p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""Seifer Almasy, this court finds you not guilty by reason of magical possession."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Seifer's knees gave way as the courtroom erupted behind him. He'd been cleared? Of everything? He could feel Rai and Fuu guiding him to the chair. He could make out vague arguments from all around him. He should already be in front of the firing squad. The only person with enough political pull to get him cleared was... Seifer blinked, chasing that thought away from his mind. Surely Squall wouldn't have risked his position to save Seifer's skin. The last time he'd seen the brunet was staring down the edge of Hyperion with fury in those icy eyes. The Ice Princess wouldn't.../span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Memories of the exam's aftermath flooded Seifer's mind. The way Squall had been raking Cid over the coals for the summary dismissal of Seifer took on a new light in his eyes. The fury had been the same as he'd seen during that last battle. He knew Squall couldn't let injustice go unpunished, but did that mean he /spanem style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"believed/emspan style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true" Seifer had actually been possessed? The thought flooded his system like ice water. Nobody believed him. He'd only told the tribunal once, but Squall had been there for that. He'd been behind the glass panes where Seifer couldn't see him, but he knew he'd been there. /span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Fuu's hand startled him as she placed it on his shoulder. Her soft smile seemed so out of place. It reached her remaining eye in a way he hadn't seen for years. "GO." /span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Seifer didn't wait. /span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"The liquor burned like gasoline, but at least it steadied his nerves. The trial should have ended ten minutes ago. For a split second, Squall wondered if he'd been a fool for thinking Seifer would come to look for him here first. Hell, he wasn't sure if Seifer would even figure out who'd done it. He wasn't sure if he wanted him to figure it out. It would be easier to let him go that way.../span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Thunderheads clashed in the distance, the sky splitting in brilliant flashes. He knew why Seifer had turned himself in. The tabloids could speculate about it all they wanted, but none of them had gotten it right. Seifer wanted to die on his own terms. He'd gladly fill that role if the world wanted him to be the villain. It meant that he'd never had to face the fact that he'd been unable to fight the possession. Squall knew it wasn't weakness, but Seifer would see it that way. He didn't even know if Seifer had been told the truth about the sorceress who'd taken him captive. None of the others would visit him, and Squall had been forced to stay away for Seifer to have a fair trial. He'd only been allowed to see the initial questioning due to his rank as Commander. /span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"He was glad he'd pushed the issue. One look at Seifer as he spoke had told him what he needed to know. None of his tells were present as he told the tribunal what he could remember and what he suspected had happened. He never repeated it, either. To admit that he'd been possessed once was enough to the man's wounded pride. /span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Squall took another shot, hand still slightly shaking. The wind was picking up as the storm raced towards him. Maybe he should go back to his office.../span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Impatient tapping drew Squall from his thoughts. Lowering his gaze from the coming storm, he met Seifer's glare evenly. Green eyes flared angrily as the wind whipped blond hair into a tangled mess. He hadn't bothered to change out of the prison rags, though Squall would have been surprised if he had. It didn't matter; even looking like a half-starved ghost of his former glory, Seifer commanded whatever space he occupied. "You did it." He kept his voice level if a bit strained. "Why?"/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Squall didn't hesitate. "Because it wasn't you."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Seifer's arm knocked the bottle from Squall's hand. "The fuck it wasn't." He was shaking now, tenuous control over roiling emotions threatening to snap. His chest heaved from the effort of keeping his voice reigned in. "I know exactly what I did, Squall." His eyes darted downwards quickly before snapping back to Squall's. /span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""And that's why I did it." Squall met Seifer's eyes, keeping his own level as he pushed away from the railing and drew to his full height. He still barely came to his rival's shoulders. He could see bone beginning to peek out from once-toned flesh and fought to keep his eyes from drifting down. He tilted his chin up, trying to pull Seifer back from whatever edge he was hovering over. "You were going to die for shit you did while someone else pulled the string. That's pathetic, and I wasn't going to let you go out that way."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Squall braced for a punch, but it never came. Seifer had jerked back, some odd emotion flashing in his eyes before the anger returned. "Fuck you, Squall. I won't stick around to be gawked at." He turned on his heel and slammed the door to the stairs open just as he heard Squall whisper, 'at least you'll be alive'. /span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"He didn't stop. /span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Seifer's knees gave way as the courtroom erupted behind him. He'd been cleared? Of everything? He could feel Rai and Fuu guiding him to the chair. He could make out vague arguments from all around him. He should already be in front of the firing squad. The only person with enough political pull to get him cleared was... Seifer blinked, chasing that thought away from his mind. Surely Squall wouldn't have risked his position to save Seifer's skin. The last time he'd seen the brunet was staring down the edge of Hyperion with fury in those icy eyes. The Ice Princess wouldn't.../span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Memories of the exam's aftermath flooded Seifer's mind. The way Squall had been raking Cid over the coals for the summary dismissal of Seifer took on a new light in his eyes. The fury had been the same as he'd seen during that last battle. He knew Squall couldn't let injustice go unpunished, but did that mean he /spanem style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"believed/emspan style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true" Seifer had actually been possessed? The thought flooded his system like ice water. Nobody believed him. He'd only told the tribunal once, but Squall had been there for that. He'd been behind the glass panes where Seifer couldn't see him, but he knew he'd been there. /span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Fuu's hand startled him as she placed it on his shoulder. Her soft smile seemed so out of place. It reached her remaining eye in a way he hadn't seen for years. "GO." /span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Seifer didn't wait. /span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"The liquor burned like gasoline, but at least it steadied his nerves. The trial should have ended ten minutes ago. For a split second, Squall wondered if he'd been a fool for thinking Seifer would come to look for him here first. Hell, he wasn't sure if Seifer would even figure out who'd done it. He wasn't sure if he wanted him to figure it out. It would be easier to let him go that way.../span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Thunderheads clashed in the distance, the sky splitting in brilliant flashes. He knew why Seifer had turned himself in. The tabloids could speculate about it all they wanted, but none of them had gotten it right. Seifer wanted to die on his own terms. He'd gladly fill that role if the world wanted him to be the villain. It meant that he'd never had to face the fact that he'd been unable to fight the possession. Squall knew it wasn't weakness, but Seifer would see it that way. He didn't even know if Seifer had been told the truth about the sorceress who'd taken him captive. None of the others would visit him, and Squall had been forced to stay away for Seifer to have a fair trial. He'd only been allowed to see the initial questioning due to his rank as Commander. /span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"He was glad he'd pushed the issue. One look at Seifer as he spoke had told him what he needed to know. None of his tells were present as he told the tribunal what he could remember and what he suspected had happened. He never repeated it, either. To admit that he'd been possessed once was enough to the man's wounded pride. /span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Squall took another shot, hand still slightly shaking. The wind was picking up as the storm raced towards him. Maybe he should go back to his office.../span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Impatient tapping drew Squall from his thoughts. Lowering his gaze from the coming storm, he met Seifer's glare evenly. Green eyes flared angrily as the wind whipped blond hair into a tangled mess. He hadn't bothered to change out of the prison rags, though Squall would have been surprised if he had. It didn't matter; even looking like a half-starved ghost of his former glory, Seifer commanded whatever space he occupied. "You did it." He kept his voice level if a bit strained. "Why?"/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Squall didn't hesitate. "Because it wasn't you."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Seifer's arm knocked the bottle from Squall's hand. "The fuck it wasn't." He was shaking now, tenuous control over roiling emotions threatening to snap. His chest heaved from the effort of keeping his voice reigned in. "I know exactly what I did, Squall." His eyes darted downwards quickly before snapping back to Squall's. /span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true""And that's why I did it." Squall met Seifer's eyes, keeping his own level as he pushed away from the railing and drew to his full height. He still barely came to his rival's shoulders. He could see bone beginning to peek out from once-toned flesh and fought to keep his eyes from drifting down. He tilted his chin up, trying to pull Seifer back from whatever edge he was hovering over. "You were going to die for shit you did while someone else pulled the string. That's pathetic, and I wasn't going to let you go out that way."/span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"Squall braced for a punch, but it never came. Seifer had jerked back, some odd emotion flashing in his eyes before the anger returned. "Fuck you, Squall. I won't stick around to be gawked at." He turned on his heel and slammed the door to the stairs open just as he heard Squall whisper, 'at least you'll be alive'. /span/p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p style="color: #0e101a; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" data-preserver-spaces="true"He didn't stop. /span/p