Just asking, but which of the battles in chapter 11 did you like the best? I want to know, my wonderful reviewers! Water Goddess, on MSN, mentioned she liked the T-Rexaur one especially. The action was just awesome, wasn't it?! -grins-

Okie, on with this next chapter FINALLY COMPLETE! Lyrics used: "I Don't Know" by lostprophets! I highly, HIGHLY recommend this band. These dudes are from the UK (Wales to be exact), and are fairly new, but AMAZING. I'm so hooked on the album I have of them. "Start Something."

Chapter 12: Currently Stumped

Today they ask me, "What do you always seem to find?"

But though I could not answer, I'd have lost my way

And I could tell that this ain't right…

"Dr. Kowadaki, I can explain…" Quistis began but the good doctor shook her head. "There's no need to explain anything," she stated in a flat tone. "Seifer, and Cid, have told me what happened down there," Inside of himself, Squall mentally sighed in relief, but she didn't stay calm much longer. "But she could have been killed!" Kowadaki scolded, referring to Marianne. She was still in the same hospital bed. Her skin was slightly sunburned from NORG's first Psycho Blast attack in observation of all but Almasy, Timlitt (also unconscious) and Kowadaki. "She has no weapons, no magic, and you-" She pointed a finger at Squall, who felt ashamed for his foolish actions. "Out of all people, you would have known better." I know… thought Leonhart as he mentally kicked himself, angry of giving into her words. He was letting her treat him like a damn kid! He only gave her a look of anger now.

"But Marianne knew what she was doing," he scowled. "Foolish actions, I know, but Seifer would have been forced to leave if it weren't for her." Hating to admit it, but he just plain saw right through her again. It was like she knew that NORG had been behind all of this. And it seemed like she knew about NORG all along. Seifer, holding the ice white cloth to one of his eyes, always moving it to the other every minute or so, nodded. "And without Bahamut, we couldn't have defeated the son of a bitch successfully," he hissed through his burns.

"That is enough," said a displeased voice from the back of the room. All heads but Selphie's and Marianne's turned to look at the Headmaster, who was standing in the doorway to the X-ray room in the back, holding Marianne's X-ray results that shown the small fracture on her skull. He wanted to know who that girl was in stopping NORG's business meeting. The girl who had Bahamut, one of the most difficult Guardian Forces to get, junctioned to her. He could have asked Seifer about it, but knew he was in no mood. He was in the Blind status for quite a bit as Kramer had to lead him all the way back to the Infirmary while two medical students with a stretcher had carried Marianne to the room they were all in now.

Cid directed his attention to Squall. "Sir," the young man saluted as he saluted him back. It was a form of military code that Balamb Garden used. One out of many. "I need to give my report," Squall stated. With a silent nod, Kramer said in a calm manner, "Okay." In one hand, he held the X-ray scan by his side as Leonhart inhaled quietly and told of him about the failure of the previous missions. Liberating Timber, and the assassination of Sorceress Edea, Cid's wife.

"When my assigned team members and I reached the Timber Forest Owls base, we failed to capture the president on his train. The one we saw was apparently a decoy, a monster in disguise. In arriving to Deling, the real president was murdered by Edea…" In upon saying the name, Squall had took a moment's hesitation to continue. Everyone that was conscious in the room had seen that slightly pained look on the Headmaster's face. And what was even worse for Seifer and Squall together, was seeing him in tears. At his weakest point. "The sorceress had murdered President Deling, and Irvine Kinneas, our newest member from Galbadian Garden, was supposed to sniper her during the parade while she was on her float. She wasn't there." Cid gaped, looking around in noticing that Rinoa wasn't around. "…And where is Rinoa?" "…She was murdered by two Iguions back at Deling. Just before that, Irvine and I had found Seifer and Marianne was introduced, and she told us that the sorceress…was gone."

"And how did she know about Edea?" Kramer asked, his face paled in upon hearing of Rinoa's death. Even with the doctor in presence, Squall had decided to explain through his words and Marianne's combined on what he and the rest of the youths knew about Marianne. Thankfully Rajin and Fujin were not in the room or else everyone within Garden would know the cold truth. Because of Rajin's inability to keep such secrets. Dr. Kowadaki was never to be a babysitter, so if they dared to ask about their whereabouts, she wouldn't know. There were only so many people within Garden that needed her medical attention, and Rajin and Fujin were old enough to care for themselves now.

With a deep breath, Leonhart decided to be direct and brief. And all the eyes staring at him just created tension inside of himself. He hated every moment of this. "…Marianne is from another world called Earth," he began to explain. "Edea has discovered that our world was created as…some sort of virtual reality game that she had explained to us." Zell stood up straight and had to mention Marianne's point of view on this. "Sir, you should have seen her last night, at the Deling Hotel we stayed in. She was freaked out as much as we were, and didn't know that we were real." "And Edea brought her here to Gala somehow and switched places with her. The sorceress is now on Earth doing Hyne knows what," Squall added as Zell finished his statement.

Dr. Kowadaki and Headmaster Cid Kramer were both looking down at Marianne's unconscious form. There came absolute silence from the both of them. "I know it ain't easy to accept, but you shouldn't blame her. Marianne's told us the truth to let us help her. It was not easy at all for her to reveal, as it was for us to try and accept. Hell, we're STILL trying to accept this," Seifer said. "And this should not leave the room," Quistis suggested, resting one hand on the metal of Selphie's hospital bed.

"This just keeps getting more bizarre by the minute," Cid said in a rather small voice. A part of him was just blown away of it all. "So, what should we do?" Squall pressed, really eager to know if Kramer really did know what to do about Marianne. "We have no slightest idea as to help her get back to Earth and stop Edea from taking it over." Kramer looked up for a moment, and then looked back down at Marianne, staring down at her. Kowadaki had seen the Headmaster holding her X-ray scan, and informed him of how she got the small fracture.

There were questions that the Headmaster wanted answered, and the teens have answered them the best they could. Overall, this was just unbelievable. I can't believe we are made up by a company on Earth, but there just can't be any other explanation, the middle aged overweight man thought in silence. After a few short minutes of not saying anything, Kramer had come up with a conclusion to all of this. "This brave girl has stopped the business meeting and helped save Garden from an evil money grubbing Shumi, and prevented Seifer from being forced to leave," he pointed out. "I'm deeply in her debt, and my own wife has caused her so much pain…" From hearing all of Marianne's sad story and the madness that Edea had caused, he felt pretty bad for her. "I do not know for sure, but there must be a way to help this young woman."

The others nodded in agreement. While focusing of a strategy in helping to save Marianne's planet (Cid felt that they all owed her so much by now), she was starting to stir without anyone noticing at first. She felt a burn and itchiness from one of her legs as she heard faint voices. "I'm at least glad we are all civilized about this," said Irvine's voice. "No one's being hostile this time." "Hostile?" Kowadaki quirked. I'm…alive? was the first of Marianne's thoughts.

To find the strength of people

Who had never thought about a different way of life…

It just doesn't seem that easy…

Her eyes fluttered as Zell seemed to be watching her the whole time. "Yo, she's waking up!" Dincht said and gotten everyone's attention. Relief washed over Almasy like waves on a sandy beach. Once her eyes were fully opened, Cid Kramer spoke. "Welcome back Marianne." Slowly she began to sit up but Seifer's and Quistis's hands were on Marianne's shoulders. The injured one also noticed something else different about her. She realized that her jeans were taken off. "Burning, itching," were her first two words as she was fully aware and awake now. "You were almost about to become a monster's lunch," Almasy told her. "…Monster?" Marianne quirked. "What kind of monster?" This had surprised Cid, but remembered Squall and the others but Selphie and Kowadaki about her knowing about some certain things about Gala, but not everything as a "game player."

"Oilboyle," Cid answered as Marianne didn't get it. Bahamut volunteered to help by showing her a quick mental image of what it looked like. "Oh…" she felt herself say in surprise with a shudder. "I had to toss your jeans away because they were partially chewed up and soaked in Oilboyle venom," Dr. Kowadaki explained. "I assume you know about them? The Oilboyles?" Cid asked Marianne, who slowly nodded. He looked very shocked. In seeing her, the others had seen those blue green eyes of hers wide open in fear now. Marianne was mainly looking to Cid. "So, NORG is…" "Dead, yes," Kramer answered her and gently took her hand. "You may already know who I am. I'm Cid Kramer, Headmaster of Balamb Garden." "Yeah," she said, her voice in a near whisper.

She looked to Seifer and politely asked for the white cloth. He gave it to her without a problem, because the burns on his face weren't stinging a lot anymore. Almasy felt irritation, but not too much pain as he first felt when one of the hideous pets of the passed on Shumi blinded him. Reaching under the covers on the bed, Marianne used the ice cloth on her leg to soothe the slight pain on her right leg. She looked to everyone. And finally to Selphie, lying motionless on the bed to her left. "What happened to Selphie?" Marianne asked the others in a scared voice as fear ran through her veins. "T-Rexaur," Quistis said simply. "But she's just…resting right now. She'll be okay." Marianne caught the tone of Trepe's voice, meaning that the kind young woman wasn't completely sure.

She looked at the faces of those that were aware and conscious. Followed by the sound of Bahamut's irritated growling. "Don't ever go reckless again. If you do, I will not help you," he grumbled. I was very reckless… she thought as she saw Zell take her hand and hold onto it in comfort. Her eyes were watering as Cid spoke to her again. "I must say that I am so sorry on the behalf of my wife from doing this." He seemed to be crying too. She looked to Squall, who didn't look happy at all with this. I hate seeing our Headmaster cry. He's supposed to be strong in this. …What the fuck are you lookin' at me for? He scowled at her as Quezacotl regarded him in disapproval. She fearfully looked away. "Cid is just being a caring man towards Marianne. Since when is it not alright for a grown man to cry? Open your eyes and see. Your Garden's Headmaster deeply cares about his wife. Edea wasn't always like this."

Leonhart crossed his arms and responded, Oh yeah? Then go on and tell me, wise one. I'm just dying to hear your words of wisdom. His Guardian Force said nothing. Surely with an attitude like that, the immortals didn't have to take such ignorance. With irritation boiling inside of him, through his head, through his veins, he rolled his eyes and leaned back against the wall, looking to Cid. You must have some kind of plan, dammit! Say something.

Quistis and the others around Cid were standing around with looks of hurt and frustration. No one seemed to be thinking of a decent plan as to getting Marianne home. Zell seemed to be the one not thinking. He figured it was best for him to comfort, because he sure as hell couldn't think of anything! Marianne's mind called for her parents' support, but knew they weren't coming. They were going to be forced under that creepy woman's control to act like they never had her for a daughter. "Mom, Dad," she mouthed silently mouthed anyway while tears flowed down from her eyes.

With that, if no one was coming up with a plan, even while she had a goddamn headache, she was forced to do the thinking. Gently squeezing Dincht's hand in need of comfort, she shared her thoughts with the dragon king, The only possible ways of getting back are by technology, or space transportation. To be specific is the area I do not know. And then the place called Esthar appeared into her mind. "Perhaps the space team could look for Earth using their telescopes," Bahamut considered. "But I also suggest going to the one scientist that is brilliant. Dr. Odine." What?! The guy who took Ellone into captivity? "It's seems to be our only choices."

She shared the small chat between her and the Guardian of Wisdom about those options. Squall seemed clueless. He knew very little about Esthar. Nothing about Odine. The others looked from her to Cid in silence. Kramer knew while he was broken down like this, he could not talk. "Um… I need to be alone in my office for a bit." He turned to Marianne, who nodded, understanding that this was a traumatic time for him.And so he left without saying anything more.

As soon as he was out of the room, Squall wanted to know what she knew about Odine and Esthar. "Well, what do you know about Odine?" he demanded. Zell remained where he was. "Yeah, who is he?" he wondered as he let her hold onto his hand as long as she needed to. He knew that she really wanted her mom and dad at a time like this. He would be frightened too if it was happening with him and his "ma." "Odine…is a scientist. Some guy who is an expert with magic and technology, I think," she answered for everyone. "Do you think he could help us?" Seifer asked. "I don't know, but it's a plan…" Marianne told him as another few drops of tears slid downward on her cheeks. "Better than nothin' I'd say," Zell piped in. He sent her an assuring smile that things were going to be alright. Well, he hoped so anyway.

I don't know where to go

I don't know what to be

I don't know how to change from being me…

Dr. Odine was a very disturbed scientist, with a lisp. Yes, he did indeed took Squall's half-sister, Ellone, into captivity for tests, because she alone had the ability to look into the past by connecting with another person. She would try to alter the present by doing this. Somehow the sorceress that reigned over Gala before Sorceress Ultimecia had discovered this unique child. Sorceress Adel. And of course Ultimecia wanted Ellone before she discovered about Marianne's home world. Realizing this, Marianne knew she had created major changes into what would have happened. The original "game plot." If only she could alter time, then none of this would have happened. She would have never discovered that the people and monsters and environment of Gala were for real. Rinoa wouldn't have been killed by those savage Iguions.

Those were the good of things if she wasn't transported, but like a paradox, there was also the bad. Seifer would have been a bastard and killed innocent people. Ellone would be in danger of being used for Ultimecia's plans to compress time. Rinoa would be at risk of being possessed after the powers passed from Edea to her upon defeat. So basically, in one way or the other, someone was going to get the shitty end of the stick.

I don't know what to say

Maybe another day

I'll stop getting lost and find my way…home…

All I know is gone…

Marianne had not explained about Ellone or Adel. Bahamut had read through her mind, and silently agreed that it was to better off that way. In two by two, tears continued to slide and fall off of her cheeks. In looking into Zell's eyes, she had seen an attempt of comfort. It was mostly a sympathetic look coming from the spiked blonde. She looked away and found herself looking towards Irvine and Seifer. Kowadaki was staring at her like she was some kind of freak, but shook off that look momentarily. In their terms, Marianne was sort of a freak, in knowing things that they didn't. Overall, she really wasn't.

Having enough of this eeriness, Squall had remembered about the nasty mixture of the T-Rexaur's and NORG's blood on his weapon. He walked past Selphie's bed, from the opposite side of where Quistis and Zell were standing. "Where are you going Squall?" Trepe asked whom she taught him all she knew. Squall didn't look at her and continued walking, mumbling, "To clean my gunblade."

Eventually, mostly everyone was forced to leave by Kowadaki so Marianne could at least relax. The good doctor had gone to resume to privately do her paperwork in the back of the Infirmary. She asked Zell to stay, because she knew that he knew she wanted to see her parents so badly. That Zell could relate to her if his own foster parent were under the control of an evil sorceress while stuck in another world or dimension. Dincht, for once, had surprised her and Seifer. Even himself. Since when did he sacrifice his urges to try and grab a hot dog or possibly more at the cafeteria.

Bahamut could just feel her mind cry for her mother and father. As her life partner, he decided to take a parental role to help her cope. "Marianne, I understand that this is becoming so hard in coping, but know that you are not to be alone in dealing with this. And 'God' is with you. If you just have faith, all of Earth will be saved."

Seifer decided to stay behind, even though he was doing just fine. Sure the burns still bothered him a little bit, but it wasn't that big a deal. Dincht had let go of her hand and rested it on her shoulder, rubbing it. Almasy was comforting Marianne too. It seemed that it was going to be a while until Selphie would awaken. She was probably exhausted after all that summoning with her Guardian Force, Ifrit.

Damn it all to hell. This is just all fucked, Zell thought to himself, much to Shiva's dismay. She didn't feel the need to say anything though. "Yo, you hungry or somethin'? You really haven't eaten anything all day, after you tried having something this morning," Zell offered, caringly caressing the left side of Marianne's face with his fingers. The mention of eating had caused her stomach to rumble. She didn't feel like it.

"Just have at least one little snack," Bahamut pleaded. "I understand that you aren't feeling up to it, but just have some food. It's better than not having any." A sigh escaped from the wise one and she felt it spread throughout her head. He didn't want to have to be a "nagging parent." He didn't like pleading either, but he felt that even if he was forced to nag at her on the subject of eating, she wouldn't listen to him anyway. To him, this was a challenge or a test that Mother Hyne had given to one of her eldest children. And he accepted the challenge like the riddle telling, mighty dragon he was. He was determined to succeed in helping Marianne cope with her issues. And he actually wanted to be her friend. From the moments they shared as one, in battle, and on the way to Balamb Garden, Bahamut sensed an ordeal of friendship from Marianne, and she wasn't irritating him either.

Marianne let out a sigh, giving into Bahamut's advice. "Okay…grab me a hot dog while you're at the cafeteria, alright?" Zell nodded and winked. "Alright, I'll be back soon." Then he bounded out of the Infirmary to get to the cafeteria as fast as he could before the hotdogs were all gone.

But the storms of weather, you know they don't seem to be as bad

If you think there's hope from here and there's a life you should now have…

Seifer turned his gelled blonde haired head slowly to look out the window. The rain had stopped, but the sun was now setting. A rather golden color had flooded the sky now as he turned to back to Marianne, who was rather looking up to him with red and puffed up eyes. He frowned in looking upon her. He still saw that glimpse of terror in those innocent eyes he had seen ever since they first met. It slightly freaked him out. Never in his life has he dealt with someone so afraid. It caused him to feed off her fear, but no matter what happens, he made sure to protect her and help her cope with her losses. In his eyes, she was a friend. "How's your head?" Almasy asked because he was silently recalling the recent memory of NORG attacking Marianne with his damned psycho blasts. "It still hurts," she replied softly, and looked around the bed for a control device or remote to move the bed up some. There wasn't any.

She let go of the cloth she used to soothe the irritation on her bandaged up leg and used both arms to sit up. "No, you're not getting out of this bed," Seifer warned her. "I know, I just want to sit up. Relax," Marianne countered as Seifer helped by grabbing the two large pillows and put them up to be against the wall for Marianne to rest against comfortably. Marianne slowly scooted a little bit to sit up against the set up. "Thanks," she uttered to him, grateful for his company. "Again…" "Yeah," Seifer responded, patting her shoulder. His look was serious again. "I don't think I'll be reckless again," he heard her say as the leftover tears had made clear lines on her cheeks. "I know," he said. "What happened there was really scary," Marianne commented, almost feeling chills just thinking about that encounter with NORG.

"So, how long do you think I'm gonna be here?" she asked Seifer. With a shrug of his slightly muscular shoulders, he thought of an estimation. "Oh, maybe a few days to a week or so." She moaned unsatisfactorily. "Yeah, it sucks I know," he sympathized. "But I'll promise to come and visit, if that help in coping with it." Marianne leaned over and hugged him, for he was being a good friend. "Thanks." Seifer hugged back, a blank expression on his features. Still not used to this kind of thing, but soon he would be. He had a feeling that she was going to be around for a while. But then, if she went to Earth, if possible, what would become of him and those he knew in Gala…?

Finishing Statement from the Author: Well folks, that's chapter 12. It'll take me another week or so to do chapters 13 and 14. Keep the reviews coming. I'm happy in getting such awesome feedback!