Igor, Thanx a lot for all your suggestions, what would I do without you?

~I believe in you. ~

*I don't own Final Fantasy or any of its characters*

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*Chapter 6 – In the Shadows*

"So, how's your plan doing?" A cold, firm, female voice echoed through the green stone room.

"Great, my queen." A silent, evil male voice followed.

"Are you planning to tell me anyway soon what you're doing?"  She sounded threatening, it was clear that she doubted something.

"Yes, my queen" It seemed that he didn't care for her threatening.

"You know that you would already be dead if you didn't help me before?"

"I know, my queen, and I'm highly grateful for your mercy."

"I can't tolerate it any more, I can't let you do it on yourself, there's too many risks. Either say what you're doing, or I wont have any mercy for you. Choose, to rule the world with me, or to die alone!"

"I just need few more hours, my queen."

 "NOW!"

"So, you don't trust me, my queen? Who was with you when you were powerless? I told you that I'll take care of the problem, and I'm doing it. I just need few more hours to see if it'll work, if it works, you'll rule the world with me on your side, if it doesn't work, we'll find another way to do it."

"Tell me more." She sounded calmer than before.

~ I can't tell her that I've used a spell, it's too strong, and she would kill me if she knew that I'm more powerful than she is. If I succeed, she wont doubt in me, if I fail, I'll never tell her. I must see if the spell is strong enough. ~

"Don't worry, my queen, I have a plan how to erase all difficulties with one move. If I'm right and if my plan succeeds, you'll be the queen of the whole world in no time.

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Rinoa ran into her room crying, closed her door and locked them. She leaned on the wall and slowly slid on the floor. She hugged her knees and cried. Angelo came to her, licked her face tenderly and lied next to her. She couldn't stop crying, she didn't know what to think, she was completely lost. ~Why? ~ She couldn't believe that he said that. She prayed that this is just a nightmare. ~ I'll wake up, and everything will be like it was before. ~ But it wasn't, it was too real, it hurt too much.

She was looking in front of herself, but didn't see anything. She heard voices in front of her dorm, but she just didn't care. She just stayed there and cried.

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Selphie and Elly were walking toward the Cafeteria. They were talking about their childhood.

"…There was a beautiful flower field where we used to play and … what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I've just had a strange feeling, bad feeling, Elly said, se seemed distant, deep in thoughts. "Don't worry, it's probably just my imagination." She smiled.

"Morning girls how are you?"

"Hi Nida, you're up early. Nida, this is Elly. Elly, Nida. Do you want to drink a cup of coffee with us?"

"Nice to meet you." He turned toward Selphie. "Maybe next time, I have a lot of work. I just wanted to ask if there's something wrong with Rinoa, I've just seen her running toward the dormitory, she seemed upset."

Selphie and Elly looked at each other.

"Sorry Nida, we gotta go." Selphie said and they ran to see what happened.

~She went to talk to him; I knew she'll do it. Damn! ~ Elly thought as they were running.

Finally, they came in front of Rinoa's dorm. Selphie knocked. No answer. She knocked again. Nothing. She tried to open the door. It was locked.

"Rin, open the door, it's me, Selphie!" Selphie yelled.

Elly took Selphie's arm and showed her to be quiet. They were listening. Sobs could be heard from the other side of the door.

"Rinoa open the door, please!" Elly knocked again. "Selphie go and call Zell and Irvine, I'm afraid she could do something stupid." Selphie nodded and ran.

"Rinny!" Elly continued with tears in her eyes.

Few minutes later, which seemed like an eternity, Selphie showed up with two boys running behind her. They didn't ask anything.

"Rin, open the door." Irvine yelled.

Elly embraced Zell. "I'm so worried."

"Don't worry, everything is going to be fine." He hugged her tightly.

~Damn it! ~ Irvine started knocking the door with his back, and finally he knocked them down.

"Rin?!" She was in front of him, curled on the floor, hugging her knees and crying. She was swinging slowly back and forth. He knelt near her and hugged her.

"Shhh, everything is fine." They stayed like this for a while, until she calmed down a bit, and fell asleep. Irvine took her and put her on her bed. The others were at the door.

"I'll stay here, maybe she'll need someone." Elly entered.

"I'll stay with you." Zell said. She gave him a thankful look.

"I'll go to find Quistis, we'll go to the headmaster. Someone will have to explain the broken door. Coming with me Irvine?"

"No, I have a thing to do." He said.

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"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Irvine burst in Squall's office.

"What are you talking about? What's wrong with you people, I have a work to do and I can't do it if someone comes here to bug me every five minutes!"

"I don't care about your work, you're going to listen me want it or not!"

"What?"

"What the hell is wrong with you? What did you do to Rinoa? I thought you love her!"

"What's wrong with you guys? Did I ever say that I loved her? No, I didn't! Than?"

"Listen to me, you're my friend, I love you like a brother and I surely don't know what's wrong with you lately, but Rin is like a sister to me, and don't you dare to hurt her like this again! You are my friend, but I can't let you doing it! Understood?"

"Whatever." He looked trough the window.

"So, what happened?" Irvine calmed down a bit.

Squall gave him a puzzled and annoyed look.

"Why did she run out of your office crying?"

"She just got some wrong ideas about our relationship."

"Just some wrong ideas?! You should see her, she was destroyed!"

Squall was looking quite annoyed.

Irvine shook his head. "Squall, please, tell me what happened in that cave." He asked concerned.

"Nothing."

Irvine looked at him for a moment, and turned around to leave. "I'll leave you to your work." He said as he was leaving.

~ What's wrong with them? ~

It was the first time that two of the six SeeDs had a serious fight.

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Rinoa opened her eyes in terror, trying to find out where she is. She was crying. Once again she lived trough the same nightmare. She was terribly scared and she hated herself for that. How could she be scared for him, after all he had done to her? She wanted to hate him, she really wanted it, but she couldn't. She loved him too much. She tried to calm down.

She heard sounds of footsteps on the balcony behind her. For a second she thought it could be him, but she mentally slapped herself. She decided that she wouldn't torture herself any more, that she'll forget him. ~I can do it. ~

"Are you okay?" Elly sat on her bed.

"Yea, I'm fine now." Rinoa faked a smile.

"You sure?" Zell showed up.

Rinoa nodded.

"What … happened? Elly asked carefully, she was scared of Rinoa's reaction. It was strange; Rinoa was really upset before and now she looked completely calm.

Rinoa's smile disappeared. For a moment Elly could see deep sadness in her eyes.

"…I … just don't want to talk about it now… please."

Elly nodded.

"If you want to be alone, we'll go."

Rinoa nodded again.

"If you need us, we'll be in Cafeteria or somewhere around." Zell said. Elly hugged Rinoa and they left.

Rinoa stayed there and looked around her. She wanted to do something, to distract herself, but she didn't know what. Se noticed two pictures on her desk. She looked at them. Both were taken soon after the war against Ultimecia. On one was whole squad A: Selphie, Irvine, Squall, Zell, Quistis and she, in front of Balamb garden. They all had big smiles on their faces, except Squall. Selphie was waving like mad. Irvine had one arm around Selphie's waist and other was holding the edge of his hat. He had one of his hey-girls-look-who's-here looks on his face. Next to him was Squall, who put one hand on his gunblade and the other around her neck on her shoulder. He was happy, but he didn't smile. She leaned her head on his shoulder. Zell had both hands in the air, and was yelling something. She could still remember what; he was yelling: "Who's the best? We're the best!" Next to him was Quistis, calm as always and truly happy. A smile escaped Rinoa while she was remembering that day. Than her look fell on the other picture, a picture of Squall and her, on the Balamb beach. The sun was going down. Squall was sitting on the gold sand, embracing her. He was looking at her and smiling. He was so cute when he was smiling. Selphie was the one who took that picture. She and Zell were spying them, and when they thought that is the right moment, Selphie showed up and took that picture. Squall's expression was priceless, but she wouldn't like to be in Selphie's place in that moment. While Rinoa was laughing like mad, Squall was chasing Selphie and Zell on the beach for almost an hour.

Rinoa took that picture and sat on her bad. ~I was so happy, and so lucky than. Maybe this had to happen. Maybe it would be egotistic from me to ask for more. For more than a year, my life has been perfect. Maybe I should be happy because of it and move on. But what if I can't? ~ She opened the drawer and put both pictures in it. ~I have to. ~

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Seifer was in his dorm; he has just finished reading a book. It was very tidy room, with only few things in it. Two piles of books in open carton boxes were placed next to his desk. He was almost obsessed with this. Squall's behaviour reminded him about something. He heard knocking. This was more than strange. Since he came back, no one has come here.

"Just a minute." He took the book he was reading and put it in the box, on which was written, "Finished"

He opened the door and saw Elly. She was serious, too serious, but they were all after what happened to Rinoa and Squall in Green Cave. She held her cat in her arms. He tried to remember her name ~ Lily or something. ~ The cat was sleeping peacefully.

"Hi." She said. "I would like to talk with you about something."

Seifer nodded and showed her to enter.  She entered.

"Nice room you have there." She said and sat on his bed. He took a chair from his desk and sat opposite of her.  

"Say."

"I have a feeling that you're the only one who knows what's going on around here." She gave him a questioning look.

"I have a theory, but it doesn't mean that it's true."

"Do you mind to share it with me?"

"I don't know; I would rather make sure that I'm right, it may sound crazy."

"Please tell me, I'll help you to find out what happened! I can't just stand here and pretend that everything is okay."

Seifer opened his mouth to say something, but he didn't have enough time.

"I'll believe you!" She interrupted his attempt.   

~What? How…~

"How did you know what I wanted to say?"

"I…I thought you'll think that I won't believe you."

He looked down, thinking.

"Please?"

"Okay, sit, it's gonna be a long story."

She sat down and waited.

"Two years ago I meet Rinoa in Timber. She was fighting for its liberation. I…I"

"You fell in love with her." It was more a statement than a question.

"Damn it, how do you know all this stuff?" It looked that he didn't really like the idea of someone who'll know what he's thinking.

~It would take me a lot of time to explain everything. ~  "I just… guess it."

He inhaled.  "I think I loved her. I cared and still care for her, that's sure... Lets move on with the story. I told her about SeeDs, and advised her to ask Cid for help. She had done that, and he had sent Squall, Zell and Selphie to help her. Few weeks later president went to Timber for a live broadcast. In order to help Rinoa with her goal; I went there and tried to capture him. I didn't think about consequences, I never did, and that cost me a lot. That's when everything went wrong. When I tried to exit from the building the sorceress came. She started babbling things to me. I couldn't control myself anymore. I …don't know how to explain it. I knew what was happening around me, but I thought that the right thing to do is what she told me to. Few times I became conscious, but I didn't have enough strength or will to fight against her power. I was myself, I did the things I usually do, but when she told me to launch missiles toward Balamb, I thought that it's the only and obvious thing to do. But even without her order, I acted like if I hate SeeDs and Balamb, though in reality it wasn't like that. Which brings me to our, or better Squall's case."

Elly was trying to solve the puzzle.

"Once I even tried to hurt Rinoa, in order to give Adel and Ultimecia more power, I surely wouldn't do it if weren't under the influence of the spell."

"That was one of times when I took conscience and tried to fight it, with no results." He added silently, but loud enough for Elly to hear it.

"So you think that a sorceress is behind this?  She asked.

"I guess, but I don't know why or how. I don't know anything. This is why I read almost whole library. " He said.

"Why would a sorceress posses Squall? That's easy."  Elly was trying to help.

"Squall is Seed commander, and SeeDs are trained to fight sorceresses. I know that, something other is bothering me. What if…"

"What? Say it, it can only help." Elly encouraged him.

"What if this is a strike on Rinoa, as a sorceress she is a big treat to any other sorceress.

"It would solve her two problems in one move."

Seifer was relieved; it was much easier to think when he wasn't alone. ~Two heads are smarter than one. ~

"Two pieces of the puzzle are solved, but now comes the harder part. Where has sorceress come from? There is only one sorceress at the time, except if someone gets power from the past or future, but Rinoa has all three powers, past, present and future."

"Maybe…maybe it isn't a sorceress?" Elly was trying to put few pieces together.

"What are you trying to say?"

"It must be someone with enough power to cast such a spell."

Seifer gave her a questioning look. "How could someone have that much power?"

"As you probably know, I'm coming from a small village Elron in great forest north of Esthar, Where we went on mission. There are few villages like mine in that forest. Some people there have some kind of powers. Nothing special, they have visions sometimes, can feel danger, their magic is stronger and things like that, I'm one of them too. This is why I knew what you wanted to say. No, no I can't read minds, but I could feel your emotions and I guessed what you're thinking. Anyway we don't have enough power for that kind of spell, but if someone could in a way … absorb that power… he or she would be stronger."

"Missing people from your village."

She nodded slowly.

"Would he or she be strong enough?"

"I dunno, lots of people disappeared, if you put their power together, I guess it would be enough. 'Course, if it's even possible."

"If it is, we just have to find them. My first guess would be Green Cave. If he or she isn't there, at least we could find some clues. But we should talk with Matron first." Seifer said.

"Who?"

"Edea."

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"My queen?" Ian went toward the next room. He had one of his I-told –you-so looks.

"Yes?"

"My plan works, my queen."

"So you'll finally tell me what is it about?

"Yes my queen, if you wish."

"Than?"

"You said that there are only two things that can stop you on your way to glory. You also said that you need sorceress. I tried to find the easiest way to solve both things, to find a connection, and I've found it." He tried to read expression on her face.  

"I've done some researches on previous sorceress'. I started searching in the past, not knowing that the future will bring me what I seek. After a long search, I've found up about a case where the sorceress controlled mind of her knight. According to some books, there are spells, very powerful ones, that can give you power of controlling somebody's mind. If the spell is string enough, the victim doesn't even realise that you control him."

"Go on."

"I've found few similar spells and picked the one that I thought the strongest. I've cast it and it's working."

"On who?"

"Knight."

He stood there proud, waiting for approval, but he didn't get what he expected.

 "You're a fool! You should tell me your plans! The spell would be stronger! And if you had failed, they would know that someone is working against them! We agreed that we'd do it in silence!

… Wait a minute… you've said that you can completely control the knight?"

"Yes my queen."

"I have an idea, an great idea, god yob Ian."

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Tell me what you think!!!  (Please review all chapters; I really want to know what do you think about each of them THANX)

ReViEw!!!

**Exhile87: Kekekeke…he is a jerk…but is not his fault…(yea, like u didn't know it.) Dragon thing is a GF – so you guessed the same thing twice  - and two times you were wrong ^¸~ Thanx

**Hiasha: I'm so flattered that you think I write great "Squinoa" moments, it means a lot.

Thanx for this, I needed it!

**Icicle: Wow! You really can't stop thinking about this? (Kidding) Squall's thingy has to do something with Elly's story, you probably already know what. And, no – that GF is as dead as it could be – he hasn't any influence on Squall's behavior. I'll try to find time for your fic, though I'm more a fan of selphvines than selphfers. (Great nick!)

**Naiomi: I PROMISE – you'll find out what happened to Squall (You probably already have some clues) I saw your review, I just didn't recognize your nickname. You don't sound mean; it's good to know that there are people who can't wait to read my fic. THANX!!

**trinity:  Thanx, here's your long awaited chapter. 

LOVE YA EVERYONE!