Chapter 22: Junction Finale!

Carbuncle let out a deep sigh, still sitting on his now usual spot on the bed, no, it was Zell's bed, he had to remember that. He had to keep telling himself that even though in reality it had become his bed, as long as he'd been there. 4 years, he waited for Zell to return faithfully but each day nothing came.

He'd always wonder, was it just four years in real time here, and 4 minutes in time compression? Or had it been really 4 years for Zell and he'd...died or something of that sort. Carbuncle never really left though, even after year 3 when it got completely unsure.

Nobody bothered him much anymore, they just accepted the fact that he wasn't moving. They couldn't force him, he could easy make sure that no one got in to the room with his shielding ability. They also had to accept the fact that he wasn't going to junction either, if he helped someone else then he'd have to break his junction with Zell. No way in hell that was happening, not even if he couldn't even feel it in the slightest bit anymore and wandered if it was still there more times then he cared to admit. No way! Not a chance! No!...he felt like he was over compensating for his previous doubt, and he was.

The only person who really acknowledge this any more was Nida, and Chocoboy, a new student Nida had given the nickname Cho.

All the money he swindled from people travelers came in handy, he was really proud of his skills.

Nida just came when he wanted to bring Carbuncle something, usually food, or talk, or when he had some free time. Cho's reasons where basically the same, except his commitment to his determination of junctioning Carbuncle was unwavering. Even though he had seen what Carbuncle could do to those who tried.

Seeing what the GF could do only made him try harder, it only made him want Carbuncle more. But generally Cho gave up at 5:00 pm on Friday, because that's when the weekend started. From there he stopped trying to persuade him to junction and tried to persuade him to leave Zell's room. Which he knew would fail, but he tried anyway, he had to try right? Persistence was a good thing. As of now Chocoboy lay stretched out on the floor next to Zell's bed with his hands behind his head.

! - ! - !

! - ! - !

"If you don't believe in yourself, I'll believe in you. There's no way I'm going to let you die in there"

"I don't know, what about you, If I can't believe in myself, I can't believe in you."

"Yes you can, were connected remember, you won't be alone in there."

"What if we get separated, I don't know if we can stay together in a world like that." "Don't worry, it's not going to happen. Trust me, I won't let it. And don't forget, Bahamut's going to be there too, there's no way we can fail."

Those words hunted Carbuncle now, they would creep in to his mind every once and awhile and taunt him until he was literally ramming his head into the wall, there was even an imprint left since he always hit the same spot.

"Carbuncle? What's with you?" Cho asked, placing his hands behind him and pushing himself upright.

"I'm fine, Leave me the hell alone." Carbuncle said in a sleepy voice, Carbuncle was always a little mad when he woke up, mainly because of the crushing depression. Cho always just ignored it or dismissed it, Carbuncle was grateful for that. Honestly he didn't know why Cho and Nida put up with him.

But this time something sounded more off then usual, as Carbuncle's friend he couldn't just ignore this. The boy climbed up on to his knees, resting his head on to of his folded arms laying on the edge of the bed. "...Something is really wrong this time huh? What is it?" The boy asked, Carbuncle just turned his head and ignored him. "Come on, I'm not going to leave you alone about it." Cho cooed teasingly.

"Nothings wrong, I'm just thinking."

Cho shook his head, "I've learned that in your case, thinking is bad, quit thinking about it so much." The Chocoboy said.

! - ! - !

! - ! - !

Nida headed for Zell's old room, his usual routine when he wasn't flying the garden, or training someone else to do it. Currently he was Training a boy named Alex, he looked promising.

His usual routine was suddenly shattered this time, he knew it when he walked through the door and found Cho sitting against the doorway to the bed room.

"What are you doing?" Nida asked,

"He left, I can't believe he left." Cho didn't turn around, he just looked in to the room stared out of the window blankly.

No...There was no way, there was no way Carbuncle left that bed after 4 years of not peaking his head out of the boundaries. Even after horrible boredom and enough solitude to make a person go crazy, he couldn't have left after that. Not after all of that, not with out him here to witness it! "What?" Nida stepped over Cho and looked inside the bed room in disbelief and saw true enough that Carbuncle had left.

"Yeah." Cho nodded, "He said, 'I can't take this anymore, I'm have to go find him.', and he left."

"Wow….which way did he go?" Nida asked.

"I don't know, he said something about time compression and just left. It's like he disappeared." Chocoboy didn't seem sure of what he was saying. "I couldn't follow him...I just couldn't." The words Time Compression had made him freeze, he'd had a very bad experience with time compression 4 years ago right after the Lunatic Pandora rescue. He didn't wanna go back.

"Hmm……Well, it was bound to happen some time." Nida shook his head and sat down next to the boy. "You've been trying to get him to leave for almost 4 years, your not happy?"

Cho shook his head. "I can't believe after all of that he just left, like that!" The boy threw his hands up exasperatedly

"Let me guess, you didn't want him to leave like that?" Nida said with a smirk.

"I guess not." Cho shrugged. "I just hope he's alright."

Nida ruffled his hair lightly and smiled. "Don't worry about Carbuncle, he can take care of himself."

! - ! - !

"We almost got it! How are you guys holding up?" Seiphie called back from behind the battle, as Quistis prepared to use her Ray Bomb limit break.

"Uh…We're holding out." Irvine said.

If it wasn't for the Brother's recuperative powers on the ground, they all have been dead. Because of it, the Brothers were able to block most of Omega's attacks. That's when Irvine used aura to attack with his Limit Break, and then Cerberus attacked.

Suddenly a gust of wind blew from behind them, it was a vacuum effect, pulling in large amounts of air. Seiphie and Quistis had did it, they successfully broken through the void, Leaving this world beyond time to imploding. "Yeah! We did it!." Seiphie shouted happily.

"Hello! We still have a big problem!" Irvine shouted, firing another shot at Omega.

! - ! - !

The darkness still surrounded him, it didn't matter though, Zell knew he was close to Bahamut. He could feel it. He didn't know what direction he was going, he didn't know whether he was up or down. But he knew he was getting closer.

The darkness started to illuminate, slow ascension in to light. "Huh?" Zell looked around, he felt like he was moving or in something that was moving. The blackness was pulled from around him, seemingly draining in to a single point ahead of him on what looked like the horizon. "What the hell was that!"

Zell immediately became on guard, he was back in time compression again. Which could work to his advantage, or just make it harder to find Bahamut. Either or.

Something appeared before him, something was fading in to reality due to time compression. Just like before when he was going forward through time and the sorceress appeared, it was happening again while he was going back. It seemed to be human, just a transparent ghost of a human body, apparently male.

The more he went back in time, the more that it became visible and less ghost like with more features until he could see exactly what, who it was. "Seifer!" Zell clinched his fist, seeing this version of Seifer that was appearing due to Time compression. His usual smirk appeared on "Seifer's" face as he lifted his gun blade in his usual offensive stance.

Zell couldn't get out of this fight if he wanted to, it was just like the sorceress battles before. Face them to move on, and Seifer was standing in his way of Bahamut. On the bright side, Zell was getting the chance to kick Seifer's ass one on one. Concerning this Zell shrugged and lifted his fist, ready to fight.

Seifer charged at Zell, slashing at him with his gun blade. Zell jumped back in evasion, only managing to get cut with the tip of the blade across his chest. Seifer brought the blade back for a second attack with an over head swing, Zell dodged it completely, springing forward with the opening that came from trying a particularly strong physical attack and delivering a punch to Seifer's jaw making the opposing boy take a step back. Zell swung his left him again, aiming for his stomach, Seifer took another step back to move just out of range, countering the missed attempt with his gun blade. Seifer lifted the sword above his head and thrust it downward at Zell, but he misjudged Zell's speed.

Zell lifted his forearm arm to knock it away, only managing to push the flat side of the blade back a little before it could come down on his head, instead it cut in to his shoulder. Zell winced, knowing it had almost been his head, ignored the pain for now Zell crouched down, dislodging Seifer's blade from his shoulder and delivering a sweep kick across the ground to his legs.

Seifer was knocked off of his feet, landing on his face beside Zell, Zell stood abruptly to his feet, lifting his foot and stomping it down on Seifer. Seifer rolled to the side, lifting his gun blade to black and narrowly cutting Zell's leg across the calf. "Damnit!" Zell jumped back, holding his now bleeding leg. After that small bit of hesitation from the pain, Zell charged at Seifer.

Seifer jumped up a few feet, thrusting his gun blade down from over his head, Zell immediately stopped in place seeing that he wasn't quick enough to evade this one. Lifting his hands and catching the blade by the dull sides. "!" He halted it inches away from his face, letting out a small sigh of relief from the close call. Seifer kicked him in the chest, knocking him backwards, before slashing at him again. Zell ducked under it, steeping forward to close the small gap between them and throw a swift blow in the stomach.

Seifer stumbled back holding the area where he'd was hit. With heavy breaths trying to reclaim the one that had just been knocked out of him. A golden aura rushed over Seifer that came from the achievement of limit break. With a small grunt, Seifer charged at Zell, reaching him before Zell could avoid. Seifer drew his sword back at his side and slashed Zell across his chest with the sword with a spray of ripped fabric and blood. Before Zell could move, Seifer brought the blade back, hitting him again, and again. "Uhaaaa!"

Until Zell was unable to get away from the repetitious strikes, every time he was knocked away he was pulled back in to the attack immediately. Strong winds began to surround him until they swirled around him in a tornado. 'What….the hell is this…' Zell tried to block, but the pull from the winds kept his arms down and him completely open to Seifer's attacks. Finally after what seemed like hundreds of strikes, Seifer's final blow knocked Zell's body through the walls of wind and plummeting to the ground.

He had to give it to him, Seifer was strong, and that last attack hurt like hell.

Zell was left laying on his back, unsure at first if he would be able to get up. But fury was a strong motivation, he couldn't stay down, not in a fight against him. "No way in hell I'm losing to you!" Zell shouted, the same golden aura of limit break shined over him as he flipped on to his feet.

The golden aura was replaced with a blue one as Zell skipped over the duel part of his Limit break right to the finishers. In a near blur of surprising speed he was face to face with Seifer, using Different Beat before Seifer had time to react in anything other then a flinch. Zell flipped backwards, sending a fierce kick to his chin and knocking him off the ground.

Another flip kick juggled Seifer higher in to the air, with each strike Zell's attacks grew stronger. Until a haze of fire surrounded him like an aura, Zell kicked off of him hard enough to spring himself into the air, leaping above Seifer and finally delivering a swift and burning spin kick to his head. Seifer was sent sprawling to the ground hard enough to bounce off at first, but even after an attack like that, slowly and painfully, Seifer used his sword to lift himself back up to his feet. He just wouldn't stay down!

Another blue aura flowed over Zell as he landed on the ground. This time he used Burning rave. An explosion of energy radiated from Zell, igniting flames on his shoulders since it seemed that was the place where the most he could escape. Zell clinched his left fist tightly, pounding it in to the ground with a angry shout. A jolt of energy rushed outward towards Seifer, cutting through the ground like a shark through and disappearing for a quick second as it came beneath Seifer before it erupted under him in a out lay explosion of the same energy. He was blow off of his feet..

Seifer landed almost as hard as he sent in to the air, some how, Seifer managed to get to his knees, his body on the brink of faltering. He used the last of his strength to stand up, in that usual resilient Seifer attitude, he refused to give up.

"Damnit! Why wont you stay the fuck down!" The next and final blue aura enveloped Zell again, he dashed forward in persistent fury, using 'My final heaven' Much to Seifer's surprise, and despite the evident anger, Zell ran right past him in a blur. But not more then a second later Seifer saw Zell on the horizon in front of him going an imposable speed. Threw the blur all he could see was a bright light.

In another fury of speed, Zell charged at Seifer with his drawn back fist surrounded in white light, ready to strike. Zell pulled his hand back even farther as he dawned on his enemy, thrusting his fist into Seifer's stomach and coming to a quick stop a few steps behind him after the pass. As soon as Zell was out of range an explosion erupted from the spot Seifer had been hit, sending his body flying over Zell's shoulder and sliding to a painful stop.

From there, the darkness dissipated, leaving Zell back in the lower levels of the Deep Sea research center again. "Yeah!" Zell shouted, getting a great sense of satisfaction knowing that 'I just kicked Seifer's ass!' Zell smirked triumphantly.

Just as before he felt that small wind from above, now that this was the second time it happened he completely ignored it as just that, wind.

"Zell!"

A familiar voice called out to him 'Was that", Zell turned around and flinched when he found a large sword coming at him. By the time his reflects inhibited him to move, it was already an inch from his face and to late. But it stopped. 'WhWhat was that?" His heart was pounding, he could almost feel the blade pressing against his head, he was that close to death...

Now Zell had finally enough time to see what was happening around him. Ultima Weapon was standing behind him, in front of him now that he'd turned around, which was most likely the gust of wind he felt. And it was about to strike him with it's sword, and by the look of it's tenseness and shaking arm still trying to do so. Some invisible force had came between the Weapon and Zell, he could see sparks flying where the sword connected with it. 'Where did this come from?'

Zell reached his hand out to the spot where the blade was being held at bay, there was some type of barrier, it was as thin as glass but strong. Zell back away slowly, now fully realizing how close that sword was to cutting his head off. 'Who…… called my name?'

From behind Ultima, Zell could see Carbuncle, his body was tense and his eyes were narrowed angrily. Now things made sense, he was the one that created the barrier, Carbuncle was always amazing strong at defense. "Carbuncle! What are you doing here!" Zell asked loudly, clasping his hand over his chest in an attempt to calm his pounding heart

"Saving you! What the fuck wrong with you, leaving me there for that long! I waited for you this whole damn time!"

Zell walked to the barrier, looking past Ultima to Carbuncle. "What are you talking about, I've been gone a half hour at the most."

"Like hell! It's been 4 years!"

It took a few seconds for it to sink in, that was until his mind tried to figure out how many days that was. Had he really been gone for that long? For that long? "4...years………"

They had more pressing matters then this discussion, Like Ultima Weapon who was still trying to get through the Barrier. "Oh, and I found our little missing dragon." Carbuncle voice was strained as he reinforced the shielded blocking Zell from Ultima, but there was still that detectable hint of sarcasm.

"What? Where?" Zell looked around franticly, anxious at the prospect of seeing Bahamut again. Everything seemed to be coming together again.

"Look up." Carbuncle directed. Zell did so almost immediately, taking time to notice that Ultima was in bad shape, apparently it had been in a losing battle.

A blast of Mega Flare dropped on the weapon from above, erupting in to a blinding light and loud detonation. All Zell could see through the shield was a bright slight light that was quickly followed by red flames. His mind thought randomly on how it was like looking into a working washing machine.

When the attack cleared away there wasn't a trace left of Ultima except for it's sword.

Bahamut landed with a small thump and the shield around Zell shattered when Carbuncle released it. With out hesitation Zell ran to the missing GF, throwing his arms around his waist and hugging him tightly.

"Bahamut! I couldn't find you, I looked everywhere! I thought you were dead!" The boy said frantically

Bahamut wrapped his arms around Zell, burring his face into the boy's neck. "I though the sorceress had gotten to you."

"Believe me, she did." Zell meant it in the truest sense, he wasn't strong enough to beat her and he ended up dieing. Of course there was that intervention from Phoenix.

"Come on! We have to get out of here!" Carbuncle shouted with clear annoyment, a vein in his head was even starting to throb. The best he could do was just turn away and hope the two would hurry up.

Zell almost wondered what was wrong with him, but he remembered that it had been 4 years since Carbuncle had seen him last. 'Aw man...' Zell came from behind the small GF and scooped him into his arms, which surprised Carbuncle at first until he realized it was Zell. "I Sorry Carbuncle." He gave the most pleading, apologetic look he could mange. One that Carbuncle had no chance of resisting.

"Hmm………I'm just happy your alright…" Carbuncle buried himself in Zell's chest again, he didn't cry this time though as much as he wanted to. He had half of mind to bite Zell as hard as he could, he was in a good position to do so, but even more so he had an overwhelming sense of relief and growing happiness, it was worth the wait.

! - ! - !

Squall had fought off wave after wave of monsters on the while Griever took care of the ones in the air.

'What am I doing here….' Squall grunted angrily, slicing through a Wendigo 'I have to find Ifrit, I don't have time for this!'

Squall found himself surrounded by Marlboros, he'd defeated overwhelming odds of different types of monsters. But he hadn't fought Marlboros yet, he may have had a chance fighting one, but not this many. Griever couldn't help him, if it wasn't for the GF he would have been taken out by the many monsters in the air a long time ago. Griever didn't seem to be having any problems.

"Damnit……" Squall looked around him at the open, dripping, fang filled mouths of the large monsters.

He heard a small clanking sound as something fell from the sky and landed behind him and rolled against to his ankle.

'This is…!' it one was the golden band that Ifrit had around his wrist, one that Squall wished he'd inquired the nature of before. Squall quickly picked up, as soon as he touched it his junction flared up and intensified, becoming strong enough for something to make him fade out of reality directly afterwards.

More things fell from the sky, this time not so small.

A burning Meteor rain down, large enough to cover all 10 of the Marlboro's in it's wake. It hit the ground and exploded in a rush of flames, incinerating any thing remotely close.

Squall faded back in to reality again, that was undoubtedly Ifrit's attack, he could still feel the heat, but Ifrit was nowhere to be found. "Ifrit? Ifrit! Where are you! !" Squall felt two large arms wrap around his waist, he was caught in a familiar embrace. It was firm, strong, warm, Ifrit.

"Ifrit."

"Squall, It took awhile, but I found you."

Squall leaned back in to the arms, he felt like hugging him in a very child like manner... and he did so, turning around and hugging the GF in a hold that would have been other wise painful. "What happened to you?"

"I don't know, it's…..blank after Ultimecia." Ifrit plated a soft kiss on Squall's neck, one hand gently resting entangled in Squall's hair. Ifrit couldn't describe the worry he'd gone through, not after having to leave Squall to face something that immensely powerful.

All of the monsters were gone, and so this place started to fade as if that had been the only thing anchoring them to it, they were going back farther in time. Griever landed in front of the two, looking at them for a second before he retracted his claws and the two blades on his elbows. A clear sign that he was relaxed.

"Griever. Thank you." Ifrit said, still holding Squall tightly...that hold was growing tighter by the moment as if Ifrit was afraid he'd be pulled away.

Squall's vision started to become flooded in white light. "Wh-what's happening?" Squall looked around blindly, feeling the embrace from Ifrit fade. He thought he was alone again until he noticed Ifrit junction himself.

'What's happening?'

He heard Griever's voice inside his head again, and before he could even ask as to why he head those words that infuriated him before. (Just open your eyes.)

Squall didn't understand it for a moment, but this time he found it easy to do so. He found himself laying on the ground in Rinoa's arms. Gray clouds above them were pierced by the sun's rays. The light surrounded the two, propagating outwards and rolling back the clouds like holy light through darkness.

They were in a field of flowers with a blue sky over head, white feathers surrounded them like a snow storm. It was amazing, all of Squall's senses where being bombarded with newly revived feelings.

He immediately recognized this place, it was the field outside the orphanage.

End of part 1