Irvine was thrown back into his cell, and landed hard on his side. Immediately, Selphie ran over to him, close to tears.
"Oh, Irvy!" She shouted, shocked by her best friend's appearance. Quistis also came over to help him.
"They're- coming, for you," Irvine said to them, still in immense pain from his torture and beating at the hands of the guards. "Betray Squall," he advised.
"WHAT?" Selphie and Quistis both shouted in unison.
"Betray him," Irvine responded. "That way, they won't torture you."
"We can't do that!" Selphie shouted. Just then, however, the cell door opened again, and before they could react, three cloaked guards, acting under haste spells, restrained them in their iron-like grips. The SeeDs struggled, but to no avail. Seifer, flanked by two cloaked guards, entered the room, smiling.
"Ah, if it isn't my favourite instructor. And the messenger girl. How are you enjoying being my guests?" He asked, condescendingly.
"We're gonna get you, you big bully!" Selphie shouted, angrily.
"Sefie!" Irvine whispered across to the young brunette. "Don't!"
"It's too late, cowboy," Seifer said upon hearing Irvine's warning, "She's just selected herself as my next room-mate." He made a hand gesture towards the guards, who dragged Selphie off, kicking and screaming, while the others put Irvine and Quistis down with the same karate chops they'd used previously. Due to a combination of the karate chop and pain from the torture, Irvine blacked out as he hit the floor, thinking despairingly about the fate of his friend...
Squall looked up as Seifer re-entered the torture chamber, walking directly to the side door. He entered, smiling at Squall.
"We've got a new playmate," Seifer said, cheerfully.
"I don't care who it is, just let them go," Squall replied. He was getting fed up of Seifer's smug attitude, his smug voice, and his smug beard. However, he felt himself compelled to ask.
"What's with that thing anyway?" Squall found himself thinking out loud.
"What," Seifer replied, stroking his fuzz, "this? I just got tired of shaving. That's something they make you do, and I chose not to do it."
"How individual," Squall replied sarcastically, before his demeanour changed as he saw a struggling Selphie get bolted to the torture rack. "No!" He shouted, shocked that Seifer would do such a thing. "How can you do this?"
"If she has any common sense, I won't have to. Care to place a bet on whether she'll see the light and betray you?" Seifer asked, jokingly. He was coming to enjoy watching Squall squirm, not that he didn't expect to, of course. Squall, however, wasn't enjoying it one bit.
"Screw you," he replied. Seifer looked up at where Selphie was now firmly attached to the rack, and smiled.
"Don't put ideas in my head, Squall," he responded. "And never forget- sticks and stones may break your bones, but names will never harm me." Seifer smiled again, recalling a fond childhood memory. "It's just a shame chicken-wuss couldn't make it- I'd have just loved the chance to torture him. Well," Seifer said, looking up, "it appears I have things to attend to. Until later, Squall." He left the room, laughing all the way, only to re-appear on the other side of the mirror a few seconds later, still laughing.
"Well, well," he started, still in that same cheery voice that drove Squall quietly insane, "little messenger girl. I hope you're well."
"Let me go!" Selphie shouted, struggling in the restraints that were designed for someone much taller than her.
"First things first," Seifer said, "do you, or do you not, follow Squall?"
"What?" Selphie asked, before remembering Irvine's words- Betray Squall… Gulping, she answered.
"Of course I follow him."
"Are you sure about this?" Seifer asked, genuinely concerned. It's almost as if he doesn't want to do this, Squall thought to himself from his vantage point behind the mirror. "Do you stand by him, through thick and thin?" He asked, seeking confirmation. Selphie was more than happy to oblige.
"Through thick... and thin," she confirmed.
"That's all I needed to know," Seifer said, turning his back on Selphie for a brief instant to smile and wink at Squall, behind the mirror. Squall felt his blood boil. I'm gonna kill you, Seifer, he thought. The torturer walked over to his control panel.
"You see," he started, "the thing about electric shock therapy is that it depends on the mass of the subject- these things were designed to kill, and for Squall and that cowboy thing, I had to use the lowest settings. However, they both weigh over 160 pounds each, whereas you, my dear, weigh barely 90. It'd knock you out cold in an instant." Having finished his explanation, he walked back up to Selphie. "Looks like I'll have to find another way then, doesn't it?" He remarked with a grin, before cocking his head back and unleashing a powerful poison spell on Selphie. Instantly, she felt the poison start to churn up her insides, her temperature jumped several degrees and she started sweating uncontrollably. Then, she threw up all over the front of her dress.
"W-why?" She asked, shivering uncontrollably.
"Now that that's done," Seifer said, ignoring her, and also producing a hypodermic, which he flicked at, "shall we begin? I want to know Squall's weaknesses. In my hand, I have a truth serum. I promise you, the combination of it and the poison spell will leave you feeling so under the weather you'll beg for me to activate the electrodes and put you out of your misery." Selphie looked at the needle- she'd never been fond of them, but she suddenly remembered her many years of training. You're a SeeD, Selphie! She thought to herself. What would Squall do in this situation? She thought to herself a little more before answering.
"I'll never tell!" Even when in she was in pain, Selphie's spunk impressed Squall. Unfortunately, Seifer didn't care too much for it- he pushed the needle into her arm, and depressed the plunger. Instantly, Selphie's pupils dilated, and her face almost went green. Her tongue hung out, lolling around, and her limbs all went limp.
"That's better. Now, can you hear me, messenger girl?" Seifer asked. Selphie instantly replied.
"Yes," she said, in a robotic, monotone voice, almost as if the spirit had been sucked out of her. Squall was quivering with rage at this point- he'd seen interrogation victims before, but Selphie hadn't done anything to him! Why pick on her? If you're going to pick on someone, Squall thought, at least be a man and pick on me! Seifer continued his questions, oblivious to what Squall was thinking.
"What," he asked, pacing around, "in your opinion, is Squall's greatest weakness?" Selphie answered him diligently.
"His love for Rinoa," she said, again in a robotic sense. Seifer nodded, satisfied with the answer but not 100% happy.
"Clarify," he ordered the young woman. Again, she was only too willing to answer him.
"He loves her, she loves him. If something happened to one, the other would be devastated."
"I thought as much," Seifer replied, again casting a sideways wink at Squall. "Is there anything else? Any other potential weaknesses I should be aware of?" Selphie answered him after a brief pause.
"His father," she said. No! Squall thought, leaning his head back and grimacing. Besides him, Selphie was the only other person to know about his parentage- now all that was about to change. Seifer suddenly assumed a truly curious expression on his face, while Squall's was one of pure anger.
"His father, you say?" Seifer asked, while casting a surprised look in Squall's direction. "What's his name, messenger girl?" With each following word that Selphie said, Seifer's smile just got wider, and wider, and wider.
"President," she began, "Laguna Loire of Esthar." Seifer had seen reports about Laguna on the television- he figured that although he'd masterminded the plot to defeat Ultimecia in compressed time, he wouldn't come into play in Seifer's plot for revenge against Squall. That is, he thought, until now…
"Take her down," he ordered, as two cloaked guards dutifully obeyed. "Take her back to the cell. I've got an assassination to plot," he said, laughing in Squall's direction. Squall leaned his head back and yelled Seifer's name, his frustration at his helplessness reaching and passing boiling point.
"Oh, Irvy!" She shouted, shocked by her best friend's appearance. Quistis also came over to help him.
"They're- coming, for you," Irvine said to them, still in immense pain from his torture and beating at the hands of the guards. "Betray Squall," he advised.
"WHAT?" Selphie and Quistis both shouted in unison.
"Betray him," Irvine responded. "That way, they won't torture you."
"We can't do that!" Selphie shouted. Just then, however, the cell door opened again, and before they could react, three cloaked guards, acting under haste spells, restrained them in their iron-like grips. The SeeDs struggled, but to no avail. Seifer, flanked by two cloaked guards, entered the room, smiling.
"Ah, if it isn't my favourite instructor. And the messenger girl. How are you enjoying being my guests?" He asked, condescendingly.
"We're gonna get you, you big bully!" Selphie shouted, angrily.
"Sefie!" Irvine whispered across to the young brunette. "Don't!"
"It's too late, cowboy," Seifer said upon hearing Irvine's warning, "She's just selected herself as my next room-mate." He made a hand gesture towards the guards, who dragged Selphie off, kicking and screaming, while the others put Irvine and Quistis down with the same karate chops they'd used previously. Due to a combination of the karate chop and pain from the torture, Irvine blacked out as he hit the floor, thinking despairingly about the fate of his friend...
Squall looked up as Seifer re-entered the torture chamber, walking directly to the side door. He entered, smiling at Squall.
"We've got a new playmate," Seifer said, cheerfully.
"I don't care who it is, just let them go," Squall replied. He was getting fed up of Seifer's smug attitude, his smug voice, and his smug beard. However, he felt himself compelled to ask.
"What's with that thing anyway?" Squall found himself thinking out loud.
"What," Seifer replied, stroking his fuzz, "this? I just got tired of shaving. That's something they make you do, and I chose not to do it."
"How individual," Squall replied sarcastically, before his demeanour changed as he saw a struggling Selphie get bolted to the torture rack. "No!" He shouted, shocked that Seifer would do such a thing. "How can you do this?"
"If she has any common sense, I won't have to. Care to place a bet on whether she'll see the light and betray you?" Seifer asked, jokingly. He was coming to enjoy watching Squall squirm, not that he didn't expect to, of course. Squall, however, wasn't enjoying it one bit.
"Screw you," he replied. Seifer looked up at where Selphie was now firmly attached to the rack, and smiled.
"Don't put ideas in my head, Squall," he responded. "And never forget- sticks and stones may break your bones, but names will never harm me." Seifer smiled again, recalling a fond childhood memory. "It's just a shame chicken-wuss couldn't make it- I'd have just loved the chance to torture him. Well," Seifer said, looking up, "it appears I have things to attend to. Until later, Squall." He left the room, laughing all the way, only to re-appear on the other side of the mirror a few seconds later, still laughing.
"Well, well," he started, still in that same cheery voice that drove Squall quietly insane, "little messenger girl. I hope you're well."
"Let me go!" Selphie shouted, struggling in the restraints that were designed for someone much taller than her.
"First things first," Seifer said, "do you, or do you not, follow Squall?"
"What?" Selphie asked, before remembering Irvine's words- Betray Squall… Gulping, she answered.
"Of course I follow him."
"Are you sure about this?" Seifer asked, genuinely concerned. It's almost as if he doesn't want to do this, Squall thought to himself from his vantage point behind the mirror. "Do you stand by him, through thick and thin?" He asked, seeking confirmation. Selphie was more than happy to oblige.
"Through thick... and thin," she confirmed.
"That's all I needed to know," Seifer said, turning his back on Selphie for a brief instant to smile and wink at Squall, behind the mirror. Squall felt his blood boil. I'm gonna kill you, Seifer, he thought. The torturer walked over to his control panel.
"You see," he started, "the thing about electric shock therapy is that it depends on the mass of the subject- these things were designed to kill, and for Squall and that cowboy thing, I had to use the lowest settings. However, they both weigh over 160 pounds each, whereas you, my dear, weigh barely 90. It'd knock you out cold in an instant." Having finished his explanation, he walked back up to Selphie. "Looks like I'll have to find another way then, doesn't it?" He remarked with a grin, before cocking his head back and unleashing a powerful poison spell on Selphie. Instantly, she felt the poison start to churn up her insides, her temperature jumped several degrees and she started sweating uncontrollably. Then, she threw up all over the front of her dress.
"W-why?" She asked, shivering uncontrollably.
"Now that that's done," Seifer said, ignoring her, and also producing a hypodermic, which he flicked at, "shall we begin? I want to know Squall's weaknesses. In my hand, I have a truth serum. I promise you, the combination of it and the poison spell will leave you feeling so under the weather you'll beg for me to activate the electrodes and put you out of your misery." Selphie looked at the needle- she'd never been fond of them, but she suddenly remembered her many years of training. You're a SeeD, Selphie! She thought to herself. What would Squall do in this situation? She thought to herself a little more before answering.
"I'll never tell!" Even when in she was in pain, Selphie's spunk impressed Squall. Unfortunately, Seifer didn't care too much for it- he pushed the needle into her arm, and depressed the plunger. Instantly, Selphie's pupils dilated, and her face almost went green. Her tongue hung out, lolling around, and her limbs all went limp.
"That's better. Now, can you hear me, messenger girl?" Seifer asked. Selphie instantly replied.
"Yes," she said, in a robotic, monotone voice, almost as if the spirit had been sucked out of her. Squall was quivering with rage at this point- he'd seen interrogation victims before, but Selphie hadn't done anything to him! Why pick on her? If you're going to pick on someone, Squall thought, at least be a man and pick on me! Seifer continued his questions, oblivious to what Squall was thinking.
"What," he asked, pacing around, "in your opinion, is Squall's greatest weakness?" Selphie answered him diligently.
"His love for Rinoa," she said, again in a robotic sense. Seifer nodded, satisfied with the answer but not 100% happy.
"Clarify," he ordered the young woman. Again, she was only too willing to answer him.
"He loves her, she loves him. If something happened to one, the other would be devastated."
"I thought as much," Seifer replied, again casting a sideways wink at Squall. "Is there anything else? Any other potential weaknesses I should be aware of?" Selphie answered him after a brief pause.
"His father," she said. No! Squall thought, leaning his head back and grimacing. Besides him, Selphie was the only other person to know about his parentage- now all that was about to change. Seifer suddenly assumed a truly curious expression on his face, while Squall's was one of pure anger.
"His father, you say?" Seifer asked, while casting a surprised look in Squall's direction. "What's his name, messenger girl?" With each following word that Selphie said, Seifer's smile just got wider, and wider, and wider.
"President," she began, "Laguna Loire of Esthar." Seifer had seen reports about Laguna on the television- he figured that although he'd masterminded the plot to defeat Ultimecia in compressed time, he wouldn't come into play in Seifer's plot for revenge against Squall. That is, he thought, until now…
"Take her down," he ordered, as two cloaked guards dutifully obeyed. "Take her back to the cell. I've got an assassination to plot," he said, laughing in Squall's direction. Squall leaned his head back and yelled Seifer's name, his frustration at his helplessness reaching and passing boiling point.