The Crystal Statue:
It had been a long morning and he needed something to eat. Something other than those ridiculous hot-dogs that the rest of the student population were so enamoured of. Squall shuddered at the thought that there could easily be dog meat in those things and you would never know they were so highly flavoured.
Opting for the salad instead, not that he had been in time for the hot dogs anyway, Squall moved to find his usual solitary seat. Not for the first time wondering precisely why none of the other students sat anywhere near him. He didn't mind people, certainly he liked his peace but he wasn't a hermit.
Of course there was the little fact that he absolutely couldn't stand any of the other students. One or two were alright but being in the presence of some of the others was too much effort.
So Squall sat alone and continued to be an enigma to the majority of the Garden's population.
With his meal finished Squall glanced at the clock and wasted no time in getting to the dorm rooms and fitting himself into the much-loathed trainee uniform and heading out to the main lobby in the central building of the Garden.
For all that the Garden was a school, it was unquestionably grand. The massive iridescent rings spanning the entirety of the complex and glowing faintly even in the daylight. The beautifully kept gardens and ponds between the central buildings and the outer complex were immaculate and tended to absorb the chaotic sound of the school and so where one of Squall's favourite places to hide from the world while he studied one thing or another.
Now though they were crowded as new recruits and old tried to catch a glimpse of the latest SeeD candidates that could easily be SeeD by the end of the afternoon.
It would be good for the school as the annual ball was the next day. It was always good to have freshly graduated SeeD's for the Garden to show off.
Especially for Squall. If he passed this exam he would be the first gunblade specialist to come out of the three Garden's in over a decade. Although Seifer wielded a gunblade even he had to confess that Squall was the better swordsman. Though it was a close match, the incident this morning proved that. Seifer could hold his own.
Shaking his head Squall navigated his way through the crowd, drawing his fair share of attention despite his best efforts.
It would not do to let his rivalry with Seifer get the better of him. Particularly when the other young man was taking the same exam. Knowing Squall's luck he would be assigned Seifer as his squad leader and he would not let the older man taunt him into doing something stupid.
For all that Seifer was the closest thing he had to a friend in Garden no one could get under his skin like he could.
As he approached the wide area of the walkway at the centre of the lobby Squall sighed internally. He would definitely have Seifer as his squad leader. Quistis was in charge of assigning the teams. Squall wondered, not for the first time, if she was simply unobservant or insisted on putting the two men together as some sort of test.
Seifer definitely tested his patience.
"Ah! Squall, you're with... Zell Dincht. Quite a lively fellow." Trepe remarked as he came to a halt in front of her.
Lively? Zell was simply loud. Squall bit his tongue from saying as much as the young man came into sight. Obviously burning off more of his copious energy performing stunts and flips to the applause of the curious onlookers.
It was funny, Squall thought idly, that no matter how irritating Zell could be he was one of the few other SeeD candidates that he could bear the company of. He also hated Seifer Almasy which meant that Squall would be spending this exam trying to stop him punching the arrogant blond.
"Hey! So I'm with you huh?" Zell announced loudly as he landed in front of Squall, hand outstretched.
Squall was tempted not to take the offered hand. Raising his eyebrows, Squall returned the handshake, causing a number of surprised mutters to surface in the watching trainees and SeeD alike. It was no secret that Squall very rarely returned any nicety if he played nice with someone it wasn't for any petty gain. It was one of the reasons that so many SeeD group leaders watched his progress. If he passed today's exam he would have no shortage of willing mentors.
"Your squad leader is..." Quistis paused as she glanced down again at her clipboard. "Seifer Almasy."
"WHAT!" Zell shouted, suitably appalled.
Squall was silent as usual quietly thinking 'Called It!'.
"Can't that be changed?" Zell asked, a desperate plea in his voice. It was then that Squall remembered precisely how miserable Seifer made Zell's life. Ever since the younger boy had come to Garden Seifer had seemed to have it out for the shorter blond.
"Sorry, no changes," Trepe replied with an emotionless voice. Squall shifted to Zell's left, catching the shorter man's attention.
"Hey, you don't like Seifer either, do you?" Zell said, the desperate timbre of his voice still present.
In answer Squall shrugged. He might be willing to acknowledge that Seifer got under his skin to himself, but the day he openly said so was the day that hell would freeze over.
Zell seemed satisfied with the non-verbal answer, however, and seemed to gain back some of his previous vitality. Jumping around the lobby as the Headmaster entered for his usual speech. In response much of the curious onlookers fled. Headmaster Cid was excellent at administration certainly, there had never been an issue in the running of the Garden, but his 'inspirational speeches' left something to be desired.
Looking around the assembled candidates Squall supposed that Seifer had the right idea, showing up late.
"Thankyou," Cid began "as you know the SeeD program is one of the most demanding on Gaia and as such I'm sure that you will do your best in the exam. Remember the first purpose of SeeD, to..."
A Garden Faculty member broke into Cid's, admittedly abysmal speech, to the shock of more than a few of the SeeD's and trainees alike. Surely this was not a normal thing?
"I think Headmaster..."
It seemed though that Cid, for all that he was an ageing rotund man had a backbone. Sending a glare that would have done Squall proud at the Faculty member he continued over the top of the robed man's words.
"The first purpose of the SeeD to guard against the mad power of Sorceresses, and to always look for the Crystal Sorcerer. Thank You."
A highly satisfied look on his face Headmaster Cid left the lobby looking at the candidates with interest as he exited via the elevator, back to his office of the third floor.
Squall watched him leave, a slight frown on his face. He knew the rule regard the Sorceresses. SeeD had been created in the hope of stopping all future Sorceress wars, but he had always thought that the Prophecy of the Crystal Sorcerer was just a myth. Apparently Cid thought otherwise and given that the Headmaster was seldom wrong when it came to things like this Squall only wondered what had come to the older man's attention.
Squall's attention was slammed back into the lobby of Balamb Garden, however, when Seifer Almasy decided that it was time for his entrance.
Strolling through the last dregs of the curious watchers Seifer cut an impressive figure. Squall stifled a groan, it was one of the reasons the blond was so very arrogant.
"Alright! Squad D listens up. 'Work together' means keep out of my way. Stick to that and we'll get along just fine." The tall blond said, a cocky smirk curling his lips as he watched his assigned 'team'.
Squall was too busy trying not to snort or roll his eyes at the others antics to respond while Zell was left fuming desperate for some excuse to rip into the larger man.
With the teams ordered it wasn't long before they were in the car and headed on their way to Balamb town and the Port there.
It was a quiet ride for the most part and Squall let himself slump in his seat as he listened absently to the angry mutterings of Zell beside him.
When Seifer made to open his mouth and something he would probably regret Squall was glad for one of the few times that Quistis was with them. And it seemed that she was rethinking her original plan to place them together.
"When we arrive in Dollet there will be battle situations right from the moment we land so make sure you're ready." The usual drill droned out as Trepe continued fighting the tension building in the enclosed space.
Squall did his best to ignore everyone. It was easier.
Squall didn't think he had ever been so glad for a journey to end. The arrival at the docks at Balamb was met with relief from all parties. Even Seifer if the easing tension in his shoulders was any indication.
Of course all good things must come to an end, and the relief of the open space was short lived as the SeeD in charge of the Garden forces during the exam, Xu, ushered them all into the equally cramped quarters of the SeeD ship.
Thankfully the speed of the ships meant that what could easily be a painfully long journey of days was shortened into only a few hours.
After the short and concise briefing, Squall found himself willingly following one of Seifer's orders and hastened out onto the turret deck. Watching as the distant coastline of the Galbadian continent came closer and the busy metropolis that was Dollet came into view.
Squall's breath hitched in his throat as he watched the fireballs shoot into the sky and the distant screams started to reach his ears. For the first time, he considered what he was going to do. These were no mere monsters that could barely think beyond finding a meal, these were living, breathing, thinking men and women with families and friends that would mourn them and miss them. Shifting uneasily as the breakwater wall came into sight Squall wondered if he would be mourned if he fell in this exam.
Returning to the cramped cabin space Squall gave Seifer a cursory nod
"We're nearly there." He stated simply, watching with a growing feeling of detachment as the rest of the Squad made sure they had everything they needed for the thirtieth time and stood as the rough jolt of the ship indicated that they had finally reached land.
Stumbling out onto the sandy beach Squall fought the bile rising in his throat at the bodies of dead soldiers lying strewn along the beach and wharf. He chose to be a mercenary, these men and women had been fighting for their home. Letting the detachment seize him again Squall turned to Quistis as she gave them their final orders before dispatch.
"You're to secure the town square, helping any allies along the way and dealing with all G-Army troops in the area. Order to withdraw takes priority." Quistis said matter of factly nodding at the affirmative that came from two-thirds of the Squad.
Seifer grumbled about being given the boring work before nodding grudgingly.
"Alright! Squad D, move out!" Shouting enthusiastically Seifer charged across the beach and up the stairs into the city proper.
Squall paused once or twice up the beach casting cures on any ally soldiers that showed signs of life. Zell, seeing what he was doing was quick to help while Seifer waited impatiently at the top of the stairs.
Having done all they could for those on the beach and beginning to really want to do some damage to the Galbadian's, Squall and Zell followed Seifer up the stairs only to find the older blond being attacked by a group of enemy soldiers.
"You took your time wusses!" Seifer shouted as he parried another blow from the Galbadian.
Not bothering to answer verbally Squall charged forward. Driving the blade of his weapon deep into the chest of one of the blue-clad soldiers. Letting his emotions remain detached for the battle Squall ripped the gunblade from the soldier's flesh before turning it on the rest of the attacking Galbadian's.
Zell was facing off with an enemy mage, from what he could see and holding his own remarkably well for a hand to hand combat specialist in a war of guns and swords.
Seifer was struggling a little more with three swordsmen and a gunman harrying him.
Grunting softly Squall shifted his grip on his Revolver, twisting it in a way that preserved movement yet gained the maximum power to strike and deftly detached the gunman's head from his shoulders. Not pausing at the brief lull in the battle as the other Galbadian's looked to see what had stopped the fire of bullets. Squall dove at the nearest enemy soldier even as Seifer took advantage of the distraction. The swordsmen fell in short order, Squall and Seifer sparred often enough that they could maneuver easily with each other.
With the immediate threat dealt with Squall glanced over to Zell, the mage either dead or unconscious at he feet.
"Let's go!" Seifer said, the light of battle still present in his eyes.
The bile at the back of his throat tried to make a comeback as they ventured further into the city.
It was not only the soldiers that had been attacked, wounded and dead civilians huddled in the shadows of the buildings as the SeeD trainees passed. Squall frowned and sent as many cures out to them as he could spare, but his stocks of the healing spell were draining fast and he would have to watch his supply unless they stumbled across a draw point. As much as he wished he could help these innocents caught up in the petty squabbles of politics, he had to look after himself and his team first.
Each time that he killed Squall carefully shunted the guilt aside, there would be time enough to deal with it later. For now he needed to focus.
When they arrived in the square Squall frowned, if the Dollet militia had been driven out of the city centre then where were the soldiers that had driven them out? Surely there should be more than the few he and Zell had found when scouting the area?
He listened absently as Seifer complained about the boredom of being on standby, shouting out that he wanted to fight and was the enemy too afraid to face him.
Even as the stray dog began to howl Squall was shifting his stance already preparing either to fight or hide as the sounds of running footsteps reached their ears.
Even Seifer for all of his words saw the wisdom in hiding.
Ducking down behind one of the ornamental facades that rimmed the square Squall and the others watched as a score of Galbadian soldiers trekked through the square watching carefully for any signs of life.
Squall frowned as he held himself as still as he could. What were they doing? Why had Galbadia attacked Dollet in the first place? They had been relatively peaceful neighbours, so what did the Dukedom have that the Empire wanted?
As Squall thought the last of the enemy soldiers flitted down one of the darkening streets. Seifer and Zell it seemed had been thinking along the same lines as Squall.
"Where the hell are they going?" Zell asked softly.
"Our next destination," Seifer announced grandly.
Squall wanted to roll his eyes, but he understood that this was a chance to find out what the Galbadian's wanted. Information that neither Dollet nor SeeD had. If they followed the soldiers now they could potentially shift the tide of this war.
"But our orders," Zell said though even he seemed to think that going after the soldiers was the better plan. If it had been only a handful of soldiers passing through he might have protested more loudly. But the sheer number of troops boded ill for Dollet and SeeD alike.
"You chickening out, Wuss?" Seifer asked looking at Zell askance.
Zell turned bright red but shook his head. He would follow the Squad Captain's orders.
"Alright then! Let's go." Seifer said, turning gleefully down the same street the Galbadian's entered.
Squall followed, watching carefully for any sign of the enemy. In such close quarters, the possibility of ambush was high.
They followed the sounds of the Galbadian troops to the base of the mountain just outside the city, the path leading up the mountain to the communications tower was ignored, however. Only a small contingent of soldiers running up the steps.
Pausing to send a cure or potion to the fallen Dollet soldiers Squall, Zell and Seifer ignored the smaller group absently noting that another Squad of candidates left the cover of the city's outer limits to follow them and continued around the base of the mountain only to stumble to a halt as a massive crater was revealed.
"Wha..."Zell muttered under his breath.
Creeping as close as possible with what cover they could find, Squall noticed that the crater was an excavation site. Massive and crude enough that it could have been formed in only a day as the Galbadian military created the distraction.
Separating from Zell and Seifer, Squall circled the pit until he found a point that was covered by piles of rubble where he could find a vantage point to look over the lip of the pit and see what they were burying.
Or digging up.
Squall couldn't see much through the milling crowd of workers and scientists in their flapping white coats. However as the light in the sky diminished the gigantic floodlights illuminated the area.
As the light shone down into the previously shadowed depths of the crater a cascade of rainbow light danced along the edges of the pit. Squall was aware as Seifer and Zell crept up to him, gasping as they looked down at a Crystal statue. Only half uncovered and still buried in dirt and great stone slabs surrounding it.
If it was the genuine Crystal Sorcerer they couldn't allow the Galbadian's to take it. As SeeD, they were sworn to the protection of the Crystal, even if they were only trainees.
"Hey, there you are." An excited voice said behind them causing the three young men to jump and twist around awkwardly on the uneven ground.
Behind them was a girl, or more correctly a young woman about their own age with light brown hair and wearing a trainee uniform.
Seifer scowled at the girl before gesturing with his hand that she was to be quiet.
A look of curiosity passed across her face as she crept up to join them at the lip of the pit, gasping softly when she saw what it was that the Galbadian's were digging up. What they had started a war to find.
Turning back to the three members of Squad D she grimaced.
"I'm a messenger. All units are to fall back by 14:00 hours, they're calling retreat." Glancing into the pit Squall knew that they would not be on that boat unless they could successfully save the Crystal.
"That still gives us an hour. At the rate their digging him up we might make it if we act fast when the Crystal is free." Seifer said a thoughtful look on his face.
Squall nodded. The feeling of anticipation that had been growing since that afternoon finally settling.
"Alright," Zell said softly, curbing his usual energetic response. "But how do we get him from here to the boat?"
"We can hijack one of their vehicles." Squall contributed softly, even as a rumbling growl of an over large engine met their senses.
Looking over to the other side of the pit, the messenger gasped eyes going wide. On the far side was a gigantic tank. Wondering why they had a machine like that when dealing with something so precious the four SeeD candidates crept along the edge of the pit until they were just above one of the white coats talking with a red-garbed Captain of the Galbadian Army.
"How soon till we have a clear shot?" The Captain asked briskly.
"Another few minutes. We have enough of him showing, but we want as little support for the structure as we can. We don't want the Crystal surviving." The white coat said in a monotonous voice that suggested that he had been answering a similar question for the last two days of the Galbadian attack on Dollet.
Squall nearly choked on air as the implications of what the white-coated figure had said sunk in. They were trying to destroy the Crystal. The same Crystal that had come to represent the hope of so many that Gaia could be at peace again and flourish into the truly mighty cities that the world had once boasted.
"Understood. Thank you, Doctor. The Ambassador will be pleased." The Galbadian Captain said before moving away and gesturing to a group of loitering soldiers.
They retreated from their lookout at the edge of the excavation pit.
Squall, glancing around the others, noticed that they looked the way he felt. Like someone had just punched him in the stomach.
"We have to do something." It was Zell who said that, drawing the attention of the others to him.
"We're short on time and we can't rely on them to dig him out for us. If anyone's got a plan that doesn't involve our deaths now's the time to say it." Seifer said, oddly quiet.
"What about some sort of distraction?" The messenger asked softly.
Squall frowned, it would give them more time. But more time to do what exactly?
"And what then?" He asked simply turning to her.
Biting her lip the female candidate jumped as Zell burst out.
"What's your name anyway?"
"Oh! Selphie Tilmitt, I just transferred from Trabia." Selphie replied looking around the rest of the group, hoping for further introductions.
"Seifer Almasy," the tall blond said before indicating Squall and Zell, "this is Squall Leonhart and Zell Dincht."
Selphie nodded at them, and Squall got the impression that if they had been in any other situation it would have been hard to cope with her bright personality.
Frowning at his feet as he leant against one of the built up mounds of displaced earth Squall thought about the problem at hand. They had to find a way to finish excavating the Crystal, without damaging it and stop the Galbadian's from destroying it. Though why they wanted to destroy it Squall didn't know and he suspected that the rest of the Squad was similarly in the dark.
"We take out the tank," Selphie said after a moment of silent contemplation.
Much to Squall's surprise it was Zell who took up the plan.
"Take out the tank and they haven't got anything to destroy it with."
Squall's frown cleared.
"If they haven't got anything to destroy it with here then they need to dig it out completely to take elsewhere. Once they're done we find a way to save him from there." Squall murmured softly as the sounds of heavy machinery began drifting up to them from the base of the excavation site.
Seifer looked from one member of the group to the other before grumbling softly under his breath.
"Alright." Looking up at Selphie and Zell. "You too are our light hitters, can you sabotage that tank?"
Seifer's question was met with matching grins that should have sent any sane person running for the nearest bunker. They immediately turned and made their way back to the edge of the pit to get a better look at the tank.
When Seifer turned back to Squall he had a bemused expression on his face and Squall realised that it was probably one of the few times he had seen Zell Dincht when he was genuinely terrifying.
Squall had been in the cafeteria that one day they ran out of hot dogs ... it was an experience he would rather forget.
"I take it we cover them?" Squall asked simply.
Seifer nodded.
Before a thought made him stop looking at Squall with his eyes narrowed.
"No, I'll cover them. I want you to stay back. SeeD squads are usually only three. You hang back and only step in when we need you. Even if we get caught, but still manage to take down the tank you stay and get the Crystal safe. Understand?"
Squall was surprised, but it made sense tactically. The element of surprise. Seifer always had been a very good tactician.
"Understood," Squall said evenly nodding at Seifer before offering his hand, something he hadn't ever done for the older blond.
Seifer seemed surprised by Squall's reaction but accepted the hand nonetheless. Straightening to follow the two saboteurs Seifer paused once to look back at Squall, an odd look on his face before he continued up to the edge of the pit.
Hanging back for a few minutes Squall waited until he heard the first explosion.
Crawling up to the safest vantage point he could find Squall wasn't that surprised to see that the tank had smoke pouring from its turret and just under the rim of the access hatch. It had obviously been successfully sabotaged. Though how Zell and Selphie had managed to do it in so short amount of time was beyond Squall.
The shouts of soldiers were echoing around the site. On the far side of the pit, Squall could just make out the forms of Seifer and Zell back to back as they took out at least a dozen Galbadian soldiers before collapsing themselves.
Selphie was on the other side of the tank, hiding from the searching eyes of the soldiers and scientists.
Clenching his hands into fists Squall wished there was something he could do, but if he did something now he would never get the chance they needed to free the Crystal from Galbadian control.
Gritting his teeth, Squall watched as Selphie was dragged out into the piercing glare of the floodlights.
The soldiers seemed satisfied with the three captured SeeD candidates and while security around them strengthened two fold the rest of the excavation sight had become rather lax in that regard.
Just below, and to the right of his vantage point in the shadow of one of the earth mounds, Squall could hear the voices of who he assumed to be the lead scientist and the Galbadian Captain again. Discussing the tank most likely.
Straining his ears over the drone of vehicles around the pit, Squall was pleased to hear that their plan had worked.
"The tanks had it, bloody SeeD," The Captain grumbled something unpleasant under his breath before continuing. "We'll have to take the Crystal with us to destroy it properly. Unless our handguns would work?" The Captain sounded hopeful and Squall prayed that he was wrong.
"No luck, I'm afraid. It was a long shot that the tank would work to be honest. The Crystal is stronger than we first thought. More like a diamond than any lesser stone. And the magic pouring off that thing is incredible." The scientist sighed. If Squall didn't know better he would have thought that the woman was beginning to regret having to destroy it.
Squall missed her next words as another truck dumped a load of earth onto the pile he was huddled against, resulting in a torrent of earth covering his back. Squall groaned internally as grains of the sandy soil trickled down the back of his neck and into his shirt and creases of his pants. On the upside, he was well and truly hidden from sight now.
"...done in the next ten minutes." The scientist said before walking away, back towards the centre of the site and the Crystal statue that was revealed as the minutes ticked by.
Ten minutes. Squall assumed that that was their estimated time to finish digging up the Crystal. It would give him just enough time to get out the excavation site and find a place he could ambush the truck that was being set up to carry away the Crystal from. He could hope for a way to free the rest of the Squad as well, but his first priority was the Crystal.
Glancing at the watch around his wrist Squall noticed that he and the others had twenty minutes to get to the beach to withdraw. He hoped that they made it, he couldn't hold off an entire army without somewhere to retreat.
It took Squall five minutes to find a suitable bend in the road and secure a vantage point from which he could ambush the large canvas covered truck he had seen being set up for the removal of the Crystal.
Sitting on his heels Squall watched the bend in the road intently. Glancing at his watch he noted that they only had fifteen minutes left. It was going to be a tight schedule.
To his surprise and relief, the truck and an accompanying convoy appeared around the corner sooner than expected. Analysing the truck Squall was surprised to note that in a separate cage-like structure on the back, left uncovered by the canvas, were his three captured team-mates.
He could save them and secure the Crystal at the same time.
Letting out a breath Squall forced himself to relax, just as the first members of the convoy passed beneath him.
Knowing he would have to act quickly, Squall decided against wasting time freeing his team now, instead jumping down directly onto the cabin of the truck. Tucking himself around the side of the vehicle Squall wrenched open the driver side door even as shouts began to echo off the high cliffs surrounding them.
It didn't take much effort for Squall to dispatch the driver and knock out the guard in the passenger seat. Grabbing a hold of the wheel Squall found himself absurdly grateful that the Garden taught students how to drive any vehicle. Even if they didn't particularly want to learn as he recalled his own reluctance in taking the lessons.
Diverting the truck quickly at the nearest turnoff into the city proper Squall instinctively ducked as the sound of gunfire ricocheted off the metal of the lower part of the truck. He prayed silently that the rest of the team was alright.
Pressing down on the gas pedal Squall made a beeline for the shore and the waiting SeeD ships. Glancing at his watch Squall noted that they had another eight minutes to get there. Taking a sharp turn Squall winced as the sounds of several convoy bikes crashing into the street fronts resounded through the city. At least the Garden members would know that they were coming now.
Taking another sharp turn as gunfire began again Squall jumped as a groan emanated from the prone form beside him. Not willing to take any risks Squall reached over and struck the guard over the head again. Returning his attention to the road Squall swerved dangerously as the tide wall leading down to the beach appeared at the end of the street. There wasn't much else to do but crash the truck through the wall and hope for the best on the sand. It wasn't far, barely a hundred meters from there to the waiting SeeD ship that Squall could make out, swarming with crew and SeeD as they caught sight of them.
Revving up the engine Squall braced himself against the back of the seat and sped up in the last few meters to the low wall.
It was a rather anti-climactic crash, all things considered. Squall will forever be grateful that it had been both a low wall and that the Dollet Architects liked curving surfaces. So rather than smashing through the block as he had thought they would the truck containing four SeeD candidates, an unconscious Galbadian soldier and a Crystal statue was launched into the air before dropping heavily onto the beach in a magnificent spray of sand. It skidded for at least twelve metres before coming to a stop, the engine finally giving in to the abuse it had suffered.
Not pausing to check his own wounds that had been sustained when the vehicle landed, Squall pushed open the door and dashed to the rear of the truck. Relieved to find that all three of his team-mates were alive...if a little green.
"I am never letting you drive again!" Seifer declared as Squall busted open the lock on the cage and the others moved with him to retrieve the Crystal.
Even as they moved they could hear the approaching Galbadian's and the frustrated shouts of Quistis and other SeeD's from the other direction. Moving quickly Squall, Seifer, Zell and Selphie stripped the Crystal of the rough tarp that had been carelessly thrown over it and lifted the surprisingly light object from the base of the truck. Still feeling detached from his surroundings, Squall supposed that the lightness of the statue was why the Galbadian convoy had been so quick to arrive at his ambush.
Maneuvering the Crystal Statue of a young man while under enemy fire is a surprisingly difficult feat. Which is why Squall found himself grateful for the third time that day that Instructor Quistis Trepe was with them. At the first sign of the Crystal statue, every SeeD in the area had paused for all of a second before rushing to help the four candidates. Even as the Galbadian's came into range to fire Quistis had rushed into the ship to man the machine gun on the deck. Turning the rapid fire on the approaching enemy, Quistis forced the enemy army to scatter to the nearest shelter they could find.
No sooner had the four candidates moved the statue into the ship that it lurched and closed the automated opening even as they sped on their way.
What had been a simple assignment and SeeD exam had quickly turned into something much bigger.
They waited in the hold still guarding the Crystal even though there were only other SeeDs around them the four candidates shared looks. Either they would be expelled for this, or they would be lauded as heroes.
Squall wasn't sure he wanted to guess which it would be.
Quistis returned to the lower decks where the four stood waiting, surrounding their precious cargo. The entire ship lurched. The sudden pulse of pure magic rippling through them into the metal.
Every gaze was quickly fixed to the Crystal, another pulse, weaker this time, pushing out like it was looking for something.
After the third pulse that was only felt by those standing closest, the strange glow that the Crystal had been emitting since Squall had gotten a close look at it shifted.
The light sank into the skin of the statue and as the minutes passed the Crystal forming the body of the Sorcerer began to darken.
"Is it...he...waking?" Quistis' voice was soft as she edged around the crowded hold, every SeeD present rooted to the spot.
Squall and the gather SeeDs and crew watched in fascination as, slowly, the crystal receded leaving only pale, dirty skin, dark hair and filthy clothes.
Frowning Squall thought that the Crystal Sorcerer looked as though he had just come out of a war zone. A few patches of grime that showed looked suspiciously red and just as the living body heaved hints of cuts and bruises peeked through gaps in the baggy clothing.
The body heaved again as if desperate for air but couldn't quite remember how to breathe. Without thinking Squall moved forwards and as gently as he could on the hard metal surface of the hold floor lifted the thin scrawny body onto his side. Prompting a gush of stale air to escape the ancient lungs and a coughing fit to commence.
Still existing in his state of semi-detachment Squall stood back from the prone form as the breathing began to even out. Without any prompting Seifer moved in to replace Squall at the Sorcerer's side, picking him up without any apparent effort.
Seifer didn't say a word, nobody did, as he carried the seemingly unconscious form of the most powerful magical being since Hyne from the hold and up into the ship proper for the few hours back to Balamb.
No crew or SeeD questioned the group as they moved to follow, staying close to the young man that had appeared out of the Crystal.
Squall wondered what would happen now.