Chapter 9: In Spite of the Odds
Irvine knew how to hide and stay out of sight but while Rinoa had been involved with the Forest Owls in Timber, they weren't known for their infiltration skills. Stealth would be a problem and he knew they needed help.
As much power as Xu had, he doubted she would green light this plan. And that was if she even believed them. She would only hinder them if their discovery was brought to her attention and they didn't have the time or luxury to hunt down proof. Besides, they needed someone with a particular set of skills, and only one person came to mind.
After all, who better to help them blend in than the dude most often forgot?
Nida was understandably skeptical when they told him their plan. But they managed to persuade the Garden pilot to tag along anyway. When told of their plight he gave them a simple solution; since Rinoa always took Angelo to the Quad they could make their escape from there.
They met up at the balcony and climbed down to the surrounding plains before they split into two teams. Rinoa argued with Irvine when he told her to go with Nida on the Ragnarok and contact Matron for something – anything – that would put an end to this whole mess. It was simple logic that convinced her in the end: as a Sorceress they were done for if she fell victim to the same thing that took out their friends. Irvine was expendable by comparison. At least Rinoa would be able to do something if he failed.
Once they boarded the dragon-shaped ship Irvine headed west, convinced he knew where the others were. Not a lot of time had passed since the doctor was attacked, which had to mean they were still on the island. Balamb Town was too simple a hiding place. Anyone would opt to search there first. There was only one other place they could have gone and his gut told him to head in that direction.
Quistis and Zell had told him about the Fire Cavern test. While huge, there was a simple path that led to the centre of the Cavern but to get there one had to survive the pools of lava that surrounded it. No one in their right minds would ever choose to hide there let alone bring captives. It made it last place anyone would look.
So naturally that was where Irvine was headed.
Three hours later he stood at the entrance to the cavern. It was immense and daunting as he looked into the darkness beyond. Like any SeeD candidate, he should have been unnerved that he had no clue what he face once he entered. Instead he levelled the Exeter and stepped inside.
It barely took him a minute to realize something was wrong. For starters, it wasn't even warm. The lava pits bubbled and boiled but there was no heat from them. Then there were the lack of monsters. Zell had complained about the Buels and Bombs that jumped him soon after he'd entered, but there was nothing around to give Irvine any trouble. As he continued deeper into the cavern he felt more and more confident that he was right.
Eventually he reached the centre of the cavern that emptied into a pit. When he placed his gloved hands over the sides he found it cold to the touch and noticed a ladder that led down into the darkness. He pushed on, unsure of where it would take him.
After a few minutes he saw the bottom and dropped the rest of the way. He landed in a crouch with weapon raised. The light from above didn't provide much of a view, but from what little he could see he could just make out the sight of bedrock. Suddenly he felt like the walls would close in on him but he shook it away with some difficulty. His friends were down here somewhere and like hell would he turn tail and leave them behind.
Didn't stop ya tha first time. He recalled the failed assassination attempt in Deling. He had been the only one to escape to the safety of Caraway's mansion. Everyone else had been sent to D-District.
He wished he had a light with him. He used his steps to measure as he created a mental map of his surroundings.
A giggle that broke through the silence startled Irvine. "Need a light?"
The voice was familiar but before he could put a name to it the world exploded in brilliance that blinded him. When his vision adjusted he found the cavern illuminated enough that he could see several feet ahead. At the edge of the light sat a girl crossed-legged, her fingers wrapped around her ankles as she eyed him with an impish grin.
"Heya Irvy," Selphie Tilmitt said. "Been an interesting couple of weeks, hasn't it?"
Under normal circumstances he would have rushed to her side with awestruck excitement. He would have hugged her if only to assure himself that this was not an illusion. But he knew better. Everything about her was the way it should be, but it was her eyes that told him that something was wrong. The whites were now black, the emerald turned purple.
"What's wrong? Don'tcha wanna gimme a hug?" As she straightened her head and leaned back, Irvine's blood froze. He hadn't let out any sign that he had thought about it and the knowledge came with a cold assertion as she asked, "Or did you figure it all out?"
"Ya can read minds."
"I'll take that as a yes." She forced herself up to her feet. "And yeah, we can. Thought I'd pick up a little ammunition I could use for later, but you humans are sooo boring when you came to visit. It's always the same thing; wake up, Selphie! If only you could tell us what's wrong, Selphie; how long will you be like this, Selphie?" She blew a raspberry. "I stopped bothering after a while."
"So sorry we weren't interestin' enough fer ya," Irvine droned.
"So I had to make my own fun," she continued with a shrug and his eyes narrowed as he recalled the last couple of weeks. "So... what exactly gave me away?"
"Squall did."
Her face scrunched up in distaste. "Stubborn fool. Never did like spoilsports." Her sigh was an exasperated on that blew her bangs out of her face. "So what clue did he leave behind?"
Irvine arched an eyebrow. "Ya can read mah mind. Reckon ya already know."
"Well yeah, I do." She pulled her arms behind her back. "But I wanna hear you say it."
"And give ya tha satisfaction? Naw, I'm good thanks."
She sulked. "No need to be so cranky."
"Oh I reckon I've got plenty ta be cranky 'bout. Like how ya've got all mah friends unda yer thrall and tried ta frame one o' 'em. Now you've had yer fun but playtime's over. Put mah friend's back ta rights."
She took a moment to consider it but he already knew what her answer would be. "Naw I don't think so. See, we're not quite done yet."
"There're more of ya?"
"Uh-huh."
"And you've got yer eyes set on Rinoa and me. It ain't happenin', sweetheart."
"Oh it's gonna happen," she grinned. "The Sorceress is a non-issue, though. No one really cares about her. Sure, she can blow shit up but seems to me she's a whole lot more trouble than she's actually worth. You're the man of the hour, cowboy; it's all about you, sweetheart."
He deflated at her declaration and his grip tightened on the Exeter. If Rinoa was out of the equation then his being here was just part of their plan. And like a fool he'd walked right into it.
"Oh please," Not-Selphie mocked. "You're pride's taken a beating, sure, but you're not gonna risk shooting little Selphie just to get to lil' ol' me. You like her too much."
She was right and they both knew it. When he scowled she laughed with arms wrapped around her stomach. It was a shrill giggle that was not unlike Selphie's but there was also something unnatural about it. Exeter remained pointed at the ground. Even if he tried to bluff her she'd see right through it. "So ya escaped tha infirmary ta what? Draw me away from Rinoa? Well now ya've got me. So what happens now? Ya take me over? I become like tha othas?"
"You're getting ahead of yourself." Her laughter tapered off and she straightened. "If we wanted to end things, we woulda done it already. Hell, we wouldn't have even had to leave the infirmary."
"So then why'd ya'll leave?"
"To make it even more interesting, silly. But now that you're here, the gamecan finally begin. Why would I end it so quickly by letting someone take you over right now?"
He arched an eyebrow, uneasy at this proclamation. "And what're we gonna play?"
"Oh you should know this game. The younger humans play it all the time from what I've heard. It's called 'Hunting the Fox."
He knew it from the orphanage. A group of kids would band together as the hunters and one kid would try to avoid them as the fox. If the fox stayed hidden, the fox won. The way he had played the game, only one hunter could win by tagging the fox. He wondered if he could use this to his advantage.
She shook her head. "Nope, the rules we're playing with means the hunters work as a team. If one of us tag you then we all win."
He scowled at the reminder. "Now that ain't even fair. Ya'll can jes read mah mind and figure out where I'm hiddin'."
"Oh quit complaining, it'll keep you on your toes. A little adrenaline never hurt anybody. At least now you know what you're up against, it's more than what your friends can say. Besides, the rules are already in your favour. So now you'll have to find all of us and not get caught. If you've missed even one of us, you still lose. Then we take you over. No fuss, no muss."
"I don't reckon I wanna play. Not if ya'll're gonna up and change tha rules like that."
"Don't be such a baby!" She whined. "If you win, you get a pass from us. We'll leave you alone and you'll never hear from us again. High stakes, high reward right?"
"Not fer you I'd reckon," Irvine argued and her smile slipped. "Even if I win, yer just down one body. Ya'll don't stand ta lose nuthin'."
"Wait..." She giggled the word out, her features incredulous. "So you want to not just wager your freedom, but that of your friends? Why would I do something so stupid?"
Irvine shrugged. "Think of how fun it'll be."
She still looked skeptical. He knew he'd have to win her over somehow. Then he considered that they were alone. Her friends hadn't seen fit to greet him. "'Sides, I don't reckon yer friends should get a say. It's yer party, not theirs." He didn't give her the chance to read his mind and pounced when he saw he had her attention. "So who was tha one who singled out mah friends? Who caught 'em all and got ta possess 'em? Who came up with tha whole thang? I'd reckon I'm speakin' with tha ringleader, since none o' yer friends are around ta contest it."
"Flatterer."
"And I reckon aside from mah friends, ya got next ta nuthin' ta show fer all yer hard work. Have they thanked ya fer what ya did fer 'em? Have they even done anythan' ta earn it?"
"I see where you're going cowboy." Her tone betrayed her interest. "And I gotta say, you're not wrong."
"So fuck 'em. Add mah friends ta tha wager. Mebbe they'll be a little more thankful if they had ta actually do sumthan."
"You drive a hard bargain, Irvine Kinneas." She grinned. "So fuck 'em! Let them duke out what they want when we win this thing. Least I won't have to hear them bitch about it."
"So it's a done deal," Irvine confirmed. "I don't wanna tie this whole thang up just ta put up with yer friends bullshit after tha fact."
"No worries there, I'll keep them in line. I may be an asshole but I keep my word. So do they. And if they wanna keep what they've gotten, they'll know to follow my cue." When she held out her hand to him, her features were all business. "Shake on it."
He took her hand and marvelled at how cold it felt as they sealed the deal. She jerked her hand back the moment the finished, not a second longer and he puzzled that maybe she felt that he was too warm blooded. "You'll have one hour in the maze to find and evade us all."
"An hour? And what maze?" Scarcely after he'd asked the light around them brightened to a blinding pitch. When it faded her saw what looked like a hedge from some rich guy's backyard had formed from bedrock. The walls were taller than he was and he couldn't make anything out beyond the curve of the entrance.
"Check your wrist for the time."
When he did, he saw a SeeD issued digital watch. Not bad considering he never wore a watch or joined SeeD. The numbers that blinked back at him read 01:00:00. He had left Garden around supper time when everyone would be busy in the cafeteria, but he couldn't imagine he'd been gone that long.
"So we can't cheat," she explained with a wink. "Better hurry, we don't have all night, ya know."
Then the numbers turned solid and shifted. 00:59:59... 00:59:58...
Irvine looked up to argue but she was gone. He pursed his lips and took in the maze's entrance. He had no choice but to play this stupid game.
It was the only way to save the others.
At least until Rinoa returned with Matron's advice.
So fer now I'm trapped in one of Zell's stupid online games, fighting for control over mah own damned body...
He stepped into the maze and picked up the pace as he tried to memorize the path. Everything looked the same. All the constant twists and turns disoriented him but he forced himself onward regardless. It didn't really matter if he was lost already, someone was bound to find him.
"Ollie-Ollie oxen free..."
The familiar voice echoed off the walls and stopped Irvine in his tracks. It was the tone that put him off; usually cheerful, it now possessed a dark undertone that made his skin crawl.
When he turned the corner he saw Zell atop what looked like a cinder block. Dressed in the same sweats as two days ago, his arms rested against legs that bounced up and down, the fingers pointed down. Hair normally gelled up in the front was now pushed down and all but obscured the eyes that looked through the strands. The natural blues were now red pin points in a sea of black.
"Shouldn't keep people waiting," Zell rasped. "It's not nice."
"Yeah well," Irvine held the Exeter at the ready, "neither is wearing mah friend like a change o' clothes."
The blond grinned at that. "Fair point. Ya wanna know why we chose you, don't you?"
"Ya started with Sefie and Squall and then thought, 'what tha hell', right? Might as well get tha rest o' tha gang."
When the blond laughed, it was low and creepy. "I originally wanted the blonde girl, you know. She seemed like she could handle spells. We agreed on an order but someone jumped the line. Guess I should thank you for arranging that deal with the other. Get to make things right."
"If ya can catch me, remember?"
"Oh I remember." Zell lifted his hands palm up.
The ground between them started to break apart. Tears formed in the bedrock and threw up dust that obscured his vision. Irvine coughed behind his hand, but movement on the ground stole his attention. Boney fingers clawed at the dirt, followed by an arm and then a skull. Then another. And another. And another and another. The dust cleared and he could no longer see the brawler because of the skeletons that stood in the way.
Some had skin that clung to them, some were missing limbs. Some limped, some crawled, some walked.
All towards Irvine.
He opened fire. The shots slammed through the front of the closest one. He blasted another and another. One took a hit to the face, the skull exploded as the rest of the body dropped to the ground. Another took a blast to the shoulder, the arm blasted clear from its body but did nothing to deter it.
"See what I mean?" The blond called from behind the wall of skeletons. "I only summoned eight. Usually I can triple that amount!"
Irvine backed out into the hall he had entered from and fumbled with his ammo before he slammed two into the chamber. He sent two balls of flame into the creatures. The ones with skin caught on fire and spread to the rest of the monsters who weren't even bothered by the blast. Irvine cursed.
Back pressed against the wall the sharpshooter found himself surrounded. The remaining five creatures reached for him. He switched ammo again and blasted a hole through the wall of bone and threw himself forward in a clumsy dive before the others could overtake him. He managed to shoot them all, the rest crumpled to the ground.
He turned just as a spell was thrown in his direction and ducked to avoid it only to realize the target was the space at his feet. A circle glowed deep purple before hands sprouted from the ground. The fingers grabbed at his legs and he shrieked as he jumped out of the fingers range.
Then Zell appeared at his side, reached out and fingers wrapped around the sharpshooter's throat. Irvine was confused when the fingers didn't tighten but just as suddenly he began to feel weak. The strength left him as he stared into the brawler's grinning face.
"Don't fight it," the blond said. "It'll be over soon. It won't even hurt."
Irvine fell to a knee as his vision blurred. He grit his teeth in defiance as he tightened his grip on the Exeter. With his remaining strength, he brought the weapon up and swung it at Zell's head. It connected with a crash. With a curse the blond let him go and both hit the ground. Irvine groaned as he forced himself to sit back up while the possessed brawler cradled the side of his head. By the time the blond recovered Irvine stood over him with the Exeter levelled.
"You won't do it." Zell grinned at him through a mouthful of blood. "He's your friend. You won't kill him, even if it will save him."
"Yer right." Irvine brought the weapon down hard against the brawler's temple. One more hit was enough to render him unconscious.
His energy gave out and he fell back onto his knees as he struggled for breath. He did not like whatever Zell had done to him and made a mental note to steer clear of close quarters combatin case the others could do it too.
The minutes that passed felt like hours before he finally willed himself to stand. He could not afford to sit around for his energy came back to him. Selphie's words about having to find all the hunters echoed back through his mind. He afforded himself one more minute to regain energy before he started to walk and wondered how Rinoa's was handling her part of the plan.
A while later he heard a distant boom that sounded like an explosion. He paused as he tried to measure out how far away it was. When he heard it again he realized it was much closer than before. He crouched against the wall and held Exeter against his chest as he listened. The booms got louder and louder the longer he waited.
It sounded like someone was physically bulldozing through the wall, but that couldn't be possible. None of the SeeDs were junctioned; their GF's were taken away when they were admitted to the Infirmary. Even if they did have them, there were limits to the powers they were afforded. But then he thought back to the fight against Not-Zell and how he had displayed magic he had never seen before. Maybe it was some kind of super-natural element caused by the possession.
Then an explosion came from behind him, too close for comfort. He shuffled to an adjacent wall and ducked behind it, he did not want to be on wrong end of whatever caused it. When the smoke cleared his gut tightened and he let out a whispered curse as he eyed the one responsible. He was unarmed but the destruction showed he did not need weapons.
Irvine was reminded of the trip back to Deling City from the Tomb of the Unknown King. They'd encountered a Wendigo and had expected the monster to attack them as it always did. It caught them off guard when it cast a spell instead. The monster had not fared well in the end and had left the group with an uncomfortable mess they had to deal with after the fact. Irvine was not thrilled by the repeat performance.
Then he considered that he didn't actually have to confront everyone. All she had told him to do was to find the others. All he had to do once he found them was keep from being subdued.
While his back was turned Irvine started down the hall as quickly and quietly as he could manage before he turned a corner and out of sight. But he'd walked right into a dead end; the corridor cut off just as abruptly as it rounded out. The only way to escape now was to backtrack the way he had come.
Then the wall directly across from him blasted apart and threw smoke up into the air. The sharpshooter's gut sank as the very person he had hoped to avoid emerged from the rubble.
"Found you." Squall's grin was unlike anything he had ever seen before on the brunet. It looked out of place on the normally stoic youth and promised pain. Concrete-gray irises were fixed on Irvine amidst the black depths that surrounded them, a sight that told him Squall would not be so easy to evade after all.
As Squall began his charge Irvine levelled the Exeter and fired. But his hands shook and the shots went wide to blast into the walls that surrounded them. The images of that shredded Wendigo were difficult to shake even as he emptied his weapon and reloaded. Two of the blasts hit the brunet but he did little more than flinch as he advanced. Irvine cursed and barely ducked the overhead punch sent his way, the one that blasted apart the wall behind him and scattered chunks of bedrocks like Styrofoam.
He did not stop to marvel the damage and ran from the older youth with the intent to lose him in the maze. Squall was exactly the same as when the Wendigo had berserked him in the tomb of the unknown king. Back then, it had taken all five of the youths to Squall long enough to be cured. It was hard enough with four backups, Irvine now had to do it alone.
The brunet was quick and rounded the corner a few steps behind him. His eyes were fixed on Irvine like an animal that stalked its prey. It would not be an easy feat to lose him, but he sped up all the same. It did him little good; the brunet was on top of him before he could even blink.
Irvine ducked from the punch sent his way and managed a clumsy back-peddle. "Heya," he called in a hope to distract him. "Yer pal told me all about how someone jumped tha line and screwed ya'll over."
Squall threw himself forward in a lunge that Irvine barely managed to dodge. The brunet crashed into the wall opposite him as the sharpshooter continued to back away. "Don'tcha wanna talk about that? Reckon Squall's body ain't exactly yer cup o' tea right?"
"Less talking, more smashing you into the ground!" Squall collected himself from the rubble and crouched down low with fingers curled and knees bent in preparation to lunge. Irvine gulped and backed away. But he was surprised when the brunet brought both hands up over his head, balled them into fists and threw them into the ground so forcefully a fissure formed between the pair.
The sharpshooter was almost thrown off his feet but he regained his balance and avoided the charging youth. A blast from Exeter caught the SeeD in the shoulder but that did not stop him. With a yelp Irvine dogged it down the hall while Squall crashed into the corner of the wall.
"Stand still so I can squash you!" Squall roared behind him.
These things that possessed his friends had different personalities. While Zell's had been calm and calculating, Squall's was nothing short of a berserker. The thought relieved Irvine as much as it terrified him. Squall was less likely to delve into the stock of para-magic the brunet had collected during the war. But that was the only upside as he resolved to keep away from him. Fortunately possessed-Squall wasn't very smart and Irvine was able to keep his distance.
But he couldn't hold back his shock at how destructive the other's actions were. There were no tackles thrown his way, only punches, kicks and lunges that would probably kill him or break him into pieces. "I thought ya'll was 'spose ta beat me, not kill me!"
There was no response. When he turned around he realized the other had disappeared. Reminded of Selphie and her disappearing trick, Irvine wondered if everyone had that talent while under the thrall of these things. Zell had not done anything like that, but Irvine also didn't think he'd given him the chance.
Then he heard some booms from close by. Then an explosion came from in front of him. When the smoke cleared Squall emerged from it. "They didn't say I couldn't break you."
Irvine gulped and backed away while he searched his pockets for more ammo. In his experience the best way to deal with a berserker was to keep him at range. Unfortunately gunshots didn't do much to accomplish this goal. Magic would be helpful, except he did not use spells. Now, cornered by the possessed brunet, Irvine considered that maybe the other wasn't as dumb as he'd thought. The brunet at least knew enough to cut off his escape route.
But if Irvine could somehow blind him, he might have a fighting chance, or at least a means of escape. He knew he had some dark ammo but he needed the chance to reload Exeter.
Squall – as if he read Irvine's thoughts – charged at him. Irvine emptied Exeter of its existing ammo. He couldn't afford to take his eyes off the other, so Irvine slammed the rounds into the chamber blind, closed the Exeter and opened fire with a mouthed prayer.
The bullets cut through the air and left behind a dark vapour. Irvine could've danced with joy as they exploded in the brunet's face. Squall cried out in surprise and outrage as his hands flew up to cover his face and he skidded to a stop so violently that he stumbled and fell to the ground. When he withdrew his hands Irvine noted the dark ink spots across the upper part of his face.
As much as he wanted to just take off and run, he could not risk Squall following him. The sounds of his feet against the ground would tell him where he took off to and the blind effect of the dark shot would not last forever. He would have to take him out. It was not something he really wanted to do but he had no choice.
As Squall pawed his way back to his feet, Irvine whistled to draw his attention. It worked; Squall turned his head sharply to face him and with a battle-cry the berserker threw himself into another charge. As quietly as he could manage, Irvine stepped to the side with his left arm outstretched as the brunet cleared the distance. He muttered an apology as he clothes-lined his friend with enough force to throw him into the ground. Squall's head crashed hard against the bedrock and when Irvine saw Squall was still conscious, Irvine bent down and brought Exeter's bunt against Squall's temple. The SeeD stilled with his head rolled to the side.
Irvine let out a breath when he found Squall's pulse, relieved he was still alive. Then the sharpshooter checked to make sure he hadn't done any permanent damage. Amazingly most of the shots had only left minor bruises. Squall's knuckles were torn open from the wall punches but other than that he was fine. Irvine was now convinced whatever possessed his friends also gave them strange but powerful abilities like additional physical protection in this instance. He could only marvel at the luck.
He did not want to, but forced himself to leave Squall behind. Irvine would not be able to drag him along and it would impede his progress in the maze. Squall would understand. So Irvine set off in search of Quistis and Selphie. The watch said he had thirty minutes left before this game ended. He didn't know what he should expect: Not-Selphie was able to appear and disappear at will, but he didn't know anything else. Quistis was a complete unknown to him. She could be capable of anything.
Eventually he turned a corner and came to an abrupt stop at the edge of the next room. Beyond him was grass, moss, even a large tree in the centre. Even if he ignored that this was where Ifrit had lived, he could not believe his eyes. Bedrock was essential for plant growth, but it should not have been possible without sunlight so far underground. It had to be the result of magic. As he pushed past the vines that hung from the ceiling above the entrance way, he considered the room before him, Selphie was a para-magic specialist. Quistis was a strong caster herself. He still had no clue which girl was responsible but he was positive this was not a natural phenomenon.
He was so mesmerized by the grove that he did not hear it when the vines started to move. He did not notice their presence until one of them snaked around his right hand. By the time he did realize it was too late, his arm was immobilized. He tried to shift his footing for another attempt, but his feet were rooted in place by the grass.
"It was only a matter of time."
He recognized the speaker and finally had an answer to his unvoiced question. But there was something off, even more so this time. The change in the guys had been more about inflection, the way they said the words. Here there was something else. But then the speaker emerged from a sea of leaves, hands on hips with her long blonde hair left undone. Her crystal-blue eyes had turned the colour of dirt within the inky black of her brethren. "I knew you would make an appearance eventually. I just needed to be patient."
It took a moment but he was able to identify why the difference here was so pronounced. It was her accent: the only thing she had taken with her when she'd run away to join Garden.
"I'll have to remember that." She snickered as he scowled at her invasion. "Maybe when this is all over I'll find this Dollet and observe the people there. A silly verbal tick can be easily fixed with practice."
Irvine tried to pry his arm free from the vine. But another piece of the plant snaked around his free hand and that too was immobilized. He was left to stand there like a marionette.
She laughed outright at his attempts. "You can keep struggling if you want to. All it'll do is waste your strength."
"Reckon yer 'bout ta start bitchin' like tha othas." Irvine continued to twist free.
She looked bemused. "Why do I have anything to complain about? I've got you right where I want you."
"Well nona yer pals seem real happy 'bout tha body situation. Yer head pal don't seem real happy that ya'll are bitchin' 'bout it neitha. Guess ya could say that I was curious."
"Which is why you two took it upon yourselves to alter the arrangement." She shifted and folded her arms across her chest. "So now I have to fight for this body all over again. It's annoying but not something to concern myself with. The result will end the same way."
As she turned her back to him and started back towards the tree, Irvine grit his teeth as the vines tightened around his wrists. "Yer not mad that ya got dealt tha wrong hand. Ya wanna keep Quistis to yerself."
"I mean, why wouldn't I?" She turned to face him then and gestured at their surrounding. "She's got an incredible handle on magic. It took me next to no time at all to make this grove."
She raised both hands above her head and he prepared himself for the barrage of spells to be thrown his way. But then the girl shifted her weight to the right, cartwheeled to the side, before she dropped down on top of the grass, her arms and legs spread akimbo. It reminded him of a young child, without the worries or stress that normally hounded the instructor. "This place really was lacking a certain something-something."
"Tree-hugger." Irvine continued to pull at the vines.
She looked up at that. When he spared her a glance he realized she wasn't angry or upset at the jeer. The smirk she wore made him realize she did not see him as a threat. "There's nothing wrong with taking what nature has to offer and nothing else you know. For better or worse, it's the only constant in this world." A small frown tugged at her features then. "No... that's not how she would say it. For better or for... ill? Maybe, but that doesn't sound right at all."
He sagged against the vines in defeat. The weak wriggles and pulls would not break their grip, it was clear to him. But then Exeter was still in his grip. He tested how much movement he still had and realized he could twist his wrist slightly and angle the weapon so it pointed to his restraints.
She was back on her feet the moment he opened fire. The blast of the bullet tore through the vine like it was nothing. As the remainder of the green ropes fell from his now free arm he switched angles and shot at the other restraint. He ignored her cries and demands for him to stop and soon he found both arms were free. When he turned his attention to the grass he realized the strands were rising up to restrict him further. Quickly he raised the bottoms of his pants, fumbled the clasps of his boots and flung himself forward before the grass could envelope around his legs.
He scrambled but ultimately stumbled onto his knees, his gaze faced down. But as a shadow loomed over him he looked up to see Quistis's furious glare as she stood with hands outstretched. "You're clever. But it won't be enough." He saw the sparks of electricity that pooled in the centre of her palms. "I could easily destroy you with my powers but I think using hers would be even sweeter."
He rolled out of the way as the energy arced from her fingers and hit the ground. The lines of electricity danced along the grass and spread in a circle just beyond where he'd landed. He recognized the ability. It had been taken from one of the monsters they'd encountered in the forests outside of Timber; rooster-like creatures called Cockatrice that would sooner electrocute you as quickly as they could turn you to stone.
It was not a good sign that this creature had learned to utilize Quistis's Blue Magic.
As he scrambled to his feet he saw her eyes begin to glow yellow. He recognized it as another of her strange spells and pushed himself forward to dodge the Laser Eye shot. Two spots on the grass smouldered where he had been moments ago. She tried again but he did not stay idle. He ran along the outer edge of the room as she kept up the barrage. The attacks hit the walls behind him and he heard them crumble to the ground as he considered his next move.
Then he saw the tree and instinct took over. He aimed at the Blue Mage and opened fire but she dodged and resumed her attacks. He rifled through his jacket, shoved the flame ammo into the chamber as he angled his shot and pulled the trigger. The bullet tore out of the chamber and exploded into fire once the surrounding oxygen made contact as it flew in an arc above the former instructors head and ignited the leaves. Within seconds the tree was ablaze.
"NO!" She whirled around to face the fire, took a deep breath and let it out in a stream of water that crashed into the foliage and rocked the branches as it extinguished the flames it touched. Irvine took advantage of the distraction and tackled the girl to the ground. She choked on the Aqua Breath as she struggled in his grip and was rendered unconscious by a single strike to the head.
Once he was sure he'd only incapacitated her, his attention returned to the fire that was only half extinguished. He had no means to put it out and it would only spread to catch the grass and foliage she had conjured. With no alternative, he picked up the unconscious woman and carried her out. He was careful to keep low and held his breath. What a laugh it would be if he died of smoke inhalation to avoid his fate.
When he was far enough away he propped her against the wall. Her head lolled to the side but she did not stir. Satisfied she would not pose a problem he continued on his way.
There was one more left to find before this nightmare came to an end.