Author's note: Don't be off put by the shoddiness of the first chapter—it was not my best work. Needless to say, I was not quite myself when writing it. In essence, I hope to do better in the following chapters. Reviews are always nice (was that too subtle?) Oh, and I almost forgot to mention—I think that the actual parade in which Irvine attempts to assassinate Edea is in Deling City, if I'm not mistaken (at least I think it takes place in Deling…doesn't it?). Well, kindly over look the fact that I set it in Dollet, that was my mistake. Also, I am greatly considering dropping the rating of M down to T because, really, apart from some language now and then and sexual innuendos, there's nothing in here that's "offensive" or what have you.
As if due to some sixth sense, Edea was able to suspend Irvine's bullet midair. She let it hover, perhaps for effect, before letting it drop to the platform on which she sat. Though some considerable distance away, all six Balamb soldiers heard it fall with resounding force. There was no shock or delay for the ground team. Adrian, Brogan, Zell and even Rinoa jostled their way through the thick crowd. It seemed as though the majority of the parade-watchers had failed to notice the attempted assassination, but once the four SeeDs mounted the dais and locked themselves into an epic battle, the parade-goers noticed. Something less than pandemonium but more than mere chaos ensued—panicked parents and nonplussed children bunched together in a vain effort to remove themselves from a potentially redoubtable situation.
It took Irvine a few shaky seconds to regain his composure. In a very uncharacteristic movement, Squall patted Irvine's shoulder in a would-be comforting manner, had it come from anybody but Squall. Due to his standoffish nature, Irvine interpreted Squall's gesture as something more along the lines of, "I'll get you later." This did not expedite the recovery of his nerves, but Irvine allowed himself to be herded off of the balcony and down into the belly of the beast, where he, Squall and Selphie clamored aboard the dais and waited until they could be of assistance.
By this time the parade had halted and the surrounding pedestrians continued their attempt at fleeing. Given the architectural design of the city, the vast number of spectators seemed incapable of squeezing through the narrow alleyways and two lane streets at any considerable speed, and so had to settle for slowly trickling out and away form the Sorceress Edea and her prey.
Seifer, having become Edea's knight some time before, was the first and only obstacle between the SeeDs and the sorceress. With a particularly vehement blow, Adrian finished off Seifer who proceeded to lie in a heap at Edea's feet. Brogan, being perhaps the most literary minded of the group, may have laughed at the symbolism of the fallen knight laying at his lady's mercy in defeat had it not been such a critical situation. Instead she contented herself with making her attack on Edea. Beautifully countered by the sorceress, Squall realized this would be a much more difficult battle than he had anticipated.
Being a sorceress, it was very unsurprising that Edea's forte on the battlefield would be magic. Rinoa's strength was already beginning to dwindle under Edea's powerful attack. Rinoa was just preparing herself for her next attack when Edea released her fury upon the girl. Conjuring up some fatally sharp icicles with which to launch at Rinoa, Edea let slip one foul, crooked grin, distorting her otherwise seamless beauty. Perhaps it was a bizarrely Zen moment in which both Adrian and Squall were hit with an identical satori, but as it happened (or as Bokonnon from Cat's Cradle a work by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. tells us, "as it was supposed to happen") both young men knew, incontrovertibly, that Edea's attack would be the end of Rinoa.
In an attempt at futile heroics, the two men dove in front of the fast-fading girl. The first icicle hit Adrian directly through the shoulder blade and into what appeared to be the heart. The second pierced Squall in close proximity to his armpit. Both appeared to be fatal wounds.
Typically there is not much to see after one has been impaled by an icicle and is the middle of falling a good five feet to the cold, wet cement below. However, if you are Squall Leonhart, there is plenty to see. Not only had Squall been allotted just enough time to witness Adrian meet his own dire fate, but he had also been granted just enough consciousness to watch as Rinoa grasped ineffectually over the side of the platform for his seemingly lifeless body as it tumbled over the edge and to the emptiness below.
There isn't a word in the English language assigned, as of yet, to the type of holding cell Squall awoke to find himself in, although it was probably summed up best by Brogan, who chose to describe it as "a septic tank on a track with indoor plumbing and a bed." As Squall sat up on his tiny cot, he bore witness to a very familiar voice speaking to him.
"Squall…?" the voice asked. "Are you…like…alive?"
Squall, not to be put off by disembodied voices, answered.
"Yes."
"How monosyllabic of you! You really must be all right." The voice sounded jubilant. Perhaps it hadn't yet noticed where it was. Perhaps it was only a voice, and didn't even have eyes with which to notice its surroundings. Perhaps it knew something Squall didn't! "Incase you're wondering, this isn't Balamb."
"Adrian? Where are you?" asked Squall.
"If I am not mistaken, I believe I am directly beneath you."
Squall leaned over the edge of the cot and there, beneath him in the shadowy recess of the small bed, was indeed Adrian, stuffed and crammed and looking most uncomfortable.
"I think they like you better."
"They…?" asked Squall.
"Yes, they. You don't think that Seifer is running this operation by himself, do you!"
Squall shook his head no, but did not answer. Adrian, with a large amount of scuffling, tussling, wriggling and swearing, managed to free himself from the confines of the army cot and propped himself against the wall opposite Squall.
"So…" said Adrian, nervous in the lapsing silence. "Any…em…escape plans or anything? No? Well, I've devised one. Incase you're interested in escaping. No, you're not? What's that, you want to stay here and hand yourself over willingly to Seifer? Is this some strange fantasy of yours? 'An imprisoned Squall can only earn his freedom by seducing the cruel master, Seifer, but what happens when Squall starts developing feelings for his captor?' It's Stockholm Syndrome rolled into a gay romance novel! C'mon now, be sensible Squall. My well-laid plans are foolproof. Absolutely nothing can go wrong if you'd just work with me."
Squall let his silence do the talking for him, but he took the liberty in raising a well-arched eyebrow at Adrian, who returned his gaze with a pitiful one of his own.
"If you feel compelled to share your plans, at least make them brief."
"Top drawer! Okay, Squall, my pet, come pop a squat! Oh, you're already seated. Fine. If you'll take a gander to that there hatch on the roof, I believe you'll find it unlocked. It indubitably leads to loads of wires and things that go POP! when you cross them incorrectly. They should be easy enough to work around. Once we're on top of this…large, metal Tupperware container, I'm sure we'll be able to figure out a route down to safety. I'm not positive, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the others are here somewhere."
From outside their metal doors the pair heard the rough voices of guards.
"Come with me, little lady. We're takin' you down to see Seifer for a bit of the ol' in-out—er, I mean, for a bit of 'questioning.' Won't hurt a bit." The guard laughed at this, and his companion soon joined in.
"You filthy bastards!" the voice of Rinoa said. The sound of a guard slapping her filtered in, though muffled, through their thick metal doors. Squall looked dangerously upset at this turn of events, but before he could react, the sound of boots came tapping along the hallway.
"That's enough!" came the powerful voice of Seifer. "I'll take her from here. Give me 20 minutes with this one, and then fetch one of the pitiful slobs in there. Bring me Leonhart first."
"Yes, sir!"
The sounds of retreating footsteps soon faded altogether and left Squall and Adrian in a tense silence.
"So…about that escape plan. Ready to try it?"
Upon further inspection, Adrian discovered that while the hatch was indeed unlocked, it was painfully narrow. Not even a slender woman could fit through the opening without considerable effort and pain. Ever determined, Adrian demanded that Squall give him a boost anyway, and he removed the hatch's covering to peer about. Fitting up to his shoulders, Adrian wriggled his arms up and grasped the edge of the hatch. Either because he could not or simply because he would not hold on any longer, Squall simply walked away and let Adrian dangle free from the ceiling.
In a desperate attempt to remain aloft, Adrian grasped frantically at the cables and managed to find a loose wire among their muddled mass. With a loud and resonating sizzling noise, Adrian dropped to the floor with a loud thump and shook his head. Along his palm was the scorched mark of where the wire and his skin had made contact. It was raw, red and glistening, but did not discourage Adrian's grim determination.
"Well then…I guess we'll just have to try another method of escape."
"Patience is a virtue." Said Squall. "Try it once. You might like it."
"Doubtful."
The sound of boots approaching grew louder and louder. The guard had come at his appointed time to fetch Squall from his cell and deliver him into the sadistic hands of Seifer. He knew not what awaited him, but he knew it wouldn't be pleasant. Adrian watched as Squall was led away. He offered no struggle or resistance. Adrian wondered if perhaps Squall knew something that he didn't.
"Bored, bored, bored…" mumbled Adrian. "Bored!"
From somewhere to his left, a voice called out to him.
"Adrian?" It was Brogan.
"Brogan!" he called back. "Where are you?"
"I'm in a large, metal…thing. Where are you?"
"Our situations are not entirely dissimilar. I, too, find myself in a large, metal thing. Are you with anyone?"
"Yes, I'm here with Selphie."
"Really?" asked Adrian in disbelief. "I would have thought I'd have heard her by now if she'd been with you. I mean, I know it's a strain talking to you through all this metal, but we know how exuberant and loud Selphie is."
"Yeah, she's out cold. I heard Rinoa go by earlier though. You don't think that Seifer's really going to…"
"Have his disgusting way with her? No, I think not. Rinoa would be liable to bit it off before she'd let that moldy old thing get near her." Said Adrian, pulling a face at the mere thought of Seifer and Rinoa going at it. "Moldy, moldy."
"How do you know it's moldy?" asked Brogan skeptically.
"What do you think, I slept with him? Ye gad, no. I've heard talk among the ladies who have had the unfortunate experience of…copulating with him."
The sound of clanging metal announced a guard at Adrian's door. He unlocked the thick metal, grabbed Adrian by the collar and hauled him out. Pointing a gun at the back of his head, the guards marched Adrian down along a corridor. As he left, he heard the soft voice of Brogan calling for him. He hoped he would be able to see her again. Being at the mercy of Seifer and Edea's vindictive hands, he doubted very much he would be seeing anyone ever again.
The guards led him down into the quintessential torture chamber that every good villain must have. Edea and Seifer's dungeon was not that different from the standard lair of inequity. There was a sundry of pointy, pokey, probey, serrated and sharp instruments strewn about. Some of them Adrian couldn't even hazard a guess as to what they did or why, and some more yet looked vaguely kinky.
"I'll take it from here." Said Seifer once the guards had successfully buckled Adrian into a chair. They saluted and left Adrian to his fate. Seifer, no doubt in an attempt to look intimidating and fearsome, picked up one of the kinkier-looking torture devices and spun it around in his hands.
"Where'd you get that, Seifer? I saw it at the Sex Boutique for 30 gil a few weeks ago."
"Shut it, Avalon," growled Seifer, in another vain attempt at scaring Adrian. Adrian found himself hard pressed to suppress a snort of laughter—Seifer fondling a sex toy and trying to act frightening was almost more than he could bear. "I'm warning you! Not another snide comment, or I'll break your nose, you smart ass."
Adrian attempted to bow his head in a show of somber respect, but simply couldn't keep himself from letting one wayward snort of amusement seep forth. Seifer did not take kindly to this. Swinging hard, he landed a blow Adrian's jaw and connected with a sickening crack. A few moments of silence passed between them with Seifer breathing heavily and looking angered, and Adrian feeling the damage; suddenly, Adrian began to laugh. Seifer was at his wit's end. He landed another striking blow to the temple. Though sufficiently dizzy, Adrian managed to keep his laughter to himself this time.
"You're such a freak." Seifer told him. "Now, look over there." He pointed to a large lump of something dangling precarious from the wall.
"What am I supposed to see?"
"You're supposed to see Squall." Said Seifer, letting go a merciless bark of laughter. "Out cold."
Adrian was none too pleased to see this.
"You mother fucker! What'd you do to him? Did you do this to Rinoa, too? And the others?"
"Calm yourself, dear boy. Rinoa and I had a very pleasant little chat." He grinned wolfishly and Adrian kept himself from being ill. "As for the others, they're all waiting for their turn. Don't be too impatient." Seifer snapped his fingers and one of the guards sprang to life.
"Yes, sir?"
"Wake Leonhart."
The guard saluted and went to do his bidding. The guard pulled on a giant lever, and suddenly the overhead lights dimmed and a halo of blue sparks crowned Squall's body. It was an eerie sight: Squall was pinned to the wall with his arms outstretched and his feet resting on a tiny ledge. His body resembled the very image of Christ as he was crucified, and the sparks was his crown of thorns. Adrian was taken aback by the striking similarities as he watched on in horror. The guard threw the switch back and electrocution ceased. Squall's groggy head lolled over onto his shoulder before lifting itself up to meet the eyes of Adrian.
"Guess what!" said Seifer in a freakishly chipper tone. "We're going to play a game! The game is called 'Tell the Truth' and the rules are pretty simple. I'm going to ask each of you a question, one at a time, and you're going to tell me the truth. If I think you're lying, you get penalized. Avalon, for each lie you tell, I am going to electrocute Leonhart. Leonhart, for each that you tell, I am going to break one bone in Avalon's body. Who wants to go first!"
Nobody volunteered.
"Leonhart, you can go first. What is SeeD?"
The resentment in Seifer's voice was next to tangible. Though he had given it numerous tries, he had never been able to pass the SeeD field exam. There was no question as to why he was targeting the SeeDs; he was jealous of them.
"…You're kidding, aren't you? You know what SeeD is, Seifer."
"Oh, I'm sorry, no. That's one penalty to you, Leonhart. What bone should I break first? Oh, I know! A rib!"
And so Seifer broke one of Adrian's ribs. Adrian made no acknowledgement of his doing such.
"Avalon, the question goes to you. What is SeeD?"
"A military faction designed to act as mercenaries. You pay SeeD and they will fight for you."
"Very good, Avalon. Leonhart, what is the secret of SeeD?"
"What do you mean? What secret?"
"I'm afraid that's incorrect. How about a finger this time?"
"Seifer, no!" yelled out Squall. "I'll answer your question honestly, just tell me what you mean. What sort of secret?"
"What is the secret of SeeD?" Seifer asked again.
"Seifer, I don't know what you mean. Just explain it, please." Squall begged him.
"I'm sorry, that's just not the right answer. Since I had to repeat myself, we'll up the ante from finger to wrist."
And so he broke a wrist.
"Avalon, what is the secret of SeeD?"
"Seifer, I don't know, but electrocuting Squall isn't going to get you the answer. There is no secret to SeeD. We're born and bred for Garden, we grow up learning how to fight, cheat, hoodwink and win and we get paid for it. After that, we retire, and then we die. That is SeeD."
"Good enough. Next question to Leonhart."
But the game ended there. A guard came scurrying down and frantically waved to Seifer.
"Sir, General Caraway has sent word that Irvine Kinneas is to escort Rinoa Heartilly back to his home in Timber."
"Only Heartilly?" asked Seifer.
"Yes, sir, he only specified that Kinneas would be taking his daughter."
"Let's go get her then. Get these two back to their cells. I'll see you two again later. We've got to finish up our little game." Seifer smirked at Adrian and Squall before sweeping from the room.
Several guards freed Adrian and Squall from their confines and led them at gunpoint back to their cells.
"Brogan?" Adrian called through the thick walls.
Selphie's voice, which both Squall and Adrian (and likely enough everyone else in the building) could quite clearly hear, suddenly ceased. Frantic shushing from Brogan could be heard.
"Ade? Are you okay?" she asked him, the concern in her voice more than apparent.
"Um, yeah. Squall's here too. I think we're okay. Squall's hair is standing up at all weird angles, but that's kind of expected, given the nature of his visit to Seifer's lair."
"What are you on about?" Asked Brogan.
"Yeah, Seifer electrocuted Squall."
A large volley of indignant shrieks sounded from the next cell. Adrian let it die down before continuing.
"But he's okay. At least I think he is. He's alive, and he's not talking, so I think everything's normal. Right Squall? Oh, now he's glaring at me. Yep, he's obie-kabie!"
"Did he electrocute you too?"
"No. We played a game. It was called 'Let's break Adrian' and it involved breaking my rib and wrist."
Another round of indignant and outraged shrieks could be heard echoing from within Brogan and Selphie's cell.
"That bastard! When I get my hands on him, I'm gonna chop his balls off! One for you and one for Squall!" Said Brogan in outrage.
"Assuming he has any."
Before much time could elapse and Seifer could come back for them, the SeeDs devised a plan. It was Selphie's brilliant brainchild. It entailed Selphie playing sick and Brogan calling for help. Once the unsuspecting guard opened the door, they would fight him. Once they rendered him harmless, they would steal his keys and free the others from their cells. Once they had completed that task, they intended to set out and find the exit to the building and flee anyway possible.
"Guard, guard!" Brogan called. "Help! Guard, help! Ayudame! Aidez-moi! Helfen sie mir! Aiutilo! Ajude-me! Ow, Selphie, I was just being thorough!"
A guard knocked on the door.
"What's going on in here?" he asked.
"My friend…I think she's really sick! She just slumped over, and she won't wake up! Help!" cried Brogan, sounding truly scared.
"Aw, Christ…" spat the Guard. "Okay, lemme get the key."
They heard the jingling of keys and then the tumbler on the lock released and the metal door swung forward. Brogan let loose a wild yell of triumph as she and Selphie pummeled the guard. With a dull thud, he hit the ground.
"Tee-hee," said Selphie.
Quite suddenly, the door on Adrian and Squall's cell swung open to reveal a broadly grinning Selphie and Brogan. Adrian and Brogan caught each other in a large hug. Selphie was about to hug Squall as well before realizing whom she was dealing with and restrained herself. Squall seemed oblivious to the world around him, per usual.
"Where are Zell, Irvine and Rinoa?" Asked Selphie.
"Well, Rinoa's father wired a message demanding his daughter's release, and Irvine was going to be the one to bring her home. So they're out. I don't know where Zell is. Let's try the cell next to ours."
Adrian knocked on the door of the cell next to his. He heard a scuffle from within and a large bump. Then there was silence.
"Zell? It's us, Zell."
Zell's voice came from within.
"No Zell here."
"Zell, it's Adrian. Quit being an ass. Toss me the keys, Selphie. Ouch! I said toss them, not chuck them at my head."
Adrian opened Zell's cell and a bemused Zell wandered out of it like a drugged polar bear being freed from its pen at the zoo. Upon discovering that it was indeed Adrian who had freed him, Zell looked overcome with joy. Though preventing him from encompassing his aching body in a bear hug, Adrian was also glad to see Zell.
"Did Rinoa and Irvine leave?"
"Yeah, sure did." Said Zell.
"Let's get a move on before they discover our nasty little trick." Said Brogan, directing the group to the staircase.
It very little time for Seifer to become aware of their disappearance. It was also not very hard to piece together what had happened: an unconscious guard who was missing his keys, three empty cells which had formerly housed SeeDs who were going to be tortured…yup, this was definitely the work of a Garden student. It had the word SeeD written all over it. As soon as Squall, Zell, Adrian, Brogan and Selphie reached the landing two floors beneath their cells, they were cut off by a handful of irate soldiers. As soon as finishing them off, the group managed to get to the next floor before encountering the next fresh batch of soldiers. It wasn't until the fourth floor down that there suddenly came gunshots from the roof…gunshots that sounded suspiciously like Irvine coming back to rescue them.