Chapter Twelve: An Unexpected Encounter
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Final Fantasy VIII no matter how much I wish they were my works. Any additional characters added are mine.
oOoOo
It didn't take the six companions long getting to the train station on the outskirts of Galbadia Garden, but Squall was in a foul mood again which didn't go unnoticed by them. He was walking ahead of them all briskly, his head down and his hands stuffed in his pockets. Squall gritted his teeth, trying to block out the incessant giggling coming from behind him.
He didn't even know why he cared or why it was winding him up, but he was relieved when he reached the train conductor. 'Where is this train heading?' he asked, trying to keep his tone even as he crossed his arms.
The others caught up to him, glancing at him warily like he would snap at them at any moment. Hermione frowned, reflecting on what had caused his attitude to shift again, but shook it away. This just seemed to be how Squall was and he wasn't very open about things that were bothering him.
The train conductor glanced at them all, before looking back at Squall. 'This train is bound for Deling City. Are you getting on?' he asked, pulling out his ticket machine. He pressed a few buttons on it. 'It will cost 3,000 Gil for six tickets,' he told them, eyeing the group.
Squall nodded, pulling out some coins from his pocket. He counted out the exact sum, handing them to the train conductor. He tapped a finger on his arm impatiently as he waited for the tickets to print out. Once he had them in hand, he boarded the train.
Recalling the last train they were on, Squall walked over to the door leading to the private cabin for SeeD and put the primary ticket into the slot. It scanned and beeped, flashing green and the door clicked, indicating it was open. He sighed, leaning against the wall to wait for the others. He frowned, glancing at the door to the train having thought they were right behind him, but they hadn't appeared yet.
A few minutes passed and Squall was almost tempted to go find out what was causing the delay to them getting on the train, but he stopped himself as Quistis and Zell joined him. A moment later Selphie, Hermione, and Irvine wandered in, the girls still giggling. He rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, before shaking his head and staring at the floor.
Hermione glanced over at Squall with a frown. He had been very distant again since leaving Galbadia Garden. After speaking with him there, she had thought his mood would lighten up somewhat, but she guessed that was wishful thinking. The conflict in his temperament was giving her whiplash, and she had almost given up on trying to figure him out. He was a convoluted jigsaw puzzle with only one hue, and she didn't think she was willing to take on that challenge. She glanced over at Irvine who seemed like he was the total opposite of Squall. He was entertaining, laidback, chatty, and… not Squall. It exasperated her that she even felt compelled to compare them, and she groaned internally.
Hermione shook her thoughts away, taking in what was going on around her. Selphie was the only one missing, and she assumed she had already fled through to the other car. 'Do we know when this train is leaving?' she asked, breaking the awkward silence which had fallen over them.
Zell grumbled. 'Soon, I hope,' he replied, hurling feign punches at the corner. A few seconds later, the train rumbled to life, and the train conductor announced it would be departing shortly.
Quistis chuckled. 'Well, that answers that question,' she said brightly, grinning at Hermione.
Hermione smiled back at her, feeling a lot better after they had their chat in Galbadia Garden. After she had absconded to get away from Squall, she had managed to locate the library. She had moved in between the shelves, leaning against them as she let the tears fall. Quistis had found her soon after, practically having to pick her up from the floor by this point she was that distraught. The ex-Instructor had said nothing for a while, just sat next to her stroking her hair as she wept into her shoulder.
When Hermione had calmed down enough to talk, she and Quistis had chatted about a lot of things. One of which was Quistis's demotion from being an Instructor, something which had devastated her. Hermione had found it easy to talk to her, and Quistis knew without having to ask that what Squall had said had stricken her harder than she was willing to admit. Though Hermione had waved it off claiming she would have reacted the same no matter who said it. She had really enjoyed her heart to heart with Quistis, and she felt closer to her than she had before. It was an enormous weight off her mind to know that Quistis seemed to have accepted her.
Hermione sighed, gazing over at Squall. In all honesty, she had hoped Squall would be the one to come find her and apologise for what he said, and although she had been disappointed when he didn't, she should have known he wouldn't. It just didn't seem like something he would do. Though she had been stunned when she saw his hand and he said he'd punched a mirror. Was that because of her? Or just because he was having some serious anger issues?
Hermione crossed her arms, staring at the floor. At least she had eventually got an apology from him before the mission briefing. Though she couldn't overlook the likelihood that his apology had a lot to do with Quistis having words with him before he arrived. She knew Quistis had remained behind at the barriers for that reason, even though the blonde had told her it was to make sure everyone returned without any problems. When they arrived, Quistis seemed a little done in whereas Squall looked like he'd been severely admonished. So, she suspected that the whole apology had more to do with Quistis's influence rather than Squall being bothered by what he said.
Hermione found her eyes drawn back to Squall again, but he was staring at the floor seemingly absorbed in his own thoughts. She sighed internally; it wasn't worth it. None of it was. She was fed up with trying to be friendly with someone who was a lost cause and wasn't interested. She didn't believe he would ever regard her as anything other than a client. She swallowed coarsely, feeling her stomach twist in knots, but she knew she would get over it in time. With that thought firmly in mind, she leaned back against the wall with her arms crossed, resolving to behave like a client where he was concerned.
After a moment, Irvine hummed which broke the strained silence hanging over them. Everyone peered over at him in perplexity. 'Perhaps it's fate?' he muttered to himself, and his lips upturned in a grin. He ignored the stares he was receiving as he left the car, disappearing into the corridor Selphie was in. Hermione frowned, wondering what he meant by that exactly.
Zell growled before turning to Squall. 'So, what should we do about him?' he asked, hitting his palm as if this was his proposal of what should be done.
Squall leaned his head back against the wall. 'Zell,' he sighed, his tone only a little bit irritated, and shook his head. 'We won't be doing anything about him. We need him for this mission…' he trailed off, glancing over at the martial artist. '…for now, at least. After that, you can do what you want,' he told him with a shrug, and everyone caught the slight twitch of Squall's lips and faintly amused undertones in his voice.
Zell blinked, slightly shocked, but he recovered quickly. 'I'll take that,' he replied, grinning broadly as he cracked his knuckles.
Hermione frowned at their exchange. It was already obvious that Irvine was the type who was going to clash horribly with Zell. She could easily imagine the unpleasant things he was intending to do to Irvine. The martial artist was very highly strung and seemed almost clueless about when he should take something as a joke. However, that was just the way Zell was.
What stunned Hermione the most was Squall's reaction to it. He was normally so indifferent towards Zell or the two were frequently butting heads. With this though, there was almost encouragement amongst the traces of amusement in his voice which threw her. She skimmed her mind for all the interactions the two SeeD's had had with Irvine since meeting him not even three hours ago. She couldn't find any justification for why Squall would seemingly back Zell in his plan to beat the shit out of Irvine once their mission was complete. It made no sense.
Shaking her head and putting her thoughts to the back of her mind, Hermione frowned as her eyes drifted to the door Irvine had disappeared through. She didn't like the way he'd taken off. 'I'm going to check on Selphie. Irvine just kind of went off,' she said, heading over to towards the door.
Squall narrowed his eyes faintly at her as she went to walk past him. 'Jealous?' he grumbled before he could stop himself.
Hermione stiffened, staring at him, utterly stunned at his audacity. She shook her head at him, her eyes flashing as she turned towards him fully. 'Not that it's any of your business, but no. I am not jealous,' she seethed, crossing her arms. 'Irvine was very suggestive and flirty towards Selphie on the way here. She was visibly uncomfortable with it and now he's through there with her alone,' she explained, glaring at him.
Squall gulped as Hermione took a step towards him, jabbing her finger in his chest. 'Of course, if you hadn't stormed on ahead of us, you would have established that and not made stupid assumptions,' she snapped, making him flinch from her tone. 'I walked with them to try and take some of his attention off her,' she told him, her tone softening somewhat, but her eyes were still hard as she narrowed them at him.
Squall suddenly felt like an idiot and very small under her piercing gaze. He nodded, crossing his arms. 'I just wanted to get to the train station in time,' he muttered in defence of why he rushed ahead. He knew it was a blatant lie and it sounded that way to his own ears. Hermione's raised eyebrows told him that she also thought this.
After a moment, Squall sighed and gently took Hermione's hand from where she was still poking a finger in his chest. 'I'll go check on her,' he murmured, turning on his heel and disappearing through the door before Hermione could blink.
Hermione moved back to where she had been standing before, acutely aware that both Zell and Quistis were eyeing her in slight amusement, and she blushed. The group listened quietly to the murmurs from the other side of the door in interest.
After a few minutes, Irvine sauntered through the door pursued by Squall who was patently annoyed at him. Irvine seemed to beeline for Hermione, smiling at her in what he must have thought was a seductive leer. 'So, Hermione… how about it?' he whispered, raising his eyebrows, and looking her up and down.
Hermione grimaced at the suggestive looks he was giving her. 'I don't think so,' she replied nervously, swiftly moving away from him to the other side of the train car. She stood close to Squall, glancing up at him to see he was scowling at Irvine, his sapphire eyes furious. Hermione frowned, wondering what had gotten him so riled up.
Just as Squall was about to open his mouth to snap at Irvine, Quistis beat him to it. 'Irvine Kinneas!' she shouted shrilly, making everyone's eyes widen. 'You're playing a major role in this mission! Now behave yourself!' she snapped, crossing her arms, and glaring at Irvine.
Irvine flinched, thoroughly scolded, and sighed. He leaned against the wall, lowering his head. 'No one understands me,' he whispered, shaking his head. 'Sharpshooters are loners by nature,' he explained glumly, and Hermione blinked, raising her eyebrows in scepticism. 'We hone our instincts, pour our whole being into a single bullet. The pressure of the moment, an instant of tension…' he trailed off, punching his hand much like Zell was wont to do to emphasise his point. 'That's what I have to face alone,' he alleged with a frown. 'It's not easy. So, like, just do me a favour and let me be!' he said, raising his voice a little at the end. He crossed his arms. 'You get my drift?' he asked, peering at the four faces staring back at him blankly.
Hermione let out a nervous laugh, causing everyone to stare at her. 'Are you kidding?' she asked, gaping at him in disbelief as his prior advances on Selphie and herself was not the behaviours of a person who desired to be alone. Irvine's interpretation of himself was like he was describing someone comparable to Squall, not someone who flirted with any girl he crossed paths with.
Irvine scowled at her, clenching his fists. 'You don't know me, so you have no right to judge!' he snapped, leaning against the wall, and crossing his arms.
Hermione shook her head. And there goes the funny, mellow, and charming guy from earlier, she thought in amusement. She glanced around at her companions, finding she was having a difficult time understanding them at times. Nothing ever seemed straightforward with them.
At least with Harry and Ron she knew what to expect, and Hermione knew how to deal with them. This thought pained her, and she sighed, gazing out the window. She felt so alone even when she was with the group. And although they seemed to have accepted her for now, it wasn't the same. She wanted to be back at Hogwarts getting into trouble for sneaking around after curfew with Harry and Ron. She wanted to be sitting having intense debates with Luna or discussing boys with Ginny. Hell, she wanted to be back in the Head Students Dormitory in a rage at Malfoy because of his taunting and snide remarks.
Hermione felt a lump form in her throat, as she struggled to calm the torrent of emotions which were overwhelming her. She missed them all and wished, more than anything else, that she was back in Hogwarts, and this had all been some horrible nightmare.
Surely, Dumbledore would be seeking for a way for her to go home? They wouldn't abandon her, right?
Hermione closed her eyes tightly, feeling them burning with tears. She had done more crying on this journey than she ever had before. She knew she was more resilient than this, but it had been an exceptionally arduous week and a lot for her to take in. Needing a moment to herself, she went into the corridor where Selphie was, not realising that a pair of blue eyes had been observing her curiously the entire time.
Hermione paused, her eyes landing on Selphie who looked a little downcast. She was normally smiling and humming to herself, but she was lacking in her typical optimism. 'You okay, Selphie?' she asked, pausing next to her.
Selphie sighed, nodding slowly. 'Irvine was a little… forward. I don't know how I feel about that,' she whispered, shaking her head. 'This mission as well… there's just something off about it,' she added, a frown creasing her brow as she looked at Hermione. 'I have a feeling something bad is gonna happen,' she asserted, crossing her arms.
Hermione leaned her back against the wall between the windows. 'Yeah, this mission was a bit unexpected. I didn't think assassinations seemed like the type of work SeeD's would have to do…' she trailed off, shaking her head. The whole thing seemed suspicious in a way, but she had read the directive herself and they did appear to be authentic. She just couldn't believe Cid would agree to something like that. Then again, she had been here for a week… she barely knew any of them. Even Cid who she had spent a good amount of her time around when she first arrived in Balamb Garden.
Selphie lowered her head. 'I don't think it is,' she whispered, glancing at the door to make sure no one was heading through.
Hermione frowned. 'What do you mean?' she asked, lowering her own voice as well.
Selphie crossed her arms. 'Well, although all the Gardens are Mercenary Schools, not all of them have an elite force like SeeD. Balamb Garden is the only one which has this program,' she explained, clicking her tongue pensively. 'I heard about it through the transfer system when I was still in Trabia Garden. It interested me and the reviews I read said nothing about these sorts of missions we've already been given,' she told her, shaking her head.
Hermione was astonished at this. 'So, even my own contract…' she trailed off, her frown deepening.
Selphie nodded. 'Yep,' she confirmed, placing a hand on her hip. 'Protecting a Sorceress has never been done. And I have never heard of contracts which involved kidnapping Presidents and assassinating people,' she revealed, shaking her head.
A shiver ran down Hermione's spine at this. 'That seems… I don't even know,' she whispered, shaking her head.
Selphie nodded. 'Very suspicious, but not much we can do,' she said with a sigh.
Hermione peered at her curiously having never thought she would speculate on these things so profoundly. 'How long have you questioned this for?' she asked, tilting her head.
Selphie grinned. 'Ever since what happened in Timber,' she replied with a shrug. 'I don't think the Headmaster was given specific details of what we would be doing to help the Resistance achieve independence,' she explained with a frown, her expression reflective. 'But SeeD's aren't meant to question their missions. We're paid to do a job to the best of our abilities,' she clarified, remembering some of the information she read about what it entailed.
Hermione frowned at this. 'What? Not at all?' she asked, finding this to be peculiar.
Selphie nodded. 'Yeah, it's part of the training,' she replied with a shrug.
Hermione shook her head, disturbed that there was a decree that prohibited SeeD's from questioning their missions. It just seemed like a perfectly natural thing to do when confronted with an objective which could lead to so many risks and things going wrong. Like this assassination… wouldn't that be classed as treason now that the Sorceress was an ambassador operating with the Galbadian Government? Were SeeD's just tossed away and left to rot after completing missions like that and that was why it was never brought up? It was questionable and, if that was the case, then also extremely immoral.
Selphie smiled at her. 'Not to worry, I'm sure there's a reason,' she said brightly, her typical optimism returning.
Hermione nodded. 'I hope so,' she whispered, glancing towards the door to the other car where the rest of their group was. 'Speaking of missions, I don't really know where I fit into all of this, if I'm honest,' she said, crossing her arms.
Selphie tilted her head. 'What do you mean?' she asked, frowning at her.
Hermione sighed. 'I'm not part of this mission because I'm not a SeeD,' she clarified, shaking her head. She eyed the door leading to the SeeD cabin contemplatively. 'Will Squall put me in a corner somewhere and tell me to wait until it's all done? Could I do that knowing the potential danger you all might be in?' she asked in a whisper, her frown deepening.
Selphie clicked her tongue, looking pensive. 'I don't know what Squall will do, but I do know he'll do what he believes is best,' she said, glancing at the door to the other car before looking back at Hermione. 'We have to protect you, Hermione, and Squall takes his duties seriously. I doubt he will leave you somewhere that he can't protect you if something happened,' she replied, beaming at her.
Hermione chuckled, not entirely sure if she agreed with Selphie or not, but she did acknowledge that Squall's past actions had shown he would rather have her where he could protect her. On the Forest Owls train, for example, when he disputed with Rinoa about her staying in the room during the briefing.
Hermione sighed, glancing out the window at the scenery speeding past. 'I'm going to sit in SeeD's cabin. You want to come too?' she asked Selphie, changing the subject.
Selphie shook her head. 'Nah, thanks. I'm gonna hang out here for a bit longer,' she replied with a grin to Hermione. 'I don't think we've got long before we reach Deling City anyway,' she added, turning back to the window to gaze out at it, looking a lot happier than she had when Hermione first came to talk to her.
Hermione nodded, smiling at her, and went through the door into the cabin. She peered around, noting it was pretty much identical to the room they were in when they travelled from Balamb to Timber. She shook her head, lying down on one of the couches with her eyes closed. That feels like a lifetime ago. Hard to believe it's only been a couple of days, she thought, unable to stifle a yawn.
Sleep, a voice whispered into her mind.
Hermione gasped, realising the voice was not Griever but someone else. Who is… this…? she thought, feeling drowsy. She tried to open her eyes, but they were very heavy. She fought off the sleep overcoming her, her stomach fluttering in panic. Was this a trick? Like what ensued with Squall, Zell, and Selphie on the train to Timber?
Sleep, the voice said again more aggressively, like a demand this time rather than a simple request.
Try as she might to fight it, Hermione knew it was a losing battle, and sleep engulfed her senses, her entire body sinking into the couch. Darkness enshrouded her mind, and nightmares began to plague her.
oOoOo
Squall frowned, his thoughts on Hermione as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. When he had seen the emotions on her face, he craved to know what she was thinking. What thoughts had triggered her saddened expression when she went through to the other car without saying anything.
Squall itched to go and speak to her, to find out what was causing her distress, but he already knew some of his reactions towards her had been questionable. He wasn't sure he wanted his companions to get the wrong impression. He had already behaved differently around her than he had with anyone else and people like Quistis who had known him for years would have picked up on it. It was something he couldn't just explain away. Then again, he didn't even know why she had this affect on him in the first place.
Glancing around at them, Squall could visibly see the exhaustion was catching up to them as well. It had been one of the most demanding weeks he had ever endured and, apart from Irvine, they had all been there with him. He had to question how much more they could withstand before it became too much. The threat to Hermione was undeniable, and every step forward was putting them in further peril. Did the Headmaster know what protecting her would entail? Hermione had said she didn't even know what to expect, so how could the Headmaster have known. Would he allow it to continue? Or would Hermione be forced to leave to deal with all of it on her own?
Squall swallowed harshly, not liking the train of his thoughts. Whatever decision the Headmaster came to when he made his report wasn't within his control to challenge or change. He knew that, but it still didn't sit right with him.
He glanced at the door to the other car before observing his companions again. They were all very quiet and not paying much attention to what was going on around them. Quistis was sitting on the floor with her back against a wall looking ready to fall asleep; Irvine was busy polishing his rifle; and Zell was gazing out the window.
Squall shook his head, why should I care what they think? I'm just checking in with Hermione. I should check on Selphie too as well, he mused with an internal nod. With this thought firmly lodged in his mind, he pushed off the wall and went through the door into the next car. Selphie was where he left her, but she seemed far more content and had returned to her humming as she gazed out the window.
However, Hermione wasn't with her, and Squall's eyes shifted to SeeD's private cabin. He hadn't opened it yet, so she couldn't conceivably be in there. So, where was she? 'Selphie, where's Hermione?' he asked her with a frown.
Selphie looked at him. 'Oh, she said she was going into the cabin…' she trailed off, her brow creasing into a frown. 'Wait…' she whispered, turning fully towards the door. 'I swear she went in there. I heard the door open,' she told him nervously.
Squall nodded, but he was puzzled. He hadn't handed the other tickets out to anyone when they got on the train. And only the main ticket could open the doors. So, how had it unlocked for her? He moved to the door, scanning the ticket. It flashed green and beeped like it was designed to, but the door remained securely closed. He tried again, but he got the same outcome.
Selphie moved over to him, looking at the scanner. 'It can't be broken…' she trailed off, tilting her head at it.
Squall shook his head. 'It's not,' he replied, his tone becoming urgent as he banged on the door. 'Hermione?' he called to her, but he could hear no sounds or movement coming from inside the room. 'Why won't it open?' he said in frustration, inspecting the ticket irritably before pushing on the door forcefully, but it wouldn't budge.
Selphie frowned, taking the ticket from Squall and tried it in the scanner again, but it was the same. 'I don't like this,' she said apprehensively, scrutinising the hallway for something they could use to get the door open. There was nothing around though except a few plants in the corners. 'Should I get Zell?' she asked, glancing from Squall to the door, uneasy about Hermione being trapped in the room.
Squall growled. 'Why is she not answering the door!?' he snapped, moving back, and running at the door full force, but it was jammed fast.
Selphie moved around him. 'I'll get Zell,' she told him, heading towards the other car. The train vibrated as she reached the door, making her stumble slightly, and she glanced back at Squall in bewilderment.
Squall looked back at her; his eyes wide as the sounds of the train wheels screeching along the track reached their ears; the train was decelerating. 'We can't be there yet,' he said, moving to the window to look out. Vast empty plains and distant mountains greeted his vision; they were still in the middle of nowhere.
Selphie shook her head. 'There's no way we can be there, we didn't leave that long ago!' she agreed, hurrying towards the other car. The door opened before she had a chance, and Zell hurried through it, bumping straight into her. 'Oooft!' she cried, tumbling to the floor with a thump.
'Shit, sorry, Selphie!' Zell said, leaning down and helping her back to her feet. 'You okay?' he asked, receiving a smile and a nod from her as she dusted herself off. He nodded, moving over to Squall as Irvine and Quistis appeared in the corridor. 'What the hell's going on? Why are we stopping?' he asked him, looking out the window as the passing landscape slowed down.
Squall tilted his head. 'I don't know, I'll go see what the driver is doing,' he replied, shaking his head. 'Zell, can you get this door open? Hermione's inside, and it won't budge,' he explained, heading through the door to the next car towards the front of the train.
Zell blinked before nodding, and he analysed the door for a moment. 'I'll give it a try!' he yelled, punching his palm. He stepped away from it, stretching out his arms and neck before rushing full strength at the door. He collided with it, ramming it hard, making a dent appear.
'Bloody hell,' Irvine muttered, watching Zell do the same thing again until the door was nearly caved in. He made a mental note to never get on the martial artist's bad side.
Zell moved back, letting out a growl just as he ran towards the door again. It clicked open just as he reached it. 'SHIT!' he shouted, incapable of stopping his own momentum, and he fell to the ground in the room with a groan.
Selphie rushed to him. 'Zell!' she said, kneeling to check on him. She scanned the room, seeing Hermione lying on the couch. 'Oh, no…' she said, getting up and running over to her. She shook her gently, but she wouldn't wake.
Squall appeared at the door, eyeing the damage Zell had wreaked on it. He raised his eyebrows in astonishment, having not been entirely sure if he would be able to get it open. 'I can't find the train driver,' he told them, his eyes moving to Selphie who was kneeling next to Hermione. He went over to them, staring at Hermione. 'Is… she asleep?' he asked in incredulity, a frown creasing his brow.
Selphie shook her head. 'She won't wake up!' she cried, shaking the unconscious girl again, but she didn't rouse.
Zell, who was back on his feet, kneaded his shoulder. He may have built himself up to be able to break things easily, but it had taken a lot of effort to dent this one. 'Squall, we have to check things out!' he told him, walking to look out the door. When Squall didn't move, he turned back to him. 'Come on, man! Hermione will be fine for a minute!' he reasoned, gesturing for them to follow as the train trembled again before shrieking to a halt.
Squall nodded. 'I know,' he replied in frustration, gazing down at Hermione. He was torn about leaving her, but he knew Zell was right. Something wasn't right and whatever it was may necessitate all of them to deal with it. She would be safe enough for the moment.
Or so he hoped.
Squall touched the back of his gloved hand to Hermione's cheek before reluctantly leaving her side. He left the room, joining his companions in the corridor. The train began to quake again violently, and they clutched onto the railings and walls to keep their balance. It shuddered, groaning as they felt it start to tilt back and forth like something was shoving it from the side.
Squall staggered to the window, looking out to see what could be causing it. Was it a monster? The train shook again, causing him to grab the windowsill to steady himself. He peered back out, spying something in the distance. He squinted, making out that it was a person. 'Someone's out there,' he whispered, as Quistis moved over to him.
Quistis frowned. 'Is that…?' she trailed off, hoping that she was mistaken.
Squall gritted his teeth as the train gave another vicious tremor. He could make out the person better now; it was a dark-haired girl walking towards the train wearing blue clothing he recognised. A chill went down his spine. 'Rinoa,' he whispered, scowling at the girl.
Zell grabbed onto Selphie as she almost fell to the ground as another jolt rocked the train. 'What the hell is she doing here!?' he shouted, looking out the window at the approaching girl.
Quistis shook her head. 'Is she causing this?' she whispered in disbelief, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. Rinoa had been so lovely… what happened? She shook her thoughts away, focusing on the present. 'Squall!' she called to him, glancing between him and the door to where Hermione was still lying unconscious on the couch.
Squall gritted his teeth. 'I know!' he shouted back, clutching the windowsill as another violent shudder almost tilted the train precariously.
Zell growled, letting go of the windowsill. 'We'll do something about Rinoa! You protect Hermione!' he yelled to Squall, shattering an alarm box on the wall which unsealed the emergency exit. None of them were surprised that the alarm didn't sound and assumed Rinoa had something to do with it.
Squall turned as they hurried to the exit to leave. 'What about you guys?' he asked, watching them as they leapt from the train car onto the desert plains.
Selphie shook her head, giving him a small smile. 'Never mind us, someone needs to protect Hermione!' she replied, unclasping her Nunchaku, and resting it on her shoulder.
Squall hesitated, but he knew she was right, and it was unlikely they would listen to him at the moment anyway. Seeing their decisive and determined faces helped to alleviate the tension building in him. He eventually nodded, content to leave it in their hands. 'Good luck,' he said to them, turning back into the train.
He leaned against the windowsill in front of the cabin, looking out the window towards Rinoa. He took a deep breath before hastening back into the room. This was another attempt on Hermione's life, he just knew it. Why else would Rinoa be here? She must have placed some sort of spell on her, he thought, jogging over to Hermione's prone figure on the couch.
Squall was amazed, albeit relieved, that the quaking of the train hadn't knocked Hermione off the couch onto the floor. He shook her gently at first and then a little more desperately, but she still wouldn't wake up. His only real relief was that she was still breathing. 'Come on, Hermione, wake up,' he whispered, taking her hand as he kneeled next to her. He shook his head knowing it was no use. All he could do was try to find some way to keep Rinoa from getting to them.
Squall stood, letting Hermione's hand go, and eyed the door, comprehending it wouldn't close securely in its current condition. He moved over to it, forcing it shut as much as it would go before turning to the room. He scanned around for something, anything he could use to barricade themselves in the room. He knew fine well Hermione would easily be able to handle her, but she was unconscious, and he didn't know what Rinoa was capable of.
Squall ran over to the bunkbeds, attempting to move it, but it was nailed to the ground. Upon inspecting the other furniture in the room, they were all the same. 'Shit,' he muttered, looking around for anything else, but there was nothing. He took a deep breath, realising he would just have to do what he could to protect Hermione and fight Rinoa off if she got through the others. He hoped it wouldn't come to that, his companions were capable and skilled. If she got past them then it was evident she must have some form of power which was beyond them. He unsheathed his Gunblade, standing guard in front of Hermione, waiting. If she got past them, would he be able to stop her?
Minutes passed and nothing else seemed to ensue. Squall frowned, wondering if the others had succeeded in scaring Rinoa off for now. He was dubious of this though and made to walk towards the door to determine if he could see what was happening outside of the train. Just as he went to wrench the door open, the train let out a deafening groan, tilting violently again. He grabbed onto the bunkbeds to balance himself, before making his way over to Hermione just as she was about to fall off the couch onto the floor.
The train leaned dangerously on its wheels, and Squall felt himself falling back. He reached out, pulling Hermione into his arms as the train keeled over onto its side. He hit the wall of the car with a thud, his head colliding painfully with a metal panel that was affixed to the wall, with Hermione's dead weight on top of him. He groaned, winded at the impact.
Squall glanced up at the door with dazed eyes, watching as it slid open with a shrill screeching noise. He winced, hoping the others were okay, before darkness took him.
oOoOo
Zell stretched out his arms and legs. 'Right, you guys wait here in case Rinoa manages to get through us,' he told Quistis and Selphie as he cracked his knuckles.
Irvine nodded. 'Yeah, defend the train,' he agreed, loading his shotgun, and sending a winning smile towards the girls.
They nodded, staying by the door to the train as the guys took off at a run towards Rinoa. 'Do you think they'll be okay?' Selphie asked Quistis nervously, tightening her hold on her Nunchaku.
Quistis frowned, shaking her head. 'I don't know,' she whispered, turning to look back in the door towards the SeeD cabin.
Zell and Irvine jogged towards Rinoa who was smiling to herself as she walked towards the train nonchalantly. She either hadn't detected them yet, or she was ignoring them entirely. She didn't seem to have a care in the world at the moment, and this made a chill run down the spines of Zell and Irvine.
Irvine frowned, panting as he fell into step next to Zell. 'So, who's the chick?' he asked, reaching up to turn the safety off on his rifle.
Zell growled slightly. 'So, Rinoa is a member of the Timber Resistance faction we were helping. Technically, she's our client,' he explained, shaking his head.
Irvine was startled at this. 'So, why are we going after her?' he asked, puzzled about the entire thing having not been around for the events surrounding Rinoa.
Zell shook his head. 'Well, Hermione is also our client, and Rinoa wants to kill her for some reason,' he explained, taking a breath to calm his racing heart. 'So, we took Hermione's side and now we're protecting her from Rinoa and the Sorceress,' he said, slowing his jog as they closed in on Rinoa.
Irvine nodded. 'I see,' he replied, coming to a halt next to Zell a few metres away from where Rinoa was.
Rinoa stopped, turning to gaze at them in surprise as if she had just realised they were there. There was a wicked gleam in her eyes, something Zell had never perceived before. Her eyes were almost black, and it made him shudder. 'Why, Zell! How nice to see you!' she greeted, grinning at him. She clasped her hands behind her back. 'What a coincidence this is, huh,' she stated, her cheery tone becoming flat and detached.
Zell scowled at her. 'What are you doing here, Rinoa?' he asked, clenching his fists.
Rinoa smirked. 'Oh, this and that,' she replied casually, flicking her hair behind her shoulder. 'I'm still your client, remember?' she asked, her smirk widening as her eyes glittered with malice. 'How distraught I was to find you had all left me behind in Timber!' she cried, reaching up to wipe away fake tears.
Zell growled. 'You tried to kill Hermione!' he shouted furiously, punching his palm. 'Why are you after her?' he asked, tightening his hand over his other and cracking his knuckles.
Rinoa blinked. 'Is that meant to be intimidating?' she asked blankly, inspecting her nails as if they were merely commenting on the weather. 'Well, it was fun, but I have more important places to be,' she sighed, glancing at the train. She clicked her fingers, and they watched in horror as it derailed completely, falling onto its side.
Zell ran towards her, trying to stop her, but she shirked all his blows. She flicked her wrist, sending the martial artist careering through the air to land painfully on the ground a few meters away. He groaned as he tried to get back up, but the force had winded him.
Rinoa shook her head, turning her attention back to the train, but Irvine stepped in front of her. She raised her eyebrows as he aimed his gun at her. 'Not another step,' he warned, and she tilted her head and took a daring step towards him. He scowled, pulling the trigger, but when the smoke cleared, she wasn't where he had targeted. Irvine scanned the area in bewilderment, recoiling when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
Irvine spun to face Rinoa who was now behind him, and endeavoured to shoot her again, but she seized his gun. She wrestled it from him before smacking him across the face with it. He yelled out from the pain, falling to his knees. He reached up a hand to his mouth, his lip bleeding.
Rinoa sighed. 'Pathetic,' she whispered, shaking her head as she tossed his gun away. She smirked, turning back to walk towards the train, chuckling to herself in glee.
Zell had managed to get himself back to his feet, and he dashed towards Rinoa. He tried throwing punches at her again, but she evaded them, reaching out to grip his fist. He felt his entire body freeze. 'You won't win,' she whispered, tightening her hold on his hand and Zell cried out as a searing pain ripped through his skull. 'You will die if you continue to protect her,' she told him, snapping her hand to the right causing Zell to be flung into Irvine who was just getting to his feet. The martial artist collided with him, knocking them both back a few metres.
Satisfied they wouldn't be hindering her any further, Rinoa continued her walk towards the train. Ahead of her she could see Quistis and Selphie waiting by the door, and she shook her head in amusement. She let her eyes drift across the train for a moment, hmm now where could Squall be? she wondered, knowing he was probably inside the train seeking to protect Hermione. He will fail, she thought, her eyes narrowing.
Quistis and Selphie clutched their weapons tightly as Rinoa approached them. 'Don't you both look fearsome,' she chuckled, waiting for them to dare make a move against her so she could reward them with the same treatment as Zell and Irvine.
Quistis frowned at Rinoa. 'What happened to you, Rinoa? Why are you doing this?' she asked, shaking her head.
Rinoa smiled at Quistis with genuine fondness. 'I always liked you Quistis, but you have chosen the wrong side,' she replied, shaking her head.
Quistis sighed. 'Rinoa, Seifer wouldn't-' she was cut off.
'Don't you dare speak his name!' Rinoa screamed, her eyes flashing dangerously.
Knowing there was no reasoning with the dark-haired girl, Quistis snapped her whip out at her. It wrapped around her, trapping her arms at her sides. Selphie took the opportunity to leap forward and strike Rinoa several times with her Nunchaku, but she seemed to have some form of barrier preventing anything from hitting her. Rinoa smirked, letting out a malicious laugh, and the whip caught on fire, turning to ash in seconds. Quistis stared at the handle of her ruined whip in shock, feeling dread start to settle in her stomach.
Rinoa turned her eyes almost indolently to Selphie's Nunchaku next, and the metal began to burn, glowing red. Selphie let it go, cringing at the agony in her hands as she stared at them, seeing blisters starting to form. Rinoa raised her hands, and both girls clawed at their necks feeling like they were being strangled. She sighed, throwing them aside as if they were ragdolls. She shook her head, observing them for a moment to make sure they wouldn't try anything further to impede her. Content, she levitated herself on top of the derailed train and dropped down through the open door into the corridor.
oOoOo
Hermione opened her eyes, looking around the room with dazed eyes. For a moment she wondered why everything was on its side. She snapped alert as she remembered the voice in her mind before she fell unconscious, having been powerless to fight it. She frowned, feeling something warm and soft beneath her, and she glanced down to see she was lying on top of Squall. Gasping, she moved off him and checked to see if he was okay. He was out cold, and at the back of his head there was a little blood which had spattered across the metal panel.
Hermione glanced around the room in perplexity, comprehending now that the train must have derailed somehow. How did that happen? Did I really sleep through all that? she thought in disbelief, shaking her head.
Rinoa, a voice said in her head, one which had been very subdued for a while now.
Griever!? Hermione thought heatedly. Where the hell have you been!? she cried into her mind having thought he had left her.
Now is not the time! We can discuss that later, Griever told her resolutely, disregarding the annoyance radiating off her. Rinoa is coming, you need to be cautious, he warned, sending his magic to her which she felt on her shoulders.
What? Rinoa? she asked in misunderstanding, peering up at the open door to the corridor.
Hermione, move! Get your wand! Griever yelled, and Hermione felt his magic nudge her towards the bunk beds.
Feeling apprehensive at the urgency in Griever's voice, Hermione stood and hurried to the bunk beds. She kneeled, looking under it and there, right at the back in the corner was her wand. She tried to climb over the beds to get to it, but she couldn't reach it. 'Accio wand!' she cried, but it was wedged between the bunk beds and the corner and wouldn't budge. 'Damn it!' she snapped, trying to get under the bunks to reach for it.
'I don't think so, dearie!' came a voice Hermione had never wanted to hear again so soon. She felt an invisible force take hold of her, dragging her out from under the beds. 'I am so delighted to see you!' Rinoa said in joy, flicking her wrist and Hermione was propelled across the room, crashing into the opposite wall away from her wand.
Hermione was winded by the force, whimpering at the aches that tore through her body. She was still recuperating from everything that had happened in Timber. 'What the hell do you want!? Why are you doing this!?' she screamed at Rinoa, wincing at the discomfort in her back and legs.
Rinoa giggled. 'Whatever gave you the impression that I have any problem with you?' she pouted dejectedly, placing her hand over her chest in mock surprise.
Hermione glared at her. 'You're obviously trying to kill me! At least tell me why!' she fumed, struggling to her feet.
Hermione steeled herself against the pain, taking deep breaths as she leaned heavily against the wall. She knew she couldn't get to her wand and trying would be reckless. She knew wandless magic wouldn't be as effective against Rinoa, but if she could just distract her long enough, she might have a chance to get to it. She raised her hand to attack Rinoa, but the girl seemed prepared for this, and the invisible force hit her in the chest, sending her flying into the wall again, and she cried out in agony.
Rinoa sighed, placing a hand on her hip. 'I was under the impression you were intelligent and not to be taken lightly,' she said, tilting her head as she scrutinised Hermione with undisguised boredom.
Hermione felt darkness creep into the edges of her vision. She was ready to pass out from the pain, but she forced herself to stay conscious. 'Why… w-why are y-you…?' she trailed off, gasping for breath between words. She tried to take a deep breath, wincing at the sharp ache in her chest.
Rinoa leaned forward, cupping her ear. 'What was that, sweet?' she said softly, kneeling at her side. 'Why am I doing this?' she asked, gesturing to the train before taking hold of Hermione's chin and forcing her to look at her. 'Because my Mistress ordered me to eradicate you and I am more than happy to oblige,' she replied simply, shaking her head. 'I won't spare you the particulars. It won't matter to you anyway considering you'll be dead,' she told her, grinning like the cat who got the cream.
Squall, who was conscious, had been listening to everything going on. The two occasions Rinoa had forcefully thrown Hermione against the wall had him wanting to slaughter the girl where she stood, but he had forced himself to stay still. He hadn't wanted to draw Rinoa's attention to him yet, or he knew he wouldn't be able to help Hermione. He kept still, listening to Rinoa's voice as he tried to determine where she was. He opened his eyes cautiously, seeing her kneeling next to Hermione with her back to him. Seizing his chance, he crawled towards the bunk beds where Hermione's wand was.
Squall gritted his teeth as Hermione let out a blood-curdling scream behind him. He wanted desperately to go to her side, but he knew he had to get her wand so she could defend herself. He knew Rinoa wasn't far off following through with her threat to kill her. He stretched for her wand, managing to dislodge it from where it was jammed. Relieved, he sat up and turned towards Hermione who was teetering on the edge of consciousness. She glanced up, her eyes catching his, and the tears he saw made him want to leap up and tear Rinoa to shreds.
Forcing himself to keep his cool, Squall tossed Hermione's wand across the room, and it landed next to her. Rinoa blinked, before turning to look at where Squall had been lying before only to grasp he was now by the bunk beds. 'Ah! The hero is awake!' she said in delight, sending a chill down Squall's spine. 'Now, I can exterminate you both,' she declared, raising her hand towards him. Squall felt an excruciating pain in his skull, and he yelled out in anguish.
Hermione couldn't handle it, the sound of Squall being tortured made her want to destroy Rinoa. She opened her eyes, and they were black. Without even reaching for her wand, she raised her hand towards Rinoa, and the girl was flung back into the wall with a deafening crack. She slid to the floor with a thump, unconscious. The wall where she had crashed into it was cracked from the force, and Hermione swallowed harshly, her eyes turning back to normal.
Squall glanced at Rinoa in alarm but shook his head as he staggered towards Hermione. 'Now's our chance,' he told her, reaching down and helping her stand. She leaned into him heavily as they moved to the back of the couches and glanced up at the open door. He took a deep breath, letting go of Hermione and facing her. 'I'll boost you up,' he told her, wincing at the aches in his body as he leaned down to grasp her about the waist. She struggled onto his shoulders, reaching up to the door. Squall grasped the bottom of her legs, pushing her up through the gap.
Feeling faint, he swayed somewhat, and held his head to stop the room from spinning as nausea threatened to overwhelm him. 'Squall!' Hermione called down to him, gazing at him anxiously. She aimed her wand at him, intending on levitating him up, but Squall shook his head. With a frown, she stowed her wand away.
After a moment of Squall taking deep breaths, Zell and Irvine appeared beside Hermione. 'Squall!' Zell yelled down to him, scanning the room and seeing Rinoa unconscious on the ground. His eyebrows raised at the cracks in the wall behind her. 'Bloody hell,' he whispered, shaking his head before peering back at Squall. 'Come on, we'll help you up!' he said, reaching out his arm, and Irvine did the same.
Squall clambered onto the edge of the couch, and using it for momentum, he jumped up, barely catching Zell's outstretched hand. He growled as he felt like his arm was going to rip off and cringed as he reached up to grasp Irvine's wrist. They got a better hold on Squall and hauled him up. Squall lay on the floor, sweat beading on his brow as he massaged the throbbing in his shoulder.
Hermione frowned at Squall for a moment, wondering why he wouldn't let her levitate him up, but shook it off. 'What should we do about her?' she asked quietly, peering back down into the SeeD cabin.
Squall winced as he stood up. 'She can stay here and rot,' he muttered, moving his shoulder about until it cracked.
Selphie tried to force the door to close, but it wouldn't budge. 'Here, let me,' Zell told her, kneeling next to her and pushing the ruined door until it closed.
Irvine scrutinised the door apprehensively. 'It won't hold her in there,' he murmured, crossing his arms.
Hermione frowned and nodded in agreement. She pulled out her wand, pointing it at the door. 'Colloportus,' she whispered, listening to the door clicking, astonished it could still lock. 'That should hold her for a while, at least,' she said, stowing her wand in her bag which Quistis had retrieved from the other car along with the rest of their bags and equipment.
Hermione looked up, straight into the barrel of Irvine's rifle. 'You're a Sorceress!?' he snapped; his finger pressed firmly on the trigger.
'If you pull that trigger, I'll kill you,' Squall warned, his tone low and dangerous as he stepped in front of Hermione, his eyes flashing furiously at Irvine.
Irvine frowned at him. 'Aren't we supposed to be assassinating an evil Sorceress!? And here you are about to protect one!?' he asked in disbelief, narrowing his eyes at Hermione.
Hermione sighed, lowering her head dejectedly. She knew this was going to transpire every time they encountered someone new, but it still made her feel awful. She would really have to learn to get used to people perceiving her as a villain. The prejudices against magical beings in this world had been around far longer than she had, and her being here and trying not to do anything to hurt anyone and prove them wrong wasn't going to revolutionise that perception.
Hermione was reminded harrowingly of the Pureblood prejudices against Muggleborn's in her world. The similarities between the two were striking, except one was to do with inherited power, while the other was to do with her DNA and blood. Being a Muggleborn had been dangerous for her in her world, and being a Sorceress here was dangerous for them. She shook her head, tuning back into what was going on around her.
'Hermione is not evil!' Squall shouted, squaring up to Irvine heatedly as he defended her. 'She is not the one we're after!' he said resolutely, giving him a piercing look, which dared him to dispute.
Irvine, sensing that bickering with Squall about this wasn't going to get him anywhere, lowered his gun and took a step back. He glanced at Hermione cagily for a moment, before turning and pulling himself out of the train.
Zell shook his head. 'Prick,' he muttered, following the retreating sharpshooter out of the train. Quistis and Selphie made to leave next, letting Zell help them out of the train.
Squall took a deep breath, heading to the door as well, but a small hand taking hold of his arm stopped him. 'Thank you,' Hermione whispered, her eyes fixated on the door Rinoa was trapped behind.
Squall glanced at the door as well, appreciating then that she was thanking him for everything, and not just his defence of her to Irvine. He swallowed coarsely. 'It's fine, just doing my duty,' he mumbled, turning back to the door to leave.
Hermione sighed. 'Is that honestly all it is, Squall?' she asked in a whisper before she could stop herself. The words slipped out of her mouth before her mind even had time to process them.
Squall froze, stunned for a moment, before he turned back to her slowly. He frowned, crossing his arms as he tried to work out himself if that's all it was. Was his sense of duty the motive for why he treated her the way he did? Or was it something else he couldn't fathom moving him to behave the way he did?
Squall's eyes met hers, finding himself lost in them for a moment. 'I don't know…' he trailed off in a whisper, breaking the spell as he turned back to the door and pulled himself out of the train.
Hermione lowered her head, not sure what to make of his response. She glanced at the door to the SeeD cabin one last time before turning back to the door. Squall reached out his hand to her, and she took it, letting him help her up through the door.
They climbed down off the train to join the others as Selphie tilted her head. 'What's that?' she asked, pointing to something moving towards them in the distance.
The companions all followed her gaze, squinting as they made out several vehicles speeding across the desert towards the train. 'Looks like Galbadian Army vehicles,' Zell advised with a frown as he crossed his arms.
Selphie nodded, turning to Squall. 'We should hide or run,' she said nervously, grabbing his arm.
Squall shrugged her off. 'Why? We did nothing wrong,' he answered in misunderstanding, crossing his arms.
Selphie shook her head. 'Yes, but we also have official orders to assassinate the Sorceress and weapons on us,' she clarified, placing a hand on her hip.
Squall's eyes widened a touch. 'Shit, good thinking, Selphie,' he said, tapping his chin contemplatively. 'It's too late now though, they would have seen us,' he explained with a sigh, shaking his head.
Hermione pulled out her wand. 'Put all your weapons and the orders in a pile,' she told them, glancing at them all as they frowned at her. 'Quickly!' she cried, and they nodded, doing as she asked.
Thinking rapidly, Hermione aimed her wand towards the oncoming vehicles, and Squall almost reached out to prevent whatever spell she was about to direct at them. 'Impedimenta,' she whispered, and they watched in astonishment as the vehicles seemed to slow down, almost like they were moving in slow-motion.
Hermione frowned, glancing up at Squall in exasperation. 'Please, trust me,' she pleaded, shaking her head. Squall frowned, but nodded, realising she must had picked up on his slight movement to stop her. She aimed her wand at the weapons. 'Duro,' she whispered, observing as they all turned into tiny stones. She leaned down and picked them up, stowing them in her bag.
When she was done, Hermione looked up to see they were all staring at her with wide, anxious eyes. 'Oh! Don't worry, it's only temporary, I promise,' she explained, and they all visibly relaxed at that. She aimed her wand at the vehicles again. 'Finite Incantatem,' she said, countering the slowing spell.
The companions, feeling safe in the knowledge they wouldn't be caught prematurely, watched as the vehicles came to a halt near to them. Galbadian soldiers got out of them, moving in various directions to assist other passengers who were emerging from the train.
Two soldiers headed towards them. 'What happened here?' one of them asked, gesturing to the train.
Squall crossed his arms. 'The train started shaking, and then it derailed. We're not entirely sure how it happened,' he answered promptly, omitting the truth as he wasn't sure if they knew of Rinoa. Not that he was defending her, but if she was working for the Sorceress who is now in cahoots with Galbadia then he couldn't disregard the possibility that the Army may know Rinoa is after Hermione.
The other soldier nodded. 'All right, we'll need to take a statement from each of you before you're taken to Deling City,' he told them, indicating for them to follow him. He led them to another vehicle where medics were already attending to other passengers. 'Let's get you all looked at, and then we'll have a chat,' he said, taking out a notebook and pen from his pocket.
The companions nodded, letting the medics lead them to the back of the vehicle where they cleaned and dressed their wounds. Once finished, the soldier took their abbreviated accounts of the events that took place. After some time, the group were allowed to pile into a Galbadian vehicle which sped towards Galbadia's Capital, Deling City.