Chapter 3 The Innocent One Is Not So Innocent

Seifer stood at the front gate and struck at the imaginary enemy before him.

Seifer sighed, "Oh, this sucks! The same thing every year! Seifer do this, Seifer do that. I hate this! I keep being used!"

Seifer marched like a dead man with his gun blade scratching the cement ground as if it was Death's scythe. He walked and saw the grass abound under his feet. He froze. And a cold voice spoke.

Poor child. No one understands you. No one cares for you. You are alone in this world. The boy in you is scared, but if you say farewell to your past I will promise you eternal glory.

Seifer searched for the voice, turning around to see only the Garden in the distance. Seifer looked left, and saw the trees towering above him, and yanked his gun blade and loudly uttered, "Show yourself! Who are you! Stop hiding! I don't have time to play games!"

Seifer felt a soft touch behind his back and he brought his gun blade high up into the air and swung back at the sudden touch, but as he swung the blade he turned around to see a young girl.

"Seifer!" Ellone said alarmed.

Seifer stopped his attack and brought down his gun blade feebly and said in awe, "Ellone, what are you doing out here! There are monsters everywhere, and if I wasn't here you would probably be dead!"

Ellone smiled softly and nodded, "I know, I was afraid you were out causing mischief again."

Seifer stood up straight and put on a stout face, "Ellone, I am not a kid anymore. I can take care of myself."

Ellone covered her lips and muffled her laughter, "I know, but some part of me still wants to be that big sis of yours."

Seifer eyes grew solemn. He held his gun blade tight as if it was a very sacred item, and said, "Ellone, this maybe out of subject, but did you hear a voice earlier?"

Ellone thought for a moment and answered, "Oh no, not really. I only heard my own voice and yours. Why, is something wrong?"

Seifer's voice went down a pitch, "Ellone, you are not..."

"I am not what, Seifer?"

Seifer's eyes widened in shock as a huge T-rex came into view. The striped creature of monstrous size snarled and gave a loud cry of hunger. He pulled Ellone to one side.

"Stay behind me," Seifer warned.

Ellone lips quivered, "Do you want me to get help?"

"No, if you move the T-rex will run after you."

Ellone nodded wordlessly, and crouched down with her hands hovering over her ears.

"Don't die Seifer."

Seifer smirked, "This is child's play."

The T-rex growled and gnashed its teeth together threateningly, and lunged for a critical attack for Seifer's chest. Seifer thwarted the attack with his gunblade. The T-rex gnawed and gnawed at the gun blade, hoping to break the dingy weapon in half. The T-rex saw Ellone curled into a ball and decided to attack the weaker prey first. It gnashed its teeth together, took hold of the gunblade and flung Seifer's gun blade out of reach, and stomped vociferously to Ellone.

Ellone eyes widened, "Seifer! Help me!"

Seifer saw his gun blade fall to the earth head first with a clang. And cussed, "Dammit!"

"Seifer!"

Seifer heard her plea for help, and ran with all his might to her side. He cast a low level fire and the T-rex screamed in agony at the heat, and in its fury it crushed a few trees down. Seifer helped Ellone up and they both began to run to his gun blade. She fell. Seifer stopped and tried to bring her back up. She shook her head.

"Seifer! I can't move. It hurts to move," Ellone said between gasps of air.

Seifer checked her legs and saw whip marks red and clear from the T-rex. Seifer gritted his teeth and squatted down.

"Get on!" Seifer shouted.

Ellone nodded thankfully, stooped over onto his back, and held onto his neck as Seifer ran to his gun blade. And then everything became so unclear. Time seemed to have slowed down.

Seifer's Point of View

I saw my gun blade shine in the sunlight, waiting for its master. Waiting for me. I ran to it, and as I lifted my hand to take hold of my weapon the T-rex whipped my stomach and I was flung back at least five feet away from my gun blade. That's when time seemed to have moved forward slowly, maybe even stopped. I did not know. Everything happened so quickly, yet so slowly. I heard Ellone scream my name as her grip on me was released. She fell back three feet away from me. Dirt rose at the impact of her fall. Her white skirt strained with grass, and her eyes wet with tears. The T-rex was ready for a second assault. Its tail flicked back and forth, its eyes greedy for food. Then I heard a voice, a very familiar voice. It was warm and friendly, but filled with bitterness and vehemence.

Oh poor boy. You can't even defend a girl and you want to be the sorceress knight. Go get your gun blade. Pick it up before your friend dies forever. Get it…before I die.

I breathed out and searched for the voice. And my eyes caught Ellone's haggard form, and to my surprise she wasn't crying anymore. She stood still and smiled. That smile I knew so well. I trembled as one would tremble when the enemy is at hand. My entire world felt as if it was flipped back down as I saw Sorceress Ultimecia imprinted on Ellone's face. I heard Ellone speak, a voice that was hers, but at the same time not of her own, "For what reason do you have that weapon…young knight?"