Warnings: Um not a lot really, maybe a little Quistis bashing and maybe a bit Rinoa bashing but not a lot else. Oh and Laguna, naturally.
Disclaimer: I give up on these now, I will never and I mean never own the awesomeness that is FF8, they will forever belong to Square Enix- formally Squaresoft-
A/N: I'm not gonna chat or spew excuses (though I have a lot of them) Just remember to R&R and I'll be happy. Oh by the way I have based the GF kind of like Aeon/Fayth from FF10.
ENJOYIES!
Rinoa sighed tiredly she climbed into the back of a standard issue Esthar van; Ultimecia was on her way to Sorceress Memorial so the scientist could find a way to separate the crazed Sorceress from Ellone's body while keeping Ellone alive in the process. Luckily there wasn't any major injuries, a few soldiers would be out of commission for a few weeks but nothing that couldn't be fixed with a Cure and a good nights rest.
She flopped into her seat and numbly clipped her seat belt, relaxing only when the vehicle started moving, she would hopefully be meeting up with Squall in Esthar and she prayed that Seifer would be alive. The blond hadn't been looking so good the last time she saw him and even though he was a royal pain in the ass, she didn't think she could forgive herself if he died.
"Rinoa, we'll be in Esthar in under an hour." Laguna's voice crackled over the vehicle intercom, he sounded tired and worn but she couldn't blame him, she was shattered and she could possibly sleep until next week but there was still stuff to do. The monsters Ultimecia had been spawning was still doing so, Lunatic Pandora was now completely overrun and they would be organising a task force to try and cull their numbers for the safety of Esthar.
"Okay, can you send a message ahead for your administrators to get in touch with delegates from Glabadia and Trabia? We're more than likely going to need more men to handle the monsters and having back up medics can't hurt either."
"I'll send a message through now... Rinoa, Squall will look after Seifer, so put them out of your mind and just focus on the rest of your team." Laguna said, sounding like a stern father but he was just as worried as everyone else. She nodded and then sighed as realised that the man couldn't see her and she had just probably looked stupid to everyone else in the vehicle.
"Will do, see in Esthar." She ended the communication before Laguna could start rambling about some inane topic and slouched in her seat, willing herself to send a small cure towards an injured soldier who was bravely staying quiet about his wounds. The soldier sent a slight tilt of his her way and she smiled back before looking out the window. Esthar desert was blurring past as the driver put his foot down, obviously wanting to be far away from the ruins of Lunatic Pandora.
She hoped Squall was okay but then mentally slapped herself for thinking about the man; Laguna was right, Squall would be fine and he would want her to focus on the task ahead and to see that everyone was healed and ready for the next battle.
Still she prayed to Hyne that nothing bad happened.
Squall was glaring.
He knew he was because the poor Estharian guard outside Doctor Odine Labratory looked like he was about to wet himself or faint one of the two, but then again it could also be that Selphie was shaking the guard half to death threatening to The End him if he didn't open the door. With a sigh, Squall cleared his throat attracting the two's attention.
"Look, either you let us in and get Odine or perhaps you can explain why the guy who just saved everyone and rescued me from a crazy kidnapper died outside this door." Squall said with most bored tone he could muster and watched with a small amount of glee as the guard paled to deathly shade and began stuttering out apologies while he entered the code to the door.
The door opened with a swish and Squall dragged Seifer's dead weight inside while Selphie gave the guard a pat on the back.
"Oh my, vat have ve here?" Doctor Odine asked, shuffling into the room with a surprised look on his face. It was obvious that the man hadn't been expecting anyone and definitely not them, still Squall glared hating that everyone was asking twenty questions. Selphie glomped the guy with a cheer to which Doctor Odine possibly looked more freaked out than the guard did. Squall sighed again and dropped Seifers body over to a free couch.
"Seifer was hit with cursed Ice, we've tried Holy Water but all it's done is slow the curse down. We need your help." Squall explained, leaving out that it was Sorceress Ultimecia who did it, the mad Doctor didn't need to know that part.
"Oh dear, I vill do vat I can to save him. I'll just get my equipment." Doctor said with a frown, and shuffled from the room. Selphie crept closer to Seifer and poked his arm before slumping and casting Squall a worried look. Of course she had reason to worry, Seifer was at deaths door and Squall was looking ready to drop himself or most probably go Renzenzuken on some unfortunate monster. Squall had been quiet throughout the trip back to Esthar, keeping two fingers on Seifer's pulse at all times just incase the man took a turn for the worse while they were travelling. He had also carried the injured man from the Airdock to Doctor Odine's Labratory which was pretty far and he hadn't once mentioned feeling overwhelmed with Seifers weight or tired for that matter. How much had Squall slept since he was kidnapped? When was the last time Squall ate? Now that she finally had a moment to look at the Commander, he was looking pretty thin and gaunt. She bit her lip but kept quiet, now was not the time to nag Squall about his health.
Another door swished open and Doctor Odine and several of his assistants came rushing out with a hoverbed.
"Put him on ze bed and get ze theater ready just in case! And get zese men some coffee!" Doctor Odine ordered and all the assistants rushed to comply, two of them ran from the room towards what must have been the kitchen and the five slowly maneuvered Seifer onto the hoverbed and began to walk towards the door they came out of when they noticed Squall following.
"I'm sorry sir but you can't go into the theater." An assistant stuttered, shrinking into the others when Squall glared death at her, she stammered out another apology and quickly ushered the bed into theater. Selphie frowned and placed a hand on Squall's arm, offering silent comfort even though it wasn't what Squall wanted. Dr Odine shuffled to the door and gave a grim look.
"I vill do vat I can to stablise him, but it depends on how strong ze curse is. I vill let you know if anything happens." Dr Odine disappeared and the doors swished shut and there was an audible click as the lock was engaged.
"C'mon Squall, let's take a seat and oh look we have coffee!"
"I should have stopped him, damnit!" Selphie jumped at Squall's outburst and stepped back, unsure of what would happen if she stayed close to the other man. She wasn't worried that Squall would hurt her, Squall was too nice to do that but he might hurt himself.
And that was what was worrying.
Squall looked like he was ready to flip and she had never seen him like that before, hell no one had! Squall was always composed, always calm; he never lost his temper (excluding that time he threatened war with Galbadia, Selphie blamed the weather.) never raised his voice and never blamed himself. He usually took everything on the chin and persevered. Selphie opened her mouth to say something and then shut it again. What could she say?
"Seifer's always rash and brainless, he never listens, never follows orders...He does what he likes, screw the consequences... He..." Squall trailed off, rubbing a hand over his face, suddenly weary and just bone tired. He tensed when Selphie threw her arms round his neck and pulled him into a tight hug, forcing him to bury his face against her small shoulder.
"He'll make it Squall, like you said, he never listens and never follows order, he does what he likes. He's too stubborn to die. And if he did, he'd probably become a GF just so he could haunt you." Selphie stated, determined to get Squall out of his mood and by the quiet snort against her shoulder, she had done it. She pulled back and wacked Squall on the shoulder, watching as the man struggled to keep balance.
"Right, lets see if we can terrorise some of Dr Odine's assistants into letting you have a shower and some clean clothes, because you seriously have funk going on." Squall huffed and poked Selphie roughly on the forehead but followed after the nunchaku user with a longing glance at the theater doors.
It turns out they didn't need to terrorise anyone, it seemed word had spread through the small building and anyone they came across just about dropped everything to help. It was bout twenty minutes later that Squall was back staring at the theater door in fresh clothes and freshly showered. Selphie was on the other couch eating grapes, though most of them were on the floor as she was determined she was going to eat them by throwing them in the air and catching them with her mouth.
Squall huffed and began to pace, annoyed that the Estharian clothes he was wearing weren't his usual leathers and felt loose and uncomfortable against his body. What was taking so long? Was everything going okay? Was Seifer even alive?
Seifer is still alive, the strange man and put him into a healing coma while they figure out how to rid him of curse. Squall frowned and rubbed his forehead, feeling vertigo coming on.
'What was that?' Squall stumbled to a free seat, vaguely wondering why Dr Odine had so many chairs when the deep voice came back.
You know.
Squall grimaced and shut his eyes, feeling like Ellone had just attacked his mind again.
'What ever or who ever you are, go away. Now is not the time.' Was he really having a conversation in his mind to a strange voice? He must have lost while captured by Ellone...Ultimecia. Whatever. Details, who needs them?
The was a snort within his mind. I am Griever and I am watching over the knight right now.
"Really?" Squall eyes snapped open and he sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees and putting his hands together in a pyramid fashion. He ignored Selphie's quizzical look and focused on the voice within his mind.
Yes, the knight is stubborn, he fights even within the healing coma. The strange man is going to inject him with an anticurse serum he has derived from Seifers blood.
Squall frowned and then calmly relayed the information back to Selphie who looked at him like he was insane and then she began to look eager, asking Squall if Griever had said anything else, just as the theater door opened and a gown covered assistant came out and explained about the serum.
It was an hour later that Griever spoke up, his deep voice grim. The serum has failed and the knight's lung has collapsed under the strain. The dark magic is winning. Squall rubbed the bridge of his nose and told Selphie the news who paled but kept calm. The waiting game was killing them both, knowing Seifer was on the other side of door but out of reach.
'Isn't there any way to beat this curse?! You were her GF for years before you met me, you must know something Griever!' Squall mentally yelled and then yelled loudly when there was no reply. He stood up and began to pace again, ignoring how the room span every now and then. He wanted it over, wanted to know whether Seifer was going to live or not. In fact he just wanted Seifer back to how the blond normally was, he could live with the migraines, he could live with the sleepless nights fighting for the blonds freedom if only to just watch Seifer sitting on a pier fishing, or Seifer working on some battered car for a neighbor.
He just wanted Seifer, simple as that.
There is a way to save him.
'Tell me!'
There was silence and Squall was ready to scream in frustration.
Ultimecia has weakened my connection to Lionheart, the power I have stored within your sword is becoming unstable. If I..If we were to bind that power within the knight, it might cure him of curse. Griever didn't sound so sure it would work but Squall thought they didn't have much to lose, Seifer was already dying.
Squall quickly repeated what Griever had said to Selphie and she nodded, turning determined eyes towards the locked door that separated them from Seifer. She stood and walked towards the door, giving Squall a wink and a beaming smile.
"Well then, lets go!"
A/N: Please review. *holds out plate of cookies.*