The Power

“Come, come. You know the drill,” she beckoned with a finger over her shoulder and leading through the maze of dorm halls.

He sighed, half-heartedly cranky, yet, also grateful for the blond girl’s concern. “Do we have to go through this every night?” He stopped, tilting his head sideways and ran a hand through jagged yet soft brown locks, resting the other hand on a hip as he shuffled his feet, a little anxious.

She turned around and crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back a bit to appraise the almost sheepish looking brunet. A smirk formed on her goddess-like face and she nodded saying, “Yes, Squall. Headmaster won’t have it any other way—and it’s not like I want this either….” When she turned back, a crafty smile spread on her face.

The only sound during that time of day was the whirring ventilation system and chattering or mixes of smothered music trying to penetrate separating walls, both worming out from the dormitories. The short walk, accompanied by sound of clicking heels and the mashing of rubber against marble added to the subtle night noise, led the pair before a room in the SEED wing of the dormitories. The blond stepped aside and waved for Squall to step up and slide his card through the security lock. The door swished open instantly and the two entered.

The door closed behind them, letting them stand in complete darkness, before some scuffling sounded and yellow light blinked on, the atmosphere invoking the need for lazy indulgences.

“Take off your shirt and sit down while I get ready,” the blond girl said to the suddenly inattentive brunet.

“…?” but the sound of a closing door indicated she was already in the bathroom.

Only a few seconds seemed to lapse, but the sight to pore over, next, never registered fully; the blond girl was at the bathroom’s entrance, and sexy white lingerie presumptuously laced her golden-white hourglass figure from bosom to crotch, a hint of angelic glowing skin oddly contradicting itself, simply provoking seductiveness.

“Quis…tis…?” Squall said.

Any straight man’s wet dream come true, the girl stalked with a sense of deliberateness, smiling deviously as her baby-blue eyes that once innocently lay soft now tensed with purpose, urging to pry through the brunet’s cold and naturally defensive gray shields. “Like what you see…? You know you want this—you want me.”

Still sitting half-naked and gripping his white tee, he forced himself to stand to back away from the sultry—and, strange enough, out of character—girl-turned-sex-goddess. “What are you doing? I thought…” he exhaled, running short of breath.

“You thought what?” she voiced in her womanly tone, cocking her head derisively as she backed the other to a wall and traced the lines delineating his hard chest muscle planes with her fingertip. “That I wanted to be here—to touch you…—without fucking you?” she jerked her head forward, the brunet reactively flinching.

“You wan…to….”

“Fuck you,” Quistis airily declared even as she grabbed her victim’s groin and massaged in a starting pace that guaranteed a slow climb to a hard peak.

“Unh—ahh…ah—stop…this…stop.” And yet, in the stir of oddness and confusion, Squall mysteriously forgot he had two arms to do his bidding or any physical advantage for that matter.

“You know you like it,” her voice seemed to echo.

“Stop…,” he strangled out.

“You know you want this,” her voice really echoed.

“No.”

“—Yessss!” the word whispered…

…then dulled into thick quiet.

“….”

“No!” Squall awoke with a start, momentarily twisting in crisp white bed sheets as his eyes snapped open. He paused, letting his limbs fall flat to let the wooziness subside.

Why am I so shaken?

His eyes slightly hazed over once his world stabilized to more solidity, and his gaze brushed over many things in his room until it settled on the slouching tent between his legs. He slowly sat up and continued staring at his arousal, unbelieving.

Why did I get this? It’s not like…. I have to stop dreaming these dreams. They don’t mean anything…. Rinoa’s the only girl for me.

He shook his head refutably, mangling and running a hand through mussed hair like he did in his dream.

Might as well get up since I’m already up.

Dawn had awhile before light fully broke through as his room remained in a dark yet brisk overhang of fading dusk and growing day. He looked over to the glaring red numbers set upon his oak dresser, not too far from the little space dividing it and his twin bed.

Five hundred hours.

He got out of bed, intending to shower and forget the ebbing hotness between his legs. He would start the day with a firm hold on his body and mind. He moved with unwavering grace to the bathroom and stripped as if he’d downed too much caffeine, save the jittery disadvantage, and thoroughly as aware ever.


He stepped into the shower, prepared for a new day.

-->

Do you believe in a higher power that controls life?

“What the fuck kinda question is that?” Seifer Almasy carped, after reading the test question.

Everyone looked up, zoning in on his way at the frivolous comment, and he earned a warning glare from the only other blond in the classroom, Instructor Quistis Trepe. One and a half hours passed without another word from the blond cadet when the instructor finally announced time up.

“Alright everyone. Wrap up, and let’s hope you all did well. I’m looking forward to seeing several new faces in the upcoming field exam,” she announced, as she arranged and collected the papers laid out on her workstation.

Some cadet’s yawned and stretched while others looked about ready to nod off, and, still, there were those that looked confident enough to go another round, yet no one mirrored the counterpoise of that which only the delinquent in scrutiny would ever dare doing.

Seifer was asleep; his right cheek stuck against the screen at his terminal as his mouth hung open, the test’s interface having long died out. To add, fresh drivel seeped from his mouth to coat over already drying saliva on the monitor’s edge, just barely making a path to drip off the edge and onto the floor.

As the majority of the class filed out, the instructor paced to stand beside the still boy. She looked ireful. “Cadet Almasy,” the instructor spoke a notch beneath giving in to yelling.

The boy’s form remained unresponsive and the instructor seemed ready to choke the life out of her slumbering student.

“…. The nerve…. Seifer!”

“—Wha…?!” his head jolted as he stumbled to get a hold on reality. He rubbed at his sleep-heavy eyes and straightened out his clothes, pitifully focusing on the angry woman before him. “Quistis?”

“Cadet Almasy. You will show respect and address me by my title and never, ever, will you fall dormant in my classroom again. Three demerits and no pass.”

“What?! You can’t do—”

“Yes I can and I just did. Think about this when to go to bed tonight. Maybe you’ll learn once and for all….”

“But I know I passed the exam. I finished it faster than the rest of the idiots in the class could think to wing it!” he rowed defiantly, even as he sat glowering up at the instructor.

“It’s that precise attitude that got you where you are now, cadet. And, until you learn to place duty before pride, you’ll never make it.”

“….” Seifer didn’t bother arguing, chagrined at the lecturing blond’s truth despite the headstrong impulse to deny all charges against him. He locked his lips, stiffly bowed his head, and sighed resignedly.

A long silence stretched before the instructor’s stern expression suddenly softened to reflect her change in character mode. Regretful pity showed as she warily reached for the solemn blond’s chin to raise his head to pay her mind. On contact, however, her palm wetted with something. She quickly surveyed the classroom and relief washed over as an empty room greeted her apart from them. Given the privacy, she continued, making some adjustments due to the shocking discovery the blond would break before her. “…Seifer, please look at me,” she gently urged as she lifted his head only to meet him halfway by squatting to meet him eye level; on equal ground, that’s what she wanted. Even as a hand forced his attention, his eyes willfully stared down, fighting change. “Seifer…please look at me, okay?”

He raised his vision as fresh new tears spilled from those hard emerald eyes.

“Seifer, you and I both know the profession we’re in. We live on blood. It may be harsh, but it’s the hard cold truth. That’s why you can’t take it so casually where our job is concerned. Things get crazy and people get hurt. You should know that best of all…,” she finished, hoping for an agreeable answer from him.

“…I shouldn’t even be here. I should’ve died then so I wouldn’t have to live this pathetic excuse of a life,” he anguished as more tears escaped, squeezing through screwed shut eyelids.

“Don’t say that. If you do, it just might come true and then not only I but several others will be crying.”

He hastily wiped at unrelenting tears and sadly stared at Quistis. “Oh, yeah? Like who?”

Quistis smiled warmly. “…. I think we need to have a talk.”

“Aren’t we talking now?” he pouted, a little frustrated.

“I mean, let’s go talk where it’s more appropriate. You wouldn’t want someone walking in on this little scene, would you—especially a certain garden commander?”

Seifer sneered; apparently, the mention of his hated ex-rival seemed to boost his confidence, however vain the reaction might be, and Quistis knew it.

-->

“So you’re telling me we all knew each other as kids?”

“That’s pretty much it. It’s sort of weird, though, for all of us to find out after so many years have passed, and in the midst of a war, too.”

Seifer puffed arrogantly and smirked. “And I was the bully. How trite,” his expression turned bitter.

Quistis cocked an eyebrow at the comment, not fully understanding.

“Aww, come on Quis.”

She cocked her eyebrow even more at the name.

“The forever arrogant bully becoming the villain everyone hates and kills—or tries to anyway—ha! Ya failed on that one!” he whooped, even as his cheer failed to sound sincere, but more bitter.

Quistis frowned, regret showing on her face. The circumstances during the war were nowhere near convenient with the individuals involved and certainly wasn’t something to take to, lightly, especially when the attitude pertaining to it came from, possibly, the most victimized of all victims.

“Look, I know you guys were just doing your ‘duty’, but so was I. To live out my dream. My corny, selfish, pathetic dream that should’ve killed me in the end,” he said as he seemed to fall into despair once more.

Just as Quistis began to chide him of his repetitive fit, Seifer whimpered something inaudible. “Seifer?”

With a bowed head again, he seemed to cringe into himself, holding the position as he clung to it. He gradually lifted his head, his hands, once so strong yet now as pitiful as they shook, naturally letting go. “…. Help me?”

“Seifer….”

“Don’t say anything anymore,” Seifer whispered, suddenly advancing on Quistis to lock lips with her, his insistent hands pulling on her shoulders.

Beyond surprised, Quistis tried pushing him off her when she realized the situation. Seifer then desperately grabbed hold of her waist and tried deepening the kiss by gaining entrance into her mouth, but she wouldn’t have it. She finally extricated herself with barely a thread of patience left as her hand swung, smacking the other blond with stinging shame, more to snap him out of whatever he dreamed than any real vengeful malice on her part. She breathed hard due the all the adrenaline Seifer incited with his stunt. “Get a hold on yourself, Seifer Almasy!” she at last managed.

“I knew it…. I knew it! You’re in love with that pansy boy aren’t you?”

Quistis narrowed her eyes. “He’s more of a man than you’ll ever be if you keep up this act and I am not in love with him…but I do love him as a brother just like I love you.”

But the words flew past Seifer’s head. “No one loves me. I’m pathetic. I have no one,” he bluntly said to himself as he crumpled to the floor and began another sobbing fit.

Quistis could only look at Seifer with sorrowful pity before embracing him on the ground of her dorm while he cried in her lap in the safety of her motherly arms. Even after the sobs waned, they stayed unmoving until Quistis remembered to check the time. It already neared nineteen hundred hours and outside was very dark. She returned her attention on the blond boy in her lap and watched him sleep for the second time that day, but for a very different reason. She shook him gently and after three attempts, he finally stirred to wonder at his surroundings and the warm body enclosing his. He tilted up his head to stare at her for a few seconds, as if to study her face. “Quistis?”

“Are you okay?” she smiled down at him.

“I…I’m sorry.”

Apparently Seifer hadn’t forgotten his earlier transgressions and it showed on his face.

“I know. It’s okay now. Although I think you should find a real bed if you want to sleep,” she looked abashed, letting the other get off her.

“Oh…. I’m sorry for troubling you, Quistis. I’ll leave.”

“You know I didn’t mean it like that. I mean that you’d be more comfortable sleeping in a bed rather than on my lap. Besides, what girl would mind a stud like you in her arms?” she commented with a mischievous undertone, a small smile playing on her lips to further emphasize her point.

“Yeah,” he said a little doubtful and wearily as he headed for the door, his whole demeanor still droopy to no end.

“Are you going to be alright by yourself?” she asked, just to show that she truly cared even if she knew uncertainty would answer her.

He stopped, twisting his head back, gazing at the ground. “Yeah, I think so,” he said before turning to leave again.

Quistis strode to Seifer, causing the other to stop again, hopeful compassion in her eyes. “Here. Take this with you so we’ll have a reason to meet again, alright? No refusals,” she stated firmly.

“This?” he stared incredulously. “It’s lipstick! People will think I’m the pansy,” he said, anxious. “At least give me something that makes sense. Like your underwear or something,” he suggested too somberly.

Quistis smacked him on the shoulder, receiving a guileful grin in return. “I don’t think so, Seifer Almasy! Nice try, though.”

“Yeah. I didn’t want your crusty underwear anyway.”

The blond girl’s eye’s widened as her mouth dropped, appalled. “You jerk!” She went in for another strike at the other blond, this time to the head, but, he easily blocked, shooing himself out of her room before she could kill him.

-->

Seifer ran from Quistis’s room and right smack into someone.

“….”

“Shit! Sor—” the blond teen said before he got a clear look at the other. The flash of brown and a cream colored face struck before he realized the person was none other than the garden commander, Squall Leonhart. “—Watch where you’re going!”

“You were the one that ran into me,” Squall said, a bit angry for the blame that clearly wasn’t all true. “But, you’re right. I should’ve moved since I saw you coming. Sorry,” he quietly said, crooking his head before moving past the blond.

The blond just stood in place, a little stricken by the brunet’s yielding and apology. “The hell…? …Leon—” he turned around to question the unlike behavior, but Squall had already gone. “How did he…did he go into her room?” After a second, he gave an indifferent look and continued back to his room.

-->

“Quistis?” Squall waited a few moments at the door before venturing further into Quistis’s dorm. “Quistis?” Just as he neared her bedroom, the bathroom door opened.

“Squall. Why are you here so early?” she moved to sit on her couch, naturally patting the seat next to her for Squall to sit.

He hesitated before doing as the blond gestured, endeavoring to not be so obvious even as he sat the farthest possible from the blond.

Quistis wasn’t fooled. “Squall?”

Squall attempted to look at Quistis, but, failed halfway, returning his attention to somewhere on the ground, balling his fists as he as crossed them, one resting on top of the other, with his elbows resting on parted knees. Brown locks curtained his face and loud silence reigned for an instant before he finally interrupted further worry from Quistis. “Um…You don’t have to treat me anymore. My body is completely healed and I have no more pains. I just came to let you know before informing Headmaster that I’m okay now.”

Quistis furrowed her eyebrows even more, seeming to distress over something she might have missed. “I don’t understand,” she said, shaking her head. “Doctor Kadowaki said it’d be months before you fully healed. You couldn’t have recovered so fast…. And, somehow, I have the feeling you’re not being honest,” she admitted, disappointed.

“You think I’m lying?”

The brunet’s hurt sounded very genuine and Quistis had to check her sudden flare of guilt before coming to a resolve. “Are you?”

Squall sighed, seeming to succumb to whatever it was he appeared so obstinate on. He turned to face Quistis, looking her straight in the eye. “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

“What’s wrong Squall?” she moved to put a hand on his shoulder, but to her alarm, Squall immediately drew back, she instantly doing the same.

“I’m sorry Quistis.”

“Squall, did I do something wrong? Please tell me?” she pleaded as she held firm her hands in her lap, anxiously craning her neck, afraid to make a misstep in what appeared to be a volatile situation.

“No. You didn’t do anything. It’s just me. I’m sorry,” he apologized again, turning back to face the floor.

“Stop apologizing and, please, just tell me what’s wrong then,” she pushed, straightening her back in anticipation.

“….”

“Squall?” she warned like she would a child.

“I’m not sure how to explain it….All I can really say is that I’ve been having dreams….”

“About what?” she relaxed, thinking they were making progress.

“That’s all I can say, I told you,” he turned to look at Quistis again.

“Well that’s not good enough to escape me, mister. Unless you give me a better reason, I’ll continue following headmaster and Dr. Kadowaki’s orders.”

“….” Squall said before leaving without any parting respects and a brooding scowl on his face.

“See you in an hour!” Quistis called after the solemn brunet. She settled back onto her couch and sighed, tired. “What was all tabouabout, anyway?”

First the blond and now him.

“This is all too much in one day.”

-->

Laughter could be heard from beyond the hill as Seifer and Quistis approached the beach.

“I really don’t want to be here right now,” Seifer griped as he shoved his hands in his pants pockets and stared at the ground they tread on.

“Save it. You’re coming whether you want to or not,” she took hold of his arm to indicate she meant to keep him from escaping. She could sense the blond’s resistance, but also anticipation; that was a good sign.

“Oh yes. And let’s all just welcome the infamous ex-sorceress knight into our lame group of fuzzy little friendships and hugs,” he mocked in a high-pitched voice, brightly shaking his head for emphasis.

And received a painful punch in the arm from a scolding Quistis.

“Ow!”

“Play nice, Seifer.”

“Who ever said I ever played nice? And I thought you wanted to be my friend. Friends don’t try changing friends,” he taunted.

“I’m not trying to change you Seifer. You just need to learn some common courtesy—that’s all.”

“Common courtesy? Hmph! That’s for ass-kissing losers to self-important piss-ants who think they deserve more than what they’re really worth ‘cauhey’hey’re self-centered insecure pricks themselves,” he stated all-knowingly.

“Not everyone is like that.”

“Yeah, I know. Only the majority of the population,” he condescended.

“Quit being so cynical. I get enough of that from Squall.”

“Hnh. Whatever.”

Quistis stopped in her tracks.

“What?” Seifer stopped, bothered with the knowable blond girl.

The growing amusement in her eyes was enough, but she spoke anyway. “Didn’t know he was already working his charm on you,” she battled with the grin threatening to break out.

“Whatever Quistis. If you were a guy—and you’re lucky you’re not—I’da kicked your ass halfway to Esthar already.”

The other simply snorted, then laughed at Seifer’s actual seriousness.

“—I…really don’t want to be here right now,” Seifer suddenly repeated, except with a nervous edge this time around.

“Oh stop it,” Quistis finally said, slapping him on the shoulder, after she finished laughing. She looked ahead to find that they unexpectedly stood before her group of close-knit friends, but, friends who, plainly, rudely stared on. Quistis quickly sorted the playing cards in her head. She hadn’t really thought about an ice-breaker and just assumed her friends would quietly welcome the blond for a short time’s sake, but their outright obviousness about it didn’t help either; their reaction created an awkward atmosphere, and that annoyed her.

“Don’t you guys have any manners?” a cool baritone disrupted the uncomfortable silence. Everyone turned in the voice’s direction to a bored Squall. Puzzlement stirred in Seifer’s head again and he was almost grateful for the brunet’s consideration until the brunet finished what was visibly too good to be true. “Don’t stare like he’s had his balls cut off.”

Just the fact that Squall’s statement exaggerated everyone’s reaction to scald Seifer did not bid well with Seifer himself. Seifer was ready to lead an assault ten times the blow when Quistis cut in. “Squall! Squall Leonhart, I always knew you could be the most unfeeling jerk at times, but this…—this is an all time low even for you. As commander, it is your duty to lead a good example and that was completely uncalled for.”

“Whatever,” he replied before the volleyball game drew his attention again, and everyone else with it. Zell and Nida were one team versus Selphie and Rinoa while Squall refereed.

“I’m heading back,” Seifer said, before turning to leave the sunny scene.

“Seifer, I’m sorry. I promise things aren’t as they seem. Besides, that was just Squall and you know how he is. Didn’t I ever tell you about the time he told me to go talk to a wall?”

But Seifer was too upset to hear Quistis. “I thought Rinoa changed him?” he said bitterly, scowling to show he was in fact disappointed at his rival’s manners. Sure he’d been the object of silent ridicule to Squall several times before, but that was before the Second Sorceress War. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, other attitudes outside of him had always shaped his resulting self-image. He becoming an open wound unto himself and more vulnerable to the usual attacks from Squall, the only one who’d ever come close to damaging a good portion of his ego, did not deal out well for his self-sufficiency. To add, for Squall to laugh in his face with all of the witnesses to his crimes present felt that many times worse. What could he, Seifer Almasy—ex-sorceress knight—really do in retaliation? He was the ultimate criminal to mankind, enough said, right? Never mind that he’d been manipulated and played with by the enemy. It was truly his fault because he’d been too weak to resist Ultimecia. His innermost desire to become a somebody had been the one temptation that had done him in. What to do, he urged against his fix. He’d always fought fire with fire and that seemed to get him nowhere. Try a different approach, maybe? Get the enemy where they least expect it. And what exactly was that? Well he’d figure it out soon enough because he was still Seifer Almasy—Seifer Almasy who never gave qua. .

“I’m not so sure of that, in truth. I mean, at first, Squall and Rinoa seemed so awed with each other, but afterwards…well…they seem like a normal couple with normal problems to me nowadays. You don’t really believe in all that knight in shining armor rescuing his beloved princess and they live…” Quistis stopped short at the forlorn look on Seifer’s face. “I’m sorry, Seifer,” she placed a considerate hand on his arm to make sure her words hadn’t whipped out too severe a lash, thinking things were still okay.

“It’s okay, Quistis…. It’s okay that you don’t need fantasies to live out your already perfect little life,” he snatched himself away from her touch, suddenly too offended and refusing to face her as a declaration that he wouldn’t listen to anything she had to say.

The day was already turning out to be too melodramatic for her tastes and she was just a bit annoyed; she was an intelligent girl and did have her own opinions after all. “Seifer—”

“No, you listen! Just because you were rejected doesn’t give you the right to meddle in other people’s shit with your cynicism,” he proclaimed, though unconvincing as the last part sounded.

The blond girl was surprised by the abrupt loudness of Seifer’s voice alone, but the words struck hard. He was right, in a sense, about Squall. She wouldn’t deny she’d been disappointed that he chose someone as shallow as Rinoa—it was the truth—the girl was just a pretty and naive little teenager who happened to get lucky with the one boy she’d fallen in love with over the passing years—but she was far from cynical; she was practical and Seifer knew it. Her disappointment changed to pity, knowing Seifer was going through something she would never really understand, and she became curious as to Seifer’s contradicting and distracted behavior. “Where is this coming from? I thought you were supposed to be the one in the dumps? Not that I mind if you aren’t anymore.”

“….”

Quistis smiled then. “So the almighty Seifer still has some hope left after all,” she giggled. “I’m glad you’re making progress.”

“Shut up!”

“Guess we’ll talk about your therapy, later.”

“Whatever.”

Quistis smiled and wondered when the blond would start having inner monologue, too; that was scary considering it was mess-with-me-and-I’ll-fuck-you-over Seifer Almasy.

-->

Back at the beach, a not so happy Squall Leonhart was in the blue and swam against the waves, endeavoring to swim out further. He hadn’t meant to be so crude, and even awkward, but the blond being there along with the rest of the gang hadn’t been such a good idea and he’d been the one to commit himself—and, in a precise fashion, too—to the evil deed of bluntly dismissing before anyone else had cut the ex-sorceress knight deeper than necessary. Didn’t Quistis realize what the blond had done even if it hadn’t really been him at the time? Most of the gang still held grudges and that would’ve done more damage to the boy’s already unstable state. He should have known Quistis would try something like that and made a note to have a chat with her later. He didn’t want to believe all women were as dense as the one he currently dated, despite his affection for her, or as ignorant as Selphie seemed.

“Squaaall!” he heard Zell yell, but continued swimming.

“Squaaaall! Moonsteeer!” Selphie yelled this time.

The word “monster” caught his attention and he knew he was in trouble. If they could see it from the distance they stood at, it must have been big. Without another thought, he quickly dived beneath to u-turn in the water and to catch any sight of said monster lurking nearby. He didn’t have Lionheart with him, but was lucky enough to have Diablos and Shiva junctioned if he were to encounter it. Just as he needed to resurface, he felt an undercurrent tug at his legs. He immediately summoned Shiva, the bite of her inhumanly cold frost bursting forth in his mind, but had no time when a claw swiped at his leg, painfully searing the flesh of his hamstrings as it lacerated it. The last thing he saw was another claw screaming through the water to his face.

Out on the beach, Zell, Selphie, Rinoa, and Nida stood helpless at the scene too far from them. No less than ten laps from shore, a cold mist of magic crystallized into a floating Shiva above the water’s surface, looking down into the water. In one split second, as soon as she was solid enough to do some real damage, she drew back and, conjuring all her icy might, let out a powerful surge of icy and jagged particles mixed in a strange magic dust that sliced into the water towards its target. After the assault, the beautiful guardian disappeared as fast as she came. Everyone waited several moments for any sign of Squall resurfacing, but when nothing happened out in the once more serene water, Rinoa screamed.

“Wthe the hell was that?” Seifer said, as he turned back in the direction of beach.

“Oh, no. They must in trouble. Squall,” Quistis whispered as she was suddenly sprinting back to the beach.

Seifer followed after her. “What the hell? Can’t they take care of themselves?!” Seifer rapidly spoke as he ran.

“Squall’s in trouble! That was Rinoa!”

“Okay,” he answered sarcastically. “That didn’t really answer my question, but…”

Before the two blonds knew it, they were on the sandy beach again.

“What happened?” Quistis demanded, scanning the beach for Squall, but finding that both Squall and Zell were missing. When her eyes landed on the Rinoa standing in shallow water and eagerly looking out to sea, she followed the girl’s line of sight or what she thought was the line of sight anyway, and saw Zell swimming out to sea.

“Quisty! Squall’s in trouble! He swam so far out and there was a monster—he never came back up!”

It took a moment for Quistis to piece things together but she didn’t like what she saw. Not in the least bit. “SO WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING HERE?!” Quistis’s rage was fierier than even that of Fujin’s, showing the extent of her true wrath for the first time in such a dire situation that Selphie was stunned still along with everyone else. They didn’t have the guts to tell her that no one had had a weapon or that Zell had been the only one junctioned and with a weapon in hand, literally, so was now the only one swimming out to an unsure retrieval of their friend and garden commander. Being unarmed meant that death was guaranteed if the monster still lived. Their actions had been practical. But, if the monster had been defeated, Zell would find Squall.

Before Selphie thought to use Nida as a shield, Quistis turned and ran for the ocean. Before she could dive after her beloved Squall, however, someone caught hold of her by the waist.

“Quistis, don’t go. I will,” Seifer quickly stated. The imploring look in Seifer’s eyes froze Quistis to the spot and Seifer made good on his words, stripping fast to his boxers and following suit. They’d wasted too much time talking and Squall could be dead for all they knew. Seifer knew Quistis would surely die as well if the monster still lived and he knew she had no means of protection with only Zell out there, let alone arsenal.

Everyone looked on worriedly as Zell and Seifer approached the spot where Shiva had hovered above. The battle only moments before had dissolved over the now calm water, leaving no clue that anything ever happened.

As Zell dived and frantically looked for his comrade, the elevation in that area of the ocean wasn’t so deep that it discouraged him, but, instead, gave him hope. However, Squall was nowhere to be found. Swearing underwater, he unwilling resurfaced for air when he saw Seifer approaching. “Almasy! We have to find Squall! I can’t find him!” With that, he dived again, Seifer doing the same.

They searched for what seemed like an eternity when Seifer finally caught a glimpse of something too white and large to be fish. Zell seemed hesitant because he thought they were just wasting time, but soon followed. Upon closer inspection, Seifer halted, staring at a figure encased in ice that resembled Shiva in agony, but, wasn’t the guardian force either. Its right arm and rest of its body looked like the original Shiva, but its left arm stretched into a dark hand that, where the fingers should have been, there were, instead, long sharp talons—talons holding an ice-encased Squall.

Both Zell and Seifer’s eye’s widened at the sight and immediately swam to free the brunet of his predicament. They hoped he still lived, although the time lapsed since the sea monster’s sighting felt like ages passed. Since Seifer didn’t have any hard-dealing weapon, like Hyperion for instance, he carefully cast firaga on the ice surrounding Squall while Zell battered the sea creature’s frozen arm imprisoning Squall. Three powerful strikes from those talented fists and Squall’s thawing cage broke loose. Though Seifer and Zell’s teamwork ran an impressive record time, their progress seemed as if it was a victim of a slow spell, Squall taking too long to thaw for his own good. When the warmer water finally freed the brunet of his withered shell of ice, the creepy hand, gripping him, fell back to its watery grave and all three reemerged. To Seifer and Zell’s surprise, although weak, Squall still had a pulse.

What they also needed to know, however, was that the ice-casing on the creature below was cracking.

“Look!” Selphie yelped. “There they are! I see them!”

Quistis and Rinoa waded further into the water until they also saw the returning group of boys. But what was the growing black lump behind them…?

When the sound of a running motor vehicle sounded, Quistis knew Nida was back with physical and medical aid since she’d been the one to send him earlier. A vehicle loaded with medical personnel and even Dr. Kadowaki drove roughly onto and across the beach while the sound of armed frigates sped across the waters from Balamb town’s pier to the point of potential combat.

“Come on Squall. You have to hang in there—if not for your sake, then ours—especially Seifer’s. You don’t know how much effect you have on that boy. You could make him or break him, the way he is now. I wouldn’t be able to stand losing either of you. Come on. You can make it. You’re stronger than this. You’ve gone through too much not to live the better part of life. Stay with me,” Quistis spoke to herself as she watched the two water vessels fire at the pursuing lump and heard a cold-blooded shriek tear through the, otherwise, ironically peaceful air.

Despite the aid of the SEED frigates, the thing swiftly gained on the three boys now even more than overly desperate on reaching land.

“No!” Seifer screamed at Zell even as they dreadfully swam for land. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!”

But his grievance was too late. Only a second passed before storm clouds swirled above them and Quezeqotal gracefully swept its lean sinewy body to the ocean surface, gathering all its thundery force into a single point at its firing head, then, without warning springing it’s shocking currents into its enemy, the electrifying power seeming to push the threatening creature back some in a cataclysmic boom that was even heard in full force by those on shore.

Seifer braced himself for his inevitable death as he waited for the electric currents to fry them as well. He was pretty pissed his last thoughts would be wasted on hating Zell, and only getting to hate Zell for the short time it took Quezeqotal to attack and it’s attacking element to travel from the intended victim the him, the chicken, and a painfully still unconscious Squall Leonhart. But, as the smoke cleared, nothing came of the attack except that the bird had pushed the monster back a bit by the sheer force of the lightning; the sea creature must have absorbed the hit. He had no time to be thankful that Zell hadn’t killed them or that his own secret summon worked as the summon unexpectedly emerged from a void suddenly in the open air. Long silver streams of hair gently flowing past mysteriously glowing green eyes, and a tall dark clad form wielding the longest sword anyone had ever seen, all hovering in the sunny weather, almost made the alluring summon appear unthreatening.

The water creature didn’t know what hit it. Only the sound of flying steel at an incredible speed was heard as Seifer’s summon moved at curving angles and cut the monster into more pieces than anyone could count at a time. After its glorious feat, the summon gracefully bowed to it’s summoner before disappearing in a flash. Not long after the black blood of the weird and nuisance of a sea creature began dissipating into the ocean even as some of its parts disgustingly remained afloat, a frigate recovered the three boys.

-->

“—ah…!”

“Squall!” Rinoa Heartilly stopped her boyfriend from moving.

Squall figured he was in the infirmary, recovering from the severe wound to his left thigh muscles, and attempting to move was a bad idea, he realized too late. He stared up at Rinoa wearily and held her hand, and Rinoa smiled lovingly, pecking him on the lips as a welcome back.

“What happened?” he asked.

“That’s what I’d like to know. Why didn’t you come back up? You scared me half to death,” the girl pouted.

“I’m not invincible, Rinoa.”

“Well I’m glad you’re alright—I’m more than glad, actually. I’m ecstatic!” she smothered Squall in a hug and caused the boy to groan in pain from movement. “Sorry,” she gave a stupid smile.

“So how did I get out?” He didn’t remember what happened after he summoned Shiva.

“Zell, Nida, and Seifer. Oh. And Quistis, too,” she admitted albeit reluctantly, although Squall didn’t know why.

“Okay,” Squall thought. He hoped the sea monster hadn't cursed him with a forgetful spell for him to have expected any more from Rinoa. The girl wasn’t giving him much of anything, but he knew there was always someone else with the details, like Quistis, the always informative girl, for example.

“Squall, I have to go see my dad later this afternoon and I have to go pack now, but I don’t want to leave your side.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll be leaving on the 4 o’ clock train and won’t be back until late evening tomorrow. Will you be okay?”

“Yes. Just hurry back, alright?”

Rinoa grinned happily. “Yes, sir!” she play mocked and gave her crippled boyfriend a sweet kiss before leaving.

“Squall! You’re awake! I was so worried! I even told Irvine to get his butt over here to see you!” Selphie said, though not in a manner he’d prefer. She rushed to his side and fussed over his legs.

“Thanks,” Squall said as he tried to turn his sensitive ears from her raucous voice.

“Hey, finally awake, man. How you doin’?” Zell appeared at the door.

“I’m fine. How about you? Heard you saved my ass.”

“It was nothin’,” he waved a hand to dismiss what was praise from Squall, as he moved to the bedside along with Selphie.

“What the heck are you talking about ‘nothin’?” Selphie protested. “Hey, Squall. You know he almost killed you along with that Seifer guy out there, right?”

Zell turned red as his blood and tried to disappear into the floor when Squall turned to look at him questioningly.

“But I think I would’ve been too scared to do anything. That thing was huge! And then I don’t know what happened, but this thing, I think it was a guardian force, came out of nowhere and bam! that monster was shish kebab. It was so nasty; we actually saw the parts flying from shore with that sword of his.”

“What did it look like?”

“Man. I swear if that thing wasn’t a guardian force, he’d be my man. He was awesome! He was HOT! He was on fire baby,” Selphie ranted and danced around, grooving on her own words.

Both Squall and Zell rolled their eyes, but Selphie continued.

“He had this tight-ass long sword that cut that weak little monster to pieces in seconds, and—ooh, you should’ve seen the outfit he wore—SEXY!” she swooned.

“That sea monster was weird,” Zell suddenly said. “When Almasy and I were down there, what was holding you in its grasp wasn’t what anyone saw on the water’s surface, but it looked like Shiva.”

“What?” Squall and Selphie said in unison.

“I’m guessing that thing could shape shift because, I’m guessing, when it first attacked you underwater and we saw Shiva summoned above the water, right before she froze whatever it was, it must’ve imitated her as it caught you. It was sort of creepy.”

“….”

“You can even ask Almasy. He saw it, too. But, man, that was a bitch trying to break you loose from that frozen heap. For a moment then, I’d actually thought you were….”

“But I’m not,” Squall cut in. He was really curious now. How did he manage not drowning, since, from the looks of it, the whole rescue had lasted a substantial amount of time to leave him dead, and, he’d also missed all the interesting action while most likely having been an awful burden to both blonds? But what was Almasy doing there? Hadn’t he driven him away? He decided to speak his mind. “How was Almasy there? I saw him and Quistis leave together.”

“Um, I think Rinoa’s scream did that—man was it loud!” Selphie claimed, not realizing her own loudness.

“Yeah, but by then I was already headed your way. It was only after I came back up for air that I realized Almasy was there. I’m sort of glad though. Or else I don’t think the rescue would’ve gone down so well….”

“I’ll make sure to thank him later.”

Selphie and Zell were quiet.

“Look, I know you two, especially, don’t like him, but he did a good job; he deserves gratitude for it—it’s as simple as that. You guys will just have to learn to get along with him whether or not he gets along with the two of you…. He’s very close to achieving SEED rank. He just needs to get his act together, and, as SEED commander, I ask that you two do the same as well.”

The two wanted to point out their commander’s hypocrisy on the beach, the day before, but thought better of it even if they hadn’t known the true intention behind it.

-->

“And why don’t you want to leave?”

“Because my home is here.”

“And what souls, at home, care about you and will always be there when you need them?”

“You, Headmaster Cid, Matron, Quistis, and…” Seifer rehearsed.

“And?” Dr. Kadowaki inquired encouragingly.

Seifer had been in mental therapy with the Asian doctor ever since he’d been declared just another victim of the Second Sorceress War. The trial seeking his head for all the wrong’s his hands had committed during the war had failed and he’d been sentenced only to seek professional help. When he failed to find anyone due to a lack of concern, the judge had ordered a stranger to probe his mind. The order had prompted Seifer to request someone he knew and therefore, he was now sitting in Balamb Garden, in the private office of a Doctor who excelled in both the medical sciences as well as mental therapy, and who’d managed convincing him to return to Balamb Garden not after five sessions with her.

When the blond wouldn’t finish his answer, Dr. Kadowaki prompted again. “And?”

“And…Commander Leonhart,” he said a bit too grudgingly.

“Good. Nowt wet we’ve established your strongest relations to those that care for you, let’s move on to your SEED training. How has that been going?”

Seifer frowned and almost cried again at the thought of failing because he’d judged wrong. “I….I failed the final exam.”

“And why is that?”

“Quistis said I wasn’t takingngs ngs seriously and that would never do.”

“Are you not taking things seriously with your instructor?” Doctor Kadowaki stressed the title.

Seifer stared at his shrink and then shamefully at the ground. “I guess I deserved it.”

“Let me ask you something, Seifer. Do you think the commander deserves to fail at his job as a commander?”

“I don’t…I don’t understand,” he said, bowing his head.

“Just answer the question.”

“No. Why?”

“I do the asking. You just answer. Why do you think he doesn’t deserve to fail?”

“Because he’s a good commander?” Seifer guessed clumsily.

“And what makes him a good commander?”

“He can kick my ass,” Seifer thought smartly.

“Be serious, Seifer.”

“I am. He kicked my ass AND Ultimecia’s ass in the war. He made good decisions. He’s smart and strong and people respect him—of course I would never tell him that. He may be a prick, but he’s a good commanding prick,” he said, shrugging.

The doctor frowned at his fowl language and name calling. “But if he were to have made the wrong decisions and risked the war, would he deserve to fail then?”

Seifer gave no reply.

“Seifer?”

“No.”

“Why no?”

“Because. He seems like a good guy,” Seifer shrugged again.

“You mean he has good intentions, correct?”

“Yeah.”

“What I wanted to say is that as long as your intentions are good, to fail does not mean that you deserve to fail, but I also wanted to point out that even if you are successful, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t allowed mistakes even if those mistakes were in the thousands. The simple truth is that no one or thing is perfect, that is why there is a lovely thing called change. You are constantly changing, Seifer. You will never really reach perfection, but what matters is that you strive for whatever your goal is, changing to better yourself.”

Seifer sighed, trying to take her words to heart. They seemed wise and could only benefit him. “Thank you, Doctor Kadowaki. I really needed that.”

“I’m only here to help you Seifer. And whenever you feel you’re ready to talk about your time with the Sorceress, please let me know. We can take this as slow as you want, no pressure.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem. Now, who haven’t you harassed today among the usual crowd?”

When he’d first assigned himself to Doctor Kadowaki, he hadn’t wanted to speak of the horrors he endured during his time as the sorceress knight. She hadn’t pushed and had moved on to other aspects of him, mainly his relating to others. But now, he thought he would finally bring it out, not wanting to talk about his humiliating relationships further.

-->

I’ve always been in love with you.
I guess you’ve always known it’s true.
You took my love for granted, why oh why?
The show is over say good-bye.

The ballroom’s speakers played the sweetly melancholy melody. On the spot where Squall stood almost three years ago, when he’d first laid eyes on Rinoa Heartilly, stood a lonely Quistis. She wore a short red jean skirt with a plain white tank top and simple red platform flip flops to match since the party hadn’t called for any formal dressing, and she was a chaperone. Funny, though, how some of the folks there were older than her, yet, partied the night away. She wondered how it felt like to be held the way some of the girls were being held by their dance partners on the floor. It seemed so inviting...and heart-settling. She thought she could fall in the trance forever.

“Hey. See a little gloom there, darlin’. Wanna tell your pal what’s up? Maybe I can help?”

“Nothing.”

“Sure don’t look like it to me. Looks like you’ve been bitten by the love bug. Who’s the lucky guy? Want me to go beat ‘im up?”

“I’m not in love,” she waved Irvine away, even as she gazed solemnly out into the crowd and fixed her stare at a certain couple she wouldn’t dare approaching that night for fear one or the other would detect how she really felt about them.

“Who’re you kiddin’ babe? Me or yourself? Here. Why don’ I take you for a little spin. Maybe you’ll fall for me,” he grinned playfully. Even as she coyly resisted, he gently took her by the hand and waist, and led her to the crowded dance floor. Some couples moved in silence while others quietly whispered in each others ears and some simply made out. How she hated the random parties the festival committee made sure to mark the garden’s calendar with. The only reason she was there was because Selphie had thrown chaperone duty on her after she’d refused to attend as a guest. Now, the sight of happy lovers made her want to weep inside and run as far away as possible.

“You really don’t believe they belong together, do you?” the pretty cowboy suddenly said.

“What?!”

“You heard me. It ain’t no surprise you love ‘im; you said it yourself that one time.”

“I said ‘thought’, Irvine. ‘thought’.”

“It doesn’t matter what you said but what you felt and still obviously feel. But, hey, I’m not tryin’ to tell you to break the happy couple up or nothin’ ‘cause they sure seem plenty satisfied to me.” He looked at Quistis’s saddened face as her beautiful blue eyes brimmed with tears. He knew anything he said, whether it be of encouragement or discouragement about Squall and Rinoa, had already been considered by the blond in his arms. Tears finally rolled down the pretty blond’s rosy cheeks as her grip tightened around Irvine and she buried her face into his chest, blanketed in the safety of the shady lighting in the ballroom. “You’ll find someone new someday, sweetie. I promise,” he whispered to her anyway.

He knew that Squall’s dutiful trait with little regard to finding better partners or even partners that actually made sense and Rinoa’s naive clinginess equaled a marriage proposal sooner or later even when Squall’s amorous feelings were guaranteed to fade, given a superficial fiancée. Not to be evil, but he regretted having pushed the commander to the—not really complete, but somewhat ditz of a girl. The need to save Squall from his anti-socialism had probably caused his misjudgment, but he couldn’t do anything about it now. Squall was as faithful as men came—his unfaltering command in the war was more than enough proof. He was an all or nothing type of guy. Irvine couldn’t think of any girl that could come between the two.

You took my love for granted, why oh why?
The show is over say good-bye.

In another area of the party Seifer watched as Rinoa Heartilly danced with Squall Leonhart, the Asian girl’s head resting on the brunet’s shoulder. They looked so in love, it almost made Seifer sick. He still couldn’t see how the girl he’d chased that one summer had fallen for his ex-rival throughout the war. Squall Leonhart wasn’t the type to fall for anyone under any circumstances, let alone someone as thick as Rinoa. He wondered why he’d even been with the girl to begin with. He’d probably been desperate for sex at the time. The past was important in only one way, though, and he was there, that night, to exploit it—to pay back Squall Leonhart’s humiliating him at the beach. The plan, in truth, hadn’t come until Selphie had announced a spring bash, and, where there was a party, there would surely be punch…and the two lovebirds…and more than enough witnesses. Seifer smiled evilly as he ran the scheme in his head again. Sneaking alcohol hadn’t even been necessary since, knowing the lower classmen, there was already too much mixed in to knock anyone back a couple of days worth of sobriety from just a few drinks. And, judging from the looks of things, it was time to go in for the kill.

“So…coming to see father with me…next time?” Rinoa happily asked Squall with a twisted smile.

He hated the stink of alcohol on her breath and knew she was drunk to bring up the one matter she was aware he’d been avoiding just because he didn’t have the time, but he realized the inevitability of the relationship so he submitted, not quite caring. “…I guess.”

“Oh, I wuv you Squally!” she hugged him with exaggerated blissfulness, or what would have been exaggerated blissfulness if it hadn’t been a pie-eyed Rinoa talking instead. “Father will be sooo happy to finally meet you without business in the way.”

“I love you, too,” he kissed her despite the alcohol. He hadn’t known she been a drinker until their first anniversary and had been a bit irritated when she’d passed out on him and never apologized the next day. Eventually, she realized her mistake and they made up, but he hoped their upcoming second anniversary would be different. He hoped her habit wouldn’t be something he had to adapt to.

“Commander Leonhart,” someone said.

The couple turned to find a cadet waiting for attention.

“What is it, Sampson?”

“Headmaster would like to speak with you in his office.”

“Now?” he wondered doubtfully.

“That’s all he said. Could possibly be an emergency? I don’t know,” the cadet shrugged.

“Squall, do you really have to go? I need you,” Rinoa whined as she lazily clung on to him.

“I’ll be back,” he said as he carefully pried himself from her made his way through the crowd and out of the room.

“Wonder where he’s going?” Quistis asked Irvine as her eyes followed Squall to the exit.

“Dunno. At least you can focus on me now,” he mischievously grinned at her.

Seifer waited until the brunet was finally out the exit before he casually made his way to Rinoa. “Did you miss me?” he startled the Asian girl who’d stayed on the dance floor.

“Seifer?”

“Who else do I look like? Your Squally boy?” he said as he insolently took the girl in his arms and began moving to the music that had taken on a fast beat.

“St-stop this this instant, Seifer! I love Squall!” She tried to escape him, stretching her arms out from his grip, but he was overpowering.

“Do you remember… this?” he nudged a leg between her legs and earned a gasp from the drunken girl.

“Ungh. Seifer…” he began grinding his thigh into Rinoa’s crotch and, not to his amazement, she easily gave in to his seduction.

“Slut,” he clearly said before he kissed her harshly, the girl showing no signs of resisting any further and had, instead, encouragingly wrapped her arms around the tall blond’s neck.

-->

He’d been standing outside the office for almost two minutes now, and, still, no answer.

What’s happened? Why is he working so late? And why won’t he answer? Why do I get the feeling something’s off?

Before he turned to leave after waiting another minute, the door slid open. Cid took a seat behind his desk, adjusting his glasses, and looked up at Squall. “Sorry for taking so long. You know when nature calls…”

“….” Squall entered into the office.

“So, what brings you here, my boy? Aren’t you supposed to be at the party?” he gestured for Squall to have a seat.

Squall furrowed his eyebrows, confused as he seated himself.

What?!

“I thought you wanted to see me?”

“I don’t think so. But I’m glad I had to work late tonight—now that you’re here. I—” Cid suddenly stopped in what sounded like him going into a lengthy explanation of something before he decided to consider the confused look on the commander’s face. “Since you are here, do yove tve the time? I was planning on giving you the mission tomorrow morning since things were so sudden anyhow, but if you don’t—”

“What mission?” Squall was suddenly curious.

“Seems our powerful neighbor to the northeast has taken an interest in the incident two weeks past. They didn’t give much information, but they believe it’s evidence for another disaster—one that may involve you and Seifer Almasy once more, unfortunately.”

Squall frowned merely at disaster, Seifer, and him in the same sentenceverever mind about how the Estharians knew or that a disaster was, indeed, possibly forthcoming.

“Frankly, Estharian scientists have been spying on Seifer Almasy ever since after the war. Of course, at the time, they didn’t know it was him until a powerful source of energy they’d discovered, at the time, was tracked to him. They brought the issue to Laguna Loire, your father, and he wants you to go to Esthar to see the scientists, but, first, they need you to collect a phoenix pinion before arriving.”

“So Laguna has called for this mission, then?”

“I would prefer to call it a father’s excuse to see his son, but considering the seriousness behind this whole matter, it is a mission ordered by him, yes,” Cid said, and smiled, to Squall’s annoyance.

-->

Back at the party, Seifer continued kissing the raven-haired girl even as half the party had literally fallen silent by that time to simply stare at the two. He didn’t care though, because the one person he truly needed to witness the scene wasn’t there. Where was Squall Leonhart? He should have returned, but, until the brunet showed, there was no sign of anything changing besides the drunken girl in his arms becoming more desperate for more stimulation.

“Seifer, more…” Rinoa moaned.

“What the fuck?!” Zell Dinhct whispered, pissed, to Irvine as he observed with a growing number of other observers. “How the hell is she gonna kiss that arrogant shit back? What about Squall?”

“Um…I dunno man… Looks like there’s gonna be hell tonight, though,” Irvine grinned wider than he’d ever done in his lifetime.

“This is not funny,” Quistis scolded Irvine. “Somebody will end up dead if Squall gets back. I’m going to go look for him to—”

Before Quistis could leave, Irvine grabbed her arm. “Nuh uh, honey. It don’t matter if you keep him from seein’ this. There are too many witnesses—this’ll be all over this garden tomorrow mornin’. No use.”

“Damn that Seifer,” Quistis said to herself.

Somebody whistled from the crowd and yelled, “Oh yeah baby!” as Rinoa suddenly attempted to wrap a leg around Seifer, forcing the blond to stumble and making the two fall to the ground, Rinoa trapping Seifer as she conveniently straddled and continued to fervently kiss him. Her short dress had ridden up her thighs enough that her red thong could be seen.

“Rinoa…” Seifer grunted as he knew he’d gone too far. He was dead meat and he knew it. He tried to get the girl off him, but she began to grind into him and forced another grunt from his lips. “Rinoa, we have to stop this. People are staring,” he cursed himself at the ludicress ess of him saying those words. He’d put himself in the predicament to begin with.

“Oh my god! Now those two are true sluts!” another anonymous observer was heard saying.

“Hey, I thought this was somethin’ for those chaperones?”

Quistis simply grated herself for being unable to do anything.

“Isn’t this against garden rules?” someone else mentioned.

“Get a room!” someone yelled.

“Shut up! Don’t get a room!” another yelled in response.

“Damn, that boy look sexy even without doin’ nothin’.”

By that time, the whole party was practically their audience and Seifer had already stopped kissing Rinoa and just lay there, waiting for his eventual death sentence from a certain brunet that would appear any moment at the entrance. “Rinoa…slut…bitch…you’re drunk....—Get off me!” he finally threw the horny girl off him, her expression wide in surprise.

“Seifer?” she said guiltily.

“Don’t worry, Rinoa. I won’t fuck you. I actually did you and Squally boy a favor. Get over it,” he said bitterly as he walked across the circle the party had formed around him and Rinoa and towards the exit. All his efforts gone to waste at his own expense. He would definitely face an outcry from the Garden commander himself to expel him, but what riled him was that his punisher would have been dealt only a lesser blow. Even when he reached the exit and Squall finally appeared, he said nothing and simply looked at the brunet, before leaving…for good.

The crowd turned their eyes to Squall and Squall was completely lost. “What?” was all he said as he looked at everyone else looking back at him, seeming to wait for something from him. When he spotted Rinoa lying helpless on the floor, he ran to her to help her up. “Rinoa! Are you okay? What happened? Did Almasy do something to you?”

“Squall?” was all she said before she looked away, ashamed.

“All right everyone! Show’s over!” Quistis’s voice boomed from a loudspeaker horn. “Show’s OVER!”

Everyone seemed reluctant to resume their previous activities, but they did eventually.

“Rinoa? Why don’t you speak to me?”

“Squall!” Zell yelled as he ran up to him. “Are you gonna let that bastard get away with this?”

“Zell!” Irvine appeared from behind. “Shut up,” he warned in a low tone.

“No! If that happened to my girl, I would want someone—especially a friend—to tell me!”

“What is he talking about, Irvine?” Squalled asked, though his growing worry was masked with his usual reserve.

“Seifer and Rinoa became a bit too familiar with one another while you were gone…,” Quistis said as she appeared beside Irvine.

“Squall! Where were you? Did you see any of that? What are you going to do?” Selphie pulled at Squall’s t-shirt to get his attention, everyone apparently having forgotten Rinoa standing a few feet away from the group of friends.

“….” He didn’t look happy at the forming idea of what transpired while he was away.

“Squall, I feel for you,” Nida suddenly made his presence known, too.

“Rinoa?” Squall turned to question her.

The girl turned around and her eyes were red and puffy from crying. “I’m sorry, Squall….I’m so sorry!” she screamed as she ran for the exit, too.

When Quistis reached to try to stop Squall, Irvine reached to stop Quistis from stopping Squall.

“Let ‘im go, darlin’. I don’t think any one of us can help the situation any further, though we couldn’t even help it as it happened….”

Everyone looked from depressed to indifferent given Nida really didn’t care, Zell cared too much, Selphie had been too excited, Irvine too mellow, and Quistis concerned as always.

-->

“Fucking hell of a life,” Seifer muttered to himself as he jammed some clothing into his garden duffel bag. “Can’t even fuck things up right. Leonhart you fuckin’ idiot. Where the fuck did you go? I wanted to beat your ass. Why didn’t you come?!” he suddenly hurled the opened duffle bag against a wall, a few articles of clothing falling out as the bag flew and compacted with the wall.

“Seifer.”

The blond turned faster than lightening at the voice, startled, to what he would call, ‘shitless.’ “Can’t you fucking knock?!”

The blond girl didn’t look too happy herself. “What the hell was that at the dance? Do you intend to get yourself maimed by the garden commander before you graduate?”

Seifer smirked bitterly. “You would speak so highly of him, of course. Well I’ve only got one thing to say, Quis. Whatever.” If the expression had worked for Squall Leonhart all those years, why shouldn’t it have worked for him for some peace and quiet?

“You go and make this mess and now you’re going to run away like the coward that you are? Can’t even make SEED, or follow orders that threw you onto the wrong side of the war, and now you’re running from the only thing that can save you?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” He shook his head, irritated. “You think too much like that pansy boy. It’s annoying.”

“Are you sure we’re the one’s that think too much? Maybe it’s really you who thinks too much. The more anyone thinks, when it comes to life, the more depressing things can only become. For you to do what you did tonight, that would have required a rather large amount of think time to feel that bitter.”

“What do you want from me lady?! Can’t you see I don’t care anymore?! Whatever you’re here for….Your hope is nothing, but an illusion; it can’t do anything for me because obviously I’m shit. I don’t deserve anything and this place, the only thing I’ve ever really known, is that hope. I don’t need it.”

“Do you honestly believe that you’re worthless, Seifer? Please, tell me you don’t believe that? Because if you do, you’re as good as dead to me.”

“…Then I guess I’m dead.” He quietly finished packing up the rest of his things and headed out of his room, leaving a saddened Quistis to stand alone in her nakedness.

-->

Off the south coast of Galbadia city, a mysterious warp in the air emerged from the ocean and appeared to literally crush an unfortunate adamantoise in its path that had reacted aggressively. The powerful thing never showed itself as invisible footsteps indented the sand, the disturbance of moving air heading in the direction of the nearby city.

-->

He didn’t want to wake up that morning, knowing everything had practically gone to ruin the previous night. He’d found Rinoa in tears, packing to leave back to Galbadia and refusing to say anything except that she needed time to think. He had only been able to accept something he was all too well acquainted witd led let the girl go. Afterwards, he’d gone to Seifer Almasy’s dorm, ready to drag everything out of the blond with whatever it took, but, to his dismay, the blond was gone. The empty room had meant a non-returning blond and struck something within him then, a sense of disappointment and gloom he hadn’t cared to admit. Subconsciously, he personally felt his ex-rival had more than what the rest of the world thought he could offer, but the blond’s string of troubles never ceased to end.

“Commander Leonhart, please report to headmaster’s office,” the intercom suddenly sounded.

“I don’t want to,” he replied as if to argue with the dead thing.

A knock subsequently came from the door and he didn’t want to answer it.

“Commander? Commander, are you in there? Headmaster has been searching for you all morning when he didn’t find you in your office,” a male cadet said from the other side of the door.

What? What time is it?

He looked to his clock and his eyes widened in the briefest before he quickly jumped out of bed and flew to his dresser, hastily pulling his garments out of the chest drawers.

How did I oversleep? I wasn’t even tired when I when I went to bed last night—and we’re supposed to leave for the mission in an hour!

Then he remembered that there was a certain missing blond, key to the mission.

Why does he always have to ruin important missions?!

In less than two minutes, he finished dressing, washed his face, brushed his teeth, and was out the door before the cadet standing outside had the chance to knock for an answer again, the cadet looking stunned with his commander’s sudden coming and going. Within another two minutes, he was in Cid’s office, standing at attention for Cid’s next command.

“At ease, my boy. I just have one question. Do you know where cadet Almasy is? I called for him this morning, but apparently the troubled boy has left, according to Miss Trepe. She explained what happened last night, and since it involved you and I did have a cadet tell me she saw you coming out of his room last, I thought you might know.”

He shook his head, raking a hand through uncombed hair that amazingly let him do so despite its messiness. “Sorry, headmaster. I don’t know either. But how can I carry out the mission without him, now?”

“Don’t worry. That was taken care of this morning, after I realized the same problem. I contacted President Loire and he said the important thing is that you at least make it to Esthar to see the scientists.”

“….”

“You aren’t working too hard, Squall? This morning isn’t like you.”

“Forgive me, headmaster. I don’t understand either. I went to sleep just fine last night….”

“Well don’t overwork yourself too much. You are an important asset to this garden and there are people that do care for your well-being, especially my lovely wife and I. Anyway, I don’t have anything else to say except to wish you good luck on your mission. Any last questions?”

“No, sir.”

“Good, then. You’re dismissed.”

“Thank you, sir.”

-->

Fluorescent blue screens peered back at Squall as he entered the lab, easily expecting to find out that the worst of his troubles were just beginning.

“So you know everything already,” Squall asked Laguna.

“That’s about the gist of it.”

“Then why are you here?”

The man stared at his son blankly, a bit caught off guard that the answer wasn’t obvious. “Well, I…I’m here just in case you decide you don’t want to take part in fighting this new threat.”

“Does it look like I have a choice? It only directly involves me,” Squall answered coldly.

“…. You know…you don’t have to fight all your battles alone. I would like to protect you for a change….”

“I don’t need your protection. I’ve done fine by myself….”

“….”

“….”

“And this must be the famous Lion of Balamb,” a man in a white lab coat made himself known to the sullen duo.

“Yes, this is my… Squall Leonhart. We’re ready whenever you are.”

“Well then. Please have a seat over there and I’ll be with you shortly.” He’d pointed them to a metal table that had metal high stools for seats and headed to what looked like his office to retrieve the information file. When he came back out, a lady dressed in the same attire was with him. They both stood before the waiting father and son.

“Well, anyway, my name is Dr. Husk, and this is my assistant, Isabella.”

The tall red-haired lady courteously nodded and blushed at the sight of Squall, but Squall gave no reaction.

“There would be more of my lab buddies here, but since we ran into a state of some disagreement earlier on, I’ve been given the task to tell you what has mostly been agreed upon and without all the fuss from the others. Now, as you’ve probably heard from your headmaster and President Loire, we’ve basically been spying on Mr. Almasy… and you.”

The only sign of Squall’s surprise was a blink.

“How this came about, let me start from the beginning. Two days after the defeat of Ultimecia, at approximately sixteen hundred hours, we ran a scan test here in our laboratories, searching for new power sources since, as you can obviously see, this city has a high energy capacity. Anyway, and we discovered one not far from this facility. When the scales hit overload, we thought we hit moonstone. We immediately pinpointed and sent a search team to scout the area, but when they arrived, nothing was there… except for one ex-sorceress knight. The team didn’t apprehend the boy although he was graciously vindictive to anyone who approached him. Now if the authorities had discovered him, he’d have probably been jailed and executed, but this was just a scout team looking for a new energy source. They let Mister Almasy escape and reported their find to authorities, who, later, decided to leave the matter to other countries unaware of housing the criminal. But we did not forget the unusual amount of energy Mr. Almasy radiated, however. In fact, not long after the incident, Isabella, here, matched his wave patterns to that of a sorceress in her understudies.” Dr. Husk lay down a graph report for Squall to see. “See these smaller wave patterns?”

Squall nodded.

“These are the patterns for even the most powerful of magicians. The blue would be Ultimecia’s and the red, Adel’s. Now see that single pattern high above?”

Squall nodded again.

“That pattern belongs to Mister Almasy,” the scientist boldly stated, seeming to look for a chilled reaction from the brunet as he did, and slightly frowning when he got nothing.

“Anyway, this graph clearly indicates that Mister Almasy has an energy source at least five times that of even our worst and frankly dead enemies. But this is not the least our problems. After the unsettling knowledge that Mister Almasy could be a new threat more powerful than we’ve ever imagined, we stumbled upon another problem. The energy was growing. Why? We didn’t know so the only thing we could do was observe his actions, and it came down to one determining factor: You.

-->

What the hell is wrong with me? What was I thinking? Why did I let him bother me to this point—No! He doesn’t bother me…. Yeah he does. Admit it. There’s been something different ever since you returned. He gets under your skin because…he doesn’t bother you as often as he did before. He even makes you nervous sometimes…You’re intimidated by him, aren’t you? No, I’m not! Yes, you are. Why? I…I don’t know. Ultimecia just has me shaken up a little, that’s all. I guess I just don’t have the cool edge I once had. That fucking bitch…. Let’s just leave it at that for now, alright.

“Can I get you anything, sir?” a waiter asked.

“Just a cup of coffee,” he replied, returning his attention to the pretty hostess on the stage.

“They’re a rising star, and won’t be safe from the spotlight for long. Please give it up for our special guest tonight.”

You always sat there and smiled, but never at me,
From that natural podium, alwsayisaying something without saying much,
This quiet time is a good time to reflect,
On all the things you never did,
On why your island was really my death wish,
Imaginary things in imaginary dreams,
Too fast they came and went with a creature like you,

Do you know yourself as well as I do,
Do you know me the way I do,
But if there’s one thing I’m sure of,
Come shy this way and let me show you, darling,

You always stayed when you could run, always with me,
From your natural podium, always saying something without saying much,
Quick to conquer me were always you,
And paid no mind to what were always you,
And paid no mind on why your island was always my wonderful death wish,
Imaginary things in imaginary dreams,
Too fast they came and went with a creature like you,

Do you know yourself as well as I do,
Do you know me the way I do,
But if there’s one thing I’m sure of,
Come shy this way and let me show you, darling,

Do you know yourself as well as I do,
Do you know me the way I do,
But if there’s one thing I’m sure of,
Come shy this way and let me show you, darling,

Come shy this way and let me show you.

The drums, bass, and electric guitar was soothing to his mind and body, and the song wasn’t bad either—too bad the crowd wasn’t larger given it was a weeknight.

He sighed. What was he doing? He didn’t know where he was headed. He was lost, but he certainly wouldn’t return with a probably still fuming brunet back at the garden. His career in the adventure category was over and he was doomed to the boring life of a commoner. No more teasing the chicken or getting the thrill of near death experiences or defying the rules to simply stir some excitement. That’d been his life and some part of him had never regretted one bit of it. He hadn’t minded the drama after all and maybe even liked it; he sickened himself at that. But he’d also practically signed his own death warrant. Leave it to him to royally screw up his life altogether.

Or maybe he couldn’t help being a burden unto himself because he’d been born for the very purpose: to suffer. Could his life have been any more miserable? The moment his eyes had strayed off the stage, the moment his relief from escape from everything had come crashing down. Why was the raven-haired girl there? Where in the hell had she come from? But he wouldn’t budge and would defy whatever higher power it was that cursed him beyond reason.

The girl tried approaching him in a manner that sought to inspire…sympathy? Whatever the case, it didn’t matter. After glumly taking scanty steps to reach Seifer, Rinoa finally said, “What are you doing here?”

“What the hell do you want? Get out of my face—I’m trying to watch the show.”

Rinoa’s eyes widened at what must’ve been unbelievable to her. “Jerk! How dare you!? This is all you’re fault! Because of you, Squall and I could be broken up! You better apologize!”

Seifer continued to watch the stage as the previous band cleared and made way for the hostess again.

“Answer me, Seifer!”

He finally turned his attention to Rinoa, his patience running thin as he gave her a scornful look. “Apologize for what? Exposing you for the little slut that you are? Or better yet, providing manliness where your little boyfriend lacked. I don’t need you here right now. Just get the fuck out of my face, bitch,” he said before turning his eyes back to the stage.

“You…”

The next thing he knew, Rinoa was weakly trying to strangle him and get him in any way she could. “What the fuck?!”

“You big MEANIE!”

“So you’ve said something of the sort already. Get the hell off of me. You really want to get hurt?!” he finally managed shoving her away.

“…You woulddaredare,” the girl challengingly narrowed her eyes at him, ridiculously small fists at her sides.

“Oh, really? Then you’d rather I throw you to Adel again?” he said before pausing to snicker, then bursting into laughter.

“You…you evil man!”

“Yes. I’m an evil man who’s having the time of his life. Care to reminisce that encounter with me? Boy was that funny! You should’ve seen the look on your face!”

“You weren’t brainwashed! You really are evil!”

Somehow, no matter how clumsy the ill-treated girl was, the words she said had had a truth to them, and that was why he was there, in some night club in Galbadia, wallowing away in his self-pity, never to return again to Balamb-G, the closest thing he’d ever had to a home. His amusement died then. “Fine, bitch. If you won’t leave, I will.” He shoved past anything that had happened to be in his way as he stormed out of the night club. The troublesome girl attempted to call him back, but he ignored her.

-->

Never did he feel as grieved as he did at the moment. His heart hung so heavy, he couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t think, and his head pounded miserably, twinging just when the pain ebbed. He felt like shit. “Why do I…Why do I feel…like shit? That was just a dream. A dream….” he spoke to himself. He knew where he was even before his vision cleared, and felt his face stiff from dried tears. As consciousness willed itself back fully, fresh tears from the awakening spilled over lush brown lashes.

Esthar…. Why does all this have to happen now? I thought the worst was over? Why do I get the feeling things have just begun? Why does it have to involve Almasy? Why does this have to affect Rinoa and me? What happened, Rinoa? I’ll kill that bastard if he hurt you in any way—I will. I’ll even lead another war if that’s what it takes to be happy with you…. But why did you have to leave me? You left me. I’ve been abandoned again. Am I so…unlovable?



“—CODE RED! CODE RED! All security report to their posts,” the alarm blared into the darkness.

“—the…?”

Laguna…!

He leaped out of bed and scuttled, securing only his pants and belts, before grabbing Lionheart under his bed and dashed out the door, not caring he was still half naked and all other thoughts forgotten.

The building suddenly shook along with a resounding “WHOOSH!” the sound ome ome collapse on a colossal scale following as he ran through the dimly lit halls of the palace, and had to steady himself with a wall before he reached Laguna’s office, not bothering to understand why he worried more for the seemingly dorky man than he thought he might’ve ever done.

“Laguna?!” But the president didn’t hear him as he stood in the balcony of his grand office and stared out to his falling city in the midst of the pitch black wee morning hours.

Squall didn’t need to ask the circumstances as he stared wide-eyed at the nightmare before him. A creature twice the size Lunatic Pandora had been had raided its way towards the palace, leaving mass destruction in its path as it’d apparently come from the south. Where the iridescent ice-blue used to color was only darkness from crushed architecture with a few spots of electricity sparking every now and then in arty gimmicks that hadn’t suffered complete annihilation. Considering the number of lives the monster must’ve taken in the endeavor to reach the palace alone, he flinched at realizing how the chaos just might have something to do with him. Suddenly, he thought he understood how Seifer Almasy must’ve felt then, when watching the utter wickedness his own hands had forced—the thousands of lives he’d taken with just a push of a button or a single order he never truly wished. But it wasn’t fair to ever have to experience such a dreadful feeling, especially when all he’d ever done was the dutiful thing. He felt like he gave and gave, but never received even rest from all the life he’d put into satisfying whatever it was that relied on him so heavily. But he’d probably been born for that very reason: to suffer. Nothing came of moping, though. He could only move forward.

“My city….”

“Laguna, what are your orders?”

The pretty man seemed dazed by the scene taking place before him, before he finally decided better for the situation and replied. “Squall, I have to protect you. I can’t abandon you again and just tell you to leave. But I can’t have this thing in my city either, with all my people.”

“I understand, Laguna. What is your plan, then?”

“For now, we will draw the monster as far away from any populated area as possible. You will leave with an armed unit while I have my experts figure the most likely area to evacuate to. Go to the air depot where I’ll have the defense unit waiting or you.”

He nodded. Before he turned to break into a run, though, Laguna added, “And Squall, I…Please be careful.”

“Thank you….” He’d intentionally left the words hanging, the other man weakly smiling at him at the hint there might be hope for a better relationship yet.

-->

He walked among the glistening black roads of the busy city, after a late night drizzle, wondering why his life had to be so fucked up. He was like a shapeless and vulnerable breath that bitterly froze and disappeared into nothing as soon as it left the warm haven it’d come from. He’d played his part and the world had second-guessed him, but no one ever really knew the torment he had to endure as an ignorant creature that’d been carelessly tossed into an unpredictable and dangerous world and left to fend for itself. He felt like he was doomed to make the same mistakes over and over again without ever learning. But then again…his wrongs had only ever always involved Squall Leonhart, he thought carefully. Reflecting on all his past trouble-making, the brunet never once failed to work his way into the equation, the perpetuating motivator behind the need to jibe and harm. But what did it mean, anyway? So the brunet bothered him—so what. As if to linger would benefit him in any way now that life as he knew it was nearly at an end.

He heard something rustle close by and actually looked at his surroundings. He was at the transport station, the imposing arch that stood in Galbadia’s grandeur like a prized trophy just straight down the street from him. Something about the towering structure attracted him and he decided to head in that direction. As he neared the growing arch, however, he couldn’t pinpoint a sudden odd feeling that had crept up on him. It felt like something had turned its full notice his way and wouldn’t stop the attack of discomfort with its eerie interest. Amazing how the streets had to be emwithwith such an occurrence. Something appeared at the corner of his eye and he casually glanced that way, feigning apathy or that he was even spooked. He continued strolling until the thing decided to play more tricks on his eyes.

“Who’s there?” he questioned, having stopped walking. “Come out and show yourself, or would you like me to return your little game and cut you down afterwards,” he said, arrogant as always.

He appeared at Seifer’s peripheral line of sight for a last time, disappearing no more when Seifer turned to look. Squall stood just outside the path to Caraway’s mansion, near the gardened trees that left him in the shadows.

“Leonhart? Why are you following me? How did you…? Ready to kill me?” he finally acknowledged.

“…” Squall didn’t move in the least bit.

When the brunet gave no sign he was about to do anything, Seifer grudgingly approached him. He swaggered to the shady individual and smirked triumphantly. “You always had me on offense. For tactical purposes, it’s a smart move…when, accordingly, you know your enemy.”

“....”

“Figures you wouldn’t have anything left to say to me. Bet you’re not even having an inner monologue either,” he said as he slowed his pace just in case the other decided to come to him.

“….” The brunet shifted and stepped out of the shadows into the lambently lit street and simply stared at the blond, narrowing his eyes, his gaze seeming deliberate and having some imminent purpose to it. After one more pause, he began walking the blond’s way.

At about seven meters from the brunet, Seifer took out Hyperion, the only real visible thing he had in possession, and carefully laid his gunblade case down. He hadn’t used the blade ever since the war ended, plainly because of the undeniable crimes it stood for, but he never understood why he hadn’t forsaken the disgraceful object either, despite his love for it. Maybe he just didn’t care to realize that Hyperion was life itself—his love and hate for it was the same inseparable part of him that had prevented him from committing suicide immediately after the war. Now, he would wield it a last time against the boy he was sure would end his wretched life within the next few minutes. He primed himself for an attack…

…that came in the form of an embrace.

It’d all happened too fast. One moment he was ready for death, and the next thing he knew, his stance had changed into an open form, his arms at his sides while he hesitantly held Hyperion in his right without any intent to block or attack, two foreign arms encircling his body along with his helpless arms, and holding him in a way that he felt was way too intimate evena sia situation that actually made sense.

He was completely stunned still, his eyes slightly wide as the short brunet had wrapped his wiry arms around him and buried his face into his stomakneekneeling on both knees. “W-what…are…you doing…?” he asked very cautiously.

“….”

Maybe the excuse that he’d become beyond shocked was what allowed him to sit in the eventual warmth that’d enticingly pervaded his skin from constant bodily contact, but, whatever the case, the lull had occurred, nonetheless. What must have been at least two minutes passed before Seifer spoke again. He stared down at the mop of brown hair fitted too nicely into his abdomen and, in plaince, ce, said, “Leonhart…? What the fuck do you think you’re doing? Let go of me.”

“….”

With the brunet’s lack of response, Seifer, then, with a free gloved hand he’d managed wriggling from the tight hold, none too kindly grabbed a hold of a chunk of brown hair and slowly forced the brunet off his knees to meet gray eyes.

Too late.

Staring into those imploring storm grey eyes had been a last mistake. “Why don’t you… speak? Are you…s-stupid?” But he couldn’t stop himself from ridiculously continuing, despite having had already dug a deep enough pit for himself. “Has poor Squally boy...finally—realized my charms—and talents, and wants me to re—” It’d left him soft, his vicious words too pathetically declared in its softly stuttered and awkward way, and then everything had ended. His surprise waned and he closed his eyes as his grip loosened on soft strands of hair he could only imagine…. He was falling…falling forever when yielding warm lips had easily graced his during his weak bullying, melding gently into his—before turning passionate.

Squall....

Two ice-cold hands suddenly found their way underneath and up his vest to feel him up his broad back and slid back to his chest before he felt like the life was quietly being sucked out of him…and then too much. Very much too much—literally; he felt like he was being crushed from the inside and was powerless to do anything. What was happening? He was dying. He would die after all…in the beautiful brunet’s arms.

-->

“Fire!” the squadron leader commanded. “Again!”

Maybe the fact that all the chaecidecided happening at night made the sensation of torrential calamity worse. Approximately a hundred fifteen hours later from Esthar, the team he’d been assigned to flee with was stuck out in the middle of nowhere, desperately trying to shoot down the gigantic thing that had only slightly been slowed by the ocean; it could swim and was a pretty good swimmer at that—though Squall had no time to wonder about the tidal waves the creature had most likely already created; battling it out in the ocean might have given them a better advantage, but surely not for any adjacent land dwellers.

“Lieutenant, sir, we’re down to ten crates of MG cartridges and five warheads. At this rate, we’ll be left defenseless when the target’s halfway,” a cavalryman informed his commander.

“Keep firing!” was all the leader said.

Squall knew the leader knew that the scout was right, but there was really nothing else they could do. The creature was zeroing in on them and they needed to keep it back for as long as possible or until Laguna decided on another course of action.

“Sir, if I may, will you allow me to interpose and summon?” Squall finally asked after having the team gun down its threat for almost the past hour.

After looking as if to consider the request, the lieutenant finally nodded, a small smile appearing only for the shortest on a rather stern bearing. “If you say so, Lion of Balamb.”

Going through the same method of concentration for what must have been the hundredth time, the night atmosphere stirred before a wind howled darkly and a sphere of wispy black smoke appeared in the starry sky to unfurl into the talon-spiked guardian force, Diablos. Suddenly, the summoned creature bolted, boldly swerving in the cool night air to a target at least fifteen times its size. It landed on the larger nightmare, its long claws grappling and piercing into thick flesh, and tore a nasty bite out before the thing could counter, the enemy’s size meaning a lack in the superb agility Diablos clearly showed. The victim screeched before stopping to keep afloat in mid swim and pay its fierce assailant due attention. When the huge monster attempted to land its own sharp claws on the black guardian, a powerful demi spell surged in contest and glued its attack to a ball of excruciatingly condensing gravity, causing its innards of that particular body part to bulge and explode from within. The resulting damage appeared beyond hellish, but even that did not match the sheer shrill of the cry that nearly blew everything surrounding it to pieces. It was the sound of a pitiful death that turned even the night’s air into seclusion as the agonizing monster suddenly became translucent and disappeared without a trace.

“What. The hell. Was that?” the lieutenant finally managed after recovering from the sound of hell.

-->

He was dying and somehow he didn’t mind as much as he thought he would have…not when it happened in the brunet’s arms.

Squall…hurts. You… me. …need you. But… won’t… see you… after…but… no…—you’re not Squall!

Seifer suddenly found the strength to pull away from the death kiss and an arc of silver flashed before a high-pitched scream blasted from the suddenly swiftly warping creature before him, he having recoiled into a defensive stance by that point.

“What the fuck are you?” he whispered to himself as the misshapen doppelganger continued to twist and bend into impossible angles, its sc hav having died down as it did the same at the moment.

“Give him back!” the dying thing unexpectedly cried, sounding like a broken record, and Seifer swore he almost thought it sounded mournful.

“What are you talking about?”

“Hiiim!” The thing suddenly sounded like multiple voices raging in chorus.

“…Who’s ‘him?’”

“Sephiroth….” The name uttered was darkly ominous in and of itself as the last remnants of what used to be a larger blob of black melted into the pavement beneath it.

“Seph..ir..oth…? Sephiroth?” He was alone now that the shape-shifting monstrosity had left him to stand in peace…and in one piece…alive…to ponder ‘Sephiroth’…his guardian force. “What’ve I gotten myself into this time? All this because of ‘him’? And that other time….”

He came when I called. He killed that thing like the one just now…. But, wait. That thing was after Squall, then. He doesn’t have Sephiroth…. And I went running………….

“…it used…him…to get me? It can’t be that intelligent—but, now, it just talked and....” He didn’t want to go down that road. Instead, he turned his thoughts to the time during time compression.

I knew I shouldn’t have trusted it. Why do I always have to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?

He walked again and was almost under the grand arch now.

This is the price I pay for a powerful guardian force? This is the price I pay for power….

He laughed bitterly, and, then, like a maniac in the middle of the night on the empty street. “I...hahahahahahaha….” He sighed after his chuckles abated, his merry expression suddenly turning dead serious and tired. “…never learn my lesson,” he said soberly, all the absurdity having cleared from his head.

I’m…

“…cursed.”

When he finally reached the arch, he focused on the guardian force that had nearly cost him his life, as indirect as it may have been. A cool night wind blew through the arch’s legs and a void appeared in front of Seifer, before the enigmatic guardian force stepped out of the vortex with all its fanfare and luminous green eyes stared quietly at Seifer.

What is this thing that’s after you and why didn’t you tell me about it, great summon?

He spoke to the guardian force with accusing eyes despite the fact he knew the summon didn’t have to tolerate the whimsical call.

SincSince you are asking—now—the ‘thing’ that attacked you is merely her shadow. She used to be my possessor, but ever since her and my mortal death, she became crazed and believes I am still a part of her. She craves my power and anything else I have to offer…but I belong to you now.

Look, I don’t know and don’t care what happened to you in the past, but if what you say is true, she—or her ‘shadow’—will keep pursuing me as long as I have you. How do I get rid of it—her?

I don’t know.

Seifer didn’t like the answer anymore than the little respect he didn’t feel like giving to the powerful being at the moment.

Then get out of my head. I don’t need this.

Without warning, the, heretofore, very reserved guardian force suddenly tweaked the smuggest smirk Seifer Almasy had ever seen. The blond actually lost his bearing and stumbled a little.

W-well?

Seifer waited.

You’ve forgotten our pact?

He suddenly became very anxious. He had no clue as to what the guardian force spoke of.

What…pact? I let you in, period. Now, I’m letting you out. Simple.

NOT simple.

Sephiroth easily showed a baneful aura at the redress.

We made a pact and it won’t be breached. It can’t be. As agreed, then, the arrangement will give me a home, and, you, my services…until your demise.

I don’t remember ever having promised that! Don’t fuck with me!

Seifer was breathing hard at his inability to fix things. He knew he couldn’t harm the guardian force if he tried and vice versa. But as he communicated with the guardian force, to his horror, a realization rapidly dawned on him that he’d, indeed, made an incurable deal. Seifer had junctioned with Sephiroth when he, in his tormented state of mind, met the powerful being in time compression. The being hadn’t been a guardian force then, but a lost entity that’d been attracted to his longsuffering oppression and torture.

Attempt to force me out and you’ll die. I have joined with you because we are alike; we understand each other— you know this. I am a part of you now. …Besides, I like him.

“What…?!” Seifer said aloud.

Delicious indeed. I would have never thought someone like him would suit you, but—

—Shut up and go away. We’re done talking.

But the guardian force had to obey, unable to speak another word that the blond wouldn’t hear.

“Shit. What the fuck now?” With the special guardian force in his head and a creepy creature he didn’t want to deal with on his tail, something was bound to happen again, sooner or later. Recalling the incident that occurred not less fifteen meters from him in less than one hour ago, he shuddered and decided to get off the streets and into the safety of a warm bed.


~TBC

a/n: don't count on me posting consistent even length chapters as this story won't really have any (real chapters)until i've finished the story shoud--it ever come to that