Yep, I'm still alive and so is this fic. And I WILL finish it, too! Okay, never mind that, I'm talking to myself more than anything else.

Thanks to everyone who's still reading and/orreviewing Seifer's dive into his self-inflicted Very Messy Situation!

Just a little note I'd like to get off my chest: I know the story may seem a bitconfusing. A less condensed version might have been better, I realise now, but as I'm writing this in between financial reports and organisation manuals as it is, I'll just continue in the same style.

Back to the chapter at hand: Face off in Galbadia Garden! Enjoy!

Part 11 – Gale

The last few days had been eventful. Fuujin and Raijin had requested to stay in Galbadia Garden before continuing their mission to find Ellone. They thought he could use some extra supporting officers in the upcoming battle between the two remaining Gardens. Not entirely untrue, especially with the confusion and mistrust he expected among his forces: As he had promised his friends, Seifer had devised a plan of attack which even Balamb Garden, with more cadets than adult SeeD, could counter.

And Balamb Garden had countered, better than he had dared to anticipate. Better than he had even considered conceivable.

Better than he could afford in the face of the Sorceress…

"I'm not impressed by your results, Seifer."

Sorceress Edea sat on her throne in the Master Room of the thoroughly shaken Galbadia Garden, fully composed but her eyes drilling into her Knight's face.

Seifer growled, hoping it would convince her that he wasn't in the least pleased with the outcome of the battle either. "I hadn't expected they'd ram us. Balamb is supposed to consist only of students and instructors without tactical insight!"

She made a point of inspecting her long, sharp nails. "Obviously you underestimated their capabilities," she said ominously. "It's not the first time you haven't delivered what you promised me, is it?"

In return, he made of point of ignoring the hidden threats and listening intently to what was going on outside. The sounds of a lock opening told him someone was at the door.

"They're coming, my Lady," he announced, although he was pretty sure she had already come to that conclusion herself. "I won't let them win, not this time!"

She glared at him. "I hope for your sake that you can make good on that promise, boy."

He took a deep breath, clearing his mind for what was coming.

The door slid open, admitting three SeeD. Seifer immediately recognised them: Squall had come himself, bringing Zell and Quistis along for support. A shiver of anticipation ran down his spine and the adrenaline level in his blood increased a few notches. He drew Hyperion from its sheath and straightened himself, all the while looking at the SeeD.

They hung back a bit, no doubt to check their junctions and magic stock. Apparently they expected this fight to be a heavy one.

And it would be exactly that, if only because he couldn't fail to impress the Sorceress this time, and he had no plan whatsoever to prevent serious damage to both parties. Either he'd lose, or he'd slay Squall and his friends. Neither was an option, and there lay the challenge. Being caught like this made his blood rush. The fire magic inside licked his being with invisible flames of power and his eyes flared up. His only plan was to fight, improvising along the way. It would just be another duel.

And that riled him up.

"You guys shouldn't have," he called out to the SeeD in mock-disappointment. "I was gonna come visit you at my old home."

Squall's eyes narrowed as he approached. "Shut up," he demanded factually.

Seifer met his rival's cold demeanour with a trademark smirk. "Did you guys come to fight Matron? After all she's done for us?" I remember our childhood, Squall. Do you, too?

None of the three before him rose to the bait. Still he could see in their eyes that they knew what he was talking about. They remembered now where they all came from. It made their present stand-off all the more awkward, for all of them.

Seifer ignored the budding sentimentality. These people were here for his blood. There was no doubt that they would get it, too, but he would serve it boiling.

"Hey Chicken-wuss," he grinned at Zell, falling flawlessly back into his role as schoolyard bully. "Lot's happened between us, eh?"

The martial artist clenched his fists. "Yeah! And I'm dying to get even!"

Seifer squinted slightly, scrutinizing the younger soldier. Don't be so eager to die, Zell. You just might get what you asked for.

Then he turned to blonde at Squall's other side. "Instructor Trepe, I'm still you dearest student, aren't I?"

She shook her head. "Not anymore."

"It's too late, Seifer," Squall cut in, looking pissed off and impatient. "You can't mess with our minds. To us, you're just another enemy, like one of those monsters."

That cut. Deeply.

"You're comparing ME to one of them?" Seifer let out a cruel laugh to hide the faint cracks in his mask. Then he locked a stern, serious gaze at Squall. "I ain't no monster," he stated fiercely. "I'm the Sorceress' Knight!"

He could feel a nod of approval coming from the silence figure behind him. It almost convinced him that he did indeed hate the SeeD challenging him. His lips pulled up in a sneer. "And look at you," he spat, "Attacking like a swarm. You guys are the monsters." With those words, he brought Hyperion around with a dramatic sway, a universal signal to stop talking and start fighting.

He felt exhilarated. Three against one, now there was a challenge!

The SeeD had hardly finished their second round of attack before Seifer had learned just how much they had improved since they last met. There was no need to really hold back like he had on the barge, but neither would there be need to deploy his 'secret weapon'. For now, his magic would just fuel his actions, not lead them.

In the first few swings, Squall nicked him twice while Quistis' whip had left a gash in his left arm. And he loved every second of it. With so much at stake, his adrenaline surged through him like wildfire. For this moment, he was invincible.

"Come on," he goaded them with his hand. "I'll show you who's the better man." It should be you. Now convince me!

There was a light flare in temper from all his adversaries, but no true response. They continued to attack him, and he retaliated. Fire spell after fire spell flowed from his hands while Hyperion drew blood where he allowed it. His moves were counters by a hail of spells and metal. They did damage, but not enough.

"Is that all you got?" he commented at their sweaty brows. He could tell they were wondering how come he hadn't buckled yet. I can take a lot more than you can throw at me, Squall. "I can't be beaten!"

That did get a reaction. Squall's lips moved, probably mouthing profanities that would make his rival proud. Quite battered, the younger gunblade specialist found the hidden reserves of strength to unleash his Limit Break.

Seifer took several well-aimed blows. It knocked the wind out of him, but he wouldn't yield. On the contrary. While Zell came to his friend's aid with a curative spell, Seifer grinned at them, careful not to show any sign of weakness.

"Ready to die, Squall? Kneel before me!" he yelled despite himself. It was time to show just how much leniency he had cut them until now.

A simple fire spell heralded a little trick he'd picked up recently. Keeping his blade level, he began to spin, faster and faster, heading towards the surprised SeeD. The one-man blade twister cut Zell severely before throwing the boy upwards with tremendous force. With one leap, Seifer made it back to his initial position, while Zell landed unceremoniously on the floor. Satisfied, he noted that the martial artist didn't get up right away.

The battle heated up now. The SeeD wanted this face-off to be over as soon as possible, and summoned their Guardian Forces to put a quick stop to it. Shiva and Diablos unleashed their powers on Seifer, slowly but surely driving him to his knees despite the potions he used to keep standing.

Finally, panting and leaning heavily on his blade, he looked up at his adversaries. The adrenaline rush was losing its effect and he couldn't postpone thinking about a way out of this situation any longer. He had to admit that he couldn't continue the fight without tapping into the magical force inside, but that might be too much for the SeeD to counter.

On the other hands, his Lady was watching. Watching and judging. If he gave up, she'd never trust him again. To regain her trust, he had to kill the one he had sworn to protect.

Was there even a choice?

"This can't be," he whispered hoarsely, sagging to the floor to exaggerate his injuries. "Why!"

His lament sounded unconvincing, even to himself, and it came as no surprise when he felt the Sorceress' anger with him even before he heard her.

"Worthless child."

The statement was simple and final. Then the only thing he heard was the hiss that her magic made as she teleported herself and left him to be finished by the SeeD.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then the floor started to resonate. Footsteps. Immediately, his heart was racing again, this time not for power but for panic. They can't kill me now. He's not ready yet. Not yet!

Then sounds stopped and the only thing he saw was a black leather boot with spur straps, right in front of his face. His heart skipped a beat and he jerked his head up, spraining several muscles in the process.

There, towering over him, stood Squall.

The young soldier's dark brows were knitted in a deep frown as he looked down at his enemy. He didn't speak, but his eyes asked the questions that he would not. They demanded an explanation for their rival's treacherous behaviour, for the torment, for the pain.

Seifer stared back. He saw the questions, but couldn't answer them, despite the fact that the answers might save him from his precarious position. But he had to warn Squall for what they were about to face.

"There's no way you guys can beat her…" he started. He drew breath to continue, to explain why not. But seeing the cold, spiteful look in Squall's eyes he knew it was no use trying to reason. Nothing he said could make them believe him. Squall meant what he had said about them being enemies.

Expecting justice to be swift and deadly, Seifer rested his body on the cold floor and waited for the final blow.

But it didn't come. Instead, after a few tense moments, the silence in the Master Room was broken by several pairs of feet running and the sound of sliding doors.

In the nowotherwise empty room, Seifer lay motionless. Closing his eyes, he felt unsure whether to be grateful for this unexpected act of mercy, or to be fearful of its consequences. Whichever way you looked at it, it would have hefty percussions, for better of for worse.

Probably for worse.

Someone's in over his head...But exactly how far is that? R&R and you will find out !