Author's Notes: Yeah, I'm back. Been focused on a lot of fics recently. Hope you like this chapter. More interesting one this time. Please enjoy.

Firefly-Dreams: Yes, Goth Nida. I've been trying all styles of Nida. Currently, in this one RP thing, he's a depressed guy because no one notices him, and he dresses like Corin from Angels of Hyne. God I love My Nida(s). The whole reason why Squall turned evil will not be completely known until the very last chapter, which is still a bit away. You will have to wait though. This chapter shows a new level of contact between Squall and Seifer and introduces two of my favorite summons… (I'm serious here. I wanna get a small tattoo on my shoulder that has Griever and Tiamat coming out from behind Shiva and Phoenix rising above her and the great serpent Forsaken curling around them all…. YAY!)

Chapter 6: Hawk-Eye, Lion Paw and Dragon Heart

Xu and Ellone's first action upon reaching the open air was to take a deep breath and look around. Neither one of them had been outside of the base for years. But that was the sacrifice we made in becoming SeeD. Some would ay it wasn't worth it, but they don't see what we see. They don't know everything about Ultimecia and what she does to people. We are plagued with that knowledge.

"Have you ever thought that hiding out within ten miles of the Centra Castle is really smart?" Raijin said as he came up to me.

"Ever heard of the mouse hiding under the cat's nose?" Nida questioned, his chains jingling softly as he moved.

"This is, strategically, the ideal place. She knows we are somewhere in these islands, but where is beyond her knowledge," Xu said, finally focusing.

My attention was caught before I could comment to them. Something was catching the sunlight in those hills nearby. Somewhere, deep inside, this felt like a familiar scenario…. Yes, the parade, a sniper in near plain sight. Irvine and Squall are there in the hills. I looked around frantically, who would their target be? Well, the answer was simple, who do I protect? Ellone!

It all happened rather suddenly, and it definitely shook the others up. The shot rang out and before they could even react, I was standing before Ellone, gunblade raised to protect us both from the bullet. Unfortunately Irvine was a good shot, and the bullet passed right through one of the three holes the size of a quarter in my blade and cut across my cheek. I felt a healing breeze caress my cheek and heal the wound, though leaving a faint and shallow scar. Next thing we saw was a large lion bounding over the hill towards us and the last figure we wanted to see was riding upon it. Xu and Nida began casting supportive spells like haste and shell upon us.

"Run," I hissed at them. "Run guys. Don't wait for me and don't look back. Just get the fuck out of here."

The others nodded and my eyes met Nida's for a moment. I was turning the others over to him, and I prayed that Nida would not fail me. I was left alone to face the one we were not ready to face yet. Griever stopped a few yards away from me and the Dark Knight leapt from his back. Just like all the other times we met, I refused to back down. Sure, a strategic fall to the rear was acceptable, but not a retreat.

"Well, well, do we have ourselves a SeeD straying from its Garden?" he asked in that flawless tenor that used to drive me mad with desire.

"It's better to be a Stray SeeD than the bad apple that ruined the bunch," I countered.

"That used to be your title before you betrayed our mistress," he said as he walked towards me. The Revolver gleamed in his hands and the chains and belts around his body rang beautiful tones in the crisp air.

"Rather ironic that you serve her when you have, and will, kill her."

"Brave words Almasy," Squall said before extending his hands toward me, open and peaceful, "Join us Seifer, and you can have everything you've ever dreamed off.

"Yeah right, just like last time?" I laughed. Still, it was a tempting offer, but I reinforced the response by flipping him off and raising Hyperion defensively. He had never defeated me in a one on one duel. Then again, I've never fought him like this. A smirk graced Squall's features, one much like my own cocky smirk. Fire flashed in his eyes the moment before another Guardian Force appeared behind him, the dragon Tiamat.

"Fair fight Almasy?"

"Have our fights ever been fair Leonheart?

"Good point."

Finally Squall stood just a stone throw away from me, Revolver raised to smack against the tip of Hyperion. In his other gloved hand an orb of darkness was forming. I could hear a raspy laugh from the newly arrived dragon. As the orb grew larger there was a slightly worried sound from the great lion Guardian.

"You are not junctioned Squall, this is foolish. Let us handle this one," Griever purred.

"I can deal with this traitor," Squall said as the orb exploded outward, spreading around us and sealing us from the rest of the world. Just he and I now, in this dark dome… Shit.

He smiled and lashed out at me, his movements so fast that I was nearly caught off guard. Quickly I was put on the defensive, but soon it became an equal fight, and we were as equally matched as ever. Until he went and surprised me…

"Why did you marry Ellone?" has asked as he slashed at my legs.

I barely jumped over the blade, more surprised by the perfectly composed and energy filled voice than by the question. "I love her and she needs me."

Squall laughed and span, bringing his gunblade up to my neck, something I narrowly avoided. "Very funny Seifer. You only wanted her because you couldn't have me."

"Don't think so highly of yourself," I hissed, suddenly getting the upper hand in the battle.

The male stopped, froze suddenly in the middle of one of my attacks, my blade aimed to cut into his stomach. I couldn't help but turn the blade just in time, just enough so the flat of the blade hit him instead. Squall fell to his knees, smirk still in place. There was no blood on him, thank Hyne. Still, he would get a bad bruise soon.

"See Seifer? You still care about me. You always did." And with his words, the dome faded. I didn't wait for him to say anything else, I just ran with all my might.

"Farewell," he whispered as Irvine ran up to him… But I didn't hear it at all. I had fallen, a tranq-dart buried deep in my shoulder.