DISCLAIMER : Final Fantasy Series belongs to Square-Enix.
RULE IN READING THIS: DROP YOUR LOGIC AT HOME; enter the world without questions coz THERE WOULD BE SOO MUCH (too much) odds here; just prepare! coz I'm just too lazy to fix it ; no details; not logical.
Chapter XI: *REUNION*
Selphie had just jumped out from Ragnarok. She was the last person to exit that giant airship. As the engine stopped, its feature seen clearly. Selphie looked at that thing for a while, with a blank stare. They were now in the grassy land behind mountains and caves, separated with the civilized area by the tropical forest. Yes. The place once used to be G-garden. Since G-garden had been destroyed (that means twice) when the war happened, now the place was just a ruin, an abandoned ruin.
Selphie then reentered and went to the cockpit to activate the shielding system.
There it goes.
It worked.
Then she went down and exited. She sat then near a tree, looking at Ragnarok as its feature disappeared. Apparently Irvine and Zell was nowhere to be found.
Footsteps then heard.
"Selphie! Guess what I've found here!", Zell's voice, sounded rather cheerful. "care to grab one? Here.", he offered bananas.
Selphie turned her head slightly.
"I don't eat banana."
"I see. Even when the food is scarce you don't eat, huh?"
Banana? I don't want to get fat…
Why she was here in the first place? She must have been crazy!
She then remembered she was at café in Galbadia. Music was heard. Dim light. Smells of expensive perfume…Cafe for the riches and snobbish; what would you expect?
[flash]
"What's with the coffee? Taldis, the cheapest instant coffee…"
"It's different.",she answered coldly.
"You don't drink coffee."
"Oh yes, I did. Maybe you just never knew me."
Lies again. I never like coffee. I seldom if ever drink that.
It was him.
His favorite coffee.
Selphie sigh.
No, the ladiesman always preferred wine or alcohol of course. Selphie didn't realized she let out a small smile escape.
"but you always like banana, Selph…", a clearer voice of Zell said.
She just stared Zell blankly.
Her mind flew deeper, at that night in galbadia café, with a cup of taldis at hand and Dirk's disturbing voice and babbling, she was digging her old memories.
[flash]
"uh-oh- Irvy! Listen to me first..! we have to finish this soon. Squall will get angry!"
But then he took a sit instead on that breezy harbor of Dollet. A comfortable looking style for sitting actually.
"C'mon, man…. Just easy for a while. Ahhhh… the wind's great ya see, selphie? Feel it?"
And he picked a schahet of coffee from his pocket, tore it lazily and pour into his aluminum bottle. The smoke was in the air, the water apparently hot. The smell of coffee then aired.
"Want some?", he smiled slyly
"You drink coffee instead of whiskey?"
"Of course no.. it's below my high standard. A man like me… coffee? Are you kidding? I'm not a workaholic robot called Squall." he grinned." Just for fun…I got this from our lovely commander.", he poured in and gazed into the sea.
"What? ! No, YOU STOLE FROM SQUALLY? Again?"
"What if I did? It's fun."
"You said that two days ago, and a week ago… just accept it, you've been addicted to that, ha haha HAHA…" *giggles*
He drank it; likely enjoying every taste, every sip.
"Um… don't you think that we should hurry on to catch the train?"
"No… I've prepared more than that. Be my guest, Lady. We're on a fabulous holiday trip!"
"What?"
"Ow, c'mon! we're already SeeDs. High rank seeds. See? They're coming."
He stood confidently and gazed to the sea, raised his Exeter, and smiled to me.
"WHAT? You make tt—the special ship to escort us back?"
"It's SeeDs facility."
"it-"
" -is not just for exam. C'mon, my lady!"
"Does Squall even know about this?"
"C'mon!", he laughed as the automatic door opened and a young seed cadet appeared and saluted us.
"Oh, I don't want to get killed by him! Not yet!"
Taldis.
Squall.
Why do you like this bitter taste?
"…What's wrong with you? If you want some coffee, I'd buy you at Coffee Palace."
"I want this, Dirk. Can't you understand?"
"Hey,You look odd this day., Selphie…probs?"
Selphie gazed him, stared him for almost a minute, that Dirk even thought she'd kiss him and was already reacted to it. But then, what Selphie do was turned away and went by the door.
And there she was, being with fugitives, stole the ragnarok… hhhhh...
She sighed deeply.
"…"
"things are changed these days, huh?" apparently Zell was still there.
"…"
"You said that we're walking from here, aren't you? Then you need to eat, and this is only what we have. Lucky us, tropical forest. Banana."
"-what, what we do then in dollet? Don't tell me you don't have plans."
Zell stopped eating. He didn't know what to answer.
"See?", Selphie said weakly. "we're better separate from now on."
Selphie stood. "Don't follow me. You go to that forest. I'm going back to Galbadia"
"How?", Irvine's voice cut. He apparently had arrived. He grab one of bananas Zell hoding and eat it hastily.
"don't waste thing on someone who don't want it", he said to Zell.
"Irvine… were you in the forest already?"
"I was wondering what took you two so long. And here it is…", Irvine said. "
"Now what? What 'ca doing? Ask your buddies to escort you back to y'r damn luxury?", Irvine asked Selphie. He then looked at Zell," C'mon man,Zell..! she doesn't need us. She doesn't want to be involved with us."
"Irvine, this is in the middle of nowhere!", Zell answered.
"We're running out of time already."
She just stared him without words.
He broke the gaze.
"Ok, let's just take a rest here this night, Zell. It's late already."
Selphie might be forget coz she had too much using her GFs. But Irvine was different. He remembered the details of their childhood life, even for silly matters.
The ocean was blue,
Breezy wind, clashes waves…
Yes, so peaceful.
Two children were sitting on the sandy beach. The others were playing not too far from them. One brunette boy was sitting by himself in the farthest corner though. While the cute blond girl was busy with her own sandy castle she had made, not too far from the brunette. The others were running, playing some games.
"I want to be like him! Isn't he cool? The tall man who visited matron this day?"
"O yea."
But he was busy with his own old music player with a dull earphone he popped into his ear. The present his matron gave him yesterday as his birthday present.
"IRVY? Listen to me!"
"What, I don't hear ya. Hear… theis music is really cool! Remind me of Galbadia… my hometown."
"Hmph."
"Hey, how about your childhood? Man.. I really missed my parents. And you know what? Deling city is really cool. My hometown, I'll take you there someday.", he was actually sad and almost cry if he's not a boy. It's almost 2 years he's been here but he still dreamed about his lost childhood which actually vague. What he had was just an old photograph to remember his parents.
But this selphie girl was not the sensitive type. She apparently didn't see the hint nor care about it. She kept talking and talking about herself… and her dream… and everything with an extremely chirpy voice cheerfully.
"Nope. I never had anything to remember. My memory is always been here. And I'm totally happy about it so I don't have to weeping like you guys."
Odd. But that's made the sad Irvine smiled. That's why he liked to hang up with this girl.
Yes, she was raised here as a baby, that's what matron told him. Maybe he was far more lucky then her. At least he remembered a little about his parents, about his happy life as a little happy family. And as he remembered it (again, vaguely),he was from a wealthy family from Deling.
"….YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!hmph…", she, being spoiled, grabbed his precious earphone so he couldn't hear the music.
"Whoa…whoa… SeeDs,huh?"
"YES!", the girl then smiling again happily.
"It's cool, irvy! I want the world to know me!"
"If you want the world t hear ya, then sing!"
"Huh?"
"Sing! Just like this cool guy."
"I don't want to be a singer, a soldier is mooooooooore waaaay cooler!"
But she laughed.
So sweet.
So naïve.
They both were.
Now he looked at the beautiful girl in front of him.
"sing, huh? So, pursue your dream.", Irvine said coldly.
"I already have my life.", she answered.
Right, go on then, lady.
She looked at him again, watch as his eyes widening in horror. Panic was there.
Then he ran toward ragnarok. (which not seen due to shielding system)
"DAMN IT! Let's go Zell!"
"Where?"
"Look at the sky! We're escorting this Lady back to Galbadia!"
Selphie turned her head and gasped in shock.
"Zell…?"
"Lunatic Pandora… it has started…"
Irvine shouted from a far, "You're coming or not?"
Zell ran toward him, looked at Selphie briefly and entered the ragnarok.
Selphie then ran too.
"Wait, can I have a GF… I- I want to fight too.", she said to Irvine. No answer. "I won't be use without my magic."
Irvine just ignored her and went to the elevator. Then Selphie could feel the pressure, Irvine had this thing aired.
The machine buzzed.
Being sensitive like always, Zell just stood there, and stiffened.
"What's happened to doomtrain? The last time I saw you years ago, at the damn interview, you still junctioned it."
Selphie felt a little guilt.
"I gave it to-"
"Nevermind, -here. You can use mine.", Zell then said.
"How about you?"
"I'm ok coz I depend on my physic ability. I don't use weapon if you forget. No magic. Just bare hands. Aren't I cool?", he tried to melt the situation with his trademark grin.
"…thanks."
"Ready?"
"..mm."
She tried to encourage herself. A tears flowing to her cheekbone.
Not to long after that, a hysteric painful scream was then heard by Irvine Kinneas who was sitting in the cockpit upstairs, alone, steering the airship.
Then elevator was arrived with its familiar sound, with Zell figure appeared. Zell took a seat beside him.
"Deling, then. Full speed.", Irvine said.
"She's ok, man.", Zell said to him instead and closed his eyes trying to calm himself and took a little nap.
He could act strong , brave, and confident, but man, Zell Dinct was really anxious and terrified right now. And confused.
And he had nothing for defense.
Not even a single GF. Not a trained body nor skill.
No plans.
Confused about his responsibility.
"Irvine, I have a request man…."
"Go on."
"I want to drop in Winhill for a sec."
"No time, buddy. See that sky over there?"
"I know.. but-"
"-and it's endanger us and your little family there."
"We could park a little far from it-"
"And walk? Waiting for whatever something there in Deling happens?"
"Aww, now you sounds like Squall."
Sheet…
Zell turned his head to see her.
"You OK?"
She nodded. She had apparently well in handling the junctioning. "Winhill?", she asked.
"Hmm.."
"Whatever business you had there, Zell, it's futile."
"?"
"Winhill siege. It's everywhere in the newspapers and TV. How couldn't you know? The same day when I stole this thing to save you."
Irvine turned his head slightly to him.
"See?"
"NO… nno… it can't be!"
"We're endangering people surrounding us, there's no normal life for us.", Irvine continued. "unless we end this.", he said more.
"Tell me it's not true!Selph? ", he grabbed her shoulder.
But in the other hand, Selpie was then turn paler and vomit.
Then blood running from her nose.
"…Selph? You- alright?"
She then collapsed at his hands.
Irvine then turned his head and looked at her.
"…Her body couldn't longer adapt to GFs ?...No, probably still adapting. She'll be ok."
Zell kept silent.
"Just let it go, Zell. Ya too will be ok, man."
"Drop me at winhill, Irvine!", his eyes full of unknown anger. "just to ascertain it. Just see it from afar, just-"
"Have the steer.", Irvine moved form the pilot seat. And then he approached the unconscious Selphie.
-O.O-
OOOO
-O.O-
*In a very beautiful place…*
Where is this? So beautiful...
Quistis trepe could see white plans around her. Yes. Odd. White. Grassy green field was matching the whitish land. Flowers with different colors were also there. Trees. Beautiful forest with a beautiful lake.
So peaceful.
The wind blew soothingly. Far to the east, quistis could see a magnificent waterfall. So beautiful. And there it was, the beautiful river flowing.
Water. Quistis always liked water.
The sound it made also soothing.
Infront of her, not too far from where she stood, Quistis could see the beautiful lake. The water was clear.
She approached it, smiling.
Where is this? This is so beautiful…
She knelt down to get nearer to the water surface. This is really what I define as…
Heaven.
She now closed her eyes and took deep breath as if to relax herself. Save the Queen was nowhere to be found in her pocket. But she couldn't care about it, no, since she knew that she didn't need it anymore. With eyes closed, she tried to feel the wind, enjoying every moment.
Did she have a right to live peacefully like this? With everything she had done?
...but my life has never been a fairytale. So I might deserve this. She talked to herself in her mind.
"You know… love only comes to they who believe it.", a soft voice broke the silence. Made a brief eerie feeling, because there was something not right, not normal in that voice. Just like floating. Although, it seems rather familiar.
Quistis opened her eyes spontaneously and she was shocked to see an also familiar shadow was now there in the clear water, accompanying her own face, smiling.
She thought she was seeing her. But no, it came to realization that no one's there. It was just her own shadow, and she was completely alone.
Now she stood. Whatever about the shadow, hell I don't care.
She gazed at the beautiful scenery around. She never felt so happy, peaceful, and free like this. She knew she'd like the place.
Wait… there is definitely someone there…
Afar to the west, a man was standing there near a tree. He was facing the lake.
Quistis approached him. She half hoped that it was him. Didn't he like to hang around the Obel Lake and humming, skipping, throwing rocks into the lake?although that arrogant man always denied it.
But much to her disappointment, it was-
"SEIFER!"
Odd. He didn't seem to hear her. She tried anything to attract his attention, but nope. as if she was invisible.
"Seifer, what are you doing?"
He looked extremely fear. Quistis never seen that expression on his usual smug face. He gazed at the lake, and approaching it.
It was just so strange. How could he had that expression? The lake was nothing but beautiful, soothing, calming.
But ironically, now he was screaming. Screaming in pain. He knelt. And then he looked anxious. He looked terrified.
It just doesn't make any sense.
She felt nothing but happiness, peaceful, an unexplained light feeling here,as if all f her burdens were lifted. Bu he was rather look tortured.
Now. He stood still, gazing at the beautiful lake, with a doubt expression. Regret was there. He sighed and walked approaching the lake again.
"Seifer! Stop! You'll fall to the lake!"
He didn't hear her. And he kept walking as if he didn't know it was a lake.
"HEY YOU IDIOT!"
"It's futile. He can't hear you, Quistis.", a familiar voice heard as she felt a light touch on her shoulder.
Quistis turned her head in a rush, yelled panicky, half believe.
The same warm calming smile welcomed her..
"E-Ellone?"
She smiled there. Her figure didn't disappear. She was there! Intact. Look healthy. Alive. She wore her old blue dress with a long blue scarf. The same thing she saw her in the first time after separated for years.
"Quisty."
"Please, don't say this is a dream…!", the blond woman hugged the brown haired lady. "I-I miss you!"
"I'm just happy to see you alright. Most of all, I'm worried about you."
"Why am I here? Why are you here?"
She laughed sweetly.
"Am I dead?"
She laughed again warmly.
"Ellone… did Squall kill you? It's a lie, right?"
but she nodded slightly.
"But you're here!"
An eerie feeling then resurface. "that means I'm dead.", Quistis concluded.
"Don't blame him, Quisty. It's not his fault. It's just fate."
"See? Can you see him?"
"Of course I can."
"Stop him!"
She just smiled.
"He can't hear me!"
She smiled.
Qusitis struck into realization.
"Is this… time compression? Where am I?"
Now Ellone didn't answer nor smile.
"It's strange, why would anyone look terrified in this beautiful place?"
Seifer now had been kneeling near the lake in pain. He was soaked, his body was wet because of the lake. But just before he moved further into the lake, he had stopped suddenly and turned back, so now he was in the edge of the lake again.
"He is seeing his own future... And you could do nothing about it.", Ellone smiled again.
"His future?"
"Yes."
"So, what am I seeing is not exactly the same as his? This place… we're not in the same-"
"-you could say that."
Quistis was looking directly at her beautiful warm brown eyes when suddenly she was flinching. She looked anxious for a second
"Take care, Qusity. I'm sorry… but- take care of them for me.. We always love you Qusity. You're not alone.."
Her image was then somehow blurred. She shook her hand tightly as if this was the last goodbye. Quistis could felt something hard and cold in her hand. "It might be cruel, but stay strong Quisty."
And Quistis could see Ellone was then run approaching seifer, whispering something to him as her image fading.
Now she was gone.
That only left seifer yelling something which –Oddly- couldn't be heard by Quistis.
Now his image too was gone.
Silence.
Quistis now was alone. Again.
But she had always been alone anyway, and she didn't bother it too much, somehow, her mind had accepted it. She had found her place where she belong. And that was just more way too luxury for her, more than enough.
Then ellone familiar voice could hear again as if whispering through the wind.
"Now you must go."
"I love this place. Please, let me be here with you.", tears escape her eyes. "I know you're still here. Please, don't leave me alone. Again."
"I'm sorry but I might- don't belong here either."
Quistis tried desperately to sharpen her hearing. But no. no more her soft voice. Ellone's gone.
"Please-", she cried. "Please."
Quistis now realized that she was still holding her own hand tightly, squeezing it as if didn't want to loose Ellone. She felt it. She realized that and opened her hand, and that thing Ellone gave her in her handshake fell.
Quistis knelt to collect it.
"Topaz. Green topaz.", she saw how it was beautifully shone under the sunshine.
"You know that I always love red….", she sighed. Still , tears flowing from her beautiful blue eyes. She kept staring at the green gems.
But now it looks rather different.
"Quistis. Quistis! Hear me…Damn it!"
So, you're still there! Ellone!
"Damn it! Are you dead? stop staring me blankly like that!"
She laughed ironically, "Of course. You know better."
"!? stop the nonsense! Now we must get away from this! You said that you wanted to see that puberty boy again, didn't you! Damn it! Stop joking or else-"
Wait.. this is definitely not Ellone.
"Seifer?"
"Welcome back, instructor! Now let's think some good plans to escape. No weapons. Antimagical device. Use your damn clever brain and ridicuouls seeds theory here."
"Huh?I saw you in my dream! Thanks God you're alive!"
It was dark.
"You- what? Ssst….. don't yell. We were arrested. Don't you remember? This thing, efficient, connected to whatever device outhere, sent us electricity for torture."
Oh, right… She was in some kind of jailed. Both of then were hung in chained, close range, face to face. The room was just too small. She looked around.
"So it must be Galbadia."
"You bet. Shit! This chain is just too tight! I can't use my GF. How about you?"
"…mine nowhere to be found. Hey, this room is too small. I can barely breathing. The oxygen…"
Kreek…
Clank…
The door opened. Light peeked in. But they didn't come in since this was just too small even to be called "room".
"sst…"
Two men talked in foreign language.
"You better say the truth. Your backups won't arrive, we got them all."
And the torture began again.
Back ups?
Hours later finally they left them again without electric impulse.
"You ok?"
"It's esthar."
"What?"
"Didn't you listen how they spoke, Seifer?"
But his voice rather sounds doubtful and he was gasping, "Trepe. Hurry. He couldn't set his foot in Deling. It ends when he reunite with his sorcerer."
"He?"
Clank. The door opened again.
And they took seifer out.
"You two are better separated."
Alone in the dark stink cell, Seifer Almasy felt the rage had burnt his head. He had already ran out of time. Trepe was confused.
And that dream. Another fuzzy dream. But the voice was clear. He must stop Leonhart to meet his sorcerer.
Think of it, Seifer! Damn!
Rage.
Damn! No GF. Nothing equally called weapon.
Rage. Strange, he could feel his hand now hot; burnt. "huh?"
Now smile escaped his lips. Whatever this is... This's good. Fire spell from his hand. Never thought I am such a good fire caster. He smirked.
Chess….
The chain then weaken. Damn, it was totally hot. But here we go…
He then hit the guards. Sneaked in with guard uniform. And went to search his weapon. He succeeded in retrieving it back after some sadist interrogation to one of the poor guy who end up meeting death in his hand.
Regained his weapon, he regained his confidence to do something fiasco like attracting whole damn prison if needed just to release Trepe, now he straight up back to the cell.
But he stopped when hearing too familiar screaming from one of the cell.
Some actions, a lot of cursing, and to Seifer's enjoyments, much killing, now there he was, standing in front of the big red giant airship, Ragnarok, with unplanned three more accompanies.
"How could only he who's able to broke free?", Chicken Wuss asked in suspicious tone.
"'Coz I'm special. That's it, Wuss."
"Don't use that ship again. If your story is true, then they could catch us fast."- Quistis trepe like always.
"We don't have much time, still, that thing is the fastest. We'll known already. But with that thing, we could at least flee."
"CAN'T YOU SEE IT'S FUTILE? The engine wouldn't start. You heard them! That's why they store this thing here! Garage-M room!"
Woo hoo.. so, now this is the little messenger girl now. Improvement. Not only her looks I see..
The cowboy seems the most quieter person now. How he gazed everyone, especially how he gazed the messenger girl now reminding Seifer Squall's steel piercing blue eyes. He walked toward the airship, went inside and yelled, "START NOW!"
To everyone's surprised, lamps then turned on. The elevator worked.
"For your supposedly birthday present. Luckily,it only recognizes my voice now.", the cowboy said to Selphie with an extremely cold tone. "I was the one who locked it back in Winhill."
"…"
A look of regret on her beautiful face.
"OK, enough of the touchy witty moments! Either of you, go to the cockpit, pilot this ship! CAN'T YOU SEE WE'RE OUT OF TIME NOW?", Seifer shouted furiously. Seifer almasy had never been a technology geek. He had always been the old, classic type who preferred conventional ways to do things. And that explains how he was allergy to any kinds of technology. Blind to it, to be more specific.
A brief tense situation. Everyone was in unreadable expression except for Seifer's blunt anger.
Sheet…
Elevator then went upward with selphie on it. The engine started and the thing flight. And Zell, followed by Irvine also went upside.
"...not exactly the reunion I ever dreamt of.", Qusitis said in low voice, passing seifer and went upside too.
"What? No hugs and cries?"
Sheet…
"I've never thought you're the type-"
"Oh shut up, Seifer! You are really insensitive as we know. But don't make it too blunt. And this- what you're talking about? We must stop Squall?", Quistis cut in.
"I don't trust you, Seifer. Never.", Zell said.
"Wish you could kill me then, huh?Chicken wuss?"
He just ignored Seifer. Everyone now seems on their own minds.
Irvine Exeter now on seifer head, while seifer was mentally too tired to pay back. He didn't want to play this time.
"Tell me anything you know. Now!"
His hyperion on Zell's good hand.
This would be such an uncomfortable trip to Deling. One gloomy depressed girl piloting the ship without spoken words. One man pointed Exeter to his head by a very paranoid sharpshooter while another kept hyperion away with empty stare. The three of them were in that stiff position for almost 20 minutes.
And one woman deeply thinking, trying desperately to understand the situation, and the story the man told. Now they had already started cursing and arguing, almost fighting.
Now she was the one who standing and yelled.
"NOW COULD everybody calm down and just trust another a bit? Don't you know? This might be last moments we had alive! Now, everybody, first we made our stories clear. This- and that! Damn it! God! I don't understand. We won't. Everyone tells everything now. You. You. You. You."
"We just have short time, Instructor. This is ridiculous."
"That is exactly what I meant."
-O.O-
[end of chapter: Reunion]
Note: GREAT! can't stop being illogical, but still, review would be appreciated like always.
there it goes... turned to be drama (WHERE is that adventure?). Review please.