Chapter VI: Atena
Seifer awoke to see a note stuck on the inside of his door; it was an order from Headmaster Cid. He read the note, it said: A SeeD request was made four hours ago by President Atena of Galbadia. I am sending you, Fujin, and Raijin to go to Galbadia to bring Atena to Esthar for the signing of a peace treaty with President Lorie. As you know President Atena doesn't trust her own military as broadcasted two months ago. A Garden employee will see you off at the front gate at eight hundred hours.
' Geez, he usually sees new recruits off on their first mission.' Seifer said to himself.
Seifer glanced at his wall clock; it read seven thirty, which left him thirty minutes to for the mission. He did not need a lot of time to prepare, and ten minutes later he left for the front gate, the Garden employee was already there waiting. At the designated time, Seifer saw Fujin and Raijin approach. Once everyone was gathered, the faculty member began with the mission briefing.
' Okay, you all are to go to Galbadia and see the President Atena. Atena doesn't trust the Galbadian military because of the assassination attempt by a soldier. She believes that the conspiracy against her still lives however, that is the current status. She wants SeeD to accompany her to Esthar for the signing of an official peace treaty. Seifer, you are to lead Fujin and Raijin and use your best judgment to carry out the mission.' The faculty member saluted, and left them.
' Okay, let's go then…' Seifer trailed off.
' Hyne, why do we have to play body guard, ya know?' Raijin whined.
' She doesn't trust her own military, that was just said idiot.' Fujin explained to Raijin.
' I'm with Raijin though…' Seifer said, ' But then again, it's easy money. So let's just go with it, this is better than fishing and waiting for Raijin's paychecks to come in whenever he could do odd jobs.'
The three walked to Balamb at a good pace, and were able to buy tickets at normal price for their SeeD mission. Seifer wondered why no one looked at him like he was a monster; he figured the story of how he saved Schiria got across the land faster than he thought.
On the train, Seifer used the ticket and Raijin ran right for the SeeD cabin. Fujin slowly followed Raijin, and Seifer followed after several minutes of pondering why everyone acted like they did on Balamb. In the SeeD cabin, Raijin was sitting on the bed reading a magazine named Pet Pals, and Fujin was trying to convince Raijin that the chair was a better place to read his magazine.
' Raijin, I need to use the bed. So move to the chair.' She demanded.
' But Fujin, you know I always read sitting on the bed. I just couldn't concentrate if I read anywhere else, ya know?' Raijin replied.
Seifer entered the cabin just when Fujin kicked Raijin in the knee to get him off of the bed.
' Ow!' Raijin cried.
Seifer laughed to himself, and sat down on a chair, deciding whether or not to tell Fujin and Raijin about Trajin. He eventually decided that he should tell his friends.
' Hey guys, you remember Trajin?' He asked.
' Yeah.' Fujin and Raijin replied at the same time.
' Well Fujin, Trajins still got the hots for you.' Seifer told Fujin.
' What?' Fujin asked, ' After the way I dumped him, he shouldn't. And how do you know Seifer?'
' I met Trajin during my field exam. The guy's nuts, he said that we had a kid and that he needed to kill us both to have you. The screwy thing is: The girl he thought was ours, was a fourteen year old!' Seifer explained.
' That is so stupid, ya know?' Raijin said, ' You two'd never have a kid!'
' Right…' Fujin said, ' And fourteen is way too old even if we had one. That's why I didn't like Trajin; he's a delusional moron. He acted like we were married right when I walked in the door.' Fujin shuddered when she spoke of Trajin.
' Oh, and Raijin, Trajin told me he was you're half brother.' Seifer told Raijin.
' That I know.' Raijin replied.
' What?' Seifer was confused, Trajin told Seifer Raijin didn't know, ' I am gonna kill that lyin' bastard if he's not already dead!' Seifer thought.
' O' course he probably thinks I don't know. He ran away from home when I was a little kid. But my memory is better than that, ya know?' Raijin laughed confidently.
Since Seifer was done with that, he put his feet up on the small table in front of him, and relaxed for the train ride. Since Raijin had finally left the bed, Fujin lay sleeping, and Raijin sat on the chair next to Seifer.
' I like Fujin this way, when she can't kick me.' Raijin told Seifer.
' Yeah…' Seifer chuckled.
' Siren sings her song to the deafened sailor…' Raijin laughed to himself.
' What are ya raggin' about now Raijin?'
' Nothin'!' Raijin replied quickly, ' We should be getting pretty close to Galbadia pretty soon, ya know? First SeeD mission, let's get it over with, ya know?' Raijin sat quiet for the rest of the trip.
Seifer wondered what Raijin meant with his Siren comment, and after ten minutes decided it was not important enough for him to waste his time thinking about it. Fujin slept for most of the trip, and awoke for the final hour. Seifer noticed something new about Fujin, in her eye he could see that she was thinking deeply about something. He did not know what she could be thinking about.
' Maybe the mission, yeah that's it.' Seifer thought to himself.
' Or perhaps it's something different?' Fairir's voice ringed in Seifer's head.
' Fairir, why do you always do this?' Seifer asked the Guardian Force.
' Do what?'
' Make me think too much, I don't like it.'
' Well… Maybe you think too little. Your friend over there is making a decision, you can see it in her eyes.'
' The one you can see? No, that's just Fujin, I've known her to look like that ever since we met.'
' Then maybe she's been trying to make the decision ever since you met. Help her.'
' That just isn't me Fairir!'
' Then forge a new Seifer Almasy.'
' No, I like me just the way I am, thank you.'
' You are so uncooperative Seifer.'
' Thank you.'
Fairir did not reply, but the Guardian Force successfully got Seifer to think about his friend more.
' Why does she look at me like that? When she talks it's like she snaps right out of it, and when she stops taking she snaps back into it. Okay, maybe I should ask about it, after the mission is over…' Seifer thought, he could envision Fairir smiling smugly.
The train had arrived at Deling City, where the President resided. Since Deling's death Galbadia was in search of a President that could bring peace, and finally they found it in someone. President Atena was a woman not unlike Edea, and wished for peace in the world.
The issue of Esthar came back into mind, as Balamb, Fisherman's Horizon, Dollet, Winhil, Timber, and various other communities of the western world came under the peace treaty. Esthar was a hidden continent that had just opened up a little to the outside world; Atena realized that she had to sign a treaty with President Lorie of Esthar in order for her dream to become reality.
Just two months ago; after the joining of Timber to the peaceful nations, some Galbadian soldiers had attempted an assassination on President Atena. Afterwards Atena decided that she could not trust her military; lest the conspirators try again to assassinate her. She is currently having someone secretly investigating the military, while that is going on, she needs to arrive in Esthar in twenty four hours to sign the peace treaty with President Lorie.
Since she could not trust her military with her safety during the signing of the peace treaty, she requested aid from Balamb Garden. Seifer, Raijin, and Fujin were sent to Deling City to accompany President Atena to Esthar.
Seifer and his posse arrived at the Presidential residence, and found Atena inside her quarters. President Atena wore a professional red dress; which symbolized peace and happiness in Esthar, and had her bright white hair straightened down to the small of her back.
President Atena welcomed the three SeeDs.
' Welcome to Deling City, capitol of Galbadia.' She said, her voice was like a siren's.
' We didn't fail Geography, eh?' Seifer said.
' Right… Well, I bet you SeeDs want to get on with the job then, huh?' President Atena said, brushing Seifer off with her hand.
' Okay, so we're to bring ya to Esthar, eh? I'm the leader Seifer, and behind me are Fujin and Raijin.' Seifer said pointing to Fujin and Raijin, ' So, how do you plan to go to Esthar President?'
' Ah, you're the leader too?' Atena said in clear Seifer style, ' I was planning on using one of my helicopters, or do you have some other idea?' Fujin and Raijin chuckled slightly, as Seifer had found a rival in tongue.
' Yeah,' Seifer said, ' One of the conspirators might have rigged it with an explosive. With the carefulness you have it's a wonder to see you here today.' Seifer said pulling no punches with Atena.
' Ah, so that's how you get paid.' Atena said mocking Seifer's intelligence, ' Don't worry, you can always check the helicopter before we head out.' Fujin and Raijin started laughing again.
' Such a prestigious assignment should be saved for my friends. Fujin, Raijin, will you check out the helicopter?' Fujin and Raijin stopped laughing right then.
' Yes Seifer…' They said in unison, and a Presidential Aide showed them to the helicopter Atena was talking about.
After giving Fujin and Raijin ten minutes to prepare the helicopter, Seifer left with President Atena. Seifer pondered why it was that President could not trust her military, but could trust her own helicopter, and her own Presidential Aides.
' If she thinks there are conspirator's around her, then why is she so careless…' Seifer thought to himself, he believed there was something not quite right about this picture.
Fujin and Raijin readied the helicopter, and Atena boarded. Seifer took his friends away a few feet before boarding the helicopter.
' Fujin, Raijin, I don't like this. There's somethin' not right here, so if the time comes just do what I do.' Seifer told them in secret.
Fujin and Raijin nodded their heads, and boarded the helicopter after Seifer. Atena remained quiet for the entire ride, and Raijin looked outside the whole time. Fujin closed her eye, and concentrated on her own life, and Seifer sat with his feet up. Esthar was not very far away time wise when using one of Galbadia's new special helicopters, the new helicopters could reach speeds fast enough to easily bridge the sea gap.
Esthar was as high-tech as expected, Seifer recalled on the first time he had been on the continent. Not memories he cared to remember. Fujin and Raijin remembered as well, Fujin especially remembered her speech to Seifer.
' I said everything I could to bring Seifer back out of the storybook world he was living in then. I told him everything I felt, except: I love you. I don't know what happened, but everything turned out for the best…' Fujin thought.
Raijin was looking at the giant city of Esthar; it was truly a sight you had to see at least once in your life. The helicopter landed just outside the Presidential residence, where famous Doctor Odine, and not so famous President Lorie live. Atena walked straight for the President's office, Seifer, Fujin, and Raijin walked closely next to her. She entered the residence, and told her SeeD escort to leave her be when she went to see President Lorie.
' You three stay here while the peace treaty is being signed.' She merely said, and entered the office of President Lorie.
Seifer leaned on the wall, waiting for President Atena's peace talk to end. Fujin and Raijin remained completely silent; the silence was ominous. The silence began to bother Seifer.
' Geez, it sounds like someone's died…' Seifer announced.
Suddenly sounds of combat were heard coming from the President's office; a machine gun could be heard. The three SeeDs immediately entered the office to see Laguna, Kiros, and Ward fighting off Atena, who appeared to have sorceress powers.
' What the hell! This ain't right!' Seifer said loudly, drawing his Hyperion.
' What do we do Seifer, Atena's our mission, ya know?' Raijin asked.
' Fight the Sorceress, what else? Just don't kill her.' Seifer told them, and prepared to help the doomed Laguna, Kiros, and Ward.
Atena noticed that Seifer and his posse were going to attack, and decided to gain the upper hand by making he first attack. Atena cast Flare on Seifer first; her magical power was high enough to make Seifer stop in his tracks. Raijin cast Curaga on Seifer, and Fujin threw her shrunken at Atena. Before Atena could react, Seifer ran up and slashed her, not forgetting the trigger of his gunblade.
Atena knelt on the ground from the power of Seifer's slash; her withstanding power was not very high. She knelt on the ground, and the look in her eyes showed that she knew she could not win.
' Ya better just give up, ya know?' Raijin laughed.
' Not while I have my knight.' She said very ominously, and suddenly a barrier between herself and Seifer appeared, ' Seifer, you know the Sorceress needs you.' Atena no longer appeared like herself, but like a sorceress Seifer recognized.
' Ultemecia! You will not seduce me again!' Seifer screamed.
' You know how you are needed, SeeD is not deserving of your skills.' Ultemecia told Seifer, her voice rang out in his mind, blocking independent thought.
' Never!' Seifer yelled in extreme fatigue, pain began to erupt when he attempted to think.
' You are my knight Seifer, accept your fate.'
Seifer fell to his knees; he remembered this feeling, this mind control. It was the same feeling he felt when she seduced his mind at the Television Station in Timber, and again after Fujin's speech in the Lunatic Pandora. Seifer would have given up the charade then and there, if only Ultemecia's mind control magic forced him to bring Rinoa to Adel. Seifer would not let her use him again.
' I'll never be your knight! You are not deserving of my powers! You are evil, and I will have no part in this!' Seifer screamed, drawing his Hyperion gunblade.
He could not think correctly to attack in any one predetermined place so, he began to swing the gunblade around aimlessly until her was certain Ultemecia was hit. He felt the Hyperion hit something, and he pulled the trigger, driving Ultemecia out of Atena. Atena fell to the ground; she was rendered unconscious by the fierce blow.
The barrier dropped, and Fujin ran up to Seifer who had dropped to the ground. He was left barely able to breath from the extreme mental torment Ultemecia forced upon him, at one time he would have never been able to fight off the control. However this time Seifer had grown stronger, and more resilient. Laguna called for some medical personal immediately, Raijin cast Regen to help Seifer breath.
' She didn't get me!' Seifer managed to say before falling into unconsciousness.
Laguna walked over to Fujin, ' Don't worry, he'll be fine. What we need to worry about is her.' Laguna pointed to Atena, ' I don't trust her anymore!' Ward walked over to Laguna, ' Yeah, Kiros call the MP's, we'll have them set her up in one of Odine's cells.'
Fujin looked at Laguna, ' I know he'll be alright.' She said, ' I don't know why I ran up to him…' She directed her eye to the ground.
Laguna was taken aback.
' You like him, don't you?' He announced.
' NEGATIVE!' Fujin denied, reverting back to her old way of speaking.
' Wow!' Laguna said, ' She likes him!' He whispered to Kiros.
' I don't think you should get Fujin mad. Not good for your health, ya know?' Raijin snickered; he obviously overheard what Laguna said meaning Fujin did too.
Fujin said nothing; she was too busy directing her attention to the fallen Seifer. Medics arrived a few seconds later, and prepared to bring Seifer to the mini-hospital they had in the Presidential Residence. Just then Seifer hopped off the stretcher they had put him on, and looked at Laguna.
' Just needed to rest my eyes guys, no need to put me in my grave yet!' He announced.
Raijin's laugh echoed and Fujin turned her back on the scene, she wondered if Seifer realized she had been looking after him. Seifer looked down at the unconscious Atena, and remember what happened.
' Hey guys, guess who this is.' He said.
' President Atena, a sorceress.' Laguna said, ' Should she be someone else?'
' Half credit President. That is, or rather was Ultemecia! When Atena reached out to me, to try and snare me as her "knight". I felt Ultemecia inside her, it was the same mind control magic I felt.'
' That can't be right, Squall defeated Ultemecia! It was my plan that they used, too!' Laguna countered.
' Leonheart didn't do a good enough job, because that was Ultemecia.' Seifer said.
' I believe Seifer, he should know. He was the one that was there when the barrier went up, covering our vision.' Fujin said.
' Seifer never lies, it's just isn't Seifer, ya know?' Raijin added.
' Okay…' Laguna said, ' I'll have to call Odine later about this, you guys can go back to Garden now.'
' Yeah…' Seifer said, ' We're gonna stick around a little, see what we should do first.' Seifer said, and left the Presidential Residence.
Fujin and Raijin followed Seifer to an inn, where Seifer ordered a room for the night. Fujin lay on a bed, and Seifer kicked up his feet on a chair in the room. Raijin stood in a corner, leaning on the wall.
' Well, this mission got real weird, real fast. In a strange twist Atena now reveled as a sorceress and taken over by Ultemecia, attacked Lorie. We took Laguna's side, and beat up the Galbadian President. That won't look good on us in Galbadia, needless to say. We pretty much botched the mission, and we got ourselves a situation with Ultemecia; again!' Seifer announced to Fujin and Raijin.
' Yeah, we gotta report that to Cid.' Fujin said.
' And try to smooth things over with Galbadia too.' Raijin added.
' Okay, our primary objective is to get our asses back to Balamb, and contact Cid. For this we need a mode of transportation, somethin' we don't have.' Seifer said.
' We could always contact Cid from here.' Fujin reminded Seifer.
' Hm, I wonder if these guys'll like it if I dialed a long distance number…' Seifer jested, Fujin and Raijin laughed.
Seifer dialed the number for Balamb Garden, and got a hold of Cid. Seifer then very briefly reported to Cid the situation, and told him they were marooned in Esthar.
Cid was surprised that Sorceress Ultemecia had re-entered the picture, and he had the Ragnarok sent to Esthar immediately to pick up the posse. The Ragnarok was employed to the service of Garden, used for hasty deployments/withdraws. Seifer's, was defiantly a case for a hasty withdraw back to Garden.
Seifer informed Fujin and Raijin that the Ragnarok would be coming to pick them up, so they should leave immediately to the outskirts of Esthar. They made it just in time to be picked up by the extremely fast spaceship. On board Raijin remarked at the interior, while Seifer sat down comfortably. Fujin looked out the window; she had always had a fascination with the sky.
Seifer remembered Ultemecia, and how she used him to achieve her time compression.
' Damn witch, why's she back? Didn't Leonheart and his buddies take her out, why is she still around screwing with me?' He thought.
Squall had just arrived at Balamb Garden from his newest SeeD mission. As soon as he entered he was called up to Cid's office.
' Why does the Headmaster want me? Another mission?' He thought to himself, ' Or maybe it has something with Almasy being near the Garden.' Squall knew something was not quite right in his peaceful world, he knew something bad was happening.
He made it up to the Headmaster's office, and saluted.
' Squall, there is a great deal of news since you left for Galbadia. I have permitted Seifer back to Garden.' Cid said, and was interrupted by Squall.
' What! How could you let Almasy back in Garden, last time he was near this place his mission was to destroy it! How can you let such a dangerous and unstable person to walk among us!' Squall was quite upset with the news of Seifer's return.
' Squall, calm down. Seifer's return was quite justified, and he past the Field exam with one hundred percent. But we have urgent news here: On his mission to Esthar, Seifer discovered that Ultemecia has taken control of President Atena. Ultemecia is back!'
' If that's true, we can't let Seifer back in Garden. Last time they were together missiles destroyed Trabia Garden, and almost got here.'
' Squall, why are you so untrusting?'
' Experience. Almasy did horrible things not too long ago, do you really think he's changed in one year?'
' You haven't seen him, he's changed, it's also quite visible. Now Squall, Seifer's coming back from his first SeeD mission with Fujin and Raijin. I don't want any fights between the two of you until this whole Ultemecia thing is done, then you can go to the Training Center and get it out of your systems. Now he should be arriving soon, I'll go with you to meet the Ragnarok.' Cid got up from behind his desk and walked to the elevator Squall silently followed him.
Laguna was in a magic field with Atena, he wanted to get some questions answered.
' Atena, you remember anything about attacking me?' Laguna said.
' Yes.' She replied, not hiding anything.
' Tell me about Ultemecia.' President Lorie said.
' Ultemecia, she's a sorceress like me. She said she wanted to be with me, to help me bring peace to the world. I believed her, I was blind, all I really want to do is make a peaceful world. Ultemecia was inside me, and took control when I was with you, Ward and Kiros. Using me, she attacked you.' Atena told Laguna.
' Don't worry; Esthar still wants to sign for peace. We'll want to hold you here in this magic field, until we get rid of Ultemecia. Is that okay?'
' Yes, I don't mind. I know I could be a threat if Ultemecia should take over my mind again.'
Laguna nodded, and exited the room. He did not bother to post guards, because he knew that if Ultemecia could escape the magic field every soldier in Esthar could not stop her.
The Ragnarok arrived at Balamb Garden in only minutes, and Seifer exited to see his old rival with the headmaster welcome him.
' Leonheart, back from you're little SeeD mission I see.' Seifer greeted Squall.
' And you too.' Squall said he literally had to restrain himself from maledicting Seifer.
Fujin and Raijin took their place at Seifer's side, as the ex-sorceress' knight walked past.
' Seifer, you know Ultemecia is back?' Cid asked Seifer.
' Yeah, she tried to brainwash me again. Pity it didn't work.' Seifer said, stressing the word "work" for Squall.
' Yeah, then we'd have to beat you again.' Squall said.
' Mores the pity, I was looking forward to defeating you Leonheart, but then I thought, ' Why should I let this stupid witch win, eh?' Seifer snickered.
Cid decided to intervene before hostility would arise from Seifer and Squall's antics.
' Squall, Seifer, we have a situation here! Somehow Ultemecia has come back, and we need to take action immediately!'
' Yeah, so what'll you have us do?' Seifer asked, before Squall could say it.
' So far we have some hypothesis's from Doctor Odine in Esthar, on why and how Ultemecia is back. I want you two to go to Esthar and hear what Odine has to say, and report back with any information at all.' Cid told them.
' What me, work, with Leonheart?' Seifer almost yelled.
' Yes, you are partnersfor this no one will lead. Understood?' Squall and Seifer both nodded slowly, ' Good, now use the Ragnarok and go.' Cid then left for his office.
Seifer looked his partner in the eye, and turned back to the Ragnarok. Fujin and Raijin silently returned to their dorms, and Squall followed his partner to the spaceship. The Ragnarok headed back to Esthar, where Doctor Odine waited to tell his hypothesis about Ultemecia's return; he loved sharing his work.
In no time Squall and Seifer arrived at the Esthar air station, and headed for the Presidential Palace where Laguna and Odine waited. Seifer ran ahead of Squall, and Squall tried his best to get ahead of his rival. The two were practically racing down the streets of Esthar. They arrived at the President's quarters, Seifer let Squall enter first making it seem degrading to the commander. Squall hated how Seifer could do that.
' Good, good, come in!' Said the doctor.
Standing behind him was Kiros and Ward, Laguna was too busy taking care of business to be there with them. Odine wasted no time getting on with his theory, he seems as giddy as a school girl.
' Vell, vell, ve are dealing vith Ultimecia again are ve? Yes, of course!'
' But how? We killed her!' Squall asked.
' You did in the far future, but she still lives in the not so far future!' Odine says confidently.
Squall had a look of puzzlement on his face, and Seifer just kicked his feet up on the coffee table while looking straight into the doctor's eyes.
' So…Ultimecia still lives, in different parts of time?' Seifer asked absently, Odine nodded his head, ' Then how does the past she knows what's going on and change her plans because the future she's failure?'
' Zat iz obvious! She must have sent her consciousness back to her past form, and told her to change plans, for she vas dieing!' Odine exclaimed.
' Okay, so we need to go back to the future, and defeat Ultimecia again? Then how do we know that the same thing won't happen, and Ultimecia come back?' Squall asked.
' Simple! Ve send you to ze earliest time of Ultimecia, and defeat her zere.' Odine laughed.
' But last time we let time compress, and defeated her before it could be attained fully. We cannot risk this again!'
' Don't worry! Ve are vorking on a time machine! It vill send you into the future, precisely vere you need to be! But…ve have a problem…' Odine said, looking down.
Squall jeered in his seat, ' What kind of problem?'
' Ve need two things: Ellone who has already agreed to help us, and some other person who has the power of making the future now. But ve do not know who or vere zis person is.'
Seifer yawned, this was a boring necessity that he knew was going to be more or less a waste of time. There was no ticket straight to the problem, just one more problem to break through before the main problem. Fate was known to be anomalous, and this meant that this person who could make the future happen now was going to be in the most obscure place ever. Just then his knowledge how unpredictable fate could be kicked in, and he thought of something that obscure.
' Leonheart, we gotta get to Balamb!' He says, and heads for the Ragnarok not bothering to wait for his partner.
' What? Hey! Seifer!' Squall hurries after the trench coat wearing SeeD at an equally furious pace to catch up, ' Seifer what are you talking about?'
' Easy Leonheart: if fate is as stupid as I know it is, the most unlikely person in the whole Universe has gotta be it! And I got a good idea where fate's thinking is.'
' Oh ha, ha, Seifer. What is it? Me?' Squall says sarcastically, knowing how well Seifer thought of him.
' You crazy Leonheart!' Seifer suddenly shouts, ' You're too pansy to be it!'
' Thanks…'
' No, I know this girl, fourteen years old and pretty damn surprisin'. I gotta hunch that she's the one.'
Squall did not know whether or not that Seifer was right. He knew that he had been through the most anomalous life that could ever be thought up, even by the most insane minds in the world. He decided to just go with Seifer on this one though, after all, with a quest so inane, that a god starting point was better than trial and error.
It did not take long to get to Ragnarok, and the faculty worker that piloted it had disturbing news for him. He approached the two, and saluted Squall.
' Sir Squall, I've lost communication with Garden.'
' Something must be wrong! Head for Garden ASAP!' Squall orders.
' What could be wrong? I thought the world was under peace, why would anyone attack Garden?' Seifer asks.
' I don't know, but you know rule two of warfare?' Squall asks him.
' Cut the communications.' Seifer answers absently.
' Sounds like Galbadia.'
' Atena!'
Suddenly the radar of the Ragnarok blips, ' Sir Squall, quarter of the Esthar fleet is right behind us.' Suddenly a radio breaks through, and the faculty member takes it.
' Who is it?' Squall asks him.
' It's President Laguna sir! He says Atena remembered something suddenly, that Ultimecia had ordered her army to attack Garden when you were away.'
' Dammit!' Squall shouts, ' How far to Garden?'
' Two minutes with Dragon Thrusters, but that put the Ragnarok outta commission with this distance.' The pilot informs.
' Do it! We've got no time to spare!' Squall commands.
' Calm down Leonheart!' Seifer says, ' The Galbadian army ain't under my command anymore. They probably got some numb-nuts conformist runnin' the show now.'
' So what?' Squall vindicates.
' Good leadership is the key to victory, that's rule of warfare number three. Garden can hold out until we arrive, especially with Raijin and Fujin, hell even Instructor Trepe there!'
' Even still, they'll stand more of a chance with me there.'
' Us Leonheart, I ain't about to let some grubby Galbadian's in Garden with me as a SeeD.'
' Right…'
The Ragnarok and the rest of the Esthar fleet activate their Dragon Thrusts, an Esthar invention that gives the air/spaceships super speed. The Ragnarok, being an older model, could only use its Dragon Thrust for two minutes before breaking down. Squall and the pilot prayed that the Ragnarok would hold together so they could get to Garden.
' Galbadian's have landed on the beach!'
Cid was in his office when Tomoyuki ran in. There was a gash in his right shoulder, he continued, ' Headmaster Cid, the Galbadian's are attacking Garden!'
' What, I thought there was peace in the world!'
' Some of the students are already fighting them, they are being led by Zarack and Schiria.'
Cid turned to the intercom, ' Everyone, this is Headmaster Cid. Garden us under attack! All SeeDs head to the front gate and help Zarack and his band of students.' Cid turns to Tomoyuki, ' Report to Dr. Kadowaki, and arrange for the wounded to get help. Don't forget to take care of yourself.'
' Yes sir!' Tomoyuki says, and runs off to the Infirmary.
At the front gate, Zarack was taking care of Galbadian soldiers with Schiria and the forty other students. Their force was growing in number as the seconds passed, however the Galbadian soldiers were not giving up, and were heavily wounding several of the less experienced students.
In the very center of the battle were Zarack and Schiria, they fought with all their skill, and lasted through the first two waves of attackers. Zarack attacked while Schiria defended, the Galbadian soldiers splashed on them like water on a rock, and the students would fight the run off. They lasted the first two waves, fighting as if they had been partners for years. SeeD was known for highly skilled young mercenaries, and they proved it.
The Garden force grew far too strong for the third wave by the time the experienced SeeDs arrived, led by Quistis and Zell who had just arrived from his last mission. They were winning, and pushing their adversaries back into the ocean. The hearts of the defenders were light in seeing the two hour-long battle coming to a close.
The attackers made a hasty retreat to their transports, and camped out in the ocean. The students celebrated their victory, while the pair who led them collapsed on the ground uninjured, but tired. Of course all SeeDs knew rule of warfare number four, regroup and re-plan. Quistis rounded the forces; Schiria was leaning on Zarack who tried to appear fine.
' Everyone, that was only a scout, there will be more.' She pointed out to the ships no more than fifty meters away, ' They are already planning for a second assault, and more than likely waiting for reinforcements. We must strengthen Garden defenses, now!'
Zarack nodded, and Schiria just silently wished that they would smarten up and leave so she could rest. The current Garden defenses head back into Garden to regroup, and gain more power. War is starting again, the best of the Galbadian army is heading stright for Garden. What does Ultimecia have planned? Or is this Atena's doing?
