15
CHAPTER 15 – SCENES FROM A MEMORY
The view from above continued to leave Squall speechless, no matter how many windows he passed by. Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined himself so privileged. He'd already been among the first of his generation to set foot within Esthar City. Now, at hundreds of thousands of miles beyond the atmosphere, a stone's throw from the surface of the moon, he stood upon the very edge of human exploration. All he'd seen and learned surely placed him in the top one-percentile of people in the know; there were doubtless world leaders less informed than he now was. None of it mattered to him, however. Each careless glance to either side he was quick to correct. He kept his attention locked to Dr. Odine ahead, following his lead around the Lunar Base's circumference.
Their route was different than the one they'd taken upon Squall's awakening. As the doctor explained along the way, the station's continual orbit around the planet had to be accommodated for with each launch; hitting a moving target over a distance that took three days for the projectile to travel was no easy task. Even a perfect calculation left plenty of margin for error depending on the atmospheric conditions, or any change in the moon's gravitational force. The point of entry for two given pods shot off at different times could vary drastically upon arrival. His and Ellone's had been one such example; they'd both been rounded up by the nearest assigned retrieval squad and brought aboard via two different docking bays.
"Didn't you say they've missed before?" Squall asked as they rounded the final corner.
"Once or twice," Odine answered. "We just directed the crew aboard the Ragnarok out to collect the capsules. No harm, no foul."
Oh, there's plenty foul about the way you operate.
A troupe of three security officers awaited them before the airlock. All saluted Odine as he approached.
"Orders, sir?" the head of the group asked.
"Wake her up and bring her out to me. You will then accompany her and this young man with me to Bay 5. Understood?"
"Sir!"
The closest to the door spun around and entered a passcode onto the adjacent keypad. It hissed open to an antechamber virtually identical to the one Squall had passed through from his own docking bay. He waited for Odine to take the initiative. Surprisingly, the doctor stayed fixed to the spot. Moreover, Squall hadn't noticed a tablet in the arms of any of the three men.
"Any non-disclosure agreement for her?" he hinted.
"There's no need," Odine deflected. "Putting aside that she's not a SeeD, I don't anticipate her leaving Esthar again for the foreseeable future."
"By whose authority? Yours?"
"Haven't we been over this already? She's not a prisoner, at least not anymore. If she really wanted to leave the country and return to your Garden, we'd see her on her way. She stays here because she wants to. And perhaps once all is said and done, you'll elect to do the same."
What the hell are you talking about?
For all the wonder and amazement he'd glimpsed between heaven and earth, Squall had no intention of imposing on Esthar for longer than necessary. He and Rinoa would be on their way back home the minute she was well enough to make the journey. It had been only a week since he'd left the Garden to its lengthy return trip around the Galbadian continent. Provided there were no complications, there was every chance they might make it back to Balamb before its arrival. Whatever kind of reception awaited him made no difference; a speedy rendezvous with Rinoa in tow would be vindication enough, if only for himself. And although he couldn't understand her rationale, it would ultimately be Ellone's choice whether to come along with them.
I did promise Reiner, though…
She emerged moments later, escorted by the three men. But for the absence of her green shawl, her attire was the same as when she'd departed aboard the White SeeD ship: a light blue blouse with a white skirt reaching down to her calves. She stumbled forward unsteadily, still trying to shake off the drowsiness. Her eyes lit up as she noticed him. Instantly, her fatigue subsided.
"Squall!" she exclaimed, righting herself. "You made it!"
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"A little light-headed, but I'll manage. What about you? Did you have any trouble getting into the city?"
"There will be plenty of time for the two of you to catch up later," Odine interrupted, turning his attention to Squall. "In the meantime, I'd like to begin making preparations. The sooner we get things underway, the sooner we can get to the bottom of what's wrong with your friend. Right this way."
He started off before either of them could argue. At the behest of the three armored guards, Squall followed after him. Ellone came up on his side, and leaned her head in close.
"Squall," she half-whispered to him as they walked. "Is… is he here?"
"Who?" he asked back.
"I… guess that's a 'no', then."
Her eyes abruptly fell to the floor. From the disappointed look on her face, he could tell so too had her spirits.
"I should have figured I was just being led on. Typical Dr. Odine. I suppose it'll just have to wait until we get back…"
She trailed off as she raised her head again, and looked out the nearby view-port. Predictably, she ground to a halt at the sight of the planet spinning in the distance.
"Your first time, too?" Squall prodded.
"Yes. I've been told all about this base, though… and about how they keep Sorceress Adel sealed away up here. He said we'd take a trip to see it at some point, but…"
"Excuse me, but it wouldn't be wise to keep the doctor waiting," one of their escorts interjected.
Ellone turned back from the window. Her face was taut, flush, and visibly distressed. She clearly had no idea what kind of situation she'd been strong-armed into, nor even how she'd been used for leverage over Squall. Worse still, he couldn't think of a single way to console her.
"It's alright," he said. "I brought Rinoa with me. Odine wants to use her for an experimental procedure, but I want to get your insight beforehand. Is that okay?"
She nodded her head apprehensively. Squall knew it was the most he could ask of her. Hesitantly, she set her feet back into motion again, and together they continued down the hall.
Chatter between them was nonexistent as they were guided back around the base. For however much sympathy he felt for Ellone, Squall's focus reverted to Rinoa again the further they progressed; he desperately hoped she was alright. Though the cold-sleep process hadn't left any lasting effects on him, there was no telling if her condition might have led to any complications along the way. He wanted to believe Odine wouldn't have risked it if there were any potential threat to her well-being. Given the truth behind the worldwide radio interference however, he couldn't be sure there was any boundary the mad scientist wouldn't dare to cross.
They reached the airlock in question just in time to see it hiss open. From the other side stepped three more officers. Two carried Rinoa into the hall by her underarms and ankles respectively. Squall instinctively quickened his pace at the sight of her, nearly passing Odine at the head of the pack before something caught onto his jacket from behind. He craned his neck back to see the nearest guards' outstretched hand grasping a handful of its white fur trim. No words were exchanged between them. The man's deadly serious stare spoke loudly enough.
"This one's not waking up," one of the men carrying Rinoa said to Odine as he approached. "She's still got a pulse, at least."
"And that's all that matters," the doctor reassured him. "Take her to the med bay. Tell them to put her on an IV, and await further instruction."
"We're coming, too," Squall insisted. No matter his efforts to inch forward, the officer's hold on his jacket remained firm.
"No. I've humored you enough already. It's time for you to stand aside and let me do my job. You three! Escort these two to the guest suites, and set them up with a room."
"You swore you'd let Ellone take a shot at it first!"
"By all means, she can. This should be enough direct exposure for you to get a hold on her mental frequency, shouldn't it?"
Squall turned to face Ellone as she stepped beside him. By contrast, no attempt was made by either of the two outstanding escorts to hold her back. She closed her eyes in concentration, remaining still as a statue for several long moments. All the while, she took not a single breath. Squall couldn't have if he wanted to; the anticipation which permeated the air around them had grown too thick.
"I think so," she finally spoke, opening her eyes again. "But there's… something strange. Her mind's resonance feels so much further away, like it's being smothered, or repressed somehow. It's hard to explain. I've never sensed anything like it before."
"But can you still send me in?" Squall anxiously interrupted her.
"Probably. The wavelength's ebb and flow is still there, just buried."
"Good to hear," Odine smiled, clapping his hands together. "Now, away with you both. Fiddle around in the past to your heart's content, and leave the here and now to a professional. Gentlemen!"
Squall stumbled as he was pulled straight backwards. The guard forcibly turned him around, and began ushering him back down the hall from whence they'd come. Though he perhaps could have shimmied his arms out of his jacket's sleeves to get free, he understood the futility. He was outnumbered, with neither his gunblade nor GF on hand. Ellone's presence only further complicated the matter. She matched his pace, escorted along by the other two men to her rear.
"I'm sorry," he apologized to her. "I didn't mean to get you mixed up in any of this."
"It's not your fault," she said. "And don't worry. Once we're back in Esthar, I'll be going right to the president. He's not going to stand for any of this."
He could only assume so given the lengths Odine had gone to in covering his tracks. Even so, he doubted the doctor would receive anything more than a slap on the wrist. He hadn't explicitly used Ellone for the experiment, nor any Esthar citizen. Provided she'd made the trip by her own volition, there was no grounds for a kidnapping charge. Even the notion she was being held against her will likely wouldn't stand muster; Odine could simply offer to shuttle her back down to the planet the moment she asked. She'd already served her purpose in his scheme. It was Squall who desperately needed her to stay with him now.
Many winding halls and one elevator ride later, they arrived at their allotted suite. Squall's eyes swept over the room as he stepped inside after Ellone; its accommodations were no less grand than those he'd been afforded in the palace. A king-sized mattress sat within a circular enclosure to one side. Two parted privacy curtains dangled from tracks ingrained into the ceiling above. Across was a large bronze desk with a computer monitor and intercom. Closer to the door, a plush sofa and coffee table were set beneath the wide bay window. Predictably though, beyond the glass was a view to shame even that of the city. Ellone approached as the door shut behind them. For several moments she simply stared out at the planet in the distance, enraptured by the sight.
"Talk about a view from the top of the world," she softly muttered.
"I guess I'll sleep on the couch," Squall said aloud. A reluctant acceptance washed over him as he seated himself on the end cushion. Regardless of whether they were free to leave and roam about the base as they pleased, he knew there was no chance of him being allowed to see Rinoa again until Odine's experiment had concluded.
"Squall… I don't know what's going on here, but it's good to see you. You sure got to Esthar fast."
She turned away from the window and took her own place on the opposite end of the sofa.
"You told me to hurry," he reminded her. "What was so urgent? You said they were treating you well, didn't you?"
"Yes, up until now, at least… oh! I just remembered. This is yours, isn't it? They gave it to me when they took me out of the palace."
After a moment of rummaging through her dress pocket, she pulled out a silver chain necklace. Squall's eyes bulged as he saw the familiar lion pendant dangling from the end. He reached out and took it from her hand.
"I should have known something wasn't right," she went on as he threw the chain over his head. "I suppose I just wanted to believe that finally, after all this time… but, none of that matters right now. You came here because you want my help, right?"
"Please, Ellone," he pleaded, leaning in towards her. "Send me into Rinoa's past. If there's anything I can do to bring her out of this coma… or stop her from falling into it in the first place…"
"I can try, but… I'm sorry, Squall. There really is no changing the past."
She averted her eyes, casting them down at the table with her hands folded in her lap.
"I've already learned that through you. This power of mine… with it, you can discover things you never knew. And from what you've learned, you may come to see some things differently in the present. But that's the extent of its influence. In the end, you're the one who changes, not the past."
"Even so, I need to see for myself!" he insisted. "For my own peace of mind, if nothing else. It doesn't matter if it can't be changed. If I can just figure out what the cause is, maybe that'll give us a better idea of how to bring her out of it. And if that ends up being through Odine's experiment, then so be it."
Silence hung between them, absolute as the endless void beyond the glass. For a moment, Squall wondered if he'd come on too strong; perhaps his desperation had caused him to act in a manner too unseemly for Ellone. Indeed, despite their history together, they were now practically two different people after so many years spent apart. Before he could overthink things further, she turned her eyes back to him with a gentle smile.
"If it'll make you happy."
"Thank you," he said with a sigh of relief.
"It's probably going to take some trial and error to pinpoint the right juncture," she warned him. "I'll need your guidance to tell me whether I'm under or overshooting."
"That's fine. Are you able to switch mid-dream? Or will you have to break the connection every time?"
"It's hard to say. There are still many things I don't completely understand about how it all works. What I do know is that there's a unique resonance about every human being, which I'm able to pick up on just by coming near them. As a child, I figured it was something everyone could sense. And maybe they do, on a subconscious level. At least, that's what I assume people mean when they say someone gives off a certain kind of energy or vibe. But for me, it's always been so much more. It's not just some intangible aura, but a living, breathing essence. I feel it from any person I pass by. By using my own as a mediator, I'm able to overlap two or more of these together onto the same 'wavelength', so to speak. And even though each one is different, it's easy to mix them up unless it's from someone I know very well. Someone I have a deep, personal connection with."
Squall felt flattered to be included among those inferred. Still, there was one aspect he'd wanted an answer for since his earliest glimpses through Laguna's eyes. With Ellone being so keen to share, he figured there was no better time to ask.
"And is there any reason you can't just overlap your own essence without needing another person for a vessel? Why did you need me specifically to see into the past for yourself?"
"Because having my own resonance act as mediator for itself causes an imbalance. That's how Dr. Odine explained it when I brought it up to him, anyway. It generates a feedback loop where my own consciousness starts overwhelming the other person's, and they would eventually lose control of their own body and mind. Or so I'm guessing. I don't have the strength to sustain something like that. If I could, then maybe I actually would be able to change the past. But obviously, it's not a pleasant experience for the person on the other end."
Surprisingly, the explanation only gave him further pause; it all seemed to line up too perfectly with what Edea had described.
"Unfortunately, not everyone's resonance is compatible. For years, I wasn't sure what made the difference, but now, I think I understand. It's not enough for me alone to be familiar with both people's resonances. The two people I connect need to have come into contact with each other at some point as well. Other than that, anything goes. We can start whenever you're ready."
Although there was plenty more to ask about the specifics of the process, Squall was antsy to get on with it. He'd already put up with too many needless delays. Nodding to Ellone, he laid his head back against the couch's headrest and closed his eyes. He'd borne witness to so many wondrous sights in such a short time span. In that moment however, he knew he would trade any view, however magnificent, for one from Rinoa's perspective.
"Just relax," Ellone spoke to him reassuringly. "Don't fight it. Just let it carry you away, and there'll be no pain."
He did as he was instructed. All was silent. All was darkness. And then, a voice reached his ears, gentle, soothing, and singing one familiar song.
"Darling, so there you are
With that look on your face
As if you're never hurt
As if you're never down
Shall I be the one for you
Who pinches you softly but sure?
And if your smile should fade
Then I will know that you are no dream"
Rinoa lay still beneath the sheets of her bed. Their embrace always seemed the more tender when accompanied by her mother's singing. This night was no different. There she sat by the bedside, her face half-obscured by the shadows; only the light peeking in from the hallway offset the darkness of the room. Though Rinoa had stopped being afraid of the dark almost a year ago, she'd kept the same old excuse going ever since. Her mother's beautiful voice was something she couldn't see herself ever outgrowing.
Every night was a different song. Some were her own originals, others old standards she'd covered over the years. Apparently, their nightly routine marked the first time she'd sung many of them since her farewell tour five years earlier. Though Rinoa liked each and every song in the rotation, she had her preferences. Tonight's was her favorite: the ballad that had supposedly taken the airwaves by storm, and stayed on the charts right up until the day radio died. The melody itself had practically been ingrained into her mind already. Yet only now could she begin to grasp the meaning behind the lyrics.
"Mommy?" she cooed as her mother finished the song. "Did you write that song for Daddy?"
The question stopped her in mid-motion; she'd leaned forward to give Rinoa a goodnight kiss on the cheek, only to freeze in place. She pulled back, her eyes going wide at having been suddenly put on the spot.
"No, honey," she spoke after a small pause. "It was for… someone else."
"Who?" Rinoa asked.
"He was a soldier. He used to come see me play all the time, back before I made it big. I still remember the look he'd always have in his eyes. But then, he went off to fight in the war… and never came back…"
"Did you love him?"
She didn't say another word for a long stretch. Rinoa watched her face closely as she mulled over her response.
"I… I think maybe," she muttered under her breath. "Sometimes, I still wonder how he felt."
"Do you still love him?"
"Rinoa… don't be silly."
On the spot, her face lightened up.
"If I'd ended up with that guy, you'd have never been born. And where would I be without you?"
"And Daddy!"
"Yes, Daddy too," she smiled. She reached one hand out and playfully ruffled Rinoa's hair. "Just promise me you won't tell him about the song, okay? I don't think he'd understand."
"Promise!" the young girl swore.
Satisfied, her mother lifted the sheets back up to beneath Rinoa's chin before planting the kiss she was still owed. She then raised herself from the bedside, and started for the door.
"Sleep tight, honey," she called back as she took hold of the knob.
"Mommy?" Rinoa called once more. "Do you ever worry about Daddy and me going away?"
Her mother froze in the doorframe. The hallway light cast her long shadow across the pink-carpeted floor to the base of the bed; its halo effect reduced her features to a dark, indistinguishable haze.
"I try not to think about that," she said at last. "I'm just looking forward to a long happy life together with you. Good night, honey. I love you."
[Way too far back, Ellone. By at least 10 years.]
"I… love you, too," Rinoa said back. Even as the words left her mouth however, a strange feeling came over her. And somehow, for all her mother's reassurances, she had a feeling it was not to be.
The cobbled stone streets of Timber might have been an alien world to Rinoa. Their morning bustle notwithstanding, any resemblance to Deling City was virtually non-existent. The tallest building in her vicinity would have been dwarfed by even the most modest estate back home. Architecture-wise, the differences were broader still; the old-world influence which flourished every sill and shutter had gradually disappeared from the Galbadian capital as the modern age rolled on. It was as if she'd stepped into a picture of the past. And yet, for however well preserved it all looked at a glance, its people had undoubtedly known much happier times long ago.
Guess I'll feel right at home, after all…
Her effects were strikingly minimalist: a backpack with as much non-perishable food and bottled water as she could fit, two spare changes of clothes, and practically all her life's savings. She'd already spent a fair chunk of change on a one-way train ticket to Timber. Without any present leads on the rumored underground resistance movement, the next big expenditure would inevitably be for a hotel room. It mattered little to Rinoa; her search could wait until she'd had a decent night's sleep. Though she expected the accommodations to pale in comparison to her room back home, the peace of mind would be enough. She no longer had the stomach to stay in that house for one more night.
"Ow! My stomach!"
Rinoa slowed to a halt as the cry reached her ears. Lifting her eyes from the sidewalk before her, she redirected them down an alley running along the back of a nearby tavern. Halfway along, past a set of dumpsters piled high with trash, a pair of Galbadian troopers loomed over a hunched young man.
"You see that?!" one laughed to the other. "I didn't even make contact!"
"What's the matter?" his friend joined in on the mockery. "You got the runs all of a sudden?"
The cowering man in blue craned his neck up. Whether or not he were faking, his strained facial features made for a gut-wrenching sight. Rinoa knew she couldn't stand idly by, regardless of the altercation's circumstances. That she had no love for Galbadia nor anyone in its employ was all the motivation she needed to intervene. That neither guard had noticed her provided ample opportunity. And a sturdy metal beam sticking up out of the nearest dumpster, the means to make a difference.
Slowly, she sidled her way into the alley. She ducked down by the dumpster's side for cover, and reached up to draw the beam out. Fortunately, there was little resistance keeping it lodged in place. She carefully slid it out hand over hand in an effort to minimize the noise. Her targets remained oblivious all the while.
"Look guys… I'm sorry," the doubled over man pleaded. "Can't we settle this peacefully?"
"I dunno," one Galbadian said to the other. "You heard him running his mouth about us in there. How are we supposed to just let that slide?"
"Get on your knees and beg," the other demanded. "And then maybe we'll consider-"
The man never got to finish his sentence. Rinoa swung the beam through the air with all her might, whacking both men across the back of the head with a single strike. Shouting out in anguish, it was they who toppled forward to their knees. Both were still conscious for the moment; their helmets had absorbed the brunt of the impact. She followed up with another round of blows, one after the other, this time sending them keeling straight over onto the cement. Satisfied, she turned her attention back up to the accosted pedestrian. To her amazement, he'd made a quick recovery. He abruptly snatched her by the wrist and began pulling her back along the alleyway, causing her to drop the bar in the process.
"Come on!" he urged her. "We've gotta scram before their buddies in the bar come out to check."
Rinoa stifled the urge to protest. However alarming it was to be dragged along so forcefully, the young man had the right idea. And perhaps, provided one good turn deserved another, she wouldn't need to look for a hotel that night after all.
[Still too far back. Try going a couple years further.]
"I can't believe it's taken me so long to come up this way."
Her reasons were myriad. For one, her duty to the Forest Owls had largely kept her shackled to Timber since her arrival in the city. From their chance meeting two years ago, she'd already advanced through the ranks to become Zone's chief assistant. With her new position came responsibilities far greater. And with each passing day, a strengthened sense of camaraderie with her fellow resistance members.
The Owls had become her new family, one she wouldn't trade for the world. She'd never spoken to them of her upbringing in Deling City; that part of her life she was content to leave in the past. Still, she knew better than to assume the rest of the world would be as willing to turn a blind eye. There was no guarantee her father had given up his search for her after only two short years. She'd repeatedly refused Zone's every insistence that she take a vacation to unwind. Even something simple as boarding a train out of the city had seemed too risky; just one informed station attendant would be enough to blow her cover.
It had taken just the right person to give her the push she needed. He stood by her side now, the two of them looking out at the ocean together from the balcony. His summer holiday had brought him to Timber, and by extension, the Owls' usual hangout at the Aphorora pub, where they'd quickly hit it off. It hadn't taken long for his charm to work its magic on her. He had confidence in spades, and an irresistible, contagious swagger. Just being in his presence made her feel so much more confident herself. With his support, she'd finally worked up the courage to travel north with him along the express line for a few days in Dollet. Thus far, she had no regrets.
"It's definitely a nice change of pace from Balamb," Seifer said.
"Really?" Rinoa asked, turning her attention to him. "The waves, the sand? I'd have guessed this was nothing new for you."
"No, that's not it."
The young blonde met her stare in turn, his blue eyes positively piercing despite his relaxed facial features.
"It's not the places you go or the sights you see, but the people you share them with that makes all the difference."
Despite the ocean breeze, Rinoa felt her cheeks heat up. She pivoted away in embarrassment, directing her gaze back out to sea. In truth, she felt the same. For the first time since her mother had died, she'd found someone she could confide in, whose very presence seemed to liberate her from the worries of the world.
"It's too bad your breaks are so short," she eventually hinted to him.
"You're telling me," he sighed. "We'll really have to make the most of next time."
"Next time?"
A playful smile crossed her lips as she turned back to him.
"That's assuming an awful lot."
"So, what, you're saying there's not going to be one?" he smirked back.
"I'm saying don't go putting your eggs in one basket."
"Well, too late for that."
It was then that he pulled his hand from his jacket pocket. Her jaw dropped as he outstretched it to her, the silver band held in the palm of his black leather glove gleaming in the sunlight.
"It's not much. Just something to remember our time together."
Rinoa could hardly breathe. The ring's design was perfectly plain, absent any gemstone or noticeable engravings. Even so, the gesture alone had caught her completely off guard. Things were now moving far too fast for her comfort. And yet, why did it all feel so right? Hand shaking in bewilderment, she reached out and took it from him.
"You… you idiot," she stammered, twirling it around in her fingers.
"Sorry, would flowers have been more your speed?" he bashfully grinned.
With a chuckle born out of equal parts disbelief and joy, she slid the ring onto her left hand. Only then did it occur to her that the dimensions were too big for her fingers.
"Ah, I should've figured," Seifer groaned, ruffling his hair with one hand. "Still, it's the thought that counts, right?"
Rinoa giggled again, feeling any and all remaining doubts in her mind fizzle away on the spot.
"Right."
[Ellone, please just bring us to any other point in time, fast!]
Step by step Rinoa ascended the winding spiral staircase to the prison's upper levels. Neither of her two escorts had told her of their destination, nor the reason she'd been taken out of the cell with the others. No matter what awaited her, she was determined to make full use of the opportunity she'd been given; now was her chance to get a better idea of the prison's layout, and perhaps even deduce Squall's whereabouts.
She glanced down to the upper-most rim around the massive underground shaft. To her surprise, a small congregation of furry orange creatures had started to form on the far side. Together they pounded their over-sized paws at a sealed blast door. However successful their efforts, she couldn't tell; whatever kind of racket their blows produced was too faint to reach her ears from so far below. Nor did she understand the impetus, or if this was even a regular occurrence; they seemed coordinated, at the very least. Neither guard appeared to have noticed, the one behind keeping his eyes fixed to Rinoa at all times. In the time it took her to weigh the odds of using it as a distraction, they'd already passed through the hatch in the ceiling.
A few winding halls later, they arrived at a spacious hangar bay. It's dimensions were roughly as wide as the one from the Owls' former hideout. Row after row of shipping containers trailed to the open bay door, where an armored transport idled. As she was guided down from the surrounding catwalk and around all the clutter, Rinoa noticed the two young men conversing by the vehicles' sides. Both wore long jackets, khaki and grey respectively. Atop one's head sat a black cowboy hat, the other a clean-cut blonde hairdo she'd once thought so handsome.
[Squall, are we close?]
[It should be about a month down the line, but… let's stay a little longer on this one, for now.]
A feeling of apprehension washed over her as the two turned away from their conversation.
"Looks like it's your lucky day!" Seifer laughed, motioning to Irvine at his side. "Daddy's got you a full pardon in exchange for swearing fealty. And to think, all this time, I was working my way up the social ladder without even knowing it. Really, honey, you should've introduced me!"
The cocky smile stuck to his lips, once so endearing, she now desperately wanted to see rubbed off permanently. She shot him a look that could kill. Having no luck, she prepared to send one Irvine's way for going along with this, when she caught herself. The sharpshooter was obviously just playing the part. Whether or not he'd come at her father's behest, that he was there at all gave her hope. And if nothing else, the irony of Seifer being cordial to the man who'd put a bullet in his arm the night before was enough to perk her spirits.
"Love to stay and chat, but I've got business to take care of across the desert," the blonde smirked with a parting wave to them both. "Give the general my regards. And don't be a stranger, you hear? I'll be in the neighborhood soon enough."
He turned to climb into his vehicle of choice. With a salute, both of Rinoa's escorts traipsed back in the other direction, leaving her with Irvine.
"C'mon," he bade her to follow with his usual twang. "Let's get goin'. It's gonna be a long ride."
"You're not seriously…!"
She cut herself off before she said anything incriminating; Seifer had barely ducked his head through the transport's door. Begrudgingly, she kept her mouth shut, and tailed Irvine to another row of parked vehicles off to the side. He gravitated towards a yellow model on the end. She opened the passenger-side, and seated herself as the cowboy rounded the hood. Once he'd climbed into the driver's seat and shut the door, she went off.
"We've got to get back there and free the others!"
"No can do," he dismissed her. "Yer pops told me to come spring ya loose, an' that's what I'm here for."
"What are you saying?! We can't just leave them here! They're our teammates! Our friends!"
"Not mine. Not anymore."
Irvine's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. His eyes beneath the brim of his hat stared out through the windshield, watching intently as Seifer's transport jerked forward and sped out of the hangar across the desert plains.
"They're not the people I thought they were," he muttered. "An' I ain't stickin' my neck out any further fer 'em. The world's got bigger problems now, anyway. Better to jus' get outta dodge while we can."
The engine sputtered to life as he turned the key. Acting on instinct, Rinoa seized hold of the gear shift before he could reach down for it.
"Listen to me," she growled, staring daggers at him. "You'd better come up with a reason to stick around, fast, or I'm going to give you one."
[Alright, Ellone. I think we've seen enough here.]
Without even allowing Irvine a chance to respond, the sudden rush of energy Rinoa felt in that moment forced her into action. She lunged at him.
"I can't believe you actually got him to go along with it!"
Rinoa stared down with amazement at the ring in her palm. It was engraved with a roaring lion's head, just as she'd seen it on Squall's hand. Selphie stood up out of her chair, and rounded the cafeteria table to see for herself. When they'd pulled Zell aside to ask for his help, Rinoa had still been skeptical he'd be able to convince Squall to part with it.
"How'd you pull it off?" Selphie inquired.
"I just asked him," Zell answered nonchalantly. He slid into the vacant third seat across from them. "I kinda expected him to put up more of a fight than he did. I guess he knew I wouldn't stop bugging him until he forked it over."
"It's the real deal, huh?" Rinoa muttered to herself.
She slipped the ring onto her own hand. It effortlessly slid past her second knuckle to where her finger met her palm, forcing her to spread the two on either side apart to accommodate its width.
"Way too big for me, though."
"Yeah, I figured that," Zell chuckled. "I just need to know by how much, and I'll be able to get a mold made that'll fit you. With all the prep for the big battle going on though, I'm probably not gonna get a chance until things settle down."
"Oh, there's no rush. I'll just hold onto it in the meantime."
Rinoa reached behind her neck with both hands, brushing away her voluminous black hair, and took hold of the slim chain necklace. She unfastened it at the back, and brought the two ends around. It was only then that she took full notice of the silver ring entwined through; throwing the necklace on each morning had become routine, to where she barely even paid it mind anymore. It wasn't anything extravagant, nor etched with any particular design like Squall's. Still, it had been a source of sentimentality ever since Seifer had given it to her a year ago. She remembered how elated she'd been to receive it. How things had changed. She slipped it off the chain, and carefully let Squall's slide off her finger to take its place. Satisfied, she re-fastened the necklace, and pocketed the silver band.
[Almost there. Just a little further…]
The ice cold water racing in around her ankles barely prompted a shiver. The sight of the looming leviathan stretching up to nearly reach the glass domed ceiling would have been enough for most to disregard all else. For the commandant's retinue however, it was the high-pressure torrent which had blown them all off their feet. Their bodies twisted and turned as they were dispersed all around the Galbadia Garden atrium. Only Edea remained slumped in place against the far wall, somehow still alive; that she could still pick out her mental frequency among that of every other person in the room was proof plenty. Were there ample time and opportunity, she would see her dead at that very moment. Alas, both were precious commodities she couldn't afford to squander.
[What's going on? My… my body…]
Against all known precedent, the former sorceress had managed to survive the power transferal. Perhaps it had been the influence of the holy energy blast which had spared her life. Or, more likely, the presence of another foreign consciousness having taken the place of her own. She still vividly recalled the sensation: all awareness fading away as the power seeped from Edea's every pore, feeling as though her soul itself were on the verge of evaporating into nothing. She'd awakened in her own time as if from a near death experience. Now, after weeks spent meticulously plotting her contingency, she'd returned to pick up where she'd left off.
[Ellone! This is it!]
[Who… who's there?!]
As opposed to freeing the sea serpent from its containment, as she had the three-headed dog, she'd allowed herself to maintain control for the duration of its summoning. At her command, the towering creature phased out into a burst of light, retreating to the sphere clutched in her hand. She next set her eyes to work all around the room's perimeter. It took seconds to pinpoint Seifer slouched beside the starboard-side hall. Even were she blindfolded, his frequency stuck out to her as strongly as Edea's from all the time they'd spent in each other's presence.
She hurriedly crossed the atrium to his side. To her relief, the water had already started to drain, each step along the way becoming easier; it helped that this girl's physique was significantly more toned. She crouched down beside Seifer, his disoriented eyes swiveling to her as she did so.
[Rinoa? What are you…?]
[… Squall? Is that you?]
"Don't be alarmed, my loyal knight," she said to him, brushing off the mental dissonance coming through; it was just another sign she needed to be quick. "I've borrowed this girl's body. We may have lost this day, but I assure you this is not the end."
[…!]
"Time is of the essence. Leave me, take that girl's sphere, and round up whatever troops you can. You must then proceed to the Lunatic Pandora's resting place as planned, and send word back across the bridge for reinforcements. Raise it from the depths, and await my instruction. You will hear from me again soon. Now, go!"
Letting go, she allowed the girl's body to collapse, falling limply across Seifer's.
[Squall, what's happening to me?]
[Sorceress Ultimecia… she's…!]
Be gone, you impudent fools!
All was silence. All was darkness. And so it would be for however long it took.