This is the start of the war. And if anyone can tell me why my borders
aren't showing up, that'd be helpful.
- - -
Rinoa woke up late in the morning dressed in an unfamiliar formfitting dress. Her black and blue was lying in a heap on the floor, still wet and smelling of salt water. She was surprised she didn't wake up in tears; she'd basically had the same dream. The only difference was she'd reached Seifer, she had finally found someone. Thinking about it made a blend of mixed feelings rise within her. She pushed them aside and walked out onto the deck. "Morning," a woman's voice said from behind. Rinoa turned around to see a girl with silver hair and an eye patch over one eye. "Dog." Angelo came running to her.
"Oh, Angelo. I missed you," Rinoa told him as she hugged him. "I'm sorry I left you. You know I would come back, I couldn't forget you."
"Rinoa," Seifer called to her. "You're awake. We're taking you back to the Galbadian Garden. There's someone there that wants to speak with you."
- - -
Squall went straight to Headmaster Cid when they reached Balamb. Selphie took Matron with her to talk to Quistis and Zell. Squall filled Xu and cid in on the problem. "We've got to do something to prevent them from killing her," he said. "We need your help. It'll start a war either way you look at it. It's inevitable."
"Okay," Xu said. "So we attack them but we need a more detailed plan than that."
"Maybe Matron can get Esthar to help."
"If you think she can then go right ahead. We'll need it. You don't have much time so you'd better get going." They were escorted to Fisherman's Horizon by the White SeeDs, but had to go the rest of the way on foot. The people welcomed their sorceress cheerfully. Squall was becoming impatient. He had to save Rinoa at all costs because he was supposed to protect her (even if it was set up). Was it because it was his job or was it something else? He convinced himself it was his job and pushed it out of his mind. Whatever Edea said to them had convinced them, and they went to Balamb. Squall told Quistis and Zell to help protect Garden, Selphie already volunteered to follow Squall to Galbadia.
"Seifer, we've spotted a few ships heading our way. They look like Balamb's ships," a guard informed him.
"What's going on?" Rinoa asked.
Seifer ignored her and said, "Prepare for an attack, send a few ships headlong, the rest can stay here and secure the perimeter."
All the soldiers ran around preparing themselves except one. He tipped his hat to the ladies as they passed. He wasn't worried; it would be an easy battle. His black boots clunked on the tiles as he slowly made his way through the halls. To him, the whole thing was ridiculous in a way, but he wasn't going to try to tell that to Seifer. The man was so blind with pride it wouldn't do any good. "Hey, Irvine," an anonymous soldier called. "Why don't you get your ass moving and do something useful!" He just kept on walking.
Ships crashed into the shore and soldiers ran for the Galbadian Garden. Selphie ran alongside Squall trying to hide her fear. They found a line of people waiting for them. Squall swung his gunblade aimlessly at the soldiers in his path. He had to find Rinoa. Selphie watched as everyone killed each other senselessly and realized she had never really understood the meaning of the word WAR. She whipped her nunchakus as a Galbadian soldier ran at her. He knocked her to the ground and she fought against him upon instinct. Bloody scratch marks were made on his face until she got the opportunity to kick him off. She ran inside to the empty hallway. The place seemed bigger then Balamb's Garden. Her strong sense of determination took over and she went down another hall where she ran straight into Irvine Kinneas.
Squall's gunblade clashed on the gun a man held up in defense. Squall kicked him down and finished him off. He knew Rinoa was probably inside with Seifer somewhere, but he wasn't getting a chance to check it out. Some of the Galbadians escaped on a ship to attack Balamb, no doubt. The only thing Squall could do was hope for victory and an unscathed Rinoa. A soldier attacked from behind but to no avail. Squall got the better of him.
Quistis cracked her whip against an enemy's leg causing the skin to break open. All the Balamb soldiers did what they could to get the advantage over the invading Galbadians. Kids under thirteen found shelter in Cid's office on the third floor. They were protected by some of the instructors. Quistis was beginning to get frustrated. How long could this fight go on? The first wave seemed endless. People were falling quickly and there was only one doctor in the infirminary. How long would they last? Xu decided that Quistis needed to take a group of their soldiers over to the town of Balamb. As they made their way there, they had to dodge soldiers fighting each other outside. Seeing that out no doubt in Quistis's mind that the people in town were under attack as well.
Quistis tried to round up the surviving civilians while the Balamb and Galbadian soldiers fought. "This is what we're going to do," she said to the anxious group. "We have to make it to Garden so you can get to safety. Do not take any items with you! I'll help anyone that falls behind. Go!" She ran behind them as she tried to keep any oncoming Galbadians away. They made it to Garden where Zell led them to Cid's office. Quistis mumbled to herself, "God help us through this."
Selphie was sitting on the bed in a Galbadian dormitory. Irvine sat in a chair in the corner. With his gun in his lap, he kept an eye on her. She cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She felt like a failure because she'd been captured. Now she was useless. They could hear the distant noises of people fighting. She wondered how the battle was going. She stood up and went for the door. "Where do you think you're headed?" Irvine said.
"I can't just give up," Selphie answered. "I'm not gonna let you keep me here." He grabbed her and she let out a little scream. She kicked him in the knee. He dropped her and she picked her weapons up from the floor. A shotgun clicked ready.
"I don't want to have to kill you."
"Then don't. You can help me. I know you're a Galbadian soldier but you don't seem like the type that can kill in cold blood or I would've been dead back in the hall. I can understand that. I just came to get my friend Rinoa out of here."
"Rinoa? Isn't that the girl that follows Seifer around?"
"Yeah, but there's not time to explain that now. Can you help me please?"
He lowered his gun and said, "Well I do have a strong dislike for Seifer and his decisions. ... Okay, I'll help you. I'd like to see the end of this ridiculous war and if I don't leave now Seifer will most likely make us do something suicidal."
Squall came up to the second floor just as Irvine and Selphie came out in the hall. Squall asked what happened to her. She said, "Well this guy, uh- what's your name?"
"Irvine," he answered.
"Yeah, Irvine. He captured me but it's okay because he's going to help us now."
"Alright. See if you can help downstairs or patrol up here or something," Squall said. "I'll go get Rinoa. Uh, Irvine, do you know where Seifer is?"
- - -
Rinoa followed Seifer into a sitting room. It was actually kind of pretty. A woman was sitting on the small couch. She was beautiful in a strange way. Her gold blonde hair reached down to her lower back and a hooded cape covered her body as she held it hut. "Come here, girl," she said. "You're upset about something. What is it?"
"It's a long story," she mumbled.
"I can help you if you come with me."
"Okay." The strange woman took Rinoa's hand and she felt better. Maybe she could trust this woman after all.
- - -
Okay, there was the start of the war. I promise there is some "Squall and Rinoa action" in the next two chapters.
- - -
Rinoa woke up late in the morning dressed in an unfamiliar formfitting dress. Her black and blue was lying in a heap on the floor, still wet and smelling of salt water. She was surprised she didn't wake up in tears; she'd basically had the same dream. The only difference was she'd reached Seifer, she had finally found someone. Thinking about it made a blend of mixed feelings rise within her. She pushed them aside and walked out onto the deck. "Morning," a woman's voice said from behind. Rinoa turned around to see a girl with silver hair and an eye patch over one eye. "Dog." Angelo came running to her.
"Oh, Angelo. I missed you," Rinoa told him as she hugged him. "I'm sorry I left you. You know I would come back, I couldn't forget you."
"Rinoa," Seifer called to her. "You're awake. We're taking you back to the Galbadian Garden. There's someone there that wants to speak with you."
- - -
Squall went straight to Headmaster Cid when they reached Balamb. Selphie took Matron with her to talk to Quistis and Zell. Squall filled Xu and cid in on the problem. "We've got to do something to prevent them from killing her," he said. "We need your help. It'll start a war either way you look at it. It's inevitable."
"Okay," Xu said. "So we attack them but we need a more detailed plan than that."
"Maybe Matron can get Esthar to help."
"If you think she can then go right ahead. We'll need it. You don't have much time so you'd better get going." They were escorted to Fisherman's Horizon by the White SeeDs, but had to go the rest of the way on foot. The people welcomed their sorceress cheerfully. Squall was becoming impatient. He had to save Rinoa at all costs because he was supposed to protect her (even if it was set up). Was it because it was his job or was it something else? He convinced himself it was his job and pushed it out of his mind. Whatever Edea said to them had convinced them, and they went to Balamb. Squall told Quistis and Zell to help protect Garden, Selphie already volunteered to follow Squall to Galbadia.
"Seifer, we've spotted a few ships heading our way. They look like Balamb's ships," a guard informed him.
"What's going on?" Rinoa asked.
Seifer ignored her and said, "Prepare for an attack, send a few ships headlong, the rest can stay here and secure the perimeter."
All the soldiers ran around preparing themselves except one. He tipped his hat to the ladies as they passed. He wasn't worried; it would be an easy battle. His black boots clunked on the tiles as he slowly made his way through the halls. To him, the whole thing was ridiculous in a way, but he wasn't going to try to tell that to Seifer. The man was so blind with pride it wouldn't do any good. "Hey, Irvine," an anonymous soldier called. "Why don't you get your ass moving and do something useful!" He just kept on walking.
Ships crashed into the shore and soldiers ran for the Galbadian Garden. Selphie ran alongside Squall trying to hide her fear. They found a line of people waiting for them. Squall swung his gunblade aimlessly at the soldiers in his path. He had to find Rinoa. Selphie watched as everyone killed each other senselessly and realized she had never really understood the meaning of the word WAR. She whipped her nunchakus as a Galbadian soldier ran at her. He knocked her to the ground and she fought against him upon instinct. Bloody scratch marks were made on his face until she got the opportunity to kick him off. She ran inside to the empty hallway. The place seemed bigger then Balamb's Garden. Her strong sense of determination took over and she went down another hall where she ran straight into Irvine Kinneas.
Squall's gunblade clashed on the gun a man held up in defense. Squall kicked him down and finished him off. He knew Rinoa was probably inside with Seifer somewhere, but he wasn't getting a chance to check it out. Some of the Galbadians escaped on a ship to attack Balamb, no doubt. The only thing Squall could do was hope for victory and an unscathed Rinoa. A soldier attacked from behind but to no avail. Squall got the better of him.
Quistis cracked her whip against an enemy's leg causing the skin to break open. All the Balamb soldiers did what they could to get the advantage over the invading Galbadians. Kids under thirteen found shelter in Cid's office on the third floor. They were protected by some of the instructors. Quistis was beginning to get frustrated. How long could this fight go on? The first wave seemed endless. People were falling quickly and there was only one doctor in the infirminary. How long would they last? Xu decided that Quistis needed to take a group of their soldiers over to the town of Balamb. As they made their way there, they had to dodge soldiers fighting each other outside. Seeing that out no doubt in Quistis's mind that the people in town were under attack as well.
Quistis tried to round up the surviving civilians while the Balamb and Galbadian soldiers fought. "This is what we're going to do," she said to the anxious group. "We have to make it to Garden so you can get to safety. Do not take any items with you! I'll help anyone that falls behind. Go!" She ran behind them as she tried to keep any oncoming Galbadians away. They made it to Garden where Zell led them to Cid's office. Quistis mumbled to herself, "God help us through this."
Selphie was sitting on the bed in a Galbadian dormitory. Irvine sat in a chair in the corner. With his gun in his lap, he kept an eye on her. She cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She felt like a failure because she'd been captured. Now she was useless. They could hear the distant noises of people fighting. She wondered how the battle was going. She stood up and went for the door. "Where do you think you're headed?" Irvine said.
"I can't just give up," Selphie answered. "I'm not gonna let you keep me here." He grabbed her and she let out a little scream. She kicked him in the knee. He dropped her and she picked her weapons up from the floor. A shotgun clicked ready.
"I don't want to have to kill you."
"Then don't. You can help me. I know you're a Galbadian soldier but you don't seem like the type that can kill in cold blood or I would've been dead back in the hall. I can understand that. I just came to get my friend Rinoa out of here."
"Rinoa? Isn't that the girl that follows Seifer around?"
"Yeah, but there's not time to explain that now. Can you help me please?"
He lowered his gun and said, "Well I do have a strong dislike for Seifer and his decisions. ... Okay, I'll help you. I'd like to see the end of this ridiculous war and if I don't leave now Seifer will most likely make us do something suicidal."
Squall came up to the second floor just as Irvine and Selphie came out in the hall. Squall asked what happened to her. She said, "Well this guy, uh- what's your name?"
"Irvine," he answered.
"Yeah, Irvine. He captured me but it's okay because he's going to help us now."
"Alright. See if you can help downstairs or patrol up here or something," Squall said. "I'll go get Rinoa. Uh, Irvine, do you know where Seifer is?"
- - -
Rinoa followed Seifer into a sitting room. It was actually kind of pretty. A woman was sitting on the small couch. She was beautiful in a strange way. Her gold blonde hair reached down to her lower back and a hooded cape covered her body as she held it hut. "Come here, girl," she said. "You're upset about something. What is it?"
"It's a long story," she mumbled.
"I can help you if you come with me."
"Okay." The strange woman took Rinoa's hand and she felt better. Maybe she could trust this woman after all.
- - -
Okay, there was the start of the war. I promise there is some "Squall and Rinoa action" in the next two chapters.