Back on Balamb Garden, Squall was making his way down the corridor of the second floor classroom, and it slowly dawned upon him that he had no idea where to even start helping Rinoa.

But before he could panic or worry, a Galbadian Paratrooper burst in through the deck door in a flying armored suit, and hovered menacingly in front of Squall, who was stood in his way.

"MOVE!" the soldier shouted, and rammed into Squall, trapping him against an emergency exit.

Squall didn't know what to do, but realised it had to be one of four options – shout for help, run away, threaten the enemy, or open the emergency exit.

He decided to go for the last option, and tapped the button to release the emergency exit. Squall and the paratrooper tumbled out of the door, a yellow rubber slide opening up beneath them, but instead of sliding down it, the armored suit flew up into the air on a gust of wind, circling the two Gardens with Squall and the paratrooper hanging on for dear life.

Beneath them, Balamb's SeeDs and Galbadian soldiers were fighting, in an amazing, chaotic battle scene. Squall looked around, managed to work out where the quad was from his current position, and tilted the armored flying machine in that direction. Without any warning, the paratrooper suddenly lashed out and struck Squall across his face.

"Ugh!" Squall nearly lost his grip, but luckily managed to steady himself. He retaliated with a strong kick, and sent the paratrooper hurtling toward the ground with a long, loud cry. Pathetic.

As the air around him blew his hair and clothes wildly, Squall squinted into the distance and saw a pale blue figure. It was, of course, Rinoa, still clinging bravely onto the edge of the remains of the quad. He again tilted the armor into her direction, and began to steadily move towards her. Climbing up from the rope and positioning himself inside the mechanical suit, he then dangled the cable down in front of Rinoa, who grabbed it and steadied her foot in a hoop at the very end of the wire cable.

Squall heard Rinoa laughing giddily with delight and relief, and although she was scared to be flying so unassisted through the air, she trusted Squall with her safety. She grinned, flicked back her hair, and enjoyed the unusual ride as Squall transported them to a quiet, unmarked spot of Galbadia Garden.

Rinoa hopped down off the cable, landing graciously on her feet, and Squall leapt from the paratrooper's armored suit, leaving it to make a crash landing into a nearby tree, crumpling up into a useless heap.

"Over there!" Rinoa gasped breathlessly with excitement, pointing to a hidden, secluded door. "There's an entrance!"

She jogged over to the safe area near the door, and Squall followed her, admiring her remarkable eyesight and observation. With all the action that had been going on, he was too panicked to have been able to spot something like that.

"Squall!" Rinoa beamed, resisting an overwhelming urge to hug him. "Thank you!" And she truly meant it.

"It was, ah…" Squall looked up at her, feeling slightly embarrassed, although he wasn't sure why, and rubbed the back of his neck, which he was surprised to discover was a little sweaty. "It was my job, so … don't worry about it. We're still under contract, remember? And it was everybody else's idea, too. And - and I just happened to find you. That's all. So, like I said … um … don't worry about it."

Rinoa smiled and privately thought to herself how sweet Squall sounded, making up excuses. He was usually so articulate and uncaring, and she loved to listen to the real Squall, who spoke from the heart, even if he did sound a little silly.

"You know something," she said softly, her dark eyes still glistening with excitement, "I couldn't afford to fall off that cliff and die. I have something very important that belongs to you. I can't die until I give it back to you, right? Zell gave it to me. I've been holding onto it, see?"

She brushed some hair behind an ear, her golden highlights catching the rays of the sun, then pulled something out of her pocket and held it up to Squall. It was his ring.

"I'm gonna kill him," Squall thought angrily and gritted his teeth together.

"That's my favorite ring!" he said, loudly and bossily, like a child. "You'd better give it back!"

"I'm sure it is. It's a cool-looking ring," Rinoa remarked casually, then looked at it more closely again. "What's this monster on it, anyway?"

"It's not a monster," Squall replied, slightly offended. "It's a lion. Lions are known for their great strength and pride."

Rinoa, who was playing with the ring, slipping it on and off each finger and twirling it around, looked up at Squall through her thick fringe and gave him what he could have sworn was a flirtatious smile.

"Hmm," she mused, lips pressed together in a cheeky pout. "Great strength, pride … Kinda like you, Squall."

"I wish," Squall scoffed, hand resting on one hip. He looked away as he said it, not wanting to meet Rinoa's longing gaze.

"Hmm," Rinoa said again, looking back down at the ring. "So, this lion of yours … Does it have a name?"

"Of course," Squall said, deciding it was now safe to look back at her for a few seconds. "It's called Griever."

"So, that's what you call it," Rinoa paused for a moment in thought. "Griever … a grieving lion?"

She was giving him that look again.

"Yeah," Squall said and uncomfortably shifted his weight from one foot to the other, staring down at his feet.

"You know, Zell said he'll make me one exactly like it," Rinoa announced loudly, changing the subject a little. She turned her head and gazed dreamily off into the distance. "Who knows, maybe I can become like a lion, too…"

"What is she yapping on about?" Squall sighed quietly to himself.

"That'd be crazy, huh!?" Rinoa blurted out with a huge, giddy laugh. "I mean, everyone might, y'know, get the wrong idea about us!"

Squall couldn't help but smile, and look at her. He hadn't noticed, but in the past half a minute or so she had taken a few steps closer to him.

"You sound like you want everyone to get the wrong idea," he smirked, crossing his arms over his chest protectively. It was an action he did often that he wasn't actually aware of – something he did subconsciously to shut out people that tried to get close to him.

"No-no-no-no-no!" Rinoa closed her eyes and shook her head wildly, and imitated the movement with both hands, very defensively. "Don't be silly."

"Well, everyone's waiting," Squall decided it was time to break off this little conversation, and gestured to the door behind him, then thought of a little joke, which was very unlike him. "Rinoa, you wait here."

"Big meany!" Rinoa laughed, and gave him a playful shove on his arm. She walked past him, stopped by the door, then turned back to face him with a smile, her head tilted to one side. "Come on, then, Mister Leader."

She pushed the door open and disappeared from sight. Squall stopped for a few moments to realise what he'd just done. He'd made a joke.

"Rinoa," he thought, "Everyone is trying to get us together, including you yourself. It's so obvious even I can tell."

Squall wasn't consciously aware of it, but a huge grin had spread across his entire face.

"Rinoa!" Selphie cheered breathlessly and ran over to hug her friend. "You're here!"

"Are you alright?" Quistis asked, nervously winding her whip around her wrist.

"I'm fine, thanks to Squall," she nodded, gesturing back to him. He stopped a few steps behind her, then waved to everyone and had a quick look around just as Irvine stepped out from a nearby corridor.

"The sorceress should be here somewhere," he explained, and tilted his hat to Squall to acknowledge him.

"There's no turning back now," Squall announced. "Forget about the past! She's our enemy now! Don't think twice for a second. There's no way we can fight her like that. I, for one, can't. She chose to fight and became our enemy. We chose to fight back. We have no choice. At least I'd like to think so."

He paused and looked around at everyone, staring at him blankly.

"Seems like I'm the only one confused," he realised.

"Well, um, we've come this far. I guess there's really no need for me to say anything," he concluded, feeling slightly embarrassed for rambling on so much.

"We're still listening," Rinoa put in reassuringly. "Squall, we want to know how you feel."

"I'll tell you later," Squall replied, "After we all get out of this, but it's not important right now. Irvine, can you lead us around?"

"Sure," Irvine nodded, without any hesitation. "I have just about as much idea where the sorceress might be as you guys do – but I guess we should start by heading to the second floor."

No one said anything as Irvine lead the group down one of the many, identical steel corridors. They seemed so cold, and the air was eerily silent. The only noise was their footsteps gently tapping on the metal floor, following the red patterns on the surface. Irvine turned and lead them up a staircase, and everyone was very surprised to see Raijin and Fujin stood at the top of it. Raijin was talking.

"Let's just go," he was saying glumly to Fujin. "Let's just get it other with, ya know?"

He looked up as Fujin turned to face Squall's group, who had just reached the head of the winding staircase.

"REQUEST," Fujin said, in her usual manner.

"We're leavin' Seifer up to you now, ya know?," Rujin told them, looking tired and pained. "We don't know what's going on anymore, ya know? We just want the old Seifer back … ya know?"

"There's no way Seifer can go back now," Squall thought, but instead he just replied: "Alright."

"FATIGUED," Fujin said with a heavy sigh, and the pair made their way down the corridor.

"This way," Irvine instructed, heading for a lift. "We'll go to the Headmaster's office, on the third floor."

Sure enough, as they entered the Headmaster's office, a large dark room, Seifer Almasy was there waiting for them. Upon hearing the group enter, he turned around.

"Oh, you guys shouldn't have," he said mockingly. "I was gonna come visit you at my old home."

"Shut up," Squall said bluntly, glaring at his life-long rival, then a figure behind Seifer caught his eye.

Sorceress Edea, Edea Kramer, Headmaster Cid's wife and their old Matron, was sitting on a throne-like creation right at the back of the room, on a raised platform. She appeared to be asleep; her eyes were closed and she hardly seemed to be breathing.

"Did you guys come to fight Matron?" Seifer choked, putting on a pretend pained voice and pointing to her. "After all she's done for us?"

He let out a loud, fake sob then roared with laughter, and then without saying anything, whipped out his gunblade. He swirled it round very threateningly, then strode over to Selphie and whispered in her ear. She squirmed; he was standing uncomfortably close to her.

"The little messenger girl … Selphie, right?" he whispered hauntingly, and she felt shivers down her spine. "I wish we had time to get to know each other."

"Nahh," Selphie replied bravely. "You're not my type."

"Instructor Trepe!" Seifer suddenly shouted, stepping over to her while bouncing his gunblade that rested over his shoulder. "I'm still one of your … dearest students, aren't I?"

"You never were," Quistis spat, eyeing him up and down with disgust.

Seifer suddenly looked up at Irvine, only then realising who he was. He jabbed his thumb at him.

"Hey, you're a Galbadian student!" he said in surprise, motioning for Irvine to come and stand next to him. "Get over here!"

"I'm happy right here, thank you," Irvine sneered sarcastically.

Seifer shrugged this off, apparently not caring, then swirled round to face Zell.

"Hey Chicken-wuss!" he hissed through a toothful, manic grin. "Lot's happened between us, eh?"

"Yeah!" Zell agreed, raising his fists. "And I'm dyin' to get even!"

Finally, Seifer turned to the last member of the group, with a frightfully sneaky smile.

"Rinoa, what are you doing here?" he asked softly, standing behind her and sliding his gunblade dangerously close to her body. He rested his head on her shoulder and pouted mockingly, while making puppy-dog eyes. "You're gonna fight me, too? Come on, remember a year ago we-"

"Stop it!" Rinoa screamed and ran a few steps forward, trying to get away from him.

"It's too late, Seifer," Squall said, tugging on Rinoa's arm so she was safely standing next to him. "You can't mess with our minds. To us, you're just another enemy, like one of those monsters."

"You're comparing ME to one of them?" Seifer gaped. "I ain't no monster! I'm the sorceress' knight."

Even with all that had been going on, Edea had never made a movement, or opened her eyes.

"And look at you!" Seifer continued, waving his gunblade around at the group, "Attacking like a swarm! You guys are the monsters! So I should fight you. All of you."

"We accept that challenge!" Quistis said, taking her whip from her belt and cracking it loudly on the floor.

"Wait, Seifer!" Squall strode forward while reaching for his gunblade. "We're the rivals here. I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of it. Let's settle this here, now. Just you and me."

Seifer wiped his mouth with the back of a gloved hand.

"Show me what you got," he taunted, raising his gunblade. "And I'll show you who's the better man!"

The two young men both leapt forward with their weapons, and the gunblades clashed together. Seifer swung low; Squall blocked it, Squall struck high; Seifer blocked it. This went on for a few moments, and it was exactly how Quistis had thought, right from the very beginning – Squall and Seifer were in a league of their own.

"Is that all you got?!" Seifer laughed, after successfully blocking no less than five strikes from Squall.

So Squall decided to take a different approach, raising one arm up high and casting a powerful Firaga spell on Seifer, who stumbled backwards.

"I can't be beaten!" he raged, climbing to his feet and casting a Demi spell. This caused Squall to become slightly unsteady on his feet, and he suddenly felt very queasy, but kept his composure.

He lunged forward again with his gunblade, striking out with all his strength, and managed to deliver a potentially deadly blow to Seifer, catching him across the collar bone area. Seifer fell back in pain, clutching his chest.

"This can't be!" he cried, staring down at his blood-stained glove. "Why?!"

"Worthless child," an evil voice muttered, and the group looked up to see that Edea was awake. She slowly rose to her feet, her short white cape fluttering behind her, and crossed her arms over her chest, descending through the floor.

"The auditorium is right below!" Irvine informed the group, and everyone began to quickly leave.

Lying on his back, coughing and spluttering, Seifer raised his head up slightly with a crazy grin.

"There's no way you guys can beat her," he breathed, finally collapsing fully onto the floor with a sigh.

Without saying a word to each other, Squall and his friends followed Irvine down into the auditorium, a huge hall filled with row after row of blood-red chairs, with a presentation screen and table right at the very front of the room.

"What's going on?" Squall thought, as the group slowed their pace.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, sorceress Edea appeared through the ceiling, shattering the glass screen with a mighty crashing sound. Unhurt, she landed gracefully on her feet.

"So the time has come," she said, her purple lips moving slowly as she spoke. "You're the legendary SeeD destined to face me?"

Squall was confused … what was she talking about?

"I must say that I am impressed," Edea admitted, and she took time over speaking every word very slowly and clearly. "...An impressive nuisance. Your life ends here, SeeD."

Just then, Seifer stumbled in, clutching the damaged skin just below his neck. Edea looked down her nose at him with disgust.

"Worthless fool," she spat, and slowly raised her arms up into the air.

"You're not our Matron," Squall thought bitterly, as everyone in the group reached for their individual weapons.

"All SeeDs must perish!" Edea screeched, louder than she had ever spoken before.

Squall held his gunblade in a fighting stance, ready to strike, but Seifer stood in front of Edea, protecting her.

"I'm the sorceress' knight," he panted, using his free hand to limply hold up his gunblade. "You'll never … get past me."

Seifer was in no condition to fight. Blood was still gushing from the long, open wound than ran all the way across his chest from the right shoulder, down to his left armpit. His vest had been sliced open, his coat was dirty and singed from Squall's Firaga spell … he was a disgrace.

"I can't afford to lose," he said gallantly, but it only took one quick fire from Rinoa's Blaster Edge, a crack from Quistis' whip and a few harsh punches from Zell, before he fell back down to the floor.

"Ughaah!" he cried out as he collapsed onto his knees. "Matron, forgive me. I am … disgraced."

"Defeated...Useless fool," Edea called him again, and she cast a spell which very roughly launched him into the air, and threw him across to the other end of the room, where he collided with a wall. Rinoa and a few of the other girls screamed as they heard his bones crack against the concrete and he slumped to the floor, motionless.

"Enough play," Edea announced. "SeeDs must die!"

It was a tough, fierce battle. Each member of the group struck at Edea with all their might, but it didn't even seem to scratch her. They battled using their magic, but she responded with magic three times stronger. They called upon their Guardian Forces to help, but she knocked them out with one move.

It was all seeming utterly hopeless, when without warning, the sorceress emitted a pink light, and Squall realised that he couldn't move.

"What happened...?" he wondered dreamily, not being able to move from his position, which was lying on his side on the cool floor. "My...body..."

Rinoa's feet appeared in front of him, and she swayed uncontrollably from side to side, as she made her way over to where Seifer was lying. In a daze, she knelt down next to him.

"Rinoa…" Squall longed to reach out and grab her, pull her away from him again, but he couldn't move a single muscle, he could barely even see clearly.

Completely entranced, Rinoa placed one hand on Sefier's shoulder, the other on his chest, and gently kissed him.

"Rinoa...Seifer..." Squall hoped desperately that this was all some kind of bad dream.

Incredibly, Seifer rose to his feet and calmly walked away. With an echoing bump, Rinoa fell onto the floor, and Quistis came running to her aid.

"Rinoa?!" she shouted, trying to help the girl up, but she didn't respond. "Are you all right? Rinoa!"

Squall then heard Edea speak, and her voice had suddenly changed. It was like a different person now, she was calm, and gentle. Every word she spoke echoed in Squall's mind.

"Squall, Quistis, Selphie. Irvine, Zell," she began, and Squall knew that this was not Edea anymore. It was Matron. "You've all grown so much...and become so strong … I have waited for this day to come. And also feared this day would come. Is today a joyous day? Or an odious day?"

"...I don't understand," Squall thought, feeling his consciousness beginning to slip away from him.

"Where is Ellone?!" Matron suddenly shouted out. "Have I protected Ellone?!"

"Squall!" Quistis cried out in desperation. "It's Rinoa..."

"......Rinoa?" the name echoed in Squall's mind as a tear escaped his eyes before they drooped and finally closed. There was only darkness now, and a terrible echoing that filled his ears.

"What's wrong with Rinoa?"