Chapter 22: Ascension

"Was that your Limit?" Selphie asked Zell as the group drove back to Deling City. Zell, who was clutching the side of his seat tightly, nodded. A grove of trees whipped past, too quickly, and the passengers jumped slightly as Selphie hit a bump at very unsafe speeds, but Zell did not openly complain, instead spitting out a quiet curse.

"Its called Duel," he explained through gritted teeth. "Really cool, sorta. I start moving really fast while everything slows down. I start feeling really strong too, like my angeri s powering me up, right?" Selphie nodded, then veered past a much slower-moving car.

"And then, bam, bam, bam!" Zell added annunciating each "bam" with a punch in the air. "I hit 'em, really hard. I just named it Duel because I had a hard time coming up with a good name that wasn't chees- whoa, watch it!"

In the second row of seats, Squall and Rinoa sat together, Squall- seemingly unfazed from the wild ride- was inspecting the sword and remaining gear of the Galbadia Garden cadet, while Rinoa nuzzled Angelo, who lay in her lap.

"Is that what d- umm, the general wanted us to find?" she asked him, who nodded.

"It has to be," Squall replied, inspecting the sword. It was a nice one, though the number of cadets using melee weapons in Galbadia Garden was few. Without the advantage GFs conferred, melee weapons partially lost their effectiveness. Perhaps that was what killed this student? Did he try challenging a GF, not realizing their power? The two brothers were not like Ifrit, who existed as a challenge. Not all Guardian Forces were merciful when angered.

"His ID was one fifty-two?" Rinoa asked, looking at the numbers on what remained of the dead cadet's collar. Squall nodded.

"A sword and an ID of one fifty-two?" Irvine asked, from the back seat. "That must have been Tatal."

"Tatal?" Squall asked.

"Tatal Giverns," Irvine replied, shaking his head. "Bit of a blowhard, and arrogant as hell. He was around when I first joined . . . not surprised he's dead. That was the kind of guy who'd walk up something nasty like a Wendigo or Blood Soul and try to kill it bare-handed. Probably pissed of those Guardian Forces and got what he deserved for being such an ass."

Well, at least they had a name to go with the gear now, Squall thought, stowing the equipment. Selphie jolted the car once more.

"I take it you didn't like Tatal?" Quistis asked, seated beside Irvine in the rear set of seats. The sharpshooter shrugged.

"He was one of those total freak patriots," Irvine explained. "The kind who hated anyone who wasn't Galbadian."

"I knew those kinds," Quistis replied. "When I was attending classes at Galbadia Garden, I met too many of them. They didn't like me in particular, because I was from Balamb Garden and because I was a blue magic specialist."

"Heh," Irvine said, chuckling. "You're still talked about there, you know. The only blue magic specialist to have attended Gabadia Garden." Irvine paused, then looked at Quistis curiously. "How do you guys work?"

"Blue magic?" Quistis asked.

"Yeah," Irvine replied. "You said it was inborn." Quistis nodded.

"Not entirely," she explained. "You know how magic is held in different types of objects?" Irvine nodded. "Well, part of the magic in these objects is usable magic, the kind that can be easily refined and used by humans. But part of the magic is difficult to use without proper training and the appropriate knack. Especially in magical objects or parts that you can take from monsters."

"And blue mages can use this magic?" Irvine asked, to which Quistis nodded.

"Blue magic is difficult," she explained. "But some people, like me, we can understand the odd magic better than others and cast it more effectively. Once we've learned how to use the magic, casting it becomes second nature to us."

As Quistis finished her explanation, Selphie hit a major hump. The SUV went airborne for a brief second before returning to the ground, jolting all of the occupants. For the first time since the wild ride had begun, Squall seemed to notice Selphie's antics, but said nothing. Zell, on the other hand, felt the need to become more vocal with his complaints.

"You crazy?" Zell screamed.

"Then you drive!" Selphie retorted, silencing Zell. The martial artist just opted to grit his teeth and hold on.

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Squall handed the sword and uniform to the lieutenant at Caraway's gate a couple of hours later, and the man was happy to let them in. Beyond the outer gate, Squall could make out part of the mansion around the foliage of the heavily wooded grounds, bushes flanking the entry walkway. After a few moments of walking down the stone path, Squall could more clearly see the huge mansion beyond the plants. The structure looked like far more than the home of a mere general, unless Galbadia paid its higher- up officers a lot more than they paid the regulars . . . .

That made Squall wonder as to why Galbadia and Balamb Gardens were working with Caraway. If Galbadia supported its officers well, then certainly Caraway would have nothing to gain from overthrowing Deling. Not Squall believed that Caraway was in this for profit in the first place. The man was devoted to Galbadia's well-being, according to his reputation. But why would he align with Garden? He had more than enough clout among the regulars to stage an overthrow. Something didn't make sense.

Perhaps he feared rebellion among the regular soldiers? Deling made it a policy to maintain a large army; if he was overthrown, then the future of many of the Galbadian army's soldiers would be thrown into question. No, Caraway couldn't rely on his army for this operation. He would need outside intervention.

Squall nodded to himself at that explanation as he approached the doors, and then banished any further questions about the origins of this mission. He had to focus on the objective.

"Squall?" Rinoa asked quietly from behind. He turned to face her, wondering what she wanted. The rest of the team paused, but Rinoa seemed a bit uncomfortable with them listening, so Squall just waved them on. As they entered the mansion, Squall turned back to Rinoa.

"Umm," she said uncertainly. "Is . . . is my contract still in effect?" Squall nodded. Despite the fact that the assassination mission superceded Rinoa's mission in priority, her contract was still in effect and they would still have to go to whatever means necessary to keep her safe.

"Whatever you do, don't leave me in this house, okay?" she asked. Squall blinked in surprise at the odd request, but nodded. After a moment's consideration, it seemed to make sense. Rinoa was the head of a rebel organization opposed to Galbadian rule, and this was the home of one of Galbadia's higher-ups. They'd already seen soldiers roaming the grounds, so it would obviously be a risk for Rinoa to be here for too long.

"Do you want me to explain why?" she asked, but Squall shook his head. He already knew, so he wouldn't need the explanation.

"You should know by now," he said. "Just tell us what to do and we'll do it." Rinoa nodded, though Squall understood her hesitance to give the SeeDs orders. After their argument in Timber, she probably felt guilty giving orders to people who, to some degree, did not feel secure with their client.

"Okay, then," she said quietly, indicating Squall should lead the way. "Thanks."

The inside of Carway's mansion was almost ridiculous in how finely appointed it was. The house was old but beautiful, with paneled wooden walls, rich carpets, finely carved and polished statues, and marble floors. The entry hallway featured a huge chandelier and a massive staircase leading up to the second level of the mansion. A Galbadian soldier met Squall and Rinoa as they entered and directed them to a guest's waiting room on the second floor, telling them that Caraway would meet with his guests shortly. Rinoa then led Squall to the room, with, he noted, an unusual familiarity with the layout of the mansion. They spotted more soldiers on the way, doubtless Caraway's bodyguards.

Rinoa led him down a hallway and opened a door on the south side, leading into the guestroom. Quistis was already sitting at an expensive wooden table with equally expensive wooden chairs. Selphie stood at one of the room's huge windows, looking out over the grounds of Caraway's mansion and the busy streets beyond. Zell paced anxiously, while Irvine lounged behind a desk at the far end of the room, feet resting casually atop it, next to his rifle.

Squall and Rinoa wordlessly sat down at the table, waiting for Caraway to arrive, while Angelo curled up at Rinoa's feet.

The group sat, stood, or paced for what seemed like an eternity. After nearly half an hour, Squall began to lose his patience. This mission was important; what the hell was taking the general so long?

"Hmph!" Rinoa finally muttered, standing up. "He always does this, making people wait. I'll go see what's taking so long." She turned toward the door, Angelo following. Squall began to follow, but Rinoa stopped him with a raised hand.

"Don't worry, I'm alright," she said, smiling. "Just stay here. I know this house pretty well." She paused for a moment, blushing slightly. "It is mine, after all." Before anyone could respond, Rinoa left the room. However, the shocked look on Zell's face spoke for the entire room. Squall frowned, and replayed the brief conversation he'd had with Rinoa outside, her words taking on a new meaning.

If this was her home, then the obvious conclusion was that General Hibrom Caraway must be Rinoa's father. He did have a child who was supposed to be in their late teens, and judging by what she said about not leaving her there, the SeeD suspected something wasn't right between Rinoa and Caraway. He hoped that whatever this father/daughter quarrel was, it wouldn't lead to trouble.

It was only a matter of minutes before the door reopened, and a man stepped in. He wasn't very large; in fact, he was shorter than Squall. He had black, graying hair, with one strand dropping across his face, which was shot through with wrinkles and a couple of scars. He wore a buttoned black trenchcoat, military style, with the left breast studded with rank markers and campaign embroidery. He also featured several multicolored bars, used by the Galbadian military in lieu of medals, which were only worn during public ceremonies.

"Greetings," Hibrom Caraway said to the SeeDs. "I'm sorry to have delayed you."

"Where's Rinoa?" Squall asked quickly, already suspecting something was amiss.

"She has not received the training you all have," Caraway explained, almost casually. "She may become an unnecessary burden on you during this mission. Burdens result in screw-ups. Screw-ups get people killed." Squall nodded in understanding, but Caraway still hadn't answered the question.

"It is best that she stay out of this operation," Caraway continued. "She should remain here until the mission is completed." Squall nodded again, but quiet alarm bells were ringing. Rinoa had specifically said she didn't want to be left here. If she didn't want to remain, she wasn't.

"So, are you Rinoa's father?" Selphie asked, turning to face Caraway. The general turned to look at her, a somewhat saddened look on his face.

"I can't remember the last time she called me that," he replied quietly.

"So, the father's a high-ranking general, and the daughter's the head of a rebel faction?" Zell said, not believing the irony. "Man . . . this is bad! Really bad!"

"Yes, I know," Caraway replied, walking to one of the windows. "But its not your problem. It's ours."

That wasn't the case, though, Squall thought. If Caraway thought Rinoa's problems were not their concern, he was sadly mistaken.

"Besides," Caraway added. "We have far more important things to worry about."

Squall shook his head. Garden's directive and Rinoa's contract mattered equally to the SeeDs.

"Once this mission's over, we're working for Rinoa again," Squall explained. Best if he laid things out right now. "I don't know what the situation between you two is, but when the time comes, don't interfere."

"And if I do?" Caraway asked, turning back to face Squall. Squall scowled, and let his eyes do all the explaining. Nonetheless, Squall added an extra comment.

"We're all SeeDs here," he stated, his voice edged with dangerous tones. "We'll act accordingly." Quistis, Zell, and Selphie nodded in agreement. Caraway looked between them, started to scowl, but then simply let out a sigh of defeat.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Irvine shouted from is spot at the desk. This far, the sharpshooter had been quiet during the discussion, intent on only watching.

"We're here to waste and paste us a Sorceress, right?" Irvine said. With a single smooth motion he pushed himself up out of the chair and over the desk, then sat back against it. He then took out one of his .357 revolvers, twirling it absently. "So let's get down to business."

"Alright," Caraway said. He turned and stepped toward the door. "I have a briefing room set up downstairs. Come, I'll explain the plan."

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The briefing room was darkened and quiet, with a long table surrounded by chairs, along with a television projector and large screen. Caraway bid them to sit down, but Squall paused.

"Is this room clean?" he asked, to which Caraway nodded.

"It's the reason why I was late. I performed the sweep myself," he replied. "There are no listening devices anywhere in the room, and I locked it before I came to meet you. We won't be overheard." Squall nodded and gestured for his team to sit down. They all took their seats, Zell twitching anxiously, while Squall, Selphie, and Quistis sat down more sedately, though their anticipation toward the upcoming mission was visible. Irvine sat down -conspicuously close to Selphie -and propped his feet up on the table.

Caraway turned on the projector, and then spun to face the SeeDs. The screen was a blank, dark blue, casting the light across the room.

"I'm sure you are all aware of the alliance Deling has struck with the Sorceress Edea, correct?" The group nodded, and Squall made note of the name. Edea . . . somehow, it seemed familiar. But how? He glanced over at the rest of his group, noting the same general expressions on Zell, Selphie, and Quistis. It seemed they, too, were distantly familiar with the name. Irvine's expression was different, that of a furrowed brow, as if somehow confused.

"There will be a ceremony tonight to commemorate the event of her ascension," Caraway continued. "It will be held at the Presidential Palace." Caraway held up a remote and clicked a button. The projection screen changed from a uniform blue to showing the avenue outside the Presidential Palace. A wide, semi-circular paved section of road sat directly in front of the gates. The major avenues around the city met at the eastern and western end of the huge semi-circle, and the street bisecting the city ran off the top of its southern arc, leading directly through the huge archway in the center of the city.

"During the ceremony, you will be split into two teams, the sniper team and the gate team," Caraway continued. "Each is equally important. The gate team will enter the central arch and move to the second floor. The sniper team will wait outside the Presidential Palace during the ceremony." Caraway directed a laser pointer at a spot along the sidewalk of the area outside the Palace, at an inconspicuous location across the street. "There. That is where the sniper team will be positioned. Once the ceremony ends a parade will begin and the outer gates will open. That is when the sniper team will enter. Do not cause any commotion before the parade begins. Security is tight, and the parade may be canceled if there is a disturbance.

"Once the parade begins, it will attract the attention of the crowds and guards," Caraway continued. "If you're quick, you can slip into the gates unnoticed. The sniper team will then have to find a way onto the roof. Once there, you should find a corridor that has a hatch which will lead you into a concealed clock tower. Inside the tower is a carousel clock, where you will find a sniper rifle. The sniper team is to stand by until exactly 20:00 hours."

Caraway directed his laser pointer back onto the screen, at the gates of the Palace.

"The parade will begin at the gate, and the Sorceress will be riding a large parade vehicle. After it leaves the gate, it will turn left." Caraway indicated down the left street from the Palace gates. "It will then circle around the city along the outer road before turning right at the road in front of the train station. Then, it will travel down the central avenue back to the Palace, where it is supposed to turn left and do the same down the right avenue."

Caraway pointed up that road.

"On the way back it will pass through the gate. This is where the gate team comes into play. They will enter through a door inside the arch prior to the parade and move to the second floor. At exactly 20:00 hours, the vehicle will pass beneath this gate. At that moment, the gate team is to operate a mechanism that will drop the gates, trapping the Sorceress. At that same moment, the carousel clock will rise out of the clock tower, due to an arrangement we have made with the computers controlling it. The sniper team will be in perfect firing position. Take the shot, and kill her."

The briefing finished, Caraway looked over the group.

"That is all. You will need to form teams for this mission. The sniper and the mission leader will form the sniper team. The leader's role is vital: if the mission should somehow fail, or if the sniper should miss- " Irvine snorted at that "-then the leader must carry out a direct assault on the Sorceress. The mission was designed very carefully, and was intended as a covert operation. However, our objective is the elimination of the Sorceress at all costs. Even if they should discover our identities."

Squall nodded, understanding. He glanced around at his team, who mimicked his nod.

"I'll lead the operation," Squall stated quickly. No one argued; of all of them, Squall was the most proficient warrior. If any of them could stand toe-to-toe with the Sorceress, it was him. And almost as important, his combat skill and capabilities meant that he was the most likely to be able to escape from the Galbadian response if he did have to fight the Sorceress himself.

"Very well then," Caraway said. "I'll leave the rest to you. Good luck." He nodded to the SeeDs and left the room.

"The sniper team is decided," Squall said, turning to look at the remainder of his group. "Then that means the gate team will be-"

"Whoo-hoo!" Selphie cut him off with a cheer.

"Let's do it!" Zell said with a thumbs up and pumping fist.

"Roger," Quistis added with a nod.

"We'll need a leader for the gate team," Selphie added. "Who will it be?"

Squall looked over the group, and he understood immediately. Zell looked more than eager to take the job, pumping his fists in the air in excitement. However, Quistis had the most experience of everyone present, even moreso than Squall. Zell and Selphie were too green, and neither were real types for command; Both were too impulsive, and Squall felt neither would work as a good leader for this operation. Not when compared with Quistis.

"Instructor Trepe . . . Quistis, you're in charge," he told her. She blinked in surprise, then quickly saluted. Behind her, Zell's shoulders slumped in defeat, before he turned around and threw a few practice punches at a shadow. Even if Garden didn't trust Quistis' leadership skills, Squall did.

"All right!" she responded with a genuine smile. "Leave it to me."

"Let's do this," Squall stated, and stood.

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The two teams returned to the guest room to pick up their gear and prepare for the upcoming mission. Outside, the crowds had already begun to gather in the streets, so Squall and Irvine left early to ensure they would be in position. Quistis finished clipping her rante to her belt and, confirming that her team was prepared, turned to leave out the door.

But at that moment, the door swung open and someone slammed into Quistis, almost knocking her off her feet. The SeeD recovered quickly and shook her head, then looked up to see Rinoa standing in the doorway, an embarrassed smile on her face, Angelo right behind her.

"Hey!" she said, looking around the room. "Finally got out of there! The soldiers and staff kept bothering me about how long I was away. Anyway, did that man finally show up?"

Quistis frowned, and recalled Caraway's words. The conflict between father and daughter must have been intense if she refused to even call him her father. And the way Rinoa had spoken, calling Caraway "that man" so casually and without any difficulty or hesitation, meant that she had been referring to him as that for a long time. How deep did this quarrel go?

"Nah, we didn't really get to meet with him," Zell told her, making an oddly prudent decision to keep the details about the mission under wraps. Rinoa nodded, then looked around the room again, as if searching for something.

"Hey, where's Squall?" she asked. Quistis glanced out the window and shook her head. The crowds were growing every second in anticipation for the ceremony. They had to go, now.

"I'm sorry, Rinoa, but we have to get going," she explained, stepping toward the door. Rinoa quickly held up a hand, stopping Quistis.

"Hold on a second," she said, reaching into a pocket. A moment later, Rinoa produced an ornate gold bracelet, complete with a shimmering blue gemstone that seemed to glow from its own inner light.

"Take a look at this! It's an Odine Bangle, made in Esthar," Rinoa explained. "I found it in that man's room."

"Odine?" Zell said, surprised. The legendary Odine brand products were rare and expensive, specially designed to enhance or weaken magic. It wasn't surprising to find that an Odine product was inside the home of one of Galbadia's generals; the devices were long sought after by military forces.

"Whatcha going to do with it?" Selphie asked, enchanted by the device's strange glow.

"It's supposed to suppress the Sorceress' powers," Rinoa explained, pacing the room, tossing the bangle back and forth between her hands. "But the exact effects are unknown. They said that this was picked up off the black market, what with Esthar's borders being closed, and they don't trust the dealer's claims yet. So they probably weren't going to use it for this mission."

"If its Odine, then it should be pretty effective," Zell said. "They're top-notch when it comes to magical goods!" He paused as Quistis put a hand on his shoulder. Zell glanced at the team leader to see her shake her head.

"Don't encourage her," Quistis whispered, before turning to Rinoa. "What are you going to do with it?" Quistis' tone made it clear that she wasn't asking this as an honest question, but instead to make a point. "Are you planning to have the Sorceress put it on? Who? How? When? Can it even fit in with the mission we've already planned? Could it compromise Squall or Irvine's safety?"

"That's what we're going to discuss!" Rinoa replied, but Quistis shook her head.

"We don't have time for that!" Quistis replied forcefully, loud enough to make Zell and Selphie flinch. "Squall and Irvine are already standing by. We have to get into position. You understand don't you?" Quistis looked Rinoa dead in the eyes.

"This isn't some family quarrel," she continued, gesturing emphatically. "This is real life. Lives are at stake, and the future of this country could be decided! This isn't a game!" Quistis shook her head, and then spun toward the door. Rinoa, her mouth open at the berating she'd received, looked down at the floor as Quistis left. A moment later, Zell and Selphie wordlessly turned and exit the room as well.

Left alone in her house, Rinoa's features tightened. She looked back up at the door Quistis had exited through, and then back down at the carpet. The SeeD's refusal to even consider her proposal hurt deeply, almost as deeply as the pain of the conflict with her own father so long ago. One of her hands drifted up to the ring on her necklace. Her mother's death, and the circumstances surrounding it, still hurt to this very day.

"I know this isn't a game," Rinoa hissed, sinking to the floor. "I know what's at stake. It's not like I don't have a plan . . . ." She hugged her knees close to her chest, almost in a fetal position. Beside her, Angelo nuzzled her hand. Rinoa absently petted her loyal guardian.

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"I'll make the charge if we launch a direct assault," Squall explained as he and Irvine filtered through the crowds. "I should be abe to make it off the top of the carosel clock easily enough with my junctions."

"That won't be necessary," Irvine replied with a smile. "I'll get the job done."

Squall shrugged and turned, moving through the park across the street from Caraway's mansion. The crowds were getting thick, and squads of Galbadian soldiers with riot shields and batons were herding the crowds around the palace. They'd need to find a way in soon. The park should provide a good shortcut.

"So, isn't it true SeeDs aren't supposed to question their mission?" Irvine asked. Squall blinked and shrugged, not looking back at Irvine.

"You should know, aren't you one?" Squall asked as they stepped onto a stone path running across the park. Irvine simply shrugged as well.

"Just curious. Trying to get a different view from someone from another Garden," Irvine replied. "So, how does Balamb Garden's SeeD think about the mission?"

Squall didn't immediately answer. To tell the truth, mercenaries really shouldn't have to question the morality of their missions, but somehow Headmaster Cid had always guided his cadets and SeeDs in the direction of morally judging their decisions and orders. He didn't subscribe to the notion that his mercenaries were nothing more than weapons- for-hire. Nor were they like Seifer had been; mere flailing fighters. It was like Cid was hoping for more from his troops than money.

"What do you care?" Squall asked Irvine.

"Just curious," Irvine responded. "I mean, do you ever wonder about right and wrong? Like if you knew your enemy was pure evil, would you get more psyched up to fight them?"

"Pure evil?" Squall asked, shaking his head. "There's rarely pure evil. Right and wrong don't separate SeeDs from our enemies. We're just two sides with opposing viewpoints. It's our different standpoints, our views that make us enemies. Both sides blame one another. There's no good or evil, just opposing viewpoints." Irvine shrugged again in response and let the matter drop. Besides, they were almost through the park and near their location.

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At that moment, Quistis' team had already neared the gate at the center of the city. They found the door easily enough and the ladder inside that led to the second level. At the top of the ladder they found a small room, more of a guardroom than anything else, even featuring a narrow medieval-style window for looking out over the roads running through the gate to the north and south.

"Wow, great view!" Selphie commented as she looked out the north window. While the window itself was small, the view it provided was commanding, showing clear to the Presidential Palace so far away. She turned back to the rest of the team. Zell leaned against the wall, foot tapping impatiently.

"Not really fair," he said, "trapping the Sorceress and all. Can't be helped, though." He glanced over at the lever that they would need to throw. It was just a small switch set into the wall, not even really conspicuous. Quistis stood beside the lever, but rather than inspecting it she simply stared off into space.

"Hey, Instructor," Zell caled, still used to referring to her by her old title. "What's up?" He gave her a questioning look, curious as to whatever Quistis was thinking about. She glanced back to the ladder, and then started toward it.

"I think I was a little too hard on Rinoa," Quistis said quietly.

"What?" Selphie asked. "You're going to apologize?"

"We can't leave our station!" Zell protested as Quistis started down the ladder.

"We've still got plenty of time before the parade begins," she responded. "You two wait here, I'll be back soon."

"No way!" Selphie replied, following Quistis down the ladder.

"Wait up!" Zell added, running over to stand by the ladder as well. Quistis almost wanted to order them to stay, but said nothing. She'd actually prefer it if they joined her. After all, there were still a couple of hours before the ceremony and parade. And Quistis wanted to talk to Rinoa while she'd still have the chance.

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Rinoa was still hugging her knees and fuming over Quistis' refusal to accept her proposal when the door to the guestroom opened. She glanced up, saw a pair of booted feet and a long trenchcoat, and knew who it was.

"It'll be chaos out there soon," Caraway said. "You'll be safe here, Rinoa."

Rinoa didn't reply, only wished he would leave. She was still so angry with him. Caraway didn't move away however, and in fact stepped closer. He bent down and set a hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"You still haven't forgiven me," he whispered. "And I don't blame you. I wake up every morning and look in the mirror, and I still see the coward I was. I loved your mother too." Caraway stood and turned to the door, and moved to leave.

"I'm sorry about what I did so long ago," he whispered as he left. "I shouldn't have insisted on driving that night. I shouldn't have covered it up." He paused and looked back at Rinoa. "I shouldn't have lied to you about it . . . ." He shook his head and walked down the hallway outside to the security room.

"Your mother died from my irresponsibility," Caraway said as he opened the door to the security room. "I won't let you suffer the same fate." He entered his password into the computer terminal and opened the electronic lock controls.

Rinoa had long known about the door lock system in her home, and just as well understood the faint clicking noises she heard in the walls around the door.

"He's going to lock me in!" Rinoa exclaimed, and scrambled for the door. The locks would shut the door five seconds after the order was entered. She quickly got outside and hurried around a corner. Caraway would come to check the lock soon; she had to hurry before he arrived. Thinking quickly, she scanned the hallway and spotted a window. Not hesitating, she opened it and began to climb out. Almost as an afterthought, Rinoa looked behind her, to see Angelo there.

"Stay here, Angelo," she commanded. The dog whined quietly, but sat. She watched as Rinoa made her way out the window. "I'll be back, don't worry," Rinoa added.

"I . . . I can do this," she whispered to herself, checking the Odine bangle in her pocket as she began climbing down the side of the house. She had a plan.

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If Rinoa hadn't been in such a hurry to leave, and Quistis wasn't in a hurry to get back and apologize, the SeeD would have caught Rinoa as she entered Caraway's mansion. She bounded up the stairs to the second floor and ran down the hall leading to the guestroom. The door was open - Quistis didn't know it, but Rinoa had left just seconds before.

Quistis rushed into the room, Zell and Selphie behind her. They were already in the room and an apology was fumbling out of Quistis' mouth before they even realized Rinoa wasn't there anymore.

Behind them, the door slammed shut, accompanied by a click of the electronic lock activating.

In the span of a heartbeat, they were trapped, and the gate position was still unmanned.

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Security at the Presidential Palace was tight, but there were ways of bypassing the ordinarily impenatrable net around Deling's home. Caraway had a pair of special access cards that were given to members of Deling's senior staff, which would allow free access to the entire compound. Caraway would have given one of his cards to the sniper team, but doing so would easily implicate him if the team was caught. Caraway didn't realize it, but while he had been briefing the SeeDs, Rinoa had taken the opportunity to obtain one of these cards, along with the Odine Bangle.

Rinoa had been able to get through an unguarded maintainence door at the rear of the compound, but prudently opted to avoid using one of the doors into the main Palace. The place would be swarming with guards, and access card or not she wouldn't be able to get past all of them. Instead, she found a heavily loaded military truck near the east side of the compound, the back filled with crates high enough to reach the lowest rooftop of the Palace. More crates lay scattered on the ground, giving Rinoa an impromptu staircase she could use to scale to the roof.

"I'm not a SeeD," she thought to herself as she began scaling the crates. She quickly rose to the military truck's bed and hoisted herself up onto the cold steel of the vehicle's frame.

"But I can do this. I have to do this . . . ." Rinoa scrambled up another pair of crates, reaching the same height as the rooftop, and then hopped from the top of the crates to the roof.

"This isn't some kind of game," she muttered as her feet landed lightly on the roof. She quickly glanced around. She was on the lowest rooftop of the Palace, with a second roof far above this one. Up ahead, she spotted a ladder leading to the top of the upper roof, and quickly scaled it. Once at the top, Rinoa hoisted herself once more over a slight elevation in the roof, beyond which was a door leading into the Palace. This one was, thankfully, unguarded.

From there it took only a couple of minutes to locate the chamber where the sorceress waited. Rinoa paused outside her door, biting her lower lip. Even from here, outside her chamber, Rinoa felt the sheer power of the woman. The girl steeled herself, clenched the Odine Bangle tightly, and slipped into the room.

The Sorceress sat with her back to Rinoa, wearing her beak-like mask and long purple-black dress. Her long black hair seemed to float as if caught in a draft, but there was no wind in the chamber. the air was cool, too cool for comfort. The low temperature was accented by numerous transparent white curtains scattered around the chamber.

"Um, excuse me," Rinoa began to say hesitantly, clasping her hands behind her back. "I'm the aughter of, um, the Galbadian army's . . . um, General Caraway." The words fumbled out of her mouth as Rinoa's resolve began to waver. Outside the chamber, the Sorceress' power was tangible. Inside it was overwhelming.

"I thought I'd come to pay my respects, 'cause of my father and all," Rinoa continued, stepping forward toward the awe-inspiring woman. "So, I brought you a small gift . . . ."

A blinding flash of white light erupted, searing Rinoa's eyes. She felt a shocking blast of force hurl her off her feet, throwing her across the room. She hit the floor hard, her mind reeling from the sheer power behind the eruption. Rinoa's eyes began to recover, the white drapes coming into focus, when her right hand, the one holding the Odine Bangle, began to move of its own accord, a tight pressure wrapping around her wrist. Rinoa looked down at it in horror as it began to rise, trembling in the Sorceress' telekinetic grip.

Rinoa grabbed at her hand, trying to hold it back, but was only successful for a moment. her right hand shot up into the air, bringing Rinoa along with it, to hover several feet above the floor. She gasped in pain as she felt the grip on her hand tighten. A second later, Rinoa was hammered by another shock of force, directly into her skull. Her head jerked back, and then she blacked out as the Sorceress released her mental hold, dropping the girl to the floor.

The tips of the Sorceress' hair began to glow, as if enflamed, and the long black strands shortened, receding into the mask that covered her head. At the same moment, the beak-like mask glowed with a similar heat and receded, revealing a pale, beautiful face, with a small nose and purple- painted lips and eyeshadow. She inhaled slightly, free of her confining mask, and opened her yellow eyes, gleaming with power.

The Sorceress Edea stood calmly, and behind her, Rinoa began to rise as well, her eyes blank and head lolling to the side as if in a trance. The girl followed the Sorceress as she began to step forward, then paused. Edea stretched her arms up and then out to the sides in a sweeping gesture, and from nowhere an edged semi-circle of golden spikes unfolded from an unseen location in the back of her dress, fanning out behind her head and shoulders. Another mysterious gust of wind blew in the chamber, fanning out a pair of long white stips of fabric, like a pale train, appeared from nowhere, anchored to the base of the golden spikes.

Edea raised her hands into the air once again, feeling the ecstasy of her raw power, and then lowered them. Her new thrall following behind her, Edea stepped ahead, touching the closed doors and transforming them into a fluid substance through which she and Rinoa passed easily, before they reverted to their normal state. They stepped out onto the roof of the Presidential Palace. There, standing beside the podium normally reserved for Presidential speeches, was Vinzer Deling. He had been speaking moments before, but it had merely been an announcement of Edea's pending arrival, and as the Sorceress approached, he joined in the clapping as the crowds below began to applaud. Below, clogging every street as far as the eye could see, were Galbadian citizens, cheering, waving banners, and celebrating their new, mighty ambassador.

Edea approached the podium, waited for the thunderous applause to die down, and spoke.

-------------------

"Here she comes," Irvine commented, to which Squall nodded. They had had to sit through Deling's usual introductory speech, but now the real meat of the ceremony had begun. He looked up at the Sorceress, taking in her features, even from this distance. Once more, the odd feeling of familiarity struck Squall. He knew Edea from somewhere, but where?

Even as Squall was wondering this, he noticed something beyond Edea, a slender girl clad in blue-

Rinoa! Squall's adrenaline spiked as a thousand questions flew through his mind. What was Rinoa doing there? How had she gotten inside? Was this part of the operation?

The microphones on the podium reverberated as the people below cheered even louder. Squall frowned as he felt a wave of power sweep outward from the podium, whipping the crowd into an even greater frenzy. The legends said that Sorceresses had the power to influence peoples' minds. Was that what she was doing?

"Lowlifes," Edea began, her voice reverberating across the city as she addressed the people. "Shameless, filthy wretches." The people did not even respond to her insults, continuing their cheers.

"How you celebrate my ascension with such joy," she continued, her words dripping with both sarcasm and venom. Beside her, Deling looked surprised at her words. "Hailing the one you have condemned for generations. Have you no shame? What happened to the evil, ruthless Sorceress from your fantasies? From your nightmares? The cold-blooded tyrant who slaughtered countless men and destroyed numerous nations? Where is she now?" Edea raised her hands, and then laughed.

"She stands before your very eyes now, to become your new ruler!" Deling spun at Edea's proclamation, a look of both shock and fear on his face. "A new era has just begun," Edea added with a smile. Deling stepped to her side hesitantly.

"Edea?" he began quietly, realizing something was very, very wrong. One of his hands went to the revolver in his coat pocket.

"This is reality," Edea stated coldly, and with shocking speed, jabbed one of her hands into Deling's chest, the fingers cutting in like knives. The President's eyes widened in shock, and his mouth opened in a silent scream as purple fire shot through his body, burning away his insides and erupting from the dictator's open mouth. Below, the people streamed forward, pressing against the riot guards in a frenzy of elation, bloodlust, and awe, all enhanced by Edea's power.

"No one can save you," Edea stated, hurling Deling's burning body away with ease that belied her small frame. He hit the roof twenty feet away, smoke and steam rising as the flames continued to consume his insides. Before he'd even landed, the dictator was dead.

"Stand back and enjoy the show," she told her new subjects. "Rest assured, you fools. Your time will come. This is only the begining."

Edea raised her hands to the sky, clutching with her fingers as if to pull the very heavens down.

"Let us begin a new reign of terror!" she shouted. "I will let you live a fantasy beyond your imagination." Edea spun swiftly, and departed, leaving behind the scorched corpse of the former President of Galbadia and the still-enthralled girl standing on the rooftop. Without pausing, she returned to the rooftop entrance of her chambers. As the cheers of the crowd died down behind her, muffled by the intervening walls, Edea stopped.

"Let us end this ceremony with a sacrifice," she whispered, arcane power rippling out from her body.

--------------------

The sculptor who had added the statues of the legendary Iguion beasts to the top of the Galbadian arch in the center of Deling City had much to be proud of, for his statues had matched the monsters perfectly. Huge, ten feet long, with the head, eyes, and forelegs of a dragon, and the hindlegs, rear, and tail of a lion, the Iguion was a beast of legend that had not been seen in generations.

That night, however, it was seen again, as the statues became more than mere statues. The stone turned to flesh, and an animating spirit buried itself inside the two Iguion statues that adorned the arch. The creatures opened their eyes, looked upon the world, and then sensed the will of their creator, the Sorceress whose power had made them exist in the first place.

They dropped off the arch, landed nimbly upon the street below, and sprang forward with shocking speed. Within moments they had closed with the edges of the massive crowd and leaped, their magically empowered muscles lifting the creatures into the night sky toward the Presidential Palace.

Edea sensed the approach of her new pets, their hunger for the one she willed them to kill, and smiled. As the creatures came in, and Edea descended to her parade float, she dismissed the mental domination she had held over Rinoa. The Sorceress smiled as she imagined the terrified look on the foolish girl's face as the Iguions descended upon her.

--------------------

"Shit!" Squall hissed as the half-lizard, half-lion beasts landed precisely on the Palace rooftop. Squall almost imagined he heard Rinoa scream over the din of the crowd, and for an instant he wanted to burst forward and leap over the Palace walls. But to do that now would be suicide with all the guards, not to mention that the mission would be comprimised. But he couldn't just leave Rinoa to die . . . .

Squall's internal debate ended in an instant as the Palace gates swung open, heralded by the flasing of fireworks and the renewed cheers of the crowd. Riot guards pushed the crowd back as a troupe of performers, male and female, began dancing in front of the gates with precise coordination. The dancers were clad in fanciful silver and black oufits and wore masks over their faces as they gyrated and leaped about, dancing in front of the extravagant parade vehicle that rolled out from the gates. Neon lights covered the front end of the vehicle, and bright, leaping flames burst from torches along the vehicle's sides. Edea herself sat on a throne atop the vehicle, framed by another pair of torches, watching over her gleeful subjects enthralled by her power.

However, as Squall scanned the vehicle, he saw something that made his blood freeze, an impossibility that was nonetheless real. Squall saw a man that, by all rights, should have been dead.

Standing tall at the front of the parade vehicle, Hyperion by his side, white coat gleaming in the torchlight, was Seifer Almasy.

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Oy. That was fun. Anyway, notesies.....

Yes, the briefing was inside Caraway's mansion. I put it there because, well, him giving the briefing in the middle of the city, running around in circles and laying out the operation to everyone within sight just screams a failure in operational security.

Quistis, Selphie, and Zell's adventures in the muck of Deling City's sewers will be covered next chapter!

Hmm, not much else to say here....