Chapter 4: Forever
Squall and Rinoa were sitting together, the silence becoming awkward as they watched Zell continue to gaze up the heavens. They were in the secret place inside the Training Center, and couldn't help but feel sorry for Zell.
Rinoa stood up and went to Zell, "Zell…?"
He turned to her then, and forced a small smile from his lips. "Yes, Rinoa?"
Something in Zell's voice made her even more uncomfortable and she swallowed before she spoke, "Are… are you okay? You have been standing there for almost three hours now…"
"I am fine, Rinoa." Zell said formally that it shocked Rinoa, "Please don't worry about me."
Squall came to him then, looked into his eyes and said seriously, "You can't forget her, can you? Even if it has been three months."
Something in Zell's eyes flickered at Squall's words, and his voice broke as he spoke, "No… I can't forget her. I can never forget her."
Squall sighed as he patted his arm, "It's hard to forget her, I know, but just because she's frozen doesn't mean you have to be too. I'm sure that Meiou would've wanted you to move on. You can't dwell in her memories forever."
Zell shook his head, and the coldness in his voice and eyes became evident again, "You don't understand, Squall. Meiou is different. I can never love anyone else except for her. If I have to dwell in her memories forever and remain frozen, then I would do it." A serious tone entered his voice, "I love her more than anything. And no one can ever replace her."
Something in his voice worried the two of them. Rinoa was about to speak then, but Squall put a hand on her lips to silence her. He spoke again, "Suit yourself, Zell, but remember you can't be frozen forever."
Zell turned again to look at the moon as Rinoa and Squall left. He just stood there, watching the stars. When everyone had left, Zell's face crumpled and he started crying, missing the silver angel who was supposed to be there with him.
Then Squall's voice entered his head and he stopped as he remembered his words.
"…Just because she's frozen doesn't mean you have to be too."
Zell dried his eyes and stood up straight, thinking about his words when he had an idea. He turned and fled from the Training Center.
It's about time that he spoke to Uncle Laguna…
Laguna, Kiros and Ward looked at the boy in front of them, their eyes filled with surprise, remorse and admiration. Laguna stood up from his desk and leaned towards him. "Do you know what you're asking for, boy? You realized that if you do that, you will immediately be frozen forever. You know that we have no intention of releasing her until the monster within her dies… or she dies at that."
Zell nodded, as he looked defiantly at Laguna, "I don't care. I just want to be with her. If I have to die to be with her, so be it."
Kiros looked from Laguna to Zell, and he came forward, "Is there nothing we can do to help you at anything else, Zell? You are going to waste your life if you do this."
Zell looked Kiros, and Kiros became overwhelmed at the boy's determination. "No, Mr. Kiros. There is nothing else you can do except this."
Ward came forward him and laid a hand on his shoulder. He spoke no words, for he can't, but his gaze meant the same thing as what Kiros had said. He smiled at him, "You are all concerned for me. For that I am thankful. But you can't change my mind." He stepped around Ward and looked at Laguna again, "I'd rather spend an eternity in a deep sleep in space with my arms around her, than to die seeing that she won't die with me and she would live without me…"
Laguna looked at him again, searching his eyes and he nodded. "Fine then. Kiros, make the necessary preparations…"
Zell stood underneath Meiou's containment, looking at her lovingly. She still stood frozen as he had last seen her, like a silver angel about to rise from heaven. She was about to sent to heaven, but she was going to be with someone for the trip.
"An Odine bangle was already placed on her. Should she wake, she won't be able to move much, and then we will place you with her. Just remember to close your eyes."
He nodded at the instruction as he came forward to where she was. The sound of steam rushing out of the machinery can be heard, and Meiou's barrier immediately disappeared. He climbed up the barrier and stood before her.
Zell stood before her and wrapped his arms around her. Her frozen body seemed to shiver, but she didn't move. Zell kissed her frozen hair, as he whispered, "Everything is alright, Meiou. I'm here. I'll never let you go now…"
He felt the air around him get heavy with sedatives, and he tightened his hold on her, his chin resting on the crook of her neck and shoulder. As the clear barrier closed upon them, Zell felt her wings and arms move with great effort. He raised his head to her face only to see her smiling at him.
"Z…el…l…", she whispered, her mouth having a hard time pronouncing his name. Then she tried to speak again as her arms finally found their place on his shoulders, "I…l…ove…yo…u…"
Zell smiled as he whispered the same words she whispered, "I love you too, Meiou." Then he touched her face as he whispered, "Close your eyes, baby… everything will be alright … we'll always be together now."
She knew what he meant and she smiled as she closed her eyes. Then in the last second before the barrier froze, Zell pushed his head down to her lips, kissing her with his last kiss, before everything blissfully darkened and stopped.
"ZEELLLLL!"
Squall and the others entered the room to find out that everything had been done. Zell had now froze himself in Meiou's containment facility, and he was to remain there forever.
"No…" Ma Dintch whispered as she fell to her knees, and as she realized that her son was gone forever, cried her heart out.
Edea came forward and wrapped her arms around the grieving mother, "Forgive me, Mrs. Dintch. I had not known that this was going to happened."
The mother continued crying as Rinoa and Squall came forward to inspect the barrier. Rinoa touched the area where their faces can be seen and she smiled, "They… kissed the moment they were frozen. Look, their lips are still together."
All of them gathered around as they looked at where Rinoa was pointing. She was indeed right, for the lips of two lovers were one, and the look of happiness can be seen in their faces.
Selphie cried as she clung on to Irvine, who held her close, "They kissed… even at the last moment of their lives…"
Quistis came forward and also smiled, "How… romantic…"
Squall swallowed at what he saw, and soon turned to everyone. "We… can't do anything anymore. It's too late. We can't do anything for them. Let's just leave, so they can spend their lives together forever… even if they are encased in ice…"
And so the troop left, and even if Ma Dintch was hurt, she knew that her son wanted this and this was his decision. So she left, but not before planting a kiss on her son's frozen cheek.
And that was how it ended… with Zell the blond haired mercenary and Meiou the silver angel locked in each others arms, their lips infused together, sharing a kiss that would go on forever…
The End
