FicWad

DELING CITY


"I don't care if you miss. Just think of it as a signal. A sign for us to make our move." -- Squall Leonhart


Make yourselves at home," the dark-haired woman said, smiling around at the group of SeeDs standing in her kitchen. Selphie smiled back.

"Thanks, Chief," Rinoa said, gesturing for the others to follow her upstairs.

"She's the leader of the Forest Fox," Rinoa explained while they climbed. "Almost everyone's a resistance member in this town. But right now, we're the only ones that are really active." She sighed. "Let's stay here for a while."

Rinoa didn't sound like her usual self. Not that Selphie really knew her well or anything, but what she'd seen so far had given her the impression that Rinoa was nearly as energetic and vivacious as Selphie herself. Not that I'm feeling all that great right now either, thought Selphie as she followed Rinoa into a small bedroom.

She sank down on the bed gratefully, rubbing her thigh where the butt of a G-army soldier's rifle had slammed into it just an hour before.

"I still don't get it," she grimaced. "Why did Squall show up here? He's a SeeD cadet. Why would he suddenly run renegade and do something crazy like that?"

Seifer leaned against the wall and folded his arms. "He flunked the SeeD exam."

"Oh, she said. Now that she thought of it she hadn't seen Squall in Headmaster Cid's office when he'd given the newly promoted SeeDs their grade reports.

Quistis sat down on the bed beside her and the small group, tired from all the excitement, was quiet.

"I don't think that's why," offered Quistis after a few moments.

Seifer frowned at her. "So what's your theory, then? He left B-Garden and showed up in Timber to see you?" The sarcasm in his voice was thick and disdainful.

Selphie saw the corners of Quistis's mouth turn down.

"Seifer," said the captain as she looked at the floor, "if you speak that way to me again I'll have you demoted. I don't think I'm alone when I say that I'm too tired to deal with your bullshit right now."

Seifer's frown deepened and he unfolded his arms. "Listen, Trepe--" he began.

Rinoa's voice, sharp with annoyance, cut him off in mid-sentence. "Knock it off. We don't have time for this. Whatever's going on with that Squall guy isn't important at the moment. We have to think of what to do next. Starting with getting out of Timber." Her gaze flicked around the room.

"Garden Code, Article 8, line 7," said Quistis, rubbing her temples.

Selphie's brain immediately retrieved the correct section, and she clapped her hands. "In the event that returning to the assigned Garden is not possible, report to the nearest Garden," she recited. Then she sat up straight at the thought that the nearest Garden might be T-Garden; she'd only been transferred from Trabia a few days before but she already missed it.

"Galbadia Garden is closest, right?" said Zell, and Selphie sagged again, making a mental note to brush up on her geography.

"The trains should be running again," said Rinoa. "We can take one to East Academy. G-Garden isn't too far from there."

"We'll have to cut through the forest," Quistis said. "I've been there several times before; we'll be fine."

"That's what we'll do, then," said Rinoa without much enthusiasm.

Again, silence fell. Selphie fidgeted a bit, uncomfortable with the thick apathy she sensed from every occupant of the small bedroom except herself.

"C'mon you guys!" she said finally. "Cheer up! We could be captured or even dead, but instead we're safe and still in the game."

Quistis and Rinoa gave her identical weak smiles. Seifer glanced at her and then looked away.

"You know what we need?" said Zell. "Food. I haven't eaten in ages and I'm starving to death. I bet we'd all feel better if we got something to eat."

Rinoa perked up a bit. "Hey, you know what? Chief is a really good cook. Maybe we can ask her to fix us something."

Just then there was a knock at the door. She, Quistis, Seifer and Zell all looked around alertly, hands inching toward weapons. But it was Watts who eased into the room.

"Watts!" exclaimed Rinoa. "You're all right!"

He grinned at her. "Just arrived. Chief told me to tell you that she's cooking you guys some dinner. And I have news, too. Timber Station's going to be shut down tonight. Almost all of the trains have already stopped running."

"Oh no," said Quistis.

Watts reached into his pocket. "Not to worry," he smiled at Quistis. "I have tickets for all of you on the last train going out of town today. It's going to East Academy. I figured even if you're not going there you'd at least want to get out of town, especially since it looks like they're locking the whole city down to find you."

"How convenient," said Seifer. Selphie saw Rinoa shoot him a look, but she didn't say anything.

"Will we have time to eat?" Zell asked, looking so plaintive that Selphie grinned.

"Train leaves in an hour, and Chief's probably about done," said Watts. "I may, uh, join you for dinner." He grinned.

"I'm gonna go help her," announced Rinoa, and her glance flickered to Seifer and away again before she left the room. Seifer watched her go, his expression blank, and then abandoned his place by the wall to peer out of the window overlooking the alley.

Selphie looked at Quistis, who met her gaze and shrugged. That's weird, she thought. They don't act like employer and employee-- more like lovers having a spat. Did they know each other before this? They had to have, she decided. What a mystery! I'll have to ask Zell; maybe he'll know something.

Her stomach growled, and she stood up in response. "I think I'm going to go help too," she said. She heard the sound of laughter from downstairs and moved to meet it.

+++++

"Galbadia Garden is on the other side of this forest," said Quistis, brushing the hair out of her eyes. Selphie wondered if she looked as scruffy as the blonde woman did. Her clothes were wrinkled, her hair was trying to escape her clip, and there were dark smudges under her eyes. She hoped not. "Let's go."

Quistis took the lead, marching alone at the head of the group. Her step was as firm as ever, but the rigid line of her back spoke to Selphie of terrible weariness.

Selphie, at the rear of the party, grabbed Zell's arm and slowed, nodding ahead at Rinoa and Seifer. The brunette and the young man walked side by side, and she squeezed his arm when she saw they were speaking.

Zell shook her off, annoyed, but he watched the two ahead with as much interest as Selphie herself did.

"Did you know Seifer spent last summer in Deling City?" he whispered.

"No, I don't know anything; I just transferred here from Trabia a few days ago to take the SeeD exam. Why was he in Deling City?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I just remember because the whole DC was gone for three glorious months." He grinned. "Didn't get busted once."

"They must have met there," she theorized. "Think anything happened?"

"It kind of seems like it. The way they're acting."

"Maybe they're secretly engaged!" Selphie giggled at the thought.

Zell scoffed. "Seifer, engaged? I really doubt it. And besides, seems like they're fighting or something. They all but spit every time they see each other."

"Come on," she said, "I want to hear what they're saying."

"Uh," said Zell. "Selphie," he tried, but she took possession of his arm again, and dragged him close enough to Rinoa and Seifer to overhear their conversation.

"I just want to know," Rinoa said, "so I can send you back to Garden if necessary."

Seifer shook his head. "It doesn't work like that. You can't get replacements-- did you even read that contract?"

"Of course I did." Her voice was sharp. "I'd still have three SeeDs, and that's enough as far as I'm concerned. I saw today how devastating just one cadet can be. Three SeeDs will be more than adequate."

She fell silent for a moment, but Seifer did not speak.

"You didn't answer my question," she said after a few seconds. "What happened back there?"

"I was saving your life," Seifer said. "Or didn't you notice?"

"Excuse me for not being thrilled."

Seifer shrugged. "You'd rather be dead?"

She sighed. "You just-- laid the hate on pretty thick. I'm sorry if I was a little hurt, but I have to wonder if that's not how you really feel."

"I don't know, Rinoa. I don't like this situation. I know you say you didn't have anything to do with it, but this feels suspiciously like one of your games. And I know you; I know how you manipulate people. I'm getting to the point where I don't want to play games any more. It was fine last summer for you to use me against your father. My life and my career weren't involved."

Seifer walked on without her when she slowed in surprise.

"How dare you," she hissed.

Selphie and Zell stopped to avoid running into her.

"This isn't some kind of game," Rinoa said, her voice rising in anger. "How dare you judge my reasons when you don't even know them!"

Seifer stopped in his tracks, turned, and spread his arms wide. "Then tell me."

Selphie watched Rinoa and Seifer in fascination as their tempers and their voices rose. But before Rinoa could launch into the detailed, scathing explanation she was obviously planning, Quistis abruptly turned around.

"For God's sake," she snapped, completely exasperated. "Can't you behave like adults for two seconds--" She stopped abruptly, and Selphie looked at her just in time to see her eyes roll back in her head. The tall blonde woman fell to the forest floor; there was a soft thud as her body hit the loamy ground.

Selphie started forward to help, but Zell, pulled along by the strong grip of her hand, chose that moment to lose his balance and topple into her. She hit the ground with a startled squeak, and a moment later emitted a surprised oof as Zell fell on top of her, knocking the wind out of her lungs. Black spots began to flicker in and out of her vision. Everything faded to gray and she knew no more.

+++++

Selphie opened her eyes and blinked. She was staring at the ground; it was less than an inch from her nose. She frowned, unsure of what was happening, and remembered her trip to the dream world.

She'd dreamed she was Laguna's friend Kiros again, and they had been exploring an Esthar excavation site, but had been caught. They had run from soldiers in pale uniforms, and eventually had met a dead-end in the form of a steep cliff overlooking the ocean. The last thing she could remember was jumping.

"Oh no! Sir Laguna's in big trouble!" she yelled, and tried to get to her feet. Unfortunately, Zell was still on top of her and her efforts were in vain. "Get off me! Jeez, you're heavy! What the heck do you eat? Bricks?"

She somehow managed to roll the still-unconscious Zell off of her and staggered to her feet. She brushed herself off, muttering under her breath about big fat SeeDs with stupid hair, and looked around.

Seifer stood at the edge of the path they had been following, looking off into the surrounding forest. His expression was closed. On the opposite side of the path Rinoa sat, her head resting on her knees.

She realized how silent the woods were. She turned and looked down the path; Zell lay on his back at her feet, Quistis a few yards further.

Selphie turned back toward Seifer and Rinoa.

"Uh," she said brilliantly. "Everything okay?"

"Back, are you?" Seifer said shortly.

Zell was already awake, sitting up and scratching his head.

"Laguna again," he said. "This is so weird."

"Yeah," she said.

"C'mon, let's check on Quistis," she said, nudging his leg with her foot.

They walked the short distance to where the captain lay, still flat on her back. Her breathing was slow but steady.

"She looked really tired earlier. I wonder if she was just so exhausted she didn't wake up after the Laguna dream."

They stood for a moment, watching her, and as if in agreement with Selphie's suggestion the blonde woman rolled onto her side, pillowing her cheek with one arm. Coiled loosely in her hand was her whip, a Red Scorpion.

"Aw," said Selphie. "She looks so sweet. I hate to wake her up but we need to get going."

"Quistis." She bent over. "Wake up."

The captain opened her eyes, and Selphie felt a stab of guilt. If anything, Quistis looked worse than she had before her nap. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot, and as an added bonus there was also a liberal smear of dirt on her cheek.

She sat up and looked at the ground, rubbing the back of her neck. Selphie recognized the look; she'd had it herself on a few occasions, on the rare mornings where her alarm clock woke her up too early. She'd get up, intending to go take a shower, but instead would find herself still sitting on the edge of her bed minutes later, staring off into space and thinking of nothing.

Selphie reached into her pocket and took out a small vial of blue liquid.

"You look beat, Captain. Drink this."

Quistis looked up and blinked. "What is it?" she said even as she reached for it.

She shrugged. "Potion."

Quistis didn't hesitate at all before uncorking the vial and downing the contents. She sputtered, and coughed, but sat up straighter. Color bloomed in her pale cheeks.

"That was no potion," she accused.

"Sure it was," Selphie said. "Elixirs are potions too, you know."

Quistis shook her head and rose to her feet. "Shouldn't waste supplies like that. A potion would have done."

Selphie inclined her head in acknowledgement of the mild reprimand, but the change in Quistis was obvious. She felt that it had been an elixir well spent.

+++++

Selphie knew she didn't like Galbadia Garden before she ever set foot in it. They had approached it on foot from the forest, swinging over the meadows to intercept and follow the road, which was easier to walk on and safer in general. This Garden was much, much bigger than her old Garden, Trabia. Not that that was necessarily a bad thing, as Balamb Garden was even bigger than G-Garden. But B-Garden's shape was more elegant, and was surrounded by green meadows, hills, and clusters of forests. Not to mention the blue ocean a stone's throw away. G-Garden crouched on the brown, flat plains of Galbadia like a patient, hulking predator.

Or maybe she just didn't like the color red.

They found themselves at the gate and halted. The gate guard glanced at them and returned to his magazine without pause.

"It's so different," she said.

"Quiet," remarked Zell. "I don't even hear any birds singing like at home."

"Who cares?" said Seifer. "Let's just get on with it." He turned to Quistis. "So what do we need to do?"

"I'm going to go talk to the headmaster. I've been here several times and I know him pretty well. I'll explain our situation."

Seifer glanced at Rinoa. "Are you going to tell him Rinoa's here?"

Why wouldn't he want the headmaster to know she's with us? wondered Selphie as Quistis assumed a thoughtful expression.

"That shouldn't be a problem," said Quistis finally. "Our contract with Rinoa stands until Timber is liberated."

Seifer nodded, but Selphie was still clueless, and could see that the others were too.

"So what does that mean?" she asked.

"Well, someone has to take the blame for the attack on the president." Quistis's voice took on a lecturing tone. "You can't hold a knife to the throat of the most powerful man in the world and get away with it. As far as I can guess, Galbadia will do one of two things. It will retaliate against Garden for the attack made on the president by SeeD members, or," and her eyes slid toward Rinoa, "or they will retaliate against the person who hired them to do so." She sighed. "Since our Code clearly states that Garden is impartial, and that SeeD will not act beyond the exact wording of a contract, that means that the second choice is more logical. Especially since we know that for some reason, her father has recently been demoted. In all likelihood, he did something they didn't like, and executing his daughter will be the final blow to his career."

Seifer glared at the mention of execution, while Rinoa blanched.

"Um, wouldn't that make it more dangerous for Rinoa to be here? Isn't it possible that Garden might turn her over to Galbadia? As a peace offering?" asked Zell.

"You'd think so," said Quistis. "And don't think that's not a possibility. But there are other factors at work here. Our contract is still in effect. Which means that we can protect her, even if Garden gives us a direct order otherwise. According to the Code, the contract must be upheld during the mission, even against direct orders from Garden itself. That's so that clients have complete confidence that Garden won't back out and leave them hanging in the middle of an operation. But the Code wasn't meant to deal with the kind of contract you got, Rinoa. All the ones I've seen were very long, detailed, complete sets of orders, so that SeeDs knew exactly what to do and how to know when the mission was over. But yours is vague, and the operation is ongoing."

"But how can just the four of us protect her if they decide to seize her?" Selphie said.

Quistis uncoiled her whip from her hip and stretched it tightly between her hands, smiling.

"Against all those SeeDs?" Zell demanded.

"There aren't any SeeDs here," said Seifer. "Just students."

Selphie nodded. She'd had to take the field exam at Balamb Garden, and all those who passed were stationed there permanently.

"And we have GFs," Quistis added. "They don't. There's no way they could take us. We could hold off the entire Garden if we had to, for a little while at least. Long enough to get her out."

"But it won't come to that. I know Martine pretty well. Just trust me." She smiled. "For now, take a look around, and stay out of trouble. I'll make sure they page you."

Quistis walked through the gates.

"Can we just find a place to sit down until they call us?" asked Rinoa. "I really don't want to attract a lot of attention."

"Sure," said Seifer, and they followed Quistis's path into G-Garden.

Unlike the Garden they had started their journey from, G-Garden did not sport a central administration column, or the massive fountain that ringed it. Instead, the whole room was open, although it was smaller than B-Garden's main court. Looking up, Selphie could see the second floor balcony that ringed the edge of the court.

In the very center of the room the Seal was pressed into the marble stone; the familiar white and black symbol was as long as Selphie was tall.

They sat all four on a low stone bench facing the Seal and waited, not speaking.

I wonder what Martine's going to do with us, Selphie thought. Quistis is gonna ask to stay here for a while, right?

"Seifer!"

The loud voice was as startling as the report of a rifle in the quiet of Galbadia Garden.

Looking, she saw two vaguely familiar faces approaching them. She tried to remember where she had seen them, but came up with nothing. The young man was dark-skinned, bulky with muscle and very tall. The slim woman striding beside him was a complete contrast with her pale skin, short platinum hair, and severity of expression.

Seifer's friends? she wondered.

Her guess was confirmed a moment later when the young man stopped in front of Seifer, grinning. "Thank God you're here, boss. Timber's a mess, ya know? Couldn't even get near the place."

While he was speaking, the young woman with him cast her one-eyed glance over the rest of the party. Her gaze paused on Rinoa for a moment, but slid over Zell and Selphie without recognition or interest.

"Raijin. Fujin. What are you guys doing here?" Seifer stood up, sounding surprised but not displeased.

"This is our field exam. We're bringing you guys new orders," said Raijin.

"New orders?" Rinoa said.

"Do you know what they are?" Seifer asked.

The big man shrugged. "Nope. We couldn't get into Timber so we came here. I'm glad you made it. We were worried when we saw the news."

Fujin snorted.

"Wait," said Seifer. "This is your SeeD exam? Who gave you the assignment?"

"Headmaster," said Fujin.

Seifer looked thoughtful, but didn't comment.

Raijin shifted his weight from one side to the other. "Boss? We should probably be getting back to Balamb. Our assignment said to come right back."

Seifer nodded. "Timber Station should be back up tomorrow morning. Get back to B-Garden on the double. No goofing around," he said, and gave Raijin a pointed look. The giant nodded as Fujin turned away, and then they broke into a steady trot that would take them out of G-Garden and onto the path that led to Timber.

Seifer sat down again. Selphie saw Rinoa give him a questioning look, but just then the intercom paged them. "Attention, SeeD party from Balamb Garden. Please wait in the second floor Reception Room."

"Listen," Seifer said, looking around at them. "They're going to present us with new orders. I don't know what Trepe will have told the Headmaster, but Rinoa, this is still your show. We'll pretend to accept the orders and decide what we want to do later. It's better this way-- less chance of trouble."

+++++


The second floor Reception Room was both elegant and comfortable. Selphie stood by the window and watched the paratroopers practicing outside in the sunshine. The others had arranged themselves on the two long couches in the center of the room.

The waiting was silent and expectant, and finally the door opened and Quistis stepped inside. Selphie wondered if it was just her imagination, or if the air in the room was really getting heavy.

"How'd it go?" Zell wanted to know.

"They understand our situation," she said. "And Balamb Garden is safe." The tension in the room lightened considerably.

"The attack on the president in Timber was classified as an independent action. There was an official notice from the Galbadian government saying that Balamb Garden is not being held responsible." She looked at Rinoa.

"Galbadia is searching for you in Timber as we speak. They're saying you're to blame for this."

"Well, I am," said Rinoa. "Did you tell them I'm here?"

Quistis nodded. "I explained to Martine what happened and he assured me that he has not seen you, nor will he have seen you after we're gone."

Seifer looked pleased. "And what now? I heard we were getting new orders."

"Yes, but as I've already told you--"

Seifer interrupted. "I've explained that already."

Quistis didn't seem offended. "Good. We're supposed to assemble in front of the gate. We should get going, SeeDs." Her glance at Rinoa was meaningful and obviously understood; the slight brunette saluted in agreement. Seifer wordlessly reached over and corrected the placement of her hand.

+++++

Their haste was totally unnecessary; they'd been standing on the walkway outside the Garden for almost an hour before the large military vehicle carrying the Headmaster appeared.

"What," said Zell. "He can't walk like everyone else?"

Quistis shushed him, but Selphie privately agreed.

The truck rumbled to a halt and a tall, dark-haired man stepped out. He was clad in a long dark jacket trimmed with silver, and Selphie fought an urge to giggle at the pompousness of the display.

The five of them lined up in proper SeeD formation and saluted. The Headmaster looked over each of them without any trace of friendliness.

"Good day," he said. "I have official orders from Headmaster Kramer addressed to you."

Martine began to pace back and forth before them. "Following regulations, I have gone over these orders. After careful consideration of our options, we have decided to fully assist and cooperate with Headmaster Kramer. Actually, we too, have been planning for this quite some time now. In order to stress the importance of this mission, I must first brief you on the current situation."

"At ease." Selphie relaxed along with the others.

"You all know about the sorceress being appointed as the peace ambassador for the Galbadian government. However, this ambassador thing is just a cover up. There will be no peace talks, only threats. The sorceress creates fear among people. Therefore, peace talks are impossible. Galbadia is planning to use this fear to negotiate favorable conditions for itself. It is clear that Galbadia's ultimate goal is world domination."

Martine stopped his pacing and gave the SeeDs a sharp look. "Garden is no exception, either. It is a fact that the sorceress is planning to use this Garden as her base."

He paused and watched their reactions. She thought the sorceress might have more trouble than she expected if she thought Garden would just roll over and allow itself to be used that way. Still, the thought was disturbing, and Martine must have seen it on their faces, for he nodded.

"We have very few options available to us. We entrust world peace, and the future, to you. Details of the mission are enclosed in these official orders."

He handed a large envelope to Quistis, who opened it and scanned the enclosed documents. Selphie tried not to fidget but she was so curious about the contents of the envelope that it was difficult to stay still.

"Any questions?" Martine said after a few moments.

"The orders say 'by means of a sniper'. We have no one with that skill," said Quistis.

"Don't worry about it," Martine said. "Let me introduce an elite sharpshooter from Galbadia Garden. Kinneas! Irvine Kinneas!"

They all turned to look in the direction the of the Headmaster's call. At first they only saw several figures, presumably students, lounging in the grass off the paved path. But one of them rose to his feet as they watched.

Selphie suppressed a smile. Irvine Kinneas, apparently, was a wanna-be cowboy; he sported a wide hat, a knee length duster, and of all things, chaps. She felt the urge to smile evolving into a need to giggle and instead checked first one heel of her boot, then the other. By the time her little ritual was completed and both feet were back on the ground the desire to laugh had passed.

That outfit is ridiculous, she thought, gazing at him. At least he's not short. That would make it even worse.

"This is Irvine Kinneas," said Martine. "He will be your sharpshooter. Leave whenever you're ready."

He looked the SeeDs over one last time and said, with an air Selphie guessed he thought impressive, "Failure is not an option."

Martine returned to his truck, and Irvine must not have been impressed much either, for he pointed a long finger at the Headmaster's back and murmured, "Bang."

Then the sharpshooter turned and offered them a lazy smile. "Looks like I'm with you rubes from Balamb. Greetings."

As one, the party of five stared at him.

"What the hell is your problem?" Zell finally demanded.

Irvine's smile grew wider. "I say things that get a rise out of some people. Just don't let it bother you and we'll get along fine."

"We'd get along better if you'd remember that each and every one of us is SeeD. We outrank you, cowboy," Seifer said.

Zell shot a startled but gratified look at Seifer.

"That's enough," interjected Quistis. "Irvine, this is Seifer, Selphie, Zell, and Rinoa. I'm Quistis. Let's just try to get along and make it through this mission."

"Yes ma'am," said Irvine, tipping his hat at her.

"Captain," snapped Quistis.

Selphie could see Zell's expression. He was practically bouncing in place. Wow, he really took an instant dislike to the guy.

She offered the newcomer a small commiserating smile. After all, the others were kind of in a bad mood. It wasn't really his fault he'd said the wrong thing right off. Compared to G-Garden, Balamb probably did seem kind of lax in the discipline department. And it was isolated, there was no denying it. God forbid he ever venture to Trabia, she thought, amused.

The sharpshooter grinned back at her, and she looked away when she realized she was about to blush. Does he always give girls that look? she thought as she stared at the ground.

"Captain?" Rinoa ventured. "What are the new orders?"

Quistis looked down at the opened envelope in her hands. "It's a direct order from both Balamb and Galbadia Garden." She paused. "We're to assassinate the sorceress. We're to shoot her from afar. Kinneas will be our sharpshooter. We're to support him to our fullest, and should he fail, we are to attack head on."

"Thanks," said Kinneas, "but I never miss my target."

"Eliminate the sorceress," Quistis repeated. "That's our order. We're to head to Deling City and meet up with General Caraway to go over the details."

She glanced at Rinoa and then fell silent.

"That sounds pretty good, actually," said Rinoa, and then she noticed the surprised glances of everyone except for Irvine.

"There's nobody better at devious plans than that man," she said. Selphie nodded. The explanation was oblique, but she understood. And she could tell by their faces that the others got it, too.

Garden's orders had just become Rinoa's new orders.

"So when are we going?" Irvine asked.

"We're supposed to be there tomorrow afternoon," said Quistis. "We'll stay here tonight and rest up. Martine offered us guest suites. And that train station outside goes only to Deling City-- we'll can catch a train around noon and make it with plenty of time to spare."

Selphie thought that was a fine idea. Even though she didn't particularly like the place, the prospect of sleep, food, and a bath made her almost want to run back into G-Garden.

+++++

Quistis looked out the window of one of Deling City's public transport buses. She didn't like the city at all. Not for any rational reason, she knew. The city was clean, the roads were paved. Parks took up quite a bit of space on the center of the city; flowers and green lawns looked well-kept and inviting in the afternoon sunlight.

She hated it because the sorceress was here. She understood that getting rid of the horrible woman was their mission, and also understood that wherever the sorceress went, that place would also be the last place Quistis wanted to be.

And not because she was afraid. She kept trying not to think about the subject, but there really wasn't any hope that she might be able to just stop dwelling on it. The facts were that the sorceress was here, that Squall was with her, and that therefore they were near the greatest source of turmoil to which her emotions could possibly be subjected.

How can I fight her if he is with her?

She shook her head, determined not to think about it for at least a few moments.

The bus jolted to a stop, and she was forced to grab the headrest of the seat in front of her to keep from being tossed into the aisle.

"This is our stop," said Rinoa.

They filed off the bus and found themselves at the top of a small hill on the edge of town. Looking away from the city, Quistis could see a large house through a screen of trees. That's Caraway's, I suppose.

She looked her question at Rinoa, who nodded.

A sentry wearing the Galbadian uniform hailed them then, and Quistis stepped forward to identify her group.

But the guard seemed to know who they were, for he began to speak without waiting for introductions.

"General Caraway's mansion is right through this gate. This way," the sentry beckoned, and they followed him through the gate to the mansion.

Ten minutes later they were comfortably arranged around the General's living room. Rinoa and Zell sat on a couch together, Selphie gazed out the window, and Irvine rested with his feet up on a desk that was probably worth more than everything he owned. Quistis examined a cabinet of fine china and tried not to think of Squall.

Instead she wondered about Rinoa's contract with Garden. How had the girl gotten such an unprecedented document? She wondered if Seifer's theory was in any way true. She still remembered his furious words in the Timber Owls's strategy room: "They're looking for a way to get rid of their most troublesome students. Me, definitely. Don't even pretend you disagree with the idea that I'm a problem, even more so now that I'm a SeeD. I don't follow rules, and that's a potential catastrophe on any mission. It was only chance I wasn't leading the Dollet exam; I would have done exactly what Squall did and you know it."

But of course it hadn't been chance, she knew.

"And don't even get me started on you," he had said. "You're almost as much a problem as I am."

"Hardly," she'd protested.

"Think about it," he'd said. "You know what I'm talking about. You're not exactly gold in Garden either, Trepe. But that's not the point. The point is they're trying to kill us off, I don't like it, and I want to know what you as captain are going to do about it."

At that point, she had tried to mollify him. Surely he was seeing a conspiracy where there was none. Surely, even if something like that were true, Garden would not have sent two innocents along with them to their deaths. He'd quieted at last, but she knew he didn't really believe her.

But now, facing a mission that seemed impossible-- destroying a sorceress-- she found herself reconsidering his words.

She hadn't reached any useful conclusion when Selphie spoke.

"What's taking so long?"

Rinoa flung herself out of her seat. "He always does this. So discourteous. Making people wait. I'm gonna go complain." She stalked from the room.

"What's up with her?" Selphie wanted to know. "This is her house, right?"

Just a few moments later General Caraway entered the room. He was dressed soberly in a charcoal business suit, and his hair was mostly gray.

"Where's Rinoa?" said Selphie.

"She has not received the type of training you all have, and may become a burden. It's for the best that she stays out of this operation," he said.

No one responded, and he smiled. "Well, then. Let's get on with the briefing."

"I'm sure you know about the Galbadian government reaching an agreement with Sorceress Edea. There is going to be a ceremony tonight to commemorate the event. Follow me." He gestured at them and exited. The SeeD party followed.

They left the mansion. Caraway crossed the street in front of it, unhurried, and they trekked along a pathway bisecting another public park toward the center of the city.

They reached a large paved area in front of a huge mansion that was obviously the Presidential Residence. Caraway ambled to where the pavement met green grass and addressed them once more, spreading his arms.

"It'll be held here. During the ceremony, you will split into two teams and get in position. The gateway team will enter the gateway," here he turned around and pointed at the huge arch in the center of the city, "and stand by."

"The sniper team will stand by here until the ceremony is over. Once it ends, a parade for the sorceress will begin. That's when the gate to the Presidential Residence will open. Lay low until then; the parade will be cancelled if there is any commotion. We must avoid that at all cost."

"Once the gate opens, the sniper team will move out. With the parade drawing the crowd and the guards's attention, it should be rather easy to enter the residence's grounds.

"Once there, the sniper team will head for the roof of the residence. In the corridor by the sorceress's room, there is a hatch that leads to the clock tower. At the top of the tower is a carousel clock. You'll find the sniper rifle there. Then you will stand by until 2000 hours."

"The parade will circle once around the city along the outer road and return to this space. At exactly 2000 hours, the parade will pass under the gateway. Here's where the gateway team comes into play. At 2000 hours the gateway team will operate the console to drop the gates. The sorceress will be trapped inside."

"At the exact same moment, the carousel will rise, taking the sniper team with it. There will be no obstruction between the sniper team and the sorceress. Just take the open shot. That's all."

"Who's going to be on the teams?" asked Zell.

"The leader of this operation will command the sniper team. The leader's role is vital-- if the plan fails for some reason, or should the sniper miss, the leader will carry out a direct assault against the sorceress."

Quistis started. She was the leader. If Irvine missed she'd have to lead the fight against the sorceress. And likely against Squall. She could almost feel the blood draining from her face.

"...our ultimate goal is to eliminate the sorceress, and we must achieve this at all cost," he was saying.

"So," he said. "Who's going to lead the mission?"

Everyone turned and looked at her. She looked back at them for a stunned moment, and then blurted out, "Seifer is."

Seifer blinked and looked as surprised as she had ever seen him. If she hadn't been under such strain, she probably would have laughed.

"Fine," said Caraway, not seeming to notice their surprise.

Seifer had already regained his composure. "Kinneas and I will make up the sniper team, obviously. The rest on the gateway team." He shot Quistis a look that immediately told her that he understood her motives. "Trepe will lead the gateway team."

She resisted the urge to slump. I'll be out of combat. It will all be over and I'll never have to see him. Somehow the thought just made her more depressed.

"That's all, then," said Caraway. "Now we wait. Feel free to check out the city. Just be back at my residence at 1700 hours. And stay out of trouble."

+++++

Rinoa shut the door to her father's bedroom behind her and gloated. He thought he could lock her in? He'd best think again.

She restored the bobby pin she held in her hand to its rightful place in her pocket and raced down the hall, the other object in her pocket jingling.

She threw open the door to her father's study and surprised Quistis, Zell, and Selphie in conversation.

"Finally got out of there! Did that man say anything?"

Zell stared at her. "No, not really."

"Where's Seifer?" she said, suddenly realizing that he was absent.

"He and Irvine are already on standby. I'm sorry, Rinoa, but we really have to get going," said Quistis.

"Hold on a sec," she said, excited, and drew an elaborate bronze bracelet out of her pocket. "Take a look at this! It's called an Odine Bangle. I found it in that man's room," she crowed.

"Odine?" exclaimed Zell.

"Whatcha gonna do with it?" Selphie asked.

"It's supposed to suppress the sorceress's powers. But its effects are still unknown. So I don't think they're going to use it for this mission," she explained.

"If it's Odine brand, it should be pretty effective!" Zell said, tapping his chin. "They're number one when it comes to magical goods."

She grinned at him. "Right!"

"It sounds like it might be useful," said Quistis slowly. "But Rinoa, we can't change plans now. This is so last minute there's not even a chance of changing the plan. The operation's already underway. I'm really sorry," she said, and left the room.

Selphie and Zell gave her commiserating looks and followed their leader.

Rinoa sat on the floor and hugged her knees.

What if they get hurt? This could avoid bloodshed. It's a good idea, I know it is. And it would only take one person.

+++++

I hate crowds, Seifer thought as he was jostled for the third time by a woman in a large purple hat. He elbowed her back, hard, and gave her a sneer. But she ignored him.

Just like the cowboy next to him was ignoring him.

He knew he really shouldn't be annoyed, but he was bored and hot in his coat and even talking to Irvine was better than just standing there.

As if in response to his wish, the other man spoke.

"So like, is it true that SeeDs aren't supposed to question their mission?"

Seifer gave him a sharp look. No, he can't have heard of me. That's too weird.

"Yeah, that's true," he said, glad to be in conversation. "Because of contract law. But between you and me, sometimes we do anyway."

"Like when?"

"Like when the orders we're given are stupid. When there's a better way to complete the objective."

The cowboy chewed on that for a moment. "But does it make you fight harder if you know your enemy is pure evil?"

"Pure evil?" Seifer looked at Irvine askance. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Irvine seemed embarrassed. "I mean, if you know you're fighting for the right side, does it make it easier? Do you fight harder?"

"If I was sure I was on the right side, I probably would," said Seifer, elbowing the purple-hat lady away again with a scowl. "I don't think most of us ever think about it."

"But you do?"

"I'm a problem child," he grinned.

"Oh, I bet," said Irvine. He smiled as he turned to cast his gaze once more on the Presidential Residence.

+++++

Rinoa sat on the floor, still thinking hard, when the door opened behind her. She felt her back stiffen.

"It'll be chaos soon," said a familiar voice. "You'll be safe here."

She didn't answer. Soon she heard the click of the door closing, and she relaxed a bit.

Then she bolted to her feet. He's going to lock me in! she thought, and sprinted for the door. It was still unlocked, and she opened it quietly, hoping her father was far away enough not to hear.

Ten minutes later she was in the alley that ran behind the Presidential Residence. She eyed the crates stacked haphazardly there with trepidation. I'm not a SeeD, she thought as she began to climb, but I can do this.

She teetered on the very top crate and managed to grasp the edge of the roof. She pulled herself up slowly and with effort.

This is important.

Rinoa stood with her hands planted on her knees for a few moments to catch her breath. She had to try.

She crossed the roof and realized she would have to climb more crates. Carefully she put her foot on the first one. What if someone gets killed on this operation?

She climbed up on top of another crate and saw that she might just be able to jump across to the flat roof of the next tower. What if Seifer gets killed, trying to fight her?

Taking a deep breath, she jumped. And made it easily. She paused, surprised, and collected her thoughts. If I can find a way to stop her without anyone getting hurt, even her, I have to try it. It's my duty.

She walked to the access door and opened it.

The hallway she entered was cold and eerily silent. She shivered and reached into her pocket for the bracelet. She clutched it in one fist and walked toward the open door at the end of the corridor.

Stepping inside the shadowy room, she saw that the sorceress was indeed present, sitting alone in a chair. At the edges of the room floor-to-ceiling drapes shifted in the night air.

"Um, excuse me," she said, jumping at the sound of her own voice, which seemd much too loud.

"I'm the daughter of Galbadian General's, I mean, Galbadian Army's General Caraway. He's my father, that is." She was trembling now, and the beads of the bracelet pressed uncomfortably into her palm.

"I--I've come to pay my respects," she stuttered. "Because of my father and all, you know. So I've brought you a small gift."

Her arm was shaking even harder than the rest of her, harder than the situation warranted, and she looked at it in surprise. To her shock, her hand suddenly pitched the bracelet into the gauzy depths of the curtains.

And then she was hanging in the air, hanging onto nothing with her traitor hand. A small sound escaped her, and she knew she'd been stupid to come here.

Then whatever had been holding her let go and she crashed to the floor.

+++++

"Here she comes," Irvine said, and then was drowned out by the roar of the crowd around him.

Both men watched the podium. They had a good vantage point, and could see quite clearly the sorceress's face and the extravagant dress she wore.

She's changed, thought Irvine.

Then he grabbed Seifer's arm in surprise. Behind the sorceress another girl stood, swaying slowly.

"That girl!" he shouted over the noise, and Seifer seemed to twitch under his hand.

The other man's mouth shaped a word he could not hear, but he knew it was 'Rinoa'.

"We have to help her!" Irvine yelled.

But Seifer shook his head. "We can't yet! We make a move now and it's all over. She'll be all right for a little while."

You hope, thought Irvine, but he understood where Seifer was coming from.

The crowd's cheers and yells subsided, and the sorceress began to speak into the waiting silence.

"Lowlifes," she said, her amplified voice dusky. The crowd roared its approval.

"Shameless filthy wretches. How you celebrate my ascension with such joy. Hailing the very one whom you have condemned for generations. Have you no shame? What happened to the evil, ruthless sorceress from your fantasies? The cold-blooded tyrant that slaughtered countless men and destroyed many nations? Where is she now? She stands before your very eyes to become your new ruler." A small chuckle followed her speech and wormed its way into Irvine's ear, rendering the ecstatic screaming of the crowd silent.

What's happened to her? he wondered, horror-struck. Are they listening to her? Why are they cheering?

"A new era has begun," the sorceress purred.

"Edea? Edea, are you all right?" Vinzer Deling's voice carried through the microphone, muzzy and confused.

As quickly as a snake, the sorceress turned and flicked her hand at the president. He twitched, and dropped out of sight behind the podium. Coils of violet smoke rose from where he'd been standing.

The sorceress turned back to the microphone. "This is reality. No one can help you. Sit back and enjoy the show."

The crowd screamed and waved flags. Fireworks lit up the night sky.

"Rest assured, you fools. Your time will come. This is only the beginning. Let us start a new reign of terror. I will let you live a fantasy beyond your imagination."

The crowd roared and whistled, screamed and stamped feet.

The sorceress turned away from the microphone and took a few steps. She turned her head and said over her shoulder, "Let us end this ceremony with a sacrifice." Her words made Irvine's insides curdle.

And then she was gone. Irvine let go of Seifer and tried not to bolt. You coward, he said to himself.

He glanced at the other man and saw two green flashes out of the corner of his eye. His gaze snapped back to the podium just in time to see two huge lizards leap at Rinoa. They knocked her down, but a few moments later she was up and backing though the ornate doorway.

"She'll be fine for a bit. We have to wait!" Seifer yelled back.

Irvine shook his head. "Aren't you her boyfriend? I can't believe this!"

+++++

Quistis leaned against the wall in the gateway's small control room.

Her fingers strayed to her mouth again, and she realized it only a moment before she began to nibble on a fingernail.

Stop that, Quistis scolded, and folded her arms. She wondered how fast her heart was beating. It probably wasn't healthy to be this worked up.

Calm down, she told herself. You're safe up here. He probably won't be with her on the float-- why would he be? And you'll never see the sorceress anyway. They'll come and fetch us after it's all over. You might have to wade through riots but that's the extent of the action you'll see tonight.

She kept telling herself that, but as the red numbers on the clock grew closer and closer to the appointed hour, she found herself exerting more and more effort to keep from shaking. Her hands were clammy, and she swallowed convulsively.

She closed her eyes and let her head tip back against the wall.

A trickle of liquid dripped down the center of her back as she moved, chilling her, and for the first time in her life Quistis understood exactly what it meant to be in a cold sweat.

+++++

The sorceress's float was ornate enough to be almost offensive even to Seifer's nearly nonexistent ideas of modesty.

Neon lights, torches, wings, something that looked suspiciously like a halo near the top, and what could only be a golden throne in the center of all the pomp.

Not to mention the sorceress herself and her ridiculous headdress. And the exotically dressed dancers gyrating in front of the whole mess. And her bodygua--

Squall.

Seifer ducked behind Irvine and slouched. He knew he stood out in a crowd-- he was one of the tallest people there-- and Squall knew him. He didn't want to be seen.

"What are you--" Irvine began, half turning.

"Just watch the float," he hissed.

The people around them clapped and hooted, yelled and whistled, and he found himself wanting to whip Hyperion out and shut them up.

And then the float was past, on its slow journey around the city.

"Now's our chance," said Irvine.

Seifer nodded, and they trotted across the street, which was already swarming with people, and through the gate of the Presidential Residence. They ran directly by a sleepy looking guard who took no notice of them at all. If he was mine I'd have him shot, Seifer thought.

Once inside they paused.

"Which way?" asked Irvine, and Seifer pointed around the side of the residence toward an alley.

"We can get in there." Irvine didn't question him, which was good, and they moved off at a more hurried pace.

Once in the alley they found they could ascend to the roof by means of a series of stacked crates.

Seifer made the final leap onto the roof whose tower housed the podium from which the sorceress had given her speech, and yanked open the access door.

He stopped, and Irvine plowed into him. They steadied themselves and he listened for sounds of battle.

There. He made a sharp right turn and sprinted down the hallway toward the cry he'd heard. He skidded around a corner, Irvine almost on his heels, and found himself face to face with a large, ugly green lizard.

He blinked, and its head exploded.

"Bang," said Irvine unecessarily behind him.

The other lizard bounded at him and he took its head off with one clean blow from Hyperion.

Rinoa sat, dazed, on the other side of the corpses. He stepped over them and knelt by her.

"Rinoa? Are you okay?" he asked.

She stared at the ground, but that didn't stop him from noticing that she was crying.

"I was scared," she whispered.

He didn't know what to say. The lizards had been easily dispatched. He knew he had no chance of saying that it was understandable and sounding sincere at the same time, so he didn't say anything.

"I couldn't do it. I just couldn't fight alone," she said in a small, ashamed voice.

Seifer found himself irritated with her, and swallowed it.

"It's all right," he said. "We're here."

She looked up at him and he could see the tears standing in her eyes.

"Do you think I'm a coward?" she asked, in the same tiny voice.

He didn't answer her. "What were you doing up here?" he said instead.

Rinoa looked down again. "I had an Odine bangle. I tried to stop her. Instead she stopped me."

Seifer laughed loudly. "You're not a coward. You're an idiot." He held out his hand to help her up. "Come on, we need to get into position."

"Just stay close," he said, realizing with an inner wince the double meaning of the phrase.

She took his hand.

From inside the carousel, the noise of the crowd below was much reduced. Seifer was glad.

Rinoa sat quietly on a ledge away from the front of the carousel, examining her toes. He and Irvine knelt at the front of the carousel, Seifer watching the crowd, Irvine panning the scope of the sniper rifle back and forth across Deling City.

After a while, the cowboy turned around and sat on the floor, back against the ledge he had recently been balancing the rifle on.

Seifer glanced at him, surprised at the other man's quietness.

The look on his face alarmed him.

"What's wrong?" he demanded.

Irvine refused to meet his eyes; instead he watched his fingers play along the barrel of the rifle.

"I can't do it," he said in a low voice, too quiet for anyone but Seifer to hear.

+++++

"Quistis!"

Zell's shout made her gasp. Her eyes flew open and she stared wildly at him.

"What?" she managed to croak.

"It's time! Hit the switch! She's gotta be right under us by now!" He bounced in place, excited out of all proportion.

Of course, I'm nervous out of all proportion, so it hardly matters.

She walked over to the control panel and paused. If I wait for just another minute--

"C'mon! What're you doing?"

I have to do it! She shook her head, gritted her teeth, and slammed her hand down on the switch.

+++++

"What do you mean, you can't do it?" spat the man next to him.

Irvine shook his head. You have no idea, Seifer. You don't even know who she is. If you knew, could you still do it?

"I always freeze like this," he lied, hoping that the words tumbling out of his mouth sounded the way he meant them to-- cowardly, juvenile. He was no rookie, but by God he hoped he sounded like one. "I try to act cool, joke around, but I just can't handle the pressure."

He could feel Seifer staring at him.

"You're lying," the other man said.

Irvine looked up at him with a calculated expression of surprise.

"I've never shot a living human being." He looked back down at the rifle.

Seifer laughed. "Just shoot."

"I can't," Irvine said, knowing it was true.

"Just shoot. You don't even have to aim at her."

Irvine looked up with real surprise. Seifer grinned at him.

"I practically want you to miss," he said, and Irvine suddenly wondered if Seifer remembered more than he let on.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because Squall is down there with her. Your miss is all the excuse I need to go down there and kill him. I've been dying to do it for years." Seifer's grin was disturbingly cheerful.

Irvine goggled at him. "You don't even want me to aim?"

At that point the lights came on and he felt the carousel begin to rise. Eerie carnival music began to blare out of invisible speakers.

"I don't care if you aim or not, Kinneas. Just shoot the goddamned gun right now before I decide to kill you and do it myself."

Irvine stared at him for a few more moments. Then he turned, balanced the rifle once more on the ledge, looked through the scope, and fired.

Oh my God! he realized a moment later. He tricked me!

Frantically he watched the target. He knew that he did some of his best shooting when he wasn't thinking about it. He could feel in his bones that his aim had been dead center.

He watched Edea, certain that she would crumple any moment.

Instead, he nearly fainted with consternation and relief when she held out her hand and the bullet became visible, hanging in the air before her like a tame hummingbird.

Then she looked up over the city and directly into the scope.

Irvine dropped the rifle.

+++++

Seifer smiled and clapped a hand on Irvine's shoulder. "Thanks."

Irvine looked up at him. Seifer laughed out loud at the expression on his face.

"I'm going now. Take care of her," he jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

And then he was over the side, Hyperion in his hands, yelling at the top of his lungs.

He landed right in the middle of a riot. God, I love this, he thought, slashing left and right.

Seifer saw just what he needed-- a car with the keys in the ignition, just sitting there waiting to be taken. He bounded to it and hopped inside, tossing his gunblade on the passenger seat.

Quickly he turned on the ignition and flipped the lights. Gotta be a safe driver, he thought, and hit the gas.

The tires squealed madly and he took off down the main throughway toward the gateway, not even bothering to watch for people in the road.

At the last possible second he hit the brakes and yanked the steering wheel around. The car slammed into the gates sideways at a slightly reduced speed, and he got out, not even scratched.

Seifer pushed his hair back and stepped through the bars, Hyperion at the ready.

The sorceress was no longer seated, but he hardly noticed. Squall interested him much more, and there he was standing right in front of him with his gunblade out, ready to be attacked.

"Well, this is how it turned out," he said. "Lapdog to an evil sorceress. How prestigious."

Squall didn't reply. He just held out his hand and beckoned.

"Not talkative today, I see." He assumed a sarcastic pout, but obligingly rushed the smaller man.

The impact of metal on metal had always thrilled Seifer. But there was something so much more exciting about facing an opponent who was nearly his equal. He couldn't remember ever having been so ready for battle.

We'll see who's better, he thought as he tested the other's strokes.

They'd fought each other so many times before that he almost felt comfortable. But of course, this wasn't training. It was real. Life or death, he thought as he parried an overhand stroke.

They settled into the dance, and the parrying and thrusting seemed to go on forever. As it went on, Seifer felt a battle-grin spread itself more and more tightly across his face. Dodge and spin, arm this way, foot here--

He stumbled a bit as Squall's gunblade failed to appear where he expected it. By instinct, he jumped back, and realized that Squall was on the ground.

What? he thought, confused, and then saw Irvine step up beside him, rifle in hand.

Seifer let his sword arm drop, and took a closer look at Squall.

"You shot him in the leg?"

Irvine looked sheepish.

"And I cast sleep on him," announced Rinoa, appearing on his other side.

"Hmph," he said. "You guys are no fun."

The sorceress interrupted their conversation. Seifer had almost forgotten she was there.

"SeeDs. Planted in a run down Garden." Her voice flowed like honey over them, and they turned toward her.

"Impudent SeeDs," she crooned, and the first thunder spell broke over them.

It turned out to be a very different sort of battle-- much more unnerving. For one thing, her expression was so utterly blank, even when she was hit, that Seifer felt like they were fighting a mannequin. For another, the sorceress never came near them, just threw spell after spell at them. Any physical attack they made hit because she didn't bother to avoid them, although Seifer suspected there was a spell protecting her physically, as his gunblade seemed to twist in his hand and hit with the flat of the blade, which of course was not his intent, almost every time he attacked.

At one point an ice spell she cast rebounded into her face, and for the first time she reacted to a blow: she blinked. Seifer glanced over to see Rinoa's exultant grin.

After a while, her spells came slower. They attacked her at an even more frenzied pace, and eventually she stopped casting altogether.

Or so they thought.

After a particularly vicious smack from the flat of Seifer's gunblade, she raised one hand above her head, palm up, and her eyes began to glow golden.

He could hear Rinoa chanting something next to him, but he was more interested in the icicles growing in the air above the sorceress's hand. He'd never seen any similar magic, and he was fairly sure he didn't want to be on the receiving end.

Unfortunately, he didn't have a choice. The sorceress gestured, and suddenly the ice spears were no longer hanging in the air above her.

Seifer frowned, wondering where they'd gone to, when he heard his gunblade clatter to the floor.

He looked down, and was surprised to see nearly a foot of ice extending from his chest.

Then the world grew dim. The last thing he heard as his knees gave way was Rinoa's scream.

+++++

"There really wasn't need for three of us on an easy mission like this," Selphie said.

Easy for you, maybe, thought Quistis.

She stood by the ladder, too worked up to even lean against the wall, and tried to wipe the sweat off her forehead. It didn't help. If anything, her nervousness had increased after the gates had fallen. They couldn't hear what was going on below and it was driving her absolutely insane.

She thought if she had to stay up here in this small room with these unconcerned, eager SeeDs burbling at each other for much longer, she would go right out of her mind.

What the hell is happening down there? she wondered for perhaps the thousandth time since the gates had dropped fifteen minutes earlier.

"Hey Quistis, are you okay?" Zell began. "You look kinda--"

A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the air and silenced him.

Quistis stood trembling in the aftershock of the chilling sound.

"Was that the sorceress?" Selphie asked, hesitant.

"No," Quistis said. "That was Rinoa."

She grabbed the sides of the ladder and slid down without hesitation. Her hands were so wet that she went a lot faster than she'd expected-- although not as fast as she would have liked-- and she hit the concrete below with a yelp.

Once her feet recovered, she flew to the door and threw it open.

She slipped through the bars and tried to take in the whole scene before her in an instant.

She immediately spotted Seifer, Rinoa, and Irvine. Seifer was laid out flat on the ground, a spear of what looked like ice protruding from his chest. The others knelt by him, glowing a magenta color she remembered very well from the TV station in Timber.

Frozen, she thought, and looked around for the source.

She saw the sorceress, just standing there, watching Quistis with her strange golden eyes.

But then her attention was caught by the person who lay as if dead at the sorceress's feet.

Her hand flew to her mouth. He lay in a slowly growing pool of blood.

"Squall," she tried to say, but her lips would only form the shape of his name.

Then he sat up, grimacing in pain.

All she could do was watch him. She knew she should be trying to help Seifer and the others, she knew that. But she was completely transfixed by Squall's white face.

He looked around, and then he saw her.

"Quisty?" he said, sounding surprised.

Her heart stopped.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, still sounding like she was the last person he would have expected.

She had no idea what might come out of her mouth, but she tried anyway.

"I--"

Squall tried to get up, not seeming to realize that a good part of his thigh was missing until he tried to put weight on it.

"Damn," he muttered as his face became a shade whiter.

The paralysis that had seemed to hold her broke. Instead of being unable to move, she was now unable to stop herself. She rushed to his side and slung his arm over her shoulder.

"Careful. You've got a bullet wound in your thigh," she warned, and wondered exactly what the hell she was doing.

"Oh," he said, and she realized he was only half conscious. Quistis quickly muttered the first curative spell she happened to remember, and he straightened a bit.

Squall turned his head a bit to look at her, and his gaze was sharp. Obviously, the spell had worked.

She flushed and looked away. For so long she'd wanted to be this close to him, their faces only inches away. She took a breath.

"Squall, do you remember what you said to me in the Training Centre?"

"Yes," he said.

She thought of the years she had spent training, getting up before everyone else to run those extra miles, the late hours spent in the Training Centre taking down Grats, and the free moments in between during which she had pored over tactics texts and world history tomes. She thought of the satisfaction of making SeeD on her fifteenth birthday, after aching to take the exam for six underage months. She remembered the exhultant feeling she'd had when she'd won her instructor's license. She remembered junctioning her first Guardian Force.

And she remembered the look on Squall's face as he told her no one cared for her, remembered standing at his side as a Garden Faculty member dismissed Dollet's need and said they should have been more generous. She saw the embarrassed look on Cid's face as another faculty member told her she had no leadership skills.

She'd thrown it all away a few moments ago, just for the look on Squall's face and a nickname she had no idea if she'd ever heard before.

"I think you were right." Quistis said.

Tears slipped down her cheeks, but she was happier than she could ever remember being in her entire life.