Note: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of its characters (which would be rediculously cool), and I do not own Battle Royale.
Note 2: Okay people, a slightly tweaked chapter 5 here. Most of the tweaks are to change Paine's part in the story so far, and to change her weapon to something more akin to the sword she uses in FFX-2. It's all part of the greater scheme of things, trust me!
Note 3: This is written so that you don't have to have any experience of Battle Royale OR Final Fantasy, although knowledge of either proabably maks it more enjoyable!
Note 4: (28/11/05) - small edit, just a little thing I wanted to change to help Paine's character. It was only a minor thing I changed. I would offer a prize for people who find it, but I imagine that many of you are too observant for me to get away with that!
Chapter 5
Squall rummaged through the two green bags while Rinoa sat silently, leaning against the trunk of one of the trees that formed the border of the tiny clearing where they hid.
"Well?" she asked quietly. "Anything useful?"
Depends what you mean by useful, I suppose…
"Well, if you hoping for good weapons then we are certainly lacking in that respect." He said grimly, lifting their weapons into view. In his left hand was his weapon, a small version of a wrist-mounted disc-projectile launcher, and in his right hand was her weapon, a novelty miniature gunblade.
"Those are weapons?" she said incredulously.
"I was hoping for something we could defend ourselves with if worst came to worst…" he mumbled. "Still, I suppose it is better than nothing."
"I'll have that disc launcher thing…" she said, pointing to the weapon in his left hand.
"Pinwheel." He corrected, remembering the name from one of his Weapons Monthly magazines.
"'Kay" she said, reaching out to take the weapon.
"Wait a second…" he said suddenly, catching her arm. There was a tear in her clothes near the shoulder, surrounded by a slowly spreading dark patch. "You're injured!"
She looked away, her cheeks burning.
"It's nothing, really… I can cope."
"Rinoa, if its bled that much its going to be bad, and out here it could get infected. How did it happen?" he demanded, moving in closer to inspect the wound.
She didn't resist as he slowly rolled her dress's sleeve up, revealing a deep cut across her upper arm.
"I… as I left the room, I tried to move Zell into a more… dignified position. You know, with closed eyes and hands crossed across his chest? But… but one of the soldiers, he shouted at me, told me to hurry up…" a few tears sprang to her eyes as she talked, so she closed her eyes and forced herself to stop before she continued to talking.
-
Celes Chere peered around the corner of the building. She could have sworn she saw someone following her, a distant shadow flitting from bush to bush, stalking her. But there was nothing out there that moved, except for the gentle swaying of the trees in the wind.
You're just seeing things… the game is getting to you… hallucinations.
She took several calming breaths, and let her mind work through the logic of her situation. Of course no one would be following her; if there was anyone who wanted to kill her, they would have pounced by now, they wouldn't be slinking in the shadows. Cait Sith certainly hadn't tried to stalk her, he'd just sprung and fired.
The memory of her encounter with Cait Sith caused her to wince, and subconsciously grip her left arm. A flying splinter had torn a shallow gash in her arm, not at all dangerous to her health, but painful.
She took a few more calming breaths, then set off at brisk jog, scanning around for a place to hide. She was moving through the island's main residential area, so there were houses everywhere. She had hoped that Bugenhagen had been wrong, and that the area might still be inhabited, but this was a vain hope that had been dashed. Now she was merely searching for a place to hide.
But to her dismay, all the buildings appeared to be locked down; windows shuttered or boarded up, storm doors bolted down, garages blocked off or welded closed. The only way she would be able to enter a house was by breaking her way in, and that would be loud and leave obvious signs of entry, defeating the whole point of hiding quietly.
-
A dark figure rose from the bush where it had been hiding from view, and crept to the low wall a few feet away. Ducking behind it, the figure peered over the wall at the girl who was moving from house to house, searching for something.
The figure rose again and ran to the nearest house, and hid on the porch, peering out from behind the porch swing. They shifted their stance, and something in their hand caught the moonlight and reflected it. The object was metallic, and gleamed coldly in the pale white light. Realising the potential this had for giving their position away, the figure stuffed the object back into the green bag that was hanging from their shoulder.
-
Celes continued to search the houses for an unsecured door or window, but her pulse accelerated massively. Something had flashed in the moonlight somewhere off to her left. Something from near one of the houses.
There really is someone following me!
She moved along to check the side door of a large three-tiered house, making sure that her stalker would be unable to see what she was doing with her right hand; reaching into her green bag and withdrawing the small bladed weapon she had been allotted.
She was hardly a weapon expert, but she knew what her weapon was; it was a dirk, a kind of dagger. Her father had an ornamental one at home on the mantelpiece, and she had occasionally played with it when she was younger, pretending to be a fierce warrior woman.
The dirk was essentially useless unless she was right next to her target, and even then, she doubted she had the strength to inflict significant damage with it. Not that she wanted to use it at all, unless she absolutely had to and was left with no other choices. She gripped the dirk more tightly, gaining some security from the feel of the cold steel grip against her palm.
I don't want to fight… I never was really a fighter, despite what people think, despite the way I used to act.
I… I just don't want to die…
If I die, I can never find love… I can't leave this world without having known love…
Movement nearby caught her attention.
-
The dark figure froze and held their breath. This time Celes had definitely seen them, it was obvious from the way she had suddenly tensed up.
So much for approaching without panicking her… guess I'll just have to let her find me.
After a slight hesitation, the figure sighed, and then walked out into the open and called out to Celes.
-
"Celes? Celes, please, don't… don't panic. It's only me."
Celes stood rooted to the spot, her pulse going crazy and her brain going into overload. Every instinct told her to run for her life.
It's… it's her! Please, God, anyone but her!
The figure standing in the middle of the street was clad entirely in black. She wore a plain black shirt, and black leather trousers and jacket. Her face was framed by a flowing cascade of long, white hair that reached down past her shoulders. Two short bangs hung down in front of her face, moving slightly in the breeze. She was unmistakable, even in the middle of the night and at a distance.
It's Paine!
She… she's… she's come to kill me!
Celes spun on her heel and fled, her mind filled with images of the black-clad bitch catching up with her and killing her in all manner of gruesome ways. Her fear lent her speed, and the houses began to fly past on either side. She started crying again as she ran, streams of tears running down her face as the images in her mind's eye grew more and more hideous. She hadn't been this afraid when Cait Sith was trying to kill her with that terrible gun, but Paine scared her more than the moogle-mounted cat ever could.
"Celes? Celes, please! Come back!" Paine shouted, starting to run after her.
No! She's coming after me! Help!
I… she'll catch up, and she'll kill me… unless…
Celes ran around the corner of the next building she came to, and followed the wall along until she reached a small shed built into the side of the house. The door was hanging open on rusted hinges, revealing a shadowy interior packed full of a plethora of gardening tools. She ran inside, and crouched around the corner, next to the doorway. She accidentally nudged a rake, but she caught it with her foot before it could hit the ground and made any noise that might attract attention. Carefully setting the rake on the floor, she dried her sweaty palms and gripped her dagger tightly in her right hand. If Paine came in, she'd be ready.
I'd have the element of surprise… but I don't know what weapon she has…
She could hear footsteps coming up the street, then around the corner of the house. Celes prayed desperately that she'd go a different way, but Paine started heading towards the shed. Celes held her breath and crouched down lower, gripping the dirk tightly to prevent it from slipping in her hands which were starting to sweat again.
Celes could hear Paine coming closer to the shed, closer, closer… and then past the door, past the shed, and carrying on a bit further. Celes leaned through the doorway to peer at Paine. She had walked several yards past the shed, and was looking from side to side in confusion, trying to work out where her target had gone.
I… I have to take her down… she'll kill me otherwise… I have to survive! I… I have to get out and find love!
Celes couldn't believe what she was about to do. Although she once had a reputation as a tough, feisty girl, that had just been a rumour someone had circulated to make her look stupid. She never wanted to hurt anyone, she was too gentle by nature to genuinely wish anyone harm. But this was different; everyone knew Paine's reputation, and many people were afraid of her, particularly Celes – she had heard of violence, of drugs, of prostitution, of stealing and murder and blackmail. She had heard so many bad things about Paine that she was always afraid that when Paine looked her way, she was secretly planning a way to bring her into her world. To make her a working girl.
And now… now she's playing to win! She wouldn't have any problem with murdering me!
Celes quietly slipped her arms from her bag-straps, and crept from the shed, keeping as silent as she could, the dirk gripped tightly in her hand. She moved painstakingly slowly to avoid giving away her position.
"Celes? Celes, please… I just want to talk!" Paine called out, nearly making Celes jump. Her tone was sincere, but this failed to register in Celes' mind. She was entirely focused on the terrible deed she felt she had to do.
She crept further forward, gripping the dirk in both hands and raising it above her head, preparing to strike. But when she was barely a yard away, her toe hit a rock she had not seen. She stumbled slightly, her foot hitting the ground with enough force to make an audible scraping sound.
Paine wheeled around and saw the silhouette of Celes bearing down on her. She cried out and stumbled backwards, falling over and landing on her back. She tried to scramble backwards, flailing madly as she got caught in her bag-straps.
"No! Please, Celes, don't!" she wailed. Forcing herself free of the bags, she scrambled backwards, then fell again. She curled up into a foetal ball and raised an arm to shield her face, still crying out "No! Celes, no, please!"
Paine's reaction stopped Celes. Something about her voice triggered something in her mind.
She… she sounds terrified… so scared…
She looked more closely at Paine. She was still curled up, and was shuddering now. Her face appeared to glisten in the pale moonlight.
She… she's crying…
She's afraid like me… she's no killer…
She dimly remembered Paine calling to her to stop when she had started running. It had sounded like a hunting cry or a death threat then, when her fear had been consuming her. But now she realised it had just been a plea from a scared girl.
She… she didn't want to attack me… she wanted to talk…
Oh… and I… oh…
Celes let go off the dirk suddenly, as if the metal grip was suddenly scorching her hands. She took a few unsteady steps backwards.
"Oh… I… Paine…" she stuttered, unable to form a coherent sentence.
I… I was going to kill her… I was going to kill a scared girl, just because I was too scared to listen to her…
I… what have I become! What am I doing!
She fell backwards, landing on her rear as if she made to sat down and discovered that there was no chair beneath her. She started to cry, a few small tears at first, but then a flowing stream of sorrow accompanied by great heaving sobs of pain.
"I… Paine, I… I'm so sorry…"
I… I'm horrible… how could anyone love me when I… when I… when I could try to kill someone so freely? I…
She reached out for her dirk, finding the cold metal blade sticking out of the ground where she had dropped it.
"I'm so sorry, I… I'm so terrible, I…"
She moved the blade to point at her heart, then hesitated. Was this really the way she wanted to die?
"Celes…" Paine whispered. "No… don't… don't do it!" she screeched, diving to pull the blade from her hand.
"Paine, I… I was going to… I was so scared…" Celes managed to say between sobs.
Paine threw the dirk to one side, out of reach, then moved in close to her, then after a slight hesitation, put an arm around her and drew her close.
"I know… I was scared too… I thought everyone would be out to get me, because everyone hates me… then I saw you, and I… I thought that… I thought that you'd understand…"
There were still tears in Paine's eyes, and she still looked a bit scared, but there was also hope there.
She… she's not horrible… everyone was wrong, she's just… she's just scared like I am. She only wants to feel safe… and I… I was going to…
Celes wrapped her arm around Paine and buried her face into her leather-clad chest.
"I… I thought you wanted to kill me… I was going to… I was going to kill… I'm so horrible!" she cried.
"No, Celes, you aren't!" Paine said, shaking her. "You're a wonderful person, you were just scared!"
"But… but… oh, Paine…"
"Look… we shouldn't stay out here… someone else might come… someone who's really playing. Shouldn't we get inside?"
Celes sat up and wiped the tears from her eyes, and nodded.
"I… if we can get in a house we could hide there… together?"
"Together." Paine agreed, nodding.
The unlikely pair stood up and collected their bags. Celes was slightly hesitant for a moment, but Paine took her hands in hers, and together, they began to search for houses they could get into. Celes felt happy that she had found someone who was like her, but also felt guilty that she had misjudged Paine so badly. The two conflicting emotions roiled within her, threatening to overwhelm her and make her break down again.
"Paine, I… I'm sorry." She said, looking down at her feet and feeling awful about herself, cursing herself for not knowing a better way to apologise for what she had nearly done.
"Don't worry about it," Paine said "Look… I know all those rumours must make me seem bad, so it's only natural that-"
"No, I mean I'm sorry I judged you like that… by the rumours that everyone spread about you. I'm always saying how you shouldn't just judge someone by what other people say, and yet… I judged you on gossip, and… I'm sorry… I can see that you're not like that. I was being such a hypocrite. You're… you're too nice to be like what the rumours make you out to be. Not everyone would forgive someone who tried to kill them… that's indicative of a pure soul."
"Don't worry about it." Paine repeated. "Seriously, don't- aha!" she shouted, finding a window that wasn't properly locked. It swung outward, presenting an easy way in.
"Voila!"
-
Celes climbed through the window, struggling slightly as one of her bag-straps snagged on the corner of the window frame, then she fell through and landed on the floor, dazed. Paine was already looking around the house. The window lead into a small kitchen, which contained no trace of food. The residents must have removed the food before being evacuated.
Celes put both of her bags – her schoolbag and her green Program bag – in the centre of the room with Paine's bags, then she looked around. A kitchen draw containing various sharp knives was open, Paine having removed some sort of carving knife to use as a weapon while she checked the house for any of their classmates who might already be hiding inside.
Sitting down on the floor, she hugged her knees and tried to prevent herself from crying again. The game had already managed to get to her, and she had always thought she was a nice person. She'd wanted to lead a normal life, to be a good woman, to fall in love and get married and have children, to be a loving mother and wife.
But I really am a horrible person… even if I somehow got out of the game alive, no one would want me… I'll never find love… so what is there to live for?
Paine walked back in, interrupting her thoughts. The leather-clad girl smiled down at her amiably, and said softly:
"You don't need to worry, we're alone here."
She laid the knife down on the kitchen counter, and sat down next to Celes, leaning against the pile of bags.
"You… you think there's a way we can get out of this?" Celes asked, shaking.
Paine sighed and put her arm around Celes' shoulders.
"You needn't worry so. I'm sure we can get out. The system can't be foolproof if it was made by our government, that's for sure."
Celes relaxed slightly, comforted by Paine's words.
"Yeah, we can get out," she said, trying to sound cheerful. "We can get out of this alive!"
"Alive?" Paine said, her voice suddenly sounding very different. "Well, we can both get out, but…"
Something under Celes' chin glinted in the moonlight. Her heart skipped several beats. She glanced across to Paine. The white-haired girl was smiling, but it was no longer the sweet, innocent smile she had been using a few seconds before. It was the smile a devil wears when it collects another soul to torture for eternity, the smile of an evil siren as she lures an unsuspecting victim to their doom.
"…only I will get out alive."
Paine heaved the short sword in her hands backwards, the blade biting deep into Celes' throat. It cut through almost all the way, severing her windpipe, arteries and cutting part of the way through her spine. Blood started to spray everywhere, along the floor, up to the ceiling, onto the far wall, onto Paine's face.
Paine wrenched the blade free, indifferent to the spray of gore that covered her face. She stared with a detached interest at Celes' face, still bearing its final expression; one of pleading innocence, begging to be spared.
Celes' body tilted backwards onto her bags, and the blood flow from her neck slowed, becoming a steady trickle. The collar around Celes' torn throat emitted a single, quiet beep, its light rapidly fading to black.
Rising to her feet and walking over to a kitchen cupboard, Paine took out a hand towel and wiped the blood off her face and arms. The blood on her black clothes wouldn't show up once it dried, and its presence didn't particularly bother her (she was used to being covered in body fluids of one variety or another), so it didn't matter that much.
Pausing in thought for a moment, she then wiped her sword clean of blood as well; a bloodstain on it would give her away if she was trying to work her way into someone else's trust, so it was best to be safe.
"Sorry, Celes. You will still make it out, but you'll be in a body bag. That's gotta be better than nothing, huh?"
Without looking back at the corpse on the floor, Paine left, brushing her bangs back behind her ears, and wiping her eyes clear of the last traces of the fake tears she had shed. She hated having to play the poor little 'fallen angel' girl which, whilst being extremely helpful sometimes, always ruined her makeup, and she resented having to do it because it simply wasn't who she was. If it didn't make some of the people she had to deal with underestimate her, she wouldn't even have her hair long, or white; she wanted it cut much shorter and spiked up, and to have it grey. But her appearance made the bad people she had to deal with think she was ineffectual, and not a threat, and in many ways that was the only reason she had survived her life so far.
Walking to the open window, she looked around outside. Someone may well have heard their crying and the noise the stupid girl had made moaning about "being a horrible person". She would have to leave immediately, and find somewhere safe to rest for a few hours. The pre-dawn light was already illuminating the area, and she could see that no-one was approaching. It was safe to leave.
She'd made her first kill. Despite her initial hesitation, despite the attempts her conscience had made to stop her, it had still been satisfyingly easy.
She could only hope that it would get easier with time. She couldn't afford hesitation or attacks of conscience if she wanted to win.
-
Cloud stumbled onwards through the forest. He had stubbed his toes several times, and there were numerous small cuts and scratches on his face from when he had heedlessly ploughed through thorny bushes.
As he stumbled onwards, he did not see anything clearly. He couldn't see the trees he kept bumping into, or the bushes he ploughed through. All he could see was Aerith's beautiful face as she closed her eyes for the last time. Her body as he laid her out to rest, crossing her arms across her chest and murmuring a quiet farewell.
But most of all, he could see the figure of Sephiroth leaping into the air and running her through with his katana. A consuming rage built up within him, fuelling his anger, keeping him alive. Had it not been for his rage, he would have killed himself on the beach, so that he could be with Aerith in death.
He tripped over a protruding root, landing face-first into a small bush. He heaved himself to his feet, spitting out leaves. Looking up, he saw a huge hill in the distance, almost as big as a small mountain. The light of dawn crept around its edges, giving it a halo of light.
Mountains have caves… somewhere to curl up and die quietly…
He moved on, looking for some small hole in the haloed mountain face to sleep in.
-
Gippal Djose was the next boy out of the school after Squall. He had no idea what he was going to do. He hadn't even considered looking in his bag to see what weapon he had. He walked along the tree line that bordered the school car park, looking for someone, anyone, to talk to. The night was rapidly receding, and the heavy darkness that had greeted the other students as they had left the building was gone.
As he was walking along, something caught his eye. He looked over to his right, trying see what it was. Unable to see anything, he took a step backwards, and then saw it again; something shining in the pale pre-dawn light. Curious, he wandered over to it.
It turned out to be some sort of gun, quite large by normal standards, with yellow and black warning stripes down the barrel, and the name "SonaGun" emblazoned on the side in large letters. It was damp from having been dropped in the moist grass, but looked like it hadn't been lying there long.
Guess someone dropped their gun whilst running away from the school… guess I better return it.
"Hello?" he called out to the forest. "Uh… anyone drop a big gun? Hello?"
He knew it was extremely dangerous to expose himself by shouting out, but he also didn't believe that many would play, and no one would try to take him on while he was armed with such a large gun. Besides, he could team up with the gun's owner when he found them.
"Hello?" he called out again, looking around for any sign of the weapon's owner.
-
Cait Sith groaned into the ground. His face stung badly, the rock splinters having bitten quite deep into his flesh. He rolled over onto his back, and opened his eyes.
I can see properly… must mean I didn't get any splinters in my eyes… that's something at least…
He tried to remember exactly how he had ended up on the floor with pieces of stone wedged into his skin, then the fight suddenly snapped back to him, and with it came the dementia.
The bastard Squall… he tricked me!
Heaving himself to his feet, Cait Sith padded over to his moogle. After quickly checking his face to see if it was still bleeding, he mounted the moogle doll, and started looking around for his gun, taking advantage of the height boost he gained from standing on the doll.
"Hello?"
The voice was very close by, and made him jump. He wheeled around, and saw someone approaching through the forest, calling out. He couldn't see who it was at first, but then he recognised the black eye patch and the clothing he wore; it was Gippal.
And he has MY gun!
Screaming in rage, the little black cat sent the moogle doll into a full-tilt run, charging at the blonde-haired eye-patched boy.
-
Gippal spun to the left and saw the demented cat perched atop the rampaging moogle doll. A basic instinct of self-preservation kicked in, and the index finger on his right hand squeezed the trigger of the SonaGun.
Energy accumulated in the barrel of the gun, building to enormous proportions, being amplified and echoed over and over, until it was launched from the end of the barrel, all in a fraction of a second. The energy blast pulsed through the air, straight at the little black cat atop the moogle doll.
Cait Sith didn't even have time to register that he was being fired at. The pulse tore straight into him, giving him no time to react.
Gippal blinked. He was sure he wasn't seeing right. One moment, Cait Sith had been there, screaming from the top of his mount. The next, the moogle doll was slowing to a stop, a red smear on its head, and a slight red cloud hanging in the air around it.
The little black cat had been completely eradicated, leaving only a fine cloud of blood behind to mark his departure. He was dead; there was no possible doubt about it.
Gippal blinked again.
I… but… he's gone… I killed… I killed someone!
He shuddered slightly at the thought. He had never exactly been soft, but he had never seriously tried to hurt someone so badly that they would perish.
But… I guess I should start now… if I can't kill, I can't win.
And if I can't win, I'll die!
He shuddered again. He was as terrified of death as anyone else, and he had no qualms about killing people to survive.
It wasn't even really my fault he died… he shouldn't have charged at me…
Everyone who knew Gippal would have rolled their eyes and turned away if he had said the thought out loud. He was known for endlessly trying to shift the blame to other people, never taking any responsibility himself. He had been known to get other people in trouble just so he could escape punishment.
I… it's not my fault. And it won't be my fault when I kill the others… we have to do it, it's the rules!
His movements slightly stiff, he set off through the forest, mentally working through how he would try and kill his classmates.
It has to be done… I'll just try and sneak up on them, kill them straight away, all of them… wait…
He stopped dead in his tracks. A vicious smile slowly spread across his face. The other element of his personality that people hated was emerging again.
I wouldn't kill her straight away…
His smile grew as he followed the thought through. He started moving again, and pulled out his map.
Where would she run off to? Well, there's no telling… I'll just have to find her the old-fashioned way. But I will find her. And when I do…
Visions filled his head, visions of things he had always longed to do but always been denied the opportunity. But now he would be denied no longer. He would take what he wanted, by force if necessary.
He began to laugh, almost maniacally, as he started to run through the forest.
-
"There… there's no hope for us, is there?"
Lenne Sumner spoke the question quietly, but it rang in Shuyin Vegnun's ears louder than a sonic boom. He moved his gaze from the sea to Lenne's head, which was resting on his shoulder.
"I…" he paused, Trying to think of something to say. "There must be a way out. I'll find one."
Shuyin felt rage building up inside him. He knew that their chances of survival were next to nothing. He knew that finding a way out was almost impossible. He knew they couldn't fight their way out, because only one of them could survive that way. Besides, she was no fighter; she was a singer, a dancer, a lover. And even if she could fight, her weapon, a short metal pole, was of no real use. He was an excellent fighter, but he could not defend her without a weapon. Sure, he had been issued with a sword; but it was a plastic toy sword. His anger intensified, swirling in his mind, behind his eyes, in his muscles, in his very soul.
"Shuyin…"
The sound of her voice dispelled his anger and drove away the billowing clouds of his hatred.
"I just want you to know…"
She sat up, turning to look straight at him. Their eyes locked, and in hers, he could see nothing but adoration. An adoration he felt he didn't deserve.
"I love you more than I could ever say… even though we can't survive, my love for you will never go out."
"But Lenne…" Shuyin felt wretched. They had become caught up in this death trap, and he could think of no way to escape. "There must be a way out. We can escape. We can survive, together. I'll get you out of this… promise."
He looked away from her, back to the sea, and felt the anger and hatred building up into a thunderhead inside him, billowing out, expanding, growing to consume his entire being. How could he do it? How could he keep the promise he had just made when he didn't know where to begin?
"Shuyin…" She said softly "I love you. I love you for being here, with me. For saying what you just said. But you know we can't get out."
She reached out, and brought his head back round until their eyes met again.
"I love you. Nothing else matters. I don't care if we can't get out, because having been with you makes my life feel complete."
"Lenne…" his anger faded, and then disappeared entirely. Truly, nothing else mattered. They had shared a love that made his life feel complete. "I love you too… I…"
Wish I wasn't so inarticulate…
Lenne moved her head to the side slightly, glancing at the cliff a few feet in front of them. She could hear the waves crashing onto the rocks far below, and she knew it was easily a hundred-foot drop. Even though she wore a smile on her face, there were still tears in her eyes.
"Shall we?" she asked, motioning to the cliff.
He gazed at the cliff.
There's a way out for us together… and it lies right before me…
But there must be another way… a way we can live.
"No, Lenne." He said, standing up. He offered his hand to her, and she took it, pulling herself to her feet. "There must be another way out. I won't let this game take you. Someone like you can't just be extinguished so easily… someone with such grace, such passion, such spirit. I can't let that be extinguished. We will find a way out. I promise you this."
"Shuyin…" she whispered, her eyes watering. She pressed herself close to him, locking her arms around his muscular body. "Oh, Shuyin…"
-
Porrom Mysidia stumbled through the densely wooded forest. The trees were so close together that they seemed to be pressing in on her, trying to bar her path. The branches overhead all seemed to interlock, cutting out almost all of the light from the slowly rising sun, casting twisted shadows in all directions. She moved faster, running now, trying desperately to make her way back to the open fields.
I have to find him… I have to!
She had been trying to find her twin since she had left the school, but to no avail. Palom just seemed to be missing. She had looked at the map and couldn't see anywhere she thought he might go. She had tried waiting outside the school for him, but the sound of fighting near by had distracted her for long enough that he had slipped away without her noticing.
She was even beginning to fear for her twin's sanity. She had seen something change in his expression before she left the room. Something about the way his eyes didn't seem to focus properly on what he was looking at, about the way his movements were quite stiff, almost jerky, as he had looked up at her when she stood to leave.
She was also becoming worried for herself. She was the older one, and acted very differently, but Palom was still her other half. If something happened to him, she believed it would happen to her as well. If he was hurt, she would feel it. If his mind snapped, would she follow him down the road of insanity shortly afterwards?
Her eyes began to water as she ran onwards through the dark forest.
-
This is sooo not good…
Selphie Tilmitt trudged along the small dirt path, her head bowed. She dragged her feet as she moved, absent-mindedly watching the small clouds of dust billow up with each impact of her foot on the ground. The path snaked around the series of low hills, shaded by the occasional large trees and almost completely hidden from view by the hedges on either side.
She had been following this same path since she had first happened upon it the night before. She neither knew nor cared where she was headed, and her mind seemed unable to focus on any one thing, reeling around through thoughts of hope and despair, visions of rescue, and the recurring wish that it was all just a dream from which she would soon wake up. Subconsciously, she brushed the red mark on her right arm, and winced. She had really thought it had all been a dream, and not liking the dream, she had pinched herself to try and wake herself up. She didn't give up on the pinching until it had really hurt, and the mark acted as a painful reminder that she was indeed in the reality of the waking world.
Some reality…
Tired, she looked around for a place to stop, and saw a large-trunked tree just off the path, shaded by its many branches. She walked over and gratefully collapsed into an ungainly sprawl, leaning against the trunk. The endless walking had made her extremely tired, and light of the new day had made her feel hot as she walked along. Hot and thirsty.
She reached into her green bag to find some of the water she had supposedly been issued with. She rummaged around inside the bag without looking, trying to guess what she was feeling.
That'll be the compass… that feels like a tub; guess that'll be the food…
Map… hey, what's this?
She pulled a large object out of the bag, and focused her eyes on it. It took her tired mind a second to work out what it was, but when she did, she smiled. Her mind focused as she hefted the object in her hands.
How appropriate for me!
She held a large megaphone, the kind that would make her voice carry over great distances. She knew it didn't have any use as an actual weapon, but she didn't care. She didn't want to fight, not even if it meant she would die if she didn't.
But with this… I can make sure this is no fighting… well, no more fighting at least.
She had heard sounds during the night that had convinced her that people were fighting already. She had heard a distant booming noise from the direction of the school at several points, and at another point, she had heard a noise that made her think of roaring fires. The latter had probably been some kind of spell, and the former she thought was a gunshot.
She hated the idea of her classmates fighting like this. Although she was an energetic and loud girl, and she had been known to be a bit of a scrapper too, getting into fights quite often, she wasn't really violent, and she certainly never wanted anyone to come to serious harm.
It's a long shot, but I might be able to stop it all… it's definitely worth a try!
She had seen a small cluster of trees about quarter of a mile ahead, and at their centre was a particularly tall and big-branched tree. Being something of a tomboy, she had plenty of experience with madly scrabbling up trees, and a plan had been slowly forming in her mind. Now that she had the megaphone, the idea crystallised, and she knew what she had to do.
But… I wish Yuffie was with me.
In all her pranks, adventures and mad games, Yuffie had been with her. The two had been absolutely inseparable since the moment they met, so long ago that they could barely remember it. They were so similar and yet so different, they made perfect friends, covering each other's weaknesses and boosting each other's strengths. Like Selphie, Yuffie was energetic, fun-loving, loud and very tomboyish, but whereas Selphie was open, honest, and often a little flirtatious, Yuffie was slightly self-centred, had problems with the truth, and had never really seemed to take an interest in boys the way she had.
Good thing too, I guess… bet she would have fallen for the same guy as me.
Selphie blushed deeply at that thought. She had had strong feelings for one of the boys in the class for a few months, and hadn't told anyone, not even Yuffie. When she had been wandering along the dirt path, she had been hoping to find him, if only to say how she felt, a confession she would not normally have considered making if not for the pressure of the game.
He's kinda rough… some of the girls even thinks he's a little scary… but I just know he wouldn't play. And if I can find him, then…
She blushed even more. She had been with a guy before, if only because she wanted to know what it was like, and most of the girls were doing it anyway, so she didn't see what could be wrong with it. But the thought of actually getting together with the guy she liked made her feel a nervous thrill.
I have to find him, and Yuffie. I've got to find everyone I can, and stop this game!
She leapt to her feet and headed straight for the path. Then she stopped, giggling, and returned to fetch her bag.
Guess that's another area where Yuffie's different from me; she wouldn't be so silly as to forget!
Making sure she had everything with her this time, she dashed off down the path, heading for the small cluster of trees.
-
Rosa Purheart sat at the top of a cliff, her legs dangling over the edge, her head in her hands, her eyes crying a stream of tears. She had given up all hope of finding Cecil Ordeals when the dawn had come. She had been running around non-stop, her legs screaming in protest as she had run to hilltops to view the surrounding terrain, charged through woods calling his name, and followed the island's perimeter in the hopes that he might have been waiting for her on one of the beaches.
But she could find him nowhere, and her aching legs had buckled beneath her when she had reached the cliffs. She had sat there, at the top of the cliff, for over half an hour, heaving great sobs and praying that no harm had befallen him.
She had only been together with him for a month, but she was already deeply in love with him. She had confided in her older sister, telling her about the feelings she felt for Cecil, but her sister had just laughed and told her it was puppy love.
It is not just puppy love! I really do love him, more than anything else… oh, but where is he?
She broke into a fresh wave of tears, her sorrow beginning to consume her. She moaned out loud, the fear she felt for Cecil translating into a near-physical pain.
So loud was her crying that she could not hear the footsteps of the person who was approaching her from behind.
-
Squall had watched the sun slowly being to peek over the edge of the horizon, then begin its slow crawl towards the pinnacle of the sky. He checked his watch, wondering whether he and Rinoa had rested for long enough. She had fallen asleep shortly after they had stopped to rest, and whilst asleep, she had snuggled up against him, resting against his shoulder. He had felt slightly embarrassed about it at first, but now he didn't want to move away or wake her up.
She looks like an angel…
He watched her now as she slept. Her expression was peaceful and contented. He wondered if she was dreaming, and if she was, what she was dreaming about. Then he realised he had been staring at her for several minutes. Worried about how she might react if she woke up to find him staring at her, he looked away.
She's my friend, but I don't think she'd appreciate me looking at her like that… she'd realise how I feel, and that could be… embarrassing. Awkward.
He had slowly come to realise over the past few months that the connection he felt with Rinoa was more than just friendship. He had always been the quiet and brooding one in the class, deliberately keeping himself away from the rest of the class apart from Zell, and a select few others such as Cloud, Tidus and the Highwind Duo, because of his past experiences. Because of the pain that lay in his past. But when she had joined their class, he had started to change. Something about her brought out the real him, slowly stripping away the image he had tried to project to hide himself away from the others.
He hadn't realised what it was he felt for her at first, thinking it was just a different kind of friendship because she was the only girl he was really friends with. But he had found himself always looking forwards to the times when he could near her, when he could spend time with her.
But he had also found that he was not the only one who had feelings for her.
Zell… I'm sorry I never told you how I felt about her…
About a month ago, Zell had confessed to him that he liked Rinoa. They had been in their orphanage's small gym, Squall practicing with his gunblade whilst Zell had been beating the hell out of one of the punch bags, as usual. Zell had just suddenly stopped and said it, as if he had been building up courage to confide in Squall, and had just decided to get it out before he lost his nerve.
"Squall?" he had begun, uneasily.
"Hmm?" Squall had replied, not stopping his Sparring Match practice.
"I… there's something I kinda want to tell you…" he had continued, folding his arms behind his back and looking at the ground.
"Well?" Squall had said, still continuing a complex series of swings and thrusts.
"It's… it's about Rinoa, man. I think that… I really like her. And this isn't just some crush either, I don't think. It seems more than that…"
"More than what you felt for Yuffie, then?" Squall had said, smiling to himself.
"Hey, that was just a small crush! And I wasn't really expecting her to laugh when I asked her out…"
"No offence," Squall had said, finally finishing the complex combination attack and leaning of his sword, "but you were trying to act the 'cool big-man' in front of her whilst you were turning bright red."
"Hey, this isn't about Yuffie, this is about Rinoa! This is serious. I mean, what do you think I should do?"
Squall had hated himself for what he said then. He knew he should have told Zell the truth, that he also had feelings for Rinoa. A good friend would have stepped aside, or at least tried to work out a solution. But he had just said one thing.
"Dunno. This is me, remember Zell. I'm not the authority on girls."
"Oh, man…"
The two of them had never said another word about it since, but Squall had noticed the change in Zell's attitude when Rinoa was around, and had prayed that he wasn't being so obvious as well.
He was abruptly brought back to the present when Rinoa moved beside him, sitting up slightly and yawning.
"Morning." Squall said quietly.
She stretched and yawned a bit more, then opened her eyes and looked around. She seemed to instantly recognise where she was, and it didn't put her off at all.
Bloody hell… I'd be put off waking up to the Program…
She looked across at him, concerned.
"You didn't stay up all night did you?"
"Well, I had to keep watch. I know it sounds wrong, but there are people playing out there. We have to keep alert, or we could end up in serious trouble."
"My own guardian angel to watch over me." She said, smiling warmly at him.
Squall smiled back, hoping he wasn't blushing.
"We best get moving," he said, standing up and picking up their bags. "not that good an idea to stay in one place for to long."
"Wait… what time is it?" she asked suddenly, looking worried.
"Um… very nearly six. Why?"
Rinoa opened her mouth to answer, but a loud crackling sound interrupted her. It was the sound a low-quality speaker makes when it switches on, a distorted burst of static. Rinoa closed her mouth again, realising that Squall's question was about to be answered by the source of the noise.
"…working now. Please give me the microphone." Bugenhagen's voice replaced the static, making the pair jump slightly. Squall had snapped into an defensive half-crouch, his eyes scanning for the source of the voice, and Rinoa laughed at this.
"Squall, it's just the report! They'll have speakers around the island so we can hear them." she giggled. It took him a few seconds to realise what she meant, and then he stood up straight again and turned away to hide his embarrassed flushing.
"Hoo-ho, good morning my fine little warriors! You have been fighting very well so far, and I apologise if I've woken you from your sleep, ho-hmm."
"They really shouldn't be sleeping at a time like this anyway!" cam Marlene's voice, fainter than Bugenhagen's. She was obviously standing back from the microphone, the reason for which quickly became apparent.
"Marlene, please be quiet. This is my part of the job, we do not need any comments from you, thank you very much, hmm."
"But Buggerface-"
"Bugenhagen. Now please remain silent."
Rinoa had a look of incredulity on her face, and was slowly shaking her head. Squall felt disgusted that these people could be so light-hearted when people were killing each other in a killing game.
"Anyway, hoo… onto the list of the deceased…"
Squall sighed. He knew that people were killing each other; he had seen Jessie murdered right in front of him. He knew that it had been happening elsewhere on the island as well, but he had been partially in denial about it. Now that Bugenhagen was announcing their names, though, this denial had gone and he felt the full weight of the game bearing down on him.
"First to die last night was Baralai Bevelle. He was very shortly followed by Rufus Shinra and Seifer Almasy. Ho-hmm, very efficient work, I must say."
Squall closed his eyes and breathed deeply to try and control his anger.
"Jessie Zolom died a little later, in the vicinity of the school, as it happens. Ho-hoo, poor girl didn't even get a chance to have fun and fight."
Squall's hands curled into fists. Try as he might, he could suppress his rising anger.
"Next to go was Aerith Gainsborough."
"Died with a view of the ocean, tee-hee!" Marlene giggled in the background
Ignoring her, Bugenhagen continued:
"Next is Celes Chere, and finally Cait Sith, who was killed near the school."
"Guess the moral of this report is stay away from the school." Marlene put in.
"Indeed, ho-hoo. Not such a wise decision, unless you're looking to get killed, that is."
There was a splintering sound, and a small flurry of leaves fell from the canopy above. Rinoa jumped at the sound, then calmed down again when she saw what had caused it. Squall had punched the nearest tree to vent his anger, creating quite a deep hole in its trunk and dislodging many leaves with the force of the blow. He had lost control of his anger and had just lashed out.
"Bastards…" Squall muttered under his breath, in control of his temper again now that he had vented his rage on the tree. "So many dead already, and they're enjoy it…"
"Now that we've announced the deaths, onto the list of forbidden zones. Remember if you are caught in these zones, your collar shall detonate without any warning. Also remember than now you are all outside, the school building and the area immediately surrounding it are a permanent danger zone, at least until there is only one person left alive, hoo. Now, get ready to note this down: the danger zones are: M7, starting at eight, I13, starting at ten, and F3, starting at noon. I hope you got those all down, as I shan't repeat them, ho-hoom."
Squall had hurriedly pulled his map form the green bag he had been issued with, and marked down the locations that had become danger zones, praying that he had heard them all right.
"You should copy the details of danger zones down on your map as well, Rinoa, in case we get separated." He said, without looking up.
When she didn't move at all, he looked up, frowning. She tried to look away, and avoid his glance, but he saw the tears in her eyes.
"Rinoa…?"
She whispered something, too quietly for him to hear. Worried, her moved in close to her, and took her in his arms. She tensed up a little for a second, then relaxed into his embrace.
"People… really playing…" she whispered.
"Yeah… but don't worry, it won't be everyone. I know that people like Tidus and Cloud won't play, and neither will-"
"Someone… someone killed…" she interrupted, "someone got Aerith… and Celes as well…"
Now Squall understood why she was crying. Celes and Aerith had been some of her best friends, along with himself and Zell. In the first night of the game, she had lost two of the people closest to her, and coupled with Zell's death, this had proven too much.
"Oh, Squall…" she whispered, burying her face in his chest. "people are really playing…"
"Like I said, not everyone will be. I know some people would rather die than play this fucking game."
Rinoa looked up at him, her tear-stained face strained with anxiety, and beginning to look a little pale.
"How do you know that? We could have said that no-one in our class would ever do that… even some of the rowdy boys wouldn't normally think about actually seriously injuring someone. But now… our friends and classmates are fighting, Squall. How do we know that our friends won't snap under the stress, or just become desperate?"
"If you think that, then why do you trust me?" Squall asked, trying to maintain a neutral expression.
"Squall…" she said, resting her head on him again. "I'd trust you with anything. There's just something about you… I don't know. I just know that you aren't like that at all. Not even in the game."
She trusts me that much… trusts me with her life… I didn't know she regarded me that highly.
"I feel the same about a few others in the class, and I'm sure you must as well. I know that Tidus would never hurt anyone unless it was to defend someone else, and pretty much the same with Cloud. In fact, I'm far more prepared to defend myself and my friends than they would be, I reckon. And you know that most of the girls wouldn't even consider fighting; Aerith and Celes certainly wouldn't have."
She nodded slowly, then sat up, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Thank you." She whispered.
"For what?"
"For staying with me. If I'd been on my own, I would have fought to defend myself, but I still wouldn't have been able to survive very long. If it hadn't been for you, Cait Sith probably would have killed me as soon as I came out of the school. Or someone else would have got me. I can fight, but I'd be too hesitant to hurt a classmate…" she trailed off, then pointed at the miniature gunblade, which Squall had tucked into his belt. "And let's face it, I wouldn't have exactly been able to defend myself very well with that, would I?"
Squall chuckled, nodding.
"Not really, I guess. Better that you have the Pinwheel, at least that'll do more damage than a mini replica like this. I bet the trigger mechanism wouldn't work on this-"
He stopped abruptly, his hand shooting to the weapon he had just been talking about. His eyes darted around, his muscles tensed, and the adrenaline started flowing. Rinoa didn't know what had caused the change, but she recognised the fact that he thought they were in danger. She rose into a crouch and looked around as he slowly stood up.
"Over there…" he whispered, indicating the far side of the little clearing. "Someone's coming."
"Who?"
"I don't know yet. Be ready, and cover me."
She nodded, and lifted the Pinwheel. She gave it a quick check to make sure that it was properly loaded with one of its disc-like projectiles, then she pointed it at the gap in the trees where unknown person was approaching them from.
Squall moved forward silently, seeming to drift noiselessly across the clearing, towards where their bags were piled up. His excessive stealth training for night-time Sparring Matches was now paying off; he didn't make any noise as he lifted the bags from the ground and slipped their straps around his shoulders, and no noise as he moved to stand behind one of the trees at the edge of the clearing.
He gripped the miniature gunblade in his right hand as he would grip a dagger for a stealthy attack; reverse-grip, so that the blade pointed downwards, towards the floor. Leaning around the edge of tree, he peered out to see who was approaching.
Rinoa almost stopped breathing in anticipation. She held her good arm steady, aiming the Pinwheel strapped to it at the clearing, ready to fire if need be. She wasn't going to be defenceless; she would fight if she had to. She felt her body tense up, ready to spring in to action. The stabbing pain in her harm subsided to a dull ache as the adrenaline flooded her system. She moved to the side and crouched in the shadows, keeping the Pinwheel aimed at the entrance to their hiding place.
The tension continued to rise as the unknown person got closer, the noise of their approach growing louder with every second, and leaving no doubt as to the fact that he was heading straight for them. After what seemed like many minutes but was in reality a few seconds, a figure appeared in the entrance. It brushed aside a few dangling leaves and stepped into the clearing.
It was Yang Fabul, although he looked different from normal. He wasn't wearing his normal clothes, and was instead wearing his gi, his karate outfit. He was sweating a lot, the dome of his head shining even more than normal, and his what little hair he had was tied back behind his head. Over his right shoulder, he carried a nasty looking weapon, a sharp blade on the end of a pole.
Naginata thought Squall. Dangerous weapon… he can hurt us whilst staying out of reach… let's hope that he isn't an enemy…
Yang spotted Rinoa and swung the Naginata down from his shoulder, holding it steadily in both hands, the butt of the pole touching the ground, the blade a short distance in front of his face; a defensive position.
"Yang…" Rinoa said, now pointing the Pinwheel at his face.
Squall slowly moved towards Yang from behind, ready to strike if he meant trouble.
And he did mean trouble.
He stepped forwards, lowering the Naginata slightly, holding ready so that he could charge forwards and run Rinoa through.
"Yang, I'm not playing!" Rinoa said forcefully. "We don't need to fight!"
"Then tell me how I'll survive, hmm?" Yang said sarcastically, his quiet but powerful voice filling the clearing. "I'll have to kill you if I want to live. Just be grateful that I'm not Seymour; I'd bet he'd want to rape you first."
"Last warning, back off." Rinoa said, her voice unwavering. "Now."
Yang gave a short, derisory snort.
"Fat chance. I'm playing to win. You should be too."
Rinoa hesitated a second, then her expression hardened. She pulled the trigger on her Pinwheel.
Nothing happened.
Her eyes went wide as she realised that the safety mechanism was still engaged.
Squall knew that he had to act; Rinoa was defenceless, and Yang knew this. He took as step forwards, raising the gunblade, preparing to strike Yang in the arm. He didn't want to kill him, only injure him enough that he wouldn't be able to use the naginata.
But then Yang saw Squall's reflection in the blade of the naginata. He swung around, the blade of his weapon at the height of Squall's neck. Squall barely ducked in time, the blade sailing over his head.
Yang made use of the momentum from his first swing to bring the naginata into an overhead swing, trying to bring the blade down through Squall's head. Realising this, Squall sprang forwards, tackling Yang forcefully, knocking the breath out of him and causing him to drop his weapon.
"Rinoa, run!" Squall shouted as he tried to pin the struggling Yang to the ground.
"But-"
"GO!" he shouted.
Giving no further argument, Rinoa fled, grabbing her bags as she ran past them. She quickly left the clearing, running as fast as she could.
"She your bitch, then?" Yang said as he tried to struggle form Squall's pinning. "Gonna have her a bit before the end of the game, eh?"
Squall's face twisted into a mask of fury, and he was very tempted to stick the gunblade through Yang's hand.
"Don't talk about Rinoa like that, fucker!" he hissed.
"Anger is your enemy!" Yang shouted, a malicious grin on his face. He then spat at Squall, hitting him right in the eye. Squall reflexively recoiled.
Taking advantage of this, Yang managed to free his right arm and threw a punch at Squall, catching him square on the jaw and knocking him back further and forcing him to let go of his arms. Yang drove a two-fisted punch at Squall's gut, winding him and knocking him backwards.
Yang sprang to his feet and grabbed his naginata.
"Think you can catch me before I catch your bitch?" he said, grinning wickedly. There was a look in his eyes which disturbed Squall; it was the look of a broken mind. Yang had snapped under the pressure of the game, probably from hearing of all the people who had been killed already.
Yang span on his heel and sprinted through the gap in the trees, heading in the same direction that Rinoa had just moments before.
Squall forced himself to his feet, trying ignore the pain in his gut. He staggered towards the bags in the centre of the clearing, knowing it was critical he take them with him, then he went after Yang. He forced himself to move as fast as he could, and he achieved a remarkable speed, considering how badly he had been winded.
He could see Yang quite a bit further ahead, sprinting after a distant, blue-and-black figure that he knew was Rinoa.
I can't let him reach her… he'll kill her for sure!
He moved faster, forcing as much speed as he could form his legs, driving himself relentlessly, his heart pumping faster and faster as his system was flooded with adrenaline. He ran onwards, accelerating all the time, his entire being focused on one thing; preventing anyone from getting to Rinoa before he could.
34 Students remaining.