Chapter 3
Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear.
-Mark Twain
"Ah…so the knight has finally come!" Edea said silkily, smiling at him. Squall frowned at her, pressing Lionheart into Seifer's back slightly. Edea no longer wore the simple black dress she acquired once she began to live a 'normal' life with her husband. Instead, she was dressed in a revealing violet dress with a neckline that plunged downward. It showed her curves and stretched over her like a second skin. The one she wore until her sorceress powers were transferred to Rinoa. "We've been waiting for you. You and your little princess, that is." She said laughing. When he was a child, Matron laughed softly like a sweet song, but this laugh held a loud, strident tone that irritated the ear as much as it struck fear into hearts.
"You're not Matr-Edea!" Squall said calmly, but despite his outward appearance, his insides were twisting and turning. She had been expecting him.
"Ah…so the Great Squall Leonhart isn't as naïve as we thought!" she said cynically, her voice interchanging into Selphie's and Quistis'. "Oh…You can kill Seifer if you want…we have no use for him!" She said once again, not even sparing a glance at him. Seifer looked surprised, as if he had been struck by lightning.
"But Matron-"
"Save your breath, silly boy! Do you think we cared about your love for the stupid girl?" Her voice now changed from Xu's to Edea's own. Squall narrowed his eyes in anger. "Rinoa is not a 'stupid girl'!" His former rival looked as angry as he felt.
"YOU BITCH!! YOU USED ME, THEN TOSSED ME ASIDE LIKE A LITTLE RAG DOLL!! WELL, I'LL SHOW YOU, BITCH!!" Seifer raged, pulling away from Squall's grasp to pick up his gunblade. He lunged headfirst at Edea and cut across, aiming for her heart. Seifer bounced off her shield before Squall could move two steps toward Rinoa.
"You think you can defeat us?! We are Fate! We control time and life! We affect everything!" she cried out triumphantly, a righteous smirk on her face. "In fact…we could kill you and your little girlfriend right now," she said, lowering her voice with each word. To accentuate her threat, Seifer's gunblade appeared right above the unconscious sorceress, its tip pointing down at her heart.
Squall instinctively shuffled towards her, but was met with resistance. He flew up into the air, gunblade 'slipping' from his grasp. He watched with petrifying horror as the gunblade slid down drastically, an inch left between the fabric of her clothes and the tip.
"We could spare her…yessss…we could…if you…both of you," her deep, almost black eyes flickered between the two gunblade wielders. "Joined us…how about that…?" she said slowly. "Or…perhaps…you live…and she dies…by your gunblade." In a heartbeat, the blade was Lionheart, it's almost translucent edge inches away from her. The weapon on the sandy dirt just paces away from him was Hyperion.
"No! Never!" he said, struggling with the invisible bonds that held him.
"Squall…you do not think we're serious, do you?" Her voice was sickeningly Rinoa's. The gunblade fell and impaled her instantly. Squall could feel the edge pierce her heart. He could feel her last heartbeat and the life drain away. Blood spurted up the edge and traveled out around her. At that moment, he knew no matter how much he would wash that blade; the crimson stain would always haunt him.
"How could you?!?" Squall screamed hoarsely, tears prickling the back of his eyes. Grief was plain in his eyes. But Edea's body just echoed with self-satisfying laughter.
"Do you think that the sorceress is dead…NO!! That was just a demonstration of how serious we are!" she cackled, snapping her fingers. Right before his eyes, Squall watched in half relief, half horror as Hyperion replaced Lionheart in the place above a fully breathing, fully alive Rinoa. "So will you join us?" She whispered enticingly, more at Seifer than at him. His former rival stood up and nodded, walking towards her. Edea's dark eyes settled on Squall again. "If you truly love the girl…then you will join us…we could use two knights and a sorceress," she said. Squall closed his eyes; the sight of Rinoa's blood smeared over Lionheart a painful reminder.
"…Fine…I'll do as you say," he said in a growl, subconsciously eyeing Lionheart, despite the pain piercing his heart at the sight of it. A wide grin erupted on her face. The magic holding Squall in mid-air disappeared and he fell to the ground, landing face forward. He let out a grunt.
"Excellent! Now…Seifer…you must come closer," she said pleasantly, beckoning him with a finger. At that, Seifer stepped toward her, obeying the commands of a sorceress. A wave of deja vu flooded over him, a darker reminder of happier times. Not happier by a long shot, but compared to today…death would be welcome. Squall grimaced and turned his face downward, shutting his eyes tightly.
"Well, this is how it turned out." Seifer smirked, by his sorceress' side. Edea sat on her throne-like chair on her parade float, an amused smile on her dark lips. Her long lacquered fingernails tapped against the arm rests.
"So, you've become the sorceress' lap dog?" Squall retorted venomously, eyes flickering from Edea to him and back.
"I preferred to be called her knight. This has always been my dream," Seifer said, a scowl present on his face. To accentuate his point, he waved his own gunblade in the air. Suddenly, the sorceress' knight raced toward him, cutting upward. "Squall, you're mine!"
Squall's head snapped up, a sharp, condescending voice piercing through his thoughts. "Did you not hear me, our precious knight, stand up!" Edea's contorted voice ordered angrily at Seifer. He was on the ground, much like his rival was. Even from his position, Squall could see a sneer on his face.
"I am not your 'precious knight'," he said venomously, but he stood regardless, inching closer to the sorceress. "How about you fuck yourself, you evil bitch!" he spat out, no more than four paces away from her. Squall spent no time crawling towards his own gunblade, ignoring the searing pain in his chest. Suddenly, he flew into the air again. Edea turned her attention towards him. "
You tried to go for your weapon didn't you?" She asked almost pleasantly, an edge to her voice. That voice was Rinoa's. Seifer was also held up in the air, perfectly still. Squall widened his eyes in disbelief. In a flurry, Seifer had his gunblade in his hands, Hyperion cutting through the magical bonds easily. He dived towards the surprised sorceress and cut her across the arm, severing her magical tie for a moment.
A heartbeat later, Squall scrambled towards his own gunblade. In another, Seifer just barely slid the edge of his blade across her neck. In that same moment, Squall casted silence at her, cutting off her connection to her magic. Her eyes widened in fear. The two gunblade wielders shared a look and planted themselves in front of her.
"Are you our Matron?" Seifer asked first. At her failed attempts to talk he rolled his eyes. "Just nod your head!" he said sharply, oddly calm. Her hand went back in forth in a 'so-so' motion. Squall let out a frustrated, pained breath.
"Is Rinoa alive?" Squall asked, more to Seifer than Edea.
"Of course…I wouldn't kill her! I lov-" He took a deep breath. "I gave her something to make her sleep…I don't know what it was but it knocked her out pretty fast." Blue eyes narrowed.
"Did she give you it?" Squall motioned toward the silenced sorceress. He nodded in response.
"I also put a bracelet on her when she struggled," Seifer said hesitantly, pointing to the silver bangle on Rinoa's wrist. Squall walked toward it and took it off. It took a moment before it fully clicked open and released the suppressed powers within. It was made of a special unknown steel to that held chemicals that had properties similar to a silence spell. "This…" He shook it in the air. "…is an Odine Bangle. It neutralizes magical powers and I..." He attached it to Edea's wrist with a click. "…am going to put it on this bitch so she doesn't use her powers." It began to glow a sickening green but the light faded away. Seifer began to empty an echo screen down her throat.
"Are you sure it'll work?" the blonde asked, tossing the glass container away.
"What kind of dumb question is that? You were in Quistis' class…" he said simply.
"Well, Squallie," Seifer drawled. "I fell asleep in those classes more than I listened to them." As if they were caught doing something they weren't supposed to, they diverted their attention to Edea.
"What do you want?" she whispered sadly, an unidentifiable tinge in them.
"What did you give Rinoa?" Squall demanded, sheathing his gunblade.
"Where's Raijin and Fujin?!?! You took them didn't you?!?!"
"If you're not Matron then who are you?!?!"
"My children," she said fondly. "I shall answer all your questions."
"Angelo…please tell me about this sorceress!" Rinoa pleaded, panting. She had been running in the darkness for what seemed like hours, but who knew how time passed in this realm?
Rinoa!! We must hurry! I will answer your questions once we reach the door!
She sighed tiredly, but followed that light flicker of brown that was her only guide in the darkness. Her breaths felt shallow in her ears. Much different than before. She felt…whole…complete. It was if the ground gave in under her. She let out a startled gasp and began to fall.
Master…are you okay!?!
"Yes, I'm fine…I just tripped," she answered, trying to stand up. The floor under her was slippery, like ice.
We are making good time…we are almost there…just a few more paces.
Finally Rinoa stood, tired and lost. All signs of her canine companion were gone and she was lost. Trapped in her own unconsciousness. She turned around in circles, looking for that familiar flash of fur, but an endless trail of black met her. "Angelo!! ANGELO!?! Where are you?! I'm lost..please!" A shiver travelled through her body. "PLEASE ANGELO!! I'M SCARED!!" she shouted hoarsely, crumpling to the ground. Suddenly a bright light flashed, and she was gone.
"Nida…you brought us to the wrong place!" Quistis chided, slapping him on the head.
"Wha-that can't be…this is where the orphanage is supposed to be!!" Nida exclaimed, checking the auto-pilot and map.
"Actually, Quisty, we're here…" Selphie said.
"Yeah, you see the light house?" Zell pointed out.
"Yeah, the orphanage is just missing!" Irvine stated. "Rinoa could have made a building invisible in her sleep." The stone building had indeed disappeared. The broken columns were gone. The grass seemed untouched, waving in the wind.
"But I've never seen her do it before," Selphie protested uncertainly.
"Well, Sefie, do you have any other explanations?" Zell asked mockingly. The petite brunette glared at him.
"We don't…so we just wait," the instructor said, taking a seat.
Rinoa ran. The steady pulsing in her ears set her pace, but she ran frantically, panic almost freezing her in her tracks. She felt a burrowing feeling of indecision and fear. To her left she ran by the huge peaks of Trabia, the chill freezing her in her dress…'A dress?!?' She finally stopped, looking down at herself. She wore a simple blue dress that did nothing to warm her in the cold. One ring-her mother's ring-hung on her thin, silver chain necklace. 'One ring?!' She thought, panic seizing her ability to breath. A glint of light caught her eyes. She lifted up her left finger and a flood of relief calmed her nerves.
I had a dream. It was a scary dream. We make a promise. We promise to see shooting stars together.
Squall's ring-Griever-was on her ring finger. Rinoa was all dressed up…
'Why?'
"You wanna go out tonight?"
"Why not?"
"Aww…Squall lighten up!! We won't just go outside…."
"Whatever."
"Squall!! We'll…we'll go out and see shooting stars together….like the day we met!"
"Rin…I don't know…I have a lot of Garden duties to do…"
"Pleeeeaaase?!"
"I don't think so…sorry, Princess."
"Squall…now you really owe me!! We're going out tonight to see shooting stars and you're dressing up!!"
"Okay, Rin…I'll go…but with you…only with you."
I get dressed up and put on your ring. But the thing is, I can't remember where I'm supposed to meet you. I start to panic.
'Where did we say we'll go and meet?!?' Rinoa began to run again. Her foot slid backward causing her to fall on her hands….and into sand. Suddenly a wave of scorching heat almost made her collapse into the sun baked sand again. She groaned and stood up, brushing the sand off her dress. She started to run again, this time she tried to slow her pace. 'If I just stay in one spot…maybe Squall'll come and meet me!' Suddenly, she wasn't in the desert anymore. Around her green grass and crop rolled out in all directions. The baking heat disappeared. She stopped, looking around for signs of other human life. For Squall. No birds were in the air. Nothing.
A tear flowed down her cheek. 'Squall…where are you? I wanna…I wanna see you…' Rinoa wiped away her tears in a flurry and strengthened her resolve. 'Squall wouldn't cry if he couldn't find me…he'll just keep on looking!' So Rinoa began to jog and found herself in the dusty stone streets of Timber, rushing past familiar faces and Galbadian soldiers. Slowly, the small buildings became taller and the lights dimmed. Stars still twinkled though. She quickened her pace by the water fountain and realized that she was in Deling City.
"Rinoa!!!" a deep familiar voice called out.
"Squall!?!?" she asked hopefully, whipping around.
"Honey…it's your father." Rinoa began to back up slowly, and run past him. Slowly, the sun began to rise and the darkened buildings became blue and green. The streets were paved a lighter grey and the streets became livelier. The constant crashing of waves against the shore calmed her, if only a little. She passed a woman she thought she knew…'Ma Dincht!! Maybe she knows where Squall is…'
I really want to see you, Squall, but I don't know where to go. I start running through the mountains, the desert, the plains... Through Timber, Balamb, and Galbadia...
"Ma Dincht?" she asked quietly. The older woman smiled good naturedly. Grey and white peppered her brown hair.
"Yes, dear?"
"Do you know where Squall is?"
"Oh, that young man with the scowl on his face? The shorter brunette?"
"YES!!"
When I realized I can't run any longer... I...I just want to see you so badly... So I scream, Squall, where are you!?
"Sorry dear…" Ma Dincht said, shaking her head. Rinoa, at that point, was on the verge of tears. She murmured her thanks subconsciously and turned tail to run again. Before she knew it she was at the docks looking at the ocean. Squall was still no where in sight. Fear and frustration flooded into her.
"SQUALL!!! WHERE ARE YOU!!?" She screamed.
Then I woke up.
"We took your dear Sorceress into a dream world," Edea said elegantly. Both men opened their mouths to speak. "How? Well…you were right, Squall…I am not your 'Matron'. She is dead. This is just her body." They opened their mouths again. "Who are we? I am a dreamer…a spirit the feeds on mortal lives. Mortal dreams. Our name…is Fate."
"FATE?!" Seifer exclaimed. "What kind of name is that?" Squall rolled his eyes. Both at Seifer's stupidity and 'Fate's' change in words describing herself.
"I don't know…what kind of name is Seifer? Look, shut up and let her speak." Seifer glared silently at Squall but obeyed.
"Whatever…" He turned to Fate. "Talk bitch." "As you wish…dreamers are everywhere…but I am their leader. If you kill us…you'll never find out how to wake the girl up. However…your logic is wrong. We feast on dreams and what are in those dreams. You see…I took in Edea's dreams…We took in part of your Rinoa's dreams. I took the dreams where she used her abilities to them. We don't use magic. I use spirits…therefore.." Squall began to float in the air. "I can kill you right now!" She threw her head back and cackled.
"Give me your gunblade!!" Seifer cried out, reaching towards him. Squall gave him look full of distrust but in a moment, Lionheart was in Seifer's hands. He thrusted it into Fate's chest, but it bounced off and flew out of his hands.
Seifer knew that if he killed her with Hyperion, Squall would pay the price…but in desperate times, come desperate measures. After all, Squall is a big boy…he can deal with the consequences.
He pierced Fate's heart with Hyperion and a bright light blinded them, and a shockwave tossed them back and lightning flew out of her chest straight towards Squall's. It pierced his heart and for him…the world went dark.
"I CHOOSE YOU PIKACHU!!!" Selphie shouted, standing up from her seat and pointing at the 'pikachu' plushie across from her. It was yellow and had round red circles on its cheeks. Supposedly it was a mouse that could summon electricity. Selphie believed it would. "IN YOUR FACE PASTY FACE!! I GOT PIIIIIKACHHHU!!!"
Zell, frowned but darted towards the yellow plushie, just barely grabbing on to its tail, but Selphie snatched it out of his hands and hugged it tightly. "No fair!" he mumbled. He turned towards Quistis. "QUISTIS!! SHE STOLE PIKACHU AWAY FROM MEEEEE!!" he moaned, pointing sulkily at the mouse. Quistis rolled her blue eyes and shared an amused look with Irvine.
"Fine, Zell. Selphie…GROW UP!!! And Zell…please ACT YOUR AGE!!" she shouted, snatching the yellow rodent out of the brunette's hands. Selphie widened her eyes in shock.
"NIIIIIIIIIDA!!! Quisty took my Pikaaahhhhhhh!" Suddenly a bright light enveloped them. A shockwave pushed them back and in Nida's case, knocked them out. Just as fast as it came, it disappeared. Zell groaned slightly, rubbing his head where it had connected with the wall.
"Damn! What the!!!! What was that thing??"
"It was PIKACHU!!!" All eyes turned to Selphie and gave her a level look. Blushing, she giggled and turned away.
"Actually…I think it was something else. Maybe magic?" Irvine suggested.
"Did you see that!?" Quistis exclaimed, pointing to the front of the window. The orphanage's image flickered. At first nothing was in sight, then the stone house appeared for a moment…then disappeared all together.
"AHA!! I was right!! It was invisible!!" Zell exclaimed proudly, pumping his fist on his chest several times. Irvine gave him a venomous look.
"Actually, Zell…that was my idea."
A loud, urgent bark brought Rinoa out of the darkness. And the wet, warm feeling on her face certainly brought her out of unconsciousness. She opened her eyes just slightly but shut them again. She was so tired. Another loud bark brought her just out from sleep. She groaned and felt that warm water on her cheek again.
"UGH!! Go away!!" she moaned, flinging her hand at the intruder.
Master, if you don't wake up….I'll have to bite you.
Rinoa's eyes flashed open and she sat up in an instant. A familiar brown dog trotted up to her and nudged her arm.
Now that you're awake you should wipe my saliva off your face…it's not very healthy.
Making a sound, she rubbed her face on her shirt vigorously. "Your breath smells…did anyone tell you that?"
Being dead does that. Anyway, where did you go to?
Rinoa frowned. "I don't know. I couldn't find you and then the big, white light took me somewhere…"
Rinoa's eyes opened slowly for the second time that day. A small gasp escaped her lips. Five heads stood above her, looking down at her sadly, relieved, sympathetic and happy. She moaned and rubbed her eyes.
"How're you?" Irvine drawled in his western accent. She forced a weak smile.
"Never better," she answered, sitting up with great difficulty. Green eyes met her brown ones.
"Hello, Princess!" Seifer greeted in a hyper-active Selphie-like fashion. She narrowed her eyes. The events leading up to her dream flooding back to her.
"What are you doing here, Seifer?" Rinoa spat out his name. She looked around her for a moment, taking in her surroundings. Waves crashed behind her. Broken columns littered the sandy beach. All of her friends were with her except one. "Where's Squall?" she asked, stretching. All five shared hesitant looks with each other. Rinoa caught them easily. "What? Come on guys…what's wrong…" She trailed off suddenly, her face going pale.
"He's gone, Rinny," Selphie squeaked out. 'No!!' Rinoa thought.
"What…no…this is Squall…" She turned to look at the instructor. Her face was streaked with tears.
"He left…and I don't think he's coming back."
"I'm sorry," Zell whispered sympathetically.
"NO!! He is NOT gone!!! He can't be!! He promised!!" she cried out in disbelief. At that last statement, she pushed her friends out of the way and ran towards the flower field. The sea of red and white roses was a welcome sight to her. The smell wafted in slowly. She felt…safe here. Her delighted smile faded as she realized Squall was not here…and in his place was a letter placed on top of Lionheart.
Rinoa picked it up immediately, and unfolded the paper. Each word written pushed a crack in her heart. Tears streamed down her face while sobs shook her body. His scrawled signature was the last hit that shattered her heart. The letter fluttered down to the floor and the sorceress fell with it.
Dear Rin…
I hope that you'll move on and you'll forgive me for doing this.
I don't want you to try to find me…because if I see you…I might not be able to leave you again
I admit…I had a shield from the world that kept me safe from harm. That kept me safe from people.
But Rinoa...with that one dance we had…you broke it.
I just want to let you know that my heart will be with you forever…
-Squall
Oh a thousand words
Have never been spoken
They'll fly to you,
They'll carry you home
And back into my arms,
Suspended on silver wings
-1000 Words- Final Fantasy X-2 (Sung by Jade)
A/N- The end is near…one more chapter next!! It's the epilogue!! Thanks goes to all the reviewers!! Now….Please REVIEW. I will be changing the rating next chappy because well…there's a LOT of swearing. I'm not kidding.