By myself but not Alone
Disclaimer: I don't own final fantasy 8.
Sorry if some of this isn't exactly correct, I haven't played ff8 in a long time so I'm just going off memory.
QUISTIS'S POV
My heart is pounding in my chest and blood has soaked into my clothes, staining them a dark crimson color that I'm positive I'll never get out. Most of my team has been obliterated and only myself and two others remain.
Our mission was simple, there had been a build up of Behemoth in the Esthar area, unfortunately we didn't count on there being so many. One on its own is a mission enough, but fighting any more than three becomes a bit of a handful. Not to mention the arrival of some very nasty looking Catoblepas, there a close relative of the Behemoth.
Basically these beasts are grungy dog looking creatures, they usually have wings too small to actually support there body weight. This is because of there tough skin they have to get cold air into there flesh somehow, these wings are thin and easy to tear off but they are the monsters ventilation.
They also have horns at the front of there head that are there main weapon when attacking. They have a tail out the back of them with spikes protruding out of it, though I imagine this could deal a deadly blow they are usually reluctant to use them.
Fur covers from the back of there neck to the top of there head, as well as there chest area. My least favorite part of these beasts are their claws, they dig into your flesh and make the worst wounds I have come across in my time as a SeeD.
I think the strangest thing about the Behemoth though is its coloration, they are a midnight purple, the fur is a crimson red and its horns and claws are a dark black. While the Catoblepas are a red color with strange grey patterns weaving around there skin. There horns are also black while there fur is ivory white.
These beasts had threatened to enter the Esthar city and wreak havoc on the inhabitants. President Loire immediately enlisted the help of Balamb Garden, seeing as his Esthar solders were no match for the monsters. But as it would seem, we are no match either.
I swing my whip around my head and crack it down on one of the beasts; I've been wearing down for quite some times, head. It falls to the ground and a feel it shake momentarily. Taking the brief chance I have to have a breather I briefly stare up at the sky, praying to Hyne for some sort of help. Seconds later I am thrown into another fierce battle.
Suddenly I feel the calming light of a Curaga spell being cast on me. Thank god I studied battle tactics when I was fourteen. I have set up the remaining SeeD's in a typical battle position. One is standing high on a ledge where none of the monsters can reach. Her name is Reanna and she specializes in white magic. So naturally her job is to heal us as we need it.
My other companion is a boy called Ayden. He has only been a SeeD for about a month but he seems to be a highly advanced fighter. He uses a spear and is the only other person out here fighting these monsters other than myself.
The funny thing is, when we started it was a group of fifteen. We were slaughtered, I can't believe that we've lasted this long. It was a suicide mission.
For about the twentieth time today I decide that we need a break, I call out to Ayden and tell him that I am going to summon a Gf. That basically means that he has to cover me while I do so. While I'm summoning I'm generally defenseless.
Squall had leant me the Gf Diablos before I had left, he thought that I might need. So far I've been using my old trusty Quezacotl but seeing as this probably will be the last chance I have at using a Gf, I figure I might as well take a chance.
My concentration is focused fully on one thing, summoning this Gf. I'm helpless and although I hate being helpless in any way I have to… otherwise we're all dead.
A green light illuminates around me and suddenly the sky turns an eerie purple, bats swarm all around and they start to form a giant black ball of what looks like ooze. It hangs in the sky for a couple of seconds before a red and black demon slowly comes out from the bottom of the ball. It spreads its wings dramatically before arching its back and thrusting its arm up towards the black ball of ooze.
Red and yellow tendrils of electricity connect Diablos and the ball. Using what looks to me like all of its strength it throws the ball down at all the monsters below. It plummets to the ground and when it connects with the beasts eight symbols appear surrounding the ball. Following that one large symbol appears in the middle of the ball before Diablos does a back flip in the air and disappears as quickly as it had appeared.
I am shocked by the amount of damage Diablos caused. Most of the monsters are either dead or damn near it. But there are still a lot of them. We need to cast some powerful spells right now, and a lot of them.
I glance at Ayden for a second then up at Reanna, they are both staring at me, there eyes tell me that they are wondering what there course of action should be now. I decide that we don't have time to sort out a battle plan so I immediately cast a Meteor, instantly a torrent of comets strike all the beasts surrounding us.
As if directly on queue I see a flash of white followed by a flash of black. Reanna has cast a tremendously powerful Holy spell while Ayden followed my lead by casting an Ultima. I can't help but wonder how he attained such a powerful spell. Being a starting SeeD I doubt that he was able to draw it from the type of beasts that carry that spell. I must ask him… if this works.
Back at Garden… Squall's POV
An uneasy feeling is overcoming my senses and I'm finding it a little hard to concentrate on the job at hand. I'm currently sitting at my desk, looking over the god awful paper work that Cid has so generously bestowed on me. What a guy… cheers Cid…
Back to my uneasy feeling, I can't help but be a little worried about Quistis. Her mission was supposed to be over today, well that was the estimated time that we thought it would take for them to complete this mission but we haven't had any contact with her since she reached Esthar.
Although I'd refuse to admit it to anyone, I am a little worried. Quistis knows protocol and she always follows it. For her to not follow it for any reason must've been major.
I glance down at my watch, if I wait another two hours then Cid said that I can take a group and go check it out. Unfortunately this is turning out to be two of the longest hours of my life. Someone has to have lost contact for over a day before we are allowed to find them. Quistis has been gone longer than this but no one seemed to notice until yesterday and Cid seems to be convinced that she will be fine.
I am not so sure…
Two hours later
Although Squall hadn't wanted to, his crew had been none other than Selphie Irvine and Zell. They had insisted that they be the ones to assist Squall in finding Quistis as soon as they had heard of her disappearance.
Squall wasn't surprised in the least about it; he knew that they were just as worried about her as he was.
They were a sight to see that was for sure. The legendary SeeD's, all together… well nearly all of them and one of them wasn't technically a SeeD… anyway!
Squall walked with his Gunblade resting on his shoulder, his head high and his eyes focused straight ahead of himself. He made a sharp turn at the parking lot and headed for a 'special park' well that was what it was labeled anyway. He pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked the steel door that separated this room from the rest of the Garden. Inside was their personal ship, the only one of its kind… the Ragnarok.
It had been dubbed as theirs after they had completed their… special mission… not only that but Selphie was one of the only people able to fly it. It surprised most people, for someone who seemed so simple she really had a gift for working technical things. Not even Nada could work it and he was responsible for flying Garden when they needed it.
Squall and the others boarded the ship, heading straight for the cockpit. Selphie took her seat, stretching her hands out in front of her and smiling broadly. She had a gleam in her eye that was only there when driving this thing. It was one of her passions. It was quite an adrenaline rush just riding on it though, the Ragnarok being one of the fastest airships on the planet.
Irvine stood behind Selphie, as per usual, resting his body weight on the back of her seat. Squall had always supposed it was because from that angle he not only got one of the best views in the world but he also got an A class peek, straight down Selphie's little yellow dress.
But that was just one mans opinion.
"Do you really think that we should just leave her here like this? Does she even know we're going?" Selphie asked before she let the engines roar into life.
Squall glanced up from whatever it was he had been doing previously, immediately knowing that the question was being directed towards him.
"No she doesn't know we're going and that's the way it should stay." Squall answered quickly.
"Yeah Selph. She'd probably start freaking out or something. You know how civilians get." Zell added.
"It just… doesn't seem right." Selphie sighed.
They all heard what sounded like metal scraping together, thinking that it was probably just Selphie's bad driving they dismissed it. Even Selphie thought it was her fault, but she wasn't going to point it out if it was.
Soon they were high over Balamb garden, sailing away from its boarders and into the unknown territory of Esthar. Esthar was only about half an hour's flight from Balamb, most people thinking that it was a barren waste land, it was quite the contrary. Flora was a bit lacking but scientifically they were at the forefront of technology.
Quistis was supposed to be stationed somewhere near the Lunar Gate, but Esthar was such a vast continent it meant anywhere basically. Nonetheless the search began. They didn't have to search far before they noticed a large herding of Behemoth accompanied by the occasional Catoblepas.
"I hope Quisty isn't down there." Selphie quivered.
Irvine gulped and searched with his eyes for any tell tale signs of Quistis. Whether it be the sound of her whip or a spell of some sort being cast.
They soon heard a very feminine scream that echoed over the Esthar plains. Squall ordered Selphie to land immediately, panic written all over his face. The fact that Squall wasn't calm made the rest of the group nervous, not to mention the fear they already felt.
As it floated slowly, a little too slow in their opinions, they all equipped themselves with magic's and Gf. Although the use of GF's had been prohibited since they had learnt of its negative affects it was still allowed in life or death situations. This would be considered one.
"This is ganna be a toughie." Selphie sighed as she jogged down to the exit.
"Irvine and I will secure the area around Quistis once she is located, Selphie, and Zell, you two…" Squall trailed off at the end.
Something caught his attention, something that wasn't supposed to be here.
"We two…" Zell
Squall shushed him, sending him an ice melting glare as he did so. Zell rolled his eyes while Selphie started tapping her foot impatiently.
"Squall, we have to go!" Irvine finally burst out.
"Right…" Squall trailed out, he began briefing them on their positions as they ran out.
P.s, I think I did pretty well for memory… not that I cheated and looked on the internet or anything…
(I'm not sure if they call them Airships in ff8 but they do in damn near all the other ones!)