MISSING AND MOVING ON
By Wonga316
COPYRIGHT
Final Fantasy and its characters are property of Squaresoft etc, etc…
INTRODUCTION
This is my first attempt at FF8 fan fic. It takes places directly after time compression with a twist. Excuse any spelling or grammar mistakes. I'll try my best to catch them all but occasionally one does slip through. I'll also try to keep everyone IC and minimize OC.
"…" Indicates normal speech
'…' Indicates speakers thoughts
(…) Indicates any other communications e.g. – radio, television, telephone, speaker
CHAPTER 09
'Where am I? I'm on a train. How did I get here? Where am I going?' The gentle rocking of the train carriage woke Rinoa from her deep slumber. She slowly swung her legs over the bed and noticed that her shoes were placed neatly on the floor. Rinoa slipped them on and went over to the window where the blinds were closed. She opened them and found the blue water of the ocean zooming past her.
'I must be on our way to Galbadia… Father… I hope he's alright… Squall!' The recent events came back flooding back to her. She ran out of the room and into the hallway. The small commotion caused Selphie to stick her head of the common carriage room.
"Oh, Rinoa! It's about time you woke up." She smiled at her. "I was beginning to worry."
"Selphie, what's going on? Where is everyone?" 'Where's Squall?'
"We're on our way to Galbadia. Laguna was good enough to lend us his presidential carriage. You should come check this out." The she waved her to come forward.
Rinoa went over to her and was amazed at what she saw. The floor was laid with a lush royal carpet. One side of the room contained a massive television screen and built in bar filled with a large assortment of liquor. The other side was occupied by an expensive leather corner lounge.
'Why didn't I notice all this before.' She looked back into the hallway where the same carpet and décor continued.
"Pretty flash eh?"
"Yeah… I guess..." Then she noticed Irvine with his cowboy tipped over the front of his face helping him nap. Zell was also on the lounge with a large plate of hotdogs. She giggled at the sight of him stuffing his face.
"There's a fully catered kitchen in the other carriage." Zell looked up at Rinoa and offered a half eaten hotdog.
"I'm fine thanks, Zell." She replied politely, trying to pretend that not knowing Squall's presence didn't bother her. "So where is everyone else?"
"Oh…" Selphie dug around in her pockets for something. Eventually she produced a folded piece of paper. "It's from Squall." Rinoa quickly grabbed the letter, opened it and began reading.
'See your father. Squall.' She read it a second time to make sure her eyes weren't deceiving her and flipped it over to make sure nothing else was on the back.
"What does it say? Can I look?" Rinoa handed over the note, little confused and upset.
"Well… it reads like a typical Squall letter. You shouldn't be too discouraged by this." Selphie waved the piece of paper in front of Rinoa's face. "You of all people should know that he's not going to express his feeling in person, let alone a letter." Her reasoning brought small smile to the sorceress.
"So… He's not…"
"I'm afraid not." She bounced back onto the lounge "Somehow Matron and Ellone convinced him to rest up in Esthar and accept some healing magic to treat his injuries."
ESTHAR – PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
Ellone sat quietly beside Squall as Edea cast healing spells. "That should be enough for now." The other woman wiped brow.
"Are you alright? You shouldn't over do it." asked Ellone.
"I'm fine, child." Matron replied. "I'm just not as young as I use to be."
"Ellone is right. You shouldn't push yourself." Both looked down at Squall who they thought was sleeping.
"I'm the closest thing you have as a mother and a mother always knows what's best." She placed her on his forehead. "Now sleep." The area around his head glowed as the sleep spell was cast and quickly started to take effect. Squall only manage to mumble a few words of protest before succumbing to the spell.
"I'll have to remember that little trick when he gets too stubborn for his own good." Ellone commented.
"At the orphanage when the children would get sick and couldn't sleep, I'll do the same thing. You have to remember to only use a small dose." Both women then left the room, leaving Squall to sleep in peace or so they thought. He waited until the door closed before sitting up and getting out of bed.
'Good thing she still uses small sleep spells.' He thought to himself as he walked over to a phone on the opposite side of the room. He picked up the receiver and started dialling. 'I hope the number hasn't changed…' The other side rang only a few times before it was answered.
(Good afternoon. Balamb Garden. How can I help you?) A young female voice spoke.
"Seifer Almasy please."
(Can I say who is calling?)
'I can't tell her my name…' "Just tell him its captain puberty."
(I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?) The receptionist heard what he said but didn't believe it.
'I'm not repeating it!' "He'll know who it is."
(Ah… Ok. Please hold.) Squall waited with cheesy music on hold playing through the receiver.
(Well, well, well… I heard the rumours but didn't really pay much attention to them.) The arrogant voice of the blonde gun blade said. (You're just like a cockroach - impossible to kill.)
Squall decided against getting into an argument with the blonde gun blader "Do you have anyone in Galbadia that you trust?"
(Jez… not even a hello or some friendly chit chat)
"Answer the question."
(I might…) Seifer had caught on that Squall needed something. He was going make him beg for his help. (That depends on what you can do for me…)
"Fine…" Squall placed the receiver back down and returned to his bed.
BALAMB GARDEN
"You could have been more tactful." Cid remarked as Seifer got off the phone with Squall. "The plan was to make sure he rests his injuries. Not rile him up to do anything drastic."
"You worry too much." Seifer just brushed off his headmaster's concerns. "I know puberty boy and I'm confident that he'll stay put."
"Your over cockiness was always your downfall."
"From what you have told me, Squall got banged up pretty good. In his condition, he knows that he'll be a liability to everyone instead of an asset. His best option is to stay away from the action. That way the others won't try to interfere and his precious Rinoa will stay safe."
Cid eyed his former charge across the conference table. "You and Squall are more alike than the two of you would admit."
The headmaster's statement left a bad taste in Seifer's mouth. "We are nothing alike."
"You better get your bags packed." The older man said laughing.
GALBADIAN TRAIN STATION
The remainder of the train ride was often awkward. Rinoa had tried to speak to Alex but he had refused to talk much. Quistis was trying to explain her actions to Rinoa and she wasn't being as cooperative as the blonde instructor had hoped.
"How long do you think this with continue?" Zell whispered to Irvine as they transferred everyone's luggage from the carriage's storage to the trolley.
"Not long I hope… It has got Selphie down in the dumps and when that happens Irvine misses out on…"
"What are you two talking about?" the topic of discussion was waiting impatiently with the rest of the group. "How long does it take to unload everything?"
Zell began to snicker at his friend's expense. He reached into the luggage hold and pulled out the last bag. "I don't remember packing this into the train." He said aloud to not in particular. The origins of the mystery bag got the better of him.
"What are you doing?" Irvine asked as he watched the street fighter shake and inspect the bag. The sharp shooter knew that any delay would result in more Selphie yelling.
"It makes you wonder how two qualified SEEDS that can save the world from immediate doom, can't manage to unload our bags." Selphie complained to her other companions. Her complaint fell on deaf ears. Quistis, Rinoa and Alex stood awkwardly together.
"Man, don't shake it like that!" exclaimed Irvine. His shouts were overheard by Alex who looked up into his direction.
"Chill dude I know what I'm doing." He should have known better that a mature response from Zell was pointless at this time.
"ZELL! GET RID OF THE BAG!" Alex's voice boomed across the platform. His shouting surprised everyone. As Zell looked in his direction, a massive fireball exploded from the bag that he was carrying. It engulfed the two SEEDS and the surrounding area. The blast wave followed immediately. It ripped through the platform, shattering glass and damaging any structure unable to withstand the force.
ESTHAR – PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
The attempted conversation with Seifer plagued Squall's thoughts. This made it difficult for him to rest or that was the excuse he was using. He walked around the room searching for anything to wear instead of his hospital gown but found nothing. Fed up he decided to wander outside his room. To his surprise the door was unlock. He carefully opened it enough to check the hallway. Satisfied that it was clear he proceeded out.
"You always did have troubles sleeping when you were a child." Edea's voice caused him to stop in the middle of the hallway. He whipped his head around and saw her step out from a shadow. "You should have given me more credit, Squall."
He just sighed in response, knowing that a motherly lecture was about to begin but instead a pile of freshly pressed clothes were placed in his hands.
"What's this?" He recognised his leather jacket and matching pants but the rips and tears had disappeared.
"It's amazing what you can find in Esthar these days. Ellone took me down to see this seamstress in the business district. She said that they could work miracles. I didn't believe them at first but the proof is in the evidence."
"Why?" At this point he didn't know what to think.
"You better hurry up and change. Ellone has another surprise for you." Like a mother she rushed Squall back into his room the change. She waited outside and until he stepped out.
"Don't you look handsome? It's much better than an Esthar military uniform." She walked down the hallway and urged him to follow. Squall followed a few steps behind, stretching his arms and testing his movement against his clothes and injuries. He heard the sound of someone running towards them. It was Ellone and she was carrying something large.
"I thought I would miss you both…" she said out of breath. Squall eyed the object and figured out it was a weapons case.
"You didn't have to run all the way." Replied Edea. "There was no way that Squall was going to leave without it."
'What are they talking about? What is going?'
"Here you go baby brother." She handled over the case. It's weight a little more than she could take. "That thing is heavy. I think I need to cast myself a recovery spell."
"Let's go. Everyone is waiting." The former matron walked on ahead and led them out to the back of the palace. A monstrous silhouette stood in the middle of a landing pad. Signal lights around the zone flashed causing the details of a silhouette to appear and then reappear. It was the battleship Ragnook. The hanger door was open and two figures appeared. Squall recognised one as the head master. He had no idea who the other individual was until he spoke up.
"What the hell is going? Is he so hurt that they have to bring him out in a wheel chair." The voice belonged to Seifer Almasy. Instinctively, Squall went on the offensive.
"It's alright child." Edea reassured him. Ellone also looped her arm around his for good measure. The older woman then turned her attention to Seifer.
"I'm sorry we took so long." She apologised. "Although, you could show a little more patience in this instance, Seifer."
The young man ignored her and walked straight up to Squall. "Damn… have you shrunk?" he asked as he looked over his old adversary, noting that he hadn't changed much.
"Whatever…" Squall comments earn a smirked from Seifer.
"It's him alright." He turned around and retreated up the ramp into the Ragnook.
"Why's he here and what's going on?"
"You still have a job to do Squall. For the past few months I've felt a new uneasiness in the world. It's the same feeling that I had five years ago." They all knew she was referring to the sorceress war. "And a mother has to support their child nothing matter what want to do."
"Edea is right. We talked things overs and decided that we don't have to know what is going to support you." Squall looked over at Ellone. She smiled politely back. "What's wrong? You look surprised."
"I just thought I'll get a bit more fight from the both of you."
"Don't get me wrong baby brother. I'll like it if you opened up and told us what you thought once and a while."
"…thanks…" he whispered just loud enough for the both of them to hear. His simply gesture warmed the hearts of both women. Squall walked up the gantry into the belly of the Ragnook. The gantry began to rise while he was mid way.
"Stop calling me baby brother…" his last words carried a hint of frustration in them. It caused Ellone to giggle and a broader smile from Matron. They went back to a safe distance and watched the dragon like craft fly off into the crimson sky.
AUTHOR'S NOTES
What can I say? I'm liar… I know that I promised regular updates and look where that got me…