Author's note: On my scale, this is a loong chap :)

to Iskander : Hmm, maybe he will... :P

to Firefly-Dreams : I tend to update every day... I just can't help it, gotta keep the story going.

to shadow-seraph : I'm glad I can affect people with my fanfics. If I can make at least one person think about stuff, I've succeeded :) It's sad that I actually personally know people like Delray, tho. Hunting? As in shooting animals and stuff?

to Lizzie : Heey, maybe I should do that :P

to Aqil : No, I actually have a better plan for them to come out. Email me when you got the time, then :)

to Greyon Hell : That's okay, as long as you still read the story and review every now and then...

-Seifer's POV-

"Did you know Ellone has strange powers?"

"Huh?" I turn to Squall. "What kinda powers?"

"She can somehow in some weird way travel thru time. But not just like that, she likes sends a person there."

"Oh. Sounds cool."

"Yeah," he nodds. "That's why the Sorceress wants her."

"What's why?"

"The Sorceress is gonna use her somehow, I don't know. She didn't know."

I down the rest of my coffee. "You about done? I thought we might go check out the command bridge."

We exit the elevator in HeadMaster Kramer's room.

"Hello boys," he says, turning to us. "Excited?"

"Yeah," Squall says.

"We're almost there. Please, take a seat," he says and gestures towards the chair in front of his desk.

"Do you know... Ellone?" Squall asks. "I mean, stupid question, of course you do, but..."

"What do I know about her, hm?" the HeadMaster asks thoughtfully while sitting down opposite to us. "She has some very extraordinary powers."

"Yes, I know. But do you know why she's come here?"

"To Garden? She wants us to protect her from the Sorceress. There's a reason to believe that the Sorceress might have some plans for her."

"But what about.... Matron?" I ask quietly.

"What about her, exactly?"

"Well is she alright? Is the future-Sorceress still controlling her?"

"On and off, yes."

"Can't it be prevented? The possession?"

"I'm afraid no, it can't."

"What can we do to prevent her from killing everyone?"

"She will tell you herself," the HeadMaster says and stands up. "We have landed. Let us go to her now."

Oh Hyne. It's all coming back to me now.... How could I have forgotten this place?

"It's all.... ruins," Squall says from my side.

"What happened here?" Selphie asks quietly.

"Time," I mumble. "And disregard."

"She's in the backyard," Kramer says. "I think you know the way."

We walk thru the ruins of the once so great house, to find our Matron standing there, staring off to the distant horizon.

"M..Matron?" Quistis asks carefully.

She turns to us and smiles. "My dear children. Forgive me."

It's so hard to believe she has actually tried to kill us. Several times.

"I have been possessed all this time," she says. "I was at the mercy of Sorceress Ultimecia."

Quistis nodds. "So we've heard."

"Ultimecia's objective is to find Ellone. She is after Ellone's mysterious power. Ultimecia is a very fearful Sorceress. Her hear is filled with anger and hatred. There was no way I was going to let Ultimecia get a hold of Ellone."

She tells us how she had to surrender her soul to Ultimecia and lose control of her own mind, because that was the only way to save Ellone.

"Have you all heard of Sorceress Adel before?" she asks us then.

Zell clears his throat. "She was the ruler of Esthar during the Sorceress War. No one knows of her whereabouts... what's what I've learned."

"The Galbadians must have thought I was the sorceress who received Adel's powers. However, that is not the case."

And she tells us about how she believes Adel might still be alive, and that Ultimecia must've released Matron to take control of Adel's body.

"Sorceress Adel is the type who will not hesitate to use her powers for her own selfish desires," Matron says. "Should Sorceress Ultimecia from the future bequeath her anger and hatred unto Adel, their power would be unimaginable."

An hour or so later, when I return to my dorm with Squall, my head is spinning with all the time compression and possession things I've heard. This is all starting to sound way too weird.

"Are you okay?"

I look at Squall's slightly worried face. "Yeah, I'm fine, guess. I just can't believe this is happening to us."

"You mean Ultimecia?"

"I mean.. the whole thing. Time compression, a future sorceress possessing our Matron..." I sigh. "What will come out of this?"

"The key to the whole thing is Ellone," Squall says thoughtfully. "All we have to do is protect her."

I nodd. "And deal with Ultimecia when the time comes."

"Exactly. Where is Ellone, by the way?"

I shrug. "Maybe we should ask Cid."

"The White SeeDs took her," Cid says. "They will take her some place safe."

"And Garden isn't?"

Cid smiles a bit. "If Sorceress Ultimecia would attempt anything with her here, no one knows what might happen."

"How are the White SeeDs better than us?" I ask.

Cid shakes his head, still smiling. "That is not the case, Seifer. You just have to trust me, and the White SeeDs."

"But the whole thing is up to Ellone!" Squall says. "Wouldn't it be better if we could protect her ourselves?"

"The White SeeDs have been trained especially for this. They will know what to do. Go enjoy your free afternoon now, boys."