Long Live the King

A/N: Alright. So I'm starting the tenth chapter today in hopes of getting this thing finished quickly. The more ideas I get for my next fic, the more I want to get this one over and done with. This chapter is more dialogue than anything else. Might as well get it finished soon. Let's go!

Chapter 10: Savior on Six Legs

"Oh my god! It's you!" Rinoa took a step back in shock, watching as the creature came closer. The mane swayed in the breeze and nostrils flared as it snorted out clouds of darkness. Blackened eyes settled onto her and they seemed to soften.

Please, do not fear child...

The voice was clear in her mind, calming her muscles and heart. "You... How did you survive?" She asked quietly, hand reaching out as if she could reach it. The large horse came closer, ears twitching towards her to listen to her question.

It was not I that he was aiming at.

Rinoa gave an understanding nod and stepped closer to the six-legged horse, hand resting lightly on its neck. "It must be hard losing the one you called your King." The horse of Odin gave her a confused look then shook its head.

We were not attached. I simply did his bidding.

The sorceress nodded again and took a step back. "I'm Rinoa," she introduced herself as properly taught, then continued. "I don't know why, but my friends and I were separated upon arrival and I was wondering..." she trailed off thoughtfully.

I have a request, young sorceress.

It was as if the creature had ignored her words completely.

Please... I must see your strong-willed soul.

Rinoa tilted her head in thought, wondering what the words in her head meant. "Strong-willed soul? Squall?" He was the only one she knew who was much stronger than the rest of them. The very one that had saved the world, only with the help of their friends. The horse didn't respond. "I would, if I knew where he was. Could you help me?"

There was a silence and she wondered if it had heard her.

I will help you find your friends.

Rinoa smiled happily and turned to her right. Then to her left. Then back to the horse. "Erm, I'm not sure which way to go. Do you happen to know which way we could start looking?"

The horse turned to the left and began walking slowly. Rinoa clapped her hands together in joy and jogged up to walk along its side. "Is there a certain name you want me to call you?" she asked innocently, trying for some nice conversation.

Sleipner.

It was a simple response. I guess it wasn't much of a talker... she thought to herself. Sleipner turned its head to look at her and seemed to give what she supposed was a frown.

Climb onto my back. We could make better time that way.

Rinoa did as commanded and, taking a fistful of its mane, swung herself up and onto Sleipner's back. It stumbled slightly and she immediately let go of the mane. "I'm sorry, does that hurt?"

There are no nerves that lead to it. I cannot feel anything. I just haven't carried anyone since Odin's demise and it is... a strange feeling. You are much lighter than my former King.

Rinoa smiled, glad it wasn't her fault, and took another hold of its mane. "Thank you, Sleipner."

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Quistis let out a sigh as she stared out into the continuous darkness. Selphie and Irvine were still fast asleep, so it appeared, and Quistis found she didn't trust this realm enough to go to sleep herself. Selphie squeaked in her sleep, but Quistis paid no attention. She had been making small noises the entire time she'd been asleep.

Irvine was relatively quiet and still, his arms remaining wrapped around the smaller girl in yellow. Quistis let her gaze travel around the repetitive scenery and let out another heavy sigh. Suddenly, her ears picked up the sound of footsteps and the chatter of a good friend.

She quickly scrambled to her feet and ran in the direction of the noise, only to run into Zell and Squall. Squall stumbled back and grimaced in the pain that shot through his body while Zell quickly helped him to regain his balance.

"Quistis! How'd you find us?" the young SeeD asked in dismay once Squall made it known that he could walk on his own. Quistis couldn't stop the joy from appearing in her eyes and facial features.

"That doesn't matter. We're all together again! Where's Rinoa?" she asked quickly, glancing around as the three made their way back to the slumbering couple.

Squall's head lifted fractionally at the question of his sorceress. "Rinoa? She isn't with us..."

Zell let out a frustrated sigh as he plopped himself down to the awakening Selphie and Irvine. Selphie's eyes sparkled in happiness at the arrival of her two friends, but didn't have the strength to let it be known to the others.

"What happened to you two?" Zell asked as Quistis and Squall muttered in concern over their missing friend.

Irvine reluctantly released Selphie from his grasp and she sat up, flailing her bruised arms around as she retold the story of their desperate battle with Bahamut, the arrival of Shiva and Quistis, and then their grand escape in a bubble of ice. All of this seemed to capture Zell's attention greatly.

Selphie's story was finished, with little bits being inserted by Irvine, and Zell began his story of the epic battle with Ifrit and then finding Squall.

"Well, she can't be far. We've all found each other, so it shouldn't be too hard to find Rinoa, right? Don't worry too much, Squall..." Quistis said comfortingly. "For now, I think you need to rest up. You don't look too good. Selphie and Irvine are resting as well. I have a few Cures' left, so I'll help as much as I can."

Squall nodded quietly and limped to the growing group, gently sitting himself down.

There was a long silence as the stories ended and the group had relaxed enough. All Cure spells were diminished and the group only had to rest their spirits.

The silence was cracked as the last one they expected spoke up.

"Diablos said that the new King was being decided on." Squall looked up from his glare at the ground to look over his comrades. Quistis looked over Selphie huddled with Irvine and Zell whom was drawing invisible figures into the dirt.

Quistis continued after Squall. "Shiva gave me some information about the Unknown King, Odin. Supposedly, he was a certain rule that the other Guardian Force's had to follow. Not a ruler, an actual rule. Strange, yes, I know.

"The other Guardian Force's lost their feeling of having to appear for the junctioned master and began doing things on their own." Selphie looked over to Quistis and raised a weak arm.

"Why did Doomtrain show up for me, then?" she asked softly.

Quistis smiled as she remembered the words Shiva had sent into her mind. "The Guardian Force's such as Doomtrain and Eden have no real minds of their own, so they come to us without feeling whether they must or that they should rebel. The Guardian Force's like Quezecotl, Ifrit, and Bahamut have a mind of their own, and when the rules disappeared, they fought back. Shiva did not fight me because she, like Siren and Carbuncle, don't carry a certain hatred for the human race... or any other race for that matter."

Squall frowned in the middle of her explanation and interrupted momentarily, "Why were we separated?"

The instructor thought back to everything Shiva had said, trying to find the answer. "We weren't all supposed to be here. She said only one of us were meant to arrive. I don't understand what that means completely, though. You said that Diablos told you they were deciding on a new King. Did he mention who it would be?"

Squall shook his head and ran gloved fingers through his hair. "No. I'm guessing that they found a Guardian Force stronger than themselves to take the throne. Gilgamesh maybe? He is the one that took Odin's place for a while, isn't he?"

Irvine thought about it then finally spoke up. "Alexander could be a possibility, you know. Even Tonberry King, since he has King in his name."

The group of five rolled the thoughts in their minds, but none could come with a definite answer.

"Either way," Zell spoke up from his invisible drawings. "We have to find Rinoa and get out of here before any of the other Guardian Force's decide we'd make good rag dolls."

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Rinoa lay down on her stomach, arms hanging limply at Sleipner's shoulder blades. "Sleipner," she ventured for a conversation to keep her awake. His ears perked towards her to listen. "Don't you ever get lonely out here?"

The head shook back and forth in a 'no'.

Back then, Odin had done enough talking for the both of us. It seems as if you may be the same.

Rinoa sat up and stuck her lower lip out in a pout. "Hey, that's not nice."

I am sorry.

She giggled slightly and patted the top of his head as well as she could without falling off. "How much longer till we find Squall and the others?" Oh Hyne, she missed him dearly.

Your soul does not ache for them nearly enough to find them anytime soon.

The comment confused her, but she let it go. "Oh, alright." She lay down once again, fingers absentmindedly running through the rough mane on Sleipner's neck. "I miss Squall, though. I wonder what he's doing right now..." and with that, she trailed off into a quiet sleep, trusting the horse beneath her with most of her life.

A/N: Woo! o.o I finally got to Sleipner. I did not make that name up, by the way. If you look up Odin, you will find that Sleipner is the actual name of the horse. (I also found this information out somewhere in the game, though I don't remember how or when.) Although the horse is supposed to have eight legs instead of six, Square seemed to change this and gave it two less. I liked this chapter more than I thought I would. Soon, they will all be reunited again! :D Yay!

Review, Review!!