Disclaimer: i DoN't oWn sQaRe eNiX cHaRaChTeRs.

Welcome back! It's time for the 10th installment of Storm Before The Calm. Enjoy.

"Squall... are you okay?" a voice came from above him. It was a voice he had grown to love. A light, sweet, melodic voice that could only belong to Rinoa.

"Mhhm... what the hell?" Squall tried to sit up. His neck hurt.

"Can you stand up?" came Rinoa's voice again. He still hadn't opened his eyes.

"I think so." he answered. Eyelids fluttered open to steel blue eyes. A very concerned Rinoa knelt above him, her hand on his head. He stood up and shook his head. Still a bit woozy from the suffocation, he staggered a bit. Rinoa caught him and steadied his movement.

"Take it easy." Rinoa said calmly.

"I thought I'd be the one telling you that. Garret threw you against the wall with extreme force." Squall stated.

"Squall... we've been over this before... I'm a sorceress." Rinoa rolled her eyes.

"But you are okay?" Squall looked concerned.

"I'm fine. You're in worse shape than me." Rinoa put her hands on her hips.

"Seifer would laugh at seeing me like this..." Squall hung his head.

"Seifer is gone." Rinoa shook her head.

"What!?" Squall chopped a hand through the air.

"He went out to pursue Garret. I told him not to, but he was so angry over what Garret did he didn't listen." Rinoa waved a hand in the air and shook her head, in her own familiar gesture.

"Does Quistis know?" Squall inquired.

"Of course she does... she went with him." Rinoa raised an eyebrow.

"What!?" Squall put his head in his hand.

"Along with Irvine, Zell, and Selphie." Rinoa finished.

"So basically everyone is out pursuing Garret and we're here doing nothing." Squall clenched his fists.

"No... you were out Squall, or else you'd be with them too." Rinoa put her hands on her knees and knelt a bit, looking Squall in the face.

"They took the Ragnarok... didn't they?" Squall sighed.

"Yes... but that doesn't mean we can't get there." Rinoa smiled.

"How do you propose to find another ship like Ragnarok?" Squall rolled his eyes.

"I'm not saying we should find a ship... I'm saying we should teleport to them." Rinoa's smile turned to a grin.

"Are you sure you are ready to conjure a portal Rinoa? You've only had your powers for a short time." Squall pointed out.

"I'm sure... It seems like everytime I get hurt and recouperate, my powers grow stronger." Rinoa put a hand on her hip and snapped her fingers. Behind her, the air turned purple and a visible tear in time/space fabric could be seen.

"Let's go." Rinoa pointed towards the portal. Both stepped through and found themselves in the passenger deck of the Ragnarok.

"Nice job." Squall admired Rinoa's handywork.

"Thank you, sweetie." Rinoa hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Let's get to the cockpit. It's gonna blow everyone's minds that we're here."

"Whatever." Squall shook his head.

"Dammit Selphie! Can't you make this hunk of junk go any faster!?" Seifer roared from the weapons station.

"I'm going as fast as I can! Isn't that right Irvy?" Selphie looked up at Irvine, at which the ship veered sharply to the right. Selphie quickly steadied the controls and sought Irvine's approval once more.

"That's right Sefie... the ship is at it's max speed." Irvine nodded at Seifer.

"God Dammit! Stupid Estharian bullshit ship!" Seifer pounded his fists on the controls, launching a volly of machine gun fire.

"Hey! Watch it Seifer. If someone had been in front of us... they'd be toast!" a voice came from the cockpit door. It belonged to Rinoa.

"Holy shit! I mean.... how did you two get here?" Irvine's hat fell off, and he scooped it up.

"Rinoa summoned a portal..." was Squall's answer, as he followed Rinoa in.

"Her powers have grown that much?" Quistis finally spoke up. She had been seated in one of the new chairs next to the cockpit door.

"Isn't it great?" Rinoa jumped up and down.

"No Rinoa... it's not that great. Think of the implications..." Seifer said without turning.

"Seifer's right Rinoa... the more your powers grow... the more people will fear you." Quistis nodded.

"I know... but you guys don't fear me, do you?" Rinoa looked hopeful.

"Of course not, Rinny, but you won't always have us around..." Irvine said.

"Yeah I will. I'll always have Squall!" Rinoa hugged her boyfriend protectively.

"You may not even have him one day..." Seifer muttered.

"And why wouldn't I?" Rinoa demanded.

"Rinoa... quit actin like a child." Seifer sprung from the weapons controls, standing evenly against the backdrop of the sky.

"I'm not!" Rinoa insisted.

"Yes you are... Something... anything... could happen to any of us. You need to learn how to become self-sufficient. I have. I'm ready for everyone to turn on me or die any day. I know exactly what I want and need. Do you?" Seifer asked.

"Seifer... haven't you payed attention to anything that we've done during the past month since you came back?" Squall joined the conversation.

"Oh I'm all too familiar with facades Squall. I've put up a few myself." Seifer sneered.

Squall shook his head and snorted, "It's your own fault that you don't believe we really care for you."

"Yeah! Your'e forgetting Quistis too, dumbass!" Zell entered the cockpit. "She loves you, and she always has. Admit it. We've always been there for you, even when we were kickin your ass!"

"If I wanted your opinion Chicken-Wuss, I WOULD HAVE ASKED FOR IT!!" Seifer raged.

"Asshole!" Zell took on a fighting pose.

"ENOUGH." Squall roared. "So... where are we on the pursuit of Garret?"

"Nowhere..." Seifer hung his head. "We've been on a wild goose chase. Selphie used the computer to try and pick up traces of any jet fuel being used, but found none. We found scorches in the ground headed towards Trabia, but we've been all over. No sign of him..."

"That's because you're not thinking... Of course Garret would leave his engine scorches headed towards Trabia. It would buy him time. He's headed to the most obvious desination, Esthar." Squall crossed his arms.

"And why would he head to the most obvious destination, oh Commander sir?" Seifer smart-assed.

Squall chuckled. "Because he knew we'd think exactly how you are right now." Squall turned to Selphie. "Change your destination... we're headed for the Sorceress Memorial."

"Roger that!" Selphie veered the Ragnarok to the right, and set in the auto-pilot.

Another not so long chapter...-sigh- Don't worry though, things are going to seriously pick up in not too long! R&R in the meantime.