Long Live the King

A/N: The closer I get to the end of this, the more excited I get. I've become so in love with the ending I've chosen that I just want to write it out right now. 3 But I hafta get through these remaining four/three chapters. I'm gonna hurry 'em up, now. There should be at least two updates a day, what with the way I'm really excited about this. :D Yay! Read it!

Chapter 12: Reunited At Long Last

Squall had been wandering for a full round of ten minutes. His legs were weakening beneath him and he didn't know just how much longer he could go. He didn't know if the friends he had left behind were okay, he was worried about Rinoa's safety, and he knew it wouldn't be the best thing he'd ever done if he collapsed right there in the middle of nowhere.

He continued on, one hand on his left rib and the other on his thigh where the flesh was torn. Although the blood had long since clotted, it still hurt more than anything he had ever felt in his earlier adventure against Ultimecia.

Rinoa, where are you..? He thought to himself desperately. He swore he would die a happy man if he could just see her, safe and sound, at that moment.

There was a gentle breeze in response to his silent wish and he slowly dropped to his knees. "I can't go on..." he murmured to himself, disappointed in his own weakness. Then he heard it. An angel's voice. His angel's voice.

"What's that up ahead?" She questioned hesitantly, fearing for the worst. The creature she rode upon, blurred in Squall's vision, appeared to be a horse of some sort. The moment she recognized him, she leapt off of the creature and started towards him.

She came to a halt, turning back to glance back to the horse in confusion. Squall felt himself growing weaker and leaned to his side, eyes closing in fatigue. He could barely make out her cry and the feeling of her arms wrapping around him.

This was the second time he had to hear his angel cry and was not able to dry her tears.

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Quistis poked at a loose rock with her index finger in boredom. The others had given up on looking for potions, cures, or anything that could heal their wounds and give them enough energy to follow after their Commander.

"How long has he been gone?" Selphie asked tiredly, her back leaning against Irvine's.

The cowboy tilted his head back, resting it on the top of Selphie's. She squeaked in annoyance, but made no attempt to move him. "Fifteen, twenty minutes? I haven't been keeping time," he replied.

She let out a heavy sigh and leaned forward onto her knees. This movement received a noise of surprise from the man against her back as he fell against her. Zell watched them, unamused, and started going through his magic spells he had junctioned once again.

Quistis frowned at them and slowly pushed herself up to her feet. "Well, let's say he's been gone for ten minutes. Well wait another forty, and if he doesn't show up..." she let it hang in the air, the group of four thinking back on the Commander's order.

It didn't need to be said. They knew.

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Sleipner turned to glance at the young woman and man on his back. It had been strange with one person on his back, and now two made him slow down.

Is this the Squall you have yearned for?

Rinoa nodded slowly. "Yes, this is him. Hyne, what happened?" She sounded pained at the cut and bruises that spotted his body and destroyed his clothes.

I believe that it is Diablos. Your Squall must be the reason Diablos was not fighting at his best.

The sorceress had nothing to say to the words that floated throughout her mind, so she only nodded again. Her fingers reached out of their own accord and gently pushed a strand of those brown locks away from Squall's face. "Please, wake up," she murmured quietly.

I do believe we have found your comrades, young sorceress.

Rinoa looked up in surprise only to spot the group huddled together in the middle of the everlasting darkness. "Quistis!" she called out happily, waving a hand from the back of Sleipner. "Selphie! Irvine! Please, hurry to them, Sleipner," she added before calling for them again. "Zell! Over here!" as if they wouldn't see the large horse and the blue woman riding it.

Zell looked up from his search and jumped to his feet in one quick motion. "Rinoa! Guys! It's Rinoa!"

Quistis and Selphie leapt to their feet while Irvine fell back from the loss of support. He quickly fixed himself as he pushed to his feet, remaining as suave as possible while tilting his hat as their angelic sorceress leapt off the large horse and ran to them.

She and Selphie met in a hug and began to hop around in circles. "I'm so glad you're safe!" Selphie cried out happily, giving the girl another big hug before noticing the six-legged creature that was coming up beside her.

"Guys, this is Sleipner. Sleipner, these are my friends." And she introduced each one of them respectively. Irvine and Zell came up to the side of Sleipner and pulled Squall down, gently placing him on the ground. Quistis began fishing out for any item she could use to heal him with.

Your friends worry too much.

Rinoa looked up at the horse and smiled. "It's because they care. We all care about each other."

This caused a silence. Irvine glanced up to her, to the horse, and then back to her. "Who are you talking to?"

The sorceress blinked in confusion then let her gaze settle on Sleipner. "They can't hear you?"

Only if you wish for them to.

She nodded quickly and he gave her what appeared to be a nod.

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After what was supposedly a good half hour, Selphie had finished fawning over Sleipner as if he were a newborn puppy and Squall was now wide awake and glaring quite evilly at the horse of Odin.

"Did he hurt you, Rinoa?"

She shook her head and gave her ninth sigh. "Sleipner hasn't done anything to me. In fact, he protected me from Diablos." Squall let out a growl at the thought of the demon, but he let it slide.

Rinoa smiled and gave him a tight hug, arms wrapping around his torso, though gently, and burying her face in his shoulder. "Oh Hyne, I was so worried about you..." she half-whispered to him. He felt his heart skip a beat and he used his better arm to slide around her, holding her close.

"I was afraid," he murmured quietly into her hair. "Afraid I would never see you again..."

There was a pause before she pulled back slowly, smiling as if her heart were breaking. "Don't be afraid."

Then, the look seemed to fade as quickly as it had come, and she smiled happily. "Oh! You and Sleipner need to talk! About the King issues, you know." Squall thought briefly of her words and that so very sad look she had earlier, but dismissed it as nothing and nodded.

Indeed. Squall if you would accompany me to speak in private.

The gunblade wielder wasn't too happy that Sleipner could listen to every word they said, but agreed and, with some help from Rinoa, stood and followed Sleipner a little ways from the group.

Once they were at a good distance, Sleipner stopped and turned to face Squall.

As you already know, the Guardian Force's were in need of a King. I am the one that was to choose this King.

"Yes, I understand this already," Squall replied, rubbing lightly at his left temple. "Rinoa seems to believe that you've chosen me. But I have a question. Your King should be one of your own kind, shouldn't he?"

There was a silence, a sad silence on Sleipner's part.

No. The King doesn't have to be a Guardian Force. The King...

Squall watched quietly, awaiting the news.

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Rinoa watched the two in the distance and let out a nervous sigh. "Aw, Sleipner... You blocked your words from me," she half-whined and smiled softly. "It's alright. I'm sure Squall would make a good King."

Quistis looked to her and gave her a light pat on the shoulder. "You need your rest. Tomorrow... what I'm guessing is going to be morning, we'll search for a way to get out of here."

The angelic sorceress nodded and found a place to lie down, curling up into a ball and pillowing her hands beneath her head. She smiled once more to her friends before closing her eyes.

Zell glanced to Quistis then to Squall and Sleipner. "I can't wait to get back home," he ventured for conversation. Quistis smiled and lay down as well, hands folding behind her head as her legs crossed at the ankles.

"When we get back, I'm going to take a long, hot shower. What about you? Are you going to go see your girlfriend back in the library?" she poked fun at him and giggled at the red that grew on his cheeks. Selphie seemed to think this was funny and she ruffled his blonde spikes.

"It's so cute! Don't get embarrassed," she laughed just as Irvine came up behind her, snatching her into his arms and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"You're one to talk."

Just then, Squall came back with Sleipner, a grave expression dominating his features. The horse refused to look at any of them and made his way to Rinoa, lying down and curling his much larger body around her smaller figure.

The four friends that were left behind from the conversation stared in wonder, watching the horse carefully. Squall frowned and lowered himself to the ground, resting his arms on his knees.

"What happened, Squall?" Zell asked, raising a hand and waving it back and forth in hopes of grasping his friends' attention.

"We talked about the King." What an answer.

Zell frowned and crossed his arms. "Yeah, I could have guessed that. What'd he say?"

Squall went silent for what felt like forever. Selphie was about to echo Zell's question, but Squall finally found the right words for the response.

"He's chosen Rinoa." He paused again, possibly in thought, then continued with the dreadful news. "He wants her to be the new Unknown King."

Quistis gasped, hand flying up to cover her mouth. Irvine raised an eyebrow and Selphie's eyes widened in shock.

"What?" Zell shouted in disbelief, hands balling into fists at his side. Apparently, the four that were left to talk amongst themselves did not know that one whom was not a Guardian Force could also be named King.

Sleipner raised his head and glared over towards them, as if telling them in his own silent way to quiet themselves down unless they wanted to wake the sleeping sorceress.

It felt like ages before someone finally spoke up again. This savior was Selphie.

She wiped the dumbfounded look from her face and questioned aloud what only she could think of,

"Isn't Rinoa a girl?"

A/N: Bwahahaha!! Did any of you see it coming?? That line... that one line was the entire reason I started this fic. :D Yay!! I understand now that some of you are going to find something to argue about in this, but I don't mind. I still love it, and I haven't seen anyone else do it, so it's a unique story! Yes, let's love this.

Review, Review! Tell me what you think!