Author's Note: Well hello everyone! It's been ages since I've updated this fic. Probably by now you're all cursing me for not updating (hahah!). Err… it can't be helped, I'm really busy in this past few months plus I'm still thinking of a good way to end this fic (so please forgive me folks!) So without any further ado, let's continue this fic. (Please do read the Author's note at the very end of this chapter, there you can find all my thank you's to all the reviewers who've reviewed the last chapter of this fic and my replies to your PMs (emails).)

A Knight's Promise

Chapter 40: The Great, Magnificent and High-tech Airship

Fuelled by his anger towards 'Squall' (for hurting Rinoa), Leon was feeling more aggravated after Mr. Fuji, his ghost companion informed them about Odine's horrifying plan to his friends and to Rinoa's family. Now he was even more determined to meet his adversaries (the mad scientist Odine and the guy who's calling himself 'Squall') and finish off his mission, that is …to slay the dragon and put an end to this 'nightmare' that they are all in. The fury he's feeling right now was so intense he can take hordes of monsters single-handedly. He was like a raging volcano ready to erupt at any time.

"He better not lay even a single finger to them or else…" he said infuriated. Leon punched the wall in anger. He can't believe what he heard from Mr. Fuji. "Dang! I can't wait to make a punching bag out of that despicable imp!"

Rinoa who was standing next to him stared fearfully at the specter in front of them. "G-ghost!" she said nervously. Her face turned pale and she looked like she was about to collapse.

"Huh? What ghost? Where? Where?" Mr. Fuji said innocently as he turned his head 360 degrees in search for the 'ghost' Rinoa was talking about.

Leon just rolled his eyes. He then turned to his female friend and said, "It's ok Rin, he's … not harmful… uh by the way Rin he's…"

"Let me introduce myself to this young and stunning lady…" Mr. Fuji interfered as he detached his head and bowed at Rinoa. "I am…."

"Ahhhhh!" Rinoa yelled sounding like those Hollywood actresses in horror films. "I'm gonna faint, I'm gonna faint…ugh" she raised her right hand to her forehead and leaned to her left (yep the ever so famous fainting position).

"Rinoa!" both men exclaimed.

They both ran to catch her but …BLAGAG!

"Ouchies" she murmured as she rubbed her throbbing head. She immediately stood up and scanned the area as if nothing happened. Then she hurriedly ran at the back part of the ship in search of something.

The two men looked at each other in confusion.

"What is she up to?" asked the ghost.

Leon just gave him a "Dunno" look. "I don't have any idea."

"AHA!" she grinned at the sight of a fluffy, blue cushion. She then turned her back to it and collapsed.

"Geez!" both men fell to the ground like those seen in animes.

Back at Deep Sea Research Facility

"ODINE! What have you done to my son! YOU #$&!" Laguna roared angrily at the old imp-like man in front of them. He angrily gripped the cold bars of their cell. "You've tricked us all you #$!"

"Answer him you #&!" Caraway shouted.

"Uh…please let us not use those words… children might be reading this you know" Gale reminded the two.

"Oh …sorry" the two men said in unison.

"Please….before I die I want to know what happened to my son" Laguna said with a calmer tone. His eyes were now blinded with tears.

"NOT LISTENING! I'M NOT LISTENING BLAH BLAH BLAH" Odine exclaimed while covering his ears.

"Please…tell..me. You are after all… a father just like me. You know…you know what I am feeling right now" Laguna covered his face and just burst into tears. He grabbed Kiros' collar and blew a terrible, sticky, green fluid out of his nose.

"Geez man you are disgusting!" Kiros said as he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah give the old man a break and tell us what happened to his son!" Caraway demanded.

"Exccccuseeee me! I'm not old" Laguna protested.

"You are!" Caraway insisted.

"No I'm not"

"Here we go again!" Kiros murmured.

"You are!"

"No I'm not"

"You are"

"NO I'M NOT!"

Odine shouted at the two men in annoyance. "Oww…dope! Enough! ok… ok… I'll tell you vhat I know. Juzt…juzt ztop arguing! It'z getting to my nervez!"

"Really?" both men stopped their arguments and focused their attention at the older man in front of them.

"Ah… vhat waz it again you're azking me about?" He questioned.

"M-My son" Laguna nervously replied.

"Which kid are we talking about? I mean…I zaw 4 kidz inzide the plane. Three boyz and an albino girl." He continued as he rubbed his chin. "Zince zon..they it zhould be a boy…am I right?"

The three men just rolled their eyes.

"The boy that fell into the Esthar sea, remember? He got shiny brown hair…" Kiros added.

Laguna on the other hand was brushing his hair with his fingers. "ehem…just like his father's… shiny and soft. Coz I'm using Head and Shoulders! So Buy 1 today!" (A/N: he he he commercial)

"… he got bright blue eyes …"

Laguna winked, showing that he too had sparkling blue-green eyes.

"…and of course a fair, smooth skin just like……ME he he he" Kiros pinched himself on the cheeks.

Upon hearing it, Laguna gave him a hostile look. His cool blue-green eyes turned red and dark smoke came out of his nostrils; he is like a enraged bull ready to attack the matador. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

Kiros just scratched his head and said, "Uh…he he he P-Peace?" and gave him a sign of peace.

"Ah that boy…how can I forget that one." Odine said as he paced back and forth, holding his chin.

"Really?" the three men said in unison.

"So that boy….yeah that boy…I do remember him. Ok I'm gonna tell everything that I know about him. But I'm telling you, I'm not going to repeat myzelf so lend me your earz. " Odine added.

The four men (including Gale) gave all their ears to him…..uh literally. (A/N: No FFVIII characters were harmed in making this fanfiction.)

"NyaHHH! VHAT THE?" he exclaimed as he disgustingly stared at the bloodied pieces of flesh in front of him. "VHAT THE HECK ARE THEZE!"

Restlessness started swallow up Leon's whole being as they get nearer to their destination… the Deep Sea Research Centre for the final battle against the mad scientist, Odine. He knew it'll be the toughest battle that he'll ever have in his life; not to mention the dreaded 'dragon' he'll be facing afterwards. He was even more anxious knowing that his 'beloved' friend was traveling with him. He let out a heavy sigh as he stared worryingly at the sleeping Rinoa.

"Darn! I hate this feeling…" Leon said under his breath. "At this rate we're traveling right now, we're not going to make it on time."

"Hmm…" Mr. Fuji stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment and …. "AHA!"

"What?" the blue-eyed lad said reluctantly. "This better be good…" he said to himself.

"Ah..no no no …" the ghost said as he went to his thinking position again.

Leon rolled his eyes and sat at the bed next to Rinoa. "If only I could turn back the hands of time, I'll…." He gently stroked her soft hair and whispered to her ears, "Rinny…I'm s…" before he could finish his dialogue …

"AHA!", his ghoul companion suddenly yelled, startling the young lad.

"What now?" he said as he sat upright and crossed his arms.

"Of course...we can use…IT!" he said jubilantly. "Yes, how come I didn't… ohhh stupid me he he he!"

"What? …didn't what?" he curiously said.

"Have I told you that I'm one of the inventors of the great, magnificent and high-tech spaceship/airship Ragnarok?" he boasted with a huge smile visible on his transparent face.

Back to the DSRF (Deep Sea Research Facility)

At the far left corner of the room, a silhouette of Odine taking a bath can be seen. He was so disgusted at the stain made by the 'pieces of flesh' the four men gave him a while ago so he showered himself with anti bacterial chemicals and other disinfectants.

"Tell me…your father is exaggerating." Caraway said at Odine's son, Gale.

"We're not that stupid to just give away our ears especially to that IMP!" Laguna explained as he caressed his own ears.

Meanwhile …

Deep Sea Research Centre

Cell #01247 (adjacent to Seifer and Fujin's cell that's behind Laguna's cell -as usual)

"SO ANY BRIGHT IDEAS SEIFER?" Zell exclaimed.

Cell #01246 (at the back of Laguna's cell)

"SILENCE" Fujin whispered.

"Yeah, someone might hear us chatting chicken wuss" Seifer answered back.

Cell #01247

"So any bright ideas Seifer?" Zell said almost inaudible.

"Don't worry, I managed to give out our location to Headmaster Cid before they took all our.." Quistis whispered.

Cell #01246

"You mean..you guys are …naked!" the green eyed lad exclaimed in disbelief.

"Shhh!" all of his friends said in unison.

Cell #01247

"Our weapons silly, they took all our weapons and gadgets!" Quistis whispered back. "Anyway, I bet Leon's on his way now here to save us."

"You need not to wait for him." A mysterious voice suddenly echoed Quistis' cell.

"Huh? Did you hear that?" Quistis said. She squinted and looked around her for a clue on where that voice came from.

"Yeah" all of her friends exclaimed.

"I'm here at the vent above you." The mysterious female voice whispered.

Fisherman's Horizon

Inside the Ragnarok airship

"Whoa!" Leon said as he entered the Ragnarok's cockpit. The cockpit's wall was filled with complicated looking controls, lighted buttons and high tech equipments. There were three rows of expensive looking seats to their sides and two at the front. "So the rumours are true, Ragnarok really existed." Leon added. He was so ecstatic he acted like a kid who's visiting a candy shop. "It's gorgeous!" he exclaimed as he continue to scan the area.

"Like it?" Mr. Fuji said with a smile in his face. "Actually, we haven't tested this great, magnificent and high-tech airship..so really dunno if this thing flies."

"What?" Leon gave him a confused look. "You mean…we might not be able to use this after all?"

"Try to understand, we are almost at the final stage of this great, magnificent and high-tech airship when you know… that horrendous incident happened." The ghost continued. "Ten of us were actually on our way to Balamb to discuss this project to Cid. We would like to ask him to support us so that we can finish this great, magnificent and high-tech airship and of course to lend the great, magnificent and high-tech Ragnarok for the benefit of SeeDs."

"Dang! It seems like your 'great, magnificent and high-tech' airship of yours is of no use", he mockingly commented. He was about to bang the controls in front of him when he remembered that he was carrying Rinoa in his arms. "Oh… I almost forgot about her…" he said as he stared at her worryingly. She was still unconscious and was now sleeping peacefully in Leon's arms.

"Psst…There's a bedroom at the lower deck of this 'great, magnificent and high-tech airship. Both of you can use that" Mr. Fuji said as he winked at him.

"There's…a bedroom?" he asked innocently.

"See! Our great, magnificent and high-tech airship was not of no use after all!" the ghost added as he winked at him again.

"Whatever!" he said as he rolled his eyes and went at the high-tech looking elevator at the back of the cockpit.

Author's note (again)

Yep it's me again and as I've promised here's my thank you list. Selphielynn07, hey first of all WELCOME to (I'm gonna say that in behalf of the owner of the site…ask me who he/she is? welp I don't know.) You said I have to hurry up and update…well here it is and I would like to dedicate this for you coz you're my newest reviewer/friend here. Evan'sRinoa: Hello angel! Thank you for your emails (through It's nice to know that you're doing well. I just hope you'll update your fics (hey I've updated mine, so you better do the same..uhh which you already did.). PasifiKStaR: I've just finished reading (again for the second time) your wonderful fanfic entitled, A Thief's Treasure (yep it's one of my favourite). Thank you for that memorable story (not to mention chapter 9! Geez I wish I live in the North Pole coz of it whew!); it really inspires me to finish my fanfic just like my fave author. And to the rest who haven't reviewed yet but have read this, THANK YOU!

SeeD salutes