I didn't know this story was popular to anyone, but by demand, I have decided to continue with the story. Just keep reviewing and you'll get more chapters! Enjoy!
Chapter 3
"Zell! Zell!" Quistis screamed as she ran out of the Garden.
"Zell, you have to get back to garden! It's really important!" Irvine said.
"You heard your leader, I'm not allowed in there. Now if you'll excuse me," Zell said turning around.
"Zell, we're going to save Seifer," Quistis said. "Really? Well if you guys don't mind, tell your headmaster that I don't need his pity or help and that I'll get Seifer back on my own. Thanks but no thanks," Zell replied.
"But it wasn't Squall's idea, it was Rinoa's," Irvine explained.
"Like she isn't working right under him. She's his fiancée and you expect her to jump up and…" "Oh for Hyne's sake Zell, cut it out! Rinoa's trying to help you out here. Stop acting so childish. Squall has nothing to do with this. He doesn't even know what's going on. At least do it for Seifer. Besides, he'd kill us if he found out we let you go after him alone," Quistis said.
"Fine I'll come back," Zell said.
Back at the Raganork, Rinoa started plotting their battle plan. "First things first. Selphie, you set a course for Esthar. We need to speak to Laguna," Rinoa said.
"Laguna? What makes you think he..."
"Zell!" Quistis and Selphie said at the same time. "Sorry," Zell replied. Zell headed to his room on the Raganork.
"Seifer why did you do it? It wasn't worth it. Something was up or he wouldn't have called you off duty. He would have sent Selphie. But I'll get you back. I promise," Zell said as he drifted off to sleep.
"I wonder how he's doing back there. Maybe somebody should go check up on him," Irvine said.
"Good idea Irvine, make sure you tell us when you get back," Quistis said.
"What? I didn't volunteer for anything," Irvine replied with a surprised look on his face.
"But Irvine you're the only boy so it'd be better off if you talked to him," Selphie said.
"Rinoa, what do you think? Rinoa?" Irvine asked. Rinoa looked up as if she hadn't heard anything. "What?" Rinoa asked.
"Um, Rinoa are you ok? Maybe you should go lay down," Quistis said.
"No, no I'm fine. How's Zell? Irvine, you should go check up on him," Rinoa said, going back into her daze.
"But, I,"
"No buts, the leader has spoken. Now go Irvine," Selphie said.
"Oh fine, for Hyne's sake," Irvine said as he walked out of the cockpit.
"Who is it?" Zell asked when he heard a knock on his door.
"It's Irvine. I've been sent by the ladies to check up on ya," Irvine said.
"Oh come in. I'm ok I guess. But all I keep thinking about is Squall and what he did to Seifer. And Seifer. I can't even imagine the torture he's going though right now. And what's up with Rinoa? I always thought she'd be by her fiancée's side. I mean that's what marriage is all about right? Maybe it's another trap…"
"Zell what the hell are you talkin' about? Rinoa's helping you cause she cares about you and Seifer. She's worried about Squall too, but for Hyne's sake do you think she'd go this far for you if it were a trap? She ain't supposed to be using the Raganork, and she ain't got permission to tell us, as members of SeeD, to go anywhere or do anything. That's Squall's job but she's breaking a lot of rules doing this. Did you ever think about that? The trust in her marriage is on the line and so is her staying at Garden. If she's ever gonna take the SeeD exam, this is a definite fail. So think about that man. And Seifer's fine. Don't worry about that," Irvine explained.
"I never thought about that. Thanks Irvine," Zell said.
"Zell, Irvine, we will be landing in Esthar's Airport shortly. Be ready to go"
Irvine left to get his stuff and Zell jumped in the shower.
"You should be here, but you're not," Zell said.
"You can't do this to me. Let me go!" Seifer pleaded. He was chained to the wall and being shocked, in the same manner he once did to Squall.
"Not until you tell me what I want to hear. Where is she?" Victoria asked.
"I told you, I don't know! Now let me go!" Seifer screamed.
"Fine, then tell me, what exactly is your leader hiding from you? I mean, what is this he speaks of so much about him and Zell and…"
"What do you mean him and Zell?" Seifer asked. "Guards, let him down. Follow me Seifer, I shall explain it all…"
"Hey guys! What's up? Welcome back to Esthar!" Laguna said greeting them at the Presidential Palace.
"No time for reunions, we need to get to business now," Rinoa said rushing past them straight to Laguna's office.
"Well then, isn't somebody edgy today," Laguna said following her. "Let's go people,"
"Now, we need to get a lot of information in a little bit of time. Laguna, as I've already explained to you, something's wrong with Squall. And Seifer's been abducted by Victoria. We believe she's keeping him in the reconstructed Missile Base southeast of Deling City. I've already made arrangements to speak with my father to see what he knows, if anything. What's most important is that we…"
"Calm down and take a breath," Laguna said cutting Rinoa off.
"He's right. We have to work on one thing at a time to find out anything. Now we're all tired so let's get some sleep and work on it first thing in the morning 'kay?" Selphie said heading to the girls' room.
"Yeah we'll see ya in the morning. C'mon Zell," Irvine said.
"I guess they have a point Rinoa. We both need some sleep," Zell said following Irvine.
"Get some sleep Rinoa," Laguna said going to his room.
"What do you mean get some sleep?" Rinoa asked herself as everyone departed to his or her room. "How can I possibly sleep when the love of my life has become a whole different person overnight?::Sigh:: Don't worry Squall. I know you'll come back to us. To me," she said heading to her room.
The next morning, everyone gathered in the conference room to discuss the problems.
"Um, Irvy and I have come up with a theory. We believe that Squall is under Victoria's influence. But for some reason he has spontaneous moments where he seems normal. This, we believe, is because he isn't completely under her control and a small part of him is trying to escape. Unfortunately, her power is too much for him and he can't free himself," Selphie said.
"Now when it comes to why she's using Squall, that was to get to Seifer," Irvine said.
"So why does she want Seifer?" Zell asked expectantly.
"Well, that's the part of the theory we didn't figure out," Irvine said.
"Well now that she has Seifer, what could she possibly want Squall for? He should be freed right?" Rinoa asked.
Just then, the doors swung open.
"For you of course," a strange figure said as Rinoa was forced into the stranger's arms. Rinoa started screaming and then suddenly, fell lifelessly.
"Squall! What are you doing?" Zell asked running towards them.
"Away!" Squall said as he used magic to throw Zell across the room. Everyone else ran towards Zell to see if he was ok. Quistis attempted to approach Squall when just then another figure appeared.
"Ah Ah Ah Instructor Trepe. I wouldn't do that if I were you, the figure said.
"Victoria!" Quistis said.
"Where the hell is he? Where are you keeping him?" Zell screamed jumping up.
"My Zell, you don't learn do you? I have what I want, so now I'll be on my way. Oh, and I don't think Seifer wants to see you anymore. Not after what you've done. Ta Ta!" Victoria said Leaving with Squall and Rinoa in a ball of light.
"No!" Selphie screamed.
"It's ok Selph, we'll get them all back," Irvine said.
"Zell, are you ok?" Quistis asked him.
A lone tear fell down his face. "What do you mean he doesn't want to see me any more? What did I do? I couldn't have saved you sooner Seifer. I…" Zell said heading back to his room, tears streaming down his face.
"I think we should give him some space," Selphie said.
"Damn, what the hell does she want with Squall, Seifer and Rinoa?" Irvine asked.
"It's obvious isn't it?" Quistis said.
Well? Is it obvious or is it not? Let me know what you think and keep on reviewing! Until next chapter, when we find out what has Quistis figured out, if Zell will be ok, and where the hell is Victoria keeping all these people? Does she have any other surprises in store? R&R!
