Delta's banter: Remember kids, this is a much older fic than CK, so this is where CK got one of its plot devices. I just love those, it makes for much angst and angst makes people upset and ect.

Oh, right. No spoilers.

Disclaimer: ... Square owns them. I make no profit off of them.

Warnings: …… … Not gunna tell.

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The choker fell to the ground, breaking. Zell blinked, picking it up. Worriedly he looked at it- the chain had snapped and was easily repairable. Seifer was going to be mad when he found out. Zell started trying to fix it, but it would need a small set of pillars and then it would be okay.

The bombings had stopped, Zell noted, not sure if that was a good or bad sign. He was back in his room, and Adel had sent him a dress as an apology, just like the knight had said.

Shaking his head, Zell realized that dead ashes didn't talk. He sighed and opened another thick book, this one with magic-control. The book closed and Zell was tempted to rest on it like a pillow. There was also a sewing kit, one Zell and used to make a small pocket on his dress, and he inserted the choker there now. His neck felt bare without the piece of metal. It had been like Seifer was kissing him back whenever he wore it.

Sudden waves of dread took him over and he sat down. Something was horribly, horribly wrong. His gut clenched and his face suddenly broke out into sweat- even his power, which was slowly coming to life was screaming. The power was angry, and it was flaring up- against Zell's own will.

He could almost feel Rinoa as she stood in shock, watching something that Zell couldn't make out. He could feel Adel and Adel smirked, though Adel was hurt. He still couldn't make out what was going on.

Adel was hurt, Zell realized. Who had hurt him? Was it SeeD? Was Adel fighting SeeD now? He doubted it; Adel wouldn't be smirking and wounded if he was fighting SeeD. This meant Seifer was safe; Rinoa would have let him go with SeeD and Squall would have made sure, otherwise Zell would resign instantly, along with blow Squall's head off.

The door opened a crack and Odine slipped through. "Oh, my beautiful, it iz zo zad," Odine cried suddenly, coming over to the blonde and falling on top of him. Zell didn't fall, however; his power had been dormant only seconds ago and he was back to his old self, more or less.

"What's sad?" Zell asked, worried.

"It iz Adel," Odine stated, and there were more sobs. Zell's heart lifted. Adel was dead, he hoped. Adel was frozen. "Zhe wizhez for you to leave to ze palace! Az if I waz not good enough, you muzt leave me!"

Zell kicked Odine into unconsciousness, not really caring if the doctor woke up. This meant Adel had won Esthar, this meant Seifer was really going to have problems. He sighed and carried the body to the bed, wondering if he could have some fun with Odine before he left.

No, Zell realized, that made him just like Adel, and he wasn't like Adel. He wasn't that immoral or evil, he was honest and usually tried to do the right thing. So he just kicked Odine again and picked up the tools around his belt- it seemed Odine had been building something- and waited for a servant to come.

"My sorceress," came a quiet statement and Zell looked up at the servant in the cloak. "Adel wishes to move."

With that, Zell was taken from his small, tiny, windowless room and escorted to the palace quietly. There were no people on the streets- a servant answered his question with a simple "Adel is talking to them." The servant looked at Zell almost sadly and said nothing more. Zell was taken to a much larger room than what he had before, filled with books, furniture, and dolls. This might have been Ellone's room at one point, Zell decided, jumping on the soft bed. There was a bathroom with several soaps and shampoos- nothing like Adel had shown him- and there was a window, a big window that showed him the entire city. He couldn't see Garden, though.

He took the choker from his pocket and the odd tool he had taken from Odine. He remembered telling Squall once he was called the "machine" in the underground laboratory, and he was good with these sorts of things, but he wasn't really. He had realized a little bit after the "machine" nickname was not from building things, but from fighting. Though, he was an excellent welder, if he said so himself.

This choker, however, did not need welding or engraving- so he opened a link of chain, inserted the other link, and closed it. It seemed to work and he placed the collar back around his neck.

The kissing feeling had gone, Zell noted, but it wasn't important. What was important that it showed the word Zell was Seifer's, if Zell would actually show it to the world and not hide it in a pocket like he was prone to. A screen flicked on inside his wall, startling him for ten seconds before he realized it was like a built-in TV.

"Whoa," he stated, scratching his head. "That's something you don't see everyday." Adel was on, talking to Esthar, laughing at them, and Zell wanted to turn it off.

"You are mine," Adel told them, but Zell wondered if Adel was really talking to him. It wouldn't surprise him, not at all. He ran his fingers along the metal bar of the choker, letting the smooth metal calm himself.

There was always shadowboxing to pass the time. Zell kicked and punched his shadow, who retorted with blocks and jabs. It was nighttime when Zell felt tired, and his power woke up, swimming happily through him. Zell's eyes narrowed.

His power was free. Zell stretched it out wonderfully when suddenly a link formed, between him and a new face.

Ellone.

"Zelly!" She stated, happy to see him. "Seify told us you were a sorceress!" There was something wrong with her smile, though. Something she was masking up.

"Sis?" Zell asked, the face slowly coming back to him. "Is Seifer with you?"

Ellone shook her head, the smile cracking. "N-no, he's with Squall, I mean, he was with Squall…" She looked up at him. "Zell…he told Squall to run, and now we don't know where he is, but if you're his sorceress then…"

Zell hugged Ellone reassuringly. "It's all right, Sis. I'm sure Seifer is hiding right now- you'd be surprised what he can do."

Ellone nodded and pulled away, her delicate form suddenly echoing in her mind. "I have to go, Zell, Uncle Laguna is throwing things again." She smiled weakly. "Are you all right?" She asked quietly, and Zell nodded. The link between the two broke, and Zell opened his eyes to the room.

But he was still in his head-world, as if there was still a link. Zell spun around, looking for the source but could find none. He waited, wondering what was going on. His power retreated for a moment, and he could make out a faint form- Adel. Adel was weak, and certainly not in a pretty shape. Adel was angry, and somewhat amused. Zell cut the link and fell backwards into his bed.

Adel was going to be after him, the thought sourly. Adel was going to come in and beat him for communicating with other sorceresses. Zell waited patiently.

Why had Adel been weak? Had Laguna attacked him, and had to pull back? Zell shook his head, something was very, very wrong.

"My sorceress," came a reply from a servant, and Zell got up, chuckling to himself. He undid the collar- he did not want Adel to take it away.

"Adel calls, right?" Zell asked, and the servant nodded humbly. "Lead the way." The palace had more twists and tunnels than Zell remembered, and in a small hallway he could almost see Seifer protecting him from Odine. The servant walked on and Zell grew more and more curious as they went deeper and deeper into the ground.

"Where is he?" Zell asked quietly as they entered a locker room of sorts.

"In the bath," the servant replied. "The battle is won, and my sorceress wishes to share his victory." The servant pointed to the door. "Come, undress hastily, my sorceress does not like to wait."

Zell fumbled with his dress, but the ribbon was always a killer when Zell was trying to get it off. The dress fell to the ground as Zell stepped out of it, next came his slippers and then everything else. A towel was placed before him and he wrapped it around himself.

Bangles, Zell realized suddenly. Adel had taken the liberty of replacing his bangles- but when? He didn't have him a few seconds ago, he didn't have them an hour ago- Zell's question was answered when he saw another servant placing another bangle on his arm. He was really out of it.

The blonde walked out into the steamy room when it came to him that this was really a hot spring. Whoa, Laguna that kept that from him? Hot springs were wonderful places to relax! Especially when fighting all-powerful sorceresses!

Adel watched across the room with fire in his eyes, a fire hotter than anything the bath was producing. As soon as he could control Zell, he'd speak. Until then, he watched as Zell explored this new place. His power connected itself to other strands in Zell and soon the boy was flushed, not willing to fight back. The power fell slightly quiet, knowing Adel was more than willing to hurt its master if need be.

Lust flooded through Zell, and Zell knew exactly what was going on, though he could not stop it. This was more powerful than ever before, perhaps due to the fact Adel's power was as free as his own. Think of Seifer, Zell told himself before a stronger flash swept him up.

"Come here, Zell." Adel spoke, the words and the eager gaze casting an enchanting spell of their own. Zell's towel dropped and he slipped into the water. Seifer was forgotten.

"Here?" Zell asked seductively, slinking down so the water covered his neck.

Adel smirked. Just a little longer and this boy would be the perfect lover, without a potion, without influence. "Come here, Zell," he stated, reaching for the boy. Zell dodged playfully.

Adel needed playful after today. "Are you to be my Esthar, Zell? Must I conquer you?"

Zell shook his head, diving under the water. Adel caught him easily, pulling Zell into his chest, wincing a bit at the pain. Zell's own chest felt flushed as Adel worked a hand southward. Zell was already hard as the hand ghosted over the boy.

"Nngh," Zell moaned, throwing his head back. Adel kissed him gently, pumping Zell full and hard. Adel himself didn't have enough energy to full outright, but there was always time to watch his boy come.

Just a few more strokes…

Zell was panting, chest heaving. Adel smirked as he felt the boy shaking. He was in total control of this body on him, and this body wouldn't end up as unfortunate as Adel's own knight.

"Adel," Zell gasped, spilling into the water. Adel nuzzled Zell's neck.

"Today was a good day, hmm?" Adel whispered in his ear. Zell's come was sucked into a filter immediately and clean water replaced it. Adel had always liked this bath for that reason, also due to the bath's size. It was like a big swimming pool, but made for cleaning.

Zell sucked in a shaky breath. "You'll run out of bangles," Zell stated. "You can't keep me locked up for long, and when I get the strength, I'll give you your power back."

Adel bit Zell's neck this time. "Such brave words. I hope, for your sake, that you certainly will. Otherwise I've no complaint about an eternity of this." He jerked Zell harshly, who gave out a little cry.

So beautiful. So perfect.

Zell shifted and Adel winced again, this time failing to restrain his voice. Zell turned to see why, pulling away and Adel let him in a moment of weakness. There was a gash, Zell noted. It looked as if a curaga had been cast, but the curaga wasn't enough. Zell gasped as he noted the double-cut.

Hyperion had done this. Zell trembled. Seifer had fought Adel.

"Where is he?" Zell demanded, fumbling with a bangle. He got one off and his power blasted off the other, his anger fueling it like gasoline to a fire. He could hear a Rinoa as she faintly called to him, "Zell, he's dead!" Zell broke off the faint contact and felt tears as Adel loomed over him.

"Where's Seifer?" Zell yelled. "Where is he?" Not waiting for an answer, he punched Adel in the cut, causing the wound to re-open. He fled the bath, pulling the towel around him as cover enough to search.

Servants flocked to their master as he hissed, casting a pain on Zell. Zell turned to watch it and his power snapped up and flicked it away. The boy's eyes had turned to ice, and Adel growled as he called forth his own power, the servants fleeing.

"Stop this, Zell," Adel hissed as the two powers wrestled with each other, in a dance of light and energy no magic could dream to match. The boy was strong, not having fought already, not having a control over his emotions. Zell's power was winning, and Zell smirked, just as triumphantly as Adel could when suddenly Adel's power within him rose against him, slamming him into the wall.

Zell winced, trying to gain his clearheadedness. Adel was on him in a flash, bleeding all over the smaller boy and Adel grabbed his wrist painfully. Zell struggled as Adel's memories flowed into him.

/ "He is mine," Adel stated as Seifer stood, preparing for a limit break.

"He isn't yours. Zell's his own person." Seifer launched into an attack, slicing Adel deeply in the chest. Adel hissed and his hand suddenly was faster than the human eye.

In the next moment, Adel had reached out a hand and through Seifer's chest and the hand came out the other side, covered in blood and tissue and holding a newly acquired heart.

"Z…Ze…" There wasn't enough strength to say the name completely. Seifer's eyes faded as Hyperion fell to the ground.

Adel smirked, whispering to the dead body as if he was sharing a great secret. "He can't love a dead person," Adel told the knight. "And a dead person can't love Zell." Seifer's body fell to the ground and Adel squashed the heart, wiping his hands on the trench coat Seifer wore. "Clean this up," he instructed his servants. "And take him to Odine, I'm sure- /

/ "Adel, don't," came the pleading voice of the knight. "Adel, I don't want to-"

"Shh," Adel told his knight reassuringly. "It'll be okay. You and I are together forever, so this would happen eventually, right?"

"Adel, I don't want this!" The knight struggled against bonds as Adel laughed.

"But I do, and the sorceress always wins. Don't worry, I'll make sure you enjoy it." /

Zell gasped, mouth tasting tears that had been flowing freely. "Seifer…" he cried, realizing he'd lost someone important to him. If he hadn't asked Seifer to be his knight, Seifer wouldn't have been in this position. Adel was glaring at him, glaring at him as if everything was Zell's fault.

It is, Zell realized angrily, kicking Adel into the pool. Zell got up and ran into the locker room, shame echoing in his footsteps. Seifer was dead because of him, and now no one was coming to rescue him. He'd caused Seifer to die, and he deserved this, he deserved what he got.

"Seifer!" he cried raggedly, sinking to his knees. His power flared forth at his cry, somehow slipping away from him for a moment before returning wearily and sinking into nothing. Zell huddled into a ball. He deserved Adel.

The older sorceress stormed in, angry and weakened. Furiously he fired a burst of power at Zell, who couldn't block it. The power shaped into a thunderga and flowed through him, sending waves of pain throughout his body. Zell cried out and whimpered, looking at Adel.

"Not a…good escape…plan, boy…to run into a room…and stay there…" Adel trailed off, the two attacks starting to take their toll. He gasped in pain and angrily hit Zell's head. Zell fell back on the door, not fighting.

After all, he deserved this.

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Rather short chapter, but I've almost finished typing the story out, with a brand-new ending! Yay! Much better than the last. Um.. there's no CK update for this week, sorry. If I get swarmed, what will I be swarmed by?

I'm updating this twice a week now instead though. (smiles apologetically. Not good enough?)

Oh, right, this was a sad chapter. Umm… yeah, sorry about that. But it needed to be done, and I rather enjoy killing off Seifer, as I'm sure he does me.

See you soon.