Yuna gripped the pistol tightly, trying to quiet the shaking of her hands

Although she'd been certain and sincere when she'd volunteered, on some level she hadn't really expected to be here. She'd thought the others would tell her she wasn't trained enough, wasn't strong enough, that they couldn't rely on her to play a key role in the mission. Or maybe that they wouldn't risk her getting hurt. But here she was, trying not to tremble as she waited for Terra to appear.

Squall was nearby, just out of sight. That brought her some comfort. She trusted him, even though she'd only met him a short time ago. She felt like she'd known him for years, having met his friends and family and spent hours hearing Rinoa talk about him. Even beyond that, his simple, focused determination had helped to ease her growing nerves. He was there to do what needed to be done and he didn't have time for nonsense like being scared. After she'd asserted that she would don the Shell Ring and draw Terra's magic to herself, he'd nodded once and continued planning, as though it had not occurred to him to question her ability or fitness for the task.

Yuna tried to relax her deathgrip on the pistol, knowing overtight muscles would not help her. She didn't plan on firing the weapon; she didn't want to hurt Terra. She held it so she could hold something, so maybe she wouldn't feel quite so vulnerable. She wished instead she was holding onto Tidus's hand.

He was so close, it was almost painful. As much as she wanted to see him, she was glad that she didn't have to fight him. She wouldn't have fought him, she couldn't. And if he had attacked her under the influence of the slave crown—she couldn't even fathom that. She just had to be a little patient. If she could get through this battle with Terra, she would be able to see him and everything would be right again.

There was a crackle to Yuna's right, and when she turned toward it, she saw a petite girl in a red dress, with green hair pulled back in a ponytail and a metal band across her forehead. Terra.

Yuna lowered her pistol and wondered if maybe, just maybe, she would be able to get through to Terra, to end this without violence. Yuna had taken a single step toward Terra when she started to twirl. She spun fast enough to create a breeze, and when she stopped, she no longer had the red dress or the green hair. She did, however, still have the metal band across her forehead.

The flames began before Yuna had a chance to say a word. She dropped the pistol and crossed her arms protectively in front of her as she braced against the onslaught.

Terra started with a stream of flame that washed over Yuna. Then she formed a ball of fire in each hand and lobbed them toward Yuna, one at a time. She alternated hands, first the fire formed in her right palm, then her left palm. Next, she tossed the fireball from her right hand at Yuna, followed by the left. And then she formed new fire with her right hand and the process repeated.

The Shell Ring performed admirably, protecting Yuna from every lick of flame. However, the ring could do nothing to cool the heat of the flames, nor could it bring fresh air to Yuna's burning lungs. Yuna was blurry eyed as she took a final look at Terra. Despite the intensity of the attack, her eyes were utterly empty. As darkness overcame her, Yuna felt nothing but pity for the half-Esper.

Terra was a little scarier in this form, but not much. White and furry, with the hints of fangs showing at the corners of her mouth, the scariest part of her was the emptiness in her eyes. Well, that and the inferno broiling around her.

Hidden in the shadows, Squall watched Terra's relentless attack on Yuna. The Shell Ring would protect her, but for how long? He hadn't expected such a long sustained attack. He'd assumed Terra would have to rest and repower at some point, and he'd planned to move in then. He couldn't see Yuna in the flames, he could only hope that she was okay.

He couldn't stand to wait any longer. He drew his gunblade and ran into the blaze.

He didn't get far. When he was still several feet away, Terra turned toward him. She kept one hand pointed at Yuna, spilling flames over the young Summoner. The other hand reached toward him, releasing a huge fireball that knocked him backward and off his feet.

For a moment he sat there, resting on his backside and propped up by his elbows, his brain too startled to properly process the searing pain of charred flesh.

Squall was struggling to his feet—he'd made it one knee—when he heard a noise a bit like the sound of the engines of the Ragnarok starting up. He then saw a blur of brown and white crash into Terra from behind.

Terra went sprawling forward, but a wave of dizziness prevented Squall from seeing more. He lowered his head for a moment and when he looked up, he saw Angelo trotting toward him. She held her head up proudly and in her mouth was a metal circlet.

"Good girl," Squall huffed as Angelo dropped the slave crown and began to lick his face. The dog's wet tongue against his burned skin was simultaneously soothing and painful.

He stood up and picked up the slave crown. It was a simple bit of metal, looking utterly innocuous. He tossed it into the air and struck it with Lionheart, slicing it neatly in two. He collected the broken pieces and tucked them in his belt. Then he turned towards Terra, who was once again human and sat on the ground with her legs splayed beneath her.

Squall approached her cautiously. She looked at him, her eyes bigger and even more bewildered than usual.

He knelt down on one knee a few feet from her. "Are you okay?"

She scrambled away from him.

"I don't want to hurt you," he said as gently as he could, but she jumped to her feet and ran from him. Squall watched her go. Chasing her down would surely not put her mind any more at ease, and the way she was running indicated she was uninjured.

He turned his attention to Yuna. Angelo was already there, licking Yuna's face. Yuna lie on her side on the ground, unconscious. As Squall moved toward her, he reached in his jacket pocket for phoenix down, only to remember he wasn't wearing his jacket. He checked his pants pockets, but he always carried his phoenix down in his jacket.

He checked Yuna's pulse and breathing. She appeared to be fine, just knocked out. He noticed one of her pistols nearby and collected it. Then he scooped her off the ground and carried her as he headed toward the rendezvous point. Someone else was going to have to revive her.

A few minutes later, Squall heard yelling and broke into a jog, still carrying Yuna in his arms. As he turned the corner around a rocky bluff, he saw Seifer, Locke, and Tidus.

Seifer was kneeling with his left knee in Locke's back, pinning him to the ground. He also had Tidus in a headlock under his right arm. Both were struggling and spilling expletives.

Squall lowered Yuna to the ground before approaching Seifer. Angelo sat down beside her. "What are you doing? Let them go."

"I'm just following orders. The chick in the cape told me to keep them here. But if you want me to let them go, I'd be more than happy to." Seifer stood, releasing Locke and Tidus, and drew his gunblade.

Tidus and Locke backed away from Seifer, their eyes wild and fists clenched. Seeing their panic and confusion, Squall had to admit that maybe telling Seifer to release them hadn't been such a great idea. He figured they probably would have run, if they weren't afraid to turn their backs on Seifer.

"Hey, Tidus, it's okay." Squall approached the former blitzball player slowly and as unthreateningly as possible. "I know you're really confused right now, but we know each other. I'm trying to help you."

Tidus shook his head. "I don't know you."

"Yes, you do. It's just the slave crown you were wearing. Your memories should come back, but until then I don't want you doing anything crazy." Tidus seemed to have calmed a little, although he still regarded Squall with distrust. "Look, Yuna's here. You can't have forgotten her."

Squall gestured to the unconscious Summoner. Tidus looked at her with interest, but not recognition.

"What about blitzball? You remember being a blitzball player, right? You've told me all about it." You haven't stopped talking about it since I met you.

Tidus looked at Squall blankly.

I guess he really doesn't have any memories. How can I convince him we know each other? There has to be something. Something so basic, so elemental, it can't change even if he doesn't remember anything. Hmm… Elemental…

"Water. You love to be in the water. I bet you wish you were swimming right now. Right?"

Tidus's eyes narrowed, then he nodded slowly. "I think I do like water… Maybe we do know each other…"

"Where do you think you're going?" Seifer slammed his gunblade into the ground beside Locke, who had been inching away while Squall talked to Tidus.

Locke held his fists up, ready for a fight. "Just because you can coax him into staying, doesn't mean I'm going to. I don't know you people, and I definitely don't trust you."

Squall clenched his jaw. It had been hard enough to get through to Tidus, who Squall had tended to fault for being too trusting. Getting through to Locke, who didn't trust him even under normal conditions, would be next to impossible. Unless…

What if he could use that distrust to his advantage?

"Of course you don't trust us. That's exactly why you're coming with us." Squall took a step toward Yuna. "An unconscious girl with three strange guys? You better come along, to keep an eye on her."

Locke scowled, but Squall could tell he'd relented.

Seifer put away his gunblade and set a heavy hand on Squall's shoulder. "When'd you get such a silver tongue? Last I checked, you couldn't even talk to people."

Squall shrugged Seifer's hand off his shoulder, keeping a close watch on Tidus and Locke.

Tidus and Locke both looked warily at Seifer, but stayed put. Good. Now we just have to revive Yuna and find Terra and Celes and we can go home.

Squall held his hand out toward Seifer. "Give me a phoenix down."

"Don't have any."

"What? How can you not have phoenix down?" Squall stared incredulously at Seifer, not sure whether he was stupid enough to be that unprepared, or obnoxious enough to lie about it.

"I work alone, not as part of a swarm like a monster. Why would I need phoenix down?"

Squall sighed. "Then use Life on her."

Seifer scoffed.

"You don't stock Life?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

Squall clenched his jaw and turned toward Tidus and Locke. They'd surely had all their items taken away when they were captured. "Where are Terra and Celes?"

Seifer shrugged. "How should I know?"

"Seifer…"

Seifer rolled his eyes. "Psycho girl with green hair sprinted past us and cape chick ran after her, telling me to keep these two here. Then I was a too little busy rastling these two into submission to track where they went after that."

"I saw something," Tidus offered. "A white and kinda violet being flew overhead. Someone with long blonde hair and a white cape was chasing her on the ground. She had a bunch of giant birds with her, she was riding one."

Terra can fly as an Esper? Squall hadn't realized that before, but it didn't really surprise him. And Celes had taken all the chocobos when she went after her. Probably, she'd only intended to take one, but the others had followed. At any rate, it looked like the rest of them would be walking.

Presumably, Celes and Terra would return to base as soon as they could. Squall and his party should head that direction as well. Although they did finally have Yuna, Tidus, and a way home, Squall couldn't just leave Locke here in his current state.

Squall knelt beside Yuna, giving Angelo a pat on the head before sliding his arms under the unconscious Summoner. It looked like he'd be carrying her until she woke up on her own.