SeeDs bustled around Balamb Garden as they made their way toward their scheduled briefing. Their commander, Squall Leonhart, stood and watched them settle before him. He had already decided upon his teams and their objectives, but he felt the others should be informed of the situation in person and not through paper. As the last three came into the room, he cleared his throat and ran a gloved hand through his silky, six-inch chocolate brown hair.
"SeeDs, we have a situation that must be addressed. A large concentration of undefined power is accumulating in an unknown area. You may have noticed your Guardian Forces are weaker and the magic you've learned from them have weakened as well. We need to find out why that power and others are being gathered and for what purpose, if any. I have already decided on who I want to do what. Quistis, Selphie, Zell, and Irvine are to go to Trabia Garden. Myself, Seifer, Fujin, and Rajin will follow behind on a slightly different course. Both teams will observe so as to help in locating the lost magical strength. Other teams will be sent out in the vicinity to scout for any information. They are written on the board. Your objectives are in these folders. Each is detailed to your specific assignment and labeled with your names." He sat the folders before him. "Take your folder and meet with you teammates. Any questions need to be addressed to me before the end of lunch hour. I will be leaving as lunch ends. Dismissed." A sigh escaped his lips as he sat down and watched the folders find their way into the correct hands. He hated having to talk so much to people. He hated more being in charge.
After the folders were handed out, the SeeDs shuffled out the door leaving only the two groups headed for Trabia Garden. Of those, Quistis was the first to speak. "Is Rinoa accompanying either group?"
Squall's eyes fixed on her and blazed. "Not as far as I'm concerned. However, we may need her. She may go with your group, of which you are in charge. The choice is between the two of you. She is, however, not going with us. I'll have my hands full keeping calm as it is."
"I resent that, Leonhart," Seifer chided. He grinned uncharacteristically. Squall knew he was up to something.
Closing his eyes and shaking his head, Squall groaned. "You'll behave, Seifer. All three of you will be nice to any person we meet, and you'll not cause me any grief. Understood?" He opened one eye and looked at the blond. "Don't forget, your jobs and pay are mine to do with as I see justified." He opened his other eye and eyed each of them.
"UNDERSTOOD!" Fujin quipped in her loud voice.
"We'll do our best, ya know," Rajin added.
Seifer grumbled a moment before both of them glared at him. "Yeah, yeah. We'll see, Leonhart. We'll see."
Squall sighed again. "That will do for now. Everyone should get ready. We'll meet in the cafeteria half an hour before lunch. I've made sure a special lunch is being prepared for each of you individually."
"Is this that serious?" Quistis interrupted.
Squall looked away, closing his eyes once more. "Your mission objectives are more detailed than those of the others. You are the only ones to have received background information toward the cause of this situation. This is a serious problem. It seems that a large number of scientists created something called the Stasis Preservation Project. I'm not going into the very long details but it seems they put a number of people into what they called a Stasis Field. They are supposed to stay in an eternal sleep never to age or die."
"You're joking, right?" Irvine skeptically interjected.
"Actually, I heard someone in the library mention it. They did a report on it. But… that project took place hundreds of years ago," Zell answered.
"That's right. But, about two hundred years after that, someone used the method on a powerful being. I'm not sure what. They hoped the original participants could be awakened, eventually, to destroy the evil. They didn't know how to find and awaken them at the time. Now, all signs point to the evil having been awakened," Squall responded. "Get ready." He stood and headed for the door. "And, Quistis, if Rinoa is going with you, you may want to tell the cooks so they can prepare her something." That said, he left for his quarters. The others stared after him.
"Are we supposed to believe that there are people out there locked in endless sleep? People who are hundreds of years old?" Seifer asked. "I'm making a trip to the library." He, too, stood and left.
"I don't want to, but I have to agree with him," Irvine said before leaving. The others gradually migrated to their quarters as well.
"Yes, Headmaster?" A young woman greeted.
"A group from Balamb Garden is coming to address the current situation. Squall Leonhart is in command. You are to meet up with im and assist in any way possible. I'm not saying you have to answer to him, however."
"Of course, Ma'am. I'll wait for their arrival outside. New monsters are appearing in this area." She strode away without another word or glance. She would be damned if she would play inferior to anyone. No one told her how, when, why, or where to jump.
"Yes, Zell, I am positive." Squall said for what seemed like the fiftieth time.
"You know he's going to do something. You'll need a buffer. Who better than me?" Zell spread his arms wide.
"You are going with Quistis whether you like it or not. This would give you a chance to confess yourself."
"What?!" Zell jumped up from the chair he had occupied. "No way!" He turned and fled the room. Squall just chuckled as watched him go.
"Rinoa, would you like to come with us? The Commander thinks we may need your help. Selphie and I could really use another female presence. Fujin just doesn't really fit the bill."
Rinoa looked at Quistis a moment. She wanted to got but she was not sure she could be that close to Squall and control herself. "I don't know, Quistis. I'm not sure…"
"We are traveling in two parties. Selphie, Zell, and Irvine are going with me while Squall, Seifer, Fujin, and Rajin go together on another route. You would be with my group," Quistis interrupted her having perceived what she was about to say.
"Well, I guess… Where did you say you are going?"
"Trabia Garden. Something big is going on."
"Yeah, I guess I'll come." Rinoa smiled but it did not quite reach her eyes.
"Okay. Meet us in the cafeteria half an hour before lunch." Quistis patted Rinoa's shoulder before leaving. Rinoa followed her with her eyes. She sighed and began to get ready. She hoped she had not made a mistake.
"Selphie, we need to get to the cafeteria." Irvine tapped his foot impatiently as his girlfriend rummaged around for something. He would never understand why she took so long at getting ready but could drive people nuts with how fast she moved and talked.
"I'm just about ready. You can go on ahead." He considered it but was afraid she would take even longer without him ragging her on.
"I'll wait, just hurry the hell up." He sighed and tapped his gun with his fingers in time with his foot. Selphie could hear the sound but ignored it. She had given him an out. He'd just have to wait.
--Interesting.-- Seifer thought as he walked towards his quarters, reading. --Some of these names I have seen in other history books. They fought a war, but… this Sephiroth fellow was supposed to have been killed. Terentia… never heard of her before.--
"Seifer, you better hurry, ya know. We're supposed to meet the Commander in fifteen minutes. The library must have been busy, ya know." Rajin said as he came to his friend's side.
"Fifteen minutes?!" Seifer exclaimed. He took off in a run for his room. He still needed to put together his things and make sure his gunblade was ready. His door seemed to take forever to get out of his way. He quickly rushed in when he could finally squeeze by. The room was neat and empty, compared to most that is. Seifer grabbed the few things he would need and his GFs. Double checking his items, he grabbed his gunblade. He scrutinized its condition thoroughly. He polished and sharpened it until he was satisfied with the condition. Then, he rushed for the cafeteria, grabbing his discarded book on the way.
Lunch was quiet for them all. They were busy mentally checking what they had brought or perhaps forgotten. Seifer kept his nose shoved in the library book, barely eating his lunch. Once they were through, they waited until all the SeeDs were done so they could make sure they knew what to do in Squall's absence. After that, they split up and headed for Trabia not realizing how difficult the journey could prove to be.
"Were surrounded," Seifer called. Squall had his back against the blonde's. He remained silent. He had already realized their predicament.
"PROBLEM!" Fujin commented.
"We need help, ya know!" Rajin added. They were in a very similar position several feet away. All four of them had never seen the creatures surrounding them.
Seemingly out of no where, a shadow blurred between them and beheaded three of the nine beasts circling them. The shadow stopped beside Fujin and raised one arm. A series of loud shots rang out felling three more beasts as the bullets slammed in between their eyes. The group stared in wonder as the shadow once more used a thin sword to eliminate the remaining beasts. Then, the figure made to leave. First, however, it spoke. "You friends await you just ahead. They are in a similar state of trouble. Hurry to their aid."
The figure was a woman. Her voice gave away that much. Before they could respond, she was gone. Squall approached one of the decapitated beasts. "What are they?" Seifer asked from beside him.
"I don't know. We'll worry about it later. The others need us." He stood and took off down the path. Seifer stared after him a moment before following. Fujin and Rajin were right behind him.
Over a hill, and several hundred yards south, they found the others. Two huge unclassified creatures stood on either side of them. Irvine was casting a healing spell on Selphie as Quistis and Zell used magic on one of the creatures and Rinoa put up a shell on them. Bahamut soared in and blasted the creatures at that moment. Considerable damage seemed to befall the creatures but not fatal enough.
Squall glanced over his shoulder to see Seifer ready to follow his attack with Doomtrain. Just as he started to summon the force, the mystery woman stilled him. She spread her arms wide and closed her eyes. Suddenly, Diablos appeared unlike he typically did. He floated beside her as if waiting for her to speak to him. She bowed and pointed toward the creatures. He took off and attacked first one then the other. His physical attacks killed the creatures. He returned to her side. She once more bowed to him.
"Thank you, my friend." He returned the bow and disappeared. The others came to stand around her.
"Who are you?" Squall demanded. His arms were crossed and he looked serious as usual.
"My name is Terentia Panthea." She matched him in stature. He did not intimidate her.
"Could you repeat that?" Seifer asked with a look of shock.
"Something wrong, Seifer? Old girlfriend all grown up?" Irvine jibed.
"No, you twit. Terentia Panthea was the name of one of the participants in the Stasis Preservation Project." he looked at the woman. What he saw caused him to step back. Her eyes were an eerie bright blood red. They seemed to glow and pulse. The pupils had turned a bright green.
"Participant! Your information is wrong." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, they were back to looking like normal dark eyes. "Come. I have been awaiting your arrival. Trabia Garden is this way. More work is needed, but the condition has improved drastically. Still, watch you step inside." She turned and began walking away. Everyone shared a glance before they followed.
Once they were inside Trabia, they saw the conditions had improved. Selphie was bouncing in her eagerness to see her old friends. Terentia stopped and turned. "Wait here." She then turned and ran off. The hood to her cloak fell away revealing long black hair tucked down the back.
"Do you think she is the Terentia? She did get awful defensive." Zell broke the silence. Everyone looked at him. "What?! That's what this is all about; people put in a sleep of suspended animation. Isn't that what our folders said. If the scientists succeeded, then it is possible, right?" He looked around. His expression was of confusion and timid anxiousness. He sighed in relief when Seifer spoke up.
"I have to agree with chickenwuss. If she is the same one, she may know how to stop whatever is going on. She must know something. I have never seen Diablos that powerful or use those types of attacks. Our GFs are losing power but hers is stronger than anyone has ever seen him?" Seifer was looking impatient and swindled.
"A very good point. One I am going to get an answer to." Squall was upset as well. The others kept their distance from the two. Now one spoke to them. They would probably be snappy.
Fujin and Rajin stood off to the side silently. Zell and Irvine stood to the others side in a similar silence though they were fidgeting anxiously. Rinoa, Selphie, and Quistis talked quietly. Several minutes passed before Terentia returned. With her came the new Headmaster of Trabia, Xu. Everyone flocked toward them as they stopped by Squall. Seifer watched the two suspiciously.
"Squall, everyone, it has been a while. I'm sorry we must meet again under these circumstances. The only thing I can do to help is offer you Terentia's assistance, as much as it is mine to offer. She can locate the others from the Stasis Preservation Project. You may stay here tonight, if you wish. I have had rooms prepared for you. I'll leave you to Terentia's capable hands. Good luck." Xu turned and left. The Seeds from Balamb saluted her. Terentia seemed uninterested in the formality. She turned to the others.
"Do you wish to ask questions here or in a more comfortable setting? I have no preference."
Seifer began to speak but Squall spoke first. "Here is fine for now." He shot Seifer a warning glance to remind the blond who was in charge.
"Very well, but this could take a while. Please, fire away." She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture and crossed her arms.
"Are you the same Terentia Panthea Seifer mentioned?"
"Straight to the point. I like that. Yes, obviously, I am indeed the same Terentia Panthea. It would be too large of a coincidence if I was not."
"How many others are there?"
"Seven," both Terentia and Seifer answered. The others ignored him but she did not. "I see you have a smart ass on your team. That'll make things interesting once we have found all of my friends."
"So, there are seven more people out there? Are they all your age?" Quistis asked before Seifer could retaliate.
"Not hardly. What difference does in make?" Terentia narrowed her gaze at the instructor. "One of them is my half-brother and another is my father. They are all older than me, but I am only eighteen. Well, physically speaking, of course. Unlike the others, save for my father, this was not my first time in stasis sleep."
"So, how old are they?" Quistis persisted.
Terentia eyed her. "I know where you are going with this. They are not too old to do the task being set… forced upon them. The ages range from to myself at eighteen to the tribesman at fifty-three, though he can live to be several hundred so he is but a pup."
"Sooo, most of them are old?" Seifer concluded.
Before he, or the others, knew what was happening, Terentia had him in a headlock. "Age means very little. You matron was 'old', was she not, when you served her as a Sorceress Knight? I could consider you old by your standards. I, however, know your mind is still set on your childhood ambitions. I could easily defeat any one of you at any given skill." She let go of him and stepped to the side. Her eyes flashed with her challenge.
"If you're a swordsman.. er… woman, how can you best me with a gun?" Irvine seemed rather cocky not having seen her shoot the beasts.
"My father taught…" Her words trailed off with a hiss as she clutched at her head. She pitched back as her knees buckled. Seifer caught her on reflex. He eased her to her knees. With a steadying hand to her shoulder, he looked to Squall for what to do.
"Selphie, find Xu. Maybe she knows…" He was cut off.
"No!" Terentia fought to stand up. Seifer had to help her as she stumbled toward him. Once he let go, she wobbled on her feet again. He put her right arm around his neck and clutched at her waist to support her. "One… of them is close. I… I can feel it. We must hurry. They are in danger but I don't know how."
"Squall! C'mon, man. Can't you see how important this is? Whatever it is, it is hurtin' her and we can't leave her like this!" Zell could see Squall's hesitation. He knew that the other man did not want to go into something without knowledge but they had no choice. He had to see that. Zell started to speak more when Seifer added his own opinion.
"Chickenwuss is right, Leonhart. This is what we're supposed to do, remember? This is our job."
"Fine. Make sure your best junction is equipped. I've got Bahamut." The others nodded and called out their choices so they had a full range of choices. He turned to Terentia as she did not add hers. "Terentia?"
"I do not junction… with your guardians." She was leaning heavily against Seifer
"DIABLOS?" Fujin questioned.
"I… I summoned his aide. I summon him at his full power. Not a portion like you junction to some weapon. I have a strong connection to Doomtrain, Cerberus, Alexander, Bahamut, and especially Diablos. I guess… it is due to my piece… piece of Macko or the Chaos in my blood." Her arm tightened further around Seifer as her eyes flashed from their deep red and green to an intensely brighter version of the colors.
"I think we had better go, Leonhart. She's getting weaker." Seifer tightened his own hold as her body went almost limp. Squall nodded and motioned for the door. Everyone headed that way. As Seifer started to follow, she did not. "Hey, you coming or not?" He looked down at her. Her eyes were halfway closed. "Panthea?" She did not respond. So, he swung her limp body up into his arms. Then, he quickly caught up with the others.
"Where are we going?" Squall asked. She had not yet given them that information. He hoped she still could.
"Cactaur Island," Terentia whispered in Seifer's mind.
He looked at her a moment. "Uh… She says Cactaur Island." He looked to Squall. "Let's get the Ragnarock here. I don't want to carry her forever."
"Diablos… He can get us there quicker." Even her mental voice was growing weak.
"How?" Seifer looked down at her confused as the others looked at him as though he had gone crazy. Then, suddenly out of the darkness around them walked both Diablos and Bahamut. They were all taken by surprise.