Precious
Precious and fragile things
Need special handling
My God what have we done to you
We always tried to share
The tenderest of care
Now look what we have put you through
Things get damaged
Things get broken
I thought we'd manage
But words left unspoken
Left us so brittle
There was so little left to give
Angels with silver wings
Shouldn't know suffering
I wish I could take the pain for you
If God has a master plan
That only He understands
I hope it's your eyes He's seeing through
Things get damaged
Things get broken
I thought we'd manage
But words left unspoken
Left us so brittle
There was so little left to give
I pray you learn to trust
Have faith in both of us
And keep room in your hearts for two
Things get damaged
Things get broken
I thought we'd manage
But words left unspoken
Left us so brittle
There was so little left to give
-Depeche Mode "Precious"
Seifer shifted through the rubble, his once clean gloves now shreds of fabric clinging to hopelessly bloody, torn skin. His jade green eyes belied a sense of futility and rage as he threw rock after rock behind him, blinking back tears. Finally, he reached a hand, gloved with brass knuckles and twitching. He tugged, groaning, until a slender, tanned form finally slid to the surface.
Emerald eyes met jade and Seifer's eyes flickered to the once awe inspiring tattoo on the boys face. The black ink was torn, half of the boys face was covered in horrendous cuts but he managed to smile, not his usual beam but something that might have faintly resembled it in another reality, which Seifer was suddenly realizing that he was living in.
"Hey Seifer…" Zell managed, blood trickling from his mouth and nose. Seifer almost bit his lip in concern, but swiftly shoved away his more tender emotions, leaving himself, as the world knew him, behind.
"What the hell happened here chicken wuss?" he demanded, his eyes flashing. Zell grinned.
"Dude… I… thought that maybe… I'd never hear that… again…" he coughed up more blood and Seifer wiped his mouth off.
"What happened?" he asked, concern leaking through his fiery persona.
Zell shook his head. "We… weren't ready… the… Sorceress… she… Squall… I wanted to… Irvine and Selphie… Quistis… Cid and… Edea…" he started to sob, choking on more blood.
Seifer quickly started to focus on a Curaga spell but Zell raised one gloved hand, wincing with the effort. "Don't… it's not worth it. There's too much… damage… and I…" he trailed off, losing eye contact with Seifer, who clenched his fist on the brilliantly blue and white spell as it dissipated.
"Chicken wuss," he reprimanded him, shaking his head slightly. Zell grinned and then his eyes widened.
"Squall… she took him… to…" he furrowed his brow, trying to remember something crucial. "The… orphanage…"
Seifer stared at him incredulously. "Which orphanage? There're about 100 on Centra alone!" he exclaimed. Zell shook his head.
"Our orphanage," he offered by way of explanation, smiling once more and then the light faded quickly from his eyes. Seifer felt something inside him break as Zell's chest stopped moving and he became still.
"God dammit chicken wuss! Fucking answer me!" he cried, grabbing Zell by the jacket and shaking him violently. Zell remained silent in his death. "Answer… me…" Seifer moaned, dropping Zell's corpse to the ground and beginning to sob, running his hands through his longish blonde hair as thunder crackled overhead and rain began to pour down, somehow signifying the end of the SeeDs and everything that had been steadying Seifer's orbit.
Squall
The young man groaned as he shifted in his bed. Or rather, tried to shift. He couldn't move, he realized, trying to lift his arms, he cried out in pain and let them drop quickly. A soft chuckle fell around him like gentle feathers and he suddenly remembered everything.
He was silent in his grief as she began to laugh hysterically, her voice no longer so gentle. Goddammit… he thought, clenching his eyes tightly as recollections flooded his consciousness.
Not too long ago; but far too long all the same.
Irvine and Selphie were sitting in the Quad; Irvine was playing his guitar, rather badly, but the sharpshooter's incredible voice more than made up for his instrumental inadequacies. Zell was humming along, slightly off tune, as usual, staring at the sea as the Garden sped toward Esthar.
Squall sat with them, yet they knew him to be by himself. He trusted them a bit more since the final battle with Ultimecia, but he had somehow isolated himself more since then as well. When it was all over and he wandered alone in time compression for however long he had been there, something had shifted within him and within the year, Rinoa was gone.
Quistis ran towards them, now free from her duties as assistant headmistress for the day. Her golden hair had been cut short, and now that three years had gone by, Selphie had grown her own out longer, although Irvine still possessed the longest hair of the group.
Quistis raised her hand in greeting and smiled warmly at her friends. Squall looked up at her and nodded, then returned to his musings. Zell sat up swiftly and waved enthusiastically as Selphie bounded up and wrapped her arms around her taller friend. Irvine put down his guitar and tipped his hat as a young girl's scream ripped through the air. Squall stood instantly and found a young SeeD cadet pointing at the ocean in terror. He whirled to face whatever threat it was this time and took a step back, his eyes widening in surprise.
A young woman stood on the water, directly in front of the Garden. Well, at least Squall assumed it was a young woman. Her hair was stark white and long, almost to her ankles, although the billowing winds around her made it almost impossible to tell the exact length.
She wore… a long blue dress and soft angel wings fluttered on her back but as her eyes met Squall's he found the one thing he would always know one person by. Coffee eyes met his, flecks of gold littered them and cruel ruby lips drew up in a smile.
Rinoa…
She lifted a hand and they were all thrown against the Quad wall, Selphie screamed until she hit the wall, then she fell to the floor, unconscious. Irvine looked up, glaring furiously, his lilac eyes sparking with rage. Pulling out his Exeter, he aimed carefully and pulled his trigger.
"No!" shouted Squall, his gunblade knocking Irvine's shot gun out of the way. Irvine looked at him in disbelief.
"What the hell Squall? It's a fucking sorceress!" he exclaimed, pulling his gun away once more and aiming.
"No!" the blade crashed down over the gun once again, metal meeting metal as steely eyes clashed with amethyst. Irvine pulled back, shouldering his gun as Selphie stirred and his attention immediately turned to her.
Quistis ran to Squall, pulling him around by the shoulder to face her. "What are you doing?" she challenged him, pulling out her whip. Squall shook his head, backing away quickly.
"No," he said heatedly "You don't understand…"
The woman in the waves cackled delightedly and rose up in the air, purple magic sparkling between her fingertips. They watched in horror as she threw the magic like a ball, striking one side of Garden. An explosion rent the air and the smell of blood and destruction followed the crashing wave of sound.
The woman made a little mew of pleasure and began to summon more magic into her hands. Her enjoyment was evident in her face as it was lit by the cold glow. She turned her eyes to Squall, whose own eyes were wide with shock and… fear?
The woman smiled once again and lifted a finger in a mockery of the night when it had all began. And now, it looked like it was all about to end. She pointed her slender finger towards Squall and whispered a silent word.
The magic wove through the air towards him and he closed his eyes, preparing himself for the end.
But it never came. He opened his eyes, blinking his coal black lashes and then looking down. Quistis knelt, holding a metal pole which extended through the center of her body and biting her lip so hard it was bleeding. Squall knelt beside her instantly and grabbed her by the shoulders, wordlessly shaking his head, his eyes begging her to let him wake up from this nightmare.
Quistis smiled, her bloody lips a foul mockery of happiness. Selphie screamed. "QUISTY…!"
And Quistis died. Her icy blue eyes faded to a cold mirror of his own face, which he realized was streaked with tears. Gingerly, he lay her down and put two gloved fingers over her eyes, closing them… forever.
"OH HELL NO!" Zell leapt into the air and smashed his fists together, forming a lightening ball around his hands. Squall grabbed him and threw him to the ground.
"God dammit Zell," he hissed, "What the hell are you fucking doing? Do you want to end up like… like…" Squall shook his head quickly and took his hand off the front of Zell's shirt. Zell gazed at Quistis's body silently for a moment before Squall tackled him to the ground. A bolt of purple magic flew over their heads and Squall got to his feet quickly, glancing at Irvine and Selphie.
"We have to leave, we need to get to the Headmasters Office now and pilot Garden away as fast as we can," he said, turning on his heel and starting to run towards the entrance to the Main Hall of Garden. Zell grabbed him by the arm.
"But what about Quistis!"
Squall's eyes narrowed. "If we don't hurry, this entire Garden will be a graveyard. There will be no one to bury her; there won't be anyone to bury us either. Let's move," he finished, hurrying towards the entrance.
Selphie tried to stay near Quistis but Irvine yanked her away. "We'll come back soon Selph," he said, reassuringly.
Selphie collapsed into tears. "B-but… Quisty, we can't just-"
"We have to," interjected Irvine, pulling her away. Selphie cast a helpless backwards glance at the fallen form of her one of her oldest and dearest friends. Staring up at Irvine, whose eyes were slightly damp, she vowed to at least save this one person, the one so very important to her.
Zell chased after Squall in the hallway as Squall got into the elevator. Wounded SeeDs and cadets lay bleeding, shocked and sobbing in the hallway, but he ran past, ignoring his basic instincts. He knew that they had no chance if he stopped even once.
Selphie ran after Irvine, not even glancing at the people she knew by name and face. She knew that if she looked, she wouldn't be able to stop looking and then she wouldn't be able to help and then…
Irvine grabbed Selphie's arm, pulling her along. He couldn't bear the helpless look in her bright green eyes and he didn't want to see it. The elevator door closed on Zell and Irvine heard an explosion behind them. Spinning, he threw Selphie behind him as a young woman stepped into the hall.
She smiled and raised her hand in a wave. Selphie looked confused. "Rinoa..?" she said, puzzled and on the verge of more tears. Irvine shook his head.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded, tightening his grip on his gun.
Rinoa pouted. "Now, what kind of question is that Irvy?" The playful look in her eyes changed but her humorous expression didn't as she raised her hand and sent Irvine flying into the air.
"No!" Selphie cried, watching as he grabbed his throat, unable to breathe. She threw herself at Rinoa, whose illusion of herself 3 years younger had dissipated. In Rinoa Heartilly's place, stood a woman with long white hair and almost golden eyes, wearing a long blue dress. Ridiculing her old image of herself, she had pinned two white bird wings onto it, still dripping blood. Selphie tried to gain a hold on these but they held firm and she looked into Rinoa's eyes with an expression of horror.
"Rinoa…?"
Irvine collapsed onto the floor but he staggered to his feet as Selphie flew into his arms. Holding her tightly, he braced himself for the end, staring into Selphie's eyes, a million apologies for his failures in his eyes. Selphie hugged him more tightly, tears falling down her cheeks.
"Aww… how adorable," Rinoa crooned. Something flashed in her eyes. "Buh bye now."
Selphie felt an impossibly heavy force collide with her body. She clung tightly onto Irvine and felt his grip on her tighten. She felt herself falling away and somehow, she welcomed it and the light enveloped her.
Irvine knew he was dying as he fell. Something in him screamed against it but another part was glad, he wasn't leaving Selphie… all other thoughts faded away as he did.
Rinoa smirked caustically and shoved the bodies aside with her foot, opening the elevator door.
Squall pushed buttons frantically while Zell shouted urgent warnings into the loud speakers and Cid moved the wheel as quickly as he could. Edea calmly repeated the orders over the sound but she was wringing her hands and her eyes were wet. The Garden stopped suddenly, barely over land and above of a forest.
Students began to bail but screams still rent the air and suddenly they heard the sound of the elevator doors opening and they all turned.
Rinoa looked like herself again. Squall watched her silently as she approached Edea, who was closest to the door. Edea began to shake and Cid stepped in front of her. "Rinoa, maybe we can ta-"
His words were cut short as she shoved a glowing purple hand through his stomach and wrenched it out. She laughed as he began to gasp and fell to the floor. "Cid!" Edea cried and tried to kneel to help her dying husband.
"Don't be a fool Kramer," Rinoa's voice had changed into a cold artic plain. Edea slowly got to her feet. "Ah," Rinoa said in mock surprise. "You know who I am, do you?"
"Ultimecia…" said Edea slowly as Rinoa slid a willowy, fair hand down her face and down her neck.
"Right," she said softly as Edea screamed in pain and then fell onto Rinoa. Rinoa's beautiful face morphed into a mask of disgust and she pushed her off, approaching Zell.
Squall stepped in front of her. She glanced up at him and slid her hand down his hips, leaning in close; she brought her mouth to his neck and licked his quivering throat with her soft, wet tongue. "Don't worry," she whispered, "We'll have plenty of time for fun later." She grabbed his crotch and stroked it meaningfully.
Squall felt himself responding to her touch and took a step back. "No," he said. "Get out."
Rinoa's body crackled with energy and her face was a whirl of fury. "No?" she said, mockingly.
Squall shook his head, unsheathing his gunblade. "No," he said, more confidently. Rinoa tsked.
"I'll be here…" she said in a slightly hysterical tone, smiling maniacally. Squall's eyes widened.
"I'll be here… waiting!" she screeched as objects in the room started to explode. Zell covered his face with his hands and knelt.
"So-if-you-come-here!" she continued, in a bizarrely sing-song tone, kicking up her legs with every step around the room as she circled Squall.
"You'll-find-ME!" she screamed as the room erupted into flames. Squall felt a strange force on his head and blackness overtook him. The screams of thousands of students still trapped in the inferno rent the air but Squall only heard one thing as Rinoa's silky arms caught him and held him.
"I promise…"
Seifer
He stood, watching the funeral pyre burn in the night, the rain having long since cleared. He had prayed for a few moments but he honestly doubted it would do anyone much good, him being who he was.
To be honest, he was pretty much over the whole 'Oh my god, it's the Sorceress's Knight! Repent!' He'd done enough fucking repenting to last him for the next 6 lifetime's kthanksbai. Everything had been ripped from him. Even Fujin and Raijin, Hyne knew where the hell they were now…
He gazed over the pyre that was Garden.
He honestly didn't care how much could have been salvaged from the ruins of the place he had once called home. It had been wrecked for almost 4 days by the time he found it. How Zell had managed to survive that long… he shook his head.
Story of your fucking life, eh Almasy? Wrong place, wrong time, all the time. Something inside him told him that maybe, this time wasn't so bad though. Maybe he was meant to find his rival, save him from that conniving bitch that was… whatever the hell she was now. He smirked, fingering his dog chain.
Then, Squall would finally admit that he, Seifer Almasy, was the best there ever was. And he would kneel at his feet and then maybe…
He shook his head. Damned hormones. He seriously needed to save the guy and here he was thinking about sex. He shrugged and then shouldered his Hyperion, saluting the pyre, not letting himself think that maybe the tear falling from his cheek might not be from the heat of the fire.
He turned from the fire and started down the coastline, ready to finally put to rest his demons and save the one demon that plagued him the most.
Here comes your knight in shining armor Squally.
First, let me say that Depeche Mode completely rocks.Precious is an amazing song, and they've been around a loooOOonng time, trust me.
I definitely recommend listening to them, but if you don't like them, don't flame me.
This song somehow made me think of Squall and Seifer, don't ask me why… I'm not a Denmark, kangaroo, orange person I guess Ahah…
This song was basically the inspiration for this song although I listened to a lot of other alternative music during this.
For Rinoa's bad scenes every single one lol I listened to raunchy music (and I watched a music video from Juliet alot, very sexy), because that's just the way she is in my story. I don't know if she's necessarily believable, but it's been three years and things change
And no, I don't hate Rinoa. I just wish she would die.
I don't know if this storyline is particularly good...
:D