(Rea grumbles as she writes down the last calculus before…) REA!( Tanathos appears at the door and smacks her head). You have an update to do. Move it. (Reyavie glares before turning her attention to the screen). Hey everyone! I am back! As if you didn't notice. I'll try to be quick 'cause I am pretty sure everyone knows by now that I DON'T OWN ANYTHING IN THIS STORY! My bank account wishes I did. Maybe one day I'll be able to skip this part without being sued. But Ariadne and all the OCs are my creations.

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A.N – Still waiting for you to give me your names for Aria's amulet. At this point AoA's suggestion is winning but keep voting…

Here are the three already submitted. Please vote for your favourite or submit your own.

Meva Ysimad – It means "life amulet" and it's Al-bhed (language from FFX for those who don't know) – Submitted by AoA.

Apotropaic – It means "to have the power to avert evil" and it's greek – Submitted by Orodruin

Benu – It means "to rise in brilliance" and it is a way to refer to the phoenix. It's Egyptian – Submitted by Crystalparadise

So, say something alright…?

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To my dear reviewers:

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Cybele – Heya! Glad to see you back! Enjoying your holidays I hope? Thank you! For your review and for the correction of my mistakes. They are getting rarer, aren't they? Because my Word seems to be neglecting to warn me about them. Anyways she had it easier huh? Well, last time she got an ice spike through her chest. I'm not sadistic enough to make her pass through something that bad again…wait a moment…I am. (Rea shrugs). I guess I was just in a good mood to make her suffer even more.

The answer to the time compression problem will appear in this chappie so you'll just have to read again. Good thing that I'm raising your curiosity. I really hate giving all the answers directly. And to all to that pesky mob STOP attacking my reviewers. I am not going to bash Rinoa but every now and then the situations will call for her to answer according to her personality. People have different views and I have mine as well. Other than that thank you once again and I hope you like this chapter. Till later.

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Angel Of Apocolypse – Hey! You know, I would find it odd if you didn't vote for your own suggestion. And one more time thank you for warning me about your update (really cool :) ) and for reviewing, of course. I'm really happy you enjoyed these chapters and the titles. You have a real appreciation for those don't you? Well, here's this week's chapter. Hope you like it.

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Crystalparadise – Wow! You really think that about Aria? Alright! (Rea grabs one of Aria's katanas and holds Rinoa's fans at sword point. They slowly edge away). That should get them out of your back for a while. And yes, Squall is one character that can really annoy someone, isn't he? And when that someone has Aria's temper…can I say BOOM! (Rea snickers). Thank you so much for your suggestion for the amulet's name.

It's really cool. I didn't that phoenix was named like that in Egypt so thanks for the information. We are always learning after all. Yes, I am still updating and just one more thing…you changed from puppy eyes to Darth Vader? What do you want to do to me? Scare me to death? Sheesh! I gotta go now. Enjoy and I hope to read from you soon.

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Welcome to the twenty-third chapter of Second Life which will be dedicated to AoA 'cause she's a Seifer fanatic. I'll be at the bottom of this…

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"Personal issues?" – The assembled group watched wide-eyed as the two missing members appeared on the third floor in a deep argument. Ariadne was rolling her eyes skyward while Squall had an eyebrow raised in faint questioning

– "That guy ordered the other guy to knock me out" – She said dryly sheathing her katanas – "I believe that gives me a reason to want to hit him."

– "He ran away when he saw you" – Squall declared calmly – "Just what exactly did you do to him?" – Aria shrugged but her smile was as evil as it could be. Irvine winced when he recognized the look on her face.

– "Aria" – The girl froze in her tracks as she saw Quistis's distressed expression.

– "Shit" – She walked forward and hugged the older girl as strongly as she could – "I'm sorry Quis" – Her voice was a small whisper – "I'm so sorry. I didn't want to concern you" – A small chuckle reached her ears.

– "It is alright Aria" – Quistis released herself from the hug and frowned when she noticed something. Her hand touched the girl's face lightly.

– "Who did this to you?" – She asked.

– "The unconscious soldier on the second floor" – Everyone looked at Squall including a scowling Ariadne – "The one who ran as soon as he saw her for some unknown reason" – The instructor gave her an inquiring glance that changed into amusement as soon as her sister told her exactly what she had done.

– "I should know better than to worry about you" – A half smile was given to Squall – "You wouldn't want to know" – Ariadne just chuckled under her breath.

– "Just ask Irvine what I did to Raul in my second year" – Irvine blanched.

– "We should go now" – Everyone snapped to attention with their leader's words. – "Zell, Irvine and Selphie try to place Ellone in safety. They will be waiting for you outside. The rest comes with me. Let's move."

The two sisters fell side-by-side as they had in Balamb in what seemed an eternity before. As for Rinoa, she was walking besides Squall and Aria's only reaction to her presence had been a smile when she had arrived.

– "Will you go with them?" – Sacred seemed to have awakened from the deep slumber that had taken them after the transfusion of energy. She frowned as she ran, blades already on her hands.

– "Ultimecia and I have some unfinished business to take care of" – Aria answered – "I'm not stupid enough to leave my nightmares forgotten." – She could feel the concern flooding her mind.

– "What's wrong, guys?" – Silence…

– "Aria" – Began Minotaur – "Have you thought that you might be able to go back home with the time compression?" – Her mind entered in overdrive with those words and she realized she didn't have an answer for them.

– "I take that you didn't" – Sacred sighed in frustration.

– "You are an idiot Brother" – She couldn't process the bit of information that had been dumped on her and not even the familiar banter could help her in that.

– "Oh Hyne, as if my life wasn't complicated enough" – Ariadne looked around to the ones that accompanied her and her throat constricted until it was almost painful to breathe.

– "What the hell am I going to do?"

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"Ariadne" – Ellone stopped next to her as she got near the door. The Galbadian Seed grabbed her arm, wasting no time, and pulled the older girl with her as it seemed the others were too concerned with what Fujin and Raijin were babbling about with Squall.

Aria snorted lightly as they seemed to finally understand what Seifer's stupid quest for power had caused. She smiled, a true smile, to the older girl though.

– "I'm glad you're ok." – Ellone just looked at the mark on Aria's face.

– "I'm sorry" – Ariadne's answer was to drag her away from the conversation and through the door.

– "Forget about that" – A dark haired man barred their way as soon as they left the room, nearly making her let lose a fluent string of curses. She had enough on her hands to be drawn into another pointless battle at the moment.

– "Who the hell did I piss off so badly?" – Aria screamed mentally as she turned to an attack position.

– "And you are?" – The Galbadian asked defensibly. The man gave her a confused look that turned threatening as he saw who she was behind her.

– "Uncle Laguna" – Ellone jumped into the older man's arms and hugged the life out of him while Aria struggled to keep her jaw away from the floor

– "That's Laguna!" – She thought unbelievingly.

He looked older than the picture that she made of him but one thing was similar. A small touch of innocence in his expression that his son would never possess.

– "Apparently I'm your new employer…if you are Ariadne that is" – Laguna stated. She gave him an unnecessary nod.

– "They were worried to death about you." – And an even more unnecessary statement. That alone reminded her that she was losing precious time.

– "I know" – Aria answered with a small smile – "And I don't plan on making them do so again. So do me a favor and take care of Ellone. Hyne knows she's always in trouble." – Now Ariadne could consider herself proud to be one of the few that could make the ever calm Ellone glare.

"Be careful" – The man gave her a kind look, one she had never seen on his son.

– "Not possible. Now, get out of here" – She ran back into the room passing by Fujin and Raijin on the way out.

– "Where were you?" – Whispered Selphie as soon as she saw her back.

– "With Ellone. Getting her to safety. Something that you should have been doing by the way" – She answered softly a teasing tone in the last comment – "What happened?" – A small shaking of the brunette's head told her that they would talk later. Not that she needed anyway.

– "Ariadne Beckerman" – She narrowed her eyes as Seifer called her name – "I believe our hospitality was up to your standards." – Aria forced herself not to roll her eyes with the strange thought that she had been doing that to many times. The word addictive came to her mind.

– "Oh yes" – And laying off the sarcasm would probably be a good idea – "I just love being knocked out before being knocked out once more…and wait you'll never guess this one. Get knocked out again after that. Yep, great hospitality. Hope you don't plan in going into business."

A fly would have been able to make itself heard in the huge room. Aria barely noticed glares being exchanged, not even the ones directed at her probably due to having…omitted that small piece of information. Her dark emerald eyes were locked with a pair of light green and she wouldn't be the one to back down.

– "I don't understand why she is so interested in you" – Seifer finally said. Ariadne's expression turned colder as she heard those words.

– "At last, something we agree on." - He didn't say anything else as he attacked the group in a despair that spoke of something that Aria couldn't grasp correctly. Something that made her stomach hurt and her heart freeze as she looked at him even in the middle of battle. Something familiar.

"Me…" - Her arms fell from her attack position and she just looked at him, barely conscious that she had stopped in the middle of a battle and even more oblivious to the callings for attention resounding on her mind.

– "She hurt you didn't she?" – Her voice had been calm, soft and yet everyone seemed to have heard her. – "She did it to you as well" – His eyes widened and he backed away as if her words were worst than the spells that he had been evading.

– "Aria! What are you doing?" – Ariadne absently noted that Squall's voice was a little more than livid as she walked in front of the group, one of her hands placing the blood-red katana on its sheath.

– "So you are just going to let her win, aren't you?" – Her voice turned strong, unflinching as her stern eyes.

– "You are just going to roll over when she says so simply because you're afraid?" – Never had any of them seen a look of such hatred in Seifer's face as he looked at the girl. Not even Squall that had seen them everyday since he had arrived at the Garden.

– "You don't know what it's like…"

"To feel like you're alone?" – She completed harshly – "To fell someone touching everything you care about? Everything that you try to hide? Your most cherished memories and private thoughts? Fell them being used against you? Been there, done that. Are you going to stand up on your own any time soon Almasy?"

Aria could feel it. The same feeling that she had felt before Ultimecia had had her fun with her lurking over his angered face. But underneath was the Seifer she knew him to be. The guy that had entered Galbadia Garden in her third year as if he owned the place. The guy that was protective of his friends and home. It was to him she was talking to.

– "She saw everything" – His voice was cold but composed, the anger disappearing, his attention focused sorely on the girl in front of him – "Dreams and expectations. Hopes and desires. Memories. She saw everything." – Aria nodded calmly.

– "Are you going to give up then?" – Pain flickered through his expression for a moment as he closed his eyes.

– "It hurts" – Was the only thing he said. Ariadne's eyes relaxed even as her hand grasped the katana she still held more tightly and she began walking towards their opponent. A familiar hand gripped her arm as she did so making her stop. Sea green eyes turned to Squall.

– "Please trust me on this" – Her pleas were not voiced as she was afraid any wrong word would make everything she had been trying to do useless – "Just trust. For once trust that I can do the right thing. Trust that my choices are correct. Trust me." – The hand let go slowly as if its owner was unsure of his decision.

She nodded once more before walking to the still silent man. The whole group was standing behind, Quistis slightly in front as if waiting for a treason but not interfering in any way with what Aria was doing. – "She doesn't leave" – He was talking to her and sorely to her. She knew that. – "I can hear her thoughts. Her orders…she will not leave."

– "Because you're afraid to let go." – She raised an eyebrow in her typical fashion – "You're not a kid. You don't need her to make your choices for you. Was this your dream all along Almasy? To be an executor, a murderer in another's name?"

For a moment she thought she had said the wrong words as anger showed in his eyes once more but then…he grabbed his head and screamed as loud as he could closing his eyes forcefully. It hadn't been directed to her.

– "What can I do guys?" – She begged mentally to her guardians – "He cannot hear me now" – Alarm was filling their bond, their and her own.

– "We can help" – Answered Sacred – "Touch him and open your mind. We'll take care of the rest" – A small touch of fear overtook her heart, enough for them to feel it, as she remembered the last time anyone had entered her mind.

– "We won't let him see anything Aria" – Whispered Minotaur – "But it is the only way" – Ariadne nodded resolutely before kneeling next to the taller man, her hands resting on his temples.

No one moved to help or stop her. Not that any of them could. A gloved hand gripped her wrist with strength enough to break it if she had been any weaker.

– "Do stop that Almasy" – Aria said coldly – "I have no more wish to be in your mind than you to let me in so let's make this quick" – The hand lightened the grip but didn't let go. Aria just forced herself to ignore it as her eyes closed.

She didn't have to do much, just watch. Darkness filled her vision but in it several threads shone brightly, many of them connected to her and many to him. Threads that represented their minds and all of their mental or emotional connections. One of her own threads, red-blood as her distinctive magic and easily one of the strongest she possessed, broke in half only to touch one of the man in front of her.

Seeing its sickly grey touching the red of her connection with the Brothers twisted her stomach in a really bad way almost making her want to throw up. But Ariadne ignored also it as the red thread pulled the other viciously.

It tried to resist.

It really did as she could feel the rage and…well, she could only classify it as a temper tantrum of astronomic proportions. And then the thread snapped making the girl fall behind in shock as if she had been holding onto a rope that had suddenly been cut.

– "She will attack again" – Warned Sacred – "He needs protection. Now!" – Emerald eyes turned behind her in anxiety.

– "Everyone, I need a GF" – She asked to the horrified group – "As in, right now!" – To her surprise Zell came forward without a single word before placing a small black ball in her outstretched hand.

– "He better not say a word to me after this" – She rolled her eyes closing her hand around the one thing she knew that could help only to press it against Seifer's.

– "Let him help you" – She hissed – "Concentrate on his connection. Accept it. He can protect you." – And she took a step back waiting for some reaction.

– "What is happening Aria?" – Quistis voiced what everyone had been thinking. A gloved hand made a sharp sign for her to wait as Seifer breathed harshly before he straightened up once more, casting a remedy and a Curaga as he did so, and looked at Ariadne.

– "Doomtrain…I suppose I should thank you for not giving me Carbuncle or something." – Zell glared at him and was totally ignored.

– "So we come at an impasse Beckerman" – Seifer continued too calmly – "Any solution?" – Aria looked at Squall silently seeing as his cold blue eyes turned from her to Seifer.

She suddenly felt sick when she noticed the look she was receiving. But she hid it, eyes hard and expression serious. She would always hide it. A comforting hand rested on her shoulder.

– "I believe that a temporary truce is in order Squall, Seifer" – The contempt in the second name was well masked as Quistis spoke but Ariadne knew better than to bypass that. And forgiveness would only come after a long time for those wounds.

– "I assume the best course of action would be to summon President Laguna and place him under his custody while we continue our mission" – Ariadne was never more proud for the instructor's diplomatic skills.

– "As yours are severely lacking" – Commented Minotaur. She ignored 'Taur's input as well as Sacred's scolding to listen to Squall's answer. The Commander of Balamb was still silent and, for once, no one forced him to speak immediately. Not even Rinoa and Selphie that were strangely quiet in the background.

– "Or we could back down for now" – The Galbadian Seed suggested calmly – "Maybe return to the ship and discuss the last events."

– "Irvine, call the president" – Squall ordered unemotionally still looking at her and apparently having ignored all she had said – "Ariadne and Zell, get Fujin and Raijin. I want them both here."

– "He just placed his entire foot in his mouth there" – Ariadne bit her lip softly as she heard the cold command barely listening to yet another of Taur's remarks. He had never called her Ariadne ever since after the Galbadia Garden's battle…she had confided in him then…and now he had…for a children's feud.

– "Yes Commander" – Aria spat acidly while unsheathing her second blade. – "Be right back Quis. Come on Zell" – She had never been so grateful for the fact that the whole Lunatic Pandora was swarming with monsters.

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My POV

Don't you just love sibling rivalry?

It makes one feel so happy to watch especially when said rivals make fools out of themselves.

Hyne, why the hell did I have to fall for a complete and total bastard? Cause there HAS to be a decent explanation. For the sake of my sanity it has.

Ok, let's put the facts on the table.

1. Seifer is an asshole.

Hell yeah, attitude and personality suck big time.

2. He was under the bitch's spell so he pretty much wasn't in control of himself.

Trying to explain that to the students of the three Gardens he placed in jeopardy will prove to be a pain.

3. Both Squall and he hated each other's guts since kids. I was caught in the middle.

Smart. Almost as smart as my encounter with an ice spike.

4. I couldn't let the bitch do to others what she did to me.

That much was obvious. Having your mind raped isn't something anyone would wish on another. I would never do that. I may have sarcastic tendencies but I'm not sadistic… I will try to make an exception on the bitch's case though.

5. I'm pissed off beyond measure, have no way to yell at anyone, the only way for me to vent is to fight the monsters on my way and…did I mention I'm pissed off?

What the hell am I going to do?

Now I could really use some help. Red and Taur try to help but they can only do so much and Quis…I know she's been trying to talk to me but there's no way in hell that I will speak about this in front of the group.

Maybe I'll consider it when I'm at a minimum of fifty kilometers away from them…maybe not.

How can I explain her all the problems that are swimming around in my mind? Yep, I don't have that answer as well.

About Seifer I am afraid I can't do much. It's not my decision to make. I can't make the others forgive him and quite frankly I don't think I have any right to do something like that. I can't forgive him either so who am I to force others into something like that?

I never did believe much in the "Do what I say and not what I do" motto.

Even knowing that it was Ultimecia who had most of the fault, Seifer is to me, to all of us, what Edea was after the battles that we fought against her. A person that reminds me of whatever suffering that happened in my life.

I won't be able to forget Galbadia Garden under attack, friends being forced to fight between themselves…no. I won't forget. But forgiveness is always possible.

After all…I kinda forgave Ellone for her stunt, right?

Time to see if I still hold any sway over Galbadia Garden. I did have a second chance in life. It would be way too hypocrite if I refused to give it to others. Stef and Sasha are going to have a fit over this though.

I can only hope I'll get out of this alive so I can see that first hand. If I come back home that is…just where exactly is my home now?

Really?

Here ends this week's chapter. I would have probably wrote a bit more but the next chapter is one I am really proud of, so I'll let everyone eat their nails for this week. Don't forget that reviews are food for the mind and mine needs to be working really hard right now. Mistakes, suggestions, comments and just plain randomness are welcome so review.

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Next chapter: One would think that people would have learned not to mess up with a certain pissed-off Galbadian Seed, right? Yeah, right.

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See ya all next week

Reyavie

(Tanathos nods approvingly before leaving sister alone. Rea hits him on the head with a chemistry book while muttering something about slave drivers)