Author's Notes: Another month, another chapter. Sorry this is going slow. I've been trying to finish another fiction and threw myself into it almost completely. But that doesn't explain me not typing and updating… That CAN be explained though. I'm in the process of getting situated at a new RP site that I'm going to enjoy, so I've been reworking character profiles of Nida, Corin, and a baddie that I keep in my back pocket. Also, The Electronic Entertainment Expo is this week, so I've been vegging out on info about the new PS3, drooling over the FFVII Technical Demo, doing a 'press' report for another site I am on to keep all our foreign members up to date on the great gaming info, and sucking up every little piece of Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children information that I can get a hold of. So… I am finally typing this update that has been lying around since last month… Don't hurt me! Just read it.
Firefly-Dreams: It's all in my head, like VERY many things. Including my latest Nida style for this new site… pretty much a rip off of Corin from Angel's of Hyne… But when you give him blue instead of red and a serpent instead of phoenix, it's a very sexy combo… If I ever can, I want to be rich and famous and have my own line of leather trench coats. Of course, I'll sell them with Square's help or permission. For example… The black trench coats will have one of Hades, Diablos, Griever, Odin, Gilgamesh or Anima. Red would have Ifrit and Phoenix. Pale blue would be Shiva, sea blue Leviathan and dark blue Eden… It would be cool. Except there wouldn't be one for Knights of the Round from VII… It would take up TOO much room.
But, getting back to the point, there will be other cool things in this chapter, including an infa-space, the picture Vivirandum, Ultimecia, a holo-boat, and a very disheveled Nida…. Though NOT in that order loves.
Chapter 7: A Narrow Escape (or) Dementia Love
When I awoke it was so dark around me that I could have sworn someone cast Blind on me. Both my back and neck were killing me due to the steel slab I had apparently slept on. So, this was it, I was finally a prisoner of Ultimecia. Damn that cowboy for using tranq darts! If I ever get my hands on him…
"Seifer, you up yet man?" a familiar voice asked from the shadows, "Elle is worried about you."
The sound of Nida's voice quickly cleared away my doubts. Ultimecia would never put us in earshot of each other.
"Where are we and what in Hyne's sweet name happened?"
Nida's chuckle echoed around us, "Yes! Now Fuu owes me ten gil."
"What? Why?"
"I bet her that those would be your first words upon waking. She thought you'd swear!"
"You fucking bet on me!"
"Yeah, but we bet on a lot of things. So, to answer your first question, we're on the Gelinka, headed to Fisherman's Horizon. No where better to start a revolution, right?"
I nodded in agreement before realizing he couldn't see it. FH was the last free place in the world. Ultimecia was either unconcerned by the small town, or her knight had convinced her it was unimportant. Mayo Dobe died a long time ago, and so did their pacifistic attitudes. Ninety percent of the population was secretly involved in the White SeeD or another freedom group.
"And as to what happened… Dart filled with two whole pouches of sleeping powder. Seems Irvine REALLY didn't want you waking up anytime soon. Took three remedies and an Esuna to flush it all from your system."
"How did I escape Nida?" I growled, knowing he was avoiding the question.
There was a slight surge of magical energy as Nida directed a weak Thunder spell to disperse in the air, the static fixing whatever short-circuit he had inflicted on the lights. When I got a look at Nida in the restored light, my heart went out to him. The SeeD's black clothes were far from their usually perfect state, his eyes were blood shot, and his hair was ruffled in a Chickenwuss manner. It was as if he hadn't slept in three days, which is likely if I really had that much sleeping powder in my system.
"I came back for you," he said softly, knowing very well that I would be mad. "Squall was right there, so I cast Holy on him and carried you back to the boat."
"You wasted your only Holy spell to do that for me? You're a fucking nimrod, and very insane Nida."
"I get it from you Seif," he said with a yawn.
"Have you slept since then?"
"Oh come on Seifer, don't try to guilt me."
"Go to bed Nida. I'll find the others. I'm sure they can handle me."
The man smiled and gave in; sitting back in the large comfortable chair he had been perched on the edge of. With a grin I turned towards the door of the cramped room, grabbing my trench coat from the hook as I opened the door.
"Seifer… Were you having a nightmare?" he asked suddenly, "You were thrashing around for a bit, begging to be left alone."
I blanched. Images of the recurring nightmare came to mind. None of them knew about it.
"Not that I remember Nida," I said before leaving the cabin behind.
Outside the air was fresh and sprinkled with the scent of brine and a faint mist was on the wind. The evening was beautiful, the sea flowing calm and dark. Through the occasional ripples of color that gave sign of the holographic field around us, I could see the deep navy sky, a sheet of fine satin sprinkled with confectioners' sugar stars. Most people don't realize how many stars there are until they get a chance to be on the open seas like this. The boat's pave was slow, plodding, and masked in its movements before of this and the holoprojector which rendered the creamy foam the bow kicked up into nothing in seconds. Out here, on the sea, I feel like my life is meaningless, miniscule, and unimportant to anyone but me. Of course, it also brings up memories…
"Seifer?" I heard whispered in doubt before someone hugged me from behind.
"Hey Elle," I responded, covering her hands with my own as she snuggled close to me.
"We thought you were going to die."
"Me too," I whispered to myself, "Me too Elle."
"How did he get away!" she demanded, her fists pounding against the twisted black stone of the throne she had chosen for herself in this time.
"Nomura used forbidden magic, distracted me," my answer came as calm, cool and composed as ever.
"He took a Holy right to the face," Irvine added, obviously impressed and angry at my survival and lack of harm.
"You kould have kountered or reflected it Skwall!"
"I was caught off guard."
"Don't let it happened again! You are dismissed."
I gave a minor bow of the head before turning and leaving the throne room for my own room. I knew she'd keep Kinneas with her, she only used me now. She was tired of me. Slowly I walked the long bridge to the clock tower. Really, it's hard for even me to believe that so many years ago I walked this very path with my friends, traveling to slay my wife and sorceress. Still, the past is in the future, right? It wasn't time to worry about that.
I was tired after three days of hunting for the escaped SeeDs with Irvine, and rather than walk all the way back to my suite, I opened a rip in time with my magic I bore as Ultimecia's servant. After being swallowed by the darkness of the portal, a magic as dark and cold as my heart, I was deposited in the middle of the gallery by the spell. Behind the many pictures are portals to our rooms. The others have their own lavish homes in various countries and cities they rule. Irvine has an eccentric mansion, the one that belonged to General Caraway once, and ruled Galbidia. Zell had his haven in the familiar landscape near Balamb. Selphie called Trabia home, ruling her Garden with an iron fist. And he newly populated Centra, and other islands, were Quistus's domain.
Now, while Esthar and my birthplace of Winhill were mine to control, I lived in neither. My room was special, a dome called infa-space. When I entered it, it changed to suit my needs. Sometimes it was my childhood home of Winhill, sometimes the orphanage, other times Garden, or sheer darkness, but the room was always what I needed. Except for this time. When I entered my room (the portal for which was fittingly behind the painting Vivirandum, the Garden) I entered a field of flowers, my 'friends' minus Irvine and Rinoa, jumping out and shouting surprise.
"…"
"Happy Birthday!" Zell shouted, punching the air.
"If I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times. I. DON'T. CELEBRATE. BIRTHDAYS!" I punctuated each of the first three words with a hard glare at a different person. The final one was accompanied by a slashing movement of my hand, causing the infa-space to react to my rare emotions, causing the flowers to rot and the place to transform to look like the Time Compression world I have and would be lost in, where Rinoa 'saved' me and sealed the spells over me to make me her knight to the fullest. The others looked at me in shock, then at our surroundings.
"Shesh Squall, don't be so uptight!" Selphie laughed.
Well, let's see. My friends are slaves to my wife, my sister loathes me, my other friends that are free hurt me, and Seifer isn't even around. Uptight is the nicest way to put it.
"Get out," I growled through clenched teeth. They quickly obeyed, fleeing my presence and my room, changing its appearance to one I preferred, the dorm I had shared with Seifer back at Balamb Garden. My memories of a birthday years ago created a scene around me, conjuring up Seifer on the couch, eating some cake the cafeteria lady had sent up for me. Those ladies sent everyone cake on their birthdays. We'd both ended up in my bed that night… Hyne, I miss Seifer.
"Seifer, you better figure out something quick… I hate it here!"