Chapter 15
Deling city, part 2;
The Commemoration Ceremony.
Squall drove the rented vehicle back into Deling city. After they had returned the car to the city's 'rent-a-car', Squall, Rinoa, and Zell met the rest of the group in the Galbadia Hotel.
"How'd it go...?" Quistis asked as she saw Squall walk into the lobby. "You guys kind of took a long time... It's been nearly two and a half hours..."
"It was fine." Zell replied, yawning. He stretched out his arms. "We found a GF inside the tomb, though, and Squall wanted to 'catch' it..."
"... I wanted to be prepared, just in case we have to make a head-on assault at the sorceress..." Squall hastily explained, glaring at Zell.
"Well, we'd better head over to General Caraway's mansion again. You did find the 'code number', right?" Quistis asked.
"Yeah."
"Then let's go."
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Upon reaching General Caraway's mansion, his guard noticed the group of SeeDs approaching him.
"Yes, what is it?"
Squall hesitated, still feeling somewhat silly about the whole code number 'mission'.
"...We're ready to answer."
"Oh! So you found the code number... Well, what is it?"
"... Student ID; Number 26."
The guard smiled at this, and his curt tone changed immediately.
"That's correct! Please, right this way." he said. He started towards the General's mansion.
Caraway's Mansion was the second largest building in Deling, outdone only by the presidential residence. Two towers on either side of the main entrance lifted up from the house, making it look like a castle.
As Squall approached the building, followed by the other Garden students and Rinoa, he started wondering about the night's real mission.
"Both Balamb and Galbadia Garden are joining forces with the general from the Galbadian Army. ...Why?" Squall thought. But he soon disregarded the questions, not wanting to read too much into anything.
"...No point in me thinking about it. 'SeeDs aren't meant to question why.'"
At the front door of the mansion, Rinoa thought of something, and stopped Squall.
"Umm..." she began nervously. "Is my contract still in effect?"
"What is it this time?" Squall thought. He turned to face Rinoa.
"Don't leave me in this house, ok?" she started. Rinoa saw the irritated look on Squall's face.
"Want me to explain why?" she offered.
Squall was beginning to become curious about Rinoa's 'history'. She had raised a lot of questions by claiming to be Galbadian, but he didn't want to waste any more time.
"This might take a while..." he thought. "And she doesn't have to explain anything to me.... I'm a SeeD...'Not meant to question why.'"
"You should know by now." Squall calmly replied. "Just tell us what to do and we'll do it."
Rinoa smiled cheerfully. The warm tone in Squall's voice had betrayed the somewhat cold meaning to his words.
"Okay then. Thanks." she said.
After Rinoa's conversation with Squall, Quistis eyed her strangely. Ever since they had arrived in Deling city, Rinoa's odd comments had been puzzling her. More than that though, Quistis had found Rinoa irritating since they'd met in Timber that morning.
"...She's nice enough... But she needs to think things through a little more..." Quistis thought. "...And learn when to keep quiet..."
Quistis was actually starting to get a little jealous of how Rinoa seemed to be able to get through to Squall. Squall didn't really act 'interested' in her or anything, but Rinoa seemed to be able to reach him easier than most people, including Quistis herself. She had never seen Squall express as much emotion in all the years she'd known him, as he had today.
Quistis huffed anxiously as the Galbadian guard led the group into General Caraway's home. He showed them to the general's office, and told them to 'wait here'.
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Everyone waited for the General to appear. But after staying there for thirty minutes, Caraway still hadn't shown up.
"He's making us wait quite a bit..." Quistis complained.
"Errghh..." Zell moaned. "When's he comin'..!?" he thought.
Irvine had seated himself at the General's desk, his feet resting on some papers and documents. He seemed much more relaxed than everyone else was. His posture suggested an incredibly relaxed attitude.
"What's taking so long...!?" Selphie whined. She couldn't stand waiting around like this.
Rinoa rolled her eyes.
"Hmph... He always does this! So discourteous... making people wait." she said. "I'm gonna go complain."
"Here we go..." thought Quistis sarcastically.
"That's not a good idea..." Squall thought.
Squall put his hand on Rinoa's shoulder, stopping her, before she could run out the door. He removed his hand quickly, a little embarrassed, and shook his head.
"I'll go."
"Oh, Don't worry about it." Rinoa said casually. But she realized what his concern was, and explained.
"It's my house."
Everyone looked at Rinoa with surprise. Her house?
Rinoa had started to become a little comfortable around Squall and the others, and had sort of forgotten that they really didn't know much about her yet.
"Everyone just wait here." she instructed.
"...Hope it doesn't lead to any trouble." Squall thought. Even though he had just met her, Squall knew that Rinoa could be difficult and stubborn at times. She had a very strong personality.
Rinoa closed the office door behind her carefully.
"What the hell's goin' on!?" Zell said.
Suddenly, Squall heard some commotion, and a door slam out in the hall. The door to the general's office swung open immediately, and a tall man wearing a long military jacket decorated with many medals approached Squall. It was General Caraway. He looked upon the group with an authoritative glare.
Miles Caraway was born and raised in Deling city. His father had been a presidential aide, which helped the general gain rank quickly in the Galbadian army. After serving in the military for about ten years, Caraway's impressive performance during the sorceress war had earned him the rank of general… and Vinzer Deling's trust.
"Where's Rinoa?" Squall asked, suddenly becoming worried about her.
"She said that she didn't want to be left here..."
"She has not received the type of training you all have, and may become a burden." the General replied. "It's for the best that she stays out of this operation."
Selphie ran over to the general from her place at the window.
"So you're Rinoa's father?"
The general looked at Selphie with sad, dark blue eyes. Though his youthful features betrayed his true age, a worried expression, graying hair and wrinkled forehead revealed the general's many years of life.
"I can't remember the last time she called me that." he replied.
"...He's Rinoa's father? But he's 'Caraway'... Her last name's Heartilly..." Squall thought.
Zell finally understood what Rinoa had meant by 'her house'.
"So the father's a top military officer, and the daughter's a member of an anti-government faction!?" Zell cried. "That's bad... Really BAD!"
Now just over the age of fifty years, the general had been in command for twenty. He was married right after his promotion, but he allowed his career to put family matters aside. When Rinoa had come along, unexpectedly, General Caraway attempted to make his family life a more important priority. But soon after, Rinoa's mother died, and the general returned to his usual, 'workaholic', routine. Rinoa became all too aware of her father's absence in her life, and developed a deep hatred for the military. It was the Galbadian army that had taken both of her parents away from her, as far as she was concerned.
"Yes, indeed. It's a serious problem." Caraway replied to Zell's blunt comment, matter-of-factly.
Rinoa had been more sad than angry about her parents, when she was young. But when she reached her preteens, Rinoa grew rebellious. She started to get in trouble a lot, and also take on her mothers maiden name as a sign of displeasure with General Caraway. When she turned 14, Rinoa had her name legally changed from, 'Caraway', to, Heartilly'.
Her father allowed much of this, as he felt regret for the way Rinoa had been raised. But he had become very upset when she joined the 'Forest Owls' last year.
The general walked over to the office window, and gazed upon the city. He thought about his daughter sadly for a moment, but realized that he had business to take care of now.
"But it doesn't concern you. It's our problem." he said quickly.
"That's not the case..." Squall thought. "If she doesn't want to be here, then we're obliged to help her... We have a contract."
"Besides, we have far more important things to worry about." the general continued.
Squall thoughts still drifted towards Rinoa and her contract, though. He could not be disloyal to the agreement which she had made with Garden, even if her father was the General of the Galbadian army.
"Garden's directive and Rinoa's orders have the same value to us." he thought. Squall looked at the general.
"Once our mission is accomplished here, we're working for Rinoa, as per our contract." Squall explained. "I don't know what your situation is, but please don't interfere when the time comes."
The general turned around quickly, angrily glaring at Squall. His face became intense.
"And if I do?" he retorted. General Caraway didn't appreciate this 'child' telling him not to interfere with his own daughter.
"What's his problem...?" thought Squall. "He won't be able to do anything about it..."
"We're all SeeDs here..." Squall replied harshly. If the general was going to speak in threats, Squall was going to reply in kind.
"We'll act accordingly."
Though a bit shocked at Squall's overly-rough tone, everyone agreed. The general was a very temporary client. If push came to shove, Squall, Zell and Selphie would have to assist Rinoa, in whatever way she decided.
Everyone stood quietly, staring at Squall and General Caraway for a moment. The room began to become uncomfortable.
Then a smooth voice broke the silence.
"Hey, hey, hey... Fellas..." Irvine said from his place at the General's desk. "We're here to knock off the sorceress, right?"
Irvine kicked his body up and over the desk, landing on the floor.
"So let's get down to business."
General Caraway paused, glancing over at Irvine. He didn't like being talked back to, but the young SeeD cadet was right.
"OK, let me explain the plan." he said, shooting Squall a mean glance.
The General started walking out of his office, signaling the Garden students to follow him. He led them outside.
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"I'm sure you know about the Galbadian government reaching an agreement with Sorceress Edea." General Caraway began.
"So the Sorceress' name is Edea..." Squall thought.
"There is going to be a ceremony tonight to commemorate the event."
"Edea..." Squall thought again. A faint familiarity with the name rolled around in Squall's mind for a moment, but he simply shook his head and continued following the general.
Caraway led them beyond his mansion, and started towards the president's house.
"It'll be held at the presidential residence."
They walked along quietly down an empty road. Traffic was being cleared in preparation for the ceremony.
"During the ceremony, you will split up into two teams, and get into position." General Caraway continued.
They reached the square in front of the presidential residence, and stopped on the sidewalk.
"The 'gateway team' will enter the gateway and stand by. The 'sniper team' will stand by at the front of the presidential residence until the ceremony is over."
The general walked over to the far end of the square, near a street light.
"This is where the 'sniper team' will wait, right here, where I am standing."
"So, we're gonna divide into two teams; the 'sniper team', and the 'gateway team'." Squall thought, memorizing the general's instructions.
General Caraway pointed to the large mansion in front of them.
"That's the presidential residence." he said.
Everyone looked at the huge house. It was decorated extravagantly, and surrounded by a large rod-iron gate.
"Once the ceremony ends, a parade for the sorceress will begin. That's when the gate will open. Lay low until then. The parade may be canceled if there is any commotion. We must avoid that at all cost." Caraway pointed at the gate, and gestured, illustrating the 'sniper team's' movements.
"Once the gate opens, the sniper team will move out. With the parade drawing the crowd and the guards' attention, it should be rather easy to move about..." he paused, catching his breath.
"The sniper team will head for the roof of the residence. In the corridor by the sorceress' room, there is a hatch that leads to the clock tower... There's a clock tower there housing a carousel clock. You'll find the sniper rifle there. Stand by in the clock tower until exactly 20:00."
"20:00 hours..." thought Squall. "8:00 PM... that doesn't leave too much time... But I guess that's the way it should be... Get in, get out. Finish the job quickly..."
The General started walking towards the front gate now.
"The parade will begin by the gate. The sorceress will be riding on the parade vehicle. After it leaves the gate, the vehicle will turn left."
The general started running away and to the left of the gate.
"Like this." he said. "This way."
He began running in the opposite direction now.
"The parade will circle once around the city along the outer road and return to this space."
He ran towards the SeeD group.
"It will return on this side... Then it will turn right... And head this way."
General Caraway stopped at the main avenue, across the street from Squall and the others. He was standing on the archway road.
"Here's where the 'gateway team' comes into play."
Caraway motioned for them to follow him down the road. Upon reaching Deling city's golden archway, he began explaining the plan again.
"At exactly 20:00, the parade will pass under the gateway."*
The arch was wide, about eighty feet from entrance to entrance, and possessed a rod-iron gate which dropped from the upper portion of the archway on each end. Because of this, it was often called 'the gateway to Deling city', a popular nickname among the city's inhabitants.
"At this point, the 'gateway team' will operate the console to drop the gates."
He paused.
"The sorceress will be trapped inside the gateway. At 20:00, the carousel clock will rise out of the roof, carrying the 'sniper team' up as well. There will be no obstruction between the 'sniper team' and the sorceress."
The general again made a dramatic pause.
"Take the open shot...... BANG!" he yelled.
The general startled the group with this. He smirked, but then frowned seriously again.
"That is all. Now we wait..."
He breathed heavily. Exhausted.
"You're free to go anywhere. Go check out the city if you wish. Just one thing... Stay out of trouble."
The general looked at Squall accusingly.
Squall folded his arms. What did he mean by that?
"Who do you think we are? ...We're not like your daughter." Squall thought, irritated.
Squall glared at the general.
"We are SeeDs." he reminded him.
General Caraway stood silently.
"...I suppose he's right..." he thought. "...But he's pretty pretentious for a child..."
The general sighed.
"Report to my residence when you're ready." he said. "We'll hold a final meeting then. After that, we'll proceed with the operation."
General Caraway marched off without another word, leaving the group to explore the city for themselves.
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The Garden students made their way around Deling city. Squall Selphie and Zell found a place to eat, since they hadn't had the opportunity for a meal all day. Zell gulped his food down greedily, while Squall and Selphie only picked at their plates. They were too worked up about the night's mission to have much of an appetite.
After eating, they explored around for a bit along with Quistis and Irvine, but Irvine eventually found a way to be alone with the person he'd been trying to get attention from since the train ride,… Selphie. They separated from Squall, Quistis and Zell, unbeknownst to her, at the Deling city shopping center.
"So... Selphie..." Irvine approached her in the souvenir shop, using his 'sexiest' voice. "...How about you and me drop this mission, and 'hook-up' somewhere..."
Selphie nearly dropped the souvenir she was examining in shock when Irvine said this. She caught her breath, and turned around, glaring at Irvine.
"N-No...!" she yelled. "This is an important mission...!"
Selphie threw the 1/1000 scale model of the archway into Irvine's crotch. He barely caught it before the heavy metal object could hit him.
Selphie walked away with a loud huff.
"... ... I was just kidding...!" Irvine called to her, placing the souvenir back on the shelf. He ran after her, begging for her attention.
"C'mon Selphie!"
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Squall, Quistis, and Zell had found the local weapon shop. Displayed on the wall were weapon's and accessories of all sorts. Squall flipped through his issue of 'weapon's monthly' and showed the store owner the weapon he was interested in.
"Can you make this...?"
Squall pointed to the page featuring an upgraded gunblade.
"Hmmm..." The shopkeeper tilted his glasses down and examined the article. "Oh! That's the 'Shear trigger'. I think I can do that... Lessee; a steel pipe and a few screws all I need to make the adjustments..."
The shopkeeper stared at Squall blankly for a moment though.
"Uhh... We don't sell the weapons, son. You gotta have a gunblade with you..."
"Here." Squall answered, setting his gunblade down on the counter. "I have the parts, too. How long would it take to remodel...?"
"...And don't call me 'son'..." he thought.
"Just a few minutes..." the elderly man replied. " I don't need to change the blade or anything... This'll be really quick...."
"How much?" Squall asked as the shopkeeper started drilling into his weapon.
"Only, oh.... 200 Gil." was the response.
"'Only'…" Squall thought sarcastically. "Whatever."
The shopkeeper continued drilling and adjusting the trigger portion of the gunblade, and after a few minutes, was completed.
Squall handed over his Gil, and took the weapon in his hand. It felt a little heavier, but no more than Squall could handle. The trigger felt more comfortable, also.
Squall thanked the shopkeeper and led Zell and Quistis out of the shop.
"Pretty cool, Squall! Looks brand new...!" Zell complemented Squall on his 'new' gunblade.
"...Whatever." Squall replied.
Suddenly, Quistis became aware that they had lost Selphie and Irvine.
"...I hope Irvine's not causing any trouble..." Quistis thought.
The three SeeDs then noticed a yellow-clad, young woman walking quickly down the street, continually looking behind her and yelling something.
"Stop it, Irvine!" Selphie called behind her.
"...But Selphie!" Irvine replied loudly, fighting his way through the crowded sidewalk. "We're meant to be together...!"
Selphie bumped into Zell.
"Ouch!" They said, knocking heads.
Selphie looked up to apologize, and then saw who it was.
"Zell! Hide me!" Selphie said quickly.
"..Huh?!" Zell replied, confused.
Selphie didn't have time to explain. She ran behind Zell, and peeked over his shoulder.
"(...He won't leave me alone...)" Selphie whispered.
Zell looked ahead and saw Irvine coming at them.
"...Oh." he said.
Irvine stopped, surprised when he realized who was before him.
"Oh! Hey guys... What's up?"
The four SeeDs just rolled their eyes.
"C'mon..." Squall said. "We'd better get back to the general's mansion... We're on a tight schedule right now..."
Everyone turned around and headed in the direction of Caraway's mansion.
"...What?" Irvine exclaimed, trying to keep up with everyone. "What's everyone so irritated for...?"
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"Its time to form the teams." General Caraway instructed. The SeeD group had returned to his mansion, along with Irvine, and all were ready to start the mission.
"The sniper and the leader of this operation will form the sniper team." The general paused.
"The leader's role is vital."
Squall looked up at this.
"...What does he mean?" He thought.
"If the plan fails for some reason..." The general looked towards Irvine. "... Or should the sniper miss..."
Irvine waved his hand at the general, smirking.
"...The leader must carry out a direct assault against the sorceress."
Selphie gasped and put her hand to her chest.
"...Oh no..." she thought. "He doesn't mean all by themselves, does he...?"
"The plan was devised carefully, because we intend this to be a covert operation." the general continued. "But our ultimate goal is to eliminate the sorceress, and we must achieve this at all cost."
The general took a long pause now, and then spoke solemnly.
"Even if they uncover our identities."
He cleared his throat and looked around.
"So, who's going to lead the operation?"
Everyone turned their heads to one person in the room, …Squall.
He felt them, looking at him, relying on him. Squall didn't like it, but he accepted the responsibility, realizing that he had no choice.
"I will." he said.
"... I am the Squad leader from the original mission in Timber. I guess it's my job."
The general replied quickly.
"Fine. I'll leave the rest up to you."
"...The 'sniper team' is decided." Squall thought.
"Irvine and I will make up the 'sniper team'." he said. "The 'gateway team' will be..." Squall looked around, realizing that the 'gateway team' had already been decided as well.
"Zell, Selphie and Instructor Trepe..." Squall thought. "…Quistis, I mean."
"Whoo-hoo!" Selphie yelped.
"Roger." Quistis agreed.
"Let's DO IT!!!" Zell cried out.
After their cheering, Selphie thought of something.
"So who's gonna be the leader for the 'gateway team'?" she asked.
Zell's ears perked up immediately at this. He smiled and began practicing his punches.
Squall looked at Zell, sighing.
"Sorry, Zell." he thought.
"Instructor Trepe..."
Squall stopped, correcting himself.
"...Quistis Trepe, you're in charge."
Zell hung his head in disappointment.
"...Squall doesn't trust me..." Zell thought sadly. "... Not that I can really blame him..."
"OK!" Quistis replied happily. "Leave it to me."
The general spoke up now.
"OK. Let's begin."
General Caraway motioned for Squall and Irvine to follow him. Quistis waited for them to leave, and was left on the room with Zell and Selphie.
"We're on your team, instructor." Zell encouraged her. "Let's kick some ass!"
Quistis appreciated the sentiment, but Zell had not yet been informed of her demotion. Quistis wasn't an instructor anymore.
"Whoo-hoo!" Selphie agreed.
Quistis blushed slightly, but she cleared her throat and started to lead the 'gateway team' out the office door.
As she turned the knob, someone burst him, almost knocking Quistis to the floor.
"Hi!" Rinoa said, entering the room quickly.
"Finally got out of there! Did that man say something?" she asked.
"No, not really." Zell replied.
"...Nothing that concern's her, I suppose..." Zell thought.
Rinoa looked around the office.
"Where's Squall?" she asked in a worried tone.
Quistis approached her.
"I'm sorry Rinoa, but we have to get going."
Rinoa put up her hand.
"Hold on a sec."
Rinoa grabbed a small piece of metal attached to her Jean-skirt, and lifted it up for the group to see.
"Take a look at this!!!" she said excitedly.
"...What...? It's just a bracelet or something..." Zell thought.
"This is called an Odine Bangle. I found it in that man's room."
Rinoa had admitted to living at the house, but refused to speak of General Caraway as her 'father'.
"Odine!?" Zell said.
"Whatcha gonna do with it?" Selphie asked.
Rinoa walked to the center of the room.
"It's supposed to suppress the sorceress' powers." Rinoa replied.
Quistis lowered her head, and put her fist to her mouth. She could guess what Rinoa was planning, but they didn't have time to fool around with her 'childish' ideas.
"But, its' effects are still unknown. So I don't think they're going to use it for this mission."
"If it's Odine brand, it should be pretty effective!" Zell said. "They're number '1' when it comes to magical goods."
Rinoa turned to Zell and smiled. Her eyes brightened.
"Right! Right!"
Quistis began shaking angrily now. She couldn't take any more of this.
"So what exactly do you want to do with it!?" Quistis yelled. "Are you planning to have the sorceress put it on!?"
Quistis walked right up to Rinoa's face, pointing at her accusingly as she spoke.
"Who? When? How?"
Rinoa squinted her eyes and put her hands on her hips.
"That's what we're going to discuss!" she replied indignantly.
Quistis stomped her foot, startling Zell and Selphie.
"We don't have time for that." she said angrily. "Squall and Irvine are already standing by. We have an operation to carry out, too."
Quistis lowered her voice, calming down a little.
"You understand, don't you?"
Rinoa remained quiet. Glaring at Quistis.
Quistis glared back, becoming even angrier.
"This isn't a father-daughter quarrel. This isn't a game." Quistis growled, throwing her hands down.
"...Yikes. Calm down instructor..." Zell thought.
Selphie turned her head away. She hated it when people fought.
Quistis motioned for Zell and Selphie to follow her, and she stomped out of General Caraway's office. Rinoa looked away from them, not wanting Quistis to see her eyes watering up.
After Quistis, Zell, and Selphie had left, Rinoa turned around.
"Who said this was a game...?" she said to herself.
Rinoa squatted down onto the floor, her arms around her knees.
"I understand what's going on... It's not like I don't have a plan..." she whimpered.
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Outside the general's mansion, Squall spoke to Irvine. His voice denoted the seriousness of the nights events.
"I'll make the first charge when we make the full-on attack. I'll try to buy some time."
Irvine just smirked as they walked along, following General Caraway.
"That won't be necessary... I'll get the job done." he replied.
Quistis , followed by Zell and Selphie, came out of the mansion. She walked past Squall quickly, her face red with frustration.
"...She just doesn't understand..." Quistis thought.
She had become easily upset with Rinoa, though she started feeling bad for the way she had yelled at her.
"... We just don't have time for her... childish plans..."
Squall saw Quistis angry expression, but ignored it, focusing on the mission.
As the general walked them across the street, and over a small bridge to the Deling city park, Irvine tried to strike-up some conversation.
"So like... Is it true that SeeDs aren't supposed to question their mission?"
Irvine sounded curious, and a little nervous as he spoke.
Squall started rolling his eyes, but he began to ponder this as well.
"There are times I'd like to know myself. Like... now for example. But..."
They entered the park, still following General Caraway.
"...Why does he want to know, anyway...? He isn't a SeeD yet..."
"What do you care?" Squall said.
Irvine ignored the question and changed the subject slightly.
"So like... if you knew that your enemies were pure evil, you'd get more fired up to fight them, right?"
"...An enemy that is pure evil?" Squall thought.
The question made Squall think. 'Pure evil'? That would require someone who was 'pure good'. The idea was too... romanticized. Squall didn't want to think about it, and Irvine's questions were getting a bit too personal for him, besides.
"Right and wrong are not what separate us and our enemies. It's our different standpoints, our perspectives that separate us."
The group made their way out of the park, and onto the main street, right by the archway.
Squall continued his thoughts.
"Both sides blame one another. There's no good or bad side. Just two sides holding different views."
Squall looked up from the ground and noticed the large crown that had gathered to see the parade. Both sides of the entire sidewalk were filled. Galbadian soldiers stood at attention, ready to control any disturbances if need be.
"...I hope we don't stand out too much..." Squall thought.
Squall and Irvine followed General Caraway to the archway, along with Quistis, Zell, and Selphie.
Once underneath, the general addressed the 'gateway team'.
"The 'gateway team' will wait inside the gate until 20:00." he reminded them. "You can enter through this door."
There was a thin door on the inside wall of the archway that the general had unlocked.
"The sorceress will pass through the gateway at exactly 20:00. In that instant, lower the gates using the control console located on the top floor and trap her inside the gateway."
The general nodded, satisfied that they understood, and led Squall and Irvine down the street towards the presidential residence. Quistis, Zell and Selphie went into the archway door.
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"You two will wait here." The general instructed.
Squall and Irvine walked to the spot General Caraway pointed to. They were standing in the middle of a large crowd, right before the presidential residence.
"General, why has the sorceress decided to have such an extravagant parade?" Squall asked. He wasn't going to question the mission, but Squall was curious about the sorceress' intentions.
"She wants to establish her place in Galbadia Garden, since she has chosen it to serve as her base." the general replied.
"So that's why Galbadia Garden wants her out..."
"It's starting" Caraway observed. Loud orchestrated music had begun playing, and Vinzer Deling stepped onto the balcony, smiling happily. A podium had been set up on his roof, in preparation for the night's events.
The general looked at Squall and Irvine.
"I'm returning to my residence. Good luck."
Squall and Irvine waited for the sorceress to appear.
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"So the steel portcullis comes down when you hit this switch." Quistis observed.
Her, Zell and Selphie had found their way up the metal ladder, and into the upper floor of the archway. It was a dark, damp tiny room, but it was good enough to serve their purpose.
"We're going to trap the sorceress." Zell thought aloud. "Doesn't sound very fair, but I guess it can't be helped."
Selphie wasn't paying attention. She was busy staring towards the presidential residence. She had a clear view of the balcony from the archway's window.
"Great view from up here!" she said excitedly.
Quistis started nervously biting her lip. Her eyes darted around as she looked at the floor. She appeared to be deciding something.
"..Umm... C'mon lets go back down for a minute..." Quistis said quickly.
Before either Zell or Selphie could reply, she started down the metal ladder. Zell looked at Selphie questioningly, but Selphie just shrugged her shoulders.
Once they had reached the bottom, Zell spoke up.
"Instructor, what's up?"
Quistis spoke softly, in a worried voice.
"Maybe I was too hard on her..."
"Too hard?" Zell thought.
Quistis turned around.
"I'm going to go apologize..."
Quistis realized that, while what she had said was true, the angry tone with which she had 'spoken' to Rinoa, was unnecessary.
"Like the general said... she hasn't been trained for this type of thing... It's not her fault... (sigh). How could you be so insensitive, Quistis? After all you've said to Squall about being so cold... Now look at you, yelling at some innocent girl... I hope she's not crying..."
Zell realized what, and who, she was talking about.
"You mean... Rinoa?" He said.
Quistis nodded her head.
"...Yeah... I guess you were pretty hard on her...." Zell thought.
Selphie didn't like the way Quistis had spoken to Rinoa either. Her plan might have been 'spur-of-the-moment', but at least she wanted to help. Selphie also realized, though, that they were in the middle of something very important. Leaving their assigned area was not a good idea, as she had learned in the SeeD field exam.
"But... but..." Selphie began. "We can't just leave our post!"
"We still have until 20:00." Quistis argued. General Caraway's home was just a few minutes away, so Quistis reasoned that she could make it there and back before eight O'clock.
"We can't...!" Zell started to agree with Selphie, but Quistis started walking off quickly.
Selphie ran after her.
"Hey, wait up!"" Zell called.
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Inside the general's office, Rinoa was sitting on the floor, fighting tears.
General Caraway walked in. She heard his heavy footsteps enter the room.
Rinoa tilted her head slightly, and waved her hand back. She wanted to be left alone.
General Caraway sighed deeply.
"It'll be chaos out there soon. You'll be safe here." He tried to assure her.
Again, Rinoa waved him away.
Miles Caraway folded his arms. He looked upon his daughter sadly, not knowing what to do or say.
"I've messed up so badly... her mother would be so upset to see us like this..." The general wanted so badly to put his arms around his 'little girl'; Tell her that everything would be okay. But he knew that a relationship with his daughter like that had long been impossible. He had kept Rinoa at a distance her whole life, and now he was suffering the consequences.
"...All I can do now is try to keep her safe... She's going to hate me even more for what I'm about to do... But it's been like that for so long... and I don't blame her."
General Caraway walked out of the room and shut the door firmly.
Rinoa sniffed and wiped a tear away from her eye. She stood up now, trying to think of what she could do next.
Suddenly, she realized something.
"Oh no! He's gonna lock me in!" she said.
The general had an advanced security system installed in the mansion. From his bedroom, he could lock any room in the house. He planned to keep Rinoa inside his office until the night's plan had been accomplished.
Rinoa ran towards the door quickly, but stopped in her tracks. She had come up with a plan for the 'Odine bangle'... But she was all alone now. No one would be there to help her.
The door way in front of her seemed much larger, and darker to her now.
Rinoa didn't want to go through with her plan alone, plain and simple. But no one was there. Even if they had been, she reasoned, they wouldn't have listened to her.
"To them... I'm just a client...." She thought of the SeeDs. "...They won't listen to me unless they have too..."
Rinoa was frightened to do this on her own, but she mustered up her courage.
"I... I can do it..." she told herself.
Rinoa ran out of the office, and down the hall towards the mansion's back door.
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Seconds after Rinoa's escape, Quistis ran into the room.
"Rinoa, I'm sorry I..." She began quickly. But when she stopped running, she noticed that the office was empty.
Quistis looked around, confused.
Zell and Selphie looked around the office as well. Where had Rinoa gone?
Suddenly, the door slammed behind them, and they heard a loud *click!*
Quistis, Zell, and Selphie all turned around in surprise.
Quistis ran over to the door. She pushed and pulled, but it wouldn't budge.
"Did we get...Locked in?" Quistis said, startled and confused.
"... That Caraway guy!?" Selphie exclaimed.
"We're smack dab in the middle of a family quarrel here!" Zell cried out.
Quistis put her hand to her forehead.
"This is bad." she said. "...I'm worried about Rinoa, too."
"What!? We're the ones trapped here..." Zell thought.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
Quistis hung her head, feeling immensely stupid.
"Rinoa's probably on her way to see the sorceress as we speak." she explained.
"She wanted to help us..."
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Rinoa had escaped from her father's mansion. Now she needed to find a way into the presidential residence.
As a young girl, Rinoa had been allowed to roam the city freely. She had explored almost every corner of Deling city... Even the presidential residence.
On one of her, 'adventures', Rinoa had found her way past Deling's guards, and into the president's mansion. The guards were so upset when they found out that she had sneaked in, but they couldn't figure out where she had come in from.
"I hope it's still there..." Rinoa thought, as she walked through the alleys surrounding the president's mansion.
Sure enough, Rinoa found her 'secret spot'. A rather large opening in the rod iron fence around Deling's mansion, covered by several thick bushes. She crawled underneath the bushes and onto the grounds. Luckily, this section was also not patrolled by guards, and led straight to the president's parking area... Which would hopefully lead to the sorceress.
Rinoa made a straight shot to the parking area. when she reached it, she saw a pile of large wooden crates, leaned right up against the wall.
Right above the last crate, was part of the flattened roof.
"...This seems a little too easy..." Rinoa thought, trying to keep her spirits up. But she looked at the boxes before her, and gulped.
She wasn't sure if she could climb them.
"I'm not a SeeD, but..." she huffed.
Rinoa started climbing the boxes, pushing herself up with all her strength.
"I can do this..."
She pulled her self up to a wooden crate, and hung on with her arms. Her skinny legs dangled below, kicking in their efforts to grip the box.
She reached the top of the crate and leapt on top the building next to it. She made it.
Rinoa continued talking to herself, trying to keep from being afraid. She had exerted herself from climbing, but she knew that the hard part was yet to come.
"This isn't some kind of game..." she said.
Rinoa ran along the building, until she reached a metal ladder leading further up the mansion wall.
"I think I can reach the ...Oh, what was it?..." she thought. "...The commemoration room? Something like that. I can sneak in there from the top, anyway... That's probably where the sorceress is..."
Rinoa reached the top of the roof, and saw a large door.
"That's it..." she thought.
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Rinoa entered the room carefully. Seated about four yards in front of her was a strange looking woman, cloaked in dark purple.
"Umm... excuse me..." Rinoa inched closer to the woman.
The sorceress didn't move. She didn't even seem to hear Rinoa enter.
"I'm ... the daughter of, um... Galbadian Army's, um... General Caraway."
Rinoa was focused on her plan, but she remained nervous and uptight. Speaking about her father made her cringe slightly as well.
"...Can she hear me...?" Rinoa thought. She continued.
"I... thought I'd... come pay my respects... You know... 'cause of my father and all..."
Rinoa had planned out an entire dialog, but her voice shook, and words came out in a mousy whisper.
"So, I... um... brought you a small gift. Please..."
Her words stuck in her throat, but the sorceress didn't seem to be paying attention to her. The hand holding the Odine bangle started shaking. In fact, her entire arm started vibrating uncontrollably with fear. Why didn't the sorceress respond?!
Rinoa was really scared.
She gulped, and walked towards the sorceress. Light from the chandelier above the sorceress' chair shone down, illuminating the pale, thin curtains in the room, and creating a glowing light around the long purple gown that the sorceress was wearing.
Rinoa stood right behind the sorceress. Still no words. She hadn't even moved. Was she alive? Was it a trap? Rinoa's arm shook even more now, as she stood right behind the sorceress Edea. Rinoa raised the small bracelet close to the chair, hoping to slip it somehow on the sorceress.
But she couldn't.
A bright flash of light exploded between Rinoa and the sorceress. Rinoa was thrown back to the floor.
But she didn't fall hard. The jolt seemed to float her away from the sorceress, and gently, but firmly lower her to the floor.
Rinoa sat up, confused by what had just happened. She propped herself up on her hand, and realized that she was missing something.
"The bangle...!" she thought.
Rinoa stared blankly at the sorceress. Had she been successful? Was the Odine bangle in place?
Rinoa couldn't tell. The sorceress still wasn't moving.
Suddenly, Rinoa's arm started shaking. She looked down, and saw a small golden bracelet attached to her wrist.
"What...?" she thought. "How'd it get on me...?"
Her arm started vibrating violently, now, Rinoa looked at her arm. She couldn't control it.
"Oh no..."
It hurt. Bad.
"What's happening...!?" Rinoa began to panic.
She started to feel sore. The pain was intense. Rinoa felt like her arm would be torn from her socket any minute.
"(...Please... stop....)" Rinoa tried to say, but she was too frightened to speak.
Then, Rinoa's arm stopped shaking. Instead, it was lifted up. Rinoa was then pulled by her arm, above the ground. Her feet dangled in the air.
Her arm remained still now, but her entire body started shaking. Something was making her muscles convulse violently.
"Ugh." was all Rinoa could utter. She brought her hand to her chest, trying to ease the pain.
Then, Rinoa felt something hit her hard, nearly knocking her out. The sound echoed throughout the room, and Rinoa fell. Her limp body, already feeling bruised, crumbled onto the hard tiled floor.
Rinoa breathed heavily. She wasn't badly injured, but it hurt so much.... She kept her eyes closed, wondering what the sorceress would do next.
Finally, the woman seated before her showed some signs of life. Flowing strands of black hair glowed red with rippling energy, tucking themselves into the sorceress' head-covering.
The head-covering itself started transforming, as well. The front, which came out to a point, covering her eyes, started to glow brightly, and disappear.
The sorceress, stood up, and a sudden gust of wind blew back her flowing shoulder adornment, a large half-circled metal decoration, attached to her upper back, with a cape coming out on each side.
The sorceress looked around with her yellow tinted eyes, and shook her head, as if coming out of a long slumber.
Rinoa too, shook her head, and started to lift herself up from the ground.
But not under her own power.
Rinoa's knees knocked together at first, and then she straightened out her legs. Her hands lay at her side, and her head was tilted slightly. Rinoa's eyes were glazed over, and she swayed back and forth.
The sorceress was controlling her.
Rinoa remained standing there as the sorceress stretched out her arms, and brought then back, almost wrapping them around herself. She started walking away now, towards the huge, solid, double doors before her, and walked right through with out touching the handles. The doors liquefied, allowing her to pass, and then quickly regained their solidity.
Rinoa was remained indifferent, however. Under the sorceress' power, Rinoa simply opened the doors, following Edea out of the commencement room, and out onto the balcony, where president Deling was waiting.
Edea was now going to speak before the people of Deling city.
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In the crowd below, Irvine and Squall were watching the balcony closely. They had been watching Vinzer Deling stand there, his hands behind his back for a few minutes now, and they were still waiting for the sorceress to appear.
Then, Irvine caught a glimpse of her.
"Here she comes." he whispered.
"The sorceress approached the podium slowly, and looked down at the thousands of people cheering for her. A slight smirk could be detected in her dark lips.
Squall watched on as the strange woman walked up to the microphone. Another person was on the balcony besides her and President Deling, though. A blue clad, skinny figure, with dark raven hair.
Rinoa followed the sorceress onto the balcony. She blinked slowly, and swayed back and forth sleepily.
Irvine's eyes widened and his voice became high pitched.
"H... Hey... That girl...!" he exclaimed.
Squall squinted his eyes, trying to get a closer look.
"Rinoa...?" he said.
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Atop the balcony, Edea stared at the adoring public below. They were all cheering loudly.
She began her speech.
"...Lowlifes." the sorceress said in a sour tone.
"Shameless filthy wretches." Edea raised her voice, speaking loudly and filled with hate.
"How you celebrate my ascension with such joy. Hailing the very one whom you have condemned for generations."
Vinzer Deling's smile disappeared. He seemed obliviously happy at first, but shook his head, starting to realize what was being said.
The sorceress merely shoot him a quick glance, and he returned to his previous mood.
"Have you no shame?" Edea continued "What happened to the evil, ruthless, sorceress from your fantasies? The cold-blooded tyrant that slaughtered countless men and destroyed many nations?"
The crowd continued cheering, thrilled at being spoken too by this harsh and cruel woman.
Edea shrugged her shoulders and sarcastically asked.
"Where is she now?"
She chuckled slightly.
"She stands before your very eyes to become your new ruler. HAHAHAHAHA." she cackled
Vinzer Deling snapped out of the trance now. New ruler!? What was she saying. Edea certainly wasn't going to overthrow him... Was she?
"A new era has just begun." the sorceress continued.
President Deling walked over to Edea, now his voice shaky and concerned.
"E-Edea... Are you alright...?"
The sorceress said nothing. She simply raised her arm to meet the presidents chest, just barely touching it with her sharp pointed gloves.
"Ede...!" The president began, But his voice was stopped. Yellow smoke emitted from the president's body as Edea lifted him, effortlessly, from the balcony floor.
Without taking her eyes away from the crowd Edea continued her speech.
"This is reality." she said. "No one can help you."
Rinoa, still unfazed, simply blinked, as if to agree.
"Sit back and enjoy the show." Edea said.
The crowd let forth an ear splitting cheer, loving the sorceress more than ever now.
Edea smirked again, lowering her eyebrows. She tossed the president behind her, throwing his body into the balcony stairwell. He hit the edge with a loud thud, and green smoke emitted from his dead body.
"Rest assured, you fools...." Edea started again. "Your time will come. This is only the beginning."
Edea lifted her arms and loudly yelled.
"Let us start a new reign of terror. I will let you live a fantasy beyond your imagination."
Edea turned around a this, and slowly walked back towards the commencement room. She was quite pleased with herself.
In the hallway though, an idea came to her.
"Let us end this ceremony with a sacrifice." she said aloud
Edea focused, and brought her hands together. A shrill noise sounded from the movement, and she brought her right hand up above her head.
Edea continued walking into the commencement room. She had to get ready for the nights festivities.
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Near the archway, several happy residents heard an odd noise emit from the top of the gate.
Attached to the archway, on the outside, were two 'gargoyles' of a sort. Lizard-like monsters with half their bodies shaped like that of lions. The architect who had added them to Deling's archway called them 'Iguions'.
Energy began running through the statues. The one on the left began moving its' now flesh and blood eyes around. The rest of its' body transformed from stone into a real-to-life monster.
Both gargoyles began climbing up the side of the tower, confused at their sudden awareness.
But they soon heard the bidding of their master.
'Kill... Destroy... On the balcony...'
The Iguions hissed, and jumped down to the street. The people below, were surprised, but too wrapped up in their reveling to really notice the two beasts run through the roads, and leapt onto the presidential balcony.
They were going to kill Rinoa.
Rinoa came to, just as she saw the monsters coming at her. She blinked, recovering from the sorceress' spell, and screamed as the statues lunged after her.
Irvine and Squall saw the whole thing, uncontrolled as the people around them were, by the sorceress'.
"Hey, hey, hey, she's in trouble big-time!" Irvine said, shaking Squall's shoulder. "We've gotta go help Rinoa!"
Squall looked on in disbelief.
"Oh my god...." he thought. "What are those things...?"
Squall angrily shook his shoulder away from Irvine's grip and darted his eyes around.
"The parade hasn't started yet. The gates not open." Squall realized.
Irvine's jaw dropped.
"You've gotta be kidding!" he exclaimed.
Neither one of them could stand still for very often. They watched as the Iguions attacked something atop the balcony, hissing and scratching loudly.
They were right on top of something. Attacking it violently.
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Inside Caraway's mansion, Quistis was starting out the window, her hands came to her mouth as she gasped.
"Oh no! It's starting!" she said. Quistis hadn't seen what exactly happened, but she saw and heard the commotion outside. She knew that they didn't have much time.
"We need to get out of here, quick." she commanded.
Zell and Selphie were pacing around the room nervously.
Zell came over to the window, and started jumping around nervously.
"Maybe we can break the window open?" he said.
But the windows were reinforced with strong metal. It might damage whatever... or whoever, did the breaking, more then the window itself.
Selphie began to run about frantically, searching for a key or something that would help them escape.
"Not even a crack..." Zell observed, still looking at the window sill.
Zell walked over to the bookshelf on the far side of the general's office.
"Let's just search everywhere. That's all we can really do." Selphie suggested.
"Maybe there's something in these books..." Zell said. Then he hung his head, frustrated.
"It'd take forever to look through all of them..."
Selphie scratched her head, still looking around.
"Maybe there's some kind of secret exit... You know! Like in the spy movies...."
Quistis and Zell ignored her.
"It's all that guy's fault!' Zell yelled. He sighed heavily and walked over to the door.
"Hey a key!" he said sarcastically. "...NOT." he huffed.
Selphie had stopped looking around the room, and now began staring at an old painting that the General had hanging in his office.
"There's something' fishy about this painting...." she observed.
Quistis took a quick glance. Selphie was right. It did look odd. The painting was hung in an awkward spot, and it didn't match the decorations in the office at all.
It was a painting of some lady holding a wine glass.
Quistis simply shrugged her shoulders, deeming it unimportant.
"...C'mon Selphie.... Don't you get all distracted here..." Quistis thought.
Zell too, though, was preoccupied with a piece of the general's 'art collection', though.
"Yo... This old statue looks kinda suspicious..." Zell said.
Over in the opposite corner of the general's office, was a large statue. It was a woman, draped in a long cloth. It looked strangely familiar to Quistis as she looked at it.
Then, it hit her.
"This looks like the woman in the painting... Exactly like her... Except... she's missing something."
The statue had her hands cupped, but nothing in them.
"Wait a second..." Quistis said.
She searched around the room for something to fit into the statue's hands. She found a collection of wine glasses on one of the shelves.
"...Hope the general won't get upset f I borrow this..." Quistis thought. "...Oh! What am I thinking...? Who cares.... That jerk locked us in here..."
Quistis took a wine glass and placed it carefully into the statue's hand.
"Hope this does something..." Quistis thought.
As the glass was placed into the statue's hands, its' arms moved down slowly. Suddenly, they fell, and the wall revolved around, revealing a secret passage.
"NO WAY!" Zell exclaimed.
"Pretty sneak-y!" Selphie chimed in.
Quistis stood there, proud of herself, but still frustrated.
"Let's go." she instructed.
"But we don't even know where it leads!" Selphie argued.
Zell shot a wide-eyed glance at Selphie. They didn't have anywhere else to go. Staying there would almost certainly mean that the mission would fail.
"No use staying here!" Zell exclaimed.
Selphie nodded in agreement, and they followed Quistis down the passage.
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I have to end this chapter now. sorry.
*Gateway and archway are being used interchangeably here. While it is in fact called 'the gateway', many players may remember it as 'the archway'. It really is both when you think about it though. (The arch has a gate inside it...)
End chap 15.
OMG! This chapter took way to much time.
Okay, first off, I left for about two weeks on a 'vacation' of sorts while I was writing this (Which was very fun), so I didn't get to write for a long time. This wouldn't have been a big problem, had I been done with the chapter or not started on it yet, but I was right in the middle of it! ARgghhh!!! frustrating...
And I've been kind of just focusing on getting the text down at first and THEN going back and writing in my surrounding text, so this is going to need a LOT of editing...(I hadn't done it at the time these comments were being written...)
So, pretty exciting huh?! The sorceress is so frickin creepy... And she's bein' mean to Rinoa!
-_-() very sad indeed. Good thing she gets whooped in the next chapter…
BTW, I have no idea what to do for the next chapter though. There is no talking for the entire time that Quistis, Zell, and Selphie are trapped in the sewers... It's gonna be chapter 14 all over again. ^o^() Grrrrr... *sob*.....
(Fluctuates between crying and screaming at computer.... very upset right now...)
Don't worry about my bad mood right now. It'll pass. I'm just having a little writers block, and I'm very sore right now. (Physically.)
I had just got back from working at my high school registration. Man what a pain... I mean, I know a lot of you readers are high school students, and many are probably freshman, so please don't take this the wrong way. But holy cow! The freshman coming in are so clueless!!! And they don't respect any rules n' stuff... Grrrrr..... Nu-B's can be so irritating.
Actually... they weren't that bad... I'm just venting from being so tired and sore. This probably isn't the right place to rant about that stuff though...
Oh no... This chapter's bigger and badder than the last one! I'm sorry. I hope this one finds some favor with you quality wise, 'cuz fans who like their chapters short n' sweet are gonna hate me otherwise. Man... this really should have been two chapters... but oh well. I'm gonna leave it as is, and see what kind of response I get.
Next up! Chapter 16; Deling city part 3: The sorceress' Knight.
(ooo... I like that title. Pretty spiffy...)
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