Jesus! It's about time they fixed the servers! I've been trying to put this chapter up since Monday! I'm sorry you guys had to wait. Don't blame me, blame the damn overloaded servers.
nightfighter642: Dost my endings bug you, sir? You know everything's gonna work out.
Vivi239: Interesting? Well, yes. Focus on when Zell's in the Ragnarok.
WildfireDreams: I wrote more, and here it is.
pinklove: My ass is at work constantly, and this is what happens next.
Kenny H: Yep, Squall is changing.
QueenAdreena: How's this? Anyhoo, you're welcome for my sig on your site. Now do me a favor. Update your story! Don't mean to put any pressure on you. But things are getting boring.
Lady-Rinoa: Nope, though there is a hug here.
Griever Weapon: You graduated better than I did. I got through with an 'A', a 'B', three 'C's and two 'D's. But at least I didn't fail nothin'! (I got a 'D' in English)
OK people, here we go.
CHAPTER 43: THE PROMISE
Squall moped back into the Ragnarok and went into the passengers deck. There he sat down, trying to sort out everything that had just happened. However, soon the door hissed open again, and Squall saw someone that he left hanging back in the escape pod; Quistis Trepe.
"Quistis?" Squall said.
"I'm home." She said as she walked in.
"How did you get here?" Squall asked.
"It's a long story." Quistis said. "When the escape pod touched down, it knocked me out for a while. When I woke up, it was just me and Piet."
"Piet?" Squall asked. "Oh, the guy that escaped with us."
"Ellone was gone." Quistis said. "Plus, there were signs of a struggle. I hope she's OK. Then the Rescue crew arrived and told me about this ship. I hitched a ride, and here I am."
"I see." Squall said.
"Squall," Quistis began. "When you left the escape pod, you didn't think about anything else, did you? I couldn't help but wonder if there would be someone who would do the same for me. Anyway, where's the princess who changed the 'ever-cautious' Squall?"
Before Squall could answer, the door opened again and in walked Zell, Irvine, and Selphie!
"S'up Squall? We're glad you're safe!" Zell said. "I hate to tell you this now, but we have major problems down here. Some big thing called Lunatic Pandora came out of nowhere. Matron couldn't do what she set out to do because of it, but that's OK because Matron's not a sorceress anymore. She gave away her power to someone else without realizing it."
"To Rinoa." Squall thought.
"The Galbadian's are controlling Lunatic Pandora," Zell continued. "Inside there's something called the 'Crystal Pillar,' Which calls monsters from the moon, total chaos down here. Not just monsters, but Sorceress Adel came down too, and Lunatic Pandora caught her. Dr. Odine thinks it may have been the Galbadians true intent, but I think it was mainly Seifer's Idea."
"Zell, that's enough for now." Squall said.
"What's the matter?" Irvine asked.
"Rinoa is a sorceress now," Squall said, "She's the one who received Matron's powers. An Esthar crew came to pick her up and took her to Esthar."
"What? We have to go get her!" Selphie said as she ran out, Irvine right behind her.
"Was she taken by force?" Quistis asked.
"No, it was her decision." Squall said. "She was scared that no one would want to be around her and she couldn't handle that."
"Didn't you try to stop her?" Quistis asked.
"It was her decision," Squall said. "What right do I have to object?"
"Oh stop that!" Quistis scolded. "Why did you do all the way out into space to save her, to hand her over to Esthar? No, right? Wasn't it because you wanted to be with Rinoa? Squall, you're a fool!"
"Seriously!" Zell agreed. Squall was left to think it over for a few moments before having to admit that Quistis was right. He was a fool.
"Have you decided?" Quistis asked.
"Esthar, right?" Zell asked.
"Pandora whatever and Sorceress Adel are out of my hands," Squall said, "I don't know where to start looking for Sis. The only thing I know right now is Rinoa. We're going to get Rinoa back!" Squall began to leave the room, when suddenly The Ragnarok lifted off the ground and began flying!
"Huh, we're flying?" Quistis asked.
"I hope it's not the case, but I can picture Selphie in the pilots seat." Zell said.
"And Selphie screaming 'Whoo-hoo, we're flying!'" Quistis added.
"And standing next to her, a very excited Irvine." Squall finished. Squall led Zell and Quistis to the bridge. Sure enough, Selphie was in full control.
"Whoo-hoo! We're flying!" Selphie squealed.
"Selphie's just amazing, isn't she?" Irvine asked.
"You sure you can fly this?" Squall asked.
"It just kinda took off." Selphie said. "It seems pretty easy."
"Selphie head for Esthar's Sorceress Memorial." Squall commanded. "We're going to get Rinoa back!"
"Aye-aye, captain!" Selphie responded.
Due to the Ragnarok's ability to fly at high speeds, they made it there in no time. Two Esthar soldiers were blocking the entrance.
"You want to see your friend off?" One of them asked. "I'll make an exception, go ahead." The doors opened and Squall and his gang went inside. They could see Rinoa in a machine similar to Adel's Tomb. A scientist saw them enter.
"What are you doing here? This is a restricted area!" the man said.
"To do what I should have done earlier." Squall said. "I'll never know unless I do it. I'm taking Rinoa with me."
"What, you must be joking!" The scientist said. As he said that, Irvine cocked his rifle, Quistis Cracked her whip, Selphie spun her nunchaku, and Zell held up his metal-plated gloves.
"Don't make us use these." Irvine said.
"Go, Squall." Zell said. Squall went through the door and ran up to Rinoa's tomb.
"Hold on, Rinoa. I'll get you out in a sec." Squall said. Squall took out his gunblade and slashed downward, ripping a hole in the device, sending Rinoa running into Squall's arms.
"Squall, don't. I'm a sorceress." Rinoa said.
"I don't care." Squall said.
"Squall, Rinoa!" Quistis called.
"Let's go." Squall said as they left. Outside, four Esthar soldiers blocked their path, until an Esthar official appeared. The way that the soldiers quickly stood at attention, it was obvious that this official was highly respected. He said not a word, but motioned for the soldiers to stand down. The official was built big. He stood about 7 feet tall. As Squall and the gang ran back towards the Ragnarok, Squall looked back at the official.
"What's wrong, Squall?" Zell asked.
"That official." Squall said. "I've seen him before."
Back on the Ragnarok, Selphie hopped back into the pilots seat and took off.
"What's wrong, Rinoa?" Quistis asked.
"I'm just a little embarrassed." Rinoa said.
"Why?" asked Zell.
"I was so set on staying in Esthar." Rinoa said. "Then when you guys showed up, it made me feel so happy."
"No need to be embarrassed." Irvine said.
"Yeah, happy is good!" Selphie added.
"Thanks, everybody." Rinoa said. Squall continued staring out the window, not saying a word.
"As an expert Squall observer," Quistis began, "He's thinking 'what do we do now? Blah, blah, blah.' If you think and worry too much, everything tends to turn bad. Squall, why don't we picture a brighter future?"
"Whatever." Squall said.
"But seriously, where do we go from here?" Zell asked. "Don't we have to do something about Lunatic Pandora? The Galbadians are controlling it, and I saw Seifer in there. He's the one behind all this right?"
"Seifer is Ultimecia's puppet!" Squall spat.
"Yeah, and that Ultimecia!" Zell said. "We can't let that sorceress from the future mess up our world. Let's go kick her ass! We're SeeDs, we're here to destroy Sorceresses, right?" Zell said all of this, forgetting that Ultimecia was using Rinoa's body as an extension.
"ZELL!" Squall yelled at him.
"S-Sorry." Zell mumbled.
"So Squall, where we goin'?" Irvine asked.
"Um, can we go to that orphanage you guys were talking about at Trabia Garden?" Rinoa asked.
"That place is in shambles," Quistis said, "There's nothing to see there."
"I want to stay away from places where there are lots of people." Rinoa said.
"Let's go. Head for Edea's house." Squall said.
Rinoa had to admit; the orphanage where her friends grew up wasn't much to see. Zell decided to hang back in the Ragnarok. The kid was somewhat of a space nut; having well over 200 sci-fi movies on DVD and VHS back at home in Balamb. Irvine, Selphie, and Quistis began to talk with Cid and Edea, as Rinoa and Squall headed for the flower field.
"What'll become of me?" Rinoa asked.
"Don't worry about it." Squall said. "There's been many good sorceresses. Edea was one, you can be just like her."
"I can't guarantee anything." Rinoa said. "If Ultimecia possesses me again. You saw it; she made me break Adel's seal. What will I do next time? Will I end up fighting everyone? It's a scary thought."
"Rinoa, even if you end up as the worlds enemy," Squall thought. "I'll...I'll be your knight."
"But if Ultimecia shows up again, SeeD will come and kill me." Rinoa said. "And the leader of SeeD is you, Squall. Squall's sword will pierce my heart. I guess its OK if its you, Squall, nobody else."
"That's enough!" Squall said. "I'll never do anything like that. The sorceress I'm after is not you, Rinoa. My enemy is the sorceress from the future, Ultimecia."
"How will you save me?" She asked.
"I'll think of a way." Squall said. "You can trust me."
"Well, until you find a way, maybe I should stay in Esthar at that memorial." Rinoa said.
"No, that'd be pointless. I'd just end up going after you again." Squall said. "Just stay close to me."
"Those words." Rinoa said. "You said those to me back in Deling City."
"Feeling better?" Squall asked.
"Yeah." Rinoa said. "While I was in that coma, I had a dream. We make a promise to see shooting stars together. I get all dressed up and put on your ring, but I couldn't remember where I was supposed to meet you. I start running. Through the mountains, the desert, the plains. Through Balamb, Timber, Galbadia. I couldn't run anymore, so I scream 'Squall, where are you?' Then when I finally snapped out of it after Adel's seal was broken, I was crying."
"It was just a dream." Squall said. "It didn't mean anything."
"I guess you're right." Rinoa said.
"How about this." Squall said. "I'll be here, in this flower field."
"Huh?" Rinoa asked.
"The reason you couldn't find me is because we haven't promised yet." Squall said.
"Promised?" Rinoa asked.
"I'll behere." Squall said. "If you come here, you'll find me. I promise."
"I'll be here too." Rinoa said. "It's a promise."
Zell had to admit, the Ragnarok was impressive. He spent a few minutes in each room, getting familiar with the spaceship and learning what each room was for. Once he found his way back into the cockpit, he heard static over the Radio. He twisted a few knobs, but soon got a transmission.
"Esthar Airstation to Ragnarok." Someone said. "Come in Ragnarok."
"Uh, yo." Zell said. "This is the Ragnarok. What's up?"
"It's come to my attention that the Ragnarok has been recovered by a SeeD named Squall Leonhart." The man said. "Is this true?"
"Yeah," Zell said.
"I take it you are a SeeD as well."
"Good guess." Zell said.
"It was no guess. I could tell from your voice." This man said. "Your name is Zell Dincht, isn't it?" Zell's eyes widened. This guy knew Zell by his voice?
"Uh, yeah." Zell said. "How'd you know that?"
"Zell, does my voice sound familiar to you at all?" The man asked. Zell had to admit, it seemed as though he has heard it before.
"Yeah, it does sound familiar." Zell said. "Who the hell are you?"
"I am a personal assistant to the president of Esthar." He said. "My name is Kiros Seagull." Zell's eyes opened wide as he whispered "Get the hell outta here!"
"Zell, our president knows of Ultimecia and has a plan to get rid of her and Adel." Kiros said. "Though he's to old to do it himself, so he wants to hire SeeD."
"Cool, you want the number to Balamb Garden?" Zell asked.
"Um, not exactly." Kiros said. "The President wishes to speak to the 6he has personally requested, of them is you. The others are your friends. Squall, Selphie, Quistis, Irvine, and a girl named Rinoa."
"Uh, yeah, they're my friends." Zell said. "But I don't get it. Why us 6?"
"Because you were the ones inside our heads, right?" Kiros asked. "And by us, I mean Ward and Laguna as well."
"You are Kiros." Zell whispered.
"The President wishes to meet with you immediately." Kiros said. "We shall be waiting at the palace, in the Presidential Office. Go tell the other's and come immediately."
"Uh, Kiros, I don't wanna sound rude, but SeeDs aren't free." Zell said.
"Tell your Headmaster that the president is prepared to pay Five-Million gil for the services of the six of you." Zell could feel his eyes turn into money signs.
"Kiros, you've got yourself a deal!" Zell said.
As Squall and Rinoa held hands in the flower field, they heard footsteps rapidly approaching. Zell was coming at them at a full sprint. Whatever he wanted, it had to have been big.
"Whoa, sorry to interrupt, But its an emergency." Zell said. "We just got Radio contact from Esthar's Presidential Palace. They have a plan to kill both Sorceress Adel and Sorceress Ultimecia, and they wanna hire SeeD to execute it!"
"Might be a trap to get Rinoa back into Esthar." Squall said.
"I don't think so." Zell said. "They asked for us specifically! The guy I spoke to, his voice sounded VERY familiar, and his name was Kiros Seagull, as in, Laguna's Comrade!"
"Kiros is in Esthar's presidential palace and wants to hire us?" Squall asked. "Alright, Let's go!" Squall and the others began to head back to the Ragnarok, before Edea called out to them.
"Squall, wait!" Edea said. "There is something important I must tell you. I first became a sorceress when I was a child, then again 13 years ago. It was on this spot that I encountered a sorceress on the verge of death. I received her powers of my own free will to keep all of you safe. That was the beginning of my painful story, but on this moment, my story has ended. There is an end, no matter how painful it may be. Squall, you must fight to the end, even if it brings tragedy to others."
"I will Matron," Squall said, "Thank you." With that, Squall headed back to the Ragnarok.
This is something new I'm gonna do. At the end of every chapter from here on out, I'll tell you when you can expect the next chapter
Next Update: Saturday, June 4.
