Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…
This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)
Okay, so up until this one, all the snapshots have been in order. From here on out, though, they won't be. I'm in the process of recovering old writing from my High School days that never made it to the computer (for various reasons) and replaying the game (this time the Playstation version so that I can actually see the whole thing). Thus there are going to be more additional/extended scenes showing up. I'm not sure when I'll be completely done with the snapshots, but… it'll be a while.
Haunted
Seifer bit down on the impulse to scream aloud at the sound of Ultimecia's voice in his thoughts. He wasn't certain when Edea had melted away to be replaced with the futuristic Sorceress or if Edea had ever really been there at all. Everything was a mess…
"My knight… I require a new host," Ultimecia murmured from the depths of Seifer's mind. "We must go to Esthar and claim Adel."
"Sorceress Adel is dead. We've lost, Sorceress. Let me be free…" Seifer didn't know if he was speaking aloud or just thinking the words as he sank to his knees on the beach. In the distance Galbadia Garden could be seen; the empty wreck was only barely managing to stay aloft. Beyond Galbadia Garden was Balamb Garden and, further back, the Orphanage where Seifer vaguely remembered playing as a child.
He'd come so far from that bullying child who'd aspired to be something better. Instead, he'd lost everything. Now Ultimecia sought to take him even further from his home…
"Tch… my knight, you know nothing of Adel's fate. She lives in stasis." Ultimecia's tone grew melodious. "Besides… do you not want to take your rightful revenge? You are more than worthy of being SeeD… of leading Balamb Garden. The mission to Timber should have been yours, but he got it instead. Rinoa loved you, but he has tainted her heart against you.
"You should destroy Squall Leonhart before he steals anything else away from you."
"Shut up! Shut up!" Seifer pressed his hands against his ears, as if the action might silence her voice in his head. "It's over!" he insisted.
"No it isn't!"
Seifer flinched at the vehemence of her shout.
"They shunned you, mocked you, ruined you, and now you give up. Are you really so weak? Has Squall truly won here, coward? Is there no fight left in you?"
"I am not weak or afraid!" Seifer snarled. "I can always fight!"
"Then what is stopping you?"
"I'm so tired…" Seifer turned his gaze upon the ocean.
"Then rest, my knight. We will depart for Esthar when you awaken. We will prove that this setback has not defeated us… that they lack the strength necessary to put an end to us. Once we reach the Lunatic Pandora Facility, we can summon Adel from her slumber in the stars, take this world, forge our own destiny, and prove those who doubted us wrong…" there was something about Ultimecia's voice that was alluring. Seifer felt caught up once more by her intensity.
Clenching his hands into fists, Seifer nodded. "You're right. How will we reach Esthar?"
A/N – I don't know what you'll get out of this. Is Ultimecia controlling Seifer or was he acting of his own free will? I think it's some of both, but I leave it to my readers to decide.