"Bye everyone!!!" Selphie shouted waving her arm so hard Squall thought it was going to fall off.

"Selphie you might want to hurry up, Zell doesn't wanna drive back!" Irvine teased

With one more wave the girl jumped back into the Ragnarok and took her rightful place at the pilot's seat.

"It feels so great to do this again!" She said smiling widely and turning the machine on with great ease and making the smoothest take off Squall had experienced since she left. Zell scratched the back of his head and decided not to say anything about the trouble he had flying.

"So what're we gunna do once we get home?" asked the cowboy

Zell instantly spoke "Dunno, Squall's s'pose to give a speech on Sinistra once we get back"

Squall silently sighed. He didn't want to give his speech yet, especially after repeating Laguna's message twice already. He looked at his comrades, Selphie was busy driving, Zell was tinkering with a small radio on the left side of the cockpit and Irvine seemed to be thinking with his cowboy hat shading over his eyes.

"So how's Rinoa doing?" Irvine asked, Zell turned a frightened gaze to Squall.

"She's fine," the taciturn cadet said after a few seconds, shrugging off any doubt in his voice.

"Fine huh?" Irvine didn't seem to buy it

Zell stopped paying attention and started to stare at the radio near him "hey guys…. do you hear that?"

"What is that?" asked Irvine, a small noise was starting to float in the air.

"I hear it too" Squall put in

"I thought it was just me hearin this stuff, but it sounds like…" he paused to figure out the sound

"Applause…" said Squall, "Look down below, we're right over Deling City"

Irvine spoke up "If Sinistra is in power they could be holding something for her"

"Yea, but what?" Zell asked

"Let's find out!" cried Selphie spontaneously plunging the controls down.

"HEY HEY HEY WOAH!"

"THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE HERE WITHOUT SEAT BELTS YOU KNOW!"

After a fast but smooth landing the Ragnarok came to a stop. Selphie was the first to pop out, an energetic smile on her face, Irvine tried to play it cool after the dive down-but his steps were a bit clumsy, a petrified Zell and a dazed Squall were the last to come out.

"So like…how're we gunna get in?" Irvine asked lifting up his cowboy hat to get a look at what was going on inside the capital of Galbadia. "We might get caught since we tried to assassinate a sorceress a few years back"

Through a clenched fist Zell spoke, "Yea, and who knows what kind of security that bastard has up"

Selphie looked at Squall questioningly "You guys didn't clean out the Ragnarok did you?"

He shook his head no "Why?"

Selphie did a small jump of joy and ran back inside, "Follow me!"

The cadets exchanged glances and obediently followed the bouncy brunette into the hanger of the airship.

The tiny girl opened an old looking chest and rummaged around through a myriad of clothes, hats, and wigs.

"What is this?" Zell asked with a confused face

Selphie continued to rummage, "These are all the outfits I was keeping here just incase we had to do a mission like this! Aren't we lucky?"

Squall stared at the chest in amazement, he never knew it existed.

Irvine took his hat off "well then, what're we waitin for? Let's hurry up and find out what's goin on out there!"

With casual Galbadian attire on, everyone moved towards Deling city's gates.

"There sure is a lot more security here than last time" Zell said frowning

"Who knows what precautions Sinistra's taking now that she's in charge, Galbadian leaders are known for getting into trouble with the rest of the world" Squall informed them slowly.

"Let's hope these outfits work Selphie!" Irvine said through a small gulp.

"S-Squall…hm…ha ha ha…stop it Squall!" Rinoa slowly opened her eyes to her dorm room ceiling.

"Squall?" she asked groggily realizing where she was, she looked at Angelo who was looking at her happily now that she was awake. He barked and started licking her face again.

Rinoa managed a warm smile on her face as she slowly put on her boots and turned toward the door, before her hand could reach the handle she stopped to grab Squall's ring hanging around her neck.

"I'm not loosing him…something's bothering him, and I need to talk to Quistis, maybe she can help me" With a frown she left Angelo in her room and headed for Quistis's quarters.

"What's wrong with Squall? No, I don't know" Quistis slowly put down her drink of tea in deep thought.

Rinoa grabbed one of her arms shyly "I'm worried about him, there's something he's not telling us"

"I don't know if he'd want me to tell you this-" Quistis stopped herself but decided to continue "But, somehow, I believe Ultimecia is still alive and she's using Ellone's technique to corrupt our minds. It happened at the SeeD incident, and I believe it happened again to Squall after we got the message from Selphie"

Rinoa looked at Quistis with great concern and interest, "What happened there?"

The older woman shook her head slowly and heaved a heavy sigh "It was…absurd, what happened. Magic was everywhere, it was intense and fatal, the cause of the deaths and injuries of many students. Piercing words accompanied by intense pain in the head, Squall and I were affected and maybe that one, Kain, was too."

"Have you asked him?"

"Dr. Kadowaki insists we delay questioning until all students have recovered, but I don't know if we'll have the time for that. I'm worried for Squall just like you are, but Sinistra has got me more concerned, even more so if she's after Ellone"

An idea surfaced in Rinoa's head "Uhm…is it, you know, possible if somehow Sinistra and Ultimecia were connected? Like how she was able to take over Edea and I's bodies?"

"Squall claims to have seen Ultimecia die, I don't know what Sinistra is planning…but… sorry, I'm not much consolation" an apologetic smile formed on Quistis's face for getting lost in thought.

"It's ok, I'll wait until Squall comes back and gives his speech-"

"He's not going to give that speech you know"

Rinoa looked back at Quistis who was now staring outside her window "He wouldn't want to after informing Selphie and Irvine, come to think of it he never wanted to in the first place" she began chuckling to herself

"Then why did you-?"

"It's his duty as leader of this Garden, but Squall never asked to be leader, let alone carry the duties of one, there will be trouble after he gets back I suppose" A wry look formed on her lips

Rinoa smiled sincerely "then we'll back him up, just like before right?"

Quistis Smiled back and nodded "Right."