Author's Notes: Well, it's been a while in me terms. I HAVE changed the summary. Maybe you didn't notice, but I DID change that. Note about this chapter, it did NOT go as expected. This story is not going as I expect as a whole. In fact, in this chapter, Seifer and Squall are making a cameo... Except they are going to stick around through most of the fic! NO!!!!! cries I didn't want that. But I noticed something odd, but I'm not going to get to that. Um... Setting up an Angelfire site soon, only because I want to put my fictions up on multiple places, somewhere easier for my friends to see. I will still update here before I do so there, but that one is going to have Final Fantasy Music that compliments the chapter.... Some chapters might have two sets of music at the bottom that will have suggestions of WHEN to play it. Yeah... I know... It's just another way to set mood. This chapter is brought to you by... Um... Giant Deli Style Dill Pickles (Kosher of course). I ask you please keep in mind that half of this chapter will be written on the spot so it might seem a bit unexpected, even to me. And I'm going to add more of Suijin, because as much as I like Drew and Reyn and Squall and Seifer and et cetera, I LOVE Nida and Suijin. Man, I'm using lots of capitalized words in this part. Um... Enjoy. And when I have a site, I'll let you know. Check out my profile for my livejournal, which soon will include a rant about where this story is going, so don't read if you don't want it partially spoiled. Oh yeah, this chapter was supposed to be longer, but the Olympics start in 2 hours, and I have to take a bath, and I'm gonna be distracted for a long time, so I thought I'd just give you what I have done for now. Enjoy. Check back over the next few weeks, I might add a part two to this chapter.
Firefly-Dreams: I did repost some parts, but as different points of view. I'm mad at because they are making it very hard to show where one part of the story begins and another ends. You should re-read it if you were sorta confused, for I updated it and it is more separate now. And if you think that was traumatizing, you should read the first paragraph right now.
Silver-nex: Don't worry, someone will save Reyn shortly. Okay, to answer questions: Quistus is married to Stelah Sylium. Yes, Ishuna and Fiera are the daughters of Xu and Nida. Yes about Selphie and Irvine's kids... But don't forget they also have Kyle, Ward and Lance. And as for why Seifer and Squall didn't take care of Drew, wait until the end of the first half of this chapter. You'll get it then. And if you give me a few days, I'll make up a list of the characters and their relations for you. You can edit it as you see fit, for the relationships WILL change over time... 'Specially between Corin, Rhiale and Reyn... That is a fun triangle.
Chapter 6: Admissions and Surprises
{Reyn}
The cold press of metal against my bare chest and the warm flow of blood down my side shocked me into reality. I quickly tried to reach out and check for wounds, but I found myself chained to the bed. Must have been chained for his ease, and yet all the while my mind had been somewhere else. Slowly I open my eyes and peer at the tip of the gunblade that was pressed through Drake's chest and touched mine slightly. Behind the dead doppelganger stood Darus like an avenging angel, hands still on the weapon as he pulled it back. Like Valen, time away from his other half seemed to have changed him. No smile passed his lips or lingered in the eyes as they looked at me. No words were uttered to see if he had hurt me. The GF didn't even try to free me!
"Darus," a voice at the door growled.
Quickly I glanced at the door, finding Drew. Rinoa and Rella had found it fitting to clothe him as a mockery of Squall; the high black boots and MY Griever pendant around his neck are the only EXACT details. The major part of the outfit are the long, albeit loose leather pants, off black, near mesh-like shirt and a long black trench coat like Seifer's, covering most parts of his body. He wore no gloves, Drew rarely did, and his nails were jet black, a touch from the teenage Rella I assume. Along with that was a few chains wrapping loosely around his body, giving the illusion of restraint but the full range of movement a gunblade user needed. Now Drew, once serious, looked like a mix of Darus and Squall.
Drew came over and pushed the body off of me, shaking his head, "You should not have killed him yet Darus, Rinoa won't be happy." When neither Darus nor I spoke Drew went on, "I know, I know, you didn't want him hurt badly or killed. Thank you. We both know Rinoa won't dare kill you, but she would have me if I'd spared my brother his pain."
"Bastard," I swore at him.
My brother chuckled and shook his head, "When they aren't around, I find I hold control over my own mind. I'm not a willing knight like our parents were."
"Shut up and stay away from me," I hiss as he walks over and looses my restraints, and then frees me.
Noting how I shiver slightly as his gaze travels down the length of my body, the knight smirks at Darus, "He thinks I'd rape him... Listen close Reyn, little brother, I'm not one for incest. My purpose in this room is to protect family and have you escape here."
Flustered, I roll off the bed and catch the bundle of clothing he throws at me. I dress myself in the whites and grays, noting the crimson cross in the center of my dark, mesh shirt, and on the sleeves of the long white trench coat with a silvery collar. Now it hits me, these things, the coat at least, were Dad's. After Seifer had burned the one he'd worn during the war, Mom had insisted he get a new one for when they were together. Taking the fur lined sleeves and collar of Drew's coat into account that one had to be one of Squall's rarely used coats.
"They are Rinoa's choices. Really, you should join her, if only until you can escape. Now, let's get something straight, Darus will be the only thing here that keeps you alive brother. If you just listen to me, I can get you out of here."
Something made me trust my brother, the one who looked like Mom, "Why did she dress us like Mom and Dad?"
This made him smile softly as Darus was doing in the corner, "Yeah... Mom and Dad... I should call them that. About the clothes... We're a lot like Squall and Seifer, right? She believed she can control you through me, thinks you have a greater potential. Like Squall, I can deny her and her daughter nothing... Not even your aide. By dressing us like this, she recreates Squall and Seifer, the knights she never really had."
Drew was frowning now, and Darus cleared his throat, "She thinks letting Drew see you so vulnerable will make him want you."
"Wait," I said backing up, "She wants us to become like our parents?! But... You're my brother!"
"Yes, she does. She wants two strong knights that are aligned only to each other, and thus to her through their desire to protect each other from her and all others. Rinoa wanted lovers that could change the future with her daughter's help," the black angel spoke to me, like mom once did when he'd try to teach me more complex things, "She wants you two to destroy the SeeDs that will come to kill Ultimecia in the time compression... And thus destroy yourselves, the only real threat to her, and Angelus as well..."
"I know how we'd end up destroying ourselves, but what about Angelus, how could killing our parents and friends destroy you?"
"Can't you tell?" Drew chuckled in shock.
"Tell what?" I asked, shivering as a white hand rested upon my shoulder... Valen's.
"We ARE your parents," Valen said, looking hopefully towards Darus, who looked lovingly back. How come that angel ALWAYS has to show up and give me the most disturbing news?
"WHAT!?" I shouted in disbelief.
"Knew he'd say that," Darus and Drew mumbled in an off-hand manner.
"I... I..." I could form no coherent sentences.
"You desire proof?" Valen asked, gliding over to Darus.
"YES! What proof do I have that you aren't doppelgangers?"
"When you were four years old," Darus offered, "You decided that you were going to grow up and become a Ruby Dragon."
Since I'd never told anyone that tidbit, I sat back on the bed frowning, knowing that these HAD to be my lost parents. There was a flash of light and a concerned looking Seifer sat beside me, scowling at the featureless face of the doppelganger. Darus sent a dark blast of magic at the body and it completely dissolved. In an attempt to comfort me, Dad held me close to him while Drew sent Darus to check out how much time we had left to speak. Seifer mumbled soft nonsense words, things that comforted me as a child and still worked now. After all this time I understood the words of Angelus, and their steps to protect me constantly.
"How?" I whimpered against my father's chest.
"That is what I want to know," Drew said leaning against a wall, "Darus would not tell me."
"He always had a stick up his ass," Seifer joked.
"We've plenty of time... Seems the sorceress is distracted by her attempts to kill Zell," the dark angel appeared and floated to the floor, shedding the identity of Darus before my eyes to become Squall.
"Mom!" my shout betrayed me, so I leapt up, dragging Seifer with me for a hug, "Everyone says you're dead, I never believed it..."
"We never left you," Squall said, uncomfortable, he was never one for hugs, "Drew, Reyn, sit. We must tell you the whole story before Ultimecia turns her eyes back on us."
"Ultimecia? I thought you killed that bitch," Seifer scowled, "Don't tell me Lion Heartless failed in that."
"Rinoa IS Ultimecia," my brother provided without missing a beat.
{Drew}
I watched silently as realization dawned on their faces. Of course Ultimecia had to exist in some time before time compression, it was just that Reyn and Seifer did not expect Rinoa. How well I knew the thoughts running through their head, such as the fact that Rinoa could not be killed or Reyn and I would not exist... Many of us would not exist. Earlier Darus/Squall had admitted a few things to me, like without Ultimecia and Rinoa he would never have went to Seifer. My eyes met Squall's as I sat, pulling Reyn with me.
"She told us herself, or Rella did at least," he provided so I could remain silent.
"Hyne!" Seifer swore angrily
"Seifer," Squall reprimanded him as I watched Reyn listen in denial, "We've much to say and little time."
My eyes danced from Seifer to Reyn, noting the similarities between the two: emerald eyes, short blonde hair, strong bodies, and with similar clothes; only the fact that their scars went in different directions and that Reyn was shorter made it known they weren't the same person. Normally Reyn would dress nothing like Seifer, either always in uniform or extremely casually dressed, which I guess made him Reyn Almasy. In my imagination, I thought my rough clothes made me look like the leather clad parent I had never really known. Sadly he'd probably never understand that I have to saw Rella. Squall was now pacing, and Seifer grabbed his arm, dragging his husband into his own lap, and shaking his head.
"Six years at the beck and call of our sons and others has made you tense love... Damn kids preventing six years of fun!" Seifer grumbled.
Without hesitation, Squall pushed Seifer back onto the bed and kissed down his neck toward the slightly bared chest before pulling back, a please smile plastered on his face, "Another time," Squall promised before pulling the shocked man back to a sitting position. "If Reyn and Drew listen to us..."
"Right," Seifer said, obviously having trouble with breathing.
"Let me start with why we did not raise Drew ourselves. It was really a rather simple choice at the time. When we first decided to have a son, we used Selphie as a surrogate for you... About a month later I got sick... Real sick, and took two years for me to recover. Seifer and I knew that I could die, so we didn't want to raise a child in such an environment. When I got better, you were far too emotionally attached to the Kinneases to pull away. Seeing our Drew happy, we talked Rinoa and Edea once again into helping us have Reyn... By the time Drew was independent and understanding enough to know why we left him with Selphie and Irvine, we had so little time left... We had a country to run, a son to raise, and preparations for our departure."
A deep breath was taken, then Squall continued, "With the Presidential responsibilities and Reyn there was not time, so we asked everyone to keep the truth from you. And then we even had to leave Reyn behind, to become what we are now."
"How did you become this?" I got to the root of the questions.
"The Curse of the Mercale," Seifer said very reverently.
I watched Reyn finger the Angelus collar around his neck. He'd told me once of the curse and of Mercale's name being etched into the wings of the pendant, much like it was into our gunblades. The knowledge that one day we'd become like them was horrible. Though I was serving a sorceress, I was sensitive about my humanity. Clearly these two were not completely human anymore, though current appearances suggested they were. Would that curse one day strip us of everything?
"Shush," Squall said, pushing Seifer back onto the bed playfully, "Griever and Tiamat said we're not supposed to talk about it. So be quiet!"
"Aw, no!" Seifer pouted as he bounced back up to a sitting position. To this Reyn nodded, answering my unspoken question of 'where they always like this?'
Soon silence settled over us. Many decisions had to be made right now. Yet all would come down to the youngest amongst us. Our eyes turned to Reyn. If he chose to pose as a knight until he could escape then all would be good. Yet if he didn't, my orders were to torture and kill him. I'd love to tell him, but his choice should be his alone. The elder blonde fidgeted, looking expectantly at his son.
"Fine..." Reyn whispered, sounding defeated.
"Wonderful, then we shall help you!" Seifer declared joyfully.
"Seifer," Squall said cautiously, "You must be aware when we go. I know Valen and Darus won't be called upon often, but we shall still have to be here every now and then."
"Mmm... Maybe I can beat Chickenwuss to the last hotdog in Esthar Garden while I'm there!" Seifer was already plotting.
"Wait!" I suddenly felt cold, "Rinoa and Rella come!"
"Shit!" Reyn swore, believing my words only after our parents exchanged a worried look.
"You two, under the bed," Squall whispered, Seifer nodding in agreement.
I could not help but look on in shock as red streaked Squall's hair and Seifer seemed to shrink some. Clothes melted and blended, and in a moment they were perfect replicas of Reyn and myself. Another few seconds and two more figures made their appearance, one dark and leathery, and the other bright like sun glinting off of metal. These two, Diablos and Alexander, smiled at Squall and Seifer, silently taking commands. The holy guardian took the place of the 'dead' doppelganger on the floor, and Diablos, now like Darus in appearance, took up guard at the door. Only now do I truly understand the power of GFs, or so I think.
"Under the bed!" Squall hissed in my voice.
"Um... You're gonna pose as us?"
"Got a better plan? Squall and I can do this far better than you two."
"Okay... But keep it brotherly."
"With signs of real emotion, I know," Seifer said, possibly enjoying the idea of playing submissive. "Now get under the bed!"
{Suijin}
"So, I'll lead the Esthar squad in from the south," Corin said, going over the plans we'd made to raid the supposed HQ of the Ultimecia's Crusader, "Quistus and Zell will strike from the east with Balamb's forces. In the west we'll have Fujin and Raijin with Galbidia. North is Trabia with Selphie and Irvine leading. Infiltration squad is Suijin, Rhiale, Ward, Fiera and leading them..."
"The most unstoppable warriors of all time!" a voice came from the door.
We all looked up, but I was the first to smile, probably because I was closest to the speaker. Yet even from my angle the two were like silhouettes; black figures against the bright yellow light of the hall outside the SeeD Commanders office. Apparently no one could see more than the intruding figures, and had no clue who it was. The fact I think I'm going crazy because I haven't seen these two in six years doesn't help the matter.
"Who are you!?" my father demanded.
"Don't you recognize your best friend Dad?" I spoke up while standing.
As Seifer entered the room with a laugh, he hugged me and gave me a hearty slap on the back. Squall entered next, smiling in an embarrassed way, probably because of Seifer's entrance. With an excited squeal, Selphie dropped her coffee mug (does that woman REALLY need more energy?), and sprung into Squall's waiting embrace. Everyone else seemed to be in shock. For years we all had believed these two dead, only Reyn ever holding out hope that they were alive. In his wheelchair, Nida shook his head at the return of the greatest heroes the world had known in a long time. Oh how sad it will be to inform these two what they had been missing.
"Squall!" Selphie said excitedly, "And Seifer too! HYNE! You're alive!"
"And hearing that you got BOTH of our sons abducted by Rinoa..." Squall said in a very harsh voice.
When Selphie looked at her feet, all perk gone, Irvine spoke up, "Chill Selphie, can't you tell when Squall is jokin'? But really, it's great to see you two in one piece..." Irvine brushed the front of his hat casually with his fingertips, pushing it up and out of his eyes before moving forward to shake the hands of old friends.
"You two always had a knack for showing up on time," Raijin said with a shake of his head before pulling Seifer and Squall into what had to be a painful hug.
"RAI!" Seifer had to shout before the man would release him.
"Everyone seems to have grown up well," Squall said after catching his breath.
"Squall..." Nida said voice weak.
The brunette moved to his friend's side, kneeling and placing a hand upon Nida's, "I'm very sorry about Xu."
"How did you know?"
"We have.... Contacts," Squall offered very mysteriously, "We've come to help you fight."