Chapter 46: Flight of the Ragnarok

"You ready for this?" Squall asked Rinoa as she sat on the edge of one of the upper balconies. She nodded after a moment as she looked over Fisherman's Horizon. Squall dropped a hand onto her shoulder, and she reached up, grasping it.

"Something wrong?" he asked, and she shook her head. Squall didn't relent. "Come on, there's something. You getting inside my head is starting to rub off on me now. What's wrong?"

"I'm just thinking," she said quietly. "I am a Sorceress. What about our children? What will they have to go through? One day Ultimecia is going to rise, after all. Will they have to face her? Or will their children have to?"

"Children?" Squall commented. "Thinking a bit far into the future, aren't you?"

"Maybe," Rinoa replied, looking back at him and smiling. "I certainly hope we live to see some."

"We will," he replied, firmly. "But right now, we have to deal with more immediate problems, like Adel and the Pandora."

"I'm ready to fight," she said, turning and standing up. "I may not have complete control, but I can do some damage."

"That what you did on the Ragnarok?" Squall asked as they walked back into the corridors of Garden. She nodded.

"It was just this sudden surge of power, like your Limits," she explained. "I saw you in trouble, so I simply willed the monster to be destroyed. And it was, without me even controlling the power. It was . . . Kind of scary."

"Can you do it again if you need to?" Squall asked, and she nodded.

"I don't really know what it is I'm wielding," she said, "but I don't have to know what it is to destroy with it. I'd like to avoid using it if I can, though, at least until someone like Edea shows me how to properly put it to use."

"Have you spoken with her about it yet?" Squall asked, and Rinoa shook her head.

"I really should, before we head out," she replied.

"Go on then, find her," Squall urged, nodding to Rinoa. "Talk with her for a while, understand what its like to be what you are. We may need you when we fight Adel and Ultimecia."

Rinoa nodded after a moment, and the turned to Squall and gave his a sudden strong hug. He blinked in surprise, and before he could return it she broke away, smiling.

"I'll do that," she said.

"I still need to meet with Selphie about the Ragnarok," Squall added. "Since we'll be using that as the insertion vehicle, I need to make sure she knows how to handle everything."

"She said the interface was very easy," Rinoa replied, and Squall nodded.

"Still, its Selphie," he said, and Rinoa nodded, understanding that with Selphie, things were never particularly safe.


"Is it safe?" Irvine asked, looking over the weapons diagnostic hovering in the air before his face.

"Well, if you hit that red button the Mayor won't be too happy," Selphie replied from the pilot's seat.

"It is his house," Squall interjected as he entered the bridge of the Ragnarok. "He wouldn't appreciate that big of a cannon destroying his home, after all."

"Ah, fearless, leader," Irvine said, grinning. "Glad to see you've stopped catching up on untold ages of lost romance to meet with the grunts."

"Whatever," Squall replied. "How are the guns?"

"Working just fine," Selphie said, swiveling her chair around. Squall blinked. He didn't know the chairs could swivel. "Two 120mm auto cannons positioned on the shoulders of the ship, both working fine. One heavy beam cannon, fully charged. It'll blast right through five meters of solid armor. It'll work just fine on the Pandora's hull."

"Any other weapons?" Squall asked, and she shrugged.

"There are missile launchers," Irvine cut in, "But no ammunition, for some reason, and no time to load up. I doubt Esthar can spare any at the moment, and their airstation is rather busy with the monster crisis. Ol' Dobe doesn't stock in missiles, either, I'm guessing."

"So, just cannons and a large energy weapon," Squall said, and Selphie nodded.

"We can manipulate the arms on this thing, though its really just a fancy landing device and manipulation mechanism for space operations," she explained. "I think it could be useful once we penetrate the Pandora."

"Selphie thinks Zell would work as a copilot," Irvine added, and Squall nodded.

"Get him up here and show him how everything works," Squall said, and Irvine nodded lazily.

"Will do, after Laguna's quick pep talk," Irvine added. Squall raised an eyebrow.

"Pep talk?" he asked, and the sharpshooter nodded.

"Apparently Laguna wants to have a quick talk with us before we head on out," Selphie said, swiveling her chair back around to face the control panel. "A final briefing before the assault."

"Oh, yeah, and he said he wanted to see you after it was all done," Irvine added. Squall blinked again.

"Me?"

"Yeah, you," Irvine said. "Unless there's another Squall Leonhart running around with a gunblade, commanding SeeD."

"Y'know," Selphie commented, leaning back in her chair and restring her head back, looking at Squall upside down. "I don't get it."

"Get what?" Squall asked.

"I never really imagined you two would get together," she said, grinning. "You and Rinoa were complete opposites. I didn't think her straightforward approach would work. I'm glad I was wrong."

"Me too," Squall said with a nod.

"And what about you, Selphie?" Irvine asked her. She looked to him, to see him leaning back as well.

"Me?" she asked. "I just really like to be surrounded by lots of friends, actually. So, you could say I'm happy as I am."

"Hm, I see," Irvine replied, grinning. He glanced back at Squall, about to say something, when he discovered that the SeeD commander had already left.


"Rinoa," Edea Kramer said, smiling warmly as Rinoa entered Cid's office. The Headmaster was sitting behind his desk, and had obviously been talking with his wife when she walked in. Rinoa hesitated, and Cid stood up, mirroring Edea's expression.

"I'm sorry, was I interrupting anything?" she asked, and Cid shook his head.

"Oh, no, not at all. Please, have a seat," he said, gesturing to one of the chairs. Rinoa sat down, still a bit hesitantly.

"I am glad to finally meet you, Rinoa," Edea said.

"Me too," Rinoa replied. "Squall and the others, they talked about you so fondly when they remembered you."

"And you were the only thing Squall thought of when the battle was over," Edea replied. "You honestly should have seen him and how much he cared for you and how your illness pained him. I tried to help you, but I never imagined what had happened."

"Yeah, came as a shock to me, too," Rinoa replied, nodding. "That was kind of the reason why I wanted to talk to you."

"You are a Sorceress now," Edea replied, reaching out and putting a hand on Rinoa's shoulder. "Much like I am. None of us take on our powers willingly, for we all understand what it means to become one of our kind. Ultimecia forced much of my power onto you in order to use you. I wish it had not been so." Rinoa nodded after a moment.

"Rinoa, perhaps I can tell you about my past," Edea continued. "I first became a Sorceress, with my original powers, when I was a child. I had no choice in the matter; the Sorceress in question was dying, and when a Sorceress dies, she must pass on her powers before her body can lie at rest. Then, thirteen years ago, I received the powers of another Sorceress. She was already dead, and was seeking her successor, and had found her way to our orphanage. I would not allow the Sorceress to pass those powers to any of my children, so I took them myself. But, it turned out that was the beginning of my troubles."

"What do you mean?" Rinoa asked, and Edea shook her head.

"I am afraid to say," Edea replied. "I fear what consequences might result. It is now, though, that I understand. My bitter part in this story is over. I only wish your part did not begin where mine left off."

"I was . . . Hoping you could help me understand it all," Rinoa said, and Edea nodded.

"The powers of the Sorceress are difficult to comprehend. It takes time to become used to the powers, and to understand how to manipulate them," Edea said. "You already know how to use magic, so that may help you. A Sorceress does not use magic like an ordinary person, but instead calls it up from within themselves. Being a Sorceress means you have access to the latent energies of existence itself. The more power you wield, the easier that control becomes. But until you learn that control, all you will be able to do is cast spells more quickly andpowerfully than normal."

"How long will it take me to learn?" Rinoa asked, and Edea smiled.

"Rinoa, I have had the powers for all my life, and I still haven't learned to fully master them. It takes time, and unfortunately, the powers are different for every Sorceress. But you will learn, Rinoa, I promise you."

"Thank you," Rinoa said, and Edea smiled.

"But the most important thing you must have asa Sorceress is neither control nor compassion," Edea continued. "You require a knight."

"A knight?" Rinoa asked. "I thought those were only in fairy tales and legends."

"Legends are based off fact, Rinoa," Edea answered. "A Sorceress requires a knight to help her maintain control. A knight protects her, not from harm, but from herself. A knight loves his Sorceress, and cares for her, and serves to help her through the hardest of times with love and compassion. A knight is essential to helping a Sorceress remain sane. They are warriors, but more than that, they are lovers and friends." Cid, who had been silent during the conversation, spoke.

"Edea has a knight," he said, smiling. "Though I'm certainly not a fighter. All good Sorceresses have had knights, and few of the evil ones had a true knight alongside them.Adel never had a knight, and we doubt Ultimecia has one, either."

"I see," Rinoa said, smiling. "I think I already have one myself."

"That is good, Rinoa," Edea replied. "Squall will serve you well." She paused for a second, thinking and then smiled.

"I have something for you," she said suddenly. "I have kept it for a long time, but never needed it myself. Perhaps you can use it."

"What is it?" Rinoa asked, but paused and watched as Edea closed her eyes and held out a hand. Blue light gathered in her palm and coalesced into a blue-gray stone in her hand.

"A Guardian Force?" Rinoa asked as Edea held the stone out to her. Rinoa took it, and felt the throbbing of power from the entity within.

"He has been a protector and companion to me for a long time," Edea replied. "And I would be happy to give him to you in these troubling times."

Rinoa nodded, and focused on the stone's power, pulling the Guardian force into herself. The power within the rock flowed into her hand, melting into Rinoa's body, and took form in her mind.

"Thank you, Edea," Rinoa replied, and stepped forward, hugging the older Sorceress.


"Yo, Squall," Zell called as the SeeD commander entered the Ragnarok's hangar bay, threading his way among dozens of SeeDs assembling and arming themselves. The brawler, along with Quistis, was sitting at a card table someone had set up in the middle of the hangar, a pile of rocks, obviously magical stones, set before them.

"Some cadets from Trabia delivered these earlier today," Quistis commented, picking up one of the stones and tossing it to Squall. He caught it and glanced at it.

"Never seen this kind before," he replied.

"Not normally used by SeeD in combat because they're so rare," Zell explained. "Considering what we're about to do, these may come in handy."

"What kind of spells are they?" Squall asked.

"Special classification," Quistis replied. "Called 'forbidden' magic. The extremely powerful kind of magic. You're holding one that refines into powerful fire magic."

"Trabians call it 'flare' magic," Zell added. "And this," he continued, tossing another spell stone to Squall, "is even stronger. Trabians called it 'ultima' magic."

Squall nodded, and focused on the spell stones, drawing the magic into him. The energy flowed into his body, and his eyes widened as he felt the raw strength of the magical energy.

"Yeah, no kidding," he said. "How many do we have?"

"Few dozen of each. Also got some stones for a spell they call 'meteor'," Zell said.

"Refine and junction as many as we can," Squall ordered. "Give a few of each to Selphie and Rinoa as well. I get the feeling we could all use these against Adel or Ultimecia."


Nearly a hundred SeeDs had assembled in the Ragnarok's hangar bay, preparing themselves for the battle ahead. Laguna had called in an armada of Corsair transports to carry the rest, and many more transports were carrying the assembled and replenished ranks of the Dollet 125th.

"We had a tidal wave of volunteers," Randolph had explained. "After Centra, word got around, and we refilled the ranks of our unit within days with transfers from other units."

As the Ragnarok and the armada of transports lifted off, they found themselves escorted by hundreds of Galbadian fighters, proudly displaying the Galbadian national standard on their wings, but with hullspainted blood red as opposed to the standard blue of regular Galbadian aircraft, to distinguish them from the enemy air force. The assembled air fleet, close to a thousand aircraft, left the skies over Fisherman's Horizon and departed for Esthar. As they launched, Selphie set the Ragnarok on autopilot and the six who would be traveling forward in time assembled in the passenger compartment to meet with Laguna for the final brief.

"So, here we are," Laguna said, looking over the six comrades who had fought so hard together. "Y'know, always wanted to ride this thing. Anyway. From here on we're heading for our final target, Ultimecia. You guys know the plan, right?" The six nodded.

"Bingo!" Laguna said, smiling. "Take out the command center, rescue Ellone, and whack Adel. When she dies, Rinoa will absorb her powers. You willing to do that?"

"Yes," Rinoa replied firmly.

"That's the spirit! Once Adel bites the big one, Ultimecia will try to possess Rinoa, because Rinoa is so close to Ellone. Ellone will send Ultimecia and Rinoa back in time, to either Adel or Edea. That's when time compression will begin. Ellone brings back Rinoa. Then, time will get all herky-jerky. I'm not sure what's going to happen here, but remember what Odine told me to tell you guys: the only way to hold on to yourselves when time compresses is to believe. You have to believe in everyone else, you have to believe in yourself. You can't do this alone, so you have to do it together! Think about what place reminds you of your friends. What place is the most important thing to you guys, that brings you all together?"

"The orphanage!" Selphie exclaimed. "That's where we all grew up, right?"

"And its where we'll be," Rinoa said to Squall, and he nodded.

"So, that's it! That orphanage!" Laguna continued. "Think of that place. I'm not sure, but I'm pretty certain you guys will end up there if you focus on it and your friends only. Remember, you guys need love and friendship to make it through this. Only what binds you guys together can help you survive this transit, got it? I'm counting on you guys to do it!"

"Sounds easy enough," Quistis said, and the others nodded.

"So, how long until we get to Esthar?' Laguna asked, and Selphie shrugged.

"We shouldn't be too much longer. I doubt the Galbadian rebels will hang around once we get close. They'll throw everything they've got at us."

"Then we better be ready," Laguna replied.

"Lets head up to the cockpit!" Selphie said, and turned and bounded out of the room.

"She seems rather . . . Excited, don't you think?" Zell asked, and Irvine grinned.

"When it comes time to blow stuff up, she's always excited." The two left the room.

"I'll need to check on the other SeeDs," Quistis added. "They should know we'll be there soon." Squall nodded, and she left, leaving Squall with Rinoa and Laguna.

"You really up to it?" Laguna asked Rinoa, and she nodded firmly. "Hey, I know its going to be tough letting yourself get grabbed by Ultimecia again-'

"I can handle it," Rinoa said. "It won't be for long, anyway."

"That's the spirit!" Laguna said again. He glanced to Squall for a moment, and then back to Rinoa. Apparently, she picked up on the look.

"I'll head up to the cockpit," she said to Squall, who nodded.

"I'll be up there in a moment," he replied, and she nodded before turning and exiting the room, leaving the two men alone.

"So, yeah, you wanted to see me?" Squall asked Laguna. The President nodded, staring out into the passing clouds for a moment. He turned around after a second, and Squall could tell gears were turning in his mind, like he was trying to say something. His hand was resting on a long metal case on the seat beside him, unnoticed during the briefing.

"Kind of hard saying this, really," Laguna began. "Heck, you were in my head when I tried talking with Julia so long ago. You know how hard it is. Even as the President things like this are hard for me."

"What?" Squall asked, confused.

"Been waiting seventeen years," he said quietly. "Ellone, she, ah, told me about you. Talked about you a lot. Whenever she was in Garden she'd tell me about you. That's kind of how I know."

"You're not making any sense," Squall replied, shaking his head. "You never do."

"I don't, do I?" Laguna replied, chuckling. "Yeah, I fumble around these things all the time. Anyway, cutting to the chase." Laguna picked up the case and tossed it to Squall. The SeeD deftly caught it, and glanced down at it, before looking back up to Laguna quizzically. The President nodded for Squall to open it., which he did, setting the case down and lifting the top. He stared down at the contents, eyes wide as his face was bathed in a soft blue white light.

"Lionheart," Laguna explained as Squall drew the blade from the inside of the case. It was light, almost weightless, and perfectly balanced. The handle and revolver aspect were a gleaming chrome finish, almost mirror-like in their reflective properties, showing Squall his own scar as he looked down at it. The blade itself glimmered with an internal light, a transparent blue white shard of energy crystallized in solid form, three feet long, with an edge sharpened to an almost monomolecular edge.

In short, it was the gunblade, perfected.

"Why?" Squall asked as he looked back to Laguna.

"I don't know," Laguna replied. "I'd like to think of it as an apology."

"For what?" Squall asked, to which Laguna shook his head.

"Its hard to explain," he replied, walking past Squall toward the door. "But its easy enough to figure out when you think about it. Why you were in my head all the time, and no one else, for example. Raine's child, my son, he survived the complications at birth, and he went with Ellone to the orphanage." Laguna paused near the door and looked back at Squall.

"Ellone raised that child like her little brother," he finished. "I'm not asking for forgiveness. I just had to say it, and offer you that weapon as my apology."

"You," Squall said, after a second, understanding. He glanced down to Lionheart, and then back to Laguna "You were . . . ."

But Laguna had already left.

Squall sat down beside the weapon case, lost in thought.


An hour later, Squall stood on the bridge of the Ragnarok as it sailed over the plains of Esthar. Below, on the ground, he could see thousands of moving forms crossing the land, many attacking and killing one another. The monsters that had been called down by the Lunar Cry were confined within the Estharian plains, making things a bit tight for the creatures, and it was understandable that they would begin conflicting with one another in tight quarters. This might make Esthar's job easier over the long run when it came to exterminating the monster infestations in the city.

Ahead of them, however, were much more immediate concerns, consisting of lunatic Pandora and what was likely a thick fighter screen of Galbadian rebels.

"Estharian aircraft are inbound," Quistis reported, sitting at one of the consoles.

"How many ships were they able to assemble?" Squall asked, standing in the middle of the bridge, Rinoa behind him.

"About four hundred," Quistis replied. "General Caraway estimates that the Galbadian rebels had stolen close to a thousand fighters, and judging by Estharian air defense data, they took out about half that force during the initial air battle."

"So, combined with the Galbadian air force we're flying with, that totals up to about eight hundred fighters on our side," Squall said. "And about six hundred Corsair transports."

"We've got them outnumbered, though its going to be messy before we get in there," Irvine commented from the weapons station.

"So, let's just blast straight through!" Zell growled, and Squall nodded. He watched as several hundred distant specks closed in with the air fleet they were flying with, rapidly taking the form of the slender, almost fragile-seeming Estharian fighter planes.

"Airship Ragnarok," squawked the radio. "This is Raptor Leader, requesting permission for our air wing to join yours."

"Raptor Lead, you are more than welcome to," Squall answered. "Move to the port side of the Ragnarok and stand by for further orders." They received an acknowledgment, and the Estharian fighters smartly formed up on the left side of the Ragnarok, the Galbadians shifting formation to accommodate their allies. Squall caught a few pilots on both sides waving jauntily to one another as they moved into position. Once the air fleet was assembled, Squall spoke again.

"Alright, you've all gotten the initial briefing on why we're out here," Squall called over the fleet-wide channel. "There's a Sorceress inside the Lunatic Pandora and we're going to take her out. Fighter squadrons, you'll have to take out their fighter screen so the Corsairs can deploy troops. You'll also have to coordinate with the Corsairs so you can open up holes in the enemy hull, understood?" A chorus of acknowledgments sounded over the channel.

"Corsairs, stay back, avoid confrontation if at all possible. Keep close to your escorts. Once the enemy screen has been sufficiently weakened, make your run. Ragnarok will take the lead directly into the Lunatic Pandora and try to bring down the shield generators. Once we're inside, we'll disable the defense systems and open it up for the 125th."

"We'll be waiting for you, Commander," came the reply from General Randolph. Squall nodded, watching the distant Lunatic Pandora looming ever closer. But between them and the Pandora were hundreds of fast moving forms, rapidly growing larger.

"Galbadian fighters, inbound!" Quistis confirmed.

"Weapons are powered up and ready to go," Irvine said.

"All fighters, arm missiles and pick a target," Squall ordered. There came a stream of acknowledgments along the comm from both groups of allied fighters, followed by reports of good missile locks.

"Fire!" Squall ordered. The word had hardly left his mouth when hundreds of missiles and glowing pink and purple bolts lanced out from his air fleet, directly toward the rebel fighter force. Almost as instantly, the Galbadian rebels returned fire with streaks of missiles as well, and broke away like a blossoming flower, many dodging the incoming missiles and needles. However, many more were struck solidly, and explosions filled the sky as the enemy fighters were blasted.

"All fighters, evasive maneuvers!" Squall ordered as the return fire from the enemy missiles poured in. "Break away and engage at will!"

Missiles lanced among the combined air fleet's ranks and detonated, blowing apart dozens of allied fighters as the Galbadian and Estharian aircraft broke away desperately. The Galbadian rebels formed back up and dove in at the breaking air fleet, firing machineguns and launching more missiles. The Galbadian and Estharian fleet responded just as quickly, forming up as well and returning fire. The two air fleets reaped losses among both sides before they met headlong in a vicious, massive dogfight over the plains of Esthar. In the center of that furious melee was the Ragnarok, joining the battle.

Immediately, the Ragnarok shuddered as a rebel fighter swooped past, spraying machinegun fire along the airship's flank.

"Damages?" Squall asked as Selphie maneuvered the ship with ease and grace.

"Armor took most of it," she replied as she swung the ship toward a formation of four rebel fighters coming around. "Irvine!"

"I see 'em!" he replied, and the auto-cannons opened fire, spraying heavy slugs toward the enemy fighters. Three of them were shredded by fire, and the fourth broke away, diving into the melee.

"Oh no you don't," Selphie muttered, sending the Ragnarok into a dive to chase after the smaller fighter. The airship shuddered again.

"Two, on our six!" Zell shouted, and Selphie broke off, cutting their forward thrust. Two rebel fighters shot past. Irvine lit them up with precision gunfire, and bloody red flaming streaks followed the two fighters to the plains below.

"This thing is one big target!" Zell commented from the copilot's seat as Selphie accelerated, dropping toward another pair of enemy fighters. "We shouldn't be sticking around here to fight!" Irvine speared one with another precise spray of bullets, and the other rapidly pulled back, shooting above them.

"I agree," Squall added as a rebel fighter shot past their cockpit, chased by a missile and a dozen pink shards that struck an instant later. "Selphie, we need to get to the Pandora, immediately! We've got a hundred SeeDs on board, we can't stay here to fight."

"Right!" Selphie replied, nodding. She gunned the ship's accelerator and shot forward through the dogfight.

"Squall, we've got bad news," Quistis cut in. "I've got nearly a dozen enemy fighters breaking off and vectoring toward us!"

"Selphie, shake them. Raptor Lead, can you give us some assistance?" Squall asked quickly over the comm.

"Can do, Commander. Hold tight, backup is on the way."

In unison, a dozen Estharian fighters peeled off, some jumping at angles that cast doubt on the laws of inertia, and swept in toward the wedge of Galbadian fighters moving on the Ragnarok. In one pass, nine of those fighters were annihilated, with precision barrages of lasers and needles, and the other four were quickly chased down and destroyed.

In the wake of the sudden and swift carnage, the fighters dropped in round the Ragnarok, forming a series of moving shields for the airship.

"Commander, the Raptors'll cover you until you get within range of that hunk of metal the Sorceress is driving," came a call from Raptor Lead. "Wouldn't want our flagship getting dinged up before it even gets inside, now would we?"

"Our flagship?" Selphie echoed, disapprovingly.

"Oh, right, those old creaky laws still on the books," another pilot cut in. "So, why exactly do we care if that old hunk of junk gets busted up?"

"Sentimental value, Nine," responded Raptor Lead.

"Ah. Say, my fighter is really sentimental. Saved my life a bunch of times. Can I go home so it doesn't get damaged?"

Several groans sounded over the comm.

"Cut the chatter, we have more friends on the way in. Let's give 'em a warm reception, Raptors. Commander, you should be close enough to the Pandora that you don't need our escort much longer. Take care of yourself, and waste a few of the bastards for us!"

"And bring me some cheesecake, too!" Nine cut in, to laughter from the rest of the squadron. The Raptors pulled away, streaking toward another ambitious group of Galbadian rebels as the battle raged behind them. Before the Ragnarok, the Lunatic Pandora filled the sky, blotting out even the red evening sky.

"Stand by on the guns," Squall ordered, and Irvine nodded. "Punch a hole in that shield. Once we get the barrel of the beam cannon inside, open a door for us with it."

"Easy enough," Irvine replied. "Coming into range now." The lunatic Pandora loomed ever closer, and the forward cannons roared to life. 120mm shells ripped out from the cannon, pouring into the shield, which rippled like water from each impact.

"Blow it up, KABOOM!" Selphie shouted, pumping a fist in the air as she engaged the engines to full power, ramming the Ragnarok hard into the shields. Like a massive metal, dragon-shaped spear, the airship plowed into the shield with force that sent ripples through the defensive barrier nearly half a mile away. The beak of the ship's dragon-head bow poked cleanly through the shield. The rest of the barrier pulled hard on the Ragnarok, but the airship inched and shuddered its way through. Finally, after several long seconds of struggling, the barrel of the beam cannon poked through the watery shield, and Irvine slapped the firing button.

Glowing yellow energy gathered within the barrel, releasing a shining light that erupted a second later, lancing out into the hull of the Lunatic Pandora and shattering a twenty meter-wide hole. Ragnarok pushed forward, it engines propelling it the rest of the way through the shield, and plowed partway into the hole. Zell quickly worked a pair of holographic controls which caused the heavy arms of the Ragnarok to rise and slam down with quake-causing force, and pull the airship further inside the Lunatic Pandora.

"We're in!" Selphie declared, and she hit a control, lowering the forward ramp.

"Let's get out there and finish this," Squall ordered, hand on his gunblade. This was not the Revolver, but the shining handle of the weapon Laguna had gifted him with, known as Lionheart.


A quartet of Galbadian soldiers had been on duty when the Ragnarok came calling, and those men had hightailed it out of there as the ramp lowered, and a force of a hundred SeeDs charged down the ramp, clearing the area outside the rough landing zone. Squall and his comrades were among them, looking out over the environment. They had burst in on a wide platform inside the hull, with several ramps and catwalks leading away from the platform and into the Crystal Pillar itself.

"Split up!" Squall said quickly, pressing an Estharian-issue radio to his ear. "Move out and find the shield generator! Remember, the Galbadians are spread all over this structure, so I doubt we'll find much organized resistance! Locate the shield generators and take them down!" The SeeDs acknowledged his order and began to scatter, when a pair of figures emerged from one of the doorways, running down a ramp toward the intruders. Squall instantly recognized the petite, silver-haired Fujin and the huge bulky Raijin.

"Hey, that's what that noise was, ya know!" Raijin exclaimed. "Its Squall!"

"GOOD," Fujin commented, nodding. "CONVINIENT."

"Oh yeah, ya know," Raijin replied, nodding. "They've got Rinoa with them, makes things real easy. So, hey, Squall, mind just handing her over, ya know? Save everyone a lot of grief?"

"Over my dead body," Squall replied firmly.

"ARRANGE," Fujin responded.

"Well, if you insist, man, your funeral, ya know?" Raijin added. He clapped his hands together loudly.

At that signal, there came a unified shout, and Galbadian soldiers and officers streamed out of the doorways and down the catwalks toward the SeeDs. Irvine snapped up his rifle and launched a grenade, blowing a pocket of enemy soldiers off a catwalk as the SeeDs rushed into defensive positions, magic erupting from a hundred hands toward the incoming soldiers, throwing back their leading edge.

"What is with this country and sudden attacks by hidden armies of soldiers?" Selphie asked as the Galbadian troops closed in.

"National tradition," Irvine replied, launching another grenade. Selphie swept her nunchaku out, the iron bar smashing the jaw of an unfortunate enemy soldier as the Galbadians closed in. Squall let out a battle cry and rushed headlong into the Galbadian assault, blood flying with first cleave, a slice with a blue-white edge that separated an enemy soldier's head from his shoulders. The SeeDs and the Galbadians met in a furious impact. The leading edge of the SeeDs found their bodies protected from Galbadian blows even more thoroughly than their junctions would have allowed, thanks to quick thinking by Rinoa, placing a wide area protection spell over her comrades.

Fujin and Raijin tried to step into the battle, but Zell and Quistis, who were closest to the pair, took the initiative to intercept the pair of enemy commanders.

"Yo, Raijin!" Zell shouted, stepping out in front of the big, bulky fighter.

"Zell!" Raijin replied, grinning. "Wanna finish what we started?" Zell replied by leaping toward Raijin, smashing a foot down toward his head. The bulky brawler responded with a quick deflection, bringing up his bo staff, and sent a measured counter at Zell, which he caught with his hands against his chest. Zell was tossed back, but landed on his feet, springing right back at Raijin with another attack.

Fujin had to quickly snap up her chakram to parry a whipping blade, courtesy of Quistis' rante.

"MOVE," Fujin ordered, and Quistis shook her head.

"You're not getting Rinoa," she replied. "Even if you do get past me, Rinoa's way too far above you for you to handle." Fujin smirked, and then launched her chakram, before pulling a second off her belt. Quistis ducked as the disc shot past, the blades barely missing her scalp. Fujin made a gesture at Quistis, and winds rippled out, picking up the SeeD and hurling her back.

A Galbadian blade dove for Squall's ribs, but in a single smooth motion, a blue-white blade snapped down, into the path of the weapon, and turned it out and away, followed by an equally smooth cleave that sliced through the soldier's armor almost effortlessly. Squall marveled at the weapon's almost effortless ability to kill as he parried a second attack from another soldier and countered with a quick slice the tore off the top of his head, before ducking low and jamming the tip of his gunblade into another soldier's stomach. He ripped the weapon out, the blade cleaving through armor and flesh and bone with barely any resistance, and ripped up into another man, slicing through his chest and out the other side, cleaving a third soldier's arm off as he raised his sword. Lionheart shot back down, slicing through another soldier's head, and Squall rolled around the corpse, using it as a shield to come around behind another attacking Galbadian, and put his gunblade into the man's back. He ducked low again, and thrust the gunblade under his left arm, the weapon striking another charging soldier in his hip, and then cutting upward into his chest and out of his neck. Squall spun, his gunblade flashing out wide, the blue-white edge slicing into three more men without even slowing down.

In the span of three seconds, Squall Leonhart had killed ten men, almost effortlessly.

"Getting crowed again," Irvine remarked as he put the last slug in his rifle into an enemy soldier, blowing him off his feet. Selphie nodded, smashing a Galbadian away with the bars of her nunchaku.

"We need some room to dance," Irvine continued, and reached into his coat, pulling out a pair of AB-10s, with custom-made extended magazines. He leveled them at a force of a dozen enemy soldiers moving towards them and poured on the fire. The bullets ripped into the enemy soldiers, laying them out on the floor within seconds. Chasing after this was a forking bolt of lightning that jumped between several Galbadians in another cluster, sending them twitching to the floor.

Raijin smacked his staff into Zell's side as he rushed in, but the brawler rolled with the blow, using the swing to his advantage. He spun around the staff as it glanced off his side and stepped close to Raijin, planted a swift snap-kick to his chest that tossed the bulky fighter back on his read. Raijin scrambled to his feet as Zell came in again, thrusting toward Zell with his staff. The brawler slapped his hands down on the staff, knocking it down, and hopped up on it, lifting a foot to kick Raijin in the teeth. Raijin, however, grinned as Zell was about to strike, and flexed his muscles, lifting the staff up quickly and throwing Zell over his shoulder. The brawler let out a cry of surprise as he went flying.

Quistis was on her feet in an instant as Fujin launched her second chakram and raised her whip, coiling the chain between her arms. The impromptu shield caught the spinning disc easily enough, and the SeeD unwrapped the chain, snapping the blade at Fujin once more. Fujin had to swiftly duck, pulling another chakram off her belt, and gestured at Quistis a second time, launching another wind spell at her opponent. Quistis narrowed her eyes and mimicked the gesture, launching a wind spell of her own. The two wind spells connected and canceled each other out. Fujin growled something, remembering Squall's similar trick in their battle in Balamb. Fujin readied to throw her third chakram when Quistis' eyes shone, and bolts of energy lanced out from them. Thinking fast, Fujin threw herself to the floor, and the lasers missed. She quickly rolled to the side as she did so, and evaded a second barrage of lasers from Quistis' eyes. Fujin hopped back onto her feet as Quistis followed up with a powerful blast of fiery energy, forcing Fujin to shield herself with her weapon, her clothing singed by the flames. Even as she was recovering from that attack, Quistis shot her whip forward once more, this time connecting, the chain wrapping around Fujin's right arm. Quistis pulled, hard, and yanked Fujin off her feet. The SeeD spun, and with all the strength, hurled Fujin across the room to smash hard into a wall beside one of the doorways.

"Fuu!" Raijin yelled as he saw his sister go flying, and his moment of distraction earned him an uppercut, a cross, and a spinning kick to the face from Zell that tossed the burly brawler off his feet. Raijin rose quickly, scrambling away from Zell and toward Fujin, helping her stand. Even as she was standing up, several Galbadian soldiers fled past them, and Squall broke through the mass of blue and red-clad men, chopping down another one with ease. Those who could were retreating before him, and those that couldn't were throwing down their weapons in surrender.

"LOST," Fujin commented shakily.

"Yeah, I think so, too, ya know?" Raijin replied. "Time for a tactical retreat, ya know!" He picked up Fujin, not waiting for her to fully recover from the impact, and ran out of the room, following those Galbadians who had opted to flee.

"Everyone okay?' Squall asked, looking back at his force. The SeeDs were a bit beaten up, but not terribly damaged in the Galbadian assault. Only a few were down, and those only form serious injuries, with no fatalities. They had to thank Rinoa's shields for that.

"We can't waste any more time," Quistis cut in. "We have to neutralize the command center, remember?"

"Yeah, and pay a visit to Seifer," Zell added.

"And don't forget Adel," Squall finished. "Let's go. Everyone else, take out that shield generator and clear these lower floors! Keep in touch with you radios! Move out!"


It was about twenty minutes later, and the six members of the assault team were walking the crystalline halls of the lunatic Pandora, Zell in the lead. Squall had never particularly trusted Zell's ability to lead the way in unfamiliar terrain, but he had no choice but to trust Zell, as the brawler was the only one who had been inside the Pandora in its current state. However, squall's fears were unfounded, as Zell quickly led them through the halls of the structure, toward a particular elevator that he had used before.

"This one runs all the way up to the hangar bay," he explained. "And if the battle outside is going as expected, then there won't be many fighters in the bay."

"We open the hangar doors and the General has a good spot to drop off his troops," Squall said, nodding. "And they likely have to remove the shield around that area when the hangar opens so aircraft can get in and out. Let's do it."

They quickly entered the lift and ascended to the upper floors, the Pandora's outer hull dropping away past them as they did so. Within minutes the lift slowed, and opened up into the massive, cavernous hangar bay that Zell and Edea had moved through not a day previously. Unlike then, there were almost no fighters present, and only a few orange-clad pilots and crew members moving around.

"Hangar controls?" Squall asked, and Zell looked around, before nodding toward a platform at one end of the hangar.

"I think its over there," he stated, and Squall nodded. He reached up and pressed a finger to his radio.

"Leonhart to Assault, come in," he hissed.

"Assault copies," replied Randolph's voice. "Its clearing out, out here, they didn't really stand a chance. Your people drop that shield yet?"

"We may not need to," Squall replied. "Keep your eyes on the upper end of the Pandora, we're opening a door for you. They'll know about it the second we pop it, so get here fast, understood?"

"Gotcha, Commander, we're standing by."

"Let's move," Squall hissed, and the group rose, moving out, excepting Irvine, who remained behind, fitting a silencer to his sniper rifle to cover them. The other five moved out, rushing down one of the walls of the hangar, keeping out of sight. Within a few minutes they had neared the platform, which Zell hopped up on. He grinned, and glanced back to the others.

"Galbadians really are idiots," he said. "They have a big switch labeled 'Press to Open Bay Doors'. I'm surprised their bikes don't have training wheels."

"I heard that," Irvine cut in over the radio. Zell grinned, until he noted a laser sight tracing across his face. He stuck his tongue out at the distant sharpshooter, in a remarkably Selphie-like way. Then he hit the switch, opening the external hangar doors. They groaned open, revealing the evening sky outside.

"Testing the shield," Irvine said over the radio, and outside, the shield rippled as Irvine put a silenced bullet into it. "Hm, still running."

"Test it again," Squall ordered. The shield rippled again.

"Still up."

"One last time," Squall ordered, trusting his gut. Irvine sighed and fire once more, and this time, there was nothing.

"Assault," Squall called over the radio. "The door is open." There was no acknowledgement over the radio, but outside, they could see a fleet of hundreds of dark shapes rising up toward the hangar bays, and the occasional explosion in the distance as the Galbadian and Estharian fighters battled the last of the rebel aircraft. Within moments, the dark shapes took on the form of Corsair transports, and then, Irvine called over the radio.

"Looks like the techs are getting suspicious and nervous," he reported. "I think - hold on-" - there was a faint puff from his end - "Phew. One almost sounded an alarm. Anyway, once those Corsairs drop off troops, its going to get hot."

"We'd better neutralize the command center quick once Randolph's men arrive," Squall cut in. The first of the Corsairs got very close to the entrance of the hangar, and several pilots shouted in alarm as it flew in. Immediately, the side hatches opened, and a platoon of Dollet troops swept out, sweeping the hangar with their rifles. One of the pilots leveled a sidearm at the Dollet soldiers, who opened fire. There were more shouts and more gunfire as other pilots and technicians drew sidearms, but the Dollet soldiers quickly took down the Galbadian troops before the second Corsair had even touched down. More and more troops charged out of the transports as each arrived, and the room rapidly filled with hundreds of olive-clad men. One of them, General Randolph, jogged up to the SeeDs as they moved out from behind cover.

"Thanks for opening to door, Commander," Randolph said, with a smile. "Those Galbadians won't know what hit them."

"As long as you keep the regular troops busy and away from the command center and Adel, we can handle things," Squall replied. Randolph nodded. He turned back to his troops.

"Alright men, assemble and get ready! Standard sweep and secure operation! Clear these upper floors, pronto!" As the Dollet troops began to move out, Squall checked over his radio, and confirmed that the Seed teams on the lower levels were making good progress on sweeping those floors of threats. They hadn't located the shield generator yet, but were likely closing in on it.

"Okay," Squall said, conferring with his comrades. "While Randolph's men are clearing out the upper levels, we have a clear shot at the command center, no Galbadians to interfere with the assault. Zell, you know where it is, right?"

"Yeah," he replied. "But we have to keep our eyes open. Last time Matron and I went after it, we ran into some freak of Galbadian engineering, complete with telekinesis. Booted us out of the Pandora easily."

"Now that we know what we're up against," Irvine replied with a grin. "We can put some extra firepower into it, right?"

"Ready GFs," Squall added. "When that thing shows itself, we toast it."

Zell led the way out of the hangar bay and toward the elevator that he had used before. As with his previous infiltration, Zell had the car ascent five levels, and when it opened, they were facing a long metal catwalk running across a crystalline chasm. The building equipment was still located next to the doorway built across from them, but now it seem d that the equipment had been intended to build a metal stairway leading to another door over the main doorway.

Fujin and Raijin were waiting for the party as they approached, Fujin looking much more combat-ready than when she had been pulled out by her brother.

"Ready for round two?" Zell asked, punching the air.

"And this time, without any Galbadian soldiers to back you up1" Selphie added. Raijin smiled and shook his head.

"NOW, NO FIGHT, NEXT TIME," Fujin growled, and Raijin nodded.

"Got a surprise for you, ya know? Our secret weapon! Mobile Type 8, ya know?" Raijin finished his statement by turning, and both he and Fujin ran into the doors leading to the control room.

Then, as if on cue, the same vaguely humanoid robot that had ejected Zell and Edea from the Pandora dropped down onto the catwalk, floating in the air. Ports opened along the domes along its shoulders and, without any prelude or warning, bolts of energy lanced out.

They were deflected as Rinoa raised a hand, a barrier appearing before the party and knocking the lasers aside. Irvine replied by leveling his rifle, firing a heavy armor-piercing round that smashed into the robot's midsection, pushing it back. It reoriented itself, preparing to fire another barrage of lasers, when a triad of lightning bolts struck it, quickly cast by Selphie. The Mobile Type 8 was staggered for an instant, long enough for Squall to focus. Rain fell around the party, a storm forming inside the chasm. An instant later, lightning struck the catwalk, which erupted into a glowing snake-like bird, lights playing across its body. Queztocotl unleashed a furious torrent of lighting, a column of pure electrical destruction, that hurled the robot back, crashing it heavily against one of the crystal walls.

"Good shot, Squall!" Selphie said, and the SeeD commander nodded.

"Its not down yet!" Irvine growled, and he leveled his rifle.

"Not until I say its down!" Zell added, and the air before him burned as Ifrit was called from his fiery home. The lord of flames stepped out, and immediately was scored with a barrage of lasers along his flesh. Growling in fury, Ifrit formed a pair of fireballs in his hands and hurled them at the Mobile Type 8 as it drifted forward, and the flaming projectiles exploded on contact. The war machine crashed into the walls a second time, cracking the crystal.

"Damn thing doesn't know when to quit!" Zell said in surprise as the machine moved forward again. In response, the air around the party went suddenly cold, and an icicle formed in the air before them, containing the beautiful ice goddess of Shiva. The icicle shattered, and Shiva floated in the air, reaching out to the shards as they flew away. With a gesture from her, the icy shards changed direction and shot forward, impaling the Mobile Type 8 and exploding. Sparks and smoke erupted from the machine as it wobbled in the air, but still floated resolutely.

"Its still flying?" Quistis remarked, amazed that her summon had not been able to destroy the war machine. Even the Iron Clad tank hadn't withstood this level of abuse. In reply, the Mobile Type 8 flew forward, and began to gather energy long the front of its "chest", obviously powering up a high powered weapon.

"Quick!" Squall ordered. "Pound it with more summons!" the others began to focus once more, calling up their guardian Forces, while Irvine fired another, and then a third, AP round into the machine, each shell rocking the Mobile Type 8 back, but not stopping it from gathering energy for a final attack.

The Lunatic Pandora suddenly rumbled, and a tremendous roar sounded within the crystal walls, reverberating and echoing along the chasm. A tremendous wind filled the chamber as a shape swooped down from above, long and tapered, and looking like nothing less than the bow of the Ragnarok fleshed out and real. Except this creature's skin was dark blue, not crimson.

The dragon flipped over as it descended and spread its wings, stopping in midair, crying out as it did so. It stood tall, many times higher than the humans below or even the machine it faced, with wide, powerful wings, tipped with ivory claws. A high crest extended back from its head, and the humanoid dragon's tail was long and whip like, yet heavily muscled and powerful.

The dragon roared once more, and looked upon the Mobile Type 8, before opening its mouth and unleashing a torrent of pure destruction, breathing annihilation down upon the machine. A barrage of blasts smashed into the war machine, crumpling armor and blowing off panels, before a final, massive, singular blast cored the machine, shattering it where it floated in a tremendous explosion that hurled shrapnel across the chasm, burying chunks of metal in the crystal walls.

The dragon roared one last time, and flapped its wings, ascending toward the ceiling, where it vanished in a whirlwind of whipping air.

"Okay," Irvine asked, looking at the scene of devastation. "What in Hyne's name just happened?"

"Its called Bahamut," Rinoa answered, opening her eyes. "One of the most powerful Guardian Forces." She looked over her friends, and smiled. "Edea gave him to me."

"Well, jeez, she could have given us gifts too," Zell remarked, eliciting some chuckles.

"Thanks, Rinoa," Squall said, and she shook her head.

"Any of us would have done it,' she replied.

"Now, all that's left is Seifer," Quistis added, and Squall nodded.

"Let's go," he said once again, and led the way toward the control room.

The doors parted, and the looked upon the wide chamber, filled with computer consoles, and with a high pedestal at one end, before a wide view port, showing the outside world. Standing on the platform, framed by the setting sun, was Seifer, leaning on his gunblade. His coat was in tatters, and the sleeve was a bit shorter along his right arm, but he still looked vibrant, and defiant.

Before him stood Fujin and Raijin, Fujin holding Ellone's arms. No one else was in the room.

"Heya!" Seifer called, waving jauntily. "About time, I was waiting for you guys to get here. Almost got bored." Raijin glanced back, and Seifer nodded. "Show 'em our hospitality," he said, hopping down off the platform and advancing. Raijin stepped forward, raising his staff. Fujin gripped Ellone's arms tightly, pressing her lips together, seeming to think hard about something.

"RAIJIN, STOP!" she ordered, and both he and Seifer wheeled, shocked. They were even more shocked when Fujin released Ellone's arms, and pushed her forward, toward Squall's group. Raijin seemed confused, but then nodded, standing aside and letting Ellone reach the safety of Squall's group. She reached out, and Squeezed his hand.

"I knew you'd come," she whispered, and he nodded.

"There are Dollet soldiers outside, tell them your name and they'll keep you safe," he told her. "Go." She nodded, and ran through the others, thanking them and receiving words in reply, before leaving. Seifer watched the exchange, and turned toward Fujin, not angry, but rather resigned and to a degree, seeming to understand.

"Fujin," he asked, "Why the change of heart?"

"We had enough," Raijin said, shaking his head. "We're done with this stupid shit, ya know?"

"We're a posse, you know that," Seifer replied.

"Yes," Fujin said, surprising everyone with a relatively quiet and soft voice.

"We are a posse, Seifer," she continued. "Always are and always will be. We're your friends, and because of that, we want to help you. We want that dream to be achieved, your dream to be the greatest."

"But you've lost it, man," Raijin continued.

"You're being manipulated," Fujin continued. "You've lost yourself on this crazy quest and are just a puppet being used by Ultimecia. We don't want a puppet, we want you."

"Can't go back, not yet," Seifer replied sadly.

"Then we gotta let Squall beat some sense into you!" Raijin rumbled.

"Are you going to keep this up?" Fujin asked. "You going to keep going?"

"I'll ride this train a little longer," Seifer replied. "Maybe I'll live. Maybe I'm destined to die. If its my time, I'll grin and laugh at the reaper when he comes after me. But you know me, guys, I can't back down. I never back down. Ever. Not when there's only me at risk."

"If you say so, man," Raijin said, and Seifer nodded. He raised his gunblade, flat to his face, and saluted with it.

"Fujin! Raijin! Its been fun! Hope to see you guys when its all over!" The other two members of Seifer's posse nodded, and slowly turned, moving past Squall's group, leaving them alone with Seifer Almasy.

"You continuing this knight thing?" Squall asked as his comrades lined up alongside him.

"I'm about to retire the knight," Seifer replied. "You could call me a young revolutionary. I've made it this far, Squall. I'm going to keep on running, until I reach the end, my goal! And I'm not sharing it with you, Squall." He pointed Hyperion at Squall's face.

"You seriously want to fight us?" Quistis asked, and Seifer smiled.

"Looks like there's no chance for me to win," Seifer commented, looking at the six arrayed against him. He turned around holding his arms out wide. "That never stopped anyone. I guess I've got no choice, but to-" energy gathered in his palm as he spun toward Squall "fight to the very end!"

Lionheart snapped up and, shockingly enough, actually deflected the bolt of magic up into the ceiling. Seifer ignored this and leapt forward, gunblade rising in preparation for a wild slash. Hyperion descended, and was caught on Squall's gunblade.

A simultaneous blast of magic from Selphie and Quistis hurled Seifer back, and Zell rushed at the former knight, planting a quick punch to Seifer's side. Seifer growled in pain, and doubled over slightly as an uppercut smashed into his ribs, and the sent a fast, hard elbow into Zell's face, snapping his head back. Another bolt of magic, from Rinoa, caught him in the chest, tossing him back, but Seifer retained enough of his wits to duck and twist aside as Irvine fired his rifle at the former knight. Bullets tore past his head as Squall rushed forward. Hyperion weaved into his attack, deflecting a quick cleave out to the side, but Squall's left hand released his gunblade and shot into Seifer's face, rocking his head. Seifer ducked and spun away, and took another hit in the head from Selphie's nunchaku.

Squall struck again with another cleave, and this one his Seifer's gunblade, knocking Hyperion from his hands. Seifer spun toward it, diving for the weapon, and leaping over another barrage of gunfire from Irvine, who tried to cut him off from his weapon. Seifer's hands closed on the gunblade, and he spun back, in time to catch a second bolt of energy from Rinoa, which rocked the knight backward for a split second, long enough for Quistis' whip to wrap around hi right arm, holding it in place. Seifer tugged on the chain for an instant, until he caught sight of Zell coming back in, with a flying double kick. Both the brawler's feet crashed into Seifer's face, launching him across the room to smash heavily into one of the metal walls, denting it inward. He dropped to the floor, unconscious.

"That it?" Irvine asked, a bit surprised. "Thought he would have put up more of a fight."

"Did the best he could," Squall replied with a shrug. "Let's figure out how to shut this thing down." He and the others moved toward the abandoned control panels, with Rinoa being the only exception as she stood close to Seifer's unconscious body. She crouched near him, almost feeling sorry for her old boyfriend, and wondering what was going through his head.

He stirred slightly, opening his eyes. His gray eyes met her brown, and Rinoa watched him slowly raise his head. A slight smile spread across Seifer's face, and then to Rinoa's surprise, he winked at her.

"Hate to do this, Rinoa," he croaked, and his hand shot to his gunblade, laying on the floor beside him.

"Hey, look at this!" Selphie called as she looked over one of the panels.

"What it is?" Squall asked, moving over to her control panel.

"There's a device built into the Pandora, called a Lunar Cry Countermeasure," she explained. "If what I'm reading is right, it creates a resonant wave within the energy field generated by the Crystal Pillar and Tear's Point, that sends out an energy pulse that scrambles the energies latent within lunar monsters."

"Translated?" asked Zell, moving nearby.

"It kills the lunar monsters that have recently arrived," Selphie explained. "Engineered by Doctor Odine."

"Only good thing he's likely to have ever done," muttered Irvine. "What are you waiting for, Selphie? Flip the switch, Esthar needs all the help it can get."

"Sure thing!" she replied. "The radius is pretty wide," she added as she hit a few buttons and moved a holographic panel that changed colors. "Should reach all across the plains and maybe partway into the city. It'll really help Esthar's army out!"

The Lunatic Pandora began to hum, vibrating slightly as the device went to work.

"Should only take a few minutes to charge up," Selphie continued.

"And with the 125th securing the upper levels and the SeeDs clearing out the lower floors, the Pandora is secured," Quistis finished. "All in all, not a bad day."

"Adel's still iced," Zell stated. "Let's get up there and knock her off before-"

Zell was cut off by a cry of shock and surprise from where Rinoa had been crouching over Seifer's body, and the SeeDs spun, to see Seifer edging toward the doorway, Rinoa held out in front of him, Hyperion pressed to her throat.

"Come on, Squall!" the battered but far from beaten knight shouted as he pulled Rinoa out of the control room. "You think its over? Not by a long shot!"

"Rinoa!" Squall shouted, and rushed after Seifer as he disappeared onto the walkway outside, the others chasing him.


Whee! Its coming, its coming, its coming! The final battle is on its way! Literally one more chapter and the final battle begins! I'm so excited! Three, maybe four more chapters until the end! And like Seifer, I'm going to keep on running, until I reach the end of this thing!

And before anyone complains, I'd like to say that this is not the end of Seifer and Squall's battles . . . .

I felt the need to be unconventional with the Squall and Laguna scene. Its not a moment where Laguna outright says it, but he fills in the final detail that tells Squall all he needs to know. I loved that scene, and I had imagined, from about the fourth chapter into this fic, that Laguna would have made and given Lionheart to Squall as an apology.

And I included Bahamut. I liked my own idea there, surprised no one mentioned that one.

Shout out time! And there's a bunch, too.

OniRazz: I did more build-up here, I think. The battle wasn't quite as big as I expected, but hey, I like it that way. And in all honesty, I wondered if I did a decent job with the field sequence, too. Thanks for telling me.

Daniel Wesley Rydell: Well, even if Laguna did stop Odine from developing the machine, doubtless someone else would have built it themselves, no? Clearly the research continues after Odine dies . . . .

DBZ Fanfiction Queen: Well, the war wasn't quite as big as it could be. But hey, it's a war, right? I would have love that conversation in CG, too. Oh, Laguna's was blue? I could swear it was pink . . . .Maybe that's just the sky in the background fooling with my memory. I haven't actually played the game in months. XD

Funny you mention Tiamat . . . .

Arkv01: Whee, a new reviewer! Your review makes me extremely happy, you know that? I've said it before, I don't like side quests, unless I really can fit them in, and for the most part, side quests ruin the flow of a story. Gameplay-wise, they fit fine, but storyline wise, they wreck it.

Shootski: the Big One is one chapter away . . . .

Anime Obsessed Fan: Psh. Go review it then. XD one of my objectives last chapter, and this one, was to make the time-travel thing work out and make even more sense, to a degree. Think it worked?

I've considered a novelization of FFVII, but only once I get over my raging hatred of Cloud. I do NOT like Cloud. Everyone else is great, but Cloud . . . No.

Chris Ganale: Doh! I made that one without thinking. There's a combined reference in here, a mix of Halo 2 and the Wraith Squadron books. Easy to spot if you look closely.

Kaze is a mad crazy psycho guy who is like the ultimate embodiment of fighting game characters everywhere. His shoulder block is the stuff of legends. (in that RP, the guy playing Kaze power-bombed Hitler - yes, Hitler - into the sun and shoulder-blocked the moon onto his corpse. It was lethally funny) Kaze beats down dinosaurs bare handed.

Rusty Knights Productions: Again with unthinking references! XD I didn't even realize where I had gotten that from.

Rinny Leonhart: In the game they met in Esthar, and Dollet and Galbadia had no part in the meeting or the war plan. Laguna knew Squall was his son for a long time, in my interpretation. I can't wait to get to the end, myself.

Sherif: Heh, I tend to focus exclusively on the primary GFs that they've had for a long time. Maybe later I can start using other GFs, in the final battle against Ultimecia? I got this image of her just flicking her fingers and banishing GFS for the remainder of the battle.

Karthan Rockland: Nice to see someone who's been with me the whole way! I might go back and redo the flower field scene again. I intend to remaster this fanfic when I get done, likely after boot camp.

Kaiser-Kun: Wow, it is ruthless. What fic is this? XD No White SeeDs, here, sorry. I like that image of a squad of X-ATM092s, though. Might be cool to see.

Dragoon Swordsman: I actually went to opposite route, having him take it even more calmly than he did in the game. XD Seemed to fit, to me.

Animewatcher: I look forward to your reviews.

Solid Shark: Sorry that the Dollet troops didn't play as big a role as they did before, but hey, they're still here!

Death Dragon66: One of my favorite parts too!

Avion Jade: I always wanted to bring Randolph back. He's a fan favorite!

Kimahrigirl: Yes, you must. Please. It doesn't have the reviews in quantities it deserves! XD

That all? Great. Back to the word processor!

Till next chapter.