I'm bored, maybe putting this chapter up will take some boredom away.
jasmine32: One: You got your review from me, congrats. Two: No, I don't live in Europe
JadeAlmasy: Yay, positive reinforcement.
QueenAdreena: You're right, I'm really not into stories where the summary includes the word "yaoi" and the reviews include the words "fruity-licious"
Griever Weapon: Like I said, narrow it down. Thanks to another reviewer, you can cross out all of Europe.
CHAPTER 22: JAIL BREAK
Once outside, Zell wondered what to do next. There was a giant hole in the middle of the room that went to the bottom of the prison, and up to the top. The moomba squeaked, trying to get his attention. Once the creature had it, he led Zell up to the next floor. There, he saw two Galbadian soldiers, one of which had a gunblade in his hand; Squalls gunblade!
"Look at this, SeeD weapons." One of the guards said.
"Is that what they call a gunblade?" Asked the other.
"Check these out," The first one said, crouching down. "A whip and nunchaku." As they looked at the weapons, Zell did a leg sweep and took both guards down.
"You, and escapee!" One of the guards said.
"I'm here to reclaim those weapons!" Zell said. Without warning, Zell gave a snap kick to the first soldiers face, knocking him out. The other got to his feet and swung at Zell, though the SeeD ducked, and caught the soldier with a head butt, sending him to dreamland.
"Piece of cake, baby!" Zell said as he picked up his comrade's weapons. He placed Squalls gunblade in its sheath and attached it to his belt, then carried Quistis' whip and Selphie's nunchaku by hand back to the cell.
"Laguna!" Squall heard someone say as he woke up. Suddenly, the chains loosened and Squall dropped to the floor. Squall looked at the mirror across the room, he wasn't in the dream world, but the squeak came again. "Laguna!" Squall noticed who was saying it, a group of Moombas that had freed him.
"Laguna?" Squall asked.
"Laguna!" one of the Moomba's replied.
"Yo, Sorry to keep ya waiting." Zell said as he re-entered the cell, where Selphie and Quistis were waiting.
"Zell, the weapons?" Quistis asked.
"Viola," Zell said, dropping the whip and nunchaku to the floor, which Selphie and Quistis scrambled for. "Time to kick some ass!"
"Is this the cell with the uncooperative prisoners?" They heard someone ask.
"Yes," Said the guard, "Please give them something to REALLY complain about."
"Should we be picking on prisoners so soon after getting transferred here?" asked another man.
"Just be quiet and let me handle this." The first man said again. The door opened as the guard entered.
"These are the prisoners," The guard said, "Lieutenant Biggs, Private Wedge." For some reason, the names sounded familiar to Zell and Selphie. The two men entered, the soldiers that were at the Dollet Communications Tower! Zell and Selphie instantly recognized them.
"So, we meet again!" Biggs said. "Now we'll teach you the lesson we should have taught you the other day! I know it seems cowardly to fight unarmed prisoners, but hey, its a dog eat do-" Biggs couldn't finish as Quistis and Selphie pulled out their weapons, and Zell cracked his knuckles, sending the Guard running.
"Uh, they're fully armed sir." Wedge said.
"How?" Biggs asked. "Ahh the hell with it, let's get' em Wedge!" The two Galbadian soldiers charged, but it was really over before it began. Quistis wrapped her whip around Biggs' ankle while Selphie busted him over the head with her nunchaku. Zell had an even easier time with Wedge, tripping him as he charged, sending him head first into the metal wall.
"We must've gotten stronger." Selphie commented.
"Nah, they just got dumber," Zell said. "Let's go." Once outside, they began to plan.
"Squall should be around here somewhere," Quistis said, "Any Idea where?" Zell and Selphie couldn't answer, as a Moomba came running down the stairs and began talking with the first moomba who was with Zell and the others.
"Laguna!" The moomba squeaked.
"Laguna?" The other moomba said, sounding like he was asking.
"Laguna?" Zell asked as the two moombas ran up the steps, "I don't know why, but I feel kinda lucky!" Just then, an alarm went off with an announcement.
"Warning! Escapee Alert! If escapee refuses to surrender, you have permission to kill. The anti-magic field will be lifted!"
"Dammit, the security alarm!" Zell cursed. "Let's follow them moombas!" With that, the three of them began to climb up each floor. Each time a Galbadian soldier would approach, he would get knocked out. Either by Quistis' whip, Selphie's nunchaku, or Zell's fist. After climbing six floors, the group spotted a group of about 7 moombas crowding around a door, each one calling out the name 'Laguna.'
"What's up?" Zell asked to the moombas. "Something in there?" With a little effort, the three of them managed to pry the door open. Inside, the spotted three more moombas, and the guy they were looking for.
"Squall!" Zell called out to his Squad Leader, who was leaning against the wall trying to catch his breath. "Are you OK?"
"It was hell." Squall said.
"Here, I got your gunblade." Zell said, handing said weapon to its rightful owner. Let's get out of here. By the way, did you go to the dream world?"
"Yeah." Squall said.
"Was Laguna here in the prison?" Zell asked.
"No, Laguna and Kiros were in Winhill." Squall said.
"So Squall doesn't know how to get out either." Quistis said.
"Since we came so far up, maybe we should head back down." Zell suggested.
"It'd be a pain to go down every floor," Quistis said. "The alarm alerted guards everywhere."
"So how'd they carry you up, Squall?" Zell asked. Squall pointed to his Cell, which was still in the crane that lifted him up. "WHOA, what is this!"
"It's some kind of crane that can carry a detachable cell from downstairs." Squall said.
"I get it," Selphie said. "This big hole goes all the way to the bottom. So if we jump all the way down, we're out of here!"
"Go ahead if you want to be squashed." Quistis said.
"OH, I remember." Zell said. "We can move it by using the control panel in the next room up. I remember Ward doing this. But we need to operate them at the same time, so someone needs to stay up here and use the panel." Once Zell said this, Quistis and Selphie both tagged Zell.
"Me?" Zell asked as Quistis and Selphie nodded. "Fine, everyone get inside." Squall and the girls got in the cranes control room and waited, until they heard Zell over the speaker.
"Can you guys hear me?" Zell asked.
"Hiya Zell, loud and clear." Selphie said.
"So what are we supposed to do?" Squall asked.
"Just press the red button," Zell said. "I'll take care of the rest." Within seconds, the crane was lowering the three of them to the bottom floor, where they hopped out.
"Now what?" Selphie asked.
"There's a door over there." Squall said as he walked up to it. As he opened the door, dirt flowed into the prison.
"Sand?" Quistis asked, "You mean we're underground?"
"In any case, we can't get out through here." Squall said. Far away, they heard a clicking sound.
"What is that?" Selphie asked.
"Gunfire?" Quistis added.
"Sounds pretty bad." Squall said. Then their eyes went wide, as they remembered Zell was still upstairs!
"Let's get back, quick!" Quistis said.
Zell was running from the guards. He had made it down about 5 floors, and was leaving the guards in the dust, until he was struck in the stomach by the butt of a rifle, where the guard who was keeping an eye on them stood.
"You bastard," The guard said. "DIE!" The guard didn't get to fire, as Squall came from out of nowhere and stuck his gunblade through the mans chest.
"Didn't think he'd go down that easy." Squall mumbled.
"Squall!" Zell said as he hugged Squall's waist. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"Let go of me, Zell." Squall said, lightly tapping the top of Zell's head with the butt of his gunblade. Selphie and Quistis showed up a few seconds later.
"Squall, why did you go on your own?" Selphie asked. "Is Zell really that important to you?" Both Squall and Zell looked to the ground, as they thought the question sounded wrong in so many ways. Suddenly, there was more gunfire as the four of them dropped behind the barricade.
"What do we do now?" Zell asked over the gunfire. Not two seconds after he asked that, the gunfire abruptly stopped. Squall cautiously looked over the barricade to see four dead Galbadian Soldiers. Standing behind them, clenching a shotgun with a smoking barrel was Galbadia Garden's best sharpshooter, Irvine Kinneas. As he came down the steps, Rinoa appeared behind him. However, Irvine was really more 'strutting' down the steps than walking.
"Come on, Stop trying to act so cool!" Rinoa told Irvine as she game him a kick, sending him tumbling down the rest of the stairs. "If you had just agreed with me earlier, we wouldn't be in this mess!" Rinoa looked around, and saw Squall and the others approaching them. "Squall, are you OK?"
"Rinoa, you're all right." Quistis said.
"Uh-huh, of course." Irvine said as he got to his feet. "Courtesy of my escort."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Zell asked.
"Ah..." Irvine couldn't speak up, as Rinoa ran straight to Squall and started to talk to him, though it sounded more like jabbering.
"My father pulled some strings with the military." She said. "He told them to get me, and only me, out. So this guy came and got me, just me! Knowing you were all captured. Isn't that horrible?"
"Alright! I said I was sorry." Irvine said. "Thats why I'm here to help."
"Yeah, after I scratched you to death." Rinoa said.
"Anyway, now's our chance." Irvine said.
"The door at the bottom is buried in sand." Squall said.
"Of course it is," Irvine said. "This is the D-District prison that's buried underground."
"There they are, it's the escapees!" A guard said, as Irvine pulled out his gun and began firing again.
"Squall!" Irvine shouted. "Head on up! The rest of you follow him, I'll bring up the rear!"
"Up?" Squall asked.
"The exit's up there, trust me!" Irvine shouted. Squall and Rinoa ascended the stairs first, followed by Selphie, Quistis, and Zell. Irvine fired off one last shot before scrambling after them.
Squall led his comrades up to the top floor, with Irvine firing off a few rounds here and there. Soon, they found an opening that revealed daylight. As soon as they thought they were home free, a guard and two robots appeared, blocking their path. Selphie and Rinoa teamed up to take on the elite soldier. Zell and Irvine took the robot on the right, leaving Squall and Quistis to take on the one on the right. Selphie confused the soldier by twirling her nunchaku, leaving him open for a strike from Rinoa's blaster edge. Zell ripped out a few wires from the robot he was facing, and gave Irvine a clear shot to finish it off. Quistis was able to take the other robot off its feet, as Squall sunk his gunblade inside, destroying the robot's mainframe. Once they were dealt with, Squall spotted a garage, with two cars inside.
"That was way too dangerous, wasn't it?" Rinoa asked.
"Who cares?" Squall replied, "Let's just get out of here."
"I wanna ride the yellow one!" Selphie said, addressing the two vehicles sitting inside the garage.
"I'll take that one too." Rinoa said.
"Me too." Quistis finished.
"Hey, ladies!" Irvine complained. "Where ya goin'?" Much to his dismay, the yellow vehicle only seated three.
"Let's go, Irvine." Zell said, hopping into the other vehicle.
"Aww, fine." Irvine said, giving up. As they pulled out, Irvine began speaking to Squall and Zell.
"I head this weird dream while we were in there." Irvine said.
"You were a guy named Kiros, right?" Zell asked.
"Yeah, how'd you know?" Irvine asked.
"Cause I was Laguna and Zell was Ward." Squall said. Irvine's eyes shot up in surprise.
"This isn't the first time this has happened to us." Zell said. "Actually, it's the third."
"I guess it'd make sense." Irvine said. "Laguna kinda reminded me of Squall. Come to think of it, so did that bartender in Winhill." Squall rolled his eyes. But as he thought about it, Raine did seem somehow familiar to him; he just couldn't place his finger on it. Though he couldn't understand how Irvine made a connection to him and that circus clown, Laguna.
After they had traveled a few miles. Squall noticed Selphie's vehicle stop. Squall put on the brakes when he noticed Selphie hop out and climb on top of a rock. Soon, everyone was out on their feet.
"What's up?" Squall asked.
"The sorceress is about to fire missiles at the garden!" Quistis said.
"That's what Rinoa heard from Irvine!" Selphie added. Squall remembered that Seifer said that the garden was to be destroyed while he was being tortured.
"The only thing we can do is go back to Garden and warn everybody." Squall said. "Let's go."
"We can't!" Selphie said. "They're targeting both Balamb Garden and Trabia Garden! We have to interfere with the launch and stop the missiles. Please Squall, I just transferred from Trabia Garden. I can't sit around knowing that they're in danger. Please Squall, decide who will go to the missile base before it's too late!"
"It's easier said than done." Squall thought. "What if something happens to the party members I choose?"
"Let's take a vote." Rinoa said. "Squall will decide on two parties. The Missile base team and the Messenger Team. Squall will be the leader of the messenger team and head for the Garden to alert everybody. Anybody against this plan please raise your right hand." No one raised their hand, it sounded good to them.
"You're the leader, Squall." Quistis said. "What are the teams?"
"I never asked to be the leader." Squall thought. He couldn't get a word out; as he looked in the distance and saw about 12 missiles shoot off the ground and into the sky! Everyone's eyes went wide. After a few nervous seconds, Irvine cleared his throat.
"I...heard they were hitting Trabia first, and then Balamb." Irvine said. Selphie sunk to her knees and fought back the urge to cry, she had so many friends at Trabia Garden.
"Trabia...I'm sorry...I couldn't stop it." She said silently as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Please let everyone be all right." Selphie stood up, and now had a look of anger on her face.
"Squall, you have to report to Balamb Garden." Selphie said. "Who are you taking?"
"Think carefully, Squall." Rinoa added. Squall was getting sick and tired of this whole Leader thing, but chose anyway. He remembered back in Timber that Rinoa ordered him to take her to a safe place. Balamb Garden wasn't particularly safe right now, but he had no other alternative. Also, if he had to order an evacuation, he would need a motivational speaker, and Zell was top notch. So it was decided. Selphie, Quistis, and Irvine would head to the missile base, while Squall, Zell, and Rinoa headed for Balamb Garden.
"Zell and Rinoa are with me." Squall said. "This mission is unlike any other. It's not an order or a request from anyone. Selphie, do you have some kind of plan?"
"I think if we take this vehicle, we can get inside the base." Selphie said. "But that's about it, I'd have to think it over once we got inside. There isn't much time, you'd better get going Squall."
"See you at Balamb Garden." Squall said. Irvine, Quistis, and Selphie stepped inside the Yelow vehicle, while Squall, Zell, and Rinoa entered the other. Squall looked back and saw Selphie make a right turn, headed for the missile base. After a few moments, Squall pulled up to a train station, where a train was waiting; A Galbadian Army supply train!
"Let's take the train." Squall said, sneaking along the left side of the train, since there were Galbadian soldiers on the right. As soon as the coast was clear, Squall and his teammates hopped into the locomotive and took off.
"HEY! STOP!" They heard someone yell; a Galbadian Soldier who was running on the side of the train.
"Hey Squall. Some dork's chasin after us." Zell said. Squall, however, paid no attention.
"STOP THE TRAIN!" The soldier yelled again.
"Hey, this guy's not bad." Zell said. The soldier then tripped, causing Zell to grin. "Later sport."
