Part Thirty Two

Back With A Bang

The Lunar Station

Bridge

It was the End of Days. The red light spilling forth from the whirlpool on the surface of the moon looked like a gate into Hell. Some of the light streamed towards the station and when it hit the entire structure began to shake. Pulled away from the doomsday spectacle outside Romana ordered everyone off the station immediately.

Squall heard her mentioning something about escape pods but he honestly couldn't give a shit. All he could see was Seifer floating out there, trapped in a purple shield that could fail at any moment. He had to save him. Turning around Squall saw the looks on the rest of their faces. Demyx looked sick and Ienzo was holding onto that Rune Blade of his. Squall swallowed the lump in his throat.

Baralai turned away from the hellish sight. This was all too familiar. When the Gateway opened the first time thanks to Sokar he remembered clearly the vivid red light and the screams of the beasts from beyond. Squall had a terrible feeling he knew what the moon truly was. He had always thought it was a myth but now...it had to be true.

The Celestial Prison was a story told to the SeeD cadets back in Balamb Garden. After the war the monsters conjured by Adel were imprisoned in an out of phase prison cell on the moon. The Ragnarok was used to transport the creatures there. Ultimecia had just unleashed an army onto the planet.

Hyne only knew what was happening on the surface of the planet now. The Lunatic Pandora was beginning to recharge its energies and the Gateway was opening, slowly but surely. Sora and Riku were both staring out of the window while Cloud and Leon remained quiet and stoic although Squall could easily see the turmoil in their eyes.

Roxas' brow was furrowed as he had a mental conversation with Axel. No doubt the Guardian Force wanted to go and rescue Seifer somehow. There had to be some way to get to him. This was a fucking orbital station for Hyne's sake. Surely they had space suits or something.

"I know how to get to Seifer." Riku spoke up.

"What?" Squall was broken out of his thoughts.

"Ultimecia created a barrier around Seifer to protect him from space right? Maybe I can do the same thing." Riku explained.

"But you can't go out there? What if your shield fails?" Sora cried.

"Then I'll go." Squall said with finality.

"Squall..." Baralai murmured.

"This isn't open for debate." The Commander stated.

"But Riku doesn't have power near Seifer's." Roxas pointed out. "You could die before you get to him."

"I have to try something." Squall said.

"There's something in the cargo bay!" Romana cried from the console. "The monsters are on the station."

"Get everyone out of there. We'll handle the monsters." Leon gripped Lionheart.

"What about you?" Romana asked. "We only have enough escape pods for seven of you."

"I'll sue that ship if I have to." Squall pointed towards Ragnarok.

"We'll be fine." Cloud assured her. "Just save us an escape pod."

"Please be careful." Romana pleaded then she took off for the lift.

"Let's get down to the docking area." Riku took off for the lift also.

The others followed after the silver haired Sorcerer. After taking the lift down to the docking area they were confronted with several monsters. Sora, Riku and Roxas raised their Keyblades against the hell spawn advancing on them. Ienzo and Baralai tore through the beasts towards the steel door.

Baralai blasted Holy against the creatures that looked like red imps while Ienzo punched the red button to compress the chamber again. Cloud and Leon went back into the lift and made their way to the cargo bay to help cut a path to the escape pods. Sora and Roxas kept the red umps at bay as Riku ran towards Squall.

The brunet was passing through the now open steel door into the docking bay. He stood by the other door, his hand wavering above the red button. Riku nodded then closed his eyes and concentrated. He felt the magic swirling within his very soul as it bubbled and fought to the surface of his mind.

His mismatched eyes glowed with the magic boiling to the surface and he aimed that magic at Squall. The brunet felt his body being encompassed in a thick bubble-like substance. Oxygen flowed into the shield to allow him to breathe. Once Riku was clear Squall hit the red button and the hatch began to open.

The oxygen was sucked from the docking bay and Squall felt a tugging sensation across his body. He felt his body floating upwards out of the hatch and into the vacuum of space. The stars were so bright out here. So many stars glittering in an endless black sky all around him.

He couldn't tell if he was up or down anymore as he floated outside. He spotted Seifer drifted towards him just as the red light diminished from the moon and the whirlpool vanished completely. The small section of the Gateway however remained open. Seifer continued to just remain stationary within his own bubble.

Taking a deep breath Squall forced his body to move towards the blond man. The distance seemed so great that for a moment Squall thought he'd never reach Seifer. He forced his body to move forward again, his arms were outstretched as he tried to grab hold of the blond.

Seifer continued to float towards him. Squall could've cried for joy when he finally reached his rival. The bubble allowed Squall to pass through and grab hold of Seifer. The blond felt so cold and for a moment Squall thought Seifer wasn't breathing.

"Ummmm..." Seifer moaned.

"Seifer..." Squall gasped as he pulled back. "Come on Seifer open your eyes."

"Squ...all?" Seifer groaned out. His head fell to one side.

"I'm here Seifer and I'm rescuing your sorry ass." The Commander affirmed.

"Can't...move..." the blond said softly.

"Yes you can." Squall shook his rival. "We can get back to the station Seifer."

"She...made me watch...I opened the Gateway." Seifer sighed.

"Listen to me Seifer." Squall was desperate. "I'm not going to let you die ok but you have to help me."

"Don't wanna die yet." Seifer forced his eyes to open and Squall allowed a smile when he saw familiar jade orbs.

"Then don't die and help get us back to the station." Squall gripped Seifer's arms with all his strength.

"Ok..." Seifer nodded stiffly.

The blond closed his green eyes again and he furrowed his brow in concentration. Squall turned his head back towards the station to see the hatch coming closer. He caught sight of the red dragon shaped ship attached to the other hatch and he got an idea.

Seifer continued to manoeuvre them into the station and when they hit the cold floor Squall slammed his fist into the red button to close the hatch doors. The brunet slumped back onto the ground while Seifer started breathing erratically against him. The barrier around them failed as they lay there, just breathing.

"You came to get me." Seifer murmured softly. Squall glanced down at the blond by his side.

"I couldn't just leave you out there." The brunet replied.

"When she took my mind I kept thinking Leonhart's gonna come and get me." Seifer admitted with a small smirk. "I kept imagining you as my Knight."

"Almasy..." Squall sighed heavily.

"Like I said it was a fantasy." Seifer got up before Squall could protest. He swayed on his feet and Squall just noticed how sickly Seifer looked. "As if something like that could happen to me right?"

"Yeah...I suppose." Squall muttered and for some reason his heart ached.

"So how can we get off this station? Ultimecia plans to revive Adel in the Lunatic Pandora." Seifer said.

"We can use the Ragnarok." Squall ran towards the corridor. "Hopefully the others are off this station by now."

"I wish I had Hyperion." Seifer frowned.

"You're a Sorcerer. You don't need a Gunblade." Squall said.

"Yeah but I love that Gunblade." Seifer pouted. "Let's just get off this station."

The two of them passed through the station towards the docking area where the Ragnarok was located. Once they reached the hatch Seifer and Squall ran into the black tunnel of the ship until they came to some steps. Maybe he could figure out how to pilot the damn thing or hopefully it might be on autopilot or something along those lines.

Seifer ran along the tunnel once they climbed up the ladder and he fell into the nearest pilot's chair. Squall took up a seat beside him. On the console before them various lights had activated and there was something that looked like the main control system for the ship.

"We're moving." Seifer murmured and indeed the ship was beginning to shake and vibrate.

"The ship could be reacting to the Pandora." Squall suggested. The Ragnarok, once detached, turned its nose so that it was facing the planet.

"Maybe we'll get lucky and land on an island with a large fucking beach." Seifer stretched.

"I highly doubt that." Squall scowled. "We need to get to the Pandora."

"When Ultimecia decided to mind fuck me I saw what she wanted to do. She wants to free Adel so she can use her power to do Time Compression." Seifer looked thoughtful.

"She's already opened the Gateway." Squall rubbed his aching head.

"She used my power to open it so maybe I can close it again" Seifer stated.

"You're not going back out there again." Squall all but yelled.

"What's the matter Squally Boy? Worried about little old me?" Seifer smirked.

You can help stop Adel. You've got the power of three Sorceresses." Squall pointed out.

"So you only saved me so you could use me? That's sounds familiar." Seifer scoffed.

"What is your problem Almasy?" Squall turned to face him.

"Did you save me because you actually cared Leonhart?" the blond demanded. Squall turned away and said nothing.

"That's what I thought." Seifer scoffed angrily. "You never cared."

"That's not true...I do care." Squall whispered brokenly.

"Then prove it Ice Princess." Seifer scowled.

Before the blond could react Squall got up, planted his body in Seifer's lap and smashed their lips together.