Diner". The sun was just about to set and the air had gotten cooler. I called my metasite, felt the millions of tendrils bury into my skin and connect me to my other half. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kiros do the same. I launched myself straight up onto the roof of the nearest building and made my way back to the Garden.
From a distance, I could already see the wreckage. A giant heap of burned metal that twisted itself away from the Garden. With my enhanced sight, I could make out groups of people standing around trying to clear the stuff away.
Kiros beat me there, but only barely, and we both landed in front of the now destroyed Left Wing. I rushed up to some of the people clearing the stuff away and blasted some of the debris away to make their job easier. Kiros just stood at the back with his arms folded as if watching to see what I would do.
"Does anyone here have a list of casualties?" I asked over the crowd. Everybody stopped working for a few seconds but nobody answered until a girl in the back spoke up.
"Not here, but I know that they have one. It's probably in the infirmary." she said a little shakily. But it was all I needed. I headed to the infirmary dodging students and staff along the way with Kiros still silent on my heels.
I didn't care to knock on the door when I got there, I just invited myself in. The doctor looked surprised to see me but then understood why I was in such a hurry to get there. He shook his head slowly and sighed. I knew right then and there that I would have to face another loss in my life.
"Ellone...didn't make it." he whispered.
I didn't need him to say it. Somehow, this loss hurt far less than any I had experienced prior to that event. Perhaps it was because I was prepared for it. Or maybe it was because I had started to grow accustomed to it. It doesn't matter what happened, all I know is that losing Ellone like this was just as gruesome as losing my parents to the Retrieval Squad. But this time, I had changed. I no longer needed the support and more importantly, I no longer sought revenge. Revenge wasn't what I was looking for, information was. I had to find out what happened and how I could prevent it from happening again.
"Thank you doctor." I replied. I then turned to Kiros who had now removed his metasite armor and I didn't show him any signs of pain or regret. I was going to be strong, I was going to show them all how Squall Leonhart would not be hurt anymore.
AN: Sad chapter, I know TT. But somebody had to write it! If you guys can't take these depressing chapters, then I advise you to stop reading this fic because it continues to get darker. Like I said in one of my previous chapters, this story is going to be a trilogy, there will be a final story that tells of Squall's life after he tells Rinoa about his past. This part of the story is ESSENTIAL for the conclusion of the Metasite saga so bare with me for now! There was also a small bit that refers back to the original Metasite in this chapter (hint: it's in the diner when Squall and Kiros go for their talk ) Now it's time for shout outs to my awesome reviewers!
angel-brokensorrow- Thank you so much for reviewing! Yes, Squall got pretty down and dirty in the last chapter, hope this chapter sort of evened it out. My writing got better?! Wow, must be all those essays I have to write for English class =P Anyways, hope you like this chapter and keep reviewing!
KinOfDragons- Hahaha! Everyone has you to thank for getting this story started again! Yes you're right, Squall went insane in the last chapter, but Kiros prevents him from going crazy in this one lol. Once again, thanks for getting me to write again
Little Sefie Tilmitt- Glad you didn't forget about this fic! If I told you what Squall is going to do next, I'd have to kill you! Lol jk. Please read on and review!
Ari-Morrigan- Ohhhh Good luck with your exams as well! Good question too, I was hoping somebody would pick up on it. I mentioned that the adamantine can become unstable but the suit itself is like a tin can basically. It will crumble when it hits the pavement from that far up. The adamantine however, is liquid which means that it would detatch itself from the suit. That was one of the little details I hoped someone would pick up since I did not mention an explosion when the soldiers hit the pavement =) Please keep reviewing!
Etherealist: Yes we DO all need a break hehe. But I'm back now and ready to get the story rolling again =) It seems you have the same sense of humor as Squall, because he was laughing too!
zornoid13: Thanks for the support Good to hear that my writing hasn't gotten crappier. This chapter seems short too, but that's because there are a lot of long paragraphs in it. Keep reviewing!
Okay! I think that's it! Once again, thank you all for being so great and keeping up with the story. Next update might be a little longer than this one (a week and a half perhaps?) But we'll see Later everybody!
AN: Wow! Didn't expect that many reviews since I didn't write for so long. Thanks for caring and not forgetting about this story! Shouts will be at the end so stay tuned =)
Chapter 12: Shame and Horror
By the time I had returned to the Garden, the whole neighborhood knew about the deaths of the Retrieval Squad members. I was actually feeling GOOD about it all, something I would make sure I'd never feel again.
I can still remember it, a raw sense of power like nothing I had ever experienced. It was the darkness within me unleashed. I killed those three men not for justice or even revenge, but for sport. At the time, I thought I was avenging my parents. But Kiros made me see what I had REALLY done.
I walked into my dorm with a skip in my step, feeling very pleased with myself. But I jumped about a foot in the air when I saw Kiros sitting at my desk just staring at me with a fierce glare in his eyes. Now, Kiros is the nicest guy you'll ever meet, but if you get him mad, you do not want to be on the receiving end of the argument.
"Sit down." he said. The command had been simply said but it had a chilly ring to it that made me feel a slight tremble down my spine. I hastily obeyed and sat on the edge of my bed.
"Squall, I know what you did" he said it calmly but coldly.
"What? What're you talking about?" I said. I spoke as if I really had no clue, I didn't show him anything. But Kiros wasn't stupid, he saw through me like I was a jellyfish on the other side of a glass fish tank.
"Shut up Squall. I know you killed the Retrieval Squad." he said. There was no way I could argue with him. He said it too surely and in a way that would have made me look stupid if I tried to steer him from the truth.
What did I do then? Absolutely nothing. I just stood there like a rock.
"Squall, listen to me. I don't EVER want you to do something like that ever again." he spoke softly but he put a dangerous accent to every word the came from his mouth.
"I did it to get rev-"I was about to say revenge but Kiros held up and hand while shaking his head.
"No. You didn't do it for revenge." I was puzzled. Surely I would know myself better than Kiros knew me. The whole reason I went to all that trouble was to get even.
"What? Of course I did it for revenge! They killed my parents! Kiros, I finally accomplished what I was trying to do all this time." I was starting to get mad at him at this point because he treated me with no respect.
"No, you didn't. You THINK you did, but you didn't. I've been trying to teach you this whole time about honor and you just threw it all out the window today. I'm very disappointed." he said.
"What do you mean?! Everybody in the Garden thinks he committed suicide so that the people in that building would live. I let him die honorably." I explained.
"You would not have killed him if you were thinking about honor. You let rage and hatred consume you and that is why you murdered those men today." he said softly and then stood up and walked towards me to the door. He put a hand on my shoulder and gave me a comforting pat, something I didn't expect. "Everyone makes mistakes, and this will be your first and last. I hope you never let the darkness engulf your heart...your father wouldn't want that to happen." he added.
I was left standing there dumbstruck as Kiros left my room. I didn't know what to say, because now that I thought back to the event, I could see that it was indeed the anger and pain inside of me that caused the deaths of those three men that day. The scariest part was that it actually felt good when I launched them from the window. I learned then and there just how easy it was to let the darkness within take control of oneself.
I knew Kiros wasn't going to tell the Garden what I had done. I wasn't worried about it at all, Kiros was not only my mentor and teacher, but also one of my most trusted friends, he would never do something like that to me. But something kept nagging at the back of my mind that night. Something I neglected to ask Kiros about before he left my dorm.
What did he mean by my father not wanting me to let darkness engulf my heart?
How would he know what my father would have wanted? As far as I knew, nobody in the Garden knew about my dad. I made it a point to ask him about it the next day. I got about two hours of sleep that night because of all the things going through my head. But one thing was decided, I would rather die than lose myself to the shadows.
The next day, I finished my training with Kiros just like every other day. I was tired and beat up but happy because Kiros never mentioned anything about the night before.
"Good work today Squall. Go get some rest and I'll see you back here tomorrow." he said just as briskly as he usually did. I took a deep breath and then looked him in the eyes. I really didn't want to bring back memories of the night before because I was so ashamed of myself. But I just had to ask him if he knew anything about my dad. The question had been burning in my mind since the previous night.
"K-Kiros, you mentioned last night that my dad would not have wanted me to avenge his death by killing the Retrieval Squad." once again, I didn't get a chance to finish because Kiros jumped in.
"Never mind about that, that was the past and as I've told you many times before, you should forget about the past." he said simply then he walked out on me again.
I was flabbergasted and was once again left with the same question. Not being one to give up, I asked him again the day after. Kiros avoided answering again and we continued this little game every day until three weeks later even the mighty Kiros couldn't take it anymore.
"Alright fine, you win. I'll tell you." he said. I was laughing out loud when I heard those words. Kiros took me to a small café in Deling, a rather unknown place called "George's Diner". The inside was quite roomy with round tables spaced out evenly around the restaurant and a TV playing some old music videos in the back. I walked in and was about to sit at a center table but Kiros put a hand on my shoulder and led me to a table in the upper left corner of the room. We both sat down and Kiros ordered a coffee while I asked for a glass of orange juice.
"Always choose a corner table, that way, you can see everyone and noone can sneak up on you." he said. I made a mental note of the tip and leaned back in my chair awaiting Kiros' story.
"Okay, I didn't want to tell you before, because I didn't want you to be thinking about your past. I gave you a new identity not only so that YOU would forget but also so that I would. Your father was a good friend of mine, probably the best friend I ever had. We knew each other as kids and grew up together, then they found out I was a metasite and I was taken to the Garden. Laguna was drafted into the army later on and we met up once again. He was never much of a fighter, always preferred a peaceful solution. Ward and I were the top metasites at the time but we still hung out with your father simply because we knew each other so well. It was an unusual pairing, two of the most powerful metasites and a lowly "D" class soldier. But Laguna eventually spent enough time in the army to finally retire. Once he quit, he began to pursue a career he was always interested in: Journalism. It was funny how our paths would cross again, because once your father completed his Journalist training, he rose to the top very quickly and was soon doing interviews and reports on the top soldiers of Galbadia Garden. It was one of those friendships that never faded, unlike some people, Laguna never changed; he was still the same guy that he was when I first met him. Eventually he moved to Winhill and married your mother, Raine. Shortly after, they had you. I even met you when you were only a few months old although you probably don't remember me since you were too young and your metasite had not began to develop yet. When I heard that you were a metasite, I was afraid. I knew how the Retrieval Squad handled things and I didn't want that to happen to your family. But I was cowardly. Probably the only time where I chickened out of doing something important. I was going to stop the Retrieval Squad, probably how you would have done it. At the same time, I didn't want to jeopardize my job and my position at Garden and at the last minute, I didn't go. I wanted to trust that Laguna would be alright, that he would give up his son freely and not have to fight. But it was inevitable. When I heard the news about your parents' deaths, I broke down. I felt like it was my fault entirely that they were dead and so I decided to take you as my disciple. There is nothing I can do to change the past, but I owed it to your dad to change his future, which means changing you. Like I said, I gave you your new name so that you would be able to get as far away as possible from your past. That new name also keeps me from being haunted every time I hear your father's surname. I'm training you the way your father would have wanted you to be brought up, unfortunately, Garden policy gets in the way and you're forced to kill, something Laguna would have never wanted you to do. But I say, it's better to kill than to be killed and those were the only two choices that were given to you." he sighed and looked down at his hands. "I'm sorry Squall."
The orange juice in the cup started to look a lot more interesting and I kept staring at the pulpy liquid to keep the tears from flowing. I couldn't believe what Kiros was telling me, yet it all made sense. The more I thought about it, the more the pieces of the puzzle started to come together. High class metasites don't just "pick" a student out of the blue and start training them. Kiros had seen my potential but also my horrific past. He shared the pain of losing my father. For a fleeting moment, I was mad at Kiros. I was angry because he had kept all of this information from me for so long. But then I remembered what he had told me weeks ago and I calmed myself down to look at it from a different perspective.
"It's alright. There was nothing you or anybody else could've done. I'm sure my dad would forgive you." I finally managed to choke out the words. It was difficult, but like I had experienced three weeks ago, it's always more difficult to forgive.
Kiros smiled, a satisfied grin that was accompanied by a nod of his head.
"Good Squall, you've already learned how to control your emotions. I'm glad I wasn't wrong about you." he said as he let out a little chuckle.
I grinned and finished my orange juice but just as the last drop of the drink trickled down my throat I heard the TV switch to a sudden breaking news report. Kiros heard it too because I saw him jerk his head up from the table and fix his eyes on the screen.
The reporter stood in front of a pile of smouldering ruins. It took me awhile to realize that she was actually standing in front of a part of Galbadia Garden.
"Just in, an unknown metasite believed to be from Balamb has just been apprehended by the Garden's top forces. The metasite is a long range ballistic weapon specialist that was launching a sneak attack on the Garden from afar. Two teams of high-class metasites rushed out and intercepted the foe before he could get away. The enemy metasite is now in custody and further information will be disclosed when the interrogation is complete. The metasite launched three rounds of high energy bolts from a distance of 3 kilometers and destroyed a large portion of Galbadia Garden's left wing. All humans in the proximity were killed but no metasites suffered serious injuries. More on this story when we come back."
I nearly choked on the orange juice I had just drank. A whole wing was almost destroyed. There were at least two hundred people there at the time. But that was the least of my worries. What I feared was that my friends had been killed. I knew Emi was at the opposite side of the Garden at the time, but Zone was having lessons in Left Wing. Then I thought more clearly and was relieved to remember that no metasites were killed. That brought me to my next thought, which was even more horrible: Ellone. Ellone's office was in Left Wing. She should've gone out for lunch right? Or at least gone to treat some other patients. There wasn't much to do in her office, she probably wouldn't be there unless a new metasite had just been discovered.
I tried to think of every possibility, every loophole that would keep Ellone alive. She meant the world to me, the one person in Garden who helped me when I needed it the most. I kept turning the scenario over in my mind. She would be alright...right?
Kiros decided to do things the practical way.
"Let's go Squall." he said. There was no hint of concern, worry, or fear in his voice. Just cold, hard, determination.
I got up from my seat and shook off all the bad thoughts that had been creeping into my mind. I was going to face whatever the world had to throw at me, no matter how difficult. I would not back down or run away from the truth like I had tried to do when my parents died. If indeed another person whom I cared about had been taken from me, then this time, things would be different. I was no longer a child.
Kiros left some gil on the table and we both walked out of "George's Diner". The sun was just about to set and the air had gotten cooler. I called my metasite, felt the millions of tendrils bury into my skin and connect me to my other half. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kiros do the same. I launched myself straight up onto the roof of the nearest building and made my way back to the Garden.
From a distance, I could already see the wreckage. A giant heap of burned metal that twisted itself away from the Garden. With my enhanced sight, I could make out groups of people standing around trying to clear the stuff away.
Kiros beat me there, but only barely, and we both landed in front of the now destroyed Left Wing. I rushed up to some of the people clearing the stuff away and blasted some of the debris away to make their job easier. Kiros just stood at the back with his arms folded as if watching to see what I would do.
"Does anyone here have a list of casualties?" I asked over the crowd. Everybody stopped working for a few seconds but nobody answered until a girl in the back spoke up.
"Not here, but I know that they have one. It's probably in the infirmary." she said a little shakily. But it was all I needed. I headed to the infirmary dodging students and staff along the way with Kiros still silent on my heels.
I didn't care to knock on the door when I got there, I just invited myself in. The doctor looked surprised to see me but then understood why I was in such a hurry to get there. He shook his head slowly and sighed. I knew right then and there that I would have to face another loss in my life.
"Ellone...didn't make it." he whispered.
I didn't need him to say it. Somehow, this loss hurt far less than any I had experienced prior to that event. Perhaps it was because I was prepared for it. Or maybe it was because I had started to grow accustomed to it. It doesn't matter what happened, all I know is that losing Ellone like this was just as gruesome as losing my parents to the Retrieval Squad. But this time, I had changed. I no longer needed the support and more importantly, I no longer sought revenge. Revenge wasn't what I was looking for, information was. I had to find out what happened and how I could prevent it from happening again.
"Thank you doctor." I replied. I then turned to Kiros who had now removed his metasite armor and I didn't show him any signs of pain or regret. I was going to be strong, I was going to show them all how Squall Leonhart would not be hurt anymore.
AN: Sad chapter, I know TT. But somebody had to write it! If you guys can't take these depressing chapters, then I advise you to stop reading this fic because it continues to get darker. Like I said in one of my previous chapters, this story is going to be a trilogy, there will be a final story that tells of Squall's life after he tells Rinoa about his past. This part of the story is ESSENTIAL for the conclusion of the Metasite saga so bare with me for now! There was also a small bit that refers back to the original Metasite in this chapter (hint: it's in the diner when Squall and Kiros go for their talk ) Now it's time for shout outs to my awesome reviewers!
angel-brokensorrow- Thank you so much for reviewing! Yes, Squall got pretty down and dirty in the last chapter, hope this chapter sort of evened it out. My writing got better?! Wow, must be all those essays I have to write for English class =P Anyways, hope you like this chapter and keep reviewing!
KinOfDragons- Hahaha! Everyone has you to thank for getting this story started again! Yes you're right, Squall went insane in the last chapter, but Kiros prevents him from going crazy in this one lol. Once again, thanks for getting me to write again
Little Sefie Tilmitt- Glad you didn't forget about this fic! If I told you what Squall is going to do next, I'd have to kill you! Lol jk. Please read on and review!
Ari-Morrigan- Ohhhh Good luck with your exams as well! Good question too, I was hoping somebody would pick up on it. I mentioned that the adamantine can become unstable but the suit itself is like a tin can basically. It will crumble when it hits the pavement from that far up. The adamantine however, is liquid which means that it would detatch itself from the suit. That was one of the little details I hoped someone would pick up since I did not mention an explosion when the soldiers hit the pavement =) Please keep reviewing!
Etherealist: Yes we DO all need a break hehe. But I'm back now and ready to get the story rolling again =) It seems you have the same sense of humor as Squall, because he was laughing too!
zornoid13: Thanks for the support Good to hear that my writing hasn't gotten crappier. This chapter seems short too, but that's because there are a lot of long paragraphs in it. Keep reviewing!
Okay! I think that's it! Once again, thank you all for being so great and keeping up with the story. Next update might be a little longer than this one (a week and a half perhaps?) But we'll see Later everybody!