Disclaimer: (See Part I.)
A/N: Chayn is a character that I made up, along with Buzz and Garold, and anyone else that I throw into this story who have nothing to do with FF8 whatsoever; I own nothing else but the plot of this story.
To my readers: I am terribly, awefully, horribly sorry for not having updated this thing sooner! Where did last summer go? I was gonna finish this thing; I don't know what happened. So here it is people. I give you (after an eternity) the second last chappy!
.-.-.-.-.-
Chayn knocked on Nida's G11 room and explained to the brown-haired student why he was standing outside of his room. Chayn couldn't believe his luck having been sent to Nida's room, or perhaps it was fate.
Nida allowed Chayn into his room and provided him with a blanked and pillow, and let him take a place on the couch. Nida sat down in his chair and finished reading the chapter of the book that he had nearly finished. Little was said until Nida decided it was time to turn in for the night.
"Night," he said to Chayn turning out the light.
"Goodnight," Chayn responded. He heard the squeak of the bedsprings as Nida climb into bed in the other room. There was silence for a few moments, but then Chayn asked the question that he had been dying to ask.
"Nida?"
"Yes?"
"You know how to fly the Garden, right?"
"Yes."
"Would you mind if I watched you fly it sometime?"
Nida paused for a moment. "Why would you want to watch that? It's not as exciting as it sounds."
"Well, I have to write a paper on the past and present workings of the Garden, and I was hoping that I would be able to write about its flight."
"Hmm..." Nida was thinking in the other room. "I'd have to get the Headmaster's permission first, but I'm sure it will be all right."
"Great."
"When is your paper due?" asked Nida, wondering about the timeframe that they would be working in.
"Two days." Chayn gave a nervous laugh.
"That's cutting it close. I'll see what I can do."
Chayn thanked the upper year student and quickly fell asleep.
.-.-.-.-.-
The next morning Irvine got up quickly and went on his way to the Infirmary. As he was making his way down the hall he thought that he caught a glimps of Chayn out of the corner of his eye, but he shook off the vision. It was probably a good thing that he was going to speak with the doctor, he reasoned. Maybe he would be able to clear his mind and get a fresh view on things before they could get any worse between him and Zell.
He slowly and unwillingly opened the door to Dr. Kadowaki's office and walked in.
.-.-.-.-.-
"Hey Chayn, good news." Nida burst out of the Headmaster's office. "Headmaster Cid says it's all right to let you up to the bridge to see how the Garden is flown for your paper. He just had to make a few calls to your instructors to make sure that it was necessary."
"Wonderful!" Chayn announced gleefully.
"Maybe I'll even let you fly it," Nida suggested.
"Really?" gasped Chayn.
Nida regreted the offer. "... Maybe."
The two boys went up to the bridge. Nida showed him the ins and outs of piloting the Garden and Chayn paid very close attention.
"And that's about it," concluded Nida. "Is that enough information for your paper now?"
"Actually, there is just one more thing. Let me try flying now."
Nida laughed. "Well, it's against regulation to let a SeeD-in-training fly the Garden, but just because it's you I'll let you try it."
.-.-.-.-.-
Dr. Kadowaki was continuously asking Irvine questions in the Infirmary that he wasn't so sure had much to do with his well being. What did asking if Zell had ever confided in him about any illegal activity have to do with the situation anyway?
Irvine glanced over his shoulder back at the doors to notice two Faculty members guarding them that he hadn't noticed before. It was almost as if the doctor was trying to distract him from something. "What are they doing here?" asked Irvine, indicating the Faculty.
"They are required to be here when we have a SeeD in your..." she paused, searching for the right word, "situation."
Irvine stood up in a hostile manner causing one of the Faculty members to step forward. "Situation? What's going on?" he repeated.
Dr. Kadowaki remained calm. "Sit down Irvine," she commanded firmly.
"No! Tell me what's going on or I'm leaving," he threatened.
"If you leave you will be kicked out of the Garden."
"Then I'll be kicked out. So what?" Irvine just wanted to get out of the Infirmary and talk to the Headmaster to find out what was going on. "There's something going on around here, and I'm going to find out what it is."
The bells sounding an announcement rang and the Headmaster's voice came into the room. "All upper year SeeDs report to my office on the third floor immediately. That's all SeeDs to the Headmaster's office immediately. All other students and SeeDs stay clear of the hallways until further notice."
Irvine, being an upper year student sprinted to the door only to be stopped by the Faculty members.
"Let me through. The Headmaster needs me!"
The Faculty didn't budge.
"Common! Something is very wrong."
The bells sounded again and the Headmaster's voice came back as if in an after thought. "Irvine Kinneas, you are ordered to stay in your location."
Irvine heard one of the Faculty members muffle a laugh under his breath.
"Come back and sit with me so we can chat some more," said the doctor.
"Like hell," Irvine muttered and made a dash for the windows, nimbly manuvering his body to the outside of the Garden and hanging on to the ledge for dear life.
The doctor and both Faculty members raced to the window after Irvine, but he had already mannaged to climb partially up the Garden. Neither of the Faculty wanted to chase after him in their long robes.
.-.-.-.-.-
Nida, Rinoa, Squall, Selphie, Quistis, and a bunch of other SeeDs had all crowded into Headmaster Cid's office talking loudly amongst themselves while waiting to receive further orders from the Headmaster.
Cid finally stood up from his desk and silenced the group. "A situation has arised and I need all of your help. Be sure to take your weapons with you; you are bound to need them."
"What is the mission?" asked one of the SeeDs near the back to the room.
"Exterminate Zell Dincht."
.-.-.-.-.-
Irvine climbed his way causiously up the side of Balamb Garden to the window of a second floor classroom. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, there was a class going on in the room. Irvine tapped on the window causing a young SeeD to look over her shoulder at him.
She looked surprised and frightened at the same time. She whirled back around in her desk and raised her hand. "Ma'am, there's a man at the window."
The instructor turned to face the windows, recognizing Irvine from another of her classes. "Let him in, please."
The young girl unlocked the window allowing Irvine to climb through the window. A young boy's eyes lit up on the other side of the room. "Hey! Is that Mr. Kinneas?"
The class watched in awe as Irvine disobeyed the Headmaster orders and disappeared out into the hallway.
"Pay no attention to him, class," warned the instructor. "He's a bad influence."
Irvine sprinted toward the elevators. As he rounded the corner he nearly knocked Rinoa over as she rounded the same corner in the opposite direction.
"Irvine!" she panted in surprise after regaining her balance. "What are you doing? The hallways are supposed to be empty, and you were supposed to stay where you were."
"I know, what's going on?"
Rinoa bit her lip. "Well, you know how Life magic is becomeing more scarce?"
Irvine nodded, he had heard Raijin mention something about it before, but so what?
"Well, apparently Zell and Garold are in possession of an illegal machine that regenerates Life magic, and they are trafficing it for a high price."
"That's insane!" Irvine objected. "Zell doesn't even have enough gil for a hot dog!"
"This is why the Headmaster didn't let you in on the orders. He knew you would be to emotional to function under the pressure."
"What pressure?" asked Irvine.
"Zell..." she began with a croak, "has to pay for his actions with his life."
Irvine turned a ghostly white and felt his throat tighten. He swallowed hard, "Death?"
Rinoa looked away from Irvine to the ground. "I'm sorry." She ran past Irvine quickly.
After a moment of being lost in his thoughts, Irvine jogged to the elevator and took it up to the Headmaster's office to protest Zell's innocence.
Headmaster Cid averted his attention from Nida to Irvine when he entered the room by crashing through the door rather unexpectantly. "Irvine," Cid began in a tone of repremend, "I gave you an order to stay in the Infirmary. What are you doing here?"
"You're going to let them kill Zell!" Irvine waved his hands about frantically.
"I want you to stay out of this one."
"Make the SeeDs retreat from the mission! Zell hasn't done anything wrong."
Nida stepped forward. "Illegal objects were found in his dorm room and he hasn't been seen since. Doesn't that look a little suspicious to you?"
"No! Listen, I'm telling you, Zell didn't do it. Whatever objects you found, they can't belong to him," Irvine insisted. "It's gotta be Chayn."
"Irvine," Headmaster Cid began, "there's something you don't know about Chayn, he's-"
"No, there's something you don't know about Chayn," inturrupted Irvine, "he's-"
"A spy hired by the Garden to investigate this issue while furthering his studies," Nida concluded the argument.
"What!" Irvine exclaimed after a moment of dumbfoundedness.
"We tried to have you removed from the situation, but you just don't listen." Cid shook his head with disappointment.
"But I'm here now, and I'm going to find Zell." Irvine turned on his heel and began toward the door that was now blocked by Dr. Kadowaki and the two Faculty members that he had escaped from earlier. Irvine ignored them and tried to force his way through, but couldn't manage. Then he skipped over to the windows only to find that they were sealed shut.
It looked like he would be stuck there for the time being.
.-.-.-.-.-
Zell peeked around the corner on the lower level of Balamb Garden. He had already been chased and shot at by several of his peers, including Squall, and he didn't have the slightest idea why.
Seeing that no one was around, he lept out from hiding and ran toward the elevator. Unfortunately, he hadn't realized that the elevator was on its way to his floor. The elevator dinged the arrival and out stepped Selphie.
She swiftly took out her Nunchaku upon seeing Zell. "What do you think you're going?" she interrogated.
"Selph! Not you, too? What's going on?"
"We were given orders to kill you." Selphie took a stance preparing to fight.
Zell looked confused.
"Common, why aren't you coming at me? Put your fists up and fight!"
"I'm not going to fight you," Zell said as if the very thought of them fighting was the most irrational thing he had ever heard in his life.
Selphie lowered her Nunchaku. "Aww, it won't be any fun if you aren't going to fight back. Not to mention very hard."
"You think killing me will be fun!"
Selphie crossed her arms. "Well, not any more." Then an evil glint flickered in her eyes. "Go on, I'll give you a head start." She stepped out of the way so that Zell could take the elevator.
Zell was stunned for a moment.
"Go on!" she urged.
Zell shot Selphie a sideways glance and sprinted to the elevator, riding it up.
Selphie watched as the numbers of floors rose and stopped at three. She took out a walkie-talkie. "Selphie to Headmaster. Zell is on the third floor, and I'm going after him."
Zell got out on the third floor and quickly took a second elevator up the the bridge, surprised to see that Chayn was piloting the Garden.
Chayn, upon hearing the elevator, turned around to face Zell. "Do not come any closer." He pulled out a dagger that he had been holding on to for protection, and pointed it at Zell with a shaky hand.
Zell, being swift with the fists managed to disarm Chayn quickly. He pointed the younger boy's dagger back at him. "Tell me what's going on."
"I do not know." Chayn put his hands up in defeat.
Zell smirked and shook his head, not believeing what he was being told.
Selphie arrived at the bridge. Zell looked over his shoulder and made a snap decision. He moved behind Chayn and held the dagger to his throat, twisting his arm so that he wouldn't be able to slip away.
Selphie put her hands on her hips. "You aren't playing by the rules, Zell."
"Enough playing. Chayn and I are getting off of this Garden, now."
"It's your funeral." Selphie shrugged, stepping aside for Zell to pass.
He and Chayn took the elevators to the first floor and stepped quickly toward the enterance.
Headmaster Cid and a group of Faculty members stepped off of the elevator after them. "Zell, you'll regret it if you step off of this Garden," warned the Headmaster.
Zell turned around to face them. "Don't I even get to know what is going on anymore?"
"Enough with the games, Zell. You know exactly what you did."
"Is this about that hotdog? The cafeteria lady said she'd put it on my tab! Go ask her yourself."
"That's not funny." One of the Faculty members shook a fist in Zell's direction.
"If no one is going to tell me what's going on, I'll just take Chayn here and return him after he decides to fill me in."
Another Faculty member was about to object, but Headmaster Cid stopped him and they watched as Zell left the Garden with Chayn at his side.
.-.-.-.-.-
Zell walked through a forest, hoping to loose anyone from Balamb Garden who might be following them, and crossed a grassy field, stopping a short distance away from a ledge.
"Alright Chayn," Zell turned the boy to face him, their eyes met at the same level, "spill it."
"Alright," Chayn agreed, "right after you tell me where the rest of the illegal parts are for the Life regenerator."
"Illegal parts for the what?"
"The possession of Life regenerator," repeated Chayn. "Are you suggesting that you have other parts as well? How long have you been working with Garold now?"
"Garold? I haven't been working on anything with that guy," Zell protested.
"Oh, so are you suggesting that you found all of those parts that were in your room yourself? I did not suspect that you were so clever. I knew we should have hooked up."
"I didn't find any parts of anything! I don't know what you're talking about," Zell asserted.
"Come now, Zell. We could be partners. All you have to do is tell me where the parts are. Is it realy worth dying for?"
Zell remained silent, refusing to repeat himself again.
"Well then, perhaps I can force it out of you." Chayn manuvered himself into a Tai Chi-like stance. A raven, seeming to have appeared out of no where, swooped down between him and Zell, removing the dagger from Zell's grasp before he could even blink.
The raven passed the dagger on back to its original owner. Chayn slipped gracefully behind Zell and held the dagger to his throat. "It looks as though the tides have changed Honey Lips." He walked Zell closer to the edge.
"Chayn, you'll never get away with this," Zell warned, pulling back as far away from the blade as he could.
"They will not even look at me twice. We were told to kill you at first sight. You are wrong if you think that anyone will care about what I do to you?"
"Irvine will..."
.-.-.-.-.-
Irvine snarled at the Faculty members keeping him in the Headmaster's office. He passed back and forth, trying to force his brain to think of a way to get his out of there.
"Stop moving, you!" ordered one of the Faculty, becoming nervous in the presence of the tall man.
Irvine clenched his fist at his side and forced himself to keep his cool. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
Suddenly, the room began to disintegrate around him. Tiny bits of the wall flew up and disappeared into thin air. The Faculty members images flickered and then shut off like a television screen.
Irvine found himself standing in the middle of the endless blue-carpeted corridor from his haunting dream. Fearing that his worst nightmare was about to come true, Irvine raced down the corridor in pursuit of the end.
The walls of the corridor also disintegrated and Irvine found himself running through a familiar grassy field toward a figure that had appeared on the horizon. As he ran his feet got ahead of him and he stumbled downward to fall face to face with a large alligator. The creature growled lowly. Irvine jumped up and continued running to his destination.
He approached the edge causiously where Chayn and Zell were standing, Chayn with his back to him. He tip-toed closer to them, trying not to make a sound.
The raven soared above the three at the cliff and squawked frantically.
Chayn looked up first at the warning and then over his shoulder at Irvine. "What are you doing here? It does not matter. You are too late to do anything, leave now."
Zell's body tensed as he felt the dagger being pushed by Chayn right up against his throat. He felt a trickle of blood run down his skin.
"Let Zell go," Irvine spoke soothingly, while taking baby-steps toward Chayn with his hands out to show that he meant no harm.
"No!" Chayn refused like a child. "If I cannot have him then neither will you." Chayn pushed Zell up to the ledge of the cliff.
Zell struggled to keep his footing as tiny pebbles and bits of dirt spilled over the edge.
Irvine felt himself begin to panic, but he forced the feeling down. He lept at Chayn and pulled him to the ground. The dagger dropped a few feet away from them.
Zell waved his arms around frantically to regain his balance on top to the ledge.
Irvine pushed himself off of the shorter boy, drew back his fist, and punched him across the face.
"Irvine!" Zell called. The ground beneath his feet gave way and he slipped from the edge.
Irvine jumped up and raced to the edge of the cliff. He leaned over to see Zell dangling from a root that he had managed to cling onto. He reached out a hand and called out to Zell to grab onto it.
Zell reached up with an arm to find that he was only a few inches too far away.
Irvine stretched further. The tips of their fingers touched momentarily. Irvine heard a noise to his right. He looked over to see Chayn coming at him with the dagger.
He rolled over promptly to avoid being stabbed, as Chayn's dagger came down. Irvine scrambled to his feet while Chayn removed the dagger from the ground.
The younger boy grinned happily at Irvine and swiped the dagger at him a few times. Irvine narrowly avoided it by jumping out of the way.
Zell pulled himself up on top of the branch which bent to its limit under his weight. He jumped up to the egde of the cliff and strained to pull himself over. The branch below him snapped and fell to the ground that must have been hundreds of feet below him.
"Zell!" Irvine took a step toward his friend, but Chayn appeared between them. Irvine stopped and furrowed his brows.
Chayn gave a crooked smile and stepped over to Zell. He looked back at Irvine with a glare. "Now you can watch your little boyfriend fall to his death." He stabbed at Zell's hand on the ledge. Zell moved his hand out of the way, leaving him only one arm to rely on to hold him up.
Chayn withdrew the dagger and stabbed at Zell's remaining hand, jabbing through it with ease.
Zell let out a yelp and struggled to hold onto the cliff with his remaining hand.
Chayn, obviously having forgot about Ivrine momentarily, cringed as Irvine's pointed cowboy boot made contact with his ribs. The shorter boy toppled over clutching his side.
Irvine looked down at the boy with emotionless eyes before returning to Zell, and helping him over the cliff and into the grass. Then he turned back to Chayn. "Why did you do this?"
"It was my... mission," Chayn spoke with each word becoming more laborous to get out.
"You were the one that planted those illegal items in Zell's dorm, weren't you?" Irvine knelt down and shook Chayn by the collar of his shirt. "Weren't you?" he demanded.
"Yes, it was me," Chayn confessed. "If you had not have been snooping around, the plan would have succeeded and I would have been rich."
"Is that all you were in it for?"
Chayn was silent.
Irvine pushed him rather violently in the ribs. Chayn shuddered and curled into a ball. "Yes, that was all."
"Except for your obession with Zell."
"No." Chayn smiled serenely. "I was not in it for that, though it was a rather pleasant surprise in the deal."
"They are going to lock you away for a very long time."
"That is where you are wrong, you still cannot prove that I have done anything."
"Ahh... see, that is where you are wrong." Irvine pulled the monitor from Garold out of his jacket. "I just caught everything that you just confessed to on tape."
Chayn let his head fall to the ground in defeat.
A group of Balamb Garden Faculty appeared in the distance. Irvine moved back to Zell who was clutching his hand. "My fist! It's my only weapon! I'll never be able to fight again!" he panicked.
Irvine wrapped his arms around Zell's waist. "You'll be fine," he assured.
.-.-.-.-.-
End of Part XIX.