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 10
ONBOARD RAGNOOK
The interior had not changed much from last he remembered. Maintenance and upgrades had been completed during his time away from the world by the basic layout still remained the same.
Cid welcomed him at the top of the gantry. They just exchanged nods. Both of them had an understanding of each other where words weren't required. He led the way and soon Squall found himself sitting directly opposite Seifer. Cid had entered the cockpit with a grin on his face knowing that something interesting always happen when the pair got together.
They eyed each with only the drone of the battleship's turbines filling the air. Seifer's eyes carried his cocky glint and it dared Squall try something. Squall's stared remained like stone, almost in killing mode.
"The boys are quiet down there. I wonder if they have killed each other already?" he asked Xu who was piloting the mechanical beast
QUEEN'S LAIR
"My queen." The agent knelt down before the women. "They have gathered in the hospital. We also have word that the other two are en route."
"Very well…" she said between slips of her tall glass of wine. "I trust that you didn't hurt them too much."
"No, my queen. We did as you commanded. They are all still alive." The follower's head still bowed. She got out of her makeshift throne and walked towards him.
"Yes… You are very good… ain't you? You are just like your dear father." Her free hand traced the contours of his face. Suddenly, her hand carrying the glass of wine snapped shut. Glass shattered and her blood intermingled with the wine. The mixture dripped onto the cold stone floor. She allowed her disciple begin licking the self inflicted wound.
"Your father is here and soon we can have that long awaited family reunion…"
GALBADIAN GENERAL HOSPITAL
Galbadian's only hospital was inundated with the injured and hurt. The explosion at the train stations had caused massive confusion and stress on the public services of the city. After doing what they could, Selphie had to sit Irvine and Zell down to treat their wounds.
"Ouch!" the alcohol was beginning to do its job on Zell's burnt and bloody hands. They in the waiting room since all of the other rooms were occupied with people in more need of medical attention.
"Sorry Zelly. I used up all my healing magic. We're lucky that Rin was able to get the barrier around us or I'll be bandaging more then your hands."
"There are people around that could do with more help. I really should get back to the site and…"
She cut him off. "You have to stay and get your wounds tended. Alex is helping the local authorities with that."
"It's your lucky day Zell." They turned around to see Irvine carrying an arm full of food. "The cafeteria has hotdogs."
"Irvy! You're bleeding!" His bloody shirt didn't go unnoticed by the Selphie.
"It's not mine…" he replied solemnly. Immediately after the blast, Irvine and Zell helped a number of injured school children. He placed some food next to his friend. "I'm going to see others are going. They must be hungry and tried as well."
"Hey Selphie… You don't think that it was…"
"None of us were to blame for this but we're going to find out who is!"
Irvine checked each of the rooms for Rinoa and Quistis. In his search, he unfortunately found a number of occupied beds with a bloody drop sheet covering them. Some were adults and others were children. The hospital's staffs were too busy to clean after a patient. Used bandages and gauze litter the floor. He wouldn't admit it but he wasn't use to the sight of blood up close. Being a sniper, he had the luxury of being away from the action during time like these. Eventually, he found the two women. They were in the same room each working on a victim.
"I thought you guys might be hungry." He offered each of then a bottle of water and placed the food down on a tray.
"Thanks. How's Zell? I should be able to see him next. Most of the major casualties have been looked at." Quistis wiped the sweat from her brow.
"Selphie is looking after him."
Irvine noticed that Rinoa's patient was one of the school children Zell and himself helped out of the blast. Her green eyes darted across the chocolate bar he brought.
"I see that you like chocolate, sweetheart." He picked it up and waved it in front of her. It was amusing how her eyes followed the candy bar. "What do you think Rin? Has she been very brave?"
"She has been the bravest of the people I've looked at today." She played along with Irvine. He offered it to her and she took it with a giggle and bright smile. It was the best thing he had seen all day.
"How's Alex" Rinoa asked.
"I spoke with him before going to cafeteria. He says it's still pretty hectic down there. The Galbadian police want to treat it as a local matter and want no assist from SEED."
"That's absurd. There is a strong possibility that we were the target of the attack." Quistis joined the conversation.
"I've been thinking about that." Irvine rubbed his chin. "And I feel that it could be more than a possibility. We all know about Zell's bad luck but this is just too much of a coincidence." All three pondered the thought in silence.
"Hey everyone!" Zell's voice broke their train of thought. "Rin! I found the room that your father is staying in." He appeared in the doorway juggling a hotdog with his heavily bandaged hands.
"Hyne! I completely forgot!" She turned to Irvine. "Do you think…?"
"Of course. It'll give me a chance with helpless and injured ladies." He failed to notice Selphie's slim build behind Zell. She quickly ran into the room and gave a lightly but well place kick at his shins.
"Ahhh! Alright! Alright! It was just a joke." The light banter between sniper and cowgirl lighten the mood in the room.
"Quisty will you watch him and fumbles." She motion towards Zell who was still trying to grasp a proper hold of his hotdog.
"Sure. No problem." The two girls left the room. They could hear Quistis voice switching to her motherly tone in an attempt to get the ruckus down.
Selphie and Rinoa walked along the hospital corridors towards the room where the General was recovering. Selphie felt the apprehension and nervousness coming from her friend. They rounded the corner and saw a number of Galbadian soldiers standing in the hallway. One of them approached and asked their business.
After explaining who they were and showing them some identification, they were allowed in the room. The General looked up from his pillow. He was watching the new coverage of the explosion at the train station.
"Rinoa?"
"Hey…" She still felt awkward calling him father but felt the term General was a little cold in this situation. "Shouldn't you be resting?"
"I'm fine… You didn't have to come all this way." He switched off the television.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why did I have to find out from a letter?" she was half angry and upset about the fact.
"I'm sorry about that. It was just standard protocol. Officially the public think that I'm just getting my appendix removed. Only a few are aware of the assassination attempt." The word assassination sent a chill down her spine. He looked over at Selphie. "You're one of the SEED members that helped with that operation five years ago."
"Yes sir. We are all here. Headmaster Cid assigned all of us." Selphie announced.
"Cid is a good man." He replied half sleepy.
"Dad!" Seeing her father begin to drift away, Rinoa started to panic and forget about past discretions.
"Sorry… I must have lost more blood than I thought. But don't worry I'll be fine." He held her hand as a sign of reassurance. "I want you to be careful. The people behind all this could use you to get to me."
"I can look after myself… Tell me what happen."
ONBOARD RAGNOOK
Cid walked back to the where his two best chargers were. They were still sitting opposite one another. "We've just had a report of a possible terrorist attack at Galbadia train station. The team we send were in the middle of the explosion."
To the untrained eye, the both of them seem to ignore Cid and were unmoved by the news. But Cid picked up Squall's eyes dart towards him for a moment. He also noticed Seifer held his breath longer than usual.
"They have locked down the whole area. We are going to have to drop you off at the outskirts of the city, in the plains. Seifer you should be able get in the city with your SEED clearance but Squall, you have to make your own way into the city. Your reappearance is still unknown to the public so official you are still missing." He handled Squall a small device.
"It's PDA with the entire city plans. You'll be able to use to navigate your way through the tunnels and sewers with it." He accepted it and placed in his jacket pocket. The battleship started to descend and slow in speed. A flashing light indicated that they were approaching their destination soon.
"Once you are in the city meet up with the rest of the team." Cid activated the drop door and a surge of air entered the cabin. Both men stood up and walked towards the back of the ship. "Oh… and try not to kill each."
GALBADIAN GENERAL HOSPITAL
"That… that…can't be…" Rinoa gasped as she back away from her father.
"I know what I saw and who it was. I have no doubt in my mind that it was him."
"But General, What you are saying is not possible. The person you are talking about is still mis…" Selphie tried something logical.
He interrupted. "I am not mistaken. It was his eyes. I've never forgotten that look he held. That's why I asked for SEED. He couldn't done it alone he must have had help from inside Galbadia."
Rinoa couldn't take anymore. She quickly fled from the room, running into one of the guards on the way out. She had to get outside and ran until she came to a balcony where long term patients would be able to get some sun. She collapsed against the railing began crying. She failed to see the familiar battleship in the outside the city limits.
GALBADIA GRASSLAND LANDS
Seifer covered his eyes as the Ragnook blasted off towards Balamb Garden. He only waited two seconds before turning around and drawing his Hyperion. Its blade cut through the air violently. "I've waited for this moment for a long time."
Squall had already taken his gun blade from its case and thrown it aside. He took an attack ready stance and prepared for battle. He continued to watch Seifer swing his weapon around.
"Bring it…" Squall hissed just loud enough for his opponent to hear. It had been a while since he had a proper one on one fight. He was still a little tender from his injuries and wondered if he would be able to hold his ground against a full strength Seifer.
"Did you think I was going to fight you?" his opponent replied with a cocky grin. "I'm just stretching after a long trip. I've got better things to do. Besides I heard that you got your arse kicked in Esthar so I doubt that you would be much competition." Seifer turned his back and walked towards the city.
Squall grumbled a few quiet obscenities to himself for letting Seifer get the better of him. He stomped over to his discarded gun blade case, picked it up and made his own way towards Galbadia. The rain began to fall and soak the ground beneath him. As he walked he couldn't shake a feeling that he had long tried to forget.
GALBADIAN GENERAL HOSPITAL
Selphie let out an exhaustive sigh after leaving General Caraway's room. 'We didn't really need this… I'm not sure how the rest of the guys will take this… I better find Rin and talk to her first but can guess what she wants to do.' She decided take her time looking for Rinoa and hoped that a solution to the problem would come to her.
On another floor of the hospital, Quistis was busy playing nurse and baby sitter. "For Hyne sakes, Zell. How did you manage to get mustard on the inside of you bandages?" She peeled back another layer on found more mustard stains.
"Come on Quisty. I was really hungry." He whined like a child but it only annoyed her further.
"Is really he a SEED?" the little girl who Rinoa treated earlier asked tugging on Irvine's long coat. She was half way through the chocolate bar and managed to get as much of it on her face as in her mouth.
"Not really. He's more like a puppy dog." His remark caused her to giggle aloud. "We found him at the front of the Garden one morning and headmaster couldn't leave him on the streets."
"Irvine! Don't tell lies about Zell. You're supposed to be setting an example." The SEED Commander couldn't help but listen in on their innocent conversation.
"She can be really mean…" The girl whispered.
"Nah… She's just like Zell; a puppy dog as well. She's just a little frustrated at the moment. She hasn't had a boyfriend for a long time and is a little lonely." He emphasised frustrated. Her ears couldn't believe what they had just heard. She was about the send a harmless fireball in his direction when she noticed what he was really doing.
"Frustrated? What's that?" He had taken his hat off and placed it on her little head. The girl's little feet hang off the edge of the bed and happily kicked the air. His conversation and chocolate had made forget about the pain from her injuries. Irvine's comments about her love life made the young girl smile and laugh. Her humiliation was a small price to see her happy.
"Hey Quisty, pass me that other hotdog." Zell used his head to motion to the stack of remaining hotdogs he hadn't eaten yet.
"Here!" She quickly grabbed one and shoved straight into his mouth. Zell arms began flailing arm as he struggled to breathe. Irvine and the girl laughed at his expense. Then Quistis felt and heard her cell phone start ringing.
"Hello." She answered.
(Quistis, its Cid.) She had difficulties hearing him over the engine of the Ragnook and Zell's complains. This prompted her to grab the hotdog and hold it onto his mouth.
"Is there something wrong, headmaster?"
(I thought I'll call and let you know that we have just dropped off Seifer and Squall.)
"I understand. I'll tell the rest of the…" His words finally sunk in and registered with her brain. "You what!"
Rinoa had not moved from her spot on the balcony. She refused to believe the information that her father had told her. The first drops of rain began to fall but she still remained there not caring that she'll get wet. The sorceress would have been completely drenched if it was for someone shading her with an umbrella.
"Rin… Quistis just called and says she has news." Selphie spoke softy; the sound of the rain almost drowning out her voice. "It's probably new orders regarding the mission. With everything that has happen with your father, I think you should…"
"Do you believe what he said?" She cut her off.
"It doesn't matter what I believe or what I say. It's what you believe that matters. What do you believe, Rinoa?"
"I believe… that Squall would never do such a thing… I don't care what the general says! My Squall wouldn't!" She wiped the tears and raindrops with the back of her sleeve from her face.
"I think so as well. Let's get going." The cowgirl offered a hand up.
END OF CHAPTER
AUTHOR NOTE'S
Nothing new… Sorry for late update and any spelling or grammar mistakes I missed.